Tuesday 10th July - Jim Jim Falls

Magnificent Waterfalls

We had previously decided not to take our car to Jim Jim Falls as we didn't want to risk any more damage to the differential before it is fixed.  Also, without a snorkel we could not make the 0.8m crossing of Jim Jim creek to get to Twin Falls.  Accordingly we decided to book a commercial tour, which turned out to be very good.  There were two all terrain vehicles each seating about 16 people and as well as an informative commentary from the driver we were provided with morning tea and a very good packed lunch.

Vehicle crossing Jim Jim Creek, Kakadu NT

The drive in takes about 1.5 hours, the last part of which is on sand and very slow.  We went to Twin Falls first after making the creek crossing.  The walk in was easy and the middle section is travelled by boat [which are helicoptered in at the beginning of the dry season and removed for the wet].  The falls are magnificent even though the flow is reduced at this time of the year.  The water coming over the falls is draining from the sandstone escarpments and is so pure and clear that visibility into it is several metres.  We were fortunate enough to see a pig nosed turtle, which is restricted to a small range of billabongs in this area.  This is the only fresh water turtle to have paddles like sea turtles [the others have claws]. The one we saw was quite small at about 30cm diameter, they can grow to about 1 metre.


Twin Falls, Kakadu NT

Jim Jim Creek, Kakadu NT

We then walked into Jim Jim Falls.  Although only 900 metres this is a hard walk.  The last 3rd is a rock scramble over huge boulders which is slow.  Mostly the walk is in the shade but even so it was very hot and humid.  When we got there we didn't swim as the water was too cold, we just cooled our feet [the rock pool is reportedly 40 metres deep].  The falls are 180m high and must be awesome in the wet.  Little sun penetrates into the semi-circular falls pool and this combined with the spray off the water made it a very pleasant temperature.


Jim Jim Falls, Kakadu NT

Jim Jim Falls, Kakadu NT