Judbarra / Gregory National Park

Judbarra covers around thirteen thousand square kilometres where the tropical Top End gives way to semi-arid country, a landscape of sandstone escarpments, boab trees and the Victoria River, the largest river system in the Territory. The Joe Creek Loop walk climbs into a pocket of livistona palms below an escarpment with Aboriginal rock art; the Escarpment Walk above the Victoria River roadhouse gives long views; and four-wheel drive tracks including the Bullita Stock Route and Humbert Track run deep into the park for experienced drivers. Estuarine crocodiles inhabit the Victoria River well inland, so swimming is unsafe. The traditional owners include the Ngarinyman, Nungali, Wardaman and Bilinara peoples.

What you actually see

• The Joe Creek Loop - palms, escarpment and rock art on a short walk.
• The boab country - bottle-shaped trees across the escarpment.
• The Victoria River - the Territory's largest river system running through the park.
• The four-wheel drive tracks - long remote routes through the interior.

When to go

May to September; the wet season closes most of the park and floods the tracks. Even in the dry, inner tracks are rough and remote. Heat builds sharply from September onward.

Honest expectations

Estuarine crocodiles are present far inland and swimming anywhere in the river system is unsafe. Inner tracks require four-wheel drive, recovery gear and self-sufficiency. There is no phone coverage across most of the park.

Nearby

Timber Creek lies west; Katherine is east along the highway.