Kakadu Secrets

By: Andrea Wait

It’s a long weekend in the Northern Territory and, like most people in Darwin, we’re frantically packing up the car with swags, eskies, the odd fishing rod and binoculars. We slam the boot shut and the car sags dangerously low to the ground as we all pile in, breathe deeply and quickly shut the doors before everything spills out on to the footpath and we have to start all over again.

Heading out on the Stuart Highway there’s a steady stream of traffic. There are utes with muddy quad-bikes tied to the tray, caravans with stickers saying “Where the hell is Noonamah” (for the record, it’s a township just out of Darwin), and cars like ours with people squashed in them who look exceedingly uncomfortable, but excited about the prospect of three days of bush camping, fishing and adventure.

As the Stuart Highway leaves Darwin in the distance and branches out into a myriad of destinations like Katherine, Daly River and Litchfield National Park, the cars start to disperse, and we blink our way left at the intersection just before we are about to reach Pine Creek. We’re on our way to Kakadu. About 200,000 people visit Kakadu each year and there’s little need to question why. It’s one of the most special and beautiful places in Australia, indeed the world, and is World Heritage listed not only for its natural significance, but its cultural importance.

So most people know that Kakadu has magnificent landscapes including wetlands, rocky escarpments and waterfalls. Most people also know that there is rock art thousands of years old, with stories that have been handed down through dozens of generations. Most people have also heard about the amazing wildlife: Kakadu is full of every kind of creature imaginable, nearly 300 species of birds, plus kangaroos, dingoes, frill-necked lizards and barramundi. But what about all the stuff that people don’t know? This weekend we’re exploring the secrets of Kakadu and are getting off the well-beaten track in search of an Australian icon less-explored. Ask almost any local in Darwin and they’ll point you in the right direction.

Off the beaten track:

To do something different, explore the southern-end of Kakadu National Park. Instead of turning at Humpty Doo, a rural community which is surrounded by thousands of mango trees and has a huge replica crocodile wearing boxing gloves, continue down the Stuart Highway towards the historic gold rush town of Pine Creek. Just before Pine Creek, you turn left and enter through the southern entrance of the Park.

Gunlom Falls: This plunge pool is one of the most picturesque places at Kakadu, with spectacular views over the southern region of the park. It is about a 40km drive in from the Kakadu Highway on a gravel road, just inside the southern entry to the Park. Pitching a tent at the pretty little camping ground at the end makes the drive all worthwhile. During the wet season (December – April) access is restricted. Always check the latest access reports from the Bowali Visitors Centre in Jabiru or at www.deh.gov.au/parks/kakadu/ .

Yurmikmik: Located on the way to Gunlom Falls, Yurmikmik is an area of separate but interconnected walking tracks. The individual walks are: Boulder Creek Walk (2km return); Yurmikmik Lookout Walk (5km return); Motor Car Falls (7.5km return) and Kurrundie Creek Walk (11km return).

Maguk Plunge Pool: This is a four-wheel-drive destination only. There’s a 2km monsoon forest walk at this pretty spot with a small waterfall and clear plunge pool. Turn off the Kakadu Highway 44km north of the southern entry station and travel a further 12km.

Travelling back to Darwin, the windows are wound down and the wind is whipping all conversation into non-existence. The car is significantly lighter and we’re contemplating our return to work the next day. We’ve been camping at Kakadu. It’s a place most people think only consists of icons like Nourlangie Rock and Jim Jim Falls. How could they be so wrong?