Are you ready to explore a hidden gem of the Northern Territory? Keep River National Park may be small compared to other national parks. Still, it keeps giving with spectacular honeycomb-shaped rocks, fantastic scenery, aboriginal culture, bird life, bushwalking and camping, all in peaceful surroundings. My family and I loved our visit here and are keen to share our highlights with you!
Getting to Keep River National Park
Keep River NP is 468 km from Katherine in the NT or 3 km east of the NT/WA border, making it a “no-brainer” destination when travelling between NT and WA. The park is 2WD accessible with a few corrugations, so there’s no reason not to come!
The best time of year to visit is between May to August when temps range from 10 degrees C to 35 degrees C. We visited in August when it was dry and the temperature was starting to rise, but it was still okay to check out the park walks. Between November to April, the warmer, wetter weather would make the lagoon and rivers pretty speccie.
Camping in Keep River National Park
Camping is available at two National Park campgrounds – Goorrandalng (18 km from the park entrance, and where we stayed – fantastic view!) and Jarnem (32 km from the park entrance). Both campgrounds have tables, fire pits, and composting/ pit toilets available, and they must be booked online. Don’t forget your NT Parks Pass also!
Breathtaking Walks in Keep River
We loved walking through the gorgeous countryside on two of the walks, both of which were easy enough for us and the kids.
The 2 km Goorrandalng Walk from our campground weaved up and around the honeycomb-shaped sandstone formations, with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside, interesting rock features, trees and bird life. A must-do in our books!
Jarnem Loop Walk
The 6.5 km Jarnem Loop Walk departing from the Jarnem campground was the highlight of our stay! An extraordinary walk taking in the Jarnem Lookout- overlooking the breathtaking floodplains and escarpment below, followed by a loop around to the Jarnem escarpment at Langgerrbi (Nigli Gap), where the abundance of honeycomb-shaped sandstone formations next to tall Livistonia palms is a breathtaking sight! A walk not to be missed!
Aboriginal Culture
We enjoyed our first foray into Aboriginal culture within the NT, visiting Ginger’s Hill Walk and checking out the stone structures typical of those built by Aboriginals throughout the region.
On the Jarnem Loop Walk, we saw some great examples of Aboriginal rock art at Langgerrbi (Nigli Gap), our favourite being the emu! The Jenemoom Walk also offers more cultural experiences for those up for further walking!
Relaxing in Nature
Another great thing about Keep River? The opportunity to relax in nature once the walks are done. We enjoyed bird-watching at the pretty Woorrilbem/ Cockatoo Lagoon while having a picnic lunch. Many Egrets, Cormorants and Herons were enjoying a splash!
Back at the Goorrandalng campground with the stunning honeycomb sandstone formations as a backdrop, we spent a few afternoons enjoying the view, watching the bird life and marvelling at the gorgeous colours on the sandstone at sunset. Cosying up around the fire pits at each site was a great way to finish the day and inspired us to cook an epic pork roast in our campfire pot – delicious!
You can always get more inspiration for other National Parks to visit by following @northerhq or get your Keep River National Park daily fix @keeprivernationalpark.
*Cover image is by @portable_drifters on IG.
One Response
Thanks Anne for the tips.