Mataranka, Northern Territory — interactive Google street map, satellite and terrain views, Street View, live local weather conditions and 7-day forecasts, real-time local and world news, and an editorial description of Mataranka, in the Roper Gulf Region local government area.
| Locality | Mataranka |
| Territory | Northern Territory (NT) |
| Local Government Area | Roper Gulf Region |
| Country | Australia |
| Timezone | Australian Central Standard Time (ACST) - no daylight saving |
| Remoteness | Very Remote Australia |
| Latitude | -14.95284 |
| Longitude | 133.04496 |
| Population | 890 |
| Density | 3.8 /km² |
| Area | 232.0 km² |
| Elevation | 140 m |
| Postcode | 0852 |
| Area Code | 08 |
| Distance to Darwin | 365 km southeast |
Mataranka is a locality in the Roper Gulf Region local government area of Northern Territory, Australia. It is a small community with a population of 890. The locality covers an area of 232.0 km², giving a population density of about 3.8 people per km². It sits at an elevation of around 140 m above sea level. It lies approximately 365 km southeast of Darwin. Mataranka is located at 14.9528°S, 133.0450°E. It observes Australian Central Standard Time (ACST) - no daylight saving. Postcode: 0852. The Australian Bureau of Statistics classifies the area as Very Remote Australia.
Mataranka breathes a languid warmth, a place where the air itself feels soft and heavy, scented with the dry, sweet perfume of eucalyptus and the damp earth of shaded waterways. It lies 364.9 km south-east of Darwin City, NT (from Darwin City, NT: bearing 140°T), and is situated 26.7 km west of Jilkminggan. The land here rolls gently, a landscape painted in ochres and muted greens under an immense sky that shifts from a pale, washed-out blue in the morning to a bruised, incandescent violet at dusk. Broadleaf trees, their leaves catching the light like slivers of polished metal, fringe the vital veins of water that thread through the terrain, their roots delving deep into the sandy soil. The dominant sound is often the whisper of wind through the grass, punctuated by the distant calls of birds and the low hum of an engine traversing the red dirt tracks that crisscross the region.
This is a land deeply connected to the Roper River, a lifeline that has sustained life and shaped the fortunes of Mataranka for generations. Historically a vital stopover for travellers and traders traversing the vast distances of the Northern Territory, Mataranka's identity is intrinsically linked to its pastoral heritage, with cattle grazing a prominent feature of the local economy. The clear, inviting waters of the Mataranka Thermal Pools and Bitter Springs are a celebrated natural wonder, drawing visitors who come to soak in their gentle warmth and marvel at the aquatic life that thrives within them, a stark, cool contrast to the sun-baked plains outside. These springs, fed by underground sources, offer a unique, almost timeless quality to the experience, a quiet magic that seems to seep from the very earth.
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This page provides an interactive Google map of Mataranka, Northern Territory with street, satellite and terrain views and integrated Street View imagery. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorially written description provides background on Mataranka, in the Roper Gulf Region local government area.
Detailed location data for Mataranka includes the postcode (0852), telephone area code (08), and local government area (Roper Gulf Region), with an ABS remoteness classification of Very Remote Australia. These are among the most commonly searched location details for any Australian city, town or locality.
Location data is drawn from Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020) and enriched with GeoNames and Australian Bureau of Statistics data, matched by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Mataranka is identified even where the name is shared across multiple localities.
| Page generated | June 2026 |
| Location data | Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020); enriched with GeoNames and ABS 2021 Census data, matched by coordinate proximity |
| Description | Editorial description generated with AI assistance from verified Geoscape, ABS and GeoNames location data. |