Australian Pictorial of Kakadu National Park

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Introduction

In the Kakadu National Park the wildlife and land dominate - not people. Because it contrasts so vividly with the controlled living environment that most people experience, its impact is very forceful. Away from the main camping sites, it is as if the visitor is in a time warp, for the landscape has a profoundly primeval quality. It is easy to imagine being the sole occupant of this vast continent.

The Australian Aborigines, who inhabited the Kakadu area, are thought to have arrived from Asia at least 40,000 years ago. Before the arrival of Europeans to the Alligator Rivers region, the Aborigines existed within complex tribal structures based on their relationship with the land, a complex amalgam of spiritual and physical bonds. These ties meant that the Aborigines refrained from exercising any major influence on the land. Although they used fire to manipulate the environment, they operated within the dictates of the climate and recognized of the fragile nature of plant and animal interdependency.

Aboriginal lore has it that during the "Dreamtime" spirit beings travelled over the land, giving it shape and features regarded as sacred sites. They are important, physical manifestations of spiritual bonds with the land. More than 80% of Aborigines traditionally tied to the region have recently re-established residence within the Park. Contact between Aborigines of the Alligator Rivers region and other peoples probably occurred in the 1800s when Macassar fishermen came to northern Australia in search of beche-de-mer. No permanent settlements were established, but Aborigines were employed at the temporary camps. The encounters have been recorded pictorially (e.g. the painting of a Macassar prahu at Nangaloar Gallery, Nourlangie Rock).

Although the first European settlements in the 1830s and 1840s were some distance from the present-day Kakadu region, they had an indirect but major and lasting effect on the area, for the settlers introduced Asian water buffalo to Australia. When settlements were abandoned the beasts were released and, in the congenial environment, they rapidly multiplied. The damage they cause to the environment has been a major problem, though new initiatives for control appear to be effective. Buffalo hunting encouraged minor settlement in the latter part of the 1880s. In the same period, all of the "Top End" of the Northern Territory was leased for cattle stations, but the industry quickly declined.

Commercially significant deposits of uranium were recently discovered in the area. Mining and exploration have begun, but the activities are closely regulated and monitored to prevent the possibility of serious environmental damage.

Located about 220km east of Darwin, the Park is the perfect place to witness the dramatic contrasts of a monsoonal climate and its associated wildlife. The relatively cooler dry season (170C. Min. - 340C Max.) extends from May to September, offering day after day of sunshine in which to explore the Park. In the wet season, from November to March, extensive flooding radically alters the face of Kakadu. Shallow-draughted boats are the best means of locomotion in this season.

Kakadu was declared a National Park on April 5, 1979, but official recognition of its splendid attractions came earlier in 1964 when 505 sq m of Woolwonga Aboriginal Reserve was proclaimed a wildlife sanctuary. In 1972 the Alligator Rivers region was designated a wildlife sanctuary and a protected area; and in 1977 the Government accepted recommendations for the creation of a National Park in the region, the objective being to create an agreeable and balanced blend of conservation, protection, research, education and recreation nearly 13,000 sq km are now given over to this purpose.

As the crowning recognition of its remarkable qualities, Kakadu has now been included on the World Heritage List.

Aboriginal Rock Art

Kakadu National Park is renowned for its aboriginal rock art sites which are concentrated along the escarpment and its outliers. Here lie many rock shelters carved out by wind and water. The combination of shelter and close proximity to abundant supplies of food and water made the rock overhangs popular occupation sites, while the rock walls offered ideal surfaces for tribal artists. In the Alligator Rivers region alone, more than 380 art sites have been formally recorded, while about 1,000 more are known.

Because women and children occupied these sites, it is unlikely that the heavily painted areas have sacred or ceremonial significance. The rock art in Kakadu displays a number of styles that are thought to indicate an evolving sequence in artistic techniques. Styles co-existed with others for a time, then were succeeded by new developments.

The recognised styles progress from the dynamic figure probably belonging to the era when Kakadu was a drier, non-estuarine environment to early x-ray style paintings of humans and large animals, then animated stick-like figures with detailed artefacts and weapons that constitute Mimi art, followed by the large figurative tradition of warriors (Ubirr). The next development was x-ray art concentrating on animals showing their internal organs, then stylised human figures, followed by art depicting non-aboriginal contact (Nourlangie Rock). Some of the older wall paintings, which are thousands of years old, depict animals that are extinct

The Spiritual life of Aborigines is very rich in contrast to their simple material culture. One can understand their ways and culture better by reading their literature, listen to their music, poems and stories as told by them and by visiting their sacred sites. Even today art is a major occupation of Aboriginal people and they extensively use materials from their natural environment to produce their art and crafts. They still paint on rock, bark, leather and shells, and their body paintings, especially the ones created for ceremonial purposes, are intricate. Their paintings have a meaning: they tell stories and are filled with animal, fish and spiritual symbols or line designs.

