KAKADU CULTURE CAMP
 DJARRADJIN BILLABONG
( Muirella Park Campground)
New to Kakadu! Spend an evening
with a local Bininj (Aboriginal) family sharing culture.
The camp features a guided bushtucker walk and a three course
traditional campfire dinner including barra and buff cooked
on the coals, followed by hot damper with home-made bush
jams and cream, tea and coffee.
Later enjoy Kakadu’s only
night time boat cruise in the World Heritage Area on board
a specially designed 20 seat boat complete with high safety
rails all the way around.
Cruise Djarradjin Billabong
with Bininj people while they spotlight for the myriad of
Kakadu wildlife that comes alive after dark, including crocodiles
and birds. Your guides are local Aboriginal people who are
also Kakadu Park Rangers.
Hear night sky stories and
the legend of Warramurrunggundji, Creation Mother for the
Kakadu people. Learn about basket weaving and the didgeridoo.
Also hear how Park Rangers manage salt water crocodiles
and other animals in the World Heritage Area.
About us
The Kakadu Culture
Camp is owned and operated by the Hunter family
from Kakadu National Park. The camp was established
as a place where Bininj (Aboriginal) people could live and
work, and share their culture and traditional heritage with
tourists from around the world. The Culture Camp is
set up adjacent to the Muirella Park Campground at Djarradjin,
in the heart of Kakadu. The family also manages the
public campground where tourists can pitch their own tent
or tow in a caravan. The facility has toilets and
showers, along with solar hot water and lights.
The Hunter family is Fred,
Jenny and Douglas; all born and bred at Madjinbardi (Mudginberri
Station) on the edge of the famous Magela wetlands in what
was later to become Kakadu. Their clan is Bolmo Deihdrungie;
and they are traditional owners of country covering areas
in the freshwater reaches of the nearby East Alligator River.
Fred and Jenny have been
working as Kakadu Park Rangers since they left school and
have taken leave during the dry (tourist) season to run
the Kakadu Culture Camp; while Douglas is a carpenter with
Warnbi Aboriginal Corporation. Because most of our
activities are at night several other Kakadu Park Rangers
also work at the camp after hours. The following is
some information about some of our staff.
Fred Hunter
(Gardell) – Fred was born at Mudginberri
and has been working for PAN for 20 years. He has
lived and worked at Jim Jim Ranger Station but for a few
years has worked with Kakadu’s Natural Resource Management.
He has been involved in crocodile and feral animal
(buffalo, pig) management for many years. This has
included the trapping/harpooning and removal of crocodiles
at various areas in Kakadu including the Nourlangie and
Jim Jim creek systems (Twin Falls). Fred spends a
lot of his time operating an airboat on patrol in Kakadu’s
extensive wetland system.
Fred has cooked and presented Bininj bush tucker (barramundi,
magpie goose, turtles) at the Kakadu Mahbilil Festival,
and cooked goose for 150 delegates at the recent Northern
Territory Indigenous Governance Conference in Kakadu.
Fred does a lot of the campfire cooking and also operates
the spotlight on the night wildlife boat cruise.
Jennifer Hunter
(Ngaljalkarrdi) – Jenny was born at Mudginberri
and has been a Kakadu Park Ranger for 15 years. She has
worked at both the East Alligator River Ranger Station and
Nourlangie District. Jenny has had experience in natural
and cultural resource management; VIP ‘walks and talks’
in Kakadu; and documented oral histories and cultural information
from Kakadu’s elders. Jenny has also been involved
in the Bininj cultural display at Mahbilil.
Jenny along with other ladies from Kakadu do guided bushtucker
walks and gives basket weaving demonstrations at the Culture
Camp.
Douglas Hunter
(Namara Bunja) – Douglas was born at Mudginberri.
Douglas works for Warnbi Aboriginal Corporation CDEP as
Kakadu’s first and only qualified Bininj carpenter.
Douglas makes Didgeridoos (Mago) and clap sticks which he
demonstrates at the Culture Camp. Douglas loves giving
tourists a didge lesson then seeing them have a blow on
his didgeridoos!
Johnny Reid (Nabangardi)
– Johnny is a member of Wurnjgomgu Clan from Kakadu’s Jim
Jim region and is a close relation to the Hunter family.
Johnny has been working in Kakadu for many years as a tour
guide and has also worked as a Park Ranger.
Johnny helps manage the Muirella Park Campground and also
drives the boat for the night wildlife tour.
Andy Ralph –
Andy is married to Jenny Hunter and has been living and
working in Kakadu for almost twenty years. He worked
many years for Kakadu’s Mirarr people as Executive Officer
of Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation. Andy has also
been Chairperson of Kakadu Mahbilil Festival; an Aboriginal
cultural festival held every September in Jabiru.
He is a member of the Australian Rock Art Research Organisation
and has worked extensively with leading archeologists recording
and maintaining Aboriginal rock art in the region.
Andy helps coordinate tourist activities and also manages
the Muirella Park campground.
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