Kakadu tracks late to open

Post by **Matt Flynn** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 10:43 am

Sent in by a concerned Top Ender ...

"I sent these photos to Kakadu Admin. The road to 2 Mile opened on June 8, I was there the following day.
There are two photos of the creek that is only about a kilometre back from the campground.
As you can see it is bone dry. In 37 years I have never seen it this dry at this time of the year, even after a bad wet .... we just had a bigger than normal wet!
The other photos are of the two gutters/ channels that used to be the excuse for keeping the road closed for so long.
Two years ago they were finally filled in with rocks and you can see how dry and easily passable they are even for a two-wheel drive vehicle, let alone a 4X4.

The big red signs at the start of the road, as you turn off the Arnhem Highway, clearly state a 4X4 is required ... but my concern is that these photos clearly show that the road could have been opened weeks before it was.

My questions I put to park management where:
1 - why has this road been kept closed for so long when it is very clear that it could have been opened weeks before ?
2 - why go to the trouble and expense to finally fill the 2 troublesome gutters with rocks to make them easily passable but still keep the road closed for as long as they have for years
3 - are there other reasons why the road has remained closed ?

Finally I pointed out that one bloke had entered the day the road opened and said the road was well used, one of the camping areas was well used and the natural boat ramp was well used as evidenced by the dusty earth and tyre marks in the mud on the water's edge ... hhhmmm, what is going on there?

I've waited until now and have no response from Park admin.

Thought you might be interested.

By the way, the water level was the lowest I've seen it at 2 Mile, and none of the little were creeks were running ... two days fishing and got one undersized barra."

Jer · Post by **Jer** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 12:06 pm

It is very quickly becoming Kaka-Don't, not Kakadu. Especially for me, a local.

In saying that, I don't think Kakadu's management care much for the local tourism. I think they care more for interstate or overseas travellers and push for tourists to visit the more popular locations such as Jim Jim/Twin Falls and Maguk/Gunlom. I suspect Kakadu management send their resources to the more popular places to get them ready as soon as possible before looking at the less popular (but more frequently used by locals) places.

dannett · Post by **dannett** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 1:59 pm

It was Kakadon't by the 90's. But when we look at how much land is already closed down by native title, it would be nice to be getting some good access to the park.

MR126 · Post by **MR126** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 2:52 pm

Towed my boat to Bucket billabong last Monday for a look. :fishing:

The track was in ok condition, But you will need a high body FWD because the creek crossing is a good metre deep.
The track between Bucket and Alligator was is a very poor state. Because buffalo :hunting:

have ripped up the track, could only go about 5kph :banghead:

The rangers open the access to these billabong last week. There has been no maintenance on these tracks this year :fubird:

theodosius · Post by **theodosius** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:09 pm

I think you're right Jer

CharFin · Post by **CharFin** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 9:29 pm

Excellent enquiry, obviously they have no answers. They are a disgrace, pictures tell the story. Seems they are only interested in tour groups of elderly international tourists who look but don't touch. I have not heard one positive thing or improvement about Kakadu.

shaggs · Post by **shaggs** » Sun Jul 02, 2017 6:05 am

Maybe so the local there get the best of the fishing before they open it up to us

Post by **Matt Flynn** » Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:56 am

Just corrected the date above, tracks opened June 8.

Lats · Post by **Lats** » Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:02 pm

I went to 2 mile just after it opened and it looked like the track was dry for a few weeks

maxpower · Post by **maxpower** » Mon Jul 03, 2017 2:24 pm

MR126 wrote:Towed my boat to Bucket billabong last Monday for a look. The track was in ok condition, But you will need a high body FWD because the creek crossing is a good metre deep.
The track between Bucket and Alligator was is a very poor state. Because buffalo have ripped up the track, could only go about 5kph The rangers open the access to these billabong last week. There has been no maintenance on these tracks this year

A post about tracks not opening up early enough, and a comment about one being open but being too rough? :bonk:

goldfish · Post by **goldfish** » Mon Jul 03, 2017 6:14 pm

Rough tracks are great !!!!

It keeps 90% of the crews at the easy spots. 4WDs are for 4WDing in my opinnion. As for the trailer get a decent setup ... trailing arms, coils and shocks like under the camper trailers then you'll be able to do 80 down it. We used regularly go out to the Cato in gove, you're paying a fortune to drive a goat track then launch off a mud slippery dip about 40m long......if you miss the tide.

grumpy · Post by **grumpy** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 5:53 am

MR126 wrote:Towed my boat to Bucket billabong last Monday for a look. The track was in ok condition, But you will need a high body FWD because the creek crossing is a good metre deep.
The track between Bucket and Alligator was is a very poor state. Because buffalo have ripped up the track, could only go about 5kph The rangers open the access to these billabong last week. There has been no maintenance on these tracks this year

I was out there last Thursday and the track has been well used prior to opening to the public once again. The crossing before Bucket was still flowing like you said about a meter deep.

Like most years the privileged someones are getting access to these areas well before the general public???? :fubird:

On the tracks being rough I'm all for leaving them the way they are to help reduce the traffic. Rougher the better :mrgreen:

mickkk · Post by **mickkk** » Mon Nov 20, 2017 2:06 pm

Out of interest was there any reply or explanation to this complaint from kakadu Matt?

Post by **Matt Flynn** » Mon Nov 20, 2017 3:28 pm

Not that I recall.

Interestingly, there were several reports that 4-Mile fished well for rats.

mickkk · Post by **mickkk** » Mon Nov 20, 2017 7:08 pm

Yeah I went there and got a bucket load of rats. Was wanting to go to pococksbeach but it was still closed.
It is a shame that they didn’t try to get the last of the salvinia out when it was mostly gone, as I told it’s pretty much shocked up again. In the 2 days we were there it seemed to trouble in size and was closing up areas we fished just the day before.

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