- Address: Kakadu National Park, Kakadu Highway, JABIRU NT 0886, Australia
- Phone: + 61 8 8938 1100
- Website: http://www.parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu/
- E-mail: kakadunationalpark@environment.gov.au
- Opening date: April 5, 1979.
- Area: 19804 sq. M. km
- Working hours: from 8-00 to 17-00 every day (a day off - Christmas)
- Cost of visiting: 25 Australian dollars
Kakadu National Park is one of Australia 's most famous landmarks. It is located in the territorial entity Northern Territory, 171 km east of Darwin , in the Alligator River area. On its territory are Noarlanga Creek and Majela Creek, the rivers that are tributaries of the Southern and Eastern Alligator River respectively. In addition, the park has a mountain range of 400-500 m, which can be seen from anywhere in the park, and several very beautiful waterfalls, including Twin Falls, Jim-Jim and others.
More about the park
The name of the park is not related to the bird - this is the name of the Aboriginal tribe that inhabits these territories. Kakadu Park in Australia is the largest of all National Parks; it covers an area of 19804 km2. The park stretches for 200 km from north to south and more than 100 km - from west to east. Its territory is surrounded on all sides by mountain ledges and rocks, due to which it is separated from the outside world. Therefore, the Kakadu Park is a unique in its kind biological reservation with a rich plant and animal world.
In addition, this park is not only a natural landmark, but also ethnographic and archaeological. It was listed in 1992 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the number 147. Kakadu also has one of the most productive uranium mines in the world.
Flora and fauna
In the park grows more than 1700 species of plants - we can say that here is the most diverse flora in northern Australia. The park is divided into several geographical areas, each of which has its own unique flora. The territory of the stone wall with its hot and arid climate, alternating with the seasons of torrential rains, is characterized by rocky vegetation. In the south of the territory, on the hills, there are many endemics, including eucalyptus Koolpinesis. Monsoon forests will please the thickets of huge banyan and kapok. And the marshy lowlands are overgrown with mangrove forests, and here you can see chinas, pandans, sedge, succulents and other plants that feel comfortable with high humidity.
Of course, such a variety of natural areas could not but lead to a diversity of the animal world. 60 species of mammals are found here (many of them can not be found during walks in the park, as they lead a nocturnal lifestyle), including endemic ones. During the day, you can see 8 species of kangaroos (including Wallaroo Mountain Kangaroos), wallabies, brown bandicoots, marsupials, speckled marsupial martens, wild dingo dogs, black flying foxes. On the territory of the park nests a lot of birds - more than 280 species, including black-stork storks, green dwarf geese, Australian pelicans, white-robbed robins.
Here there are reptiles (117 species, including crocodiles - although, contrary to the name of the territory, alligators are not found here), amphibians, including 25 species of frogs. The park has a huge number of species of insects - more than 10 thousand varieties. This is due to the variety of habitats and high temperatures throughout the year. The most interesting among the insects of the park are termites and grasshopper Leichhardt - the most spectacular insect of Australia, which has a bright orange-blue-black "outfit." In the lakes and rivers, there are 77 species of fish.
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sights
According to the Land Rights Act of 1976, about half of the territory of the Kakadu National Park belongs to Australian aborigines. These areas are rented by the Directorate of the National Park. The park is home to about half a thousand aborigines belonging to different clans of the Kakadu tribe, who lived in this territory for 40 thousand years. The park protects the traditions of Aboriginal people, objects of culture and everyday life - there are about 5 thousand places in the territory, connected with the history of aboriginal tribes.
In addition, in the territory of the Kakadu National Park there are two caves in which rock art is found, made by the tribes who lived here thousands of years ago (the oldest samples are 20 thousand years old). The drawings are made in the style of X-ray painting - the bodies of painted animals and people seem to be shined with X-rays, so that you can see both internal organs and bones. Figures were preserved on the rock Ubrir.
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Catering and accommodation
There are camping sites throughout the park, where you can stay for the night; they are close to the main attractions of the park. You can stay overnight in Jabir, Quinda, South Alligator region. Some campsites charge a fee, in some you can stay for free, but you should take care of availability in advance.
In the Eastern alligator region on the way to the rock Ubrir there is the Frontier store where you can buy food, drink and some other necessary things. In Jabir there are several cafes: Anmak An-me Cafe, Escarpment Restaurant & Bar, Kakadu bakery where you can buy pastries, snacks and sandwiches, Jabiru Café and Takeaway and others. In the Southern Alligator region, you can have a meal in the Munmalary Bar, in the Mary River area, the Mary River Roadhouse offers a lunch menu from April to October, and all the rest are pies and toast. In the area of Yellow Water Barra Bar and Bistro operates.
How do I get to Kakadu Park and when should I visit it?
Visit Kakadu Park at any time of the year, but if you want to see the beauty of the reserve's flora in all its glory, it is better to do this in the period from December to March. Although - it is this period is rainy, and during the rainy season, some of the internal roads become impassable, and they are simply closed for tourists. From April to September, the dry season lasts, rains are extremely rare and the humidity of air at this time is low. The annual rainfall in different zones of the park varies: for example, in the area of the Mary River it is only 1300 mm, and in the Ddabiru area - about 1565 mm. The period from late October to December is characterized by high humidity and high temperature (near Jabir, the average temperature in October is +37.5 ° C); In addition, here at this time there are often thunderstorms with lightning. In general, this part of Australia is struck by the frequency of lightning strikes - here it is higher than in any other place on Earth.
Come to the Kakadu National Park is better for a few days, and travel on it - on a rented SUV. The path from Darwin to the park will take approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes; you need to drive on National Highway 1 about 16 km, then turn left and continue driving on Arnhem Hwy / State Route 36.
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