Kakadu National Park is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia, located 171 km (106 mi) southeast of Darwin. It is a World Heritage Site. Kakadu is also officially named as a place, covering the same area as the national park, with 313 people recorded living there in the 2016 Australian census.

Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory, covering an area of 19,804 km² (7,646 sq mi). It extends nearly 200 kilometers (124 mi) from north to south and over 100 kilometers (62 mi) from east to west. It is roughly the size of Wales or one-third the size of Tasmania, and it is the second-largest national park in Australia, after the Munga-Thirri–Simpson Desert National Park. Most of the region is owned by the Aboriginal traditional owners, who have lived on the land for about 60,000 years and, today, manage the park jointly with Parks Australia. The area has a wide variety of plants, animals, and ecosystems. It also includes many examples of Aboriginal rock art, such as the site at Ubirr. Kakadu is fully protected by the EPBC Act.

The Ranger Uranium Mine, one of the most productive uranium mines in the world until it closed in January 2021, is located near the park.

Domestic Asian water buffalo, now a wild and invasive population, were introduced to the area in the late 19th century. Feral pigs, cats, red foxes, and rabbits are other invasive species that harm the sensitive ecosystems of the Northern Territory and Australia. These animals were brought to the continent by early settlers, farmers, and missionaries. Although the European presence in Kakadu was smaller than in more populated areas of Australia, it still had an impact. In 1925, missionaries started a mission at Oenpelli (now called Gunbalanya). Some farmers, crocodile-hunters, and woodcutters also lived in the area during the early 20th century. The region was gradually given protected status beginning in the 1970s.

History

The name Kakadu likely comes from the wrong way of saying "Gaagudju," which is the name of an Aboriginal language spoken in the north-west part of the park. Explorer Baldwin Spencer wrongly gave the name "Kakadu tribe" to the people living near the Alligator Rivers.

Aboriginal people have lived in the Kakadu area for about 60,000 years. Kakadu National Park is famous for having many Aboriginal cultural sites. More than 5,000 art sites have been recorded, showing Aboriginal culture over thousands of years. These sites show that Aboriginal people lived there for at least 40,000 years and possibly as long as 65,000 years.

The Chinese, Malays, and Portuguese all say they were the first non-Aboriginal people to explore Australia's north coast. The first written record of this area comes from the Dutch. In 1623, Jan Carstenszoon traveled west across the Gulf of Carpentaria to what is now called Groote Eylandt. Abel Tasman was the next recorded explorer to visit this part of the coast in 1644. He was the first European to write about meeting Aboriginal people. About 100 years later, Matthew Flinders mapped the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1802 and 1803.

Phillip Parker King, an English navigator, entered the Gulf of Carpentaria between 1818 and 1822. During this time, he named the three Alligator Rivers after the many crocodiles he saw, which he thought were alligators.

Ludwig Leichhardt was the first European to travel by land to the Kakadu region in 1845. He was on a journey from Moreton Bay in Queensland to Port Essington in the Northern Territory. He followed Jim Jim Creek from the Arnhem Land escarpment, then traveled down the South Alligator River, crossed to the East Alligator River, and went north.

In 1862, John McDouall Stuart traveled along the south-western edge of Kakadu but did not see any people.

The first non-Aboriginal people to visit northern Australia and have long-term contact with Aboriginal people were the Macassans from Sulawesi and other parts of Indonesia. They traveled to northern Australia every wet season, probably starting in the late 1600s, in boats called praus. Their main goal was to collect trepang (sea cucumber), turtle shells, pearls, and other items to trade in their homeland. Aboriginal people helped with harvesting and processing trepang and gathering other goods.

There is no proof that the Macassans visited the coast of Kakadu, but there is evidence of some cultural exchange between Macassans and Aboriginal people in the area. Artifacts found in the park, such as glass and metal pieces, may have come from the Macassans directly or through trade with people from the Cobourg Peninsula.

The British tried to build several settlements on northern Australia’s coast in the early 1800s: Fort Dundas on Melville Island in 1824, Fort Wellington at Raffles Bay in 1829, and Victoria Settlement (Port Essington) on the Cobourg Peninsula in 1838. They wanted to control the north before the French or Dutch, who had settled islands further north. All these settlements were later abandoned due to problems like lack of water and food, sickness, and isolation.

Water buffalo had a big impact on the Kakadu region. By the 1880s, the number of buffalo released from early settlements had grown so much that it became possible to make money by harvesting their hides and horns. This industry began near Darwin on the Adelaide River and later moved east to the Mary River and Alligator Rivers areas.

