Katherine

Town in the Northern Territory of Australia, 340 km/211 mi southeast of Darwin; population (1996) 8,000. Industries include rearing cattle, meat processing, and tourism.

The area in which the town was built was first explored by settlers in 1862. Katherine began to develop in 1872, following the establishment of a relay station for the Overland Telegraph (connecting Darwin and Adelaide) in 1872. From 1877 pastoral activities became an increasingly important component of the local economy. In 1917 a railway was opened between Katherine and Darwin, although the line finished outside the town until 1926, when a bridge was constructed over the Katherine River.