Travelling on the Arnhem Highway from Darwin to Kakadu in Australia

Blog: Arnhem Highway from Darwin to Kakadu National Park in Northern Territory Australia is 253klm.

Leaving Darwin is generally travelled on the Stuart Highway from Darwin. Darwin CBD is basically 5 straight roads running into Daly St which is around 2klm long and that runs and begins the Stuart Highway. Map of Darwin CBD. If you take the Stuart Highway it's around 22klm to the junction with the Stuart Highway veering left to Katherine, Alice Springs, Kakadu and Litchfield and if you keep straight the road goes to the smaller city of Palmerston (Pop 22,000 and growing rapidly by the minute) straight ahead. Palmerston is also the home of our Defense base. Also to be developed is the new city of Weddell.

Preface: I wrote this blog after a 3 day photo shoot to Kakadu National Park in Northern Territory Australia. When I searched the web I couldn't get a simple idea of how the drive all feel into place. There probably are too many photo's on this page but I couldn't help myself. All the web sites says just a 3 hour drive to Kakadu Parks Entrance gates from Darwin and only 253klm to the entrance gates. If you don't blink and drive straight then that's right but how could anyone drive straight and not stop.

Please note that the information in this document may not necessarily provide the latest details.

During the dry season written road reports may be provided on a weekly basis as road conditions are less variable and road reports are not loaded onto the web on weekends or public holidays. For the latest up-to-date details, contact the Bowali Visitor Centre on 0889381121 or +61889381121

Travelling Arnhem Highway from Darwin to Jabiru in Kakadu National Park

Then 3klm further the Howard Springs turnoff - which you pass the turn off you actually don't drive thru this town.

There are a few bed and breakfasts, tourist van parks and caravan parks in Howard Springs.

Veering left and further down 8klm you drive past the small country township of Coolalinga conveniently located 26km south of Darwin on the Stuart Highway (last easy to find shopping centre - Woolworths Supermarket).

As you can see in September 2007 the fuel here at the Coolalinga petrol station was Petrol AUD$1.32 per litre and Deisel was AUD$1.26 per litre, a good spot to check your tyre pressure and oil.

Blog: Down the highway around 35klm now from Darwin you see the Arnhem Highway on the left with a sign saying Humpty Doo and Jabiru. The first sight of interest alond the highway is the didgeridoo workshop, actually at the beginning but it's on the right of the road.

Humpty Doo, here is another fuel stop and the home to the Boxing Crocodile though it a great photo snap for the kids to be in it. It seems to be an obsession with Australian's to have the biggest icon's. Humpty Doo is a large sprawling country suburb of the outer Darwin region.

Point of Interest on humpty Doo: Humpty Doo is a town some 10klm from the begiining of the Arnhem Highway with around 2829 residents on 5-20 acre farms with some 1006 households in the area. I mentioned this as Humpty Doo seemd to stretch along the highway quiet a bit. I forgot to mention

Futher out the properties are larger and mostly farmed as Mango Plantations. Can you imagine the aroma driving with the window down when there in season around October/November (there was a small crop at the beginning of September also).

Fogg Dam is the only wetland easily accessible to conventional vehicles 12 months of the year – only an hour’s drive from Darwin on a sealed road. Turn onto the Arnhem Highway and drive 35km (22 miles) to the Fogg Dam turnoff (Anzac Parade) on the left, which is well signed, and drive 6km to the entrance on the left hand side of the road, also well signed. Large numbers of wading birds gather at the Dam wall at the end of the wet season. From the end of March until the build up, around the start of October is the best time to visit Fogg Dam.

Woodlands to Waterlily - Length: 2.2 km return. Time: 45 minutes. Grade: easy.
Monsoon Forest Walk - Length: 3.6 km. Time: 2 hours. Grade: easy.
Dam Wall Walk - Length: 2.2 km return. Time: 45 minutes. Grade: easy.
Pandanus Lookout - Length: 2.5 km return. Time: 1 hour. Grade: easy.

http://www.nt.gov.au/

The second is Harry Bowmans - Adelaide River Crocodile Cruise. So now we were some 6klm down the turnoff from the Arnhem Highway and we had Fogg Dam but then if you continued on and followed the hand made signs the road goes on for another 10 odd klms (or so it seemed) to a dead end.

From there turn right and the jumping crocodile cruise is located on their private stretch of the Adelaide River at the end of Fogg Dam Road. All in all it was about 75 minutes since I left Darwin.

Harry's web site is www.adelaiderivercruises.com.au Harry’s brother Morgan & wife Maxine joined him years ago when they embarked on a seachange from NSW. Last we knew it was$43 for a adult and $16 for a child with 4 cruises a day and the boat capivity is 30 folks. Cruise times are 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm Daily from May to November.

I then followed to the right on a dirt track form some 5klm to Harry Bowmans - Adelaide River Crocodile cruise. Once we arrived I knew that the 40min trip was worth it. Harry and Karen came out and greeted us large as life before he realised he had known us from 10 years ago. So we received a special once off private tour. Wow that 30 minutes just amazed my wife and I.

We travelled back to the Arnhem Highway and up the road about 10klm was the Windows to the Wetlands. A great place to stop and view the birdlife from a higher view and also really interesting display's inside to learn about the Wetlands. Diffinately worth stopping at.

Window on the Wetlands Visitor Centre is 62 klm from Darwin and Adelaide River Queen see below (Jumping Crocodile Cruise) on the Adelaide River is 65 klm from Darwin

A few kilometres along the Arnhem Highway and up the road to the Adelaide River about 3 klm were the other 2 Crocodile Cruises both larger business ventures and a little easier to find.