Most buffalo hunting and skin processing happened during the dry season (June to September), when buffalo gathered around remaining billabongs. Hunting stopped during the wet season because the ground was too muddy to follow buffalo, and hides would rot. The buffalo-hunting industry became an important job for Aboriginal people during the dry season.

Missionaries also influenced Aboriginal people in the Alligator Rivers region. Many lived and were educated at missions when they were young. Two missions were set up in the area in the early 1900s. Kapalga Native Industrial Mission was started near the South Alligator River in 1899 but lasted only four years. The Oenpelli Mission began in 1925 when the Church of England Missionary Society took over an area that had been a dairy farm. The Oenpelli Mission operated for 50 years.

The pastoral industry started slowly in the Top End. Pastoral leases in Kakadu were gradually abandoned from 1889 because the Victoria River and Barkly Tablelands were better for farming.

In southern Kakadu, much of Goodparla and Gimbat was claimed by three pastoralists, Roderick, Travers, and Sergison, in the mid-1870s. The leases were later passed to other owners, none of whom could make the ventures work. In 1987, both stations were bought by the Commonwealth and added to Kakadu National Park.

A sawmill at Nourlangie Camp was started by Chinese workers, probably before World War I, to cut cypress pine trees in the area. After World War II, small businesses like dingo trapping, brumby shooting, crocodile hunting, tourism, and forestry began.

Nourlangie Camp had another sawmill in the 1950s until the cypress pine trees ran out. In 1958, it became a safari camp for tourists. Soon after, similar camps were started at Patonga and Muirella Park. Tourists were flown in for activities like buffalo and crocodile hunting and fishing.

Crocodile hunters often used the skills of Aboriginal people. By copying the sound of a wallaby’s tail hitting the ground, Aboriginal hunters could attract crocodiles, making it easier to shoot them. They used paperbark rafts to follow wounded crocodiles and retrieve their bodies for skinning. The skins were sold to make leather goods. Aboriginal people became less involved in crocodile hunting once night spotlighting became common. Freshwater crocodiles have been protected by law since 1964, and saltwater crocodiles since 1971.

The first mineral discoveries in the Top End were found during the building of the Overland Telegraph line between 1870 and 1872 in the Pine Creek–Adelaide River area. Small mining booms followed. The construction of the North Australia Railway (1889–1976) made mining camps more permanent, and places like Burrundie and Pine Creek became long-term settlements. Small-scale gold mining began in the 1920s at Imarlkba near Barramundi Creek and Mundogie Hill, and in the 1930s at M

Extent and features

Kakadu National Park covers an area of 19,804 km² (7,646 sq mi), stretching nearly 200 kilometers (124 mi) from north to south and over 100 kilometers (62 mi) from east to west. It is about the same size as Wales, one-third the size of Tasmania, and nearly half the size of Switzerland. This makes it the second-largest national park in Australia, following the Munga-Thirri–Simpson Desert National Park, which was officially declared in November 2021.

The park includes four major river systems: the East Alligator River, the West Alligator River, the Wildman River, and the full length of the South Alligator River.

Most of Kakadu was covered by a shallow sea about 140 million years ago. The escarpment, a steep rock wall, formed from ancient sea cliffs, while Arnhem Land rose as a flat plateau above the sea. The escarpment rises 330 meters (1,080 feet) above the plateau and extends about 500 kilometers (310 mi) along the eastern edge of the park and into Arnhem Land. The escarpment’s shape varies, from nearly vertical cliffs near Jim Jim Falls to stepped cliffs in the north.

Kakadu has six main landforms: the Arnhem Land plateau and escarpment complex (called the stone country), the outliers, the lowlands, the southern hills and basins, the floodplains, and the tidal flats. Each landform supports different habitats. The park’s diverse landscapes and habitats helped it be recognized as a World Heritage Area.

Deep gorges and chasms cut through the rocky plateau top, which is dry and lacks soil. Only small areas of open forest and woodlands grow here. Creeks have carved deep gorges in the escarpment, where tall monsoon forests thrive. These gorges create unique microclimates that support plants and animals, especially during the dry season. A tree called Allosyncarpia ternata, found only in Kakadu and Arnhem Land, is the most common plant in these areas.

Outliers are pieces of the Arnhem Land plateau that have separated from the main plateau due to erosion. These were once islands in the ancient seas that once covered Kakadu. The lowlands, which cover nearly 70% of the park, are gently rolling plains. Their shallow soils often sit on layers of laterite (ironstone) and leached rock.

