Nawurlandja Lookout - Kakadu Australia

I would like to share some photos and a story from when we explored Arnhem land in the Northen Territory earlier this year.

My mate is working in the heart of Kakadu at a place called Cooinda. So he knows all the great spots for a beer after work and where to watch the sunset.

Now his number one favourite spot for this activity is a place called Nawurlandja lookout which over looks Nourlangie rock and all of Kakadu.

Most of Kakadu has sealed roads and you can get to this spot by car, so you won't need a 4x4 for this mission.

A short walk from the car park along a track then up some stairs

You will find yourself on a rock slope. This rock slope can get a bit steep in some areas, so shoes are recommended. But we made it with our trusty double pluggers.

At the first rock over hang, you will see some old aboriginal paintings on the roof of the rock.

Head as far up as you like to find the best spot to take in the view.

And WOW he wasn't kidding when he told us this place is amazing!

Watching the rock change colour as the sun set while we sipped on his home brew beer, was the perfect way to end the day.

This spot is the perfect place to watch the sunrise and sunset.

The view over looking Arnhem land is breath taking. The untouched bush lands as far as the eye can see, you get a real sense of connection to the land that the aboriginals have had for the past 60,000 years that they have occupied this area.

But be warned.. Leave immediately if the rains start as it gets super slippery as the entire area is a rock slope, also this area gets hit with the most lightning strikes in Australia. Hence why this is where the aboriginal dream time story of the lightning man was born.

When the clouds darken and the rumble of thunder starts echoing like the sky's tummy grumbling, the people of Arnhem Land know, Namarrgon is on his way.

Namarrgon is the name for Lightning Man, a dreamtime figure who signals the arrival of the Wet Season in the Top End of the Northern Territory.

This rock painting at Nourlangie Rock depicts the lightning man.

With electric power striking from his ears and his toes, Lightning Man tells Aboriginal people when the time is ripe to pick bush tucker, like the Kakadu Plum.

Now an interesting story I was told at the bar in Cooinda from one of the locals was about The lightning mans children.

The story goes the first lightning strike of the wet season gives birth to the lightning man's children.
His children are grasshoppers.. But not your average grasshopper, the only place in the world you can find these grasshoppers are here in Arnhem land.

They are called Leichhardt’s Grasshopper. Now what makes these grasshoppers so special is their amazing colouring. They are bright orange with patches of blue.

After seeing the photos the local took of the grasshoppers in the bushes near Nawurlandja lookout, every morning we headed out there to try and find them. But to no avail. His photos were taken weeks ago and as wet season was already in full effect they must have moved on.
But this area is the best place in the world to find these grasshoppers.

Just keep an eye out for them if you are here at the start of the wet season. These grasshoppers only feed on one type of bush so if you spot one of them in a bush there will be many more in the same bush.

The next morning our mission was to check out all the rock painting's at Nourlangie Rock,
So stay tuned for that blog 👍

Thanks for stopping by happy travels 🤙🤙