Aborigines use vegetation, shells, nuts, seeds and eggs to create and dye the materials with which they make items for everyday use, such as baskets, mats, jewellery and toys. Characteristic of their fine work is the intricate, complicated knotting they use in their basket and mat work.

Currently, park managers work to protect the art sites from damage from natural and other agents. In addition, alternatives to traditional means of replacing old or worn-out art are being investigated.

Creeks, Billabongs and Floodplains

"Where there is water there is life" is an old but appropriate axiom in a continent as arid as Australia. Kakadu's creeks, billabongs and floodplains support myriad forms of life, some dramatic, some diminutive.

During the dry season, tranquil streams meander in wide bends across the broad plains, but when the monsoon comes, these calm tributaries burst their banks and join the rivers, swelling the torrent that finally discharges into Van Diemen Gulf. Each year approximately 200 sq km of Magela Creek's floodplains are inundated - this single example gives a rough idea of the extent of the floods.

Extensive sedgelands occupy the floodplains in the Dry but, where water lies for lengthy periods, swamp vegetation, bright with flowers, flourishes. Elsewhere, alluvial soils of the floodplains support patches of pandanus and there are dense forests of paperbarks along the edges of waterways. Water lilies dot deeper stretches of water.

When the paperbark forests flower they become an important link in the food cycle of nomadic species of honey eaters, lorikeets and other insect- and nectar-eating species. There are some species for which these forests are the preferred habitat. These include the brush cuckoo, koel, satin fly catcher, great-billed heron and the black bittern.

Water rats, Collett's rats, flat-headed marsupial mice, buffalo and feral pigs frequent the sedgelands. The last two affect the area adversely by wallowing and digging

Insects, fish and reptiles are important occupants of the waterways, the moist environment promoting a rich habitat. Reptiles found in these regions include crocodiles, water monitors, king brown snakes, file snakes, tortoises and the rarely seen pignosed turtle.

The water courses of Kakadu support a remarkable diversity of native fish species, at least 45 species having been recorded. Some, such as the rare, primitive archer fish, the sharp-nosed grunters and the red-tailed rainbow fish, are confined to reaches of clear water near the escarpment. Happily, the giant perch or barramundi, so popular with anglers and gourmets, are widely distributed.

Escarpment and Plateau

Some of the most dramatic landscapes in Kakadu occur where the western extension of the Arnhem Land Plateau protrudes into the park. Rising about 250-300 m, and in some areas up to 500 m, above the surrounding lowlands, the plateau complex is both visually arresting and ecologically interesting.

Drainage patterns following the natural joints in the sandstone rocks dissect the surface of the plateau, creating an overlay of intricately fretted channels. Countless centuries of weathering and erosion have scooped out large numbers of overhanging caverns, many of which have been decorated with Aboriginal art works.

The retreat of the Arnhem Land Plateau, principally composed of sandstone, has produced an escarpment exceeding 500 km in length. In places, the walls of the escarpment are vertical; elsewhere, the sides fall away to stepped cliffs with attenuated slopes. In the north, the escarpment's elevation is less than 100 m, but in the south it rises to about 200 m forming a long, almost unbroken ridge, thrown into dramatic relief against the sky.

Another characteristic feature of the escarpment is the presence of massive boulders (outliers) which were exposed when less resistant rock eroded away. Some of the outliers, eg Cannon Hill and Ubirr, are surrounded by their own lowlands and floodplains and are thus like small-scale models of the park itself.

As with the Arnhem Land Plateau, the torrential rainfall of the Wet season has left its mark on the escarpment in the form of innumerable crevices, gorges, caverns, tunnels and boulder piles. Where the floods plummet over the edge of the escarpment, spectacular waterfalls occur such as Twin Falls and Jim Jim Falls. During the Dry, the great water courses scoured out by the swollen creeks and rivers lie revealed, the water flow reduced to little more than a trickle.

The area is richly endowed with many species of birds, the diversity being a result of several different vegetation habitats located within the region, like monsoon forest sandstone woodland, and spinifex.

Not surprisingly, the plateau complex is a haven for numerous species of animals including the black wallaroo, rock wallabies, rock possums, rock rats and small marsupial mice. The northern quoll, a nocturnal carnivore, is a relatively common occupant of the caves and rock clefts on the sandstone escarpment. Bats, of course, flourish in the caves.

Dramatic diversity is the key characteristic of this part of Kakadu National Park. Whether a newcomer or frequent visitor, fresh delights always await.

Monsoon Forest

Whenever conversation turns to the subject of tropical climates, images of steamy, green tangles of luxuriant plant growth spring to mind. In addition to all its other attractions Kakadu can offer the visitor this kind of primeval habitat which is better described as monsoon forest.

