Gunlom in Kakadu National Park’s south is now open!
Park rangers have completed their crocodile surveys, the day use area is slashed and tidy, the camp ground manager is setting up camp as I type — and guess where Steve is with his group today!
Gunlom
Have a lovely weekend, wherever you are!
Boh Boh!
Anja
Just a quick update today…
The Gimbat Road in Kakadu’s south is now open to 4WDs between the Kakadu Highway intersection and the South Alligator River.
YAY!
We can now access the Yurmikmik area and visit beautiful Motor Car Falls and Boulder Creek!
Motor Car Falls in the Yurmikmik Area
Come for a walk with us to experience the southern hills and ridges which cover a large area in the south of the park, including the headwaters of the South Alligator River. This landform is characterised by rugged ridges and exposed volcanic rocks separated by alluvial flats, it creates a diversity of habitats that a number of endemic and threatened species call home.
Ikoymarrwa (The Rockhole) will also be on our itinerary — of course!
We love this beautiful little spot, a special permit area which can be accessed by a small number of operators only!
I’m off to get the camera ready and all batteries charged…
This season I will get a good shot of the colourful Gouldian Finches that can sometimes be observed along the Yurmikmik walks!
Boh boh!
Anja
It looks like the dry season, it feels like the dry season…
The morning air is fresh and cool once again here in Kakadu National Park. And while the days are still pretty hot things are definitely looking up.
Kakadu’s skies are blue again, with puffy white cumulus clouds. While localised afternoon showers will be a possibility for a little while longer, they do not pose a thread. Humidity levels are also starting to drop and so are the water levels in the creeks – finally!
If you’ve been keeping a close eye on Kakadu National Park’s access and road conditions report, you would have noticed that the road up to Ubirr is still classed as ‘impassable’ (as opposed to ‘closed’). Visitors to Kakadu National Park are strongly discouraged to attempt the crossing of the Magela Creek.
Magela Mishap
While the Magela Creek itself looks harmless enough once it’s dropped to around 0.6m, travellers unfamiliar with the area don’t realise that 1km further on there is a second and much longer water crossing through the so-called ‘S-bends’. Along this windy section there is water over the road on a stretch of at least 500m and at the deepest point it’s usually 10-20cm deeper.
Every year travellers come to grieve here at the Magela after ignoring all warning signs, drowning their car in the middle of a crocodile-infested creek, ruining their holidays after when they realise that taking their rental car through water left them uninsured.
Now, the road report also states that there are options to access Ubirr despite the road restrictions. Top End Explorer Tours offer one of these options!
Right now our ‘Kakadu’s Early Dry‘ tours visit the sites of Gubara and Ubirr.
The pleasant 6km return takes us past dramatic sandstone cliffs into the midst of the monsoonal rainforest of Gubara. The creek is flowing rather nicely righth now and the gorgeous rock pools are clear and safe for swimming.
Gubara
After a freshly prepared picnic lunch on the shady lawns of the Bowali Visitor Centre we head up the road and stop at the Magela Creek to inspect the water depth and talk crocodile safety.
Magela Creek
We safely master the water crossings and continue on the Oenpelli Road into the East Alligator region. More crocodile talk when we stop at the East Alligator River to spot the crocs from the viewing platform at Cahills Crossing.
Crossing the Magela Creek
The remainder of the afternoon we spend at Ubirr which is breathtakingly beautiful in the early dry season. The vegetation is so vibrant and green, the colours are sensational!
Let us show you Ubirr’s extensive rock art sites, listen to the stories the clans of this region have been passing on from generation to generation for thousands of years.
Mabuyu
We climb up to the lookout for spectacular panoramic views of Kakadu’s and Arnhemland’s stone country and the Nardab Floodplain right beneath. It’s a great time of the year to come here. Take in the different colours, watch the spinifex grass sway in the afternoon breeze, feel the country.
Ubirr
We will continue to offer this itinerary with our tour ‘Kakadu’s Early Dry’ for as long as the Oenpelli Road into the East Alligator district is classed ‘impassable’ or ‘open to 4WD with high clearance and snorkel only’ – for approximately another couple of weeks. Subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss out on any updates regarding this itinerary!
