Parking
Park at the Jim Jim Falls carpark. The approach is seasonal and requires a 4WD; Barrk Marlam branches from the Jim Jim Falls plunge pool track. Check Kakadu road and access information before setting out.
Overview
About Barrk Marlam Walk
Barrk Marlam is a very challenging marked return walk from the Jim Jim Falls plunge pool track to the Arnhem Land Plateau above the escarpment. The full visitor distance is about 6 km return; the mapped Barrk Marlam corridor is stored once (about 3.17 km one way) because the walk returns along the same path. Allow about 5 hours.
The route is very steep and rugged through the Stone Country of the Arnhem Land Plateau, with rough rock and sustained climbing to broad views above Jim Jim Falls. It is intended for experienced bushwalkers rather than casual visitors.
Barrk means black wallaroo, and the plateau may also support chestnut-quilled rock-pigeons, sandstone shrike-thrushes, peregrine falcons and black-breasted buzzards. The route is exposed, so carry and drink at least 1 litre of water per person per hour, take breaks and carry a first-aid kit. Kakadu advises walking in the cooler part of the day, before 11 am, when heat is extreme.
Access to the Jim Jim area is seasonal, generally June to October, and the approach to the Jim Jim Falls carpark requires a 4WD. Barrk Marlam branches from the Jim Jim Falls plunge pool track; check Kakadu access and road information before setting out.
Why go
- Dramatic escarpment views above Jim Jim Falls
- Chance to see stone-country wildlife including the black wallaroo
Heads up
- Very steep, rough and exposed terrain
- Seasonal access and 4WD approach to the Jim Jim area
- No facilities on the walk; heat and water demands are serious
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Kakadu alerts
- ClosureJim Jim and Twin Falls area closed for 2026Mentions Jim Jim, referenced in this guideThe Jim Jim and Twin Falls area is closed for 2026; do not visit the closed sites.Official details
- ClosureBarrk sandstone walk closedBarrk sandstone walk is closed at the request of Traditional Owners; do not enter. Check the current Kakadu access report before travelling.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Kakadu Tour Guide
Your drive to Barrk Marlam Walk, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Kakadu National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Kakadu audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Burrungkuy (Nourlangie): A 20,000-Year-Old Art GalleryListen
“Coming up is the turn for Burrungkuy, which you might know as Nourlangie, one of the most significant rock art sites in Australia.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Kakadu Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Jim Jim and Twin Falls: The Famous 4WD Track
- 111 audio storiesacross Kakadu’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Saltwater Crocodile, Water Buffalo, Frilled Dragon, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 35 trails, 54 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Wildlife
Wildlife in Kakadu
1,079 sightingsSaltwater CrocodileMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
121 sightingsWater BuffaloMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
76 sightingsFrilled DragonMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
116 sightingsRed-tailed Black CockatooMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
101 sightingsBrolgaMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
299 sightingsMagpie GooseMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Kakadu. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
