Kakadu Tourism has launched a set of new packages designed for conference, incentive and special-interest groups seeking an inspirational destination for their event.

Kakadu Tourism Incentive Trips offers a comprehensive program for groups, covering activities, experiences, catering and meetings using the region’s spectacular natural landscape and rich cultural heritage – dating back over 65,000 years – to deliver memorable itineraries.

A UNESCO World-Heritage Listed National Park, Kakadu National Park is one of Australia’s most distinctive destinations for discerning groups.

From scenic flights over dramatic waterfalls, canape cruises on famous Yellow Water Billabong, art classes with Indigenous painters, and bush food discovery cooking classes with traditional owners, Kakadu is targeting interstate and international groups looking for authentic, “out of the ordinary” experiences.

Kakadu is under three hours’ drive from Darwin, or air transfers can be arranged with Kakadu Air to Jabiru or Cooinda in under an hour, which also provides opportunities to view scenic panoramas along the way.

There are glamping and traditional hotel-style accommodation options at Cooinda Lodge Kakadu, perfect for small to medium sized groups. Cooinda offers a variety of dining venues including two restaurants, along with atmospheric outdoor dining options.

A new dining experience, Kakadu under the Stars, debuted recently, providing an atmospheric venue for up to 100 guests at the Warradjan Cultural Centre in Cooinda, which also allows exclusive entry to the cultural museum documenting Kakadu’s 65,000 years of continuous habitation.

Events can include delegate participation in art and craft activities, didgeridoo performances and lessons, and Indigenous star interpretations.

Also available for incentive groups is a Crocs and Canapes twilight cruise on Yellow Water Billabong, home to an incredible array of wildlife, including a vast number of crocodiles, buffalo, brumbies and some 250 birds’ species.

Groups can also bond while catching one of the Territory’s legendary Barramundi with Yellow Water Fishing. All equipment is provided plus an experienced fishing guide is on board to help perfect fishing techniques. The customised fishing vessel is ideal for small groups, with the fish caught able to be presented at a dinner.

Immersive encounters with Kakadu’s local Indigenous people can be incredibly rewarding. Kakadu Tourism can organise day programs at Billabong Safari Camp, near Cooinda, where traditional owners from the local Murrumburr clan offer groups bespoke cultural experiences with the family.  The clan and affiliate families have been living in Kakadu National Park for generations and their culture and tradition remains strong.  The Murumburr clan and family members enthusiastically welcome groups to come and enjoy a taste of a real “living cultural experience”, learning how to identify bush foods, live off the land, make and use traditional implements and art, and understand their unique kinship system. 

In Jabiru, Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel provides full-service facilities, including a range of function rooms and outdoor event spaces to stage gala events. It is an ideal venue for team building activities, meetings, and events. ‘The Croc’, as it is known locally, is a uniquely shaped hotel designed to recognise the importance of the ginga (the local name for crocodile). Importantly for conference groups, the meeting rooms are located in the skull of the crocodile, which should inspire productive thoughts!

The Mercure features three modern meeting rooms, with the capacity to host groups from 25 to 250 delegates. Each meeting room can be arranged in a variety of function styles, including banquet, boardroom, theatre and classroom. Conference equipment is available on request, including WIFI access and projection & video equipment

For pre and post touring, Kakadu Tourism Adventure Tours can provide exclusive off-road adventures to visit waterfalls, swimming holes and many of the sites made famous in the Crocodile Dundee films.