0705 AUSTRALIA (Northern Territory) - Kakadu National Park (UNESCO WHS)

This archaeological and ethnological reserve of the size of Slovenia, located 171 km southeast of Darwin,  within the Alligator Rivers Region, has been inhabited continuously for more than 40,000 years. The cave paintings, rock carvings and archaeological sites record the skills and way of life of the region’s inhabitants, from the hunter-gatherers of prehistoric times to the Aboriginal people still living there, even if their lifestyle has changed in recent years.

It is a unique example of a complex of ecosystems, including tidal flats, floodplains, lowlands and plateaux, and provides a habitat for a wide range of rare, endangered, vulnerable or endemic species of plants and animals. As a result, Kakadu National Park became an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 (extensive in 1987 and1992). The park comprises four major landforms: Arnhem land plateau and escarpment complex; southern hills and basins; Koolpinyah surface; and coastal riverine plains.

The vegetation, among the richest in northern Australia with more than 1700 plant species recorded, can be classified into 13 broad categories, seven of which are dominated by a distinct species of Eucalyptus. The diverse environments of Kakadu National Park support also an astonishing array of animals, a number of which have adapted to particular habitats. The dominant sandstone escarpment of the Arnhem Land Plateau (in the postcard) ranges in height from 30m to 300m.

It is believed that 140 million years ago much of Kakadu was under a shallow sea. The rock platforms of the plateau are dissected by a network of chasms and gorges. Water drains away quickly, and in most areas soil is scarce. The small patches of soil that are to be found consist mostly of coarse sand and leaf litter trapped in rock fissures or shallow depressions.

I must to say that this isn't a maxicard, but a copy of one.

References
Kakadu National Park - Wikipedia
Kakadu National Park - UNESCO official website
Kakadu National Park - Australian Government, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

Sender: Heather Massese (direct swap)
Sent from Perth (Western Australia / Australia), on 02.10.2012
Photo: Jocelyn Burt / ANTPhoto.com