Jim Jim plunge pool walk

Jim Jim Falls is an iconic part of Kakadu famous for its astonishing cliffs and thundering waterfalls.

In the dry season the falls stop running and you can hike into the heart of the gorge and sit in the shadow of these spectacular cliffs.

The walk takes you through monsoon forest and over boulders to a deep natural pool, all surrounded by dramatic 200 m cliffs.

When the falls are in full flood during the tropical summer they can only be seen from the air on a scenic flight.

Wildlife

The walk leads through a large anbinik forest which will keep you cool in the heat of the day. These are the largest trees of the escarpment country and are among some of the oldest species of vegetation on the planet, dating back over 400 million years.

Hidden in the canopy are white-lined honeyeaters and the striated pardalote. You may even find a rainbow pitta in the undergrowth as well. A couple of peregrine falcons frequent the gorge late in the year after their chicks have hatched.

Mertens water monitors can often be seen sunbaking on a boulder after chasing their lunch through the clear water of Jim Jim Creek.

Culture

The name Jim Jim comes from andjimdjim, an Aboriginal name for the water pandanus that line the creek.