Kakadu National Park, managed by the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service (A.N.P.W.S.), lies adjacent to the western boundary of Arnhem Land about 220 kilometres east of Darwin.
Declared in April 1979 (stage 1) with an original area of approximately 6160sq.km., the park was greatly expanded in February 1984 (stage 2) making a total area of about 13000sq.km.
Further acquisitions of adjacent land are expected to significantly increase the size of the park in the near future.
The park extends from the coast of the Van Diemen Gulf, through floodplains and lowland hills to the sandstone escarpment and dissected Arnhem Land plateau.
Five broad topographic regions are recognised in the park but in the context of this report only the wetlands are considered. It is in these areas that the majority of the mosquito breeding will occur because most species require the more vegetated areas of still water as breeding sites.