Katherine Rail Trail

The Katherine Rail Trail is a 6km sealed cycling and walking trail following part of the historic North Australia Railway through Katherine in the Northern Territory. Running from the former Katherine railway station to Morey Road, it’s an easy, family-friendly ride combining local history, tropical savanna landscapes and one of the trail’s standout features — the historic railway bridge across the Katherine River. The route follows the old railway formation through savanna woodland and limestone outcrops, with interpretive signs telling the story of the railway and the development of Katherine. Sections of original railway infrastructure have been deliberately retained, including rails, steel sleepers, culverts and bridges, giving riders plenty to discover along the way. The highlight is crossing the historic Katherine River railway bridge, which opened in 1926 and helped shift the railway terminus from Emungalan on the northern side of the river into Katherine. Viewing platforms provide a great vantage point over the river, while sections of the bridge use steel mesh decking so riders can see the original railway infrastructure beneath them. With a sealed surface and gentle railway gradients, the trail is suitable for mountain bikes, hybrids and touring bikes, as well as walkers, wheelchairs, scooters and prams. It can be ridden as a relaxed 12km return trip, or connected with Katherine’s wider cycle-path network for a longer ride. For riders searching for Katherine cycling, Katherine Rail Trail, Northern Territory rail trails or family-friendly bike rides in Katherine, this is an easy and interesting way to explore some of the town’s railway heritage on two wheels. RTS Tip: Don’t rush this one. At only 6km each way, there’s plenty of time to stop at the railway heritage features and take in the views from the Katherine River bridge. Katherine gets seriously hot, so an early-morning ride, plenty of water and sun protection are a good idea, particularly during the warmer months.