Katherine Hot Springs

Katherine Hot Springs is the easiest soak in the Top End: a chain of spring-fed pools along a creek a couple of kilometres from the centre of Katherine, free to use. The name oversells the heat. The source flows at about 32°C, and the pools you sit in range from roughly 25 to 30°C depending on how close you are to the outlet, so think warm swim rather than hot bath.

A raised walkway leads up to a viewing platform at the source. The main pool has a wheelchair ramp, stainless steel handrails and rock steps, which is unusual for a natural spring. You get there by heading out on the Victoria Highway and turning onto Riverbank Drive; there is a car park, a kiosk and a playground.

The town council lists the springs as open from 7am to 7pm. The springs sit beside the Katherine River and close to swimmers during the wet season, roughly October to April, when the river rises, so check before you go late in the year. The honest downside: it is a busy town swimming spot in the dry season, and if you want genuinely hot water you will be disappointed.