[1] Katherine is also the closest major town to RAAF Base Tindal, located 17 km (11 mi) southeast, and provides education, health, local government services and employment opportunities for the families of Defence personnel stationed there.

Katherine is also the central hub of the great "Savannah Way" which stretches from Cairns in north Queensland to Broome in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

[3] Beginning as an outpost established with the Australian Overland Telegraph Line on the north–south transport route between Darwin and Adelaide, Katherine has grown with the development of transport and local industries including mining – particularly gold mining; a strategic military function with RAAF Base Tindal; also as a tourism gateway to the attractions of nearby Nitmiluk National Park, particularly Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge and its many ancient rock paintings.

Today the Walpiri people from the Victoria River District and Tanami Desert areas now have a dedicated community based at Katherine East.

[citation needed] Explorer John McDouall Stuart passed through the area in 1862 on his successful third journey across the continent from north to south.

On 4 July 1862, Stuart crossed the Katherine River 90 km upstream from the present town, and recorded in his diary: "Came upon another large creek, having a running stream to the south of west and coming from the north of east.

[6] Many men who took up this land were also Cossacks who had fought against the newly formed Communist government in the Russian Civil War; many had served under Alexander Kolchak.

The Ghan passenger train service commenced on 4 February 2004, running several times a week and stopping on both the northbound and southbound journeys.

[citation needed] In recent decades, Katherine has developed as a regional centre supporting the cattle, horticulture, agriculture and tourism industries.

Located at the junction of major tourism drives, Central Arnhem Road, the Savannah Way and the Explorers Way, Katherine is an important visitor gateway for the Northern Territory.

The flood resulted from the 300–400 mm of rainwater brought by Cyclone Les that caused the already full Katherine River to peak at 20.4 metres.

Each year hundreds of older people (termed "Grey nomads") from the colder parts of Australia pack caravans and head north to Katherine and other locations throughout the Northern Territory.

The township itself is set among relatively flat plains along the Katherine River within the Tindall / Oolloo Aquifers, dotted with rugged Karst limestone formations, caves and jagged outcrops.

Katherine is within an ecoregion classified as the Kimberley tropical savanna which covers a large portion of Australia's north-west through WA and the NT.

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Les produced between 300 and 400 millimetres (12 and 16 in) of rainfall during a 48-hour period, causing the Katherine River to rise to 21.3 metres and claim the lives of three people.

Wardaman country occupies areas to the west of Katherine, from Manbulloo (around Limestone Creek) to eastern parts of the Victoria River District.

The Old Katherine Railway Station is another historic attraction that served Vestey's Meatworks during their operation in Darwin and was a major hub of transport during World War II.

The low level nature reserve and hot springs and Nitmiluk National Park are regularly checked for crocodiles and are regarded reasonably safe for swimming during the dry season months.

The Flora River 90 minutes southwest of town also offers excellent barramundi fishing either by casting from the bank or by small boat.

The facility comprises 1,260 ha (3,100 acres) of land on a site located off the Stuart Highway 4 km (2.5 mi) east of Katherine.

The research conducted at the station assists local farmers to align land-management to climate and environment, and to address pests and diseases.

The line fell into disuse and was closed in May 1976, after damage caused by Cyclone Tracy led to the cessation of the shipment of iron ore from the Frances Creek mine.

The airport and town received an extended description in the book "Beyond the Blue Horizon" by Alexander Frater, written in the 1980s and describing a journey by local air services from London to Brisbane, retracing the route of the pioneer airline operations of the 1930s.

As a major regional centre, the town provides primary, secondary and tertiary education options, as well as facilitating students with special needs and disabilities.

[36] Due to the vast area and sparse population serviced by the Katherine Region, many students have to travel significant distances from their home to attend school.

[37] Saint Joseph's Catholic College provides an alternative to the public schools in Katherine, catering for students from pre-school to year 12.

The town offices are located within the CBD and offer vocational courses in other disciplines including studies of business, computing, childcare and community services.

The school originally conducted classes via HF radio broadcasts, however with the advent of technologies such as satellite communications and the internet this system is no longer used.

[40] Katherine District Hospital is located in the town and provides emergency medical and surgical facilities as well as maternity, radiography and renal dialysis units and specialist services.

A large facility owned by the YMCA, the Henry Scott Recreation Centre, is located at the Katherine Sports Ground Complex and contains a roller skating rink and gymnasium.