Kakadu National Park is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km (106 mi) southeast of Darwin. It is a World Heritage Site. Kakadu is also officially named as a locality, covering the same area as the national park, with 313 people recorded living there in the 2016 Australian census.

Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory. It covers an area of 19,804 square kilometers (7,646 square miles), extending nearly 200 kilometers (124 mi) from north to south and over 100 kilometers (62 mi) from east to west. It is roughly the size of Wales or one-third the size of Tasmania. It is the second-largest national park in Australia, after the Munga-Thirri–Simpson Desert National Park. Most of the region is owned by the Aboriginal traditional owners, who have lived on the land for about 60,000 years. Today, they manage the park jointly with Parks Australia. The area has many different types of plants and animals and various habitats. It also includes a rich heritage of Aboriginal rock art, including important sites like Ubirr. Kakadu is fully protected by the EPBC Act.

The Ranger Uranium Mine, one of the most productive uranium mines in the world until it stopped operating in January 2021, is surrounded by the park.

Domestic Asian water buffalo, now an established feral population and invasive environmental pests, were released into the area in the late 19th century. Feral pigs, cats, red foxes, and rabbits are other examples of invasive species. These animals harm the sensitive and unique ecosystems of the Northern Territory and Australia. These species were intentionally brought to the continent by early settlers, pastoralists, and missionaries. The European presence, though less than in more populated regions (on the east and west coasts), was still noticeable. In Kakadu, missionaries established a mission at Oenpelli (now called Gunbalanya) in 1925. A few pastoralists, crocodile-hunters, and woodcutters also lived in the area at times until the early 20th century. The area was gradually given protected status starting in the 1970s.

History

The name Kakadu may come from a mistake in saying Gaagudju, which is the name of an Aboriginal language spoken in the north-west part of the park. Explorer Baldwin Spencer incorrectly gave the name "Kakadu tribe" to the people living near the Alligator Rivers.

Aboriginal people have lived in the Kakadu area for about 60,000 years. Kakadu National Park is famous for having many Aboriginal cultural sites. More than 5,000 art sites have been recorded, showing Aboriginal culture over thousands of years. These archaeological sites prove that Aboriginal people lived there for at least 40,000 years and possibly as long as 65,000 years.

The Chinese, Malays, and Portuguese all claim to have been the first non-Aboriginal explorers of Australia’s north coast. The first written record comes from the Dutch. In 1623, Jan Carstenszoon traveled west across the Gulf of Carpentaria to what is believed to be Groote Eylandt. Abel Tasman was the next explorer to visit this area in 1644. He was the first person to write about European contact with Aboriginal people. About 100 years later, Matthew Flinders mapped the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1802 and 1803.

Phillip Parker King, an English navigator, entered the Gulf of Carpentaria between 1818 and 1822. During this time, he named the three Alligator Rivers after the many crocodiles he saw, which he thought were alligators.

Ludwig Leichhardt was the first European explorer to reach the Kakadu region by land in 1845. He traveled from Moreton Bay in Queensland to Port Essington in the Northern Territory. He followed Jim Jim Creek from the Arnhem Land escarpment, then traveled down the South Alligator River, crossed to the East Alligator River, and went north.

In 1862, John McDouall Stuart traveled along the south-western edge of Kakadu but did not see any people.

The first non-Aboriginal people to visit northern Australia and have long-term contact with Aboriginal people were the Macassans from Sulawesi and other parts of Indonesia. They arrived every wet season, likely starting in the late 1600s, in boats called praus. They came to collect trepang (sea cucumbers), turtle shells, pearls, and other items to trade. Aboriginal people helped harvest and process these goods.

There is no proof that the Macassans visited the Kakadu coast, but there is evidence of some contact between Macassan and Aboriginal people. Artifacts found in the park, like glass and metal pieces, may have come from the Macassans directly or through trade with people on the Cobourg Peninsula.

The British tried to create several settlements on northern Australia’s coast in the early 1800s: Fort Dundas on Melville Island in 1824, Fort Wellington at Raffles Bay in 1829, and Victoria Settlement (Port Essington) on the Cobourg Peninsula in 1838. They wanted to control the north before the French or Dutch, who had settled islands further north. All these settlements were later abandoned due to problems like lack of water, sickness, and isolation.