During the wet season, water from the Arnhem Land plateau flows into rivers and floods the surrounding floodplains. This water carries nutrients that enrich the floodplain soils. These nutrient-rich areas support a wide variety of plants and animals. During the dry season, water retreats into rivers, creeks, and isolated waterholes called billabongs. Kakadu’s wetlands are protected under the Ramsar Convention because of their importance for wildlife, plants, and water systems.

The southern hills and basins, located in the park’s southern region, include the headwaters of the South Alligator River. Rocks here are extremely old (2,500 million years) and were exposed as the Arnhem escarpment receded. This area is marked by rugged ridges and flat areas covered with alluvial soil.

Kakadu’s coast and the rivers and creeks influenced by tides extend about 100 kilometers inland. The shape of estuaries and tidal flats changes between the wet and dry seasons. During the dry season, tides deposit silt along riverbanks. In the wet season, floodwaters erode riverbeds and carry silt and water across tidal flats. Some silt settles on the seafloor, creating nutrient-rich layers that contribute to the muddy waters along Kakadu’s coastline.

Estuaries and tidal flats support plants and animals adapted to low-oxygen, salty mud. Mangrove swamps and samphire flats are the main habitats here. Freshwater springs along coasts and rivers create small areas of coastal monsoon rainforests.

Protection, ownership and management

Kakadu National Park was declared a protected area in several stages beginning in the 1970s. The park’s cultural and natural values were recognized internationally when it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. This list includes places around the world that have outstanding cultural or natural significance.

Kakadu was officially proclaimed a National Park in stages between 1979 and 1991. These areas were also added to its World Heritage Status as they were included. The first stage was added in 1981, followed by stages 1 and 2 in 1987, and stages 1, 2, and 3 in 1992.

Between 1988 and 1991, an exclusion zone was created to allow mining, especially for gold, at Coronation Hill and El Sherana by BHP. This proposal was opposed by groups from environmental, social, and Indigenous communities. Some miners and economists supported the plan.

In Victoria, the Kakadu Action Group (KAG) was formed by Lindsay Mollison at the Australian Conservation Foundation’s offices in Melbourne. The group held public meetings to encourage opposition to the mining proposal. Mollison also wrote letters to The Age newspaper to share his views. The Australian Government monitored the group, and records of its meetings were kept secret until 2026.

Through efforts by KAG and others, the size of the exclusion zone for stage 3 was reduced over time. The mining proposal was finally rejected in a Cabinet meeting by Prime Minister Bob Hawke in May 1991. This decision contributed to Hawke’s replacement later that year. The area was added to Kakadu National Park as part of stage 3 in 1992. KAG’s actions helped stop the mining and expand the park.

A separate exclusion zone at Jabiluka remained for uranium mining. This proposal was later rejected, and the area was added to Kakadu in 1996. The decisions made about Coronation Hill influenced this outcome. Local Indigenous leader Big Bill Neidjie played a key role in opposing the Jabiluka mine and supporting the area’s inclusion in the park.

In 2011, the Koongarra area, where a uranium mine had been proposed, was added to the World Heritage Region.

Kakadu National Park is managed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). It is jointly managed by Aboriginal traditional owners and the Director of National Parks. Parks Australia, part of the Australian Government, manages Commonwealth national parks. Aboriginal traditional owners and Parks Australia work together to manage the park, as outlined in Kakadu’s Plan of Management.

The EPBC Act allows for boards of management to be created for parks on Aboriginal land. The Kakadu Board of Management, which has an Aboriginal majority (10 out of 15 members), was established in 1989. The board helps set policies for managing the park and works with the Director to create management plans. The Plan of Management is the main policy document for the park, balancing long-term and daily management goals. Parks Australia employs staff to manage the park daily, and about one-third of these staff are Aboriginal people.

Kakadu National Park reintroduced a park use fee in April 2010 to help protect the park’s natural and cultural values and improve visitor services.

Approximately half of Kakadu’s land is Aboriginal land under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976. Most of the remaining land was claimed under native title by Aboriginal people for many years until March 2022, when four different claims were resolved. On 24 March 2022, a ceremony marked the formal handback of nearly half the park to Aboriginal traditional owners, including the Limingan/Minitja, Murumburr, Karndidjbal, Yulhmanj, Wurngomgu, Bolmo, Wurrkbarbar, Madjba, Uwinymil, Bunidj, Djindibi, Mirrar Kundjeyhmi, and Dadjbaku peoples. These areas are leased by Aboriginal traditional owners to the Director of National Parks for management as a national park.

