May 2013: Into the Northern Territory Outback
A Crocodile Dundee Dream
I had long dreamed of visiting the Northern Territory outback of Australia—the rugged landscape that inspired Crocodile Dundee. Even though I lived in Australia for a few months when I was 20, I never made it out this way.
Since I was already “in the neighborhood,” exploring Timor-Leste (A Few Days in One of the World’s Newest Countries) and Komodo Island (Hiring a Skiff to See the Giant Dragons of Komodo Island and Walking Through a Snake Cave in Waist High Bat Excrement), I decided to seize the opportunity. I flew to Darwin, rented a car, and spent four days exploring Kakadu National Park. To keep costs down, I camped every night in my tent.
First Impressions of Kakadu
The Northern Territory did not disappoint. I had worried that Kakadu might be overcrowded due to its fame, but it was surprisingly quiet. Most hiking trails, I had entirely to myself—a rare luxury in such a renowned park.
Crocodiles of the Adelaide River
As a huge reptile enthusiast, I was especially excited to see crocodiles in their natural habitat, and this trip did not let me down. The Adelaide River is home to some of the biggest crocodiles in the world, with a staggering population of around 100,000—the largest anywhere on Earth.
Kakadu National Park
Aborigines
Aboriginal Australia: A Culture as Old as Time
The World’s Oldest Living Culture
The Aboriginal Australians are the continent’s only native people and are credited with having the world’s oldest continuous living culture. Their deep spiritual and physical connection to the land has sustained them for tens of thousands of years. Traditionally, many Aboriginal people undertook “walkabouts”—long journeys on foot through the wilderness to forage, hunt, and strengthen their bond with nature.
The Weight of Colonization
Like many Indigenous peoples around the world, Aboriginal Australians have endured profound hardships due to colonization. The loss of land, culture, and traditional ways of life has led to widespread social challenges, including depression and substance abuse.
During my time in Australia, I often encountered intoxicated Aboriginal individuals in cities, appearing lost in despair. When I arrived in Darwin, Northern Territory, where many Aboriginal Australians live, I witnessed a similar scene—barefoot individuals in ragged clothing, some visibly intoxicated, wandering inside the airport.
Restrictions and Realities
In Kakadu National Park, I learned that alcohol was banned in Aboriginal communities, though tourists were exempt. Even petrol stations sold modified fuel designed to prevent gasoline sniffing, a devastating addiction that has harmed many Aboriginal youth. Seeing the effects of these struggles firsthand was heartbreaking—especially knowing how rich, resilient, and enduring Aboriginal culture truly is.
A Glimpse of Tradition
Despite these challenges, I did catch a glimpse of traditional Aboriginal life while driving through a remote part of Kakadu. I noticed a lone Aboriginal man walking along the edge of the forest, far from any settlement. When I asked an Australian what he was doing, the reply was simple: “He’s on a walkabout.”
It was a powerful moment—a reminder that, despite everything, some traditions endure.
Arnhem Land: A Future Goal
One place I wish I had time to visit is Arnhem Land, a vast Aboriginal reserve just across from Kakadu. It remains one of the last strongholds of traditional culture, where communities still live off the land as their ancestors did. Visitors can stay in villages, join in hunts, and explore the wilderness alongside the locals.
Experiencing Arnhem Land firsthand is something I hope to do one day.
Big Crocs of Adelaide River
Crocodiles of the Adelaide River
A Wild Waterway
On the way to Kakadu, I took a boat trip up the Adelaide River, a place renowned for its giant saltwater crocodiles—some of the largest I’ve ever seen in the wild. The river is a muddy, untamed waterway where crocodiles have never been hunted, allowing them to grow to extraordinary sizes.
A Jurassic Encounter
Boat operators attract these massive reptiles by dangling chickens over the water. The crocs, clearly accustomed to the boats, appear out of nowhere as soon as we enter certain stretches of the river.
When one launches itself from the water, its sheer power is awe-inspiring. Watching these prehistoric predators rise from the depths felt like something straight out of Jurassic Park—both thrilling and surreal.
Wild Crocs of Adaleide River
Wild Crocs of Adaleide River
Wild Crocs of Adaleide River
Wild Crocs of Adaleide River
Kakadu National Park
The Road Into the Outback
The highway to Kakadu was long and lonely, cutting through endless stretches of monsoonal forest with hardly a town in sight. My only companions were the road trains—massive trucks hauling up to three trailers each, roaring past like giants of the outback.
First Night in the Wild
I spent my first night camping at a remote wilderness site. The air buzzed with mosquitoes, and warning signs reminded campers to beware of wandering crocodiles after dark. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t sleep very soundly.
A Bit More Comfort
For the rest of the trip, I chose a more comfortable campsite with better amenities. It even had a pool and a bar—the perfect place to relax and cool down after long, sweaty hikes through the humid forests.
Exploring Kakadu
Over the following days, I explored Kakadu’s incredible trails, alive with wildlife and adorned with ancient Aboriginal rock art. I swam beneath Jim Jim Falls, which might just be the most breathtaking waterfall I’ve ever seen. And I couldn’t resist another crocodile boat tour—because one encounter with these prehistoric giants simply wasn’t enough.
Typical rock formation in kakadu
Into the Heart of the Wild
There were several incredible hikes through Kakadu’s endless monsoonal forests, but I was hesitant to venture too far on my own. The trails were nearly deserted, and this was as wild as it gets—untamed wilderness where the world’s most venomous snakes lurk in the undergrowth.
