ANBANGBANG BILLABONG Kakadu NT

0583 Billabong

The Anbangbang Billabong in Kakadu National Park. Kakadu is a living cultural landscape. It has been home to Aboriginal people for more than 65,000 years. Theirs is the oldest living culture on earth. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0584 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu National Park. This is the largest national park in Australia, covering almost 20,000 square kilometres. That’s nearly half the size of Switzerland! FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0585 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu National Park The park is dual World Heritage-listed for its outstanding natural and cultural values. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0586 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu Kakadu is Aboriginal land. Their people have kept it healthy for thousands of years. Today, they work hand-in-hand with Parks Australia to manage Kakadu, using a mix of traditional ways and modern science. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Peter Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0587 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NP Since the late 1970s Kakadu’s traditional owners have leased their land to the Director of National Parks to be jointly managed as a national park. Joint management is about Bininj/Mungguy and Parks Australia working together, solving problems, sharing decision making and exchanging knowledge, skills and information. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0588 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT “Our land has a big story. Sometimes we tell a little bit at a time. Come and hear our stories, see our land. A little bit might stay in your hearts. If you want more, you come back.” — Jacob Nayinggul, Manilakarr clan IMAGE BY: Peter Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0589 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT The main paperbarks in Kakadu are the weeping paperbark (Melaleuca leucadendra), silver-leaved paperbark (M. argentea) and broad-leaved paperbark (M. viridiflora). FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0590 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT In the creation era, spirit beings travelled over the landscape creating the landforms and features. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0591 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NP This is a story about a place on Nawurlandja called Badbong Bawardedjobgeng (bud-bong barwaddy-jobgeng), the place where the wallaby cut the rock. Two badbong (short-eared rock wallabies), one male and one female, travelled through the area in the creation era. They moved from the northeast and up into the rocks at Nawurlandja cutting two crevices in the rock – the large one by the male and the smaller one by the female. They travelled together through the woodlands forming the creek which flows from Nawurlandja then went north parting the trees to form Anbangbang Billabong. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0592 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT Today these animals are common in the area. They can sometimes be seen in the cooler parts of the day at badbong bawardedjobgeng and drinking from the pools below the crevices, where water remains until late in the dry season. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Peter Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0593 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT Anbangbang Billabong is filled by runoff from Nawurlandja and Nourlangie and the overflow from Nourlangie Creek. It is cut off from its sources during dry periods. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0594 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT Anbangbang Billabong is habitat for many species of waterbird. Different birds have different features to help them catch their food. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0595 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT When water levels rise during the wet, aquatic plants grow and feed many species of fish and other aquatic animals. As water gradually recedes and evaporates during the dry, this shallow billabong attracts waterbirds. The water also attracts dingoes, wallabies and woodland birds. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Peter Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0596 Billabong

Anbabgbang Billabong Kakadu NT Bininj women wade through the billabong plunging long sticks into the water seeking file snakes and longnecked turtles. Children collect water lilies to eat. Men hunt magpie geese, wallabies and goannas. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0597 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT Woodlands have more species of plants and animals than any of Kakadu’s other habitats. Much of the woodland wildlife is either nocturnal or only active in the cooler parts of the day. Look carefully for animal tracks and scats (droppings). FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0598 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT Soak up the serenity of Anbangbang Billabong on the short circular walk - with Nourlangie forming a spectacular backdrop. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0599 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT There is an easy, quiet walk through savanna woodlands and paperbark forest, all framing a billabong teeming with bird life. Anbangbang Billabong is an incredible part of Kakadu, relaxing and inspiring at any time of the day. FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013

0600 Billabong

Anbangbang Billabong Kakadu NT Take your binoculars, camera or sketch book as this billabong hosts magpie geese, green pygmy geese, egrets, comb-crested jacanas, cormorants, corellas and red-tailed black cockatoos, just to name a few! FROM: parksaustralia.gov.au IMAGE BY: Hazel Hogarth TAKEN: June 2013