Elsey National Park

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}

{{Infobox Australian place

| type = protected

| name = Elsey National Park

| state = nt

| iucn_category = II

| iucn_ref =

| image = Elsey National Park 0416.svg

| caption = Map of Elsey National Park

| nearest_town_or_city = Mataranka

| area = 138.96

| area_footnotes = {{cite web|title=CAPAD 2012 Northern Territory Summary (see 'DETAIL' tab)|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/0f927a4e-336a-490c-a896-ec37874a5c73/files/capad2012nt.xlsx|work=CAPAD 2012|publisher=Australian Government - Department of the Environment|access-date=7 February 2014|date=7 February 2014}}

| established = 1991

| established_footnotes =

| visitation_num = 207,700

| visitation_year = 2022{{Cite web |last=Government |first=Northern Territory |date=2023-08-21 |title=Park visitor data |url=https://depws.nt.gov.au/parks-and-wildlife-commission/parks-and-wildlife-statistics-and-research/park-visitor-data |access-date=2024-06-01 |website=depws.nt.gov.au |language=en}}

| managing_authorities = {{Plainlist|

• Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory

}}

| url = http://www.parksandwildlife.nt.gov.au/parks/find/elsey

}}

Elsey is a national park in the Northern Territory of Australia,[https://nt.gov.au/leisure/parks-reserves/find-a-park-to-visit/elsey-national-park Elsey National Park], nt.gov.au. extending from 2 km to 19 km east of Mataranka and 378 km southeast of Darwin.{{cite web |url=http://www.parksandwildlife.nt.gov.au/ |title=Parks and Wildlife Commission NT |access-date=12 April 2016}}

Features of the park include Mataranka Falls,[https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g494973-d7762392-i131402177-Elsey_National_Park-Mataranka_Top_End_Northern_Territory.html “Mataranka Falls”]. and the Mataranka Thermal Pools[http://www.ourterritory.com/katherine_region/mataranka.htm “Mataranka Thermal Pools” ].[https://ozoutback.com.au/Australia/katherineroper/slides/1984120901.html Roper region, Northern Territory].

The thermal springs are home to a well known colony of the little red fruit-bat, species Pteropus scapulatus, an attraction that has also been discouraged from inhabiting the site for the strong odour of their camps. These fruit eating bats roost during the day at the stands of bamboo, often in large numbers, and leave at night to feed on nectar from trees.{{cite book |last1=Richards |first1=G.C. |last2=Hall |first2=L.S. |last3=Parish |first3=S. (photography) |title=A natural history of Australian bats : working the night shift |date=2012 |publisher=CSIRO Pub |isbn=9780643103740 |page = 13 }}

Pandanus species at Bitter Springs, Elsey National Park, Northern Territory, Australia.jpg|Bitter Springs

File:Elsey National Park.JPG|Trees in Elsey National Park

File:Elsey national park.jpg|Elsey National Park.

File:Walter Baldwin Spencer - Crossing Salt Creek near the Roper River, Eastern Arnhem Land, Australia, July 1911 - Google Art Project.jpg|Walter Baldwin Spencer - Crossing Salt Creek near the Roper River, July 1911

File:Mataranka Thermal Springs.jpg|Mataranka Thermal Springs.