Jim Jim Falls with a Twist

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Jim Jim Falls with a Twist

June 10th, 2011 by Anja

The news came through only minutes ago:
Jim Jim Falls will open to the public tomorrow morning,
Saturday, 11 June 2011!

Garnamarr campground will open for business tonight, the gate at the start of the 4WD track will be unlocked at 06:30 tomorrow morning. Yay!

These are the good news – but there is a little twist to the story…

Twin Falls will remain closed for a little while longer as will the Jim Jim day use area and our beautiful morning tea spot at Budjmi lookout.
Work is still continuing to fix the washouts along the way to Twin Falls.

We have also been advised that there won’t be any swimming below
Jim Jim Falls until further notice as rangers have spotted a 2m crocodile in the plunge pool. Park staff have spent the last few days and nights in the gorge on the lookout for crocodiles, conducting their final surveys.

At this point we haven’t been given a great deal of information but our guess is that the crocodile they spotted in the deep pool right under the waterfall is one of the resident (and generally harmless) Freshwater crocodiles – otherwise they wouldn’t grant us access to the gorge at all).

Freshies usually hang out in the creek and the beach pool where there are lots of places to hide from people. However, this one made it into the plunge pool, where, if disturbed or even cornered, it may become aggressive in a bid to defend itself.
Rangers are monitoring the situation as they are concerned about the potential risk to swimmers if the crocodile stays put.

While there’s no opportunity for a swim at the bottom of the falls, there will be on top of the escarpment. Yay!

Barrk Malam Walk

The Barrk Malam walk will definitely be an experience you won’t forget in a hurry, featuring shady monsoonal rainforests, rugged sandstone formations, endemic flora and fauna, awesome views from the edge of the Arnhemland Plateau — and much more.

However, it s not a leisurely stroll in the park, it is actually quite strenuous! This 6km return walk is rated difficult and the initial ascend will get your heart rate started. Once on top of the plateau you’ll have time to catch your breath again.

To tackle this walk you definitely need to be fit and willing to get a bit sweaty. As sitting it out at the bottom of the falls is really not an option, please only book this tour if this sounds like you!

As an alternative, we will continue to offer our Kakadu’s Early Dry for another week or two. Until we’re able to access Budjmi and Twin Falls, we will also be available for touring the southern part of Kakadu. Gunlom’s looking great and so are Motor Car Falls and Ikoymarrwa!

Watch this space for further updates…

Boh boh!
Anja

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Volunteering at Yellow Water

May 29th, 2011 by Anja

You know it’s Yegge (cool weather time) when the locals complain about the cold, get their flannelette shirts out and start rummaging for the moisturiser to treat their cracked heels.
You know it’s the dry season when the NT News runs a story titled
“Rare hypothermia case in NT cold snap” after a Darwin woman took herself to Royal Darwin Hospital to be diagnosed with cold feet…

Overnight temperatures have been dropping below 20 degrees lately.
The nights are starry, clear and pleasant – before it gets chilly, not unexpectedly but rather rapidly, just before sunrise. Anyway, it really is worth getting up early to watch the mist rise over Kakadu’s billabongs and floodplains as the sun warms up the country once again.

And to avoid hypothermia I can thoroughly recommend physical work!
We certainly weren’t feeling the cold last week when we were out and about with the Jim Jim district rangers (although our motivation for getting up early and heading down to the ranger station was a different one).

It’s a very busy time of year for park rangers. With flood waters receding and the country slowly drying up they can finally access those destinations that visitors are coming to see here in Kakadu National Park.

Yellow Water in the Wet Season

District staff are doing what they can to prepare visitor sites for public access. Among a lot of other ongoing tasks they’re currently cleaning campgrounds and day use areas, re-installing infrastructure, clearing 4WD and walking tracks, conducting crocodile surveys, patch burning to ‘clean the country’ and protect facilities from hot fires later in the year.

This year, for the first time, we have been given the opportunity to do our bit and help out. Traditional Owners and park managers have extended their invitation to tourism operators and guides to volunteer and help park staff with some of the enormous tasks they’re facing.

Last week Jeanne, John and I helped Jim Jim district rangers Anthony, Jason and Dennis with their clean up at Yellow Water.
In the wet season the whole area, including the car park, the boardwalk and viewing platform and a walking track to Home Billabong get flooded. The other day we found the boardwalk completely overgrown by a green mess of native Hymenachne grass.

