Traditional owners reopen Gunlom Falls in Kakadu after six-year closures

The waterfall was closed in 2019 due to a dispute between traditional owners and Parks Australia over damage to a sacred Aboriginal men's site.

Transcript

00:00Swimmers return to the top pools of the spectacular Gundlum Falls.

00:06We felt really welcomed in because we were just part of the two of us.

00:09Refreshing.

00:10Yeah, refreshing after the time.

00:11For some Territorians, it's been a long time between dips.

00:15We came here when Eddie was two, probably just before it closed.

00:20Boongal dancers from West Arnhem celebrating the rebirth of one of Kakadu National Park's most popular campground.

00:27Just like it came back to life again.

00:32You know, everybody here.

00:35For traditional owners, the opening is also closure.

00:38Six years ago, Parks Australia built a walkway to the top of the falls too close to a sacred site

00:44and disturbed it and the traditional owners.

00:47The legal battle went all the way to the High Court

00:50before the federal agency ultimately pleaded guilty to breaking the NT's sacred site laws.

00:56It's like a healing place.

01:01It's just something that when you lose somebody, you want to come here and sit and the pain will go away.

01:12The walkway has been realigned and the federal government says the Commonwealth has learned lessons from the ordeal.

01:18The reopening of Gundlum Falls is not just about the opening of the falls as a tourist opportunity.

01:23It's the opening of a better relationship between Parks Australia, traditional owners and the Board of Management here in Kakadu National Park.

01:32With the top end tourist season in full swing, custodians say they're happy to once again share this special place with the public.

01:40I love this place. It's got a lot of powerful stories.

01:45Though they're urging visitors to stay out of the bottom pool for now after some recent croc sightings.

01:52The standards of the Jules

01:54A mid-lip-satmary

01:55BIRDS

01:57BIRDS

01:58BIRDS

02:00A mid-lip-satmary

02:03BIRDS

02:04BIRDS