As the rising orange sun permeates the mist over the Kakadu floodplains, where brolgas and jabiru dance amongst lotus lilies, we watch in silent awe as a massive 4.5m saltwater crocodile called Maxi sashays towards our boat | TravellerAU
As the rising orange sun permeates the mist over the Kakadu floodplains, where brolgas and jabiru dance amongst lotus lilies, we watch in silent awe as a massive 4.5 metre saltwater crocodile called Maxi sashays towards our boat.
The final lagoon in the Jim Jim Creek system, Yellow Water billabong is home to a staggering 80 saltwater crocodiles per kilometre, with the fearsome apex predator just one of 117 reptile species to inhabit Kakadu, alongside more than 280 species of birds , 60 mammal and more than 10,000 insect species.
THE CROCODILE DUNDEE EFFECT Forty years old this year, Kakadu National Park was mired with controversy from its outset, with the first stage declared in 1979 largely as an attempt to reconcile issues of Aboriginal land rights, conservation and mining, which had escalated in the early 1970s after significant uranium deposits were discovered in the Alligator River region.
But from a peak of 300,000 visitors a year in the late 80s, visitation to this exalted Northern Territory wilderness has plummeted to just 185,000, with international visitation dropping to a mere 32,000 per year – an estimated 18 per cent of total visitor numbers. "Unlike Uluru, there are no direct flights, accommodation is limited, many roads and attractions are inaccessible during the Wet, and good staff can be difficult to source.
On a Spirit of Kakadu day trip, we bounce and jar over brain-rattling corrugations for 30 kilometres to reach the magnificent Gunlom Falls; and while we manage the journey in a four-wheel drive bus, lesser vehicles clearly struggle with the potholes. The sweaty ascent is gratifying, however – the croc-free waterholes are a cool reprieve from the searing midday heat, while sweeping views from the perilous escarpment capture the essence of Kakadu, a vast, unadulterated wilderness where the concept of time seems negligible.
TALK OF THE TOWN Meanwhile, it seems Kakadu's main town, Jabiru, has been given a reprieve as the uncomfortable marriage of tourism and mining draws to an end. In 2021, the Ranger Mine – one of three parcels of land within Kakadu originally set aside for uranium mining – will finally close. According to the original mining lease, Jabiru was to be bulldozed in 2021, returning it to its pre-mining condition. In July 2019, however, the town was tossed a lifeline, with the Northern Territory Labor Government announcing it will invest $135.5 million over four years to help transform Jabiru into a tourism and cultural centre, guided by its traditional Mirarr owners.
"I'm really excited for this cultural centre that's suggested for Jabiru," says Kakadu Tourism chairman, Rick Allert."It's going to be significant and a major attraction, along the lines of the Epcot Centre in Orlando, that augmented-reality experience where you are taken back into the Dreamtime. I think it will be marvellous."
Allert, who is also the chairman of Voyages Indigenous Tourism, is acutely aware of how funding can change the fate of a destination."Ayers Rock Resort and Uluru are now star attractions, and that's because of access, refurbishment of facilities and new attractions," he tells me. Fortunately, Kakadu Tourism appears to be on the same page, working in consultation with traditional owners to create opportunity for both locals and visitors.
THE WATERFALLS In an increasingly dry nation, even a trickle of water spilling over an escarpment is cause for excitement; but Kakadu has left the hose running, with cascades that thunder with seasonal ferocity into crystalline pools reflecting the ancient stone walls above. At 200 metres high, Jim Jim is the Northern Territory's tallest falls, while the split chutes of Twin Falls are best appreciated from the air during a scenic flight.
FIVE GREAT WAYS TO EXPERIENCE KAKADU FREE RANGER WALKS Free ranger-guided activities are included with the Kakadu Park Pass, and are a fascinating way to explore the link between people and country. Tours include rock art interpretations, wildlife talks and pop-up cultural activities held at Warradjan Cultural Centre, with local painters and basket weavers always happy for you to sit down and join them on an artistic venture. See parksaustralia.gov.
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