Image Courtesy Kakadu National Park

Armed with buckets, rags and scourers we got stuck into it, always keeping an eye out for Estuarine crocodiles and prepared for other wildlife encounters as well. After a full day’s work only about one third of the boardwalk was freed of the buffalo grass.
But let me tell you, we felt immensely proud of our achievement!

Image Courtesy Kakadu National Park

A few days earlier Jeanne and John had already put a few hours in at Garnamarr campground and also on the 4WD track into the Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls area, where the rangers have since placed the crocodile traps and commenced their crocodile surveys. They will have to remove at least three rather large Estuarine crocodiles from the precinct before it will be safe for us to visit.

A big ‘Thank You’ goes to Jessie Alderson and Jeffrey Lee for allowing us to help looking after their country. We would also like to thank Kathy Wilson and all her staff at Jim Jim Ranger Station for making us feel so welcome.

Giving us the chance to gain an insight into the work of park rangers, getting to know the guys we share our workplace with and to experience this stunning environment from a different perspective is much appreciated!

We’ll definitely be back for more in the coming weeks!

Boh boh!
Anja

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Posted by Anja Posted in Kakadu is Crocodile Country!, News, Six Seasons of Kakadu | 1 Comment »

Gunlom!

May 21st, 2011 by Anja

A big “YAY!” from us here in Jabiru, Gunlom is now open to the public!

Mary River district rangers have been working day and night (no kidding, crocodile surveys involve nighttime spotlighting excursions) to make this famed destination accessible to the public after the wet season.

Gunlom is more than just another beautiful Kakadu waterfall with a nice big plunge pool. It is more than just the panoramic view across the wide valley of the South Alligator River from the edge of the escarpment, the cascading clear water and the unforgettable natural infinity pool — it is also a very spiritual place with a lot of history.

Gunlom Escarpment

You might have heard of UDP Falls. Gunlom was known under this name because it was the early camp site of the Uranium Development and Prospecting Company back in the mining days, the 1950s and 60s,
long before Kakadu National Park was established.

Luckily, uranium mining in the area stopped in 1964.
Plans for mining silver, lead, zinc, platinum, palladium and gold deposits in the nearby Guratba (Coronation Hill) area were buried as well when after many years of extensive inquiries and deliberation it was decided to protect the upper South Alligator region for its natural and cultural values to the Jawoyn people and its significant environmental values.

Before mining, Mam (non-Aboriginal people) had also tried their luck in pastoralism and buffalo hunting – and then, of course, came tourism. They even used the plunge pool as a backdrop in the Hollywood movie that put the Top End on the tourism map: Crocodile Dundee!

Gunlom

For Mungguy (Aboriginal people, Jawoyn Traditional Owners) the arrival of Mam brought big changes. Their job of looking after their country to prevent disturbances which could upset Bula and cause widespread disasters and destruction didn’t become any easier with the arrival of non-Aboriginal miners.

Bula is the most important Jawoyn creation ancestor. In the creation era he came from the North. As he travelled along with his wives and hunted across the country, he created the landscape with its landmarks and distinct features. He left images of himself as paintings in rock shelters, before he went underground to rest under the rocks.
We know the region where Bula’s ngan-mol (spirit) lies as Buladjang, Sickness Country.

Jawoyn say that if people disturb Buladjang country they will become unwell. Don’t worry, we won’t disturb Bula or enrage Bolung or any of the other ancestors. We respect their country and come here to look, listen and learn.

If you want to find out more about the Gunlom region and its history and inhabitants, have a look at the Kakadu Park Notes: Gunlom and Beyond

Boh boh!
Anja

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Kakadu’s Early Dry — Update on Access to Yurmikmik, Gunlom and Jim Jim Falls

May 11th, 2011 by Anja

Last time (some three weeks ago) I wrote about a collapsed culvert on the Gimbat Road, the road into the Yurmikmik area and Gunlom, which prompted the Department of Construction and Infrastructure to close the road on 08 March 2011 until further notice.

This road into the Yurmikmik area can usually be accessed for most of the wet season. For a limited number of days the Yurmikmik walks may become inaccessible when the Kambolgie Creek is in flood.
A road closure for several months, however, is unprecedented!

