Kathleen Springs

Kathleen Springs is a permanent spring-fed waterhole at the southern end of Watarrka National Park in the Petermann region of the Northern Territory, about 21 kilometres south of Kings Canyon. The site preserves remains of a former cattle station, including historic stockyards and a homestead site, alongside a scenic desert oasis. A short walking track leads to the spring, offering insight into pastoral history and arid-zone ecology within the George Gill Range landscape.

Visitors can expect a tranquil desert oasis reached via the 2.6 km return Kathleen Springs Walk (Grade 3). The track passes through spinifex-covered hills and open woodland to a spring-fed waterhole fringed by reeds and ghost gums. Along the way are interpretive signs, restored stockyards, yards and remnants of the former Kathleen Springs cattle station. The spring itself is for viewing only, set beneath the escarpment of Watarrka National Park with opportunities for sightseeing, photography and birdwatching.