Jabiru is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Built in 1982, the town is completely surrounded by Kakadu National Park. At the 2016 census, Jabiru had a population of 1,081. It is named after the black-necked stork often seen in the wetlands and billabongs of Kakadu, which is commonly referred to in Australia as a Jabiru (not to be confused with the stork native to South and Central America). History and governance A township in the Alligator Rivers region of Arnhem Land was first proposed in the early 1970s to support a rapid growth in tourism following the construction of the Arnhem Highway. A view expressed by some witnesses before the Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry was that the development of the Ranger Uranium Mine and its supporting infrastructure would also support growth in the tourism industry. A new town could be established as a regional service centre, providing both homes for workers at the mine and tourist accommodation for visitors to the proposed Kakadu National Park. The township of Jabiru began construction in 1982, after a area was leased to the Jabiru Town Development Authority (JTDA) in 1981 by the Director of National Parks and Wildlife. Under this agreement, the JTDA controlled development through subleases to the operators of the Ranger Uranium mine, government agencies and private business. Under the conditions of the lease, the town was only to allow permanent residents who were associated with the operation of the mine, government agencies or essential services. The population was not to exceed 3500. These conditions were intended to protect the world heritage site by minimising the footprint of urban development. The second management plan for the Kakadu National Park in 1986 permitted expansion of the town's role as a tourism service centre, with the development of accommodation and tourism businesses subject to agreement by the traditional land owners and Northern Land Council. The first such development was the iconic Gagudju Crocodile Hotel, opened in 1988. The JTDA delegated local government responsibility to the Jabiru Town Council. The Northern Territory Government amalgamated Jabiru Town Council and the West Arnhem Shire (Region) in 2008. Jabiru town services are administered by the West Arnhem Regional Council, whose council chambers are in the town plaza. The Mirrar clan were recognised as the traditional title holders of Jabiru Township in November 2018, but a dispute over the native title was drawn out for