While we’re heading up north into the East Alligator region, we will be available for pick-ups from Jabiru only, Cooinda is just a bit too far out of the way. The tour starts at 06:45 in the morning and we return to Jabiru from approximately 17:00 (05:00PM).
Don’t hesitate to comment with any questions – or give us a call on (08) 8979 3615 for more information!
Boh boh!
Anja
Gudjewg, Kakadu’s monsoon season is supposed to be in full swing.
It started right on cue, Christmas in the Top End was marred by Tropical Cyclone Grant and torrential rainfall over parts of the Cobourg Peninsula and the north-western parts of Arnhemland. After making landfall on Christmas Day, Grant lost strength rapidly — but the ex-tropical cyclone continued to dump massive amounts of water in the Edith, Cullen and Fergusson River catchments. A flooded Edith River caused the collapse of a railway bridge and the subsequent derailment of a freight train some 50km north of Katherine. About 50m of the Ghan track were washed away in the floods, so were some of the freight containers. While the Stuart Highway was reopened to traffic after a few days of frantic work, the railway bridge is still under repair almost two months later.
It’s got me stumped how the township of Jabiru escaped completely unscathed as Grant passed only about 30km to the west! While 385mm of rain fell at Edith River Falls in the 24 hours to 9:00AM on 27 December, the weather station at Jabiru Airport registered a total of “only” 71mm on Boxing Day. I’m certainly not complaining, after having lived through the experience of TC Monica raging through Jabiru in April 2006, I am grateful for every cyclone that doesn’t eventuate, takes an unexpected turn back out to sea or makes landfall on a remote and uninhabited stretch of coastline!
South Alligator Floodplain
Right now the monsoon is taking a break. Only 124mm of rain here in Jabiru and the mean maximum temperature of 35.2°C for the first 17 days of this month are a good indicator for the mostly sunny, hot and steamy conditions lately. But it’s not over yet, the Bureau of Meteorology still sees a good chance for a wetter than average tail end of this wet season. The Top End’s fishermen (Steve included) are certainly in favour of a few good downpours to fill up the floodplains and make for a good run-off.
Anyway, regardless of how much rain is going to fall between now and April, we’re ready for a new season!
We will, as usual, start with our ‘Kakadu’s Early Dry‘ tour on 1 April 2012. The flexible itinerary allows us to showcase Kakadu’s most worthwhile destinations during April and May, when seasonal conditions can still change from day to day. Boulder Creek and Motor Car Falls in the Yurmikmik area are looking great right now, the southern ridges of Kakadu have seen some decent rainfall over the last few weeks.
Motor Car Falls in the Yurmikmik Area
As the last of the rain clouds disappear, floodwaters recede, roads dry up and crocodile management zones (such as Gunlom and Maguk) become accessible to the public, we will gradually adjust our tour itinerary until we arrive at our 4WD tour to Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls.
Please note that there is no guarantee this switch will happen on exactly 1 June 2012 — it will happen when park managers unlock the gates at Garnamarr and at the Jim Jim Creek crossing!
We’ve been made aware that in the past some visitors to Kakadu National Park have been given inaccurate and misleading information in regards to the accessibility of Jim Jim Falls and especially Twin Falls by another operator who offers a very similar experience. We’re pretty confident that this issue has been resolved — but if at all unsure about current road and access conditions or envisaged opening dates for destinations here in the park, please check out Kakadu National Park’s road report — alternatively just drop us an email or give us a call on
+61 8 8979 3615!
One last thing before I go outside to check if I just heard thunder rumbling over the escarpment: After thinking long and hard, Steve and I made the decision to ‘go figure’ this season and limit our seat capacity, one truck only on most days, with a maximum of 13 passengers per tour. Please be advised that especially during the school holidays (June/ July) our tours will book out for several days in advance — get in early to avoid disappointment!
Boh boh!
Anja
Martin Ferguson AM MP, Australia’s Federal Minister of Tourism, officially launched the T-QUAL-Tick this morning. This new national symbol will help travellers to reliably recognise quality Australian tourism experiences.
“The T-QUAL tick is a mark of quality which will become easily recognisable whether it is on a tourist park in Tasmania, a five-star hotel in Sydney, a restaurant in far north Queensland, a hostel in Broome or any number of other tourism products and services,” Minister Ferguson said at the launch. (Media release)
“The T-QUAL Tick is about differentiating tourism products and services on the basis of quality. T-QUAL businesses have all the required licences and insurances and have committed to a number of standards including risk and environmental management and customer service.”
