It's a water wonderland in the vast Katherine region, and though crocodiles do venture this far south through the river systems, there's almost no end to the swimming options here.
Start at the town's aquatic centre or relax at the Katherine Low Level Nature Reserve, where the Katherine River flows over rock bars creating pleasant rapids and shallow swimming areas only minutes from the centre of town.
Slip into something a little warmer in the many hot springs and thermal pools this region is renowned for. Katherine Hot Springs, Mataranka Thermal Pool, Bitter Springs and Rainbow Springs are all close, and offer pleasantly warm swimming holes in tranquil, tropical surrounds.
The mighty Katherine Gorge is the undisputed star of this region, and the Nitmiluk National Park it sits in has dozens of spots to enjoy a dip.
Swim between the sheer cliffs of the gorge itself to sandy freshwater beaches, or walk into the paperbark and pandanus-fringed plunge pool at the base of a waterfall at Leilyn (Edith Falls) on the park's western boundary.
Take the five-day Jatbula Trail bushwalk through the park and camp alongside some of its best swimming holes and waterfalls: Biddlecombe Falls, Crystal Falls, 17 Mile Falls, Edith, Sandy Camp Pool and Sweetwater Pool.
To Katherine's north west is Umbrawarra Gorge Nature Park, where a beautiful isolated gorge with steep red cliffs protects a large pool with a sandy beach. During the dry season, wade, swim and rock hop your way from here to explore the gorge's other rocky swimming holes.
Further north west, the Douglas Daly region is home to Tjuwaliyn (Douglas) Hot Springs, where swimmers soak in a spot where hot and cold water collides and nearby Butterfly Gorge, where a four-wheel drive track leads to a large swimming hole. Swim across here and through a narrow gorge to the peaceful upper pools.
