Things to do in Kakadu National Park
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Kakadu Bakery
Superb made-to-order sandwiches on home-baked bread walk out the door, plus mean burgers, slices, breakfast fry-ups, pizzas and basic salads.
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Ubirr
Ubirr is 39km north of the Arnhem Hwy via a sealed road. It'll take a lot more than the busloads of visitors to disturb Ubirr's inherent majesty and grace. Layers of paintings, in various styles and from various centuries, command a mesmerising stillness.
Part of the main gallery reads like a menu, with images of kangaroos, tortoises and fish painted in X-ray, which became the dominant style about 8000 years ago. Predating these are the paintings of mimi spirits: cheeky, dynamic figures who, it's believed, were the first of the Creation Ancestors to paint on rock. (Given the lack of cherry-pickers in 6000 BC, you have to wonder who else but a spirit could have painted at …
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Nourlangie Area
The sight of this looming outlier of the Arnhem Land escarpment makes it easy to understand its ancient importance to Aboriginal people. Its long red-sandstone bulk, striped in places with orange, white and black, slopes up from surrounding woodland to fall away at one end in stepped cliffs. Below is Kakadu's best-known collection of rock art.
The 2km loop takes you first to the Anbangbang rock shelter, used for 20,000 years as a refuge and canvas. Next is the Anbangbang Gallery, featuring Dreaming characters repainted in the '60s. From here it's a short walk to Gunwarddehwarde lookout, with views of the Arnhem Land escarpment.
Nourlangie is at the end of a 12km sealed roa…
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Jim Jim Falls & Twin Falls
Remote and spectacular, these two falls epitomise the rugged Top End. Jim Jim Falls, a sheer 215m drop, is awesome after rain (when it can only be seen from the air), but its waters shrink to a trickle by about June. Twin Falls flows year-round (no swimming), but half the fun is getting there, involving a little boat trip (adult/child $2.50/free, running 7.30am to 5pm) and an over-the-water boardwalk.
These two iconic waterfalls are reached along a 4WD track that turns south off the Kakadu Hwy between the Nourlangie and Cooinda turn-offs. Jim Jim Falls is about 56km from the turn-off (the last 1km on foot), and it's a further five corrugated kilometres to Twin Falls. The t…
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Lord's Kakadu & Arnhemland Safaris
One-day trip into Arnhem Land (Gunbalanya) from Jabiru (or Darwin adult/child $230/185), visiting Oenpelli with a guided walk around Injalak Hill.
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Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre
About 1km from the Cooinda resort (an easy 15 minutes walk), the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre depicts creation stories and has an excellent permanent exhibition that includes clap sticks, sugar-bag holders and rock-art samples. You’ll be introduced to the moiety system (internal tribal division) and skin names, and there’s a minitheatre with a huge selection of films from which to choose.
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Mimi Restaurant
The upmarket Mimi Restaurant delivers local produce, such as barramundi and emu prepared with bush fruits and spices.
The turn-off to the Cooinda accommodation complex and Yellow Water wetlands is 47km down the Kakadu Hwy from the Arnhem Hwy intersection. It's then 4.5km to the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre, a further 1km to the Yellow Water turn-off and another 1km to Cooinda.
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Gunlom
Conventional vehicle drivers fear not. Gunlom is another superb escarpment waterfall and plunge pool 40-odd kilometres south of the dreamy Maguk (Barramundi Gorge; 45km south of Cooinda and 10km along a corrugated 4WD track) turn-off. It's located 37km along an unsealed, though easily do-able, gravel road. Walk the steep Waterfall Walk (one hour, 1km), which affords incredible views.
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Yurmikmik Walks
On the road to Gunlom is the start of a series of interconnected walks leading first through woodlands and monsoon forest to (2km, 45 minutes) Boulder Creek , then on to the Lookout (5km, 1½ to two hours), with views over rugged ridges, and Motor Car Falls (7.5km, four hours).
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Yellow Water Cruises
Cruise the South Alligator River and Yellow Water Billabong spotting wildlife. Purchase tickets from Gagudju Lodge, Cooinda, where a shuttle bus will deliver you to the departure point. Two-hour cruises ($95/69 per adult/child) depart at 6.45am, 9am and 4.30pm; 1½-hour cruises ($64/44) leave at 11.30am, 1.15pm and 2.45pm.
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Arnhemlander
4WD tours to the Mikinj Valley and Injalak Art Centre at Gunbalanya (Oenpelli).
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Kakadu Animal Tracks
Based at Cooinda, this outfit runs tours with an Indigenous guide combining a wildlife safari and Aboriginal cultural tour. You'll see thousands of birds, get to hunt, gather, prepare and consume bush tucker and crunch on some green ants.
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Maguk
This southern section of Kakadu National Park sees far fewer tour buses. Though it's unlikely you'll have dreamy Maguk to yourself, you might time it right to have the glorious natural pool and falls between just a few of you.
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Sandstone and River walk
Just past the Cool Cave, the Sandstone and River walk branches off, covering forests, sandy beaches and part of the Manilikarr Clan estate: stick to the path and look out for crocs. The 6.5km walk will take about four hours.
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Barra Bar & Bistro
The casual open-air Barra Bar & Bistro serves café-style fare. The turn-off to the Cooinda accommodation complex and Yellow Water wetlands is 47km down the Kakadu Hwy from the Arnhem Hwy intersection.
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Magela Cultural & Heritage Tours
Aboriginal-owned and -operated day tour into northern Kakadu and Arnhem Land, including Injalak Hill and a cruise on Inkiyu billabong.
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Bardedjilidji Sandstone Walk
Starting from the upstream picnic-area car park, this walk (2.5km, 90 minutes, easy) takes in wetland areas of the East Alligator River and some interesting eroded sandstone outliers of the Arnhem Land escarpment. Informative track notes point out features on this walk.
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Barrk Sandstone Bushwalk
Barrk Sandstone Bushwalk is often rated as the park's best walk. This is an exemplary way to appreciate Kakadu's extraordinary diversity. Starts from Anbangbang Gallery at Nourlangie.
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Jabiru Sports & Social Club
Along with the golf club, this low-slung hangar is the place to meet the locals over a beer. The bistro meals are surprisingly adventurous (try the tempura croc tail with bean salad and chilli ketchup), there's an outdoor deck overlooking the lake and sports on TV.
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Yellow Water Wetlands
A very popular wetlands near Cooinda. The turn-off to the Cooinda accommodation complex and Yellow Water wetlands is 47km down the Kakadu Hwy from the Arnhem Hwy intersection.
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Border Store
On the way to Ubirr (39km north of the Arnhem Hwy via a sealed road) you'll pass the turn-off to Border Store, which sells a range of groceries and takeaway food.
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Bubba Wetland Walk
Not the most scintillating walk; loops round a small lake and is only possible to attempt during the Dry season. It takes about two hours for the 3.5km walk.
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Kakadu Culture Camp
Aboriginal-owned and -operated cruises on Djarradjin Billabong; two-hour night cruise ($80/50 per adult/child), and overnight cruise-plus-accommodation (safari tent) tours ($195/65 per adult/child). Tours depart from Muirella Park camping ground.
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Foodland
Self-caterers should head to the well-stocked Foodland. Note that there’s no takeaway alcohol available here or anywhere in Kakadu.
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Guluyambi
Launch into an Aboriginal-led river cruise from the upstream boat ramp on the East Alligator River near Cahill's Crossing.
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