Our Trip Around Australia: Litchfield National Park

After saying our goodbyes to Darwin we headed off to the National Park to spend a few nights and explore the crystal clear swimming holes,stunning waterfalls, termite hills, sandstone outcrops, historic ruins and pleasant bushwalking trails.

We based ourselves at Wangi Falls, which we felt was central to all the other activities in the park. We found a spot to unhitched the trailer and decided to set up the tent later on, in the early evening as it would be cooler, actually to be honest, we were basically to lazy too set it up and used the heat as an excuse. From Wangi Falls we headed to the Bamboo Creek Tin Mine, which was mined from 1905 to 1950’s on a small scale. It makes you wonder how they managed to survive! I can’t even go a day without the urge to check my Facebook page. Next stop was Walker Creek, for a much needed dip to cool ourselves off. Whilst Katrina was dipping her legs into the creek she received a free pedicure from some small crayfish, BONUS! However when I tried to do the same I was pinched by a larger crayfish, causing me to hop on one foot and nearly fall head first into the creek, much to Katrina amusement!. The last stop for the day was the Cascades, we decided to do the longer walk to the top of the cascades not realising that we should of worn better footwear than thongs. As it was a very rough track, with little shade and walking in the midday sun; so it was a welcoming sight to see the Cascades and I literally sat down in first pool of water we came across