Updates from Kakadu National Park officials on predicted opening dates for key visitor sites like Yurmikmik, Gunlom, Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls have been slow-coming and somewhat patchy (until yesterday).
The Department of Construction and Infrastructure was even less forthcoming with information on the extent of road works required.
A week ago, they couldn’t even tell us when they were going to get started!

Frustrating (to say the least), as I’ve been telling people for weeks to keep an eye out for new blog posts!

It took some networking among industry partners, a telephone marathon, emails to people in high places and many sleepless nights until we finally received the news that the graders are on the road!

Image Courtesy Kakadu National Park

It seems that the waiting game will be over soon, work on this road has now been prioritised: Two graders are now working on the road and repairs to the damaged culvert also commenced yesterday.

This means the Yurmikmik area with its walks to Boulder Creek and Motor Car Falls should become accessible within a week – and access to Gunlom shouldn’t be too long either.

Crocodile surveys in the Gunlom precinct are being undertaken over the next week, while rangers are putting the finishing touches to campground and day use area at the same time.

As soon as the road closure is lifted, we will swap the walks to Nanguluwurr and Gubara for a dip in the plunge pool at Ikoymarrwa, the walks into Yurmikmik and (a few days later) a trip to Gunlom!

Gunlom

We’ve also received word on the status of Maguk, Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls. This is what we’ve been told in a nutshell:

Maguk (Barramundi Gorge) is unlikely to open to the public before some time in July. Water levels in the area are still very high, too high to start with the mandatory crocodile surveys. The access road will also require some TLC, a serious washout is currently hampering access for the rangers.

While the Jim Jim Road is also in need of road works (five spillways will be installed on the gravel road between the Kakadu Hwy turnoff and Garnamarr campground, some washouts on the 4WD track into the Jim Jim Falls precinct will be tended to), the rangers will be able to place crocodile traps in the creek in the following week and crocodile surveys will commence shortly thereafter. At this point Kakadu National Park rangers are hoping to have this site open by mid June.

Access to Twin Falls is expected for late June, depending on water levels in the Jim Jim Creek crossing. I hope to get a few more details on Twin Falls out to you soon!

I know. This is probably not what you want to hear if you have booked to go on a tour with us in early June.
Nevertheless, we will make your day worthwhile, you will see the most beautiful places available to us at the time – and you will take home some wonderful memories.

Boh boh!
Anja

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Goodbye Wet Season, Hello Dry!

April 19th, 2011 by Anja

It’s official. The Bureau of Meteorology says the Northern Territory’s wettest wet season is over!
It was indeed a wet season that broke a whole bunch of records. Leanyer, one of Darwin’s northern suburbs received over 3 metres of rain and smashed the record for the most rainfall anywhere in the Territory in a wet season.

Jabiru’s wettest month was February with 726.0mm of rainfall. It surely has been a big wet with 2.2m of rain recorded at Jabiru Airport from October 2010 to the end of March 2011, well above the long-term average of just over 1.5m for a wet season in Kakadu National Park.

But I’m happy to announce the dry season finally arrived last weekend, literally over night.
With the humidity dropping considerably, the nighttime temperatures are finally doing the same. Last night was the coolest so far this month, getting down to 20.5 degrees.
And it looks like Yegge is here to stay now! Apart from a few isolated showers and storms that can still be expected over the next few weeks things are definitely looking up weather wise.

4WD High Clearance Recommended

Kakadu National Park officials assure us that staff are working flat out to prepare visitor sites that are currently still closed to the public. As access permits, teams will be sent in to begin crocodile surveys, grade roads and repair tracks.
Information made available to tourism operators is still a bit sketchy at this point, a lot of “ifs” and “whens” based on the assumption that no further rain will hamper their efforts.

Steve can’t remember the Gimbat Road (the access road to Yurmikmik and Gunlom in the southern part of Kakadu) ever been closed by the Northern Territory Government’s Department of Construction and Infrastructure. But sadly, since we have started our season we haven’t been able to visit any of the destinations in the Yurmikmik area.

To get a clearer picture of what’s been done to make access available, Steve spent the morning catching up with Mary River district rangers and the Construction and Infrastructure project officer in charge.
A collapsed culvert en route to Yurmikmik and some severe washouts will have to be repaired as soon as the track has dried up enough to allow the heavy machinery to be brought into the area.
This will hopefully only be a few days away.