Djukbinj National Park along the Arnhem Highway forms part of the Marrakai floodplains, Djukbinj National Park contains a portion of the catchment and drainage for the Adelaide River in this area.

The abundance of water all year round has ensured the park's importance as a roosting and feeding site for waterbirds, magpie geese, egrets and brolgas.

There is a carpark and bushwalking though I haven't had time to fully explore it just yet.

Here is a brief overlay on 3 turnoffs you pass before coming into the Bark Hut Inn Roadhouse.

Mary River National Park - I actuallly intend to create a new website just on this park a bit later. In the meantime here is a good site. www.maryriverpark.com.au and also www.pointstuart.com.au.

Bark Hut Tourism Centre which is located beside the Mary River National Park reached via Point Stuart Road some 20 kilometres on.

In the park is the Mary River floodplain seen from Couzens Lookout, or you can try fishing trips going to Shady Camp, Rockhole or Corroboree Billabong. You can also hire a houseboat on Corroboree Billabong from Mary River Houseboats.

Turn off to: Hardies 4wd track, Bird Billabong, Mary River Billabong.

Hardies Track - The Hardies Track runs between the Rockhole Road and the Arnhem Hwy and passes Bird Billabong which has an abundance of bird and other wildlife. A small bird hide is accessed by a app. 3 km return walk and offers very good photographic opportunities. Allow approximately 3 hours for this drive and often closed int he wet season.

Adventure Bound NT - a private business offering corporate and schoold adventure and traing activities
http://www.basecampwallaroo.com/.

Further along the highway we came upon a unique sight and literally at our fingertips.

The numerous Termite mounds were actually along the roadside of the Arnhem Highway.

The photo on the left is a Cathedral Termite Mounds in Litchfield National Park. Also sometimes known as the Spinifex Ttermites (Nasutitermes triodiae)

Bark Hut Inn & Caravan Park

Bark Hut Inn & Caravan Park on
Arnhem Hwy
Kakadu National Park

NT 0886 Telephone: (08) 8978 8988
Facsimile: (08) 8978 8932.

Here is a REAL Aussie Roadhouse with the walls adorned by crocodiles and buffalo. This is a tourist icon in itself and a must see on the way.

The staff were a mix of international backpackers and locals with the service friendly and meals reasonable for a remote location.

The park offers a nice pool and campgrounds and basic budget donga's.

There a good gift shop and lot's of room to move around.

An alternative route to Cooinda (in Kakadu) is via turning right off the Arnhem Highway onto the unsealed Old Jim Jim Rd some 19km beyond the Bark Hut Inn (above).

Often impassable in the wet season October - April. Though more so with the heavier rains January-March).

The entrance to kakadu is around 38klm from the Bark Hut Inn.

The gates are a great photographic opportunity and also stop at the Kakadu Information centre and there is a small box that has the free Kakadu Booklet in it if not it would be advisable to visit Tourism Top End visitor information centre in Bennett Street, Darwin before you leave. Also you can collect one at Bowali Visitor centre.

29klm pass the West Branch of the Aligator River you reach the larger South Alligator river and also the Aurora Kakadu South Alligator Resort with accommodation and camping facilties.

This where we filled up for fuel before driving down to Cooinda. Just to be safe I would fill up here and check the road conditions. Aurora Kakadu situated in the Kakadu National Park is the perfect base to visit one of the world's finest wildlife reserves.

Set amidst 10 hectares of lush bushland, Aurora Kakadu offers tropical gardens, manicured lawns and abundant relaxation areas. Aurora Kakadu provides guests with the opportunity to encounter close at hand some of the Territory's spectacular wildlife. Magpie geese, Wallabies, Corella and Goanna freely wander the landscaped gardens and pool area.

Guests are encouraged to explore further the natural habitats of the animals and plants exhibited by experiencing the park and it’s surrounds. Fact sheet Courtesy of www.auroraresorts.com.au/

Kakadu Resort (South Alligator) - Aurora Kakadu - in the Kakadu Wetlands - Located in the South Alligator Area of Kakadu, the Aurora Kakadu is a 3 ½ star property, offering 138 units which include private patios or balconies, air conditioning, colour television, refrigerator and tea and coffee making facilities.

From Aurora Kakadu South Alligator Resort you are now about 40 klm to Jabiru and 7klm to the Mamukala Wetlands.

Now the Mamukala Wetlands Hatch is not what i expected. back in darwin I had a very friendly lady tell me that it was a fantastic hatch you crawled into. She meant well but I don't think she had actually been too - see what you think.

SUMMARY: Blog on the road - Arnhem Highway to Kakadu

Well from here you are only 25klm to Jabiru and the end of our stretch of the Arnhem Highway. Again all the web sites says just a 3 hour drive to Kakadu from Darwin and only 253klm. If you don't blink and drive straight then that's right but how could anyone drive straight and not stop.

I would say stopping Fogg Dam, the Adelaide River Cruise, Bark Hut Inn, the Termite Mounds, Windows to the Wetlands, Mamukala Wetlands, South Alligator resort and stopping along the way say 10 times for photo shoots is an absorbing 10-15 hours. Maybe do some of the icons on the way back if you go back the same way.
Rob - September 2007

Roads to Kakadu National Park Road conditions in the Park vary according to the two 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 here also provide 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 2-5 days so that the major sites can be explored at your leisure. Kakadu National Park can be visited selfdrive a 2 wheel drive vehicle such as a car, camper, 4WD or even a large motorhome 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. 4WD hire from Darwin

Currently about 200,000+ folks visit Kakadu National Park each year. Visitor numbers are higher during the dry season months of June to September (approx. 33,000 people visit each July) and lower during the wet season months (approx. 7,000 people visit each January). Australia 4 Tours a local travel specialist based in Darwin.