Water buffalo had a big impact on the Kakadu region. By the 1880s, the number of buffalo released from early settlements had grown so much that it became possible to make money from their hides and horns. This industry started near Darwin on the Adelaide River and later moved east to the Mary River and Alligator Rivers.

Most buffalo hunting and skin processing happened during the dry season, from June to September, when buffalo gathered near remaining waterholes. Hunting stopped during the wet season because the ground was too muddy, and hides would rot. The buffalo-hunting industry became an important job for Aboriginal people during the dry season.

Missionaries also greatly influenced Aboriginal people in the Alligator Rivers region. Many lived and studied at missions when they were young. Two missions were set up in the area in the early 1900s. The Kapalga Native Industrial Mission started near the South Alligator River in 1899 but lasted only four years. The Oenpelli Mission began in 1925 when the Church of England Missionary Society took over a dairy farm. The Oenpelli Mission operated for 50 years.

The pastoral industry started slowly in the Top End. Pastoral leases in Kakadu were gradually abandoned from 1889 because the Victoria River and Barkly Tablelands were better for farming.

In southern Kakadu, parts of Goodparla and Gimbat were claimed by three pastoralists, Roderick, Travers, and Sergison in the mid-1870s. The leases changed hands many times, but none of the owners succeeded. In 1987, both stations were bought by the Commonwealth and added to Kakadu National Park.

A sawmill at Nourlangie Camp was started by Chinese workers, probably before World War I, to cut cypress pine trees. After World War II, small businesses like dingo trapping, brumby hunting, crocodile hunting, tourism, and forestry began.

Nourlangie Camp had another sawmill in the 1950s until the cypress pine trees ran out. In 1958, it became a safari camp for tourists. Soon after, similar camps opened at Patonga and Muirella Park. Tourists were flown in for activities like buffalo hunting, crocodile hunting, and fishing.

Crocodile hunters often used the skills of Aboriginal people. By mimicking a wallaby’s tail hitting the ground, Aboriginal hunters could attract crocodiles, making them easier to shoot. They used paperbark rafts to follow wounded crocodiles and retrieve their bodies for skinning. The skins were sold to make leather goods. Aboriginal people became less involved in hunting crocodiles when spotlighting at night became common. Freshwater crocodiles have been protected by law since 1964, and saltwater crocodiles since 1971.

The first mineral discoveries in the Top End were found during the construction of the Overland Telegraph line between 1870 and 1872 in the Pine Creek–Adelaide River area. Short mining booms followed. The North Australia Railway line (1889–1976) helped make mining camps permanent, and places like Burrundie and Pine Creek became towns. Small-scale gold mining started at Imarlkba near Barramundi Creek and Mundogie Hill in the 1920s, and at Moline (previously called Eureka and Northern Hercules mine) south of the park in the 1930s. These mines employed some local Aboriginal people.

In 1953, uranium was discovered near the headwaters of the South Alligator River valley. Thirteen small uranium mines operated in the next decade, with over 150 workers at their peak in 1957. Large uranium deposits were later found at Ranger, Jabiluka, and Koongarra. After a proposal to develop the Ranger site, the Commonwealth Government studied land use in the Alligator Rivers region. The Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry (known as the Fox inquiry) suggested that mining should begin at Ranger, that future development

Extent and features

Kakadu National Park covers about 19,804 square kilometers (7,646 square miles). It stretches nearly 200 kilometers (124 miles) from north to south and over 100 kilometers (62 miles) from east to west. It is about the same size as Wales, one-third the size of Tasmania, and nearly half the size of Switzerland. This makes it the second-largest national park in Australia, after the Munga-Thirri–Simpson Desert National Park, which was established in November 2021.

The park includes four major river systems:
• the East Alligator River
• the West Alligator River
• the Wildman River
• the entire South Alligator River

Most of Kakadu was covered by a shallow sea about 140 million years ago. The escarpment wall was formed from sea cliffs, and Arnhem Land was a flat plateau above the sea. The escarpment rises 330 meters (1,080 feet) above the plateau and stretches about 500 kilometers (310 miles) along the eastern edge of the park and into Arnhem Land. The escarpment varies from nearly vertical cliffs in the Jim Jim Falls area to isolated hills and stepped cliffs in the north.