Rock Art at Nanguluwurr

It’s not all bad though, we still got a couple of magical destinations up our sleeves.

Nanguluwurr is situated on the northern side of Burrunggui (Nourlangie Rock).

An easy 3km return walk takes us to this sheltered art gallery which is lesser known than the world-renowned Anbangbang Gallery at Nourlangie Rock — but equally impressive!

Let us introduce you to Algaigho and the Namarrnde spirits, check out the fine examples of X-ray art and enjoy morning tea at the gallery before continuing to our second destination for the day.

Fancy a bushwalk? The walk into Gubara is 6km return and really easy!
There’s still a bit of water on the track, small creeks we wade through (not even knee-deep and with sandy bottom) with our pants rolled up. Trekking sandals or comfortable footwear you can easily slip in and out of are a good choice.

Flowers of a Swamp Bloodwood

The Scarlet gums (Eucalyptus phoenicea) are flowering at the moment and so are the Swamp Banksias (B. dentata) and Swamp Bloodwoods (Corymbia ptychocarpa). Let’s talk about the bush tucker in season and the many different uses Bininj people have for the plants that grow along the way.

Gubara

Pied Butcherbird kept us company on our way through the open woodlands yesterday, Silver-crowned Friarbirds, Red-collared Lorikeets, Grey-crowned Babblers made appearances as well. A Spangled Drongo greeted us as we entered the evergreen monsoonal rainforest of Gubara.
The creek is flowing strong and clear.

Bring your bathers, swimming is safe here — and life’s good!

Boh boh!
Anja

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Kakadu National Park Passes Available Online

April 9th, 2011 by Anja

Good things come to those who wait…

I wrote about the re-introduction of Park entry fees more than a year ago, and finally the e-ticketing system for Kakadu National Park passes has been implemented just days ago. But what’s a year’s delay in the greater scheme of things!

So far tickets could be purchased only from the following outlets:

Tourism Top End, corner of Bennett and Smith Streets, Darwin
Bowali Visitor Centre, Kakadu National Park
Gagudju Lodge Cooinda
Goymarr Interpretive Centre, Mary River Roadhouse (southern entrance to Kakadu)
Aurora Kakadu Resort, South Alligator, Arnhem Highway
Katherine Visitor Information Centre, corner of Lindsay Street and Katherine Terrace, Katherine

And if you don’t have access to a computer on your travels or if you don’t like the whole process of registering and purchasing online, you will still be able to get your good old paper tickets from these outlets!

All international and interstate visitors aged 16 years and over need to buy a park pass before they arrive at Kakadu National Park.
All Northern Territory residents and children under 16 are free.
Your park pass costs $25 for 14 consecutive days.
Park passes are not transferable and cannot be sold on after use.

If you’re happy to purchase your Park Passes online, you need to register with your name and email address first (only takes a couple of seconds) before you can make a purchase. Go to Parks Australia’s ticketing page to register and follow the link to the purchase section.

Then simply follow the instructions, securely pay by VISA or MasterCard and print out your ticket.
Please make sure to leave a feedback at the end if you think the system is too complicated or might require some “tweaking”.

Once you arrive in Kakadu National Park, make sure you carry your pass with you on your adventures (Territorians should carry their NT driver’s licence instead).

Please bear in mind that Kakadu National Park passes are not included in the cost of our tours. Since all our tours depart from within Kakadu National Park, you should have already purchased your ticket(s) before joining us on one of our day tours.

Kakadu National Park passes contribute directly to the running costs of the park, help manage the natural and cultural values of the park and improve visitor services and facilities for the more than 200,000 visitors who experience Kakadu each year.

Visit the Kakadu National Park website for more information on what the revenue from park passes is being used for and how compliance rangers check that visitors carry a valid ticket.

Boh boh!
Anja

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Banggerreng, Dragonflies and Knock’em Down Storms

March 19th, 2011 by Anja

Mid-March and the big question most locals here in Kakadu National Park would love to have answered is: When is the rain going to end?

BOM (Bureau of Meteorology) informs us today that “scattered showers and storms are expected to continue in the north as a weak monsoon trough reforms over the Arafura Sea and moves southwards onto the north coast.”

