Jim Jim Falls In The Wet
Submitted: Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 11:37
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GregNA
Wondering if anyone has driven to
Jim Jim falls during the wet season. We will be in
Darwin in January and thought it would be worthwhile to hire a 4wd and visit the falls if the road is passable.
Reply By: myfourby - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 11:43
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 11:43
They close the road
well in advance of the wet season
-myfourby
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141300
Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Widgiemooltha) - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 12:22
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 12:22
and keep it closed until
well into the dry
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394953
Reply By: Dog (NT) - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 11:50
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 11:50
The Jim Jim road is normally closed during the wet season. Many of the roads are chained off during the wet season. If you want to get close to a waterfall, go to Gunlom, its a great waterfall. Last time I was at Gunlom it was open when JimJim was closed.
Good campsite right next to the falls, whereas with JimJim the
campsite is about 10k away from the falls. Gunlom may also be closed as
well, depending on the wet.
During the wet, the most accessible falls are in
Litchfield. You won't need to hire a 4wd to see them though, as those falls requiring 4wd access will be closed, but those falls that are open will have access for 2wd.
Its worth taking a flight over the falls from
Jabiru to see the falls.
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Follow Up By: GOB & denny vic member - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 18:17
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 18:17
pardon my ignorance but where are
gunlom falls
steve
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Follow Up By: Dog (NT) - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 18:44
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 18:44
Gunlom is also in
Kakadu, its got a great
campsite that is less than 100 metres from the base of the waterfall.
I've swum in the Gunlom pool, although not straight after the wet. There were some freshies on the far side at the time, but I understand they normally move them once the dry starts.
Its a short walk to the top of the waterfall, and there are some great plunge pools there that are safe to swim in, with magnificent
views out over
Kakadu. Personally Gunlom is my favourite spot in
Kakadu. Its probably closed during the peak of the wet, but opens earlier than Jim Jim. Last time I went there was
Easter and it was open then.
Its in the south end of
Kakadu, easiest access is from Pine Creek/
Mary River Station.
Cheers
Craig
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Follow Up By: Willem - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 20:14
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 20:14
Steve
Gunlom used to be called UDP Falls in the old days.
A great place for a swim. Pretty much developed now but still a good place to visit. Some nice pools too at the top of the escarpment.
Water roars over the drop at the height of the wet season. Used to be fun getting in there during the wet season if you could get across ther bridge at the
South Alligator River.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Glenn D (NSW) - Tuesday, Nov 29, 2005 at 19:26
Tuesday, Nov 29, 2005 at 19:26
The top part of the falls is great , we spent a couple of days in the
camp before we even went to the top of the falls .
After we found it we spent a couple of days hanging out at the top with lunch and a book, while tour groups only went in the bottom pool. One day we had it to ourselves exept for another couple.
This was our favourite
camp in
Kakadu, alothough the walks around Jim Jim and some of the other camps were better.
As said earlier we found some deep
water crossings out of Jim Jim
camp when most were dry around Gunlom.
Glenn.
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Reply By: Wizard1 - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 12:57
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 12:57
JIm Jim is usually closed during the wet
well up until the May long weekened.....
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Reply By: GregNA - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 18:05
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 18:05
Many thanks for the helpful replies. We will go to
Litchfield instead.
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Reply By: Willem - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 20:24
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 20:24
Too much
water around in the wet season. Sometimes the Jim Jim track isn't opened until late May or early June.
Some friends of
mine put their dingy's in at the
South Alligator River bridge on the Arnhem Hwy and then motored up to Cooinda( I have done this part as
well and it used to be marked out by old paint tins hanging in the trees). Then they went up Jim Jim
Creek and right into
Twin Falls. You had to time it just right when the flood was at its peak. Each boat also had to carry a spare propeller and shear pins. It took them two days to get to
Twin Falls(about 50km in distance from Cooiunda/Yellow Watersa and then when they returned they nearly ran out of
water as the
water levels had dropped that much.
It is certainly an adventure to be had. Not sure if the authoritarian NPWS still allow such trips.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: tonysmc - Saturday, Dec 03, 2005 at 14:52
Saturday, Dec 03, 2005 at 14:52
NO you can't do that trip anymore from the Sth Alligator because of the simosa ? weed. They are worried (rightly so) that boats will drag the weeds further upstream. We have stayed at cooinda and left from there so it isn't too long a run. Spent the first day just finding the right way to go as it is very hard to find the correct river path at first when it is all in flood.
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