Category Archives: Swimming

Motorcar Falls – Kakadu

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You need to go down a dirt track for a while, lots of corrugation but nothing too bad. The walk is moderate and you need to ensure you know where you are going, because it isn’t signposted very well. I also believe there are other falls to visit along that track, I hope I have the chance to check them all out. It is a good walk to do in the wet, assuming the access report allows you to. I would say the walk is “moderate”. If swimming is your only goal, there are easier places to go like Maguk. Motorcar is a great place to go, but it wouldn’t be on top of my list, more like the place to go when you have seen a lot of Kakadu.

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Ikoymarrwa – Kakadu

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Ikoymarrwa isn’t on any map. It is a small water hole that rangers are concerned could damaged if large crowds started to descend on it. It is down a very short but rocky 4WD track. The water there is freezing. It is best for those in a 2WD who want to find a place to swim. Just leave your car on the road. The rangers will generally give you directions if you ask, as will most tourist stops like caravan parks.

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Maguk – Kakadu

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Maguk is an easy-moderate walk with some small water pools on the way. When you arrive, it is a large waterfall in a large rockpool. Generally pretty empty too, no clue why as it one of the best spots in Kakadu.

On the temperate scale of Kakadu water, it is probably the warmest place you can swim. Big crowds are rare for some reason.

There is a camp site which I haven’t stayed at, alcohol isn’t allowed.

There is also some rock pools above the waterfall. There are signs everywhere saying you aren’t supposed to go up there, yet I see guided tour groups using those trails regularly, so I don’t really know the answer.

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Gunlom – Kakadu

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Gunlom

Gunlom is down a 4WD track, that being said a lot of 2WD’s make the trek, despite warnings from the rangers. I’ve saw a bumper broken the last time I was there, but most seem to go okay as long as they go very slow. No way I’d do it though.

The campsite is really good, it has some concrete firepits, running water in the toilet block, and some stone benchtops you can set up on. There was zero firewood around, so I would recommend that you gathered some on the way, like I should have. Even in July, fire is not necessary, but who doesn’t love a fire when they are camping?

Gunlom is two areas, the bottom and the top. The bottom is very accessible, a 50 metre super easy walk. The pool is large, the water is nice. There are some rocks around to sit on. There are usually a few older folks and younger kids around. Kakadu’s freshwater swimming pools vary in temperate, I’d say this one was colder than average.

The top pools are a steep walk up a hill. It takes about 20 minutes, and bring plenty of water and food for the day as you don’t want to have to walk up and down. The pools are smaller, marginally warmer than the bottom, and the view is amazing. Note it is pretty hard to get this shot, as there are usually a few people around trying for the same thing.

You can travel to a few more pools upstream that don’t have the views but have less people, and there is a small waterfall right at the back.

Overall Gunlom is easily one of the best places in Kakadu and that is saying something. $10 per person per night, if you are in the NT you don’t want to miss it.

IMG_0098The view from up the top

P1000820Gunlom at the bottom pool

Kakadu and Litchfield without the camping

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Did some serious kilometres with this one.

Had some friends from Queensland up, due to space in the car restrictions, we stayed in Jabiru for the night. We drove from Darwin to Maguk for a swim. We went to Ubirr for sunset, then to Jabiru to watch the mighty Kangaroos comeback against the evil Bombers. The next morning we went down to Bukbuluk, and spent most of the day in Gunlom. Afterwards we went to Ikoymarrwa, then onwards home. Stopped at Emerald Springs for dinner, it’s a pretty good roadhouse.

If you’re familiar with geography of Kakadu, you will see that we added about 300km needlessly by going back and forth, mostly because we wanted to see Ubirr at sunset, and stay in Jabiru. Next time I will stop at Ubirr on the way and stay at Cooinda. Much more sensible!

A few days later we went to Litchfield. Saw the usual spots – Florence, Wangi, Buley Rockpools in the termite mounds. But we spent most of the time in Tjaynera which was empty the majority of the time. Nothing better than an empty waterhole!

Went back to Mindle markets on that Thursday, there were some dolphins playing in the water at sunset entertaining the crowd. Pretty hard to photograph, but I did my best!

 


Claire and I in Maguk


Claire at Ubir


The four of us at Gunlom


Dolphins playing in the water