Road to Maguk/Barramundie Gorge in 2WD

Three years ago we had to tow a Toyota Hiace out of a dip in the road which was slightly under water on the road to Maguk. Don't know about Jim Jim - our kids were too young to take there. Have a great trip!

I don't recall anything difficult about the road into Maguk LER. The road to Jimjim as far as the camp ground was good, but after that is a real 4wd track.

Motherhen

LER,

Road to Jim Jim falls is definely a 4 X4 track towards the last half.

Mike T (Vic)

Thank you for all the info,
However I think I have not make myself clear enough, what I was actually asking about was the Old Jim Jim road between Arnhem Hwy and Kakadu Hwy, and not the final track to the Jim Jim Falls. Sorry.
Thank you

It has been a while since I went into Barramundie Gorge - one of my favourites but I believe it was two wheel drive accessable with only one sandy creek crossing with water in it. The bottom was pretty hard and only about 1 foot deep or less. This is a great gorge with quite a walk up to the top of the gorge. The camp ground is set back a bit and we usually found it nice and quiet but we would often go a bit earlier in the year to avoid the tourists.

Swimming at the base of the falls was pretty ordinary and a couple of freshwater crocs in there too. We would go to the top of the falls which had far better swimming facilities so long as you stayed away from the edge. Because we camped at the gorge grounds we would go up to the top of the gorge early to avoid the tour buses. (These are the plague of touring by yourself in Kakadu - dozens of people decending on your peace and quite - all speaking german or swiss or other and all playing those mini didgeridoos.

We would have our primary aged children with us when going to the top of the gorge. To get there follow the main access trail up to the point where you cross the river but instead of crossing look for the trail on the same side going up the hill and follow that.

Once up the top there is just the best swimming and sunning yourself on the rocks. Also a very cool hole in the rock where a round hole - about 5ft has worn right through - about 6ft underwater - and you can swim down and out again.

As for your question about the old JimJim track - are you refering to the old access track into Kakadu from the Arnhem highway. This is not accessible for two wheel drive with multiple creek crossings that where fairly significant.

The other track into JimJim falls is not accessible to 2wd either. There is a graded road for for quite a while but then it becomes a difficult 4x4 track with multiple soft river crossings. The campsite in there becomes inundated with big 4x4 tourbuses and loads of tourists as it is a highlight for most tours. When room is tight they will just setup camp on top of you literally less than 3 feet away laying out swags anywhere - staying up all night yelling and screaming - and playing those bloody tourist didgeridoos.

Once in the camp you have access to visit either Jim Jim falls or twin falls. It has been a while since we where there and back then you had to swim up to the twin falls. Over the years the rangers have not been able to get the saltwater crocs out so now I believe there is a boat that you need to pay for to get up to the falls.

Hope this helps. Some things may have changed since I was there.

David

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The old Jim Jim road (from Arnhem Hwy) is rough to very rough depending on the time of the year and when the grader has last been there.

With care it is probably accessible to a 2WD vehicle provided it was well into the Dry Season (read July to September) as rivers can be high. And as long as you don't mind corrugations.
Chris

I contacted these guys ( LINK0 last year, they were really helpful and had a wealth of info on the area.

Thank you all for all the replies, very much appreciated, once again thank you