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Mataranka Thermal Pool – A Northern Territory Must-Do

Jen Adams | October 3, 2012 | 8:52 am | 29 Comments

Clint, Jen and Charli enjoying the Mataranka Thermal Pool
Clint, Jen and Charli enjoying the Mataranka Thermal Pool

A friend told us Mataranka was a place in the Northern Territory that you simply must visit. And after coming here, we couldn’t agree more.

Famous as being home to the story of We of the Never Never, written by Jeanie Gunn who was the first white women to call this place home when she came here with her husband in 1902. He died a year later, but she wrote a book that captured the imagination of a nation. It was even turned into a movie.

Visiting the Mataranka Thermal Pool

It’s a flat, hot drive in. And then all of a sudden, Mataranka appears, filled with thermal springs and lush green trees. Just like an oasis.

Mataranka Thermal Pool, strongly recommended for a visit
A strongly recommended place to visit!

We headed straight to “Bitter Springs”, Mataranka Thermal Pool, where the water is 32 degrees! These natural thermal springs feed more than 30 million litres of water into the nearby Roper River each day and are one of the main attractions in this outback town. I was a little hesitant on the way in, concerned about crocodiles, but everyone kept assuring me there were none here. “Well, if there are other people in there, then I am in. If not, then I am not so sure”, I thought to myself.

Warm water in Mataranka Thermal Pool
People enjoying the warm water in Mataranka Thermal Pool

Sure enough, as soon as we arrive, you could hear laughter coming from the watering hole. You walk down the path and there’s a gathering of travellers from all over the world swimming without a care. You let the current take you down the river and everyone from 18 months to 90 years old is here, with their goggles, noodles and floaties. Everyone is enjoying the therapeutic warmth and freshness of the water.

We swam in the water till the sun went down and even saw a turtle! It was like a warm bath from the gods.

If you come to the Northern Territory, you simply must come to Mataranka!

Tell us about your hot springs experiences in the comments below!

About Jen Adams

Places We Go is Jen's dream come true. As the founder, she simply wanted to 'share the world with the world'. With the tag line “It’s not just the places we go, but the people we meet that capture our heart” Jen knows that it's always the locals that bring our travels alive.

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Comments

  1. Sue Drinkwater says

    January 2, 2016 at 9:07 pm

    Beautiful place!

    Reply
  2. Jenny Fraser Pay says

    January 2, 2016 at 9:08 pm

    Lovely relaxing place to stop for a swim. Busy place when we were there with many overseas visitors on bus tours.

    Reply
  3. Debra Oak says

    January 2, 2016 at 9:15 pm

    Yes been there ☺ But I think Bitter Springs not far from there is so much more Naturally Beautiful ☺ Very pretty to walk through the bush n come across this natural wonder ☺ I think I spent most of my days there taken pictures of it while floating down the springs Mmm now I wana go back

    Reply
  4. Caroline Makepeace says

    January 2, 2016 at 9:25 pm

    Loved it

    Reply
  5. Joanne Coe says

    January 2, 2016 at 9:29 pm

    Plus a pie 🙂

    Reply
  6. Robert Patricia Ross says

    January 2, 2016 at 9:36 pm

    Yes we have been there. We enjoyed it immensely.

    Reply
  7. Julia Orchard says

    January 2, 2016 at 9:41 pm

    Yes I’ve been there!! So amazing.

    Reply
  8. Neshia Traise says

    January 2, 2016 at 9:48 pm

    Bitter Springs is incredible, 5 mins away, the caravan park is lovely and can walk to the water. One of my favourite places on earth 🙂 Dont miss it.

    Reply
  9. Wendy Reeve says

    January 2, 2016 at 9:57 pm

    Yes love it!

    Reply
  10. Victoria King says

    January 2, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    Kez King

    Reply
    • Kez King says

      January 2, 2016 at 11:33 pm

      Was very relaxing even with the bats ☺

      Reply
    • Victoria King says

      January 2, 2016 at 11:42 pm

      Spend more time at bitter springs next time ?

      Reply
  11. Sandy McDonald says

    January 2, 2016 at 10:49 pm

    Definitely Bitter Springs over Mataranka.

    Reply
  12. Patrizia Pollard says

    January 2, 2016 at 11:55 pm

    Yes lovely place remember Clare

    Reply
  13. Lyn Arena says

    January 3, 2016 at 12:01 am

    Rocky Rocky Arena I want to get here someday

    Reply
  14. Rodney Triska says

    January 3, 2016 at 1:31 am

    Go just do it you won’t regret it

    Reply
  15. Paul Bianca Jenkins says

    January 3, 2016 at 2:35 am

    Yes loved them both

    Reply
  16. Gary Weir says

    January 3, 2016 at 3:13 am

    Yes, and worked in the area as a ranger too

    Reply
  17. Christine Lancaster says

    January 3, 2016 at 3:34 am

    Its stunning

    Reply
  18. Helen Aitken says

    January 3, 2016 at 5:15 am

    Absolutely loved it. 😎

    Reply
  19. Jill Ray says

    January 3, 2016 at 5:43 am

    The bats had taken over when we were there a few years ago. Glad they have moved on…

    Reply
  20. Tamara Doyle says

    January 3, 2016 at 6:48 am

    Love that place!!!

    Reply
  21. Sue Wilson says

    January 3, 2016 at 7:18 am

    Been there back in the day, great pub there too!

    Reply
  22. Margaret Parker says

    January 3, 2016 at 7:18 am

    Have been there and it’s magic.

    Reply
  23. Kris O'Brien says

    January 3, 2016 at 10:09 am

    Kate Beckley

    Reply
    • Kate Beckley says

      January 3, 2016 at 10:32 am

      Been there 🙂 wanna go again

      Reply
  24. Margaret Frances Magurean says

    January 3, 2016 at 11:08 pm

    Been there twice in the early 90s

    Reply
  25. Sue Flockart says

    January 4, 2016 at 9:54 am

    We loved it!!!

    Reply
  26. Ron LeClair says

    August 26, 2016 at 1:34 pm

    I was there in Jan/1981. I still think about it during the cold Canadian winters.

    Reply
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