Kakadu
Northern Territory Government Tourism
Kakadu
Introduction
Kakadu is Australia's largest national park, covering over 19,000 square kilometres. A number of different Aboriginal clans, who now share joint management with Parks Australia, an Australian Federal Government body, have called Kakadu home for some 50,000 years. Evidence of their culture can be seen in many rock art galleries.
Kakadu is a landscape of contrasts. Beneath waters dotted with delicate pink lotus flowers lurks the crocodile. Jagged peaks of towering escarpments hide pockets of lush rainforest. Roaring waterfalls thunder down rocky gorges to serene pools fringed with paperbarks, pandanus and cycads. It is also teeming with life. About 1000 plant species, a quarter of all the freshwater fish species found in Australia, and over one third of all the bird species live here. This diverse and fascinating wildlife, along with the exceptional Aboriginal art sites, gained Kakadu its World Heritage listing in 1984.
There are two entry points into the park, from Darwin on the Arnhem Highway or via Pine Creek on the Kakadu Highway.
World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park is situated 250 kilometres from Darwin on the Arnhem Highway. Rugged escarpments, lush wetlands, plunging gorges and cascading waterfalls exist side by side in an area the size of Wales or the US state of West Virginia. Renowned internationally for its natural and cultural wonders, Kakadu has one of the highest concentrated areas of accessible Aboriginal rock art sites in the world. At its centre is the small mining township of Jabiru, the only Australian town set inside a national park. Jabiru serves as a touring centre for the unspoiled wetlands of the nearby Mary River National Park, which is home to millions of birds and plentiful barramundi.
Arnhem Land, which lies to the east of Kakadu National Park and the Arnhem Land escarpment, encompasses 91, 000 square kilometres and is home to many Aboriginal people, most of whom continue to practice their traditional way of life. Those wishing to visit Arnhem Land need to apply for a permit from the Northern Land Council. The natural beauty and cultural importance of areas such as Oenpelli and Mt Borradaile as well as the Cobourg and Gove peninsulas make venturing into Arnhem Land an unforgettable experience.
