diff --git a/src/access_nri_intake/data/utils.py b/src/access_nri_intake/data/utils.py
index 04a6c168..6b2d5e1d 100644
--- a/src/access_nri_intake/data/utils.py
+++ b/src/access_nri_intake/data/utils.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Copyright 2024 ACCESS-NRI and contributors. See the top-level COPYRIGHT file for details.
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
-import os
 import re
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import yaml
 
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 CATALOG_PATH_REGEX = r"^(?P<rootpath>.*?)\{\{version\}\}.*?$"
 
 
-def _get_catalog_rp():
+def _get_catalog_root():
     """
     Get the catalog root path.
     """
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ def _get_catalog_rp():
 
     match = re.match(CATALOG_PATH_REGEX, catalog_fp)
     try:
-        return match.group("rootpath")
+        return Path(match.group("rootpath"))
     except AttributeError:  # Match failed
         raise RuntimeError(
             f"Catalog metadata {get_catalog_fp()} contains unexpected catalog filepath: {catalog_fp}"
         )
 
 
-def available_versions(pretty: bool = True):
+def available_versions(pretty: bool = True) -> list[str] | None:
     """
     Report the available versions of the `intake.cat.access_nri` catalog.
 
@@ -46,24 +46,47 @@ def available_versions(pretty: bool = True):
         (True, default), or to provide a list of version numbers only (False).
     """
     # Work out where the catalogs are stored
-    base_path = _get_catalog_rp()
+    base_path = _get_catalog_root()
+
+    # Grab the extant catalog and work out its min and max versions
+    try:
+        with open(get_catalog_fp()) as cat_file:
+            cat_yaml = yaml.safe_load(cat_file)
+            vers_min = cat_yaml["sources"]["access_nri"]["parameters"]["version"]["min"]
+            vers_max = cat_yaml["sources"]["access_nri"]["parameters"]["version"]["max"]
+            vers_def = cat_yaml["sources"]["access_nri"]["parameters"]["version"][
+                "default"
+            ]
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        raise FileNotFoundError(f"Unable to find catalog at {get_catalog_fp()}")
+    except KeyError:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"Catalog at {get_catalog_fp()} not correctly formatted")
 
     # Grab all the catalog names
-    cats = [d for d in os.listdir(base_path) if re.search(CATALOG_NAME_FORMAT, d)]
+    cats = [
+        dir_path.name
+        for dir_path in base_path.iterdir()
+        if re.search(CATALOG_NAME_FORMAT, dir_path.name)
+        and dir_path.is_dir()
+        and (
+            (dir_path.name >= vers_min and dir_path.name <= vers_max)
+            or dir_path.name == vers_def
+        )
+    ]
     cats.sort(reverse=True)
 
     # Find all the symlinked versions
-    symlinks = [s for s in cats if os.path.islink(os.path.join(base_path, s))]
+    symlinks = [s for s in cats if (Path(base_path) / s).is_symlink()]
 
-    symlink_targets = {
-        s: os.path.basename(os.readlink(os.path.join(base_path, s))) for s in symlinks
-    }
+    symlink_targets = {s: (base_path / s).readlink().name for s in symlinks}
 
     if pretty:
-        for i, c in enumerate(cats):
+        for c in cats:
             if c in symlink_targets.keys():
                 c += f"(-->{symlink_targets[c]})"
+            if c == vers_def:
+                c += "*"
             print(c)
-        return
+        return None
 
     return cats
diff --git a/tests/data/catalog/catalog-dirs/v2023-01-01 b/tests/data/catalog/catalog-dirs/v2023-01-01
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7b02fc2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/catalog/catalog-dirs/v2023-01-01
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# This is a catalog 'file', not directory,
+# to make sure the system doesn't detect such things
+# as a real catalog
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/catalog/catalog-versions.yaml b/tests/data/catalog/catalog-versions.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c6d98c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/data/catalog/catalog-versions.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+sources:
+  access_nri:
+    args:
+      columns_with_iterables:
+      - model
+      - realm
+      - frequency
+      - variable
+      mode: r
+      name_column: name
+      path: /g/data/xp65/public/apps/access-nri-intake-catalog/{{version}}/metacatalog.csv
+      yaml_column: yaml
+    description: ACCESS-NRI intake catalog
+    driver: intake_dataframe_catalog.core.DfFileCatalog
+    metadata:
+      storage: gdata/al33+gdata/cj50+gdata/dk92+gdata/fs38+gdata/ik11+gdata/oi10+gdata/p73+gdata/rr3+gdata/xp65
+      version: '{{version}}'
+    parameters:
+      version:
+        min: v2019-02-02
+        max: v2024-06-19
+        default: v2025-02-28  # Check default outside range is returned
+        description: Catalog version
+        type: str
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_data.py b/tests/test_data.py
index 314fdd8c..d66b3f4c 100644
--- a/tests/test_data.py
+++ b/tests/test_data.py
@@ -2,17 +2,18 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 import re
+from pathlib import Path
 from unittest import mock
 
 import pytest
 
 import access_nri_intake
 from access_nri_intake.data import CATALOG_NAME_FORMAT
-from access_nri_intake.data.utils import _get_catalog_rp, available_versions
+from access_nri_intake.data.utils import _get_catalog_root, available_versions
 
