Download Kakadu National Park's Visitor Guide
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Welcome to the Aboriginal Lands of Kakadu National Park, a jointly managed Commonwealth Reserve. VISITOR GUIDE KNP-VisitorGuide-Sept2017.indd 1 5/09/2017 7:22:13 PM KNP-VisitorGuide-Sept2017.indd 2 Gardangarl Gularri (Field Island) (Point Farewell) N ũŝĚďŽrdu ;Ărron Island) :7HM?D Waldak IrrŵďĂl E A S Kakadu (West Alligator Head) T A L L I NORTHERN G A7A7:K A TERRITORY T O Arnhem Land R Permit required from R I Northern Land CŽƵŶĐŝl AUSTRALIA V E R Tel 08 8938 3000 F_d[9h[[a 'ƵŶďĂůĂŶLJa See page 36 (Oenpelli) AWj^[h_d[ 7b_Y[Ifh_d]i W Kakadu E S hďŝrr T A Merl W 42 L IL L Žrder Store D I G ;DĂŶďŝLJĂrra) M S A National O A T U N O T R M H 26 R a I V R A g I L e E V R L l a E Park I R G C A r T e O e R k Four Mile Hole R I V E Ford R 10 Aurora Kakadu Resort K 29 See page 34 See page 32 30 7 6.5 4 Mamukala 2.5 4 owali Visitor Centre JĂďŝru 2.5 Park Headquarters Ranger Uranium Mine Two Mile Hole N o u r l a n g ie C K 13 E re a e k s t DĂůĂďĂŶjďĂŶũĚũu 36 B 8 r 2 a B n ƵrĚƵůďa u c r Informa y W Red Lily d ƟŽŶĂ h 4 u e k ŝůůĂďŽŶg l b e s Muirella Park (Djarradjin) 7 a re t 9 C 37 B 'ƵďĂra r ƵĐkeƚŝůůĂďŽŶg a 5/09/2017 7:22:14 PM 7 5 n Darwin 133 km c h Warradjan ďŽƌŝŐŝŶĂl (via Arnhem Highway) E Alligator ŝůůĂďŽŶg 38 a Cultural Centre 13 5.5 See page s t Nourlangie ;Ƶrrungkuy) Yellow Water (NgurrungurƌƵĚũďĂ) 2 4.5 B Mirrai r 6 66 a n K Cooinda Lodge Kakadu Lookout W Sandy c 2 h 6 e ŝůůĂďŽŶg s Mardugal t B 6.5 Jim J g r 35 ŝŵŝůůĂďŽŶ a n D c e h a f J N B i m 2 o a See page 40 h B g r 35 a n D c e h a f KNP-VisitorGuide-Sept2017.indd 3 J N B i m 2 o a See page 40 h u r J rs r im r t l a r m 50 a a C v Ford u r e n l g n l e i n d e i S KakĂĚƵĐovers nearly 20,000 square 38 g e k k e i e o r e t A C C d r i u d e 24 m Giyamungkurr r kilometres. DisƚĂŶĐĞƐďĞƚwĞĞŶƐŝƚĞƐĐĂŶďe t C e e h r e ;ůĂĐŬ Jungle Springs) e ( o ůŽŶŐƐŽĂůůŽǁƉůĞŶƚLJŽĨƟŵĞĨŽƌĚƌŝǀŝŶg. A k e n l k e l i g w a a y t ) Roads arĞĂĐĐĞƐƐŝďůĞďy 2WD unless o r ŽƚŚĞƌǁŝƐĞŝŶĚŝĐĂƚĞĚ. R i v e Garnamarr FoƌƐŝƚĞĂĐĐĞƐƐŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶrefer to the r See page 44 Road and AĐĐĞƐƐReport avĂŝůĂďůĞĂt Žwali Visitor Centre and online at Gungurul 9 10 kakaduroadreport.wordpress.ĐŽŵ 1 Jim Jim Falls (1 km walk over roĐŬs 10 tŽďĂƐĞŽĨfalls) /ŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽn Maguk Fuel (Diesel & Opal fuel only) Twin Falls k Žat ƐŚƵƩůĞ ĂĐĐĞƐs e 25 Camping (fees apply͕ĐŽůůĞĐƚĞĚ) e r C e Gunlom w i See page 42 Camping (fees apply͕ďox) ro G e Camping (free) k e e e r i C Caravan site g l i n o k b e l p ƵkďƵkluk e o CommerĐŝĂůĂĐĐŽŵŽĚĂƟŽn m r Ko a C JarrĂŶŐďĂrnmi (permit required) K ;ĨĞĞƐĂŶĚĨĂĐŝůŝƟĞƐvary) 8 13 10 9 SĐĞŶŝĐŇŝŐŚƚs InformaƟŽŶĂy 13 M KĂŵďŽlgie Yurmikmik A Ranger StaƟŽn G F i sh e r R Walks C re e i Y k m ŽĂƚramp R 5 9 I V K b E a R t Telephone 6 C r e e S k Ro e o ĐŬĂƌƚƐŝƚ u Pine Creek 59 km t Mary River