A short drive from Jabiru takes you to the East Alligator area with the famous Cahills Crossing and the Ubirr walk. Bardedjiligji, upstream from Cahills Crossing, is not as well-known but no less beautiful and interesting.
The three Alligator Rivers (South, West and East) got their name from Captain Philip Parker King in 1818 who saw that many crocodiles, which he thought were Alligators. There are no Alligators in Australia though, only Saltwater and Freshwater Crocodiles.
I started with the walk up Ubirr as early as it opens and was the first to park up. The walk takes you past a lot of Aboriginal art and shelters. Even in the hot summer months this walk is quite nice as a lot is in the shade of the rocks. In summer (I should say, in the wet season) Ubirr is closed in the mornings and only open from 2pm to sunset. During the dry season its open from sunrise to sunset.
on the way to Ubirr 
Half way up to the lookout 
Health warning – swollen bones by Miyamiya, a sickness you can contract when disturbing the rocks of the sacred site downstream. 
A lesson in good behaviour – Mabuyu carried his fish he caught on a string. It was cut off and stolen. He made sure the thieves were punished for it. This painting is a reminder for following generations, not to steal.
Ancestral Art – small human figures, estimated to be 5000 years old, this style only appears in a small region of Arnhem Land and northern Kakadu
Long necked turtle and some fish – these and other freshwater animals became common in the area about 2000 years ago when the floodplains developed.
A clue to the past – Thylacines once roamed the area of Kakadu, but started to decline when the dingoes arrived about 4000 years ago. Archaeologists think the painting was done before the decline of the Thylacines (also known as the Tasmanian Tiger). The painting is not easy to spot, it is high up on the cliff face.
The rainbow serpent plays a significant role in the Aboriginal story about creation time
In the dry season (May – October) rangers inform about the paintings, for times you best visit the Bowali Visitor centre in Jabiru,
At the end of the walk is an optional track up to the lookout which I’d highly recommend. If you’ve read my blog about Cobourg Peninsula you might recognize the view.
The view from up there is one of my favourite! You can see part of Arnhem land, the flood plains, monsoon forest and the East Alligator River, even though its pretty hidden behind the trees.
From Ubirr I went to the Cahills Crossing. Perfect timing – a lot of crocodiles were waiting for the Barramundi to swim upstream over the crossing. I witnessed one croc jumping after a Barra, which was unreal to experience.
The East Alligator River is tidal, means on high tide the saltwater from the sea pushes upstream, against the fresh water flowing downstream. This causes sand and mud banks to come and go, the river is constantly changing.
From Cahills Crossing start several shorter walks, most of which were already closed for the wet season.
Further upstream is a second boat ramp where I had a look around, before tackling the Bardedjiligji walk.
The landscape on this walk is absolutely gorgeous. The rock formations, the occasional art work and the bush surrounding it, captured me.
A couple months later, it was all very lush after some big rain.
Next blog will be a break from Jabiru, exploring a completely different region of Australia.