Where to stay between Alice Springs and Katherine?

**spudboy** · 31st January 2010, 02:25 PM

We are planning to drive a friend's 4WD from Adelaide up to Darwin for them. We are thinking of a 5 or 6 day timeframe, with a detour to Ayres Rock/Uluru, maybe in late March/early April.

I've checked out the route on Google Maps and can see where we'd like to stop off along the way except for the Alice Springs to Katherine leg.

Haven't driven this road for over 10 years, so wondering what a good mid-way location might be. The only place I can distinctly remember stopping at is Tennant Creek and that didn't have a good 'feel' about it at all

Hopefully it's better 10 years on. We can take a swag, so camping in the desert might be a possibility - dunno.

Or, should we just get up early and knock off Alice to Katherine in one big day? It's 1200Kms, so I guess that's around 12-13 hours of driving. Maybe Mataranka is a good place to stop as an alternative to going the extra 100Kms to Katherine.

Thanks
David

**dmdigital** · 31st January 2010, 02:44 PM

Banka Banka is a must stay, about 50km north of 3 ways.

Whycliff Wells is good, tacky, but good.

Don't bother with Matarancka Hot Springs, stay at the National Park its way better

Dunmurra (spelling?) is also good.

**spudboy** · 31st January 2010, 02:48 PM

Tks - I'll do some searching on Banka Banka & Dunmurra
Cheers

d@rk51d3 · 31st January 2010, 03:26 PM

It's a pretty dead stretch, and spots like Barrow Creek and Elliot don't really do it for me.

Depends how long you want to settle in for, too.

I reckon we camped for a night, just north of Devils Marbles (no more than about 5 kms), there is a tiny track that shoots off to the west, up an incline, through some scrub, into a rocky clearing.

It's one of those "blink and you'll miss it" kind of things (good for keeping out unwanted gatecrashers). Although there are plenty of them, if you keep your eyes out. Not really the kind of place to stay for a few nights, though...... Just set up camp, have a feed and a brew or 2, hit the hay, then hit the road the following morning.

In Katherine, if van parks are your thing, the Lower Levels is reasonable, and has camp sites from memory. Mataranka is ok too, but nothing to rave about, and can get a bit noisy at night.

Litchfield is a really nice stay too, but could be restricted in croc season.

sjd70 · 31st January 2010, 03:28 PM

I like staying at Devils Marbles. I am not sure if it matches your itinerary but it is a very interesting place to spend a night. Nice flat campsite (car park) but what a view!!

Just get there before 3:00pm at you will get a good spot!

Cheers

Sean

**cucinadio** · 31st January 2010, 04:00 PM

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQlyUDLJL5U"]YouTube- Mataranka Cabins and Camping[/ame] ...........

**Xtreme** · 31st January 2010, 04:39 PM

Territory Manor - Cabins & camping - on northern side of Mataranka. You can get a good feed at the restaurant there and it's easy access to Bitter Springs for a refreshing swim after the long drive. Is actually upstream of the Mataranka Hot Springs, is much less crowded and far more pleasant.
See vid in previous post.