O'Keeffe House and Gardens

O’Keeffe House and Gardens was originally intended as a recreation hut, built by the army in World War II, but became the Officer’s mess. It was a simple structure with the walls and ceilings made from bark, cypress pine, fly wire and the roof from corrugated iron. It is one of the few structures from the war to have survived in the Katherine region. In 1963, Johnno and Olive O’Keeffe (well known nurse) purchased what would become known as O’Keeffe House. Johnno turned out to be an excellent handyman, making furniture from all sorts of scrap and territory timbers. Olive loved her garden, so between them, they made their own little paradise between the trees on the banks of the Katherine River. This premises now also houses a 1930's Sidney Williams Hut which displays the World War II history of Katherine and how it affect its residents. Devonshire can be enjoyed amongst Olive's beautiful gardens. $10 pp Devonshire Tea, $5 Entry pp. Open May to September (This year 25th May 2024).