Kakadu National Park’s Gunlom Falls, globally famous as ‘Echo Lake’ in the 1986 Crocodile Dundee movie, has reopened to visitors after cyclone damage sustained late in the wet season.
Kakadu’s most famous falls are back in business after repairs to the access road following cyclone damage, just as the iconic movie marks its 40th anniversary.
In one of the film’s most recognisable scenes, Mick Dundee (Paul Hogan) speared a barramundi to impress American journalist Sue Charlton (played by Linda Kozlowski, Hogan’s now wife) and cooked bush tucker over an open fire.
Gunlom Falls sits in Kakadu’s southern ‘stone country’, an hour’s drive (4WD only) from Cooinda and 4.5 hours from Darwin. The seasonal falls tumble from an 85m cliff and are prime for optimal viewing immediately after the wet season.
The site features a lower billabong, open for swimming from May to October depending on conditions, and an upper set of rock pools with panoramic views across the park.
A new walkway to the upper rock pools also opened last year, making the steep 15- to 20-minute climb more accessible.
Nearby Maguk Falls is also scheduled to reopen shortly, following extensive access-road upgrades to both waterfalls.
New tours and cultural experiences to sell
Kakadu Tourism runs Kakadu Adventure Tours through the dry season until the end of October, visiting Gunlom or Maguk in air-conditioned 4WD vehicles with lunch and guides.
A new Toyota Landcruiser has been added for private tours to major attractions throughout the year.
Travellers can also now book weaving and cultural experiences with local Traditional Owners at the Warradjan Cultural Centre, sitting with members of the Murrumburr clan who have lived around the Cooinda area for thousands of years.
Where to stay in Kakadu
Indigenous-owned Cooinda Lodge has completed an upgrade of its 20 Outback Retreat glamping tents, which now all offer ensuite facilities and air-conditioned comfort set among shady trees.
The lodge also offers luxury villas, hotel rooms and extensive camping and caravan spaces alongside its range of tours and experiences, all bookable directly through Kakadu Tourism.
KARRYON UNPACKS: With set-jetting tourism taking off, a 40th film anniversary is a ready-made hook for domestic and inbound clients drawn to the Crocodile Dundee legend. With the access roads repaired and guided 4WD tours and upgraded glamping, advisors now have a full package instead of a day trip.