Climate

Kakadu National Park is located in the tropics, between 12° and 14° south of the Equator. The climate has two main seasons: the dry season and the wet season. The "build up" is the time between the dry and wet seasons. During the dry season (April/May to September), dry southerly and easterly trade winds are common. Humidity is low, and rain is rare. At Jabiru, the average maximum temperature in June–July is 32 °C (90 °F). During the "build up" (October to December), temperatures and humidity are very high, making conditions uncomfortable. However, frequent thunderstorms and lightning strikes occur during this time. In fact, the Top End of Australia experiences more lightning strikes each year than any other place on Earth. At Jabiru, the average maximum temperature in October is 37.5 °C (99.5 °F).

The wet season (January to March/April) is marked by warm temperatures and heavy rain. Most of the rain comes from monsoonal troughs over Southeast Asia, though tropical cyclones can sometimes cause intense rain in specific areas. At Jabiru, the average maximum temperature in January is 33 °C (91 °F). Annual rainfall in Kakadu National Park ranges from 1,565 mm in Jabiru to 1,300 mm in the Mary River region.

Most non-Aboriginal people often refer to only two seasons—rain and dry—but the Bininj/Mungguy people recognize six seasons in Kakadu:

• Kunumeleng – mid-October to late December, a pre-monsoon storm season with hot weather and afternoon thunderstorms
• Kudjewk – January to March, the monsoon season with thunderstorms, heavy rain, and flooding; heat and humidity lead to increased plant and animal life
• Bangkerreng – April, the "knock 'em down storm" season, when floodwater recedes but strong winds knock down grasses
• Yekke – May to mid-June, a cooler time with low humidity; Aboriginal people historically burned woodlands in patches to "clean the country" and promote new growth for animals
• Wurrkeng – mid-June to mid-August, a cold season with low humidity; most creeks stop flowing, and floodplains dry quickly
• Kurrung – mid-August to mid-October, a hot dry season when billabongs shrink and water sources decrease.

Flora and fauna

Kakadu has many different types of plants and animals.

Kakadu has one of the richest plant communities in northern Australia, with more than 1,700 plant species recorded. This is because the park has a wide variety of geology, landforms, and habitats. Kakadu is also one of the few national parks in the world with very few non-native plants.

The different areas of Kakadu have their own special plants. In the "Stone Country," there are grasses called "resurrection grasses" that can survive extreme heat and long dry periods, followed by heavy rains. Cool, moist gorges in the Stone Country support monsoon forests. The southern hills and basins have plants found only in Kakadu, such as Eucalyptus koolpinensis near Jarrangbarnmi (Koolpin Gorge). Lowland areas are mostly covered in open woodlands with eucalypt trees and a mix of grasses, sedges, and wildflowers. The Kakadu plum, Terminalia ferdinandiana, is common in this region.

Floodplains, which are covered with water for months each year, have sedges like spike rush, freshwater mangroves (itchy tree), pandanus, and paper bark trees (Melaleuca). Water lilies, such as blue, yellow, and white snowflake, grow in these areas. Estuaries and tidal flats have many types of mangroves (39 of the 47 Northern Territory mangrove species live in Kakadu). Mangroves help keep the coastline stable and provide homes for fish like the barramundi.

On the tidal flats behind the mangroves, hardy plants like samphire, grasses, and sedges grow. Small areas of monsoon forest grow along the coast and rivers. These forests include large trees like the banyan fig, which has wide, spreading roots, and the yellow-flowered kapok bush or cotton tree, Cochlospermum fraseri, which has pods that split to release cotton-like material.

Kakadu has a wide variety of wildlife, including:
• more than 280 bird species
• about 60 mammal species
• over 50 freshwater species
• over 10,000 insect species
• over 1,600 plant species
• about 117 reptile species

The many different environments in Kakadu support a wide range of animals. Some animals are rare, endangered, vulnerable, or found only in Kakadu. Many animals are active at certain times of the day or year because of the park's extreme weather.

