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The Garig Gunak Barlu National Park and
Cobourg Marine Park is alive with wildlife. Some of the species include the rare
Dugong and five marine turtles, the Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley,
Leatherback and Flatback Turtles. The park is also home to the largest wild herd
of Banteng, Indonesian cattle that are now endangered in their native habitat.
It is also a birds watcher’s paradise. The park protects the first wetland to
be recognised as a Wetland of International Importance under an international
agreement called ‘The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance’
commonly known as Ramsar. Altogether, there are 53 sites in Australia, including
wetlands in Kakadu National Park.
Traditional land owners
The Park lies within the clan estates of the Iwaidja speaking peoples of
western Arnhem land, with custodianship being shared between five Aboriginal
clan groups, the Agalda, Ngaindjagar, Madjunbalmi, Minaga and Muran. The clans
have continual spiritual links with the land and sea. Their ancestors from the
Creation Era (Dreamtime) created the land and all it contains. The Park
therefore contains cultural landscapes which have been shaped and managed by
cultural traditions and is translated as: Garig (a local language name),
Gunak (land), Barlu (deep water). The Park is managed jointly the
traditional land owners and the
Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory. Check out the
Garig
Gunak Barlu National Park information sheet (PDF).
Source: Parks and
Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory: Garig Gunak Barlu National
Park Check out our range of listed
Garig Gunak Barlu accommodation.
In addition to our listed online travel guide information, contact the local
tourism visitor centre for your destination for more attractions, tours, local
maps and other information. |
