Flying across Kakadu National Park

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Kakadu National Park at the top of the dry season

Kakadu (named after the Gagudju people living there) is a land of extremes. When we were there in the middle of November it was the end of the dry season and the land was REALLY dry. But within a couple of weeks the wet season would begin again and some more weeks later all that dry land was covered with water lilies growing in deep water.
Quite dry lands during the Dry season in Kakadu

Quite dry lands during the Dry season in Kakadu

There are two rivers crossing the park: the South Alligator River and the East Alligator River, both named by people not knowing the difference between crocodiles and alligators. At this time of the year even the rivers are pretty dry, but the land around them is less dry and still a bit green.

South Alligator river in Kakadu National Park

South Alligator river in Kakadu National Park

Absolutely dry here, just sand: the South Alligator river surrounded by Paperbark trees.
East Alligator River in Kakadu National Park

Along the escarpement there is the East Alligator River with still a bit more water in it. The airplane pilot said one may see the salties (Saltwater crocodiles) from aloft, but I haven't seen a single one.

There are some rocks along the eastern part of Kakadu, but once they become a plateau they make a different park, Arnhemland.
Escarpement

The National Park is a wonderful piece of untamed nature - with one exception. There is an Uranium mine in the park, making up a shrill disharmony. The Aboriginal owners fought it as good as they could, but in fact the mine was there before the park was founded. So it remained and kept working.
But soon the problem will solve itself: Within some 10 years everything worth mining will be mined and the area becomes part of the park. Must be an interesting thing to watch the renaturalisation.

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