Mataranka

Mataranka is a community of about 400, in the Top End region of Australia's Northern Territory. The town is located about 420 km (260 mi.) southeast of the territorial capital, Darwin, and 107 km (66 mi.) south of Katherine. At the 2011 census, Mataranka had a population of 244.The town is located near Roper River and Mataranka Hot Springs. This area is the setting for Jeannie Gunn's autobiographical account of the year 1902, We of the Never Never. The homestead, which she shared with her husband, Aeneas Gunn, until his death, has been reconstructed near to the hot springs.The Mataranka Station is part of the Katherine Rural College of Charles Darwin University.World War IIThe Australian Army set up No. 42 Australian Camp Hospital near Mataranka. The 10th Australian Advanced Ordnance workshops camped in buildings made from paper bark trees and serviced wrecked and damaged vehicles. An ammunition depot was also in the locality. These depots were served by railway sidings off the main line.RailwaysMataranka was served by the original narrow gauge railway that closed in 1976 after cyclone damage. The new standard gauge railway opened in 2003. It passes about 20 km. to the west of the town.