Kakadu National Park is a popular Australian tourist attraction in the Northern Territory. It is now declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, due to the presence of several billabongs, waterfalls, gorges, and diverse wildlife along the Alligator Rivers. It is a reserved forest developed over an area of 19,804 sq km, which is approximately half the size of entire Switzerland or one-third of the size of Tasmania. Tourists can hike or cruise around to explore the beauty of this place, for which they need to know what to see in Kakadu. Read about Breathtaking Yellow Water Wetlands from TravelSpicedLife.
Yellow Waters
This is the most popular billabong of Kakadu National Park, due to the extraordinary beauty of this wetland. Yellow Waters is formed along the floodplains of South Alligator River, offering a view of the huge flora and fauna of this region. Thus, tourists walk a distance of 2.6 km to reach a viewpoint called Home Billabong to get the best view. They may also enjoy a cruise ride on the water of this billabong, to get glimpses of crocodiles and numerous birds living here.
Tourists may also spend some time at Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre, to know about the local culture of aborigines from the photos, books, and craft items displayed there. Many people enjoy fishing and boating on this water by hiring private boats. Tasty barramundi and other fishes are available in plenty during February to April when the water recedes to the sea. There are several motels and lodges by this billabong, for proving accommodations to tourists.
Ubirr
It is one of the aboriginal rock art galleries located in Kakadu National Park, along the East Alligator River. Ubirr is famous for ancient rock art paintings that were made many thousands of years back. Tourists take time to go round the Main Gallery, Rainbow Serpent Gallery, and Namarrgarn Sisters Gallery here. The oldest painting found here is 15, 000 years old while the newest one was reportedly made 150 years back.
The sealed road leading to Ubirr is accessible by 4-wheelers throughout the year unless it is heavily flooded. People can get a beautiful view of the surroundings from the topmost part of Ubirr rock. They need to walk for a short distance to reach the art galleries after getting out of their hired cars. Many rock surfaces had been repainted several times in the ancient period, including some old paintings of the prehistoric age.
These ancient rock paintings include pictures of local creatures, like pig-nose turtles, long-necked turtles, wallabies, rock ringtail possums, barramundi fish, mullets, and catfish. X-ray art is a prominent feature noticed in these paintings contained in the Main Gallery. There are also paintings of white men and amazingly thin paintings of Mimi spirits on the cracks of rocks. Rainbow Serpent Gallery was previously considered a sacred site by aborigines and only women were allowed here, though now all tourists can visit to enjoy the wonderful creations.
Gunlom Falls
This waterfall was earlier called Waterfall Creek Falls that is situated in the floodplain of Mary River. If anyone wonders what to do in Kakadu, swimming in the plunge pool of Gunlom Falls can provide them great joy. This pool is located below the Waterfall Creek, where this waterfall descends from a height of 551 feet. Tourists can find it on the southern part of Kakadu National Park, only 40 km from Kakadu Highway.
There are shaded areas for enjoying picnics beside this pool. Tourists can also walk for 30 minutes to the top of this waterfall, to have a view of the hill overlooking this place. Apart from the recreation of a freshwater swim, people may also indulge in hot water bath provided by solar panels. There are a few lodges close to this waterfall where tourists can go in their hired cars.