As we have achieved ECO and ROC certification with Ecotourism Australia‘s accreditation program for all tours, we’re now also allowed to show off the new tick! Yay!
Over coming weeks it will find its way onto this website and our brochures for the coming season — but see it here first!
Here’s what it looks like:
Boh boh!
Anja
It’s November and the wet season is upon us once again.
Gunumeleng, the build-up season with its high temperatures and rising humidity, spectacular displays of lightning and distant, rumbling thunder, tropical downpours and sprouting green has started right on time — and put a stop to our day tours to Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls.
Monday, 07 November 2011 was the last date of operation for this tour.
Park rangers have since locked the gate at the Jim Jim Road turn-off.
Crocodile traps have been removed, boats and infrastructure have been taken out of the water over at Twin Falls as well. That’s it for another year, I guess…
During the wet season you can still see these spectacular places from the air. A number of operators offer scenic flights (by helicopter or in a fixed-wing aircraft) from Jabiru Airport.
You won’t see these little critters from the air.
The Rockhole frogs really are tiny! But they definitely will be there next year, when we return to the gorges of Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls after completion of the annual mandatory crocodile surevys in the early dry season.
Rockhole Frog (Litoria meiriana)
Steve and I would like to take the opportunity to thank everybody who has come on a trip with us these last few months.
We have met some awesome folks again this year, interesting people from all walks of life with a lot of good yarns to tell. Hope you enjoyed your day out there as much as we did!
We will still be available for our Kakadu Private Charters between now and April 2012. But for now I say
Boh boh!
Anja
Gurrung, hot weather time, is here once again and things are definitely heating up around Kakadu!
In Kakadu National Park’s stone country along the Arnhemland escarpment we regularly experience afternoon temperatures in the low forties these days — and with a few days of high humidity just recently, we’ve got a first taste of Gununmeleng, the build-up or pre-monsoon season, which is not too far away now.
While we will still be offering our tours to Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls daily until mid to late October, we do hope you take the current weather conditions into consideration before you go ahead and book our tour!
Yes, we do carry plenty of iced drinking water in the vehicle — but we also spend quite a few hours away from the 4WD.
Yes, we do use 4WDs to get us to these stunning destinations — but at the same token nature is best experienced by foot!
This means you will need to bring a large water bottle or two along on the day. The general recommendation is to carry at least 1l of water per hour of activity. If the prospect of carrying 1.5 – 2l of water doesn’t appeal to you, then our tour probably isn’t for you.
It is our duty of care to make sure our passengers join our tours well prepared and equipped — and Steve and I will be on your case to make sure you keep your fluid levels up during the day!
The distance we cover on our walks is not overly long, however, the difficulty of the walks (rated moderate to difficult) ought not to be underestimated! To tackle this terrain, the large boulders and polished rocks partly covered in sand, you need to be reasonably fit, especially in this heat. A good sense of balance as well as agility are essential!
Plunge Pool at Jim Jim Falls
No, I certainly don’t want to put you off this trip!
I’m just asking to take a moment and consider current conditions and your own capabilities and limitations.
It is absolutely gorgeous out there at the moment!
Should you have heard rumours recently that it’s not worth visiting Jim Jim Falls since it’s stopped flowing a few weeks ago, please let me know who told you so – and think again!
The plunge pool at Jim Jim Falls is slowly warming up, beckoning to swim. You’ll be in awe once you arrive at this deep waterhole encircled by sheer rock walls, exceeding 200m in height!
The sightings of Northern Snapping Turtles (Elseya dentata) in Twin Falls Gorge are becoming more frequent as our reptilians in general once again become more active with the rising temperatures. The water is delightfully clear, allowing us to spot heaps of different species of fish — one of the reasons these two young White-Bellied Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus leucogaster) hang around, too!
I’m looking forward to getting out there again tomorrow!
Boh boh!
Anja
Enjoying the dry season, visiting Kakadu National Park’s beautiful sites with a great bunch of people, it has been quite a while since I last found the time to write on this blog, not for want of topics…
I just added a new category to this blog which I named “Meet the Locals” as I think it’s time I introduced you to some of our amazing critters.