Roadhouse h Katherine 149 km ŝrd waƚĐŚŝŶg A Darwin 285 km l l i g (via Stuart Highway) a to Lookout r R i v e EmerŐĞŶĐLJ ĐĂůůĚeǀŝĐe r Toilets Sewage dump point ƌŽĐŽĚŝůĞƐŝŶŚĂďŝƚ<ĂŬĂĚƵ͛ƐǁĂƚĞƌǁĂLJƐ͘ ^ƚĂLJĂůĞƌƚŶĞĂƌĂůůďŽĚŝĞƐŽĨǁĂƚĞƌ͕ĂŶĚƉůĞĂƐĞŽďĞLJĂůůƐŝŐŶƐ͘ tŚĞĞůĐŚĂŝƌ ĂĐĐĞƐs Lowlands Sealed road EKd͗&ĂĐŝůŝƟĞs vary at eaĐŚ site 5/09/2017 7:22:15 PM StŽŶĞĐŽƵŶƚƌy Unsealed 2WD ;ŵĂLJŽŶůLJďĞϰtĂĐĐĞƐƐŝďůĞĚƵƌŝŶŐƐƵŵŵĞƌ) DRINKING WATER ƐĐĂƌƉŵĞŶt Unsealed 2WD ;ĐůŽƐĞĚĚƵƌŝŶŐƚƌŽƉŝĐĂůƐƵŵŵĞƌ) Tap wĂƚĞƌĂƚĐĂŵƉŐrounds may not ďĞƐƵŝƚĂďůĞĨŽƌĚƌŝŶŬŝŶg. 13 Road disƚĂŶĐĞs 4WD ;ĐůŽƐĞĚĚƵƌŝŶŐƚƌŽƉŝĐĂůƐƵŵŵĞƌ) Scale WůĞĂƐĞĐĂƌƌLJyour own water. WƌŝŶĐŝƉĂůůŽĐĂƟŽŶs 1 cm = 10 km 4 CONTENTS Culture 5 Welcome to country 5 Park passes 6 A living cultural landscape 8 The Rainbow Serpent 10 Rock art Environment “Our land has a big story. 12 Biodiversity Sometimes we tell a little 14 Crocodiles bit at a time. Come and 16 Landscapes and habitats Seasons hear our stories, see our 19 Six seasons of Kakadu land. A little bit might stay 22 The role of fire Activities in your hearts. If you want 24 Bowali Visitor Centre more, you can come back...” 25 Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre JACOB NAYINGGUL 25 Arts and crafts MANILAKARR CLAN 26 Ranger talks and cultural tours 28 Bushwalking Kakadu National Park covers an amazing 20,000-square-kilometres, and is on the UNESCO 28 Camping World Heritage List in recognition of both its 29 Boating and fishing outstanding natural values and as a living cultural Regions landscape. Aboriginal people have inhabited Kakadu continuously for more than 65,000 years, 32 South Alligator region tracing back in time to before the last ice age. 34 Jabiru region Ancient rock art showcasing long-extinct animals 36 East Alligator (Erre) region combines with abundant wildlife and spectacular landscapes to deliver a profound visual and 38 Nourlangie (Burrungkuy) region spiritual experience for visitors. Kakadu’s complex 40 Yellow Water (Ngurrungurrudjba) region ecosystem provides habitats for a wide range of 42 Jim Jim Falls and plant and animal species. About one third of Australia’s bird species are found in the park. Twin Falls Gorge region 44 Mary River region The name ‘Kakadu’ comes from an Aboriginal Information language called Gagudju, which was one of the 46 Itineraries languages spoken in the north of the park at the 47 Cultural ways beginning of the 20th century. Aboriginal languages used in the park today include Kunwinjku from the 48 Visitor safety north-eastern region, Gundjeihmi from the central 50 Quick tips to stay safe region and Jawoyn from the south. KNP-VisitorGuide-Sept2017.indd 4 5/09/2017 7:22:16 PM 5 Welcome to Country The Aboriginal traditional owners welcome you to Kakadu National Park. We are happy and proud to share this special place with you. We hope you take the time to look, listen and feel the country, to experience the true essence of this land. Take care and return safely to