I have to admit that I have a thing for funny place names and Jim Jim Falls has for a long time held a fascination for me. JIM JIM....who the hell was Jim and how did he get such a breathtaking waterfall named after him? I admit that the waterfall was not actually flowing (as it doesn't in the dry season) but at 180m high the straight gorge walls made you feel like you were in a hole you couldn't get out of even if you tried. The walls went straight up, allowing Jim Jim Falls to be known as the tallest single drop waterfall at least in the southern hemisphere. The sight was amazing.
We made the trek down a well graded gravel road to the camp area from which we traversed a slow, rocky 4WD track dotted with patches of bulldust and sand. Leaving our cruiser behind, we began the real challenge. The 2km return trek into the base of the falls over rocks and boulders, through a gorge carved out mercilessly by the wet season waters. A shallow emerald lagoon lines the base of the gorge, housing fish and any crocodiles that managed to find their way into the gorge during wet season floods. The signs here are clear "ACTUNG" ...Do Not Swim.
We were warned that the hike into Jim Jim Falls was not suitable for small children, but buggered if we were coming this far and not giving it a go. Ella was strapped to Max's back via a backpack and Jake just had to use his little three year old legs. It was a picturesque climb, made that much easier by the decision to wait till late arvo, so the humidity and sunlight were at their minimum. Jake did a wonderful job and only towards the end as the boulders got too large did he need to be carried on my back.
It was a challenge scrambling our way through the last hundred metres of huge boulders, but as we crested the final obstacles we were greeted with the most welcome sight known to man (or woman). A huge, cool, emerald plunge pool that was so deep, rimmed by the towering walls of the falls. Just an amazing sight. To top it all off, this part is crocodile free as it is a scramble for anything to get up there, let alone a crocodile.
Well we swam, we wallowed and we gazed up in wonder as we floated the cool waters. It is amazing to find water this deep so late in the dry season, but it made us realise how deep this pool must be as the water cascades off the clifftop, pounding into the rocks below during the wet. Such a great experience. We reluctantly called an end to our swim, packed up our gear and began the trek out. As the sun faded we found our way out of the gorge and managed to capture some pretty pics as the sun disappeared behind the range. Such a classic Northern Territory sunset.
The following day we began the journey again into the lesser known Twin Falls, 20km from camp. The 4WD in required a deepish water crossing of the Jim Jim river, but nothing compared to the crossings we have been through up the Cape. The kids have been obsessed with the recent arrival of grandma and pa, and so we have benefitted from their constant desire to be holding one of their hands. No complaints here! The walk in to Twin Falls was easy compared to Jim Jim and included a leisurely boat cruise up the gorge that reminded me that I really hate groups of tourists. It was a pictureque place with white sandy beaches lining the base of the falls and deep green pools similar to Jim Jim, yet here you couldn't swim and the easier access made it popular with 4WD tours.
After leaving behind Jim Jim, we made for the northern boundary of Kakadu and finally pointed our 4WDs towards Darwin. Kakadu National Park was a grand mixture of aboriginal rock art, stunning wetlands, a buzz of neverending wildlife and a tribute to aboriginal culture. It really was something special.
