Australia So Much to See

Kakadu National Park - Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls

Shall we go to Jim Jim Falls?   

Jim Jim Falls tumble down from an escarpment of between 200 and 300 metres with a sheer drop of over 150 metres; this time of the year just oozing over the top.  The high walls surrounding the deep plunge pool made a cool and shady environment. 

By the time the road is open to get to Jim Jim Falls there is very little water left trickling over the edge at this, the highest waterfall in Kakadu.  Knowing it was not quick and easy to get there, we considered not going.  To see these falls at their spectacular best can only be done by flying over them during the wet season as the road in will be closed.

Starting out early in the morning, we found the first fifty kilometres a good wide dirt road with some corrugated patches.  This road terminates at a gate near the Garnamarr campground from where the narrow track is four wheel drive only, and following the twists and turns through the trees is slow and hard work.  This gate is locked between 8.30 pm and 6.30 am.  Many of the trees have scrapes from the top of the four wheel drive adventure tour coaches that come this way.  Driving an F250 with a wheel base far longer than these coaches was exacting driving.  There are also deep sandy patches. 

There is a further one kilometre walk goes along rocky ledges, with a pontoon bridge over one inaccessible section. 

This is a less often visited place than Jim Jim and one not to be missed.   We alighted from the boat at a rocky ledge, where our guide left a small two way radio for us to call when ready to be picked up again. 

Back tracking around two kilometres on the access track, the turn off to Twin Falls follows a similar ten kilometre four wheel drive track, with a concrete causeway deep water crossing at Jim Jim Creek which is open dependent on water levels.  There are guide posts on either side and water level was down to around 400 millimetres deep when we crossed in August 2009.   A snorkel on your vehicle is recommended for this crossing.   

There are challenging further walks that can be taken at Jim Jim.  The six kilometre return Barrk Malaam Walk takes four to six hours and involves a steep climb to the escarpment, and is only for fit climbers, with the recommendation to start early in the morning to avoid overheating.   It may be closed late in the season when the temperatures become too hot.  Not something to fit into our day trip.   An additional short walk; the one kilometre return Budjimi Lookout Walk leaves from the car park up onto a rocky outcrop, giving views of the escarpment. 

In some sections the gorge walls oozed with water and were like a tropical garden with ferns and greenery. 

There is also a six kilometre walk from the car park to the top of the falls, which again as a walk to start early in the day. Swimming above the falls at the top of the scarp is crocodile safe. 

After a full on eight and a half hour day, we returned to the campground, weary, but so pleased we decided to go.  It was certainly a day trip well worth taking after all.  Our neighbours had arrived back a little before us and he confessed his shoulders were aching from steering his Landcruiser through the winding tracks.  I said mine were too – and I was not the driver!  All the more aches and pains for my husband, handling our long F250 on those narrow tracks twisting between the trees. 

Even at the Jim Jim and Twin Falls gorges, we were still near sea level, with the highest point of our drives (distinct from climbs on walks) within Kakadu being when crossing a hill near the Garnamarr campground, when our dash mounted GPS registered ninety metres.