The Aboriginal six seasons of Kakadu, Northern Territory

The Indigenous people of the Northern Territory’s Top End break the year down into six seasons. The Bowali Visitor Centre in Kakadu National Park explores these Aboriginal six seasons.

Most non-Indigenous people in the Northern Territory divide the seasons of the year into two – the Wet Season and the Dry Season. But this is a little simplistic. As is the European four seasons – spring, summer, autumn and winter – that gets translated to the rest of Australia.

According to the traditional owners of the Kakadu National Park, the Top End of the Northern Territory has six seasons. The Bininj in the north and Mungguy in the south define the seasons by the skies, rainfall, plants and animals. These demarcations are based on thousands of years of local knowledge.

Jim Jim Falls in Kakadu National Park from the air. The Falls are most powerful during Kudjewk. Photo courtesy of Tourism NT/Jarrad Seng.

Aboriginal six seasons: Kudjewk and Bangkerreng

The first of the Aboriginal six seasons is Kudjewk, the monsoon season which runs roughly between December and March. This is a time of heat, high humidity, thunderstorms and flooding. There’s a boom in animal and plant life, with goannas and snakes climbing trees to escape the floods, and speargrass growing two metres tall. Essentially, this is the typical tropical summer.

Kudjewk is followed by Bangkerreng, or the ‘knock ‘em down’ storm season. This maps roughly to April, and is when floodwaters recede and skies get clearer. There are often strong, windy storms at the start of Bangkerreng, which flatten the speargrass. Otherwise, this is a time of plants fruiting and animals caring for their young.

4 Kakadu experiences worth booking in advance

Full day Kakadu tour from Darwin.

Corroboree Billabong wetland cruises.

Full day Arnhem Land tour from Jabiru.

The Yellow Water crocodile cruise in Cooinda.

Aboriginal six seasons: Yekke and Wurrkung

Next come the dry seasons, starting with Yekke from May to around mid-June. This is a time of cooler weather, although it is often still humid. There are early morning mists, dry winds, and flowering plants. Traditionally, Yekke is when Aboriginal people do controlled burns of the land to ‘clean’ the country and aid new growth.

Yekke is followed by Wurrkeng from around mid-June to mid-August. This is the cold weather season, but that’s all relative. Temperatures are still between 17°C and 32°C. Many creeks stop flowing and the floodplains dry out. Waterbirds crowd the remaining billabongs.

Six seasons of Kakadu: Kurrung and Kunumeleng

From mid-August to mid-October, Kakadu and the Top End start to warm up. Kurrung is the hot and dry season, traditionally when local Aboriginal people hunt long-necked turtles and file snakes.

Then comes Kunumeleng, the pre-monsoon storm season from mid-October to late December. This period becomes increasingly hot and humid, with afternoon thunderstorms common. Streams begin to run again, and Aboriginal people move their camps from the floodplains to the stone country for shelter.

Bowali Visitor Centre

A great place to learn more about the Aboriginal six seasons of the Top End is the Bowali Visitor Centre in Jabiru, 254km from Darwin. The Kakadu National Park’s main settlement is also close to park highlights including Ubirr, Cahills Crossing and the Mamukala Wetlands.

Book your Kakadu National Park tours.
Or, if self-driving, your kakadu accommodation.