See dreamtime figures and learn about a deep cultural connection that spans thousands of years at this ancient rock art site on a sandstone escarpment.
Rock art site and gain an insight into the rich culture of Kakadu National Park’s traditional custodians. Also known as Burrunggui, this ancient art gallery features fascinating paintings of animals and dreamtime figures, created by the Bininj up to 20,000 years ago.
Set amid the beautiful Anbangbang Billabong, Nourlangie Rock has several walking tracks that lead past savannah woodlands and sunset-coloured sandstone. Investigate some of Australia’s most magnificent rock art sites and ancient shelters with an easy 1.5-kilometre (0.9-mile) walk. Stroll along the path and reach the rock shelters that for millennia provided the local Aboriginal people refuge from monsoons.
Animals and spiritual figures, such as Namarrgon, the lightning man, feature prominently in the paintings. You might also see depictions of interactions with early Europeans. For the owners of the land, the creation of the painting is more important than the final image, and many images are interlaid with one another. Learn about the significance of the paintings with signposts along the way.
For more challenging walks, try the Anbangbang Billabong circuit, a 1-hour stroll past stunning viewpoints of Nourlangie Rock and the waterway, or the Nanguluwur Walk, which meanders past different rock art sites in a 2-hour return journey. The Nawurlandja Lookout Walk is a steep, 0.6-kilometre (0.4-mile) climb that will reward you with fantastic views of the escarpment and the billabong. Continue along from here to enjoy the Barrk Sandstone Walk, a 12-kilometre (7.4-mile) trail that covers some of Nourlangie Rock’s stunning sandstone plateaus.
Nourlangie Rock is open year-round for free. It is best to visit during the dry season between May and October, when the roads and trails are easily accessible. Park rangers give informative talks about the area’s cultural heritage several times a day during this season.
The nearby Muirella Park camping site has shower and toilet facilities and is accessible for a fee. The Bush camping area near Sandy Billabong is free, but there is no running water and the site is only open in the dry season. Enquire about camping and park permits at the Bowali Visitor Centre in Jabiru, located 32.7 kilometres (20.3 miles) north of Nourlangie Rock.
