| Internationally recognised, the World
Heritage listed Kakadu National Park is
one of the nation’s most prized cultural
and ecological treasures.
From Darwin, the 19,000 sq km
national park is just 257 kilometres
along the fully sealed Arnhem Highway.
The name Kakadu is from the
Gagudju speaking people, a language
used in the northern parts of the area
at the beginning of the 20th century.
Today however, there are three major
languages spoken within the park.
These are Gundjeihmi/Mauali,
Kunwinjku and
Jason. The shelters, stone tools, grindstones
and ochre indicate that Aboriginal
people have lived in the vicinity now
defined by the National Park in excess of
50,000 years.
Important parts of that legacy have
become a major attraction for latter
day visitors. Dreamtime legends and
day-to-day living are presented at
Ubirr and Nourlangie Rock.
Rock art galleries reveal mouth-sprayed hand stencils, hunters
carrying barbed spears, plus the
creation beings, Namarrgon the
Lightning Man and Ngalyod the
Rainbow Serpent.
In these paintings fish, birds and
animals are presented in an x-ray
style, revealing internal organs and
bone structures.
Aboriginal culture abounds
throughout the Park, where some
5000 sites have been recorded.
Then, there is the other display, the
flora and fauna. More than a third of
the Top End’s plant life is represented
through the 1,600 plant species, along
with 275 bird species, reptile families
totalling 75, 25 species of frogs and it
is estimated that the park hosts an
amazing 10,000 species of insects.
On the flood plains, the water lily
covered billabongs are stunning. Your
travels into the Park must include
Yellow Water and
Manual. These
areas attract flocks of birds
throughout most of the year.
The
high sandstone escarpment to the east
highlights grand waterfalls of 100 to
200 metres in height, Jim Jim Falls, Twin Falls and Gunlom.
Kakadu in a truly unique place well worthy of a visit.
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