Australia

Jim Jim Falls After the Rain

The rare dry season rain in Kakadu provided a special view of Jim Jim Falls. No, we weren't lucky enough to see Jim Jim in flow - the last of the flows ended weeks earlier. But the cloud hugging the top of the falls was special. 

We left Jabiru in the falling rain at 6AM and arrived at the Jim Jim falls parking area by 8. The road detereorated from sealed highway, to graded unsealed road to rough single lane 4x4 track thoroughout the journey. The final eight kilometres requires 4x4 even in the dry season.

It continued to drizzle throughout the August morning. The rain and heavy cloud kept the hot sun off Kakadu and the temperatures remained in the teens or early twenties for the morning. The first part of the hiking trail to this lookout was relatively easy. The guide told us that the parks service removes any salt water crocodiles at the start of the dry season and monitors thoughout. A trap is visible on the right side. Fresh water crocodiles continue to make this place home.

The trail to the base of the falls becomes much more difficult. The trail is moderately well marked but you need to climb over large, uneven boulders. With the rain, these become quite slippery in places. I stopped about forty metres from the base of the falls not wanting to break an ankle. It was somewhat disappointing, but I think this is a much better view of the falls. Close to the falls are two swimming holes - where if you like, you can swim with fresh water crocodiles whose tracks were visible at the edge of the pool.

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