Examples of animals in Kakadu include:
• Black wallaroos at Nourlangie Rock
• Agile wallabies in grasslands
• Short-eared rock-wallabies
• Plumed whistling ducks
• Black-necked stork (Jabiru)
• Brolga and magpie geese
• Saltwater crocodile
• Australian darter
• Great-billed heron in Ngurrungurrudjba
• Black-necked stork (Jabiru) in Ngurrungurrudjba

About 74 mammal species, including marsupials and placental mammals, live in Kakadu. Most live in open forests and woodlands and are active at night. Others, like wallabies and kangaroos, are active during the cooler parts of the day.

Common larger mammals include dingoes, antilopine kangaroos, black wallaroos, agile wallabies, and short-eared rock wallabies. Smaller mammals include northern quolls, brush-tailed phascogales, brown bandicoots, black-footed tree-rats, and black flying foxes. Dugongs live in coastal waters. However, recent surveys show that

Environmental problems and threats

Kakadu has faced many invasive species that harm the natural environment. This has been especially true in recent decades. Animals like water buffalo, wild pigs, and cane toads have damaged habitats. Weeds such as Mimosa pigra cover 800 square kilometres (310 sq mi) of the Top End, including large areas of Kakadu. Invasive para grass (Urochloa mutica) takes over the native plants that many birds in Kakadu rely on for food. Salvinia molesta has spread across the Magela floodplain. Brumbies, which are wild horses, also live in parts of the National Park, such as Yellow Water (Ngurrungurrudjba). The Ranger Uranium mine, one of the world’s most productive uranium mines, is located near the park. It creates a major management challenge because of the need to safely handle low-level radioactive wastewater. If contaminated water escapes into the park’s wetlands, especially during heavy rains caused by climate change, it could seriously harm the park’s plants and animals.

Aboriginal rock art sites

The art sites of Ubirr, Burrunguy (Nourlangie Rock), and Nanguluwur are recognized worldwide as excellent examples of Aboriginal rock art. Some of the paintings are up to 20,000 years old, making them one of the longest records of human history. The local Aboriginal word for rock art is "kunbim." These sites are located in rocky areas that provided shelter to Aboriginal people for thousands of years. The paintings in these rock shelters were created for several reasons:

• Hunting – animals were painted to help increase their numbers and improve the chances of a successful hunt by connecting people to the spirit of the animal
• Religious significance – some paintings show parts of special ceremonies
• Stories and learning – paintings often depict stories about the Creation Ancestors, who shaped the world
• Sorcery and magic – paintings were sometimes used to influence events or people’s lives
• Fun – for play and practice.

Ubirr is a group of rock outcrops in the northeast of the park, near the edge of the Nadab floodplain. There are several large rock overhangs that would have provided good shelter for Aboriginal people over thousands of years. Ubirr’s location near the East Alligator River and Nadab floodplains meant food was plentiful, and this is shown in much of the rock art there. Animals painted in the main gallery include barramundi, catfish, mullet, goanna, snake-necked turtle, pig-nosed turtle, rock-haunting ringtail possum, wallaby, and thylacine (Tasmanian tiger).

There are also images of the Rainbow Serpent, believed to have created much of the landscape, as well as mischievous Mimi spirits and the story of the Namarrgarn Sisters. Many stories connected to Aboriginal rock art are complex and linked to other stories. Often, the true meanings have been lost, but they usually serve as lessons or warnings for young people or those passing through the area.

Burrunguy, formally called Nourlangie Rock, is located in a part of the Arnhem Land Escarpment. There are several shelters in this large outcrop, connected by paths and stairways. The shelters contain paintings that show stories about the Creation Ancestors. Some of the stories connected to these artworks are known only to certain Aboriginal people and remain secret.

Anbangbang Billabong is located near Nourlangie Rock and is home to many types of wildlife that would have helped support traditional Aboriginal people.

Nanguluwur is a small art site near Nourlangie, which shows several styles of rock art. These include hand stencils, large figures wearing head-dresses and carrying spears and boomerangs, images of Namandi spirits, and mythical figures like Alkajko, a female spirit with four arms and horn-like shapes. There is also an example of "contact art" showing a two-masted sailing ship with an anchor chain and a small boat following behind.

Human impacts

People have had a big effect on Kakadu National Park during the 19th and 20th centuries. Bringing domestic Asian water buffalo from Southeast Asia caused harm to the delicate floodplains and wetlands. Buffalo are now mostly gone from the area, and the land is healing on its own. Hunting crocodiles was banned in 1972, which greatly affected their numbers. However, in the 40 years since the ban, crocodile populations have grown so much that some people think there are too many.

