Car parked on top of a hill looking out on Bawaka Homeland in Arnhem Land

Camping & 4WDin Arnhem Land

Pitch your tent in a World Heritage-listed national park and step into a land of cascading waterfalls, sandstone gorges and ancient rock art.

Camping and four-wheel driving (4WD) in Arnhem Land will be a memorable experience, however it must be noted that the Arnhem Land Trust is Aboriginal Land. Access is restricted to allow Aboriginal cultures to exist in the traditional way, with little outside influence.

For travellers flying into Gove airport, four-wheel drives are available for hire in Nhulunbuy. To simplify accessing Arnhem Land by 4WD it can be segregated into destinations to explain the permit systems:

Garig Gunak Barlu National Park on the Cobourg Peninsular is a National Park, and is therefore permitted by NT Parks and Wildlife service’s Permits branch. Contact the branch on +61 (08) 8999 4795.

Dhimurru Recreational Area surrounds the Gove Peninsular and includes such hidden gems as Cape Arnhem and Little Bondi. Access is permitted by visiting the Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation or phoning +61 (08) 8939 2700.

Some Traditional Owners are now inviting travellers to visit their remote outstations, such as at Dhuluwuy Bay, encompassed by Blue Mud Bay. These remote areas host campers, anglers and 4WD travellers. The businesses generally include permits with your booking. Lirrwi Tourism operates multi-day 4WD tours to a number of Yolngu Homelands where participants camp on Country and are welcomed into a small family community.

The Northern Land Council issues transit permits to Nhulunbuy and other regions through their regional offices. There are a number of quality safari camps to choose from in Arnhem Land which are hosted and include tours, fishing and wildlife safaris. Others focus on hunting Buffalo, Banteng, Samba Deer and Wild Boar. Mostare accessed via charter flight but some are by 4WD only. See more things to do in Arnhem Land.

Camping & four-wheel driving around Arnhem Land

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