Connection to country

Kakadu National Park

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Nineteen Aboriginal clans reside in Kakadu National Park. Aboriginal people are Bininj in the north of the park and Mungguy in the south. Some of them live in Kakadu’s towns and others live in more remote parts of the park, but all of them have a deep spiritual connection to our country.

With some of the oldest and most prolific rock art collections in the world, Kakadu National Park is home to about 5,000 rock art sites with some of the oldest paintings found in three main areas of the park – Ubirr, Nourlangie and Nanguluwur. The art sites bear witness to their strong and ongoing connection with the land, having lasted for many thousands of years and were central to Kakadu receiving World Heritage listed status for culture as well as nature.

Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre

4.5km off the Kakadu Highway on route to Cooinda. Open daily.

To gain an understanding of the connection Kakadu’s Aboriginal owners have with this special part of the Top End, spend some time at the Warradjan Cultural Centre and learn the stories that gave them their laws. Members of local Aboriginal clans developed this centre to

share their culture with visitors. The building has been styled in the shape of a pig nosed turtle, Warradjan, and is based on the theme, ‘our land is our life’.

Bowali Visitor Centre

A visit to Kakadu should include a stop at the Bowali Visitor Centre near Jabiru, a small town within the national park, approximately 250 kilometres east of Darwin. Here you can buy your park pass, walk through interpretive displays, and get the latest news on road conditions and ranger-guided activities.