Crocodile warning at Bitter Springs in Australia’s Northern Territory: Parks and Wildlife

A popular swimming spot has been forced to close over the school holidays after park rangers made a terrifying discovery. 

Bitter Springs in the Northern Territory’s Elsey National Park, has been drawing in travellers in droves for its unbelievably vibrant blue waters.

However Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife announced the stunning thermal pools are now closed for swimming for safety reasons after a 2.5m saltwater crocodile was spotted on Wednesday night. 

Bitter Springs will remain closed as Katherine rangers work ’round the clock’ to find and relocate the dangerous animal while the nearby Mataranka Thermal Pool off Homestead Road remains open for swimming. 

The waters at Bitter Springs, which is located approximately two kilometres from Mataranka in the Territory’s Katherine region, stay between 30-34 degrees all year round. 

Bitter Springs will remain closed as Katherine rangers work ’round the clock’ to find and relocate the dangerous animal (stock image)

The waters at Bitter Springs stay between 30-34 degrees all year round. Crocodiles are rares at the popular thermal pools as they prefer water temperatures between 26C and 29C

Crocodiles are rare at the popular thermal pools as they prefer water temperatures between 26C and 29C according to the Northern Territory Government. 

The scary news shocked locals and visitors who said they thought the turquoise waters of Bitter Springs were ‘too warm’ for crocodiles. 

‘I probably wouldn’t have been so relaxed floating along the stream a couple days ago, had I known I was sharing it with a saltie. Oh well … guess he wasn’t too hungry at the time,’ one woman said.  

‘And I was told they would never swim there as it’s too warm… so I did swim there but swam faster than an Olympic athlete. Stunning place,’ another wrote.  

‘Yikes…nearly went swimming in there last Monday week with our little grandsons,’ added a third.  

Bitter Springs is in the Northern Territory’s Elsey National Park approximately two kilometres from Mataranka in the Katherine region

Bitter Springs has become a popular destination for travellers since its naturally-fed warm turquoise waters sitting within the lush rainforest make for the most stunning holiday snaps

‘Always be croc wise in croc country while on your travels. We swam here, I recommend it, absolutely gorgeous!!’ a fourth warned. 

Bitter Springs has become a popular destination for travellers since its naturally-fed warm turquoise waters sitting within the lush rainforest make for the most stunning holiday snaps. 

The fresh waters are so clear, visitors will feel like they’re swimming in an aquarium alongside an array of fauna including turtles and fish. 

There is a short circuit 1.3 kilometre walk at Bitter Springs that circles through the palms and tropical woodlands in Elsey National Park.

Visitors to Bitter Springs have called the hidden swimming spot ‘a little slice of heaven’ and the ‘perfect place to relax and unwind’.

‘Yes the water really is this colour’ one Instagrammer captioned their post.