Monsoon forests in Kakadu are found in two locations: near the coast and on the sandstone plateau and escarpment. Sustained by the water in the creeks and gorges of the plateau complex, the jungle-like vegetation flourishes. It is dominated by myrtaceous evergreens, but there are also many other species, notably palms. The normally ubiquitous eucalypts are absent. Nor are eucalypts present in coastal monsoon forests. The communities of eucalypts are scarce, consisting of small pockets within 30 km of the coast in areas with permanent ground water. Typically, plant growth is dense, evergreen and abundantly endowed with glorious flowers.

Perpetually moist underground, the monsoon forest zones provide essential refuge for wildlife during the dry season. Both areas are very important bird habitats, some species being restricted to the forests. Apart from the permanent animal population, the forests are used as roosting places for birds and bats that feed elsewhere. The monsoon forests also provide seasonal food supplies for nectar and fruit-eating species.

Unfortunately, monsoon forests are extremely vulnerable to disturbance and, given their limited size, preservation and protection are doubly important. Presently, the forests are threatened by the activities of buffalo and pigs and by the possibility of wildfire which would reduce the area and alter the composition of the forests, but the park managers are endeavouring to overcome these problems.

Open Woodland

By far the largest portion of Kakadu National Park is composed of lowlands, that is, gently undulating plains cloaked with open forest and occasionally studded with rocky hills and ridges. The highest points are Mt. Cahill (154m) and Mt. Basedow (200m), but the average elevation varies between 25-50m. Often topped with sand stone boulders, these rises provide visual relief and are excellent vantage points from which to survey the surrounding planes which are cut by chains of billabongs and waterholes, marking the old courses of rivers and creeks.

Although the stream courses in the lowlands are usually little more than linked billabongs, in the Wet they overflow to adjacent swamps. Many plant and animal communities depend upon the permanent water of rock pools, waterholes and swamps for survival .

The vegetation of the region is variable. Woodlands dominated by eucalypts are the most widespread, but the number of species is large so that, at certain times, striking blooms add vivid colour to the treetops, while flowers of ground-hugging plants decorate the earth beneath. Dense swathes of grasses cover the alluvial flats, while on the gentle slopes species of grevillea, melaleuca and acacia, predominate. Pandanus occurs in narrow marginal bands adjacent to scrub or as small patches on the flats. Examples of these woodland plant communities can be seen at the camping grounds near Ubirr, Jim Jim Billabong and along most roads.

The open woodlands and grasslands are important habitats for numerous animals. During the day, visitors are likely to see many species of birds, many of which are nomadic according to the flowering of trees or supplies of grass seeds. Some of the birds basically confined to this habitat are the whistling kite, red tailed black cockatoo, northern rosella, stone curlew and the partridge pigeon. The South Alligator River catchment area is thought to be an important refuge for the rare hooded parrot and Gouldian finches.

Most of the mammal and marsupial population is nocturnal, shunning the intense brightness and high temperatures of daylight hours. However, at dusk and early morning most visitors are likely to see common agile wallabies and dingoes on solitary hunting forays or, less frequently, in small groups. Much less common is the antilopine wallaroo, the largest member of the kangaroo family to inhabit the park. Those prepared to make a torch-light prowl could spot native cats, fruit bats, sugar glider possums, bandicoots and tiny marsupial mice.

Only two species of snakes are diurnal; the dangerous western brown snake and moderately venomous black whip snake. Other reptiles common to the open woodland are skinks, dragons, monitors, sand goannas and frill-necked lizards. During the dry season most amphibians aestivate in caves or burrow underground to preserve vital moisture.

Park Management

Kakadu is simultaneously Aboriginal tribal land, an immensely popular tourist attraction, and an environment rich in native animals and plants. Understandably then, the task of managing it is complex and exacting.

Traditionally, the area encompassed by the park belonged to various aboriginal tribes, including the Gagadju people, from whom the park derived its name, Kakadu being a European approximation of "Gagadju". Since 1979, when the descendants of the original inhabitants were judged officially to own the land, they have leased it to the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service who now manages the park jointly with the Gagadju Association, a committee composed of ten traditional owners. Decisions concerning the park are reached by a two-way process of consultation with the objective of achieving harmony between western and aboriginal concepts of land management. Overall, the aim is to strike a balance between the often conflicting demands made of the park. For example, introduced water buffalo provide sport and meat, but they denude large areas of protective vegetation, thus hastening erosion and salination of fresh-water zones.

Remote parts of the park are accessible by 4WD, but the tracks often begin to cause erosion.

All movement during the Wet is achieved by boats, but they also bring associated problems of pollution, over-fishing and disturbance to wet-land communities, especially to birds.

The guiding idea behind the Park's management is that Aboriginal art works, food supplies and sacred sites must be preserved and respected, but not to the complete exclusion of the public. Similar considerations apply to the plants, animals and landscapes for which Kakadu is justly famous. Ultimately, to maintain Kakadu's beauty, the park management depends on the co-operation and understanding of the community.

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