I hate to say but the answer to the big question is:
“NT” — not today, not tomorrow…

It’s been a notable wet season for the Top End and most Territorians are well and truly over it!

A month ago Darwin was in the grip of a tropical cyclone.
TC Carlos broke many rainfall records in the Top End, including Darwin’s wettest day with 367.6 mm in the 24 hours to 9 am on 16 February, Darwin’s wettest three days with 684.8 mm from 15 to 17 February, Darwin’s wettest seven days with 847.4 mm between the 13th and 19th, as well as recording its wettest month on record (for any month) with 1110.2mm.
That’s more than the annual rainfall for most other capitals in the country.

While we didn’t cop the full brunt of Carlos we’ve had our fair share of rain and boggy-ness out here in Kakadu National Park, resulting in the seasonal closure of many roads and tracks.

But Banggerreng is upon us and there are some very clear indications that Kakadu’s skies will be blue again soon:

Thommo painting 'The Two Brothers'

Thommo Nganjmirra,
our very dear friend and resident artist who I will dedicate my next blog post to, has been working day and night — literally, sometimes he even uses a small LED light so he can keep working just a little longer — since the the start of Gudjewg,
the monsoon season.

He has been painting traditional motifs and stories from the creation era on large sheets of Arches paper.

But now this incredible artist is running out of paper!

Yamitj, the green katydid has been quite vocal for over a week already. We can hear the little green critters calling every night!

The speargrass has turned golden already and in many places the gusty afternoon storms of recent have ripped the ripe seeds off their stalks and knocked the dying grass down.

And then there are the dragonflies! The Brown and Gold dragonflies are back! They’re zipping around near creeks and in the floodplains, simply delightful!

Brown and Gold Dragonfly

And so we’re gearing up for a new season, preparations are in full swing, this year’s brochures will hit the racks over the coming days.
On 01 April we will start touring again, check out Kakadu’s Early Dry for details — we’ll see you soon!

Boh boh
Anja

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Ikoymarrwa — The Kakadu Less Travelled

February 23rd, 2011 by Anja

Imagine travelling to the very edge of the Arnhemland escarpment, marvelling at the view over Kakadu’s extensive savannah woodlands before descending to the base of the sandstone cliffs.
The 4WD track you’re travelling on next is rough and bumpy, the creek bed you’re crossing looks like it had water running through it just yesterday, green Pandanus spiralis are lining its banks.
Not far to the car park now, which is rather small indeed.
Guaranteed no large crowds around here, you won’t even find any information on this destination in your Kakadu Visitor Guide!

Common Crows

Following your guide on a narrow path you leave the eucalypts of the savannah woodlands behind and enter a different world. Beautiful monsoon forest awaits you: shady, lush, leafy, green.
Hundreds of butterflies, Common Crows (Euploea core) greet you as you enter.

A beautiful little plunge pool lies right in front of you: Ikoymarrwa.
The spring-fed Rockhole Creek gushes down the escarpment and into this gorgeous little waterhole year round.

The plunge pool is safe for swimming.
Or would you prefer to go wild with the camera?
Alternatively, you could just sit back with a cuppa and listen to a few stories of old.

The Traditional Owners for the southern part of Kakadu National Park are the Jawoyn people. Ikoymarrwa is the Jawoyn name for this particular area, describing it as a Goymarr (Freshwater Crocodile, Crocodylus johnstoni) dreaming site associated with the creation of the spring above and the cascading waterfall – it is not regarded as a dangerous place.
Jawoyn people feel very attached to the site as a place for swimming and other recreational activities.

Ikoymarrwa

I thoroughly enjoy sitting on one of the large boulders opposite the waterfall, listening to the birds: the faint screeching of Lorikeets and Friarbirds on top of the escarpment, Honeyeaters, Pigeons, Kingfishers and others in the forest.

While I’m tuning in to the sounds of nature, some of the freshwater fish in the pool start to take an interest in my feet that have been dangling in the water, inquisitive little things – and totally harmless.

I have often encountered Mertens Water Monitors (Varanus mertensi) in and around the water but I am yet to come across the endangered Arnhemland Egernia (Egernia obiri), a chubby ground-dwelling skink with short, stumpy feet that allegedly lives around here.

