Bokhara2

People often ask about the likely weather at different times of the year in Kakadu and the best time to visit.

I came across this in a recent magazine and thought it might be interesting.

"World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park is a chemeleon that surprises visitors with a different colour every time they visit. Change is the only constant!

The local Aboriginal people of Kakadu recognise six seasons that bring constant change to the land. So when's the best time to visit? Here's your guide to enjoying Kakadu's seasonal splendours.

Gunumeleng (October to late December) - Humidity builds into afternoon thunderstorms and scattered showers that aplash the land with green. Cool off at Twin and Jim Jim Falls and Gunlom plunge pool.

Gudjewg (January to March) - Thunderstorms, heavy rain and flooding generate an explosion of plant and animal life. Fish to your heart's content for barramundi, salmon, cod and mud crab.

Banggerreng (April) - Clear skies are interrupted by windy storms. Life is everywhere from fruiting plants to animals busy with their young. Spot the wildlife aboard the Yellow Water and Guluyambi cruises.

Yegge (May to mid June) - Cool conditions and low humidity shroud the land in morning mists and cover billabongs with waterlilies. Pull on your walking boots and head to Yurmikmik where you can choose from a series of bushwalks.

Wurreng (mid June to mid August) - Dry and cool with flocks of birds crowding billabongs. Birdwatchers chould look out for the many species endemic to the Park like the chestnut - quilled rock pigeon, the white-throated grasswren and the white-lined honeyeater.

Gurrung ( mid August to mid October) - Hot and dry conditions with mounting thunderclouds. Check out the Aboriginal art at Ubirr, Nourlangie Rock and Nanguluwur."

farrermog

Thanks Bokhara, makes it all more interesting. Slept out out in Kakadu one July (about 20 yrs ago) and was surprised how cold it got in the small hours.

Saltuarius

It is interesting and informative but I think that the misuse of 'endemic' is becoming as chronic as that of 'unique.' While they are restricted range birds most easily found in the park they are not endemic, i.e. restricted, to it.

"low humidity shroud the land in morning mists" What rubbish! The humidity is not low if the dew point has been reached. What they mean is that during the day the cool conditions mean that humidity is not adversely affecting human comfort.

farrermog

Perhaps it's just as well we aren't considering Liza Dalby's delightful <i>East Wind Melts the Ice</i> which takes the <u>seventy-two (ie five day)</u> seasonal units of an ancient Chinese almanac for her record of the passing seasons, Japanese customs and a life lived between two cultures. "Swallows return" and "rice ripens" are hardly controversial, but then there's "heaven's essence rises; earth's essence sinks" and "pheasants enter the water and turn into monster clams".

eliztravels2

Found this in a search re Kakadu and found it interesting, so topping it for others to enjoy too.