Locals in the outback Northern Territory town of Gunbalanya have banded together, helping a Victorian tourist who was convinced to give three people a lift across a notorious river crossing where he was seemingly abandoned when he became stuck.

Social media reacted strongly on Saturday, after news tourist Peter Schipper from Melbourne had been told he was safe to cross Cahill's Crossing, which joins Kakadu National Park with Arnhem Land, by three locals who wanted a lift.

According to police the locals then took off in a car waiting on the other side, after the man's car and caravan became stuck, leaving the 62-year-old man stranded on the other side of the East Alligator River and unable to get to his car or belongings.

People variously described those who left the man as "mongrels", "nasty" and "selfish".

But in a turnaround to his fortunes, locals in nearby Gunbalanya pitched in to help the man, and his car and caravan have been recovered with little external damage although they showed significant water inundation.

"It was a tricky recovery given the river was still approximately 1.2 metres and running quite fast," NT Police said in a statement.

"Jabiru and Gunbalanya Police members should also get a special mention for their efforts in providing significant assistance to the gentleman whilst he was stuck waiting on the recovery of his property."

On his Facebook page Mr Schipper also expressed his thanks for those who had helped him.

"The community up here has just dropped off some clothing for me as I only had shorts and a t shirt. BLESS THERE SOLES (sic)," he wrote.

Mr Schipper said he had been offered a helicopter flight to help him get over his experience.

"What a community to a total stranger," he said.

There was minimal external damage to Mr Schipper's car or caravan, although inside there was a lot of water damage. ( Supplied: NT Police )

Cahill's Crossing is a well known trouble spot for vehicles, which often get stuck during the wet season trying to cross the flooded causeway, which can be subjected to strong currents, and this year NT Police had warned drivers of its dangers.

Crocodiles are common at the crossing, and in 1987 a Jabiru local was knocked into the river and killed by a crocodile there.

Crossing decision defended

Some on the NT Police Facebook page criticised Mr Schipper for trying to cross the river, which is regularly the subject of warnings and road closures.

But Kerri Allan from Melbourne defended her friend.

"Well I am a good friend of the 'stupid idiot 62-year-old' as a lot of you so called experts have put your opinion and I have just sat here now and read your posts ... never made a bad judgement in your lives hey people," she said.

"He has lost more than simple possessions in his latter years (his dear wife Janet) and was just living 'their' dream ... so for all you so called 'I've never made any bad judgements in my life', good on ya Mateys, well done, keep it up and the world will be a better place to have you in it," Ms Allan said.

Meanwhile one person wrote on the ABC Darwin Facebook page that far from deserting the man, the locals who got a lift left him so that they could raise the alarm.

"The locals didn't just take off they got a ride to town and called for help and one of them went back," read the post by Daniel Benier.