Katherine Rail Trail is a 6km, grade 2 hike located in the Katherine, Northern Territory. The hike should take around 2.25 hrs to complete.
Hike overview
Interpretive signs along the path highlight the history of the railway and the old Emungalan Cemetery. Before the Katherine River railway bridge was built, the town of Emungalan (north of Katherine) was the railway terminus.
A high standard rail trail with the centrepiece being the high bridge acrossthe Katherine River.
Follow the route of the historic former North Australian Railway, where considerable effort has gone into preserving remaining infrastructure
Links with the seven kilometre Katherine River cycle path, the 12 kilometre path to the RAAF Base Tindal, and those around the town.
Two shelters on the path will house information panels about the railway and the limestone topography over which it passes.
The first section of the narrow gauge North Australia Railway from Darwin to Pine Creek opened in 1888. It was extended south to Katherine in 1926 and finally Larrimah in 1929, which was as far south as it got, never linking up to the Adelaide to Alice Springs railway. Nevertheless it played a vital role in the development of the Northern Territory and Australia during the second world war. However once the war was over improving roads and its isolation resulted in the railway being closed in 1976.
Route and GPX file
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Tips
Katherine Station to Morey Rd in Katherine
Katherine, 320km from Darwin
Sealed
Flat
Photo credit: Rail Trails Australia. For more information and a location map please visit RailTrails Australia.
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Gallery
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About the region
Come to where the Outback meets the tropics and discover a region full of gorges and misty waterfalls, thermal springs and ancient cultures.
Nature comes alive at Katherine Gorge as you cruise, canoe or fly along the Gorge by helicopter. Take a more challenging route and hike the Jatbula Trail, or soak it up in luxury at Cicada Lodge.
Learn from the land at Tom Curtain’s Katherine Outback Experience or get a hands-on perspective of indigenous culture with the Top Didj Aboriginal Cultural Experience; both just minutes from the centre of Katherine.
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Gear to consider

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Acknowledgement of Country
Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.