Kakadu National Park

Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia and located around 171 km east of the capital city of Darwin.

The name ‘Kakadu’ comes from an aboriginal floodplain language called Gagudju which was one of the languages spoken in the north of Kakadu National Park at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Gagudju is no longer regularly spoken but descendants of this language group are still living in Kakadu National Park.

Kakadu National Park was established in 1981. It is governed by Environment Australia / Parks Australia and Abo traditional land owners (the Gun-djeihmi, Kunwinjku, Krakeourtinnie and Jawoyn peoples).

The park contains 1,980,400 hectacres. of wetlands and other terrain, it is Australia’s largest National Park and is approximately the size of Israel.

Flora and fauna

Kakadu National Park’s wetlands provide the greatest visual pleasure.

The freshwater and estaurine (saltwater) crocodiles sleep on the banks of all rivers and the many billabongs for most of the day but can also be seen floating or swimming in the water. Birdlife abounds from the stately Jabiru to the amusing “Jesus” bird (Jacana) as it steps from lily pad to lily pad.

At dusk on the Yellow Water billabong (Ngurrungurrudjba), hundred of herons circle overhead landing and taking of from half-submerged trees. Ospreys sit on termite mounds or soar on high looking for prey beneath the still waters.

The billabongs of the Kakadu National Park are anything but “stagnant pools of water”. Wallabies are very common and are often, unfortunately, seen as roadkill. Feral horses, pigs and water buffalo also roam the park. Frilled Lizards are also present but are only regularly seen during the wet season when the park is nearly inaccessible.

Climate

Kakadu National Park has two seasons, ‘wet’ and ‘dry’. In the wet (October to April) many of the attractions are impossible to get to so that the dry season (May to September) is the peak period for visitors. However, regardless of the time of year, it is always very warm or hot.

Generally people will travel along the Arnehm Highway from Darwin to the park. The alternatives are to turn off the Stuart Highway and take the Kakadu Highway coming from the south or fly into Jabiru.

There are operators who provide bus tours into Kakadu National Park and, if you are short of time, a one day round trip is possible. This is an expensive (about AU$160) and tiring exercise but it will give you a taste for the magic of the park. If you are using the bus tour operators try and spend at least two days in Kakadu.

Longer trips are offered by “adventure” companies who will take you off the sealed road and into the bush. They provide tented accommodation and 4WD vehicles as well as expertise on the flora and fauna.

They range from the basic backpacker tours, which typically pack up to 9 people in the back of a 4WD and cost around $150 per day, see Kakadu 4WD Tours to the more luxury tours which can cost $300 per day or more.

Hiring a car in Darwin and driving to the park is a viable proposition and if you book the car well in advance from outside Australia you can get a good deal. However, “unlimited mileage” is not normally available from the major car hire firms and you can expect to pay per km for km above the first 150 km or so.

Try Europcar or Thrifty, who do offer “unlimited mileage” and remember that there are restrictions on time of use (not after sunset). You will have to stay on sealed roads if you do not hire a 4WD.

Kakadu National Park is massive (the size of a small country) and 4WD vehicles are required to enter some areas. However many spectacular and popular sites are readily accessible via sealed roads.

See

The attractions include the opportunity to learn about the people, geology, plants and animals which make Kakadu a unique and precious resource, not only for Australians but for all the people in the world.

Aboriginal paintings can be studied in overhangs in the Nourlangie area and there are waterfalls and plunge pools in various parts of the park.

• The Bowali Visitor Centre contains a wealth of information about Kakadu.
• The Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre presents the culture of the local aboriginal people in an accessible way.
• Ubirr 
• Nourlangie Rock 
• Yellow Waters 
• Jim Jim Falls 
• Twin Falls 
• Koolpin Gorge- available only through 4WD tours with a permit, but well worth it.
• Eddie Betts 
• Byron Pickett