Kakadu National Park road reports in Australia

Kakadu National Park an Australian Natural Icon covers almost 20,000 square kms and is 253 kms East of Darwin the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Kakadu National Park is a World Heritage listed area that has been listed for it's cultural and natural heritage and Kakadu is the largest terrestrial national park in Australia. Life in the park does depends on the water, also in respect to the tropical monsoon climate that produces the downpours of the tropical humidity of the "wet" season, and the milder weather of the "dry" season.

Kakadu National Park is the gateway to Arnhemland. The sealed roads from Darwin to Kakadu is via the Arnhem Highway and from Katherine to Kakadu National Park via the Kakadu Highway. The Bowali Visitor Centre near Jabiru in Kakadu National Park is located 253 km from Darwin in Northern Territory Australia via the Arnhem Highway entrance. If travelling by road, you should allow 3 hours travelling time from Darwin.

Roads to Kakadu National Park

Road conditions in the Park vary according to the tweo seasons being the Green 'Wet' season or Dry season. Widespread Green 'Wet' season flooding occured historically and frequently during November to April there nowdays the seasons have changed signifciantly. Therefore you should check the road conditions well before your departure . Up-to-the-moment road reports can be obtained from the Bowali Visitor Centre (Telephone +61 (0) 8 8938 1120). The Arnhem and Kakadu Highways are sealed and generally remain open throughout the year. Green 'Wet' season flooding associated with any prolonged heavy rains may have various locational temporary closures.

We we here also provides helpful tips on Kakadu National Park and what to see and activities available, visitor safety, park camping and accommodation facilities, emergency contacts and useful Kakadu Parks information.

If time allows, we advise you stay in the park for a few days so that the major sites can be explored at your leisure. Kakadu National Park can be visited selfdrive a 2 wheel drive vehicle though access is limited to the Kakadu Highway and the Arnhem Highway. Ubirr, Yellow Waters, Jabiru and Nourlangie Rock being main the extent of where you can visit a 2 wheel drive vehicle. Please note information on this site.

Select one of the following regions to access maps and information on the area:

Access to the following roads may vary during the wet season:

The Arnhem and Kakadu Highways are sealed and generally remain open throughout the year. Wet season flooding associated with prolonged heavy rains can cause temporary closures.

The Nourlangie road is sealed and generally remains open throughout the year. Rare flooding associated with prolonged heavy rains may prevent access, sometimes for several days.

The Ubirr road is sealed but subject to wet season flooding at Magela Creek. During the wet season, the Magela Creek crossing is often impassable or restricted to four-wheel drives.

The Jim Jim/Twin Falls road is a four-wheel-drive track and is impassable during the wet season. Closure is dictated by the length of the wet season, road conditions and visitor safety related to estuarine crocodiles.

The Gunlom road is unsealed and is subject to flooding. It is closed at times during the wet season.

The Gubara road access is unsealed and is open to two-wheel-drive vehicles during the dry season. The road generally changes to four-wheel-drive access in the wet season. It is occasionally impassable.

Vehicles over 4500 kilograms (tare) are NOT permitted on the following roads and tracks:
* Jim Jim Falls - Twin Falls
* Maguk (Barramundi Gorge)
* Graveside Gorge
* Jarrangbarnmi (Koolpin) Gorge
* Rockhole
* 4 Mile Hole - 2 Mile Hole
* Gubara

Access updates - Access updates provide detailed information regarding access to visitor sites within Kakadu National Park. These detailed updates are issued as required throughout the year, particularly during seasonal transitions before and after the wet season.

Fuel - Unleaded and leaded petrol and diesel fuel are available at the Kakadu Resort (South Alligator), Jabiru, Cooinda and the Wirnwirnmila Mary River Road House. Refuel your vehicle as frequently as possible.

Kakadu National Park - Seasons

Kakadu is the second largest national park in the world and and is home to approximate number of species: Mammals: 62, Reptiles: 123+, Birds: 280, Freshwater Fish: 51, Insects: 10,000, Frogs: 25, Plants: 1,275. (many are rare and occur only in Kakadu)

But Australia's Kakadu sees seasons of varied extremes -- so varied, in fact, that the park's longtime aboriginal inhabitants have divided the year into six distinct seasons.
* Kakadu Seasons - Gunumeleng Pre-Monsoon Storm Season - Gunumeleng, from mid-October to late December, may in fact last from a few weeks to several months.
* Kakadu Seasons - Gudjewg - Monsoon Season - Gudjewg, from January to March, can be described as the 'true' wet season.
* Kakadu Seasons - Banggereng - Knock 'em down storm Season - Banggerreng, in April, is the season when the rain clouds have dispersed and clear skies prevail.
* Kakadu Seasons - Yegge - Cooler but still humid Season - Yegge, from May to mid-June, is relatively cool with low humidity.
* Kakadu Seasons - Wurrgeng - Cold Weather Season - Wurrgeng, from mid-June to mid-August, is the 'cold weather' time; humidity is low, daytime temperatures are around 30�C and night-time temperatures are around 17�C.
* Kakadu Seasons - Gurrung - Hot Dry Weather - Gurrung, from mid-August to mid-October, is hot and dry.