First up is a true Top End icon, the Barramundi (Lates calcarifer)!
There are a lot of keen fishermen (and women) out there, locals as well as visitors from interstate and overseas, who know how to catch our famous Barra – but there are quite a few interesting facts about this species that are little known. I actually spent the morning trying to find the answers to a few questions that came up on tour the other day.
Our group had just embarked on the boat trip down Twin Falls Creek after morning tea on the beach. The water was clear and calm, we could see quite a few decent sized Barramundi in the creek and the question was raised whether all Barramundi would migrate into saltwater sometime during their lives.
Mmmmh…I wasn’t sure.
I thought I knew our local Barramundi were migrating during the wet season – but not all of them…
I knew they were all born male, eventually undergoing a sex change – but what exactly happens?
I definitely had to do some homework and find out about the biology and life cycle of the Barramundi:
It's a Boy!
Check out these links if you want to find out more:
The Department of Resources – Fisheries’ website has a lot of interesting information on Barramundi and other fishy locals: http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Fisheries/
All your Barra-questions answered: http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Fisheries/index.cfm?header=NT%20Fish%20-%20Barramundi
The diagram on the life cycle of Barramundi in this Fishnote is particularly helpful: http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/Fishnote/FN07.pdf
Boh boh!
Anja
It’s official, Twin Falls Gorge will be accessible as of tomorrow,
Saturday 09 July 2011.
Crocodile surveys have been completed, the floating pontoon boardwalk has been installed (I really don’t envy the poor souls who had to enter the freezing cold water in the gorge to assemble the segments airlifted in by helicopter the other day) and the shuttle boats went in the water today.
The Jim Jim Creek crossing is still at 0.75 of a metre and requires a high clearance 4WD with a snorkel — but that’s not a problem for our trusty old OKAs!
Twin Falls in July 2011
We will take our tours to Twin Falls and Jim Jim Falls as per our regular itinerary from tomorrow.
If you’ve been hanging out for Twin Falls to open but haven’t booked your tour yet, please be advised that we are currently fully booked for 2 or even 3 days in advance.
To check availability and prices and/or to make a booking hit the grey “BOOK NOW” button in the top right corner of this page.
Enter the number of persons travelling and your preferred date of travel in the blue section on top of the bookings page that will open, hit “Update”, check availability and continue from there by following the prompts.
Alternatively, call us on +61-8-8979 3615 during business hours.
Boh boh!
Anja
Rumour has it that Jim Jim Falls may still be closed…
Well, this is simply false!
Jim Jim Falls is open to the public and it has been since 11 June 2011!
Ongoing road works don’t restrict access to Jim Jim Falls, crocodile surveys in the gorge have been completed, the walk into the gorge (with the pools under the falls now also cleared for swimming) has been on our itinerary just like the Barrk Malam Walk to the plateau above the falls.
Quite a few lovely people have come along over the last couple of weeks to take the challenge of the Barrk Malam Walk for an unforgettable Stone Country experience.
As of tomorrow we can offer our passengers a less strenuous Arnhemland escarpment adventure: Budjmi Lookout (you can find it in the Kakadu Road and Access Report under “Jim Jim Day Use Area”) is now accessible. The track, badly washed out in a few places, is repaired, the crocodile risk assessed and feral buffaloes have been dealt with. We can now enjoy morning tea in this scenic location, basking in the morning sun after a cold dry season night — just like Kakadu’s countless little lizards — before heading deep into the shady gorge.
Ctenotus vertebralis
I’m looking forward to this pleasant and diverting little walk, where we emerge from the rainforest lining the creek to scramble up onto this outcrop of conglomerate rock. Budjmi provides such a spectacular view of the Arnhemland escarpment! I can’t wait to hear the Sulphur-crested Cockatoos and Garnamarr, the Red-tailed Black Cockatoos squawking, the Spangled Drongos carrying on in the thicket and the Black-breasted Buzzards soaring high above the lookout.
A quick note on Twin Falls:
Road works are continuing on the Twin Falls side of Jim Jim Creek, crocodile surveys are underway.
We will have to wait a little while longer and let the park rangers do their job. The crocodile management team need to deem it safe before the contractors can enter the gorge to put boardwalk and boats back in place — better safe than sorry!
Boh boh!
Anja
Committed to Sustainable Tourism
