In Kakadu National Park, cultural and natural World Heritage values come together with internationally significant wetlands. Around 5,000 recorded Aboriginal rock art sites are located in the park. Kakadu can also be pinpointed geographically: the Ramsar site is approximately 220 kilometres east of Darwin in the Northern Territory.
A wide range of parks and landscapes
The Northern Territory has more than 80 parks and reserves, covering a combined area of more than 50,000 square kilometres. They range from the arid Red Centre to the tropical Top End.
You need an NT Parks Visitor Pass to visit most national parks and reserves. Check the official park information before your trip. It will help you confirm the requirements in force for the places you plan to visit.
Culture and joint management
In Kakadu, cultural and natural values are part of the same national park. The park is jointly managed by its Traditional Owners and the Australian Government through the Kakadu Board of Management and the Director of National Parks. Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park is Aboriginal land and is jointly managed by the Aṉangu Traditional Owners and Parks Australia. Each of these management arrangements applies to the parks named.
The connection to Country is also specifically identified in other parks: Nitmiluk National Park is on Jawoyn land. Litchfield National Park is significant to the Koongurrukun, Mak Mak Marranunggu, Werat and Warray Aboriginal communities. These references provide cultural context without equating different places and communities.
Water, rock and walking trails
Litchfield National Park is an ancient landscape shaped by water. Several waterfalls plunge into crystal-clear pools. At Tolmer Falls, there is a track along the edge of the waterfalls, as well as an accessible path to the viewing platforms. This means there are two differently described walking options at this lookout.
In Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park, overnight walks at Ormiston Gorge range from moderate to difficult, depending on the route. The difficulty rating is therefore not the same for every route. When comparing walks, you can consider this rating alongside the specific route details for the Jatbula Trail: this 62-kilometre long-distance walking trail runs one way from Nitmiluk Gorge to Leliyn, also known as Edith Falls.
The Jatbula Trail crosses a sandstone plateau and passes through woodland, open forest, monsoon forest and river landscapes. To reach the trailhead near 17 Mile Creek, walkers need to take a ferry from Nitmiluk Gorge. As transport arrangements may change, check the ferry service before your walk. The distance, endpoints, landscapes and ferry crossing each provide different information to help with planning.
Information on activities and rules
The Nitmiluk Centre provides information on walks, canoe hire, boat tours and camping. If you are considering these activities, you can look up the relevant information there. A recreational fishing licence is not required for recreational fishing in the Northern Territory; other fishing and boating rules still apply. Fishing from the shore is permitted in Mary River National Park, subject to the rules for each management zone.
Discover more destinations: Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, Jabiru, Ayers Rock, Marrakai, Lake Bennett, Petermann, Point Stuart, Mt Zeil, Kakadu, Adelaide River, Desert Springs, Alyangula, Marrara, Nhulunbuy, Driver, Tennant Creek, Malak, Dundee Beach, Ludmilla, Nightcliff, Mataranka, Coomalie Shire, Un-Incorporated Area, Litchfield Municipality, Macdonnell Shire, Stuart Park, Larrakeyah.
For the broader travel overview: Australia.
