Overview – Nitmiluk Sunset Cruise
The Nabilil Dreaming Sunset Dinner Cruise at Nitmiluk, Katherine Gorge, is amazing. This was our first time north of Alice Springs. Katherine Gorge was on our ‘bucket list’, so we camped at Nitmiluk National Park for a couple of days to do the tour.
Words and Photos: Fireman Ron and Di Sinclair.
Spotting Birds & Crocs
We arrived at the boat ramp and picked our main meal. The choice was Barramundi or Rib Eye Steak as part of three courses. On board the first boat, our skipper Sam ran through what we’d be doing. Then we were off through the first gorge. Sam shared incredible geological and scenic highlights along the river. This was between spotting crocodiles, birds, and other inhabitants of the gorge. Her explanations of the yearly wet season, subsequent floods, and the impact on the river and gorges were a real eye-opener. Such details made the Nitmiluk Sunset Cruise truely special.
Indigenous Rock Art
At the end of the first gorge we disembarked to walk a short distance. We walked through to the next gorge and onto another boat. This took us past some iconic Indigenous rock paintings. They seemed even more special due to their location high up on the wall of the gorge. The second boat took us further up through the gorge, past Jedda’s Rock, named after the great Australian film Jedda, and through to a spectacular location where many tourism ads have been shot.
Nature’s Light Show
On our way back towards the changeover point the moon started to rise. Although not quite full it was visually captivating against the gorge. The gorge changed colours as the sun dropped. The ochres and reds of the rocks really began to change hues with the setting sun. This created pinks, purple and orange colours across the western sky.
Kangaroo Fillet
It seemed almost too good to be true. However, the night was to get better. We disembarked again and went back to the end of the first gorge to board our ‘dining boat’. This would be our last vessel, and we were in for a wonderful climax to the cruise. On arrival we were seated for dinner and given a glass of sparkling wine. Each of us received a tasting plate of kangaroo fillet with rose apple relish; paperbark smoked chicken with ginger sesame vinaigrette; and NT crocodile with roasted eggplant and dehydrated olive. Not a bad start!
Barra @ Sunset
Our main meals were spectacular. I had the ‘barra’’’ and it was sublime. There was a good-sized plate of veggies and salad to share. So, no one went hungry and we all kept room for the Dark Chocolate Brownie for dessert. While we were eating our meal the moon was rising and the sun was setting. The colours dazzled us all before eventually fading to black. On came the boat’s lights to show us the banks of the river, a few crocs, and an abundance of fish following behind the boat hoping for tidbits.
Final Thoughts
By the time we’d docked there were about thirty very satisfied people who’d experienced the dinner cruise. I can say that, in our opinion, it was one of the best dinner tours we’ve ever done.
Happy Trails,
Fireman Ron & Di
