Northern Territory · Attraction
Bitter Springs
Float the palm-lined thermal channel
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
Bitter Springs is a natural thermal swimming channel in Elsey National Park where 34-degree spring water wells up through a sandy-bottomed passage fringed by pandanus palms and tropical woodland. Visitors drift along the gentle current, peering down at freshwater turtles and fish in the crystalline water. A NT Parks Visitor Pass is required; swimming is only available during the dry season when the site is open.
The channel is fed by the same Cambrian Limestone Aquifer that powers Mataranka Thermal Pool, with water rising at a rate of 30.5 million litres per day. Unlike the more developed Thermal Pool at the Homestead, Bitter Springs has a quieter, less commercial feel, facilities extend to toilets, an accessible carpark, a day-use shelter, and stairs with handrails into the water. The 500-metre loop walk along the water's edge is graded easy and takes around 20 minutes.
Bitter Springs typically closes during the wet season (November to May) when flooding can affect water clarity and access, and it may close temporarily if a saltwater crocodile is sighted in the area. Check current conditions with the ranger station before setting out. There is no camping at Bitter Springs; the nearest campground is Jalmurark on the Roper River, 22 kilometres away.
Birdwatchers are rewarded with a rich canopy bird community in the palms surrounding the spring, and early morning visits, before 9 am, give the best chance of calm, uncrowded swimming. The site is 3 kilometres from the Stuart Highway via Martin Road and is signposted in Mataranka township.
Scenic views
Lookouts near Bitter Springs.
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