Mining has changed the landscape, but only one uranium mine (Ranger) is still operating. Mine workers must fix the land after they finish working there. Small-scale logging happened early in the 20th century, but few signs of this remain. Tourism has a major impact on Kakadu, with hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Roads, signs, buildings, and other services are needed to support this activity.

Fire is a natural part of Kakadu’s environment, as the park has large areas of woodland and grasslands that experience long dry periods. Plants in the region have adapted to frequent fires. Fires in northern Australia are less dangerous than in southern Australia because many trees are fire-resistant, and other plants quickly regrow after fires.

The park uses controlled fires with help from Aboriginal people who have used fire as a land management tool for thousands of years. Fire helps Aboriginal people hunt by driving animals out of hiding. After a fire, young grasses attract wallabies to specific areas. Birds like whistling kites also hunt near fires by catching small animals. However, some species, like white-throated grasswrens, have declined due to too many fires. Aboriginal people believe many small fires are better than one large fire to keep the land healthy.

Kakadu National Park is a major tourist attraction in northern Australia. In 2005, 202,000 people visited, and in 2022, 208,056 visitors came. People are drawn to the park’s dramatic landscapes, Aboriginal cultural heritage, and rich wildlife. Popular spots include waterfalls and gorges like Maguk, Gunlom Falls, Twin Falls, and Jim Jim Falls.

Kakadu has some of the best examples of Aboriginal rock art in Australia, with sites like Nourlangie and Ubirr being widely visited. Visitors can see wildlife at places like Yellow Water Billabong, Cooinda (on a wildlife cruise), Mamukala Wetlands, or Anbangbang Billabong. Kakadu is one of the best places in the world for bird watching, as about 30% of Australia’s bird species live there.

Large saltwater crocodiles are common in Kakadu, and visitors often see them at Yellow Water and the East Alligator River. This is why the movie Crocodile Dundee was filmed there. The importance of crocodiles to Aboriginal people and the film’s popularity inspired the Gagudju Crocodile Hotel in Jabiru. Visitors are warned to be careful around crocodiles, as they have caused fatal attacks. Recreational fishing is popular, with barramundi being the main target. Popular fishing spots include Yellow Water, the South Alligator River, and the East Alligator River. Hunting is not allowed in Kakadu.

There are several places to stay in the park, mostly in Jabiru (also the name for the black-necked stork, Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus), along with services for visitors. Travelers can visit Kakadu with a tour operator or drive themselves. Most areas are accessible with a standard two-wheel-drive vehicle, but places like Twin and Jim Jim Falls and Gunlom require four-wheel-drive vehicles. The Nature’s Way tourism drive is a 900 km loop from Darwin to Jabiru, then to Katherine, and back to Darwin.

• The Gagudju Crocodile Hotel at Jabiru
• 'No swimming' sign
• River crossing on the East Alligator River

General facilities

Kakadu National Park is connected to Darwin by the Arnhem Highway and to Pine Creek and Katherine by the Kakadu Highway. Both roads are paved and can be used in any weather, though they may be closed sometimes when there is heavy rain.

The town of Jabiru has several places to stay, a gas station, police station, medical clinic, and a shopping center with many stores. Jabiru was built to support a uranium mine that existed before Kakadu National Park was created. The town provides services for the mine’s workers, as well as for visitors and activities in the park. Jabiru has a small airport where scenic flights operate daily.

Other small tourism areas, such as Cooinda and South Alligator, offer limited services. Cooinda, located 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of Jabiru on the Kakadu Highway, is home to Gagudju Lodge Cooinda, Yellow Water Cruises, and the Warradjan Cultural Centre. Fuel and basic supplies are available at Cooinda, and there is a small airstrip for scenic flights. South Alligator, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Jabiru on the Arnhem Highway, has a hotel and gas station. The Border Store, near the Ubirr Art Site and Cahills Crossing—50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Jabiru—is a general store.

There are many designated camping areas throughout the park. Jabiru, Cooinda, and South Alligator each have commercial camping areas that are close to important natural attractions in their regions. Some campsites charge a small fee because they have showers and toilets, while others are free but have few or no facilities. A list of camping sites can be found at Kakadu National Park’s Glenn Murcutt-designed Bowali Visitor Centre or on their website.

Governance and demographics

On April 4, 2007, the Northern Territory Government officially named the land that makes up Kakadu National Park as a locality called Kakadu. This area is part of the West Arnhem Region, which is managed by the local government.

According to the 2016 Australian census, which was held in August 2016, there were 313 people living within the boundaries of Kakadu.