Resident artist at Nitmiluk Visitors Centre -  Johnny “Long John” Dewar – has been awarded Artist of the Year in the NAIDOC Katherine celebrations last week.

Long John is from an area north of Katherine but has lived in the Manyallaluk community just outside of the Nitmiluk Gorge area since his family moved there when he was young for work on nearby cattle stations and the Yeuralba Tin Mines.

Long John, an amazing humble and shy man, is one of the most prolific painters in the region but giggles softly and shakes his head when asked how he feels about the award.  “Very proud...good for our people,” he says.

Long John is the resident artist at Nitmiluk Gorge and is in huge demand from tourists who come to the region every year.  He can usually be found sitting quietly on the deck at the Park's Visitors Centre with a canvas in front of him, usually with a couple of people sitting opposite him listening to his softly spoken stories. 

Nitmiluk National Park lies 4 hours drive south of Darwin and is home to the stunning Nitmiluk Gorge which features some of the most spectacular scenery in the Territory, with stunning waterfalls, and simply breathtaking views of the magnificent Jawoyn country.

Made up of 13 separate gorges, Nitmiluk Gorge is a maze of waterways sculpted from the landscape over countless millennia by the Katherine River.  The local Jawoyn people own the Gorge region and operate a successful tourism operation in the park offering touring by cruise boat, bushwalking or helicopter access.

Some of the best preserved artwork in the Top End can be found on Jawoyn land and can be accessed easily.