There are six main landforms in Kakadu National Park: the Arnhem Land plateau and escarpment complex, known as the stone country; the outliers; the lowlands; the southern hills and basins; the floodplains; and the tidal flats. Each landform has its own range of habitats. Kakadu’s varied landscapes and the habitats they contain are features that contributed to its listing as a World Heritage Area.

Chasms and gorges form a network that cuts through the rocky platforms on the plateau. The plateau top is a dry environment where water drains quickly and topsoil is scarce. Small areas of open forest and woodlands have developed in these places. Creeks have carved deep gorges in the escarpment, where tall monsoon forests grow. These areas create microclimates for plants and animals and often serve as a refuge during the dry season. Allosyncarpia ternata, a large shady tree found only in Kakadu and Arnhem Land, is the dominant plant species in these areas.

The outliers are pieces of the Arnhem Land plateau that have been separated from the main plateau by erosion. They were islands in the ancient seas that once covered much of Kakadu. The gently rolling lowland plains cover most of the Top End. These lowlands make up nearly 70% of the park. The soils are shallow and often lie over large areas of laterite (ironstone) and strongly leached rocks.

During the wet season, water from the Arnhem Land plateau often overflows from creeks and rivers onto nearby floodplains. Alluvial soils carried by floodwaters add nutrients to the floodplains. Nutrient-rich soil, along with water and sunlight, makes the floodplains a place of abundant plant and animal life. During the dry season, water retreats into rivers, creeks, and isolated waterholes or billabongs. Kakadu’s wetlands are listed under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (the Ramsar Convention) for their outstanding ecological, botanical, zoological, and hydrological features.

The southern hills and basins cover a large area in the south of the park, including the headwaters of the South Alligator River. Rocks in this area are exposed from beneath the retreating Arnhem escarpment. These rocks are of volcanic origin and are extremely old (2,500 million years). This landform is characterized by rugged ridges separated by alluvial flats.

Kakadu’s coast and the creeks and river systems influenced by tides (extending about 100 kilometers inland) make up this landform. The shape of the estuaries and tidal flats changes from the dry season to the wet season. During the dry season, tidal action deposits silt along river beds and banks. During the wet season, floodwaters erode river beds, and large amounts of fresh and saline water flow across tidal flats, where silt is deposited. Large silt loads are also carried to sea, some of which settle as a nutrient-rich layer on the sea floor, contributing to the muddy waters that define Kakadu’s coastline.

The estuaries and tidal flats are home to many plants and animals adapted to living in oxygen-deficient saline mud. The main habitats are mangrove swamps and samphire flats. Where freshwater springs occur along coasts and riverbanks, small areas of coastal monsoon rainforests form.

Protection, ownership and management

The park was declared a protected area in several stages starting in the 1970s. Kakadu National Park was recognized for its important cultural and natural values by the UNESCO World Heritage List. This list includes places worldwide that have special cultural or natural importance.

Kakadu was proclaimed a National Park in several stages between 1979 and 1991. These areas were also added to its World Heritage Status as they were included. The first stage was added in 1981, then stages 1 and 2 in 1987, and stages 1, 2, and 3 in 1992.

Between 1988 and 1991, an exclusion zone was created to allow mining, especially for gold, at Coronation Hill and El Sherana by BHP. Some groups, including environmental, social, and Indigenous organizations, opposed this plan. Others, such as miners and some economists, supported it.

In Victoria, the Kakadu Action Group (KAG) was formed by Lindsay Mollison at the Australian Conservation Foundation in Melbourne. The group held public meetings to encourage people to oppose the mining plan. Mollison also wrote letters to The Age newspaper about the issue. The Australian Government monitored the group, and records of its meetings were kept secret until 2026.

