The surface of the plateau is made up of large areas of bare and stone. Rainwater runs quickly off the sandstone and plunges down the escarpment in a series of spectacular waterfalls to the lowlands below. These waterfalls are said to be eroding the escarpment at a rate of 1 metre every 1000 years.

The flora and fauna of the plateau contain many endemic species 11 per cent of its plants are endemic as are five birds, four marsupials, six reptiles and two frogs. Because of its rocky surface and thin soils the plateau does not support a great variety of vegetation. Heaths and shrubs dominate. Some pockets of monsoonal rainforest are found in the small, sheltered valleys and gorges of the plateau and escarpment. Animal life includes reptiles, rock possums and cave-dwelling bats. Rare species of fish, such as the grunter and Saratoga, are found in the pools at the base of the escarpment. Outliers are outcrops of harder, more resistant rock that have been isolated from the escarpment and plateau as the softer rock has been eroded by the action of running water.

During the wet season the river systems of Kakadu are unable to cope with the volume of water flowing into them. As he Floodwaters spread out over the vast, flat plain, large areas of wetland are formed (see Figure 6.4j). These wetlands provide an important habitat for birds, such as Jabiru and magpie geese. Many species of migratory birds arrive from the Northern Hemisphere during this time of the year and make Kakadu their temporary home. During the dry season the waters retreat, until only the billabongs and rivers remain. These are the home of freshwater crocodiles, pig-nosed turtles and fish, including barramundi. The vegetation communities found on the flood plains vary according to the floorings duration. Paperbark swamps are found in areas that are flooded for the longest periods. Pendants and acacia are found on the higher ground.

Mangrove forests dominate the coastal wetlands of the region. Mangroves grow in the mud deposited by rivers and tides. The daily tidal range determines the area in which mangroves will grow. The mangroves roots are covered at high tide and exposed to the air as the tide retreats. The mangroves are an important breeding ground for fish and bird life. They are also the home of the saltwater crocodile. Tidal flats, which are made up of alluvial deposits of mud, lie behind the line of mangroves. They are only flooded during very high tides and are generally free of vegetation because few plants can withstand their salty soil.