your family and friends and share the memories and stories you will learn from our country. Park passes Visitors are required to purchase a park pass to enter Kakadu National Park. Your park pass includes entry to the park, ranger guided activities and information. By purchasing a park pass you contribute to the management of Kakadu and help us maintain tourism services and infrastructure. A large portion of this money goes directly to Kakadu’s Bininj/Mungguy traditional owners, supporting their homelands, training and business development. Park passes can be purchased online before arriving in the park, or at Bowali Visitor Centre and other locations. Visit parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu for details. NT Residents with proof of residency do not require a pass. Park pass checks take place throughout the park and penalties apply for non-compliance. KNP-VisitorGuide-Sept2017.indd 5 5/09/2017 7:22:18 PM 6 Culture A living cultural landscape Kakadu is a living cultural landscape. Generations of Bininj/ Mungguy have lived on and cared for this country for tens of thousands of years. Their spiritual connection with the land is globally recognised in Kakadu’s World Heritage listing, which honours one of the oldest living societies on earth. Language, ceremonies, kinship and caring for country are all aspects of cultural responsibility that have passed from one generation to the next, since the Creation time. Bininj/Mungguy believe that during the Creation time important ancestral beings, known as the first people or Nayuhyunggi, journeyed across the landscape creating the features and landforms, plants, animals and the generations of Bininj/Mungguy living here today. The land and its people have always been linked. Discover more about the local traditions and culture at the Warradjan Cultural Centre - page 25. Fallen kalalajorn pandanus nuts KNP-VisitorGuide-Sept2017.indd 6 5/09/2017 7:22:25 PM CULTURE 7 The Aboriginal people of Kakadu are known as Bininj/Mungguy. Bininj “People need to come here and relax, (pronounced bining) is a Kunwinjku and Gundjeihmi word; Mungguy (pronounced sit on the country, feel the spirits Moong-gooy) is a Jawoyn word. Both are similar to the English word “man” and of this country, and go home and feel depending on the context can mean man, male, person or Aboriginal people. the same way.” Balanda means non-Aboriginal people. NATASHA NADJI BUNITJ CLAN KNP-VisitorGuide-Sept2017.indd 7 5/09/2017 7:22:27 PM 8 CULTURE 1 The Rainbow Serpent The Rainbow Serpent is a major creator being. She created passages through rocks and formed waterholes in the Kakadu landscape. She split rock faces and created ranges of hills, helping form the habitat for all beings. KNP-VisitorGuide-Sept2017.indd 8 5/09/2017 7:22:32 PM 2 CULTURE 9 3 The Kakadu National Park logo is a The Rainbow Serpent is a powerful ancestor, traditional image used to depict the Rainbow Serpent.