Rivers Ruled by Crocodiles
Some of the trails skirted the rivers, where warning signs screamed at me to keep my distance. Out of curiosity, I paused to peer into the murky water. It didn’t take long before a few pairs of reptilian eyes surfaced, watching me in silence—waiting, it seemed, for me to take one careless step closer.
A Land of Beauty and Danger
This was the wild west of national parks. The solitude was exhilarating, but it carried a sobering reality: if anything happened out here, help would be a long time coming. It was a humbling reminder of just how raw and untamed Kakadu truly is.
Kakadu Forest
Wildlife Encounters
Wildlife in Kakadu was abundant, and sightings were almost guaranteed. Creatures like the shy pademelon often darted across the trails, quick to disappear into the undergrowth before I could raise my camera. But every once in a while, luck was on my side—like with this little fellow, who seemed eager to pose just long enough for me to get the perfect shot.
Small paddymelon, kakadu
Ancient Aboriginal Rock Art
Echoes of the Past on a Remote Cliffside
This well-preserved Aboriginal rock art, remarkably untouched by vandalism—unlike so many other ancient sites around the world—was hidden on a remote cliffside at the end of a long hike. The atmosphere there was both eerie and mysterious, as if the walls themselves held whispers from another time.
Among the figures, one stood out: a strange, alien-like shape that seemed almost otherworldly. Like many ancient rock art sites around the globe, such depictions fuel speculation about whether Aboriginal Australians might have had encounters—or at least visions—of beings beyond our world.
Aborigine Rock Art
Cockatiels in the Wild
My sister once had a pet cockatiel, a small parrot that was surprisingly vocal and emotional for its size. Because of that, I couldn’t help but think of her when I encountered hundreds of cockatiels fluttering in unison across the skies of Kakadu.
Seeing them wild and free, wheeling together in noisy flocks above the trees, was such a contrast to the single little bird that lived in our home. I snapped a photo to send to my sister, knowing how much she’d appreciate it. For me, it was one of those unexpected but personal connections to a place—where the wild beauty of Kakadu overlapped with a family memory from back home.
cockatiels
Kangeroo mouse who hopped
Hoping for Snakes
As a reptile enthusiast, one of my biggest hopes in Kakadu was to encounter snakes in the wild. With all the stories of venomous serpents hiding in the tall grass and along the rivers, I imagined spotting them often during my hikes.
A Black-Headed Boa Sighting
In the end, I only saw one—but what a sight it was. A massive black-headed boa stretched across the road in front of me. I barely had time to react before it began to retreat into the bush. Without thinking, I flung open the car door and jumped out, just to catch a fleeting glimpse before it disappeared into the undergrowth.
It wasn’t the abundance of snakes I had hoped for, but that brief encounter left me thrilled all the same.
When I spotted the massive 12-foot black-headed boa on the side of the road, I hurried over to get a closer look while keeping my distance until I could confirm he wasn’t a brown snake, which is a highly venomous species.
Vast Wetlands of Kakadu
Kakadu is famous for its endless wetlands—an intricate network of rivers, floodplains, and billabongs that come alive with birdlife, fish, and of course, crocodiles. These waters are as dangerous as they are beautiful, a reminder that this wilderness belongs to the wild.
Cliffside Views Over Billabongs
Many of the park’s hikes lead up through dense monsoonal forest and onto high cliffs, where sweeping views unfold over the wetlands below. From these vantage points, I gazed out across crocodile-infested billabongs, their still, green waters broken only by the occasional ripple that betrayed what lurked beneath. It was both awe-inspiring and unsettling, a landscape as raw and untamed as Australia gets.
Vast wetlands of Kakadu
Jim Jim Falls Adventure
Getting There by 4WD
Even though I had a car, visiting Jim Jim Falls wasn’t something I could do on my own. The road leading there was far too rough for standard vehicles, and self-driving was prohibited by the authorities. The only way in was by joining a guided 4WD day trip—so that’s exactly what I did.
Swimming Beneath the Falls
I’ve always loved waterfalls, and swimming beneath Jim Jim Falls had been high on my list. After a bumpy ride and a short hike, I finally arrived at the falls. Without hesitation, I dove into the deep, crystal pool beneath the towering cliffs and splashed around like a carefree schoolboy.
Crocodile Concerns
Of course, I couldn’t resist asking the guide about crocodiles. He assured me that “not usually” was the answer, explaining that they set traps to catch any that might wander in. Most of the time, the only reptiles you’d encounter in the water were the more docile freshwater crocodiles. Still, I kept one eye on the water—just in case.
Swimming in a pool of a waterfall that I was told only had the freshwater alligators that were not mean like crocodiles.
Me swimming in Jim Jim Falls
Jim Jim Falls
Final Stop in Darwin
Exploring WWII History
On my last night in the Northern Territories, I stayed in a hotel in Darwin, just steps away from a hillside hike dotted with old World War II bunkers. These reinforced shelters were built in anticipation of a Japanese invasion that, fortunately, never came.
A Close Call in History
Had the Japanese not been defeated by Allied forces in Papua New Guinea, Darwin was next in line. Walking among the bunkers was a sobering reminder of just how close Australia came to becoming another battlefield of the Pacific War.
Heading Home
From Darwin, I boarded a flight to Sydney and then onward to California—closing out my Northern Territory adventure with a final glimpse of history before heading back home.