Through a campaign to change public opinion, including efforts by KAG, the size of the exclusion zone for stage 3 was reduced. Eventually, the mining plan was canceled by Prime Minister Bob Hawke in 1991. These actions later influenced political decisions. The area was added to Kakadu National Park in 1992 as part of stage 3. The work of KAG helped stop mining and expand the park.

A separate exclusion zone at Jabiluka remained for uranium mining. This proposal was later rejected, and the area was added to the park in 1996. The decisions made at Coronation Hill helped influence this outcome. Local Indigenous leader Big Bill Neidjie played a key role in opposing the Jabiluka mine and supporting the area’s inclusion in the park.

In 2011, the Koongarra area, where a uranium mine had been proposed, was added to the World Heritage Region.

Kakadu National Park is protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). It is managed through a partnership between Aboriginal traditional owners and the Director of National Parks. Parks Australia, a government agency, manages the park with the help of Aboriginal people.

The EPBC Act allows for management boards to be created for parks on Aboriginal land. The Kakadu Board of Management, which includes most Aboriginal members, was formed in 1989. This board helps set policies for managing the park and works with the Director to create management plans. The Plan of Management is the main document for guiding how the park is run. Parks Australia employs staff to manage the park daily, and about one-third of these workers are Aboriginal people.

Kakadu National Park introduced a park use fee in 2010 to help protect its natural and cultural values and improve visitor services.

About half of Kakadu’s land is owned by Aboriginal people under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976. The rest was claimed by Aboriginal people under native title for many years until March 2022. On March 24, 2022, a ceremony marked the formal return of nearly half the park to Aboriginal traditional owners, including the Limingan/Minitja, Murumburr, Karndidjbal, Yulhmanj, Wurngomgu, Bolmo, Wurrkbarbar, Madjba, Uwinymil, Bunidj, Djindibi, Mirrar Kundjeyhmi, and Dadjbaku peoples. These areas are leased by Aboriginal traditional owners to the Director of National Parks for management as a national park.

Climate

Kakadu is located in the tropics, between 12° and 14° south of the Equator. The climate is monsoonal, meaning it has two main seasons: the dry season and the wet season. The "build up" is the time between the dry and wet seasons. During the dry season (April/May to September), dry southerly and easterly trade winds are common. Humidity is low, and rain is rare. At Jabiru, the average highest temperature in June–July is 32 °C (90 °F). During the "build up" (October to December), temperatures and humidity are very high, making conditions uncomfortable. However, storms during this time are frequent, and lightning strikes are common. In fact, the Top End of Australia has more lightning strikes each year than any other place on Earth. At Jabiru, the average highest temperature in October is 37.5 °C (99.5 °F).

The wet season (January to March/April) has warm temperatures and heavy rain. Most rain comes from monsoonal troughs over Southeast Asia, though tropical cyclones sometimes cause intense rain in small areas. At Jabiru, the average highest temperature in January is 33 °C (91 °F). Annual rainfall in Kakadu National Park ranges from 1,565 mm in Jabiru to 1,300 mm in the Mary River region.

Most non-Aboriginal people often refer to only two seasons: the dry and wet. However, the Bininj/Mungguy people recognize six seasons in Kakadu:

• Kunumeleng – mid-October to late December, a time when hot weather and thunderstorms begin in the afternoons
• Kudjewk – January to March, when monsoon rains bring thunderstorms, heavy rain, and flooding; the heat and humidity lead to an increase in plant and animal life
• Bangkerreng – April, a season with strong, windy storms that knock down grasses as floodwaters recede
• Yekke – May to mid-June, a cooler time with low humidity; Aboriginal people historically burned woodlands in patches to clear the land and help plants grow for animals to eat
• Wurrkeng – mid-June to mid-August, a cold season with low humidity; most creeks stop flowing, and floodplains dry quickly
• Kurrung – mid-August to mid-October, a hot, dry time when waterholes shrink.

Flora and fauna

Kakadu National Park has a wide variety of plants and animals. The park’s plant life is among the richest in northern Australia, with more than 1,700 plant species recorded. This diversity is due to the park’s different types of land, rocks, and habitats. Kakadu is also one of the few national parks in the world with very few invasive plants.

