Jim Jim Falls

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**Jim Jim Falls**

Jim Jim Falls during the wet season, Kakadu National Park
Location	Australia
Type	Plunge
Total height	N/A
Height of longest drop	N/A
Number of drops	1

Jim Jim Falls is a 200 m (660 ft) waterfall located in the Kakadu National Park, in the Northern Territory, Australia.

Whether the falls are raging with water or the merest trickle, this majestic waterfall is a sight to behold. Set in the red ochre of the Arnhem Land escarpment, and boasting white sandy beaches and crystal clear water, it is worth the 900 metre walk across rocks to appreciate this special area. Jim Jim Falls has graced many calendars, books and television programs and is a must see for all visitors to Kakadu National Park.

It is believed that 140 million years ago much of Kakadu was under a shallow sea. The prominent escarpment wall formed sea cliffs and the Arnhem Land plateau formed a flat land above the sea. Today the escarpment, which rises to 330 metres (1,080 ft) above the plains, extends over 500 kilometres (300 mi) along the eastern side of the Park and into Arnhem Land. It varies from vertical cliffs in the Jim Jim Falls area to stepped cliffs and isolated outliers in the north.

In the 'dry', when access is possible via a 60 km dirt road (the last 11 km are really suitable for 4WD only), the water dries up and the falls often don't fall. In the 'wet' when the falls are at their most spectacular, it is impossible to drive any vehicle into the area. Photographs of the falls at their most dramatic were taken by people who entered the area by light plane or helicopter.