Ever since Steve introduced me to Ikoymarrwa – or the Bottom Moline Rockhole, as it’s also known – I’ve been in love with this place!
Needless to say, Steve likes it too.

And here’s the exciting news:
From 1 April 2011 we will be able to share our love for Ikoymarrwa with you since Top End Explorer Tours have been able to obtain a special permit to conduct tours into the Ikoymarrwa area!
We feel very privileged and mighty proud to be among the small handfull of operators issued with this special permit.

Swimming at Ikoymarrwa

To start with, Ikoymarrwa will be added to our list of destinations for our “Kakadu’s Early Dry” tour, of course.

If you’re interested in a “Kakadu Private Charter” to visit destinations off the beaten track but without the challenge of an extended or difficult bushwalk, you will now be able to enjoy this experience year round!

But wait, there’s more!
There will be more good news on Ikoymarrwa soon, so stay tuned!

Boh boh!
Anja

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Opal Fuel in Kakadu

November 9th, 2010 by Anja

The Federal Government announced just a couple of days ago that the non-sniffable fuel Opal will be rolled out across the Kakadu region in the very near future.

Opal contains very low levels of aromatic chemicals and it was first introduced by BP in 2005 as a way to stop young people from sniffing petrol. It is specifically designed to assist remote communities and in particular Aboriginal communities fight petrol sniffing.

Petrol sniffing is a highly dangerous form of substance abuse. It destroys lives and has debilitating effects on the whole community. “The impact of petrol sniffing goes much wider than its immediate effects on the health and wellbeing of the sniffer. Vandalism, thefts and domestic violence are all part of the economic and social devastation it causes on communities,” Snowdon said.

At current it is sold at 106 sites across Australia. Now the Minister says Opal will be available in the Top End from early December and communities in western Arnhemland will benefit from this move first.

Blair McFarland from the Central Australian Youth Link Up Service (CAYLUS), based in Alice Springs, has welcomed the expansion. His service runs programs targeting petrol sniffers and has been heavily involved in the campaign to limit the availability of sniffable fuel.
According to Farland the roll-out of Opal fuel through central Australia has resulted in a reduction in petrol sniffing of more than 90% in this region, a figure backed up by an independent study conducted in 2008.

Several information days will be held in Jabiru and surrounds later this month, which will include a mix of technical information from BP on how Opal is safe to use in car and boat engines, as well as information on the social benefits of Opal and how it is helping to keep communities safer.

Jabiru:Tuesday, 23nd November 2010
Cooinda: Wednesday, 24th November 2010
Jabiru: Thursday, 25th November 2010

From 10:00AM there will be people to talk to, demonstrations and videos to watch, and a free sausage sizzle.

For more facts visit BP’s website on Opal fuel.

So, if you’re in Kakadu National Park later this month come along and learn more about Opal. I’ll meet you there!

Boh boh!
Anja

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Twin Falls, Here We Come!

July 16th, 2010 by Anja

Tomorrow morning our trucks will cross the Jim Jim Creek and head over to Twin Falls for the first time this season!

By this afternoon the shuttle boats will be operational and the floating pontoon boardwalk that keeps visitors out of the water (hence safe from Estuarine crocodiles) will be re-assembled and safely anchored in the gorge.

Contractors are finally in the water to put this important piece of infrastructure in place.
I can only imagine that they’re quite anxious to get the job done quickly and spend as little time as possible in the creek – even after Jim Jim district rangers have completed their final crocodile surveys a few days ago!

More Estuarine crocodiles have moved into the gorge during the wet season than in previous years. The late rain in April and May with subsequently high water levels in the rivers, creeks and gorges allowed the crocs to remain on the move and enter the gorge.

The last “Saltie” removed from the gorge less than two weeks ago was over 4m long. According to the Jim Jim district rangers it was quite a cunning animal. Appearing out of the blue after another large crocodile had been removed, this guy avoided his capture and caused the rangers a few sleepless nights.

So, as of tomorrow our tours will be conducted as per “normal”, visiting the two sites that so many people come to visit each year.

At this point I would like to thank everybody who has travelled with us so far this dry season, all those travellers who came with an open mind, who accepted our alternative itinerary and left Kakadu with beautiful memories of morning tea at Budjmi (pronounce: Bood-me), the cold water of Jim Jim plunge pool and the hot sand on the beach!