Mataranka Homestead Tourist Resort Review
Location: Mataranka, NT
COST
$35 per night for 2 adults and 3 children with power and water.
Mataranka Homestead Tourist Resort
Mataranka Homestead Tourist Resort borders the Elsey National Park in the Northern Territory. It is located at 642 Homestead Road in Mataranka NT, which is 420 km southeast of Darwin, and 107 km south of Katherine.
The tourist resort is a lovely, lush oasis, whose call to fame is the peaceful Mataranka Thermal Springs that are set within the lush palm forest a short 100m walk from the campground. These springs are made even more relaxing after weeks spent on the dusty red roads of the Savannah Way.
Latitude, Longitude: -14.922086°, 133.132642°
GPS Coordinates: 14° 55′ 19.51’’ S, 133° 7′ 57.511’’ E
POWER
Yes available.
WATER
Yes available.
TOILET
Yes available (slightly dated but okay cleanliness).
DUMP POINT
Yes available.
ACCESS INTO SITE
Sealed roads that are accessible all year round by all sized vehicles.
SIZE SITE
Large sites with multiple sizes available.
PHONE + INTERNET
Okay Telstra reception with dropouts during busier times in the evening.
DOG FRIENDLY
Yes allowed.
FIRES
Yes allowed.
COST
$35 per night for 2 adults and 3 children with power and water.
POWER
Yes available.
WATER
Yes available.
TOILET
Yes available (slightly dated but okay cleanliness).
DUMP POINT
Yes available.
ACCESS INTO SITE
Sealed roads that are accessible all year round by all sized vehicles.
SIZE SITE
Large sites with multiple sizes available.
PHONE + INTERNET
Okay Telstra reception with dropouts during busier times in the evening.
DOG FRIENDLY
Yes allowed.
FIRES
Yes allowed.
Sites Features
Things to Do
General Comments
Mataranka Homestead Tourist Resort was set amidst the tropical woodlands of Elsey National Park, and provided the perfect base for exploring the local thermal pools.
The Mataranka Thermal Pool was better for younger children. It was a short 100m walk from the campground and had seats, stairs and a concrete surround. We hopped in at one end and a gentle current carried us downstream. After winding through ferns and palms for about 100m, we jumped out and followed a path back to the start where we could do it all again.
Bitter Springs was a short drive away, and was slightly less commercialised. The setting was more natural, the water crystal clear, and the current a bit stronger. We spent the day floating from one end to the other whilst the kids enjoyed jumping off the bridge.
The bar and restaurant at the campground were great for cold drinks and decent meals, and the staff throughout the entire park were very friendly. It was pretty quiet when we visited as they were running at 5% capacity. Supplies could be bought in town, and there was a track where you could see crocodiles in the creeks. They apparently ate bats in the later afternoon, but we didn’t see that.
Overall it was a lovely spot, and relaxing in the beautiful cool-to-lukewarm waters was bliss.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!