As far as Kakadu National Park is concerned, it’s the wet season that never was … or at least the one that never really got going.
The ABC reports that the iconic Northern Territory Park has enjoyed dramatically less rainfall than normal this season and that has massive implications for the local environment and for the tourism experience.
With the township of Jabiru recording only 340 millimetres of rain from the beginning of October through until the end of January – that’s less than half the average – some activities have had to be cancelled.
Low water levels have meant Kakadu Cultural Tours has been unable to put boats in the water to run its annual wet season cruises through the wetlands and, without consistent rain over the next few weeks, the boat cruises will not operate this year.
The weather bureau is forecasting below average rainfall for Kakadu for the next three months.
Kakadu Cultural Tours Manager, Liam Maher, told the ABC that it was a worrying time.
“We’ve had just a little bit of a wet period that’s pushed the water up, but we are not that optimistic that it’s going to stay up,” he said. “We don’t know if we are operating a product yet for the wet season. We hope so.”
The low rainfall this season follows a below average wet last year, and Mr Maher believes a pattern of drier monsoon seasons is emerging.
“The environment of Kakadu needs its annual floods,” he said. “One of the reasons this is a World Heritage area is because of its United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s World Heritage listed flood plains, which have got millions of bird and crocodiles and numerous animals that rely on them.”
Your comments re boats not operating.- does that mean the tourst boat operating out of Cooinda Lodge area will possible not run in say July ? Your comments would be appreciated Brian