Chasing Steve from Kakadu or Kakadont.

Hiya I am a Steve .Litchfield is nicer in a different way and Kakadu may be very dry this year.Katherine has Edith Falls right next to waterfall thats nice spot.Personally on Kakadu I camped out where it said no camping got the places to myself and in morning packed up had a good look around and when leaving all the tourists where just rocking up.Saved a lot of time back tracking back to camp grounds.But all in a Litchfield be easier for you in my opinion.Sorry wrong Steve .

This is possibly the guy you want I reckon

http://kakadutours.net.au/contact/

I am definitely not Steve LOL, but I can rave about both of the National Parks. You cannot compare two different parks and say one is better than the other. They are very different and Kakadu is world famous for good reason. We spend over a week in Kakadu and saw only the basics. We spent three days in Litchfield.

While we were able to undertake many wonderful walks, in Kakadu you can take to Yellow Waters boat cruise - a must in Kakadu. A coach picks you up from the tourist centre where you park your car (caravan park on the spot too). Very different but also as special is the small boat that takes you along the East Alligator River from Ubirr, with an Aboriginal tour guide. You can visit the Nourlangie Aboriginal Rock paintings with very little walking.

Many places in Litchfield also require walking. I have My Blogs here describing what we say at both parks from 2009.

Hi Stuart

Those that say Kakadon't or don't bother have more than likely never been here,
I have spent 42 years here and still not seen it all.

It has been a dry year but that would include all the national parks in the top end, however there is a lot more to kakadu than waterfalls.

Ubirr art site has aboriginal rock art dating back 20,000 + years and an amazing lookout if you can handle a small climb, there is also free ranger guided talks on some days though the week.

Nourlandgie art site has different rock art and once again a small climb to a lookout with free ranger guided walks on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays, there are other free ranger guided walks and talks throughout the week and a if you go to Bowali Visitor Centre you can get a heap of info.

Depending on your walking ability the first 400 metres to Jim Jim Falls is a moderate walk to the look out, however for a swim it is a solid 45 minute walk over large rocks and boulders.

Twin falls is a futher 9 kms with a ford over the Jim Jim creek that is about 0.8 mtr at the moment and once there there is a short walk to a boat shuttle up the gorge ( $12.50 ) return and a moderate to difficult walk up to the water fall, both in my opinion are worth the effort if you are not time poor.

Maguk is a 1 km walk that is reasonably easy for the first half and with a bit of effort the rest can be made with a bit of caution.

Gunlom waterfall is an easy 200 mtr walk from the large camp ground, and once again well worth the effort.

As for being a fund raiser a concession pass is $30 for a 2 week pass, camping in managed camp grounds with hot and cold running showers is $15 per person per night and basic facility camp ground are $5.50 per person per night, the are commercial camp grounds with varying costs.

Park pass are a charge by the federal government not the aboriginal people, they are a user pays system, this monies stays within the park and benift both the park and the traditional owners.

Keep in mind Kakadu is not crown land this is aboriginal land, leased by the director of national parks and joint managed as a national park.

I could spend a week giving you examples of other places in Ausralia and around the world that make the cost of a Kakadu park pass look extremely cheep, however it is almost time for bed.

Just look at the park pass as a small contribution to keep Kakadu a world heritage national park, as we speak there is about $6 million being spent on upgrade to faculties and signage through out the park this is a two year plan.

As a courtesy, Just ring ahead and inform Bowali staff that you have an assistance dog they will inform those that need to know.

Hope this helps.

Steve

Hi Stuart and Gunny !
Having just returned from visiting the Northern Territory,which included both Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks I feel reasonably qualified to comment on your post.
To say " I am still getting told that Kakadu is just a fundraiser for the locals " is totally ignorant and insulting .
Should you ever get to see the area with your own two eyes I have no doubt you will be blown away by the natural beauty of the place and a National park that all Australians should be very proud of.
You may also get to meet some of the Aboriginal Park Rangers in your travels who are the most courteous and well mannered Rangers we have ever met.
On two seperate occasions - when leaving the Jim Jim Falls area and again at Ubirr - I was personally thanked by a Ranger for my visit.
We are so lucky to live in this great country - why allow idiots to bad mouth it ?