Kakadu National Park

JABILUKA | RANGER | THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

Kakadu is one of the world's special places. From the 'stone country' of the spectacular Arnhem plateau and escarpment to the verdant monsoon forests and wetlands, this place has a history and presence like nowhere else on earth.

Kakadu has been continuously occupied by the ancestors of the present Traditional Owners for around 50,000 years, an unbroken cultural heritage stretching back across two ice ages. Today, the living tradition of these peoples are what sets Kakadu apart as a place of World Heritage. It is one of the few places in Australia where traditional languages and lifestyles are maintained.

It is this living tradition which is under threat from mining, as well as the fragile environment of Kakadu.

Kakadu National Park Map

Kakadu National Park includes almost 20,000 square kilometres of the Alligator Rivers Region and is unique in that almost the entire catchment of the South Alligator River lies within it's boundaries.

Kakadu is home to 21 of Australia's 29 mangrove species, 900 plant species, 300 bird species, 50 native mammals, 100 species of amphibians and reptiles, one quarter of Australia's freshwater fish and an estimated 10,000 insect types, making it one of the most biodiverse environments in Australia.1 Many of these species are endemic to the region. Kakadu also contains the world's richest breeding grounds for migratory tropical waterbirds.

It is one of only 17 of the 469 World heritage Areas listed for both natural and cultural values. Kakadu is a cultural landscape unlike any other place on earth. Abundant rock art is only one of the indicators of the incredible living tradition which survives here. The name 'Kakadu' comes from the Aboriginal floodplain language 'Gagudju'.

Because of the threats accociated with uranium mining at Ranger and the prospect that these will be increased with the imposition of a new mine at Jabiluka, the Mirrar and a number of environmental organisations have campaigned to have Kakadu added to the register of World Heritage sites in Danger.

  References 1. Kakadu: World Heritage Under Threat
Report to the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO by Australian environment NGOs, November 2000