The park has many different areas, each with its own types of plants. The "Stone Country" has special grasses called "resurrection grasses" that can survive very hot and dry conditions and then grow quickly after heavy rains. Cool, wet gorges in the Stone Country support monsoon forests. The southern hills and basins have plants found only in Kakadu, such as Eucalyptus koolpinensis near Jarrangbarnmi (Koolpin Gorge). Lowland areas are mostly covered in open woodlands with eucalyptus trees, and the ground has many types of grasses, sedges, and wildflowers. The Kakadu plum, Terminalia ferdinandiana, is common in these areas.

Floodplains in Kakadu are flooded for several months each year. These areas have sedges like spike rush, freshwater mangroves (itchy tree), pandanus trees, and paper bark trees (Melaleuca). Water lilies, including blue, yellow, and white snowflake varieties, grow in these wetlands. Estuaries and tidal flats have many types of mangroves, 39 of the 47 Northern Territory species. Mangroves help protect the coastline and provide homes for fish like the barramundi.

Behind the mangroves on tidal flats, hardy plants like samphire, grasses, and sedges grow. Monsoon forests also grow along coasts and riverbanks. These forests include large trees like the banyan fig, known for its wide, spreading roots, and the yellow-flowered kapok bush or cotton tree, Cochlospermum fraseri, which releases cotton-like material from its pods.

Kakadu has a large number of animals, including:
– Over 280 bird species
– About 60 mammal species
– More than 50 freshwater species
– Over 10,000 insect species
– Over 1,600 plant species
– About 117 reptile species

The different environments in Kakadu support many animals, some of which are rare, endangered, vulnerable, or found only in Kakadu. Many animals are active at specific times of the day or year to survive the park’s extreme weather. Examples include black wallaroos at Nourlangie Rock, agile wallabies in grasslands, short-eared rock-wallabies, plumed whistling ducks, black-necked storks (Jabirus), brolgas, magpie geese, saltwater crocodiles, Australian darters, great-billed herons, and black-necked storks in Ngurrungurrudjba.

About 74 mammal species, including marsupials and placental mammals, live in Kakadu. Most are found in open forests and woodlands and are active at night, making them hard to see. Others, like wallabies and kangaroos (8 species), are active during cooler parts of the day. Larger, more common mammals include dingoes, antilopine kangaroos, black wallaroos, agile wallabies, and short-eared rock wallabies. Smaller mammals include northern quolls, brush-tailed phascogales, brown bandicoots, black-footed tree-rats, and black flying foxes. Dugongs live in coastal waters, but recent surveys show many mammal species are declining, including northern tart bats.

Kakadu’s habitats support over 280 bird species, about one-third of Australia’s total. Some birds live in multiple habitats, while others are found in only one environment. A large area of Kakadu’s savanna has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports endangered species like the Gouldian finch, vulnerable red goshawk, near-threatened partridge pigeon, and restricted-range hooded parrot and rainbow pitta. Other birds in the IBA include varied lorikeets, northern rosellas, silver-crowned friarbirds, and several types of honeyeaters, shrike-thrushes, robins, and finches.

Waterbirds in Kakadu include magpie geese, wandering whistling ducks, green pygmy geese, comb-crested jacanas, black-necked storks, Australian pelicans, little black cormorants, Australian darters, nankeen night herons, pied herons, black bitterns, sarus cranes, and brolgas.

Kakadu has 117 recorded reptile species. These cold-blooded animals rely on the sun to regulate their body temperature. Some reptiles are active at night, while others are active during the day. Since cane toads arrived in the park, many reptile populations have declined. Species like large goannas, eastern brown snakes, and death adders are now rare. The frill-necked lizard has also seen a significant drop in numbers.

Two types of crocodiles live in Kakadu: the freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnstonii) and the estuarine (saltwater) crocodile (C. porosus). Freshwater crocodiles have narrow snouts and a row of bony lumps called "scutes" behind their heads. Estuarine crocodiles have broader snouts and no scutes. Freshwater crocodiles grow up to 3 meters (9.8 feet), while saltwater crocodiles can exceed 6 meters (20 feet).

