Have you Seen What’s Outback?
Kakadu National Park is a location that is distinctly Australian in nature and therefore should be experienced by Australians. Its offerings are abundant and provide memorable experiences that are hard to replicate in any other location. As our country returns to everyday living, opportunities to venture out and explore again have too. This in mind, where better to go than Australia's largest national park, which is 20000 square kilometres in size and the home of over 2000 wildlife species. Whether its fishing or cruising in the Yellow Water Billabong, watching the unique Azure Kingfisher, or hiking through scenic terrain, the experiences are diverse and engaging at Kakadu National Park.
An understated notion about Kakadu National Park is its locality within the Northern Territory and accessibility, something that makes it very attractive for visitation during a time where overseas travel isn't possible. Us Australians although conscious of the natural beauty within our 'outback', don't fully understand the depth, and potential locations like Kakadu National Park have to be explored. Exploration is the cornerstone of the Kakadu Experience, physically immersing yourself in nature and the environment through a hike is a great way to do this.
Imagine having the opportunity to marvel in ancient indigenous rock artwork whilst hiking through environments suitable for both novice and experienced hikers, the opportunity is here. If you're sitting there as an avid hiker or someone who simply wants to try their hand at something different why not start at Kakadu? Residents of the Northern Territory and the surrounding regions may have heard at a surface level about the hikes The Park has to offer, but what we want to do is paint a clearer picture of that.
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For the adventurers that are after more of a leisurely stroll and an aesthetic visual experience, there are several walks to explore.
1. Anbangbang Billabong walk
The first under this category is the Anbangbang Billabong walk. This walk has been described as both easy and quiet, it will take you through the Savanna Woodlands and Paperbark Forest an incredible part of Kakadu perfect for relaxing and sightseeing. This area is home to magpie geese, green pygmy geese, egrets, comb-crested jacanas, cormorants, corellas, and red-tailed black cockatoos, just to name a few.
2. Nanguluwurr art site walk
For a more culturally themed experience, we have the Nanguluwurr art site walk which is a peaceful wander through woodlands, leading to a cool, quiet Aboriginal rock art site. Here you'll find paintings covering many different styles, including hand stencils, food sources like fish and turtle, a fantastic example of 'contact art', a painting of a two-masted sailing ship. Sit and ponder why there is a painting of a sailing ship some 90 km inland and nowhere near a waterway!
3. Jim Jim Falls
Jim Jim Falls is an iconic and more lengthy hike relative to the previous ones and is known for its astonishing cliffs and thundering waterfalls. The walk leads through a large anbinik forest which will keep you cool in the heat of the day. These are the largest trees of the escarpment country and are some of the oldest species of vegetation on the planet, dating back over 400 million years.
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4. Barrk Marlam Walk
Last but not least in the featured hikes is the Barrk Marlam walk. Not for the faint-hearted, this very challenging hike is perfect for experienced hikers to enjoy some stunning views above the Jim Jim Falls escarpment. This walk branches off the Jim Jim Falls plunge pool track. It's a very steep, difficult walk through the rugged stone country typical of the Arnhem Land Plateau, so make sure you're adventurous and experienced if you want to take it on. Once you reach the plateau you may find barrk (black wallaroo, a macropod only found in Kakadu), chestnut-quilled rock-pigeons, and sandstone shrike-thrushes.
If any of this sounds appealing to you it might be worthwhile to make a week out of visiting to engage in the many offerings within the area. If you're local you can always do a day trip, the possibilities are extensive. Accommodation for the area can be booked through the Visit Kakadu website in conjunction with any other activities like the Yellow Water Billabong cruise.
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