Kakadu National Park

Kakadu National Park is a world-famous wilderness covering nearly 20,000 km² – roughly the size of Wales – in the Top End:contentReference[oaicite:63]{index=63}. Jointly managed by Aboriginal Traditional Owners and Parks Australia, Kakadu is celebrated for its astonishing biodiversity and cultural significance. Within its boundaries lie dramatic sandstone escarpments and waterfalls (like Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls that plunge off the Arnhem Land Plateau), vast floodplains and billabongs alive with birds and crocodiles (the Yellow Water wetlands are iconic for sunrise cruises amidst magpie geese and lotus lilies), and monsoon forests tucked in gullies. Kakadu’s human history is equally profound: Aboriginal people have lived here for ~60,000 years, and the park holds thousands of rock art paintings – at Ubirr, Nourlangie and other galleries – some tens of thousands of years old:contentReference[oaicite:64]{index=64}. These vividly depict creation ancestors, Traditional law and daily life, offering one of the greatest collections of Indigenous rock art in the world. Visitors can follow walking trails to view art sites, trek to lookouts over sweeping savanna and wetlands (Nawurlandja and Ubirr offer unforgettable sunsets), and learn about Bush Tucker and culture from local guides. The park is home to an incredible array of wildlife: over 280 bird species, 75 reptiles, 10,000 insect species, plus large populations of saltwater crocodiles that bask along riverbanks. Access is via sealed roads to key sites and the township of Jabiru (which has accommodation, fuel, and a visitors centre). Many 4WD tracks lead to more remote regions in the dry season. A Kakadu Parks Pass (fee) is required:contentReference[oaicite:65]{index=65}:contentReference[oaicite:66]{index=66}. Kakadu’s combination of natural grandeur and cultural depth makes it a place of immense National and World Heritage value – a living cultural landscape and an ecological treasure trove of Australia’s north.