Jabiru is the main town in Kakadu National Park. The town brings together park information, regional art and leisure activities around Jabiru Lake. This offers several distinct ways to spend your stay: you can explore Kakadu, view local art or discover leisure options in town. Deciding which of these matters to your trip can help you structure your plans.

Jabiru and Kakadu: getting your bearings in town

The Bowali Visitor Centre is located in Jabiru and combines practical travel planning with experiences that showcase Kakadu in different ways. Visitors can get help planning their trip and collect a park pass there. Facilities include a theatre, a library and an interpretive exhibition about Kakadu. The centre offers more than one way to get oriented: alongside practical planning assistance, there are various ways to learn about the national park. If you are preparing for your trip, you can consider these separately and decide which are relevant to your visit.

Indigenous art from Kakadu and the region

Marrawuddi Gallery showcases Indigenous art by artists from Kakadu and the wider region. This gives the artistic work of the surrounding area its own place in Jabiru, alongside information about the park. The gallery has a different focus from the Visitor Centre: here, the artworks and the backgrounds of their artists take centre stage. If you want to include regional art in your choice of activities as well as information about the national park, the gallery is a specific place to start.

At Jabiru Lake: walking trail and recreation park

There is a walking trail around Jabiru Lake, with picnic areas along the way. The lake is also home to a recreation park with a playground and barbecue facilities. These activities offer different ways to spend your time: the walking trail invites you to get active outdoors, while the picnic areas, play space and barbecue facilities offer other kinds of recreation. So, if you include the lake in your day’s plans, you can choose between a walk and a visit to the recreation park rather than treating all the activities as the same kind of outing.

Swimming, golf and events

Jabiru also offers various sporting activities. The swimming pool is 50 metres long and built to Olympic specifications. It has a lift system for people with reduced mobility, and there is a splash pad for children. Operating hours may change, so check the current schedule before visiting. Visitors also have access to a nine-hole golf course. Swimming and golf are therefore distinct options, each of which can be planned separately.

Another event in the annual calendar is the Kakadu Triathlon, held every May in Jabiru. If the event is relevant to your trip, check the date and event details for that year in advance, as future dates and arrangements may change. Together with the walking trail, activities by the lake, swimming pool and golf course, the triathlon shows that leisure plans in Jabiru can be based around a range of activities. When choosing how to spend your stay, you can focus on park information, art, recreation or sport.

Discover more destinations: Lake Bennett, Kakadu, Alice Springs, Desert Springs, Nhulunbuy, Mt Zeil, Darwin, Stuart Park.

For the main travel overview: Northern Territory.