On October 22, 2002, a 24-year-old German tourist was killed by a saltwater crocodile while swimming in Sandy

Environmental problems and threats

Kakadu National Park has faced challenges from non-native animals and plants that harm the natural environment, especially in recent years. Non-native animals such as water buffalo, wild pigs, and cane toads have damaged habitats. Invasive plants include Mimosa pigra, which covers 800 square kilometers (310 sq mi) of the Top End, including large parts of Kakadu. Invasive para grass (Urochloa mutica) takes over the food that many birds in Kakadu rely on. Salvinia molesta has taken over the Magela floodplain. Wild horses, called brumbies, also live in parts of the park, including Yellow Water (Ngurrungurrudjba). The Ranger Uranium mine, one of the world's largest uranium mines, is near the park and creates a major management challenge. The mine produces wastewater with small amounts of radioactivity, and safely containing this water is a difficult task. If this wastewater were to leak into the park's wetlands, especially during heavy rains caused by climate change, it could severely harm the park's plants and animals.

Aboriginal rock art sites

The rock art sites of Ubirr, Burrunguy (Nourlangie Rock), and Nanguluwur are well-known around the world as important examples of Aboriginal rock art. Some of the paintings are 20,000 years old. This makes them one of the longest records of history for any group of people. Aboriginal people call rock art "kunbim." These sites are in rocky areas that have provided shelter to Aboriginal people for thousands of years. The paintings in these rock shelters were created for different reasons:

• Hunting: Animals were painted to help hunters have more animals to catch and to connect with the spirit of the animal.
• Religious significance: Some paintings show parts of special ceremonies.
• Stories and learning: Paintings tell stories about the Creation Ancestors, who shaped the world.
• Sorcery and magic: Paintings were sometimes used to influence events or people’s lives.
• Fun: Some paintings were made for play or practice.

Ubirr is a group of rock outcrops in the northeast of the park, near the edge of the Nadab floodplain. There are large rock overhangs that would have provided good shelter for Aboriginal people for thousands of years. Ubirr is close to the East Alligator River and Nadab floodplains, where food was plentiful. This is shown in the rock art here, which includes images of animals like barramundi, catfish, mullet, goanna, snake-necked turtle, pig-nosed turtle, rock-haunting ringtail possum, wallaby, and thylacine (Tasmanian tiger). There are also pictures of the Rainbow Serpent, who is said to have created much of the landscape, as well as mischievous Mimi spirits and the story of the Namarrgarn Sisters. Many stories connected to rock art are complex and linked to other stories. Some meanings are lost, but each story usually serves as a lesson or warning for young people or those passing through the area.

Burrunguy, also called Nourlangie Rock, is in a part of the Arnhem Land Escarpment. There are several shelters in this large outcrop, connected by paths and stairways. The shelters have paintings that show stories about the Creation Ancestors. Some of these stories are known only to certain Aboriginal people and remain secret.

Anbangbang Billabong is near Nourlangie Rock and is home to many animals that would have helped traditional Aboriginal people survive.

Nanguluwur is a small art site near Nourlangie. It shows several styles of rock art, including hand stencils, large figures in head-dresses carrying spears and boomerangs, and images of Namandi spirits and mythical figures like Alkajko, a female spirit with four arms and horn-like shapes. There is also a painting of "contact art" showing a two-masted sailing ship with an anchor chain and a dinghy behind it.

Human impacts

Human activities during the 1800s and 1900s have had a major effect on Kakadu National Park. The introduction of domestic Asian water buffalo from Southeast Asia caused harm to the park’s wetlands and floodplains. Buffalo were later removed from the area, and the land is now healing. Crocodile hunting, which was banned in 1972, greatly reduced crocodile numbers. However, over the past 40 years of protection, crocodile populations have grown so much that some people believe there are too many.

Mining has changed the landscape, but only one uranium mine (Ranger) is currently active. Mine operators must restore the land after mining ends. Small-scale logging happened in the early 1900s, but little evidence of this remains. Tourism is a major human influence on Kakadu, with hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Roads, signs, shelters, and other services are built to support visitors.

