Mataranka Springs
My favourite stop on the trip from Port Augusta, South Australia to Darwin, Northern Territory would have to have been Mataranka Thermal Springs.
We only stopped there for a couple of hours but it was a very rejuvenating and relaxing couple of hours. We could easily enjoyed a couple of days in such a tranquil environment.
At the time we had a 4 year old and an 18 month old with us and they really enjoyed the warmer swimming water.
What I found most interesting was that our 18 month old’s skin started to heal up. She had struggled with dry skin and excema since birth and yet by the time we returned to South Australia, her skin was completely soft and clear. Given the humidity should have theoretically exacerbated the problem, we can only put this down to the benefits of the minerals in the waters.
What also amazed me about some of these tourist locations in the Northern Territory was that accomodation was easier to come by if you DIDN’T have your own caravan. Finding a powered site beyond lunch time was almost impossible in many places. At Mataranka I actually heard the staff explaining to a caravanning couple that they couldn’t have a site but they did have onsite accomodation available (ie cabins and motel rooms) if they wanted. It was certainly caravan city up there!
Mataranka was a lovely location to visit and I would definitely recommend going there. I can’t wait to go again myself.
I review a lot of caravan parks but have not been to the Northern Territory. I’d be interested to know if this crowding problem is widespread and due to accommodation demands in the NT.
OMG Mataranka is simply amazing, we only just returned from a driving holiday between Darwin and Adelaide over 3 weeks. It was an AMAZING life experience to say the least! Our 5, 3 and 1 year old loved it, and even the fact we were camping didn’t bother us, it was something I would urge every family to get out there and do.!!!
We also really loved the Katherine Hot Springs, particularly for the fact that the kids can stand up in them so we spent almost 2 hours sitting in there and met lots of lovely people that way
Your post made me feel a little sad that we aren’t still on the road, we definately want to go back when the kids are older and experience things that were’nt quite possible this time around…..:)
I agree it was the top spot on our 6 week caravan holiday many years ago. We stopped in twice it was so spectacular. Yes on the powered sites too, scarce always.
Oh I can’t wait to go back now.
Prizetastic – we didn’t get a chance to go to Katherine Springs that trip but a return trip at some point is on the “must do” list so I’ll have to remember to check them out as well.
It’s not always easy travelling with kids but it is great for them (we’ve just come back from a 2 week trip to the Snowy Mountains and ACT) in our new caravan.
Trish – I’m stunned by how scarce powered sites are in many places. We’re learning to ring ahead the morning we’re travelling to make sure we secure a spot as they’re often all taken by the grey nomads by the time we check in.
I went to Mataranka about 20 years ago and loved it then. I’m sure I’d still love it.