Ubirr Art Site

Ubirr is one of Kakadu's key highlights that's predominantly famous for two main things – its rock art, and its amazing sunsets. Home to a number of examples of Aboriginal rock paintings that date back thousands of years, Ubirr carries with it a truly prehistoric sense of being a “land that time forgot”, and the vantage point on offer from atop its rocky outcroppings showcases a wilderness landscape of wholly untouched floodplains and escarpments. The view encountered after navigating the relatively easy track that clocks in at around 250 metres in length is breathtaking in terms of distance, as the plains stretch out as far as the eye can see and are particularly glorious after recent rainfall. The wetlands here come to life during wet season, with the water drawing out wetlands birds such as Jabirus and geese, as well as marsupials who come to drink. It’s the sunsets, however, that make Ubirr’s views such a significant and spiritual-feeling experience; the skies change from a vibrant blue to a blazing orange, and the contrast with the floodplains greenery makes for a vivid tableau of colour. Timing your visit to take place during sunset is not only great for the spectacle, but for the accompanying ranger talks that coincide with them and lend an extra level of context to the proceedings. The site comes equipped with rustic benches on which to rest and reflect, and it’s hard not to feel moved by simply sitting down and absorbing the entire process. Accessible via a half-hour drive from Jabiru, Ubirr’s blend of landscape and profound history make a visit all but essential.