 
 @mock.patch("access_nri_intake.data.utils.get_catalog_fp")
-def test__get_catalog_rp(mock_get_catalog_fp, test_data):
+def test__get_catalog_root(mock_get_catalog_fp, test_data):
     """
     Check that we correctly decipher to rootpath (rp) to the catalogs
     """
@@ -22,9 +23,9 @@ def test__get_catalog_rp(mock_get_catalog_fp, test_data):
         == test_data / "catalog/catalog-good.yaml"
     ), "Mock failed"
 
-    rp = _get_catalog_rp()
-    assert (
-        rp == "/this/is/root/path/"
+    rp = _get_catalog_root()
+    assert rp == Path(
+        "/this/is/root/path/"
     ), f"Computed root path {rp} != expected value /this/is/root/path/"
 
 
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ def test__get_catalog_rp(mock_get_catalog_fp, test_data):
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "cat", ["catalog/catalog-bad-path.yaml", "catalog/catalog-bad-structure.yaml"]
 )
-def test__get_catalog_rp_runtime_errors(mock_get_catalog_fp, test_data, cat):
+def test__get_catalog_root_runtime_errors(mock_get_catalog_fp, test_data, cat):
     """
     Check that we correctly decipher to rootpath (rp) to the catalogs
     """
@@ -42,12 +43,14 @@ def test__get_catalog_rp_runtime_errors(mock_get_catalog_fp, test_data, cat):
     ), "Mock failed"
 
     with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
-        _get_catalog_rp()
+        _get_catalog_root()
 
 
-@mock.patch("access_nri_intake.data.utils._get_catalog_rp")
-def test_available_versions(mock__get_catalog_rp, test_data):
-    mock__get_catalog_rp.return_value = test_data / "catalog/catalog-dirs"
+@mock.patch("access_nri_intake.data.utils._get_catalog_root")
+@mock.patch("access_nri_intake.data.utils.get_catalog_fp")
+def test_available_versions(mock_get_catalog_fp, mock__get_catalog_root, test_data):
+    mock__get_catalog_root.return_value = test_data / "catalog/catalog-dirs"
+    mock_get_catalog_fp.return_value = test_data / "catalog/catalog-versions.yaml"
     cats = available_versions(pretty=False)
     assert cats == [
         "v2025-02-28",
@@ -57,16 +60,35 @@ def test_available_versions(mock__get_catalog_rp, test_data):
     ], "Did not get expected catalog list"
 
 
-@mock.patch("access_nri_intake.data.utils._get_catalog_rp")
-def test_available_versions_pretty(mock__get_catalog_rp, test_data, capfd):
-    mock__get_catalog_rp.return_value = test_data / "catalog/catalog-dirs"
+@mock.patch("access_nri_intake.data.utils._get_catalog_root")
+@mock.patch("access_nri_intake.data.utils.get_catalog_fp")
+def test_available_versions_pretty(
+    mock_get_catalog_fp, mock__get_catalog_root, test_data, capfd
+):
+    mock__get_catalog_root.return_value = test_data / "catalog/catalog-dirs"
+    mock_get_catalog_fp.return_value = test_data / "catalog/catalog-versions.yaml"
     available_versions(pretty=True)
     captured, _ = capfd.readouterr()
     assert (
-        captured == "v2025-02-28\nv2024-06-19\nv2024-01-01\nv2019-02-02(-->vN.N.N)\n"
+        captured == "v2025-02-28*\nv2024-06-19\nv2024-01-01\nv2019-02-02(-->vN.N.N)\n"
     ), "Did not get expected catalog printout"
 
 
+@mock.patch(
+    "access_nri_intake.data.utils.get_catalog_fp", return_value="/this/is/not/real.yaml"
+)
+def test_available_versions_no_catalog(mock_get_catalog_fp):
+    with pytest.raises(FileNotFoundError):
+        available_versions()
+
+
+@mock.patch("access_nri_intake.data.utils.get_catalog_fp")
+def test_available_versions_bad_catalog(mock_get_catalog_fp, test_data):
+    mock_get_catalog_fp.return_value = test_data / "catalog/catalog-bad-structure.yaml"
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        available_versions()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "name",
     [