Fire is a natural part of Kakadu’s environment because the park has woodlands and grasslands that experience long, dry periods. Many plants in the area have adapted to survive fires. Fires in northern Australia are less dangerous than in the south because many trees are fire-resistant, and other plants grow quickly after fires.

Kakadu National Park uses controlled burning with the help of traditional owners, who have used fire as a land management tool for thousands of years. Fire helps Aboriginal people hunt by driving animals out of hiding. After a fire, new plant growth attracts wallabies, and birds like whistling kites often circle near fires to hunt. However, some species, like white-throated grasswrens, have declined because of too many fires. Aboriginal people believe that many small fires are better than one large fire to keep the land healthy.

Kakadu National Park is a major tourist destination in northern Australia. In 2005, 202,000 people visited the park, and in 2022, the number was 208,056. Visitors are drawn to Kakadu’s beautiful landscapes, Aboriginal cultural heritage, and rich wildlife. Popular attractions include waterfalls like Maguk, Gunlom Falls, Twin Falls, and Jim Jim Falls.

Kakadu has some of the best examples of Aboriginal rock art in Australia, with sites like Nourlangie and Ubirr being widely visited. Wildlife can be seen at places such as Yellow Water Billabong, Cooinda (on a wildlife cruise), Mamukala Wetlands, or Anbangbang Billabong. Kakadu is also a top spot for birdwatching, with about 30% of Australia’s bird species found here.

Large saltwater crocodiles are common in Kakadu, and visitors often see them near Yellow Water and the East Alligator River. This is why the movie “Crocodile Dundee” was filmed there. The importance of crocodiles to Aboriginal people and the film’s popularity inspired the Gagudju Crocodile Hotel in Jabiru. Visitors are warned to be careful around crocodiles, as they have caused fatal attacks. Recreational fishing is popular, with barramundi being the main target. Popular fishing spots include Yellow Water, the South Alligator River, and the East Alligator River. Hunting is not allowed in Kakadu National Park.

Accommodation and services are available in Jabiru, a town also known as the black-necked stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus). Visitors can explore the park with a tour operator or by driving themselves. Most areas can be reached with a standard two-wheel-drive vehicle, but places like Twin Falls, Jim Jim Falls, and Gunlom require a four-wheel-drive. The Nature’s Way tourism drive is a 900 km loop from Darwin to Jabiru, then to Katherine, and back to Darwin.

• The Gagudju Crocodile Hotel in Jabiru
• Signs that say “No swimming”
• A river crossing on the East Alligator River

General facilities

Kakadu National Park is connected to Darwin by the Arnhem Highway and to Pine Creek and Katherine by the Kakadu Highway. Both roads are paved and can be used in all weather conditions, although they may sometimes be blocked during heavy rain.

The town of Jabiru has several places to stay, a gas station, police station, medical clinic, and a shopping center with many stores. Jabiru was built to support a uranium mine that existed before Kakadu National Park was created. It provides services for the mine’s workers, as well as for park activities and tourism. Jabiru has a small airport where scenic flights operate daily.

Other small tourism areas, such as Cooinda and South Alligator, offer limited facilities. Cooinda, located 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Jabiru on the Kakadu Highway, is home to Gagudju Lodge Cooinda, Yellow Water Cruises, and the Warradjan Cultural Centre. Fuel and basic supplies are available at Cooinda, and there is a small airstrip for scenic flights. South Alligator, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Jabiru on the Arnhem Highway, has a hotel and gas station. The Border Store, near Ubirr Art Site and Cahills Crossing, 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Jabiru, is a general store.

There are many designated camping areas throughout the park. Jabiru, Cooinda, and South Alligator each have commercial camping areas near major natural attractions. Some campsites charge a small fee for showers and toilets, while others are free but have few or no facilities. A list of camping sites can be found at the Kakadu National Park’s Bowali Visitor Centre, designed by Glenn Murcutt, or on their website.

Governance and demographics

On April 4, 2007, the Northern Territory Government officially named the land that is now Kakadu National Park as a locality called Kakadu. This area is part of the West Arnhem Region, which is managed by the local government.

According to the 2016 Australian census, which was held in August 2016, there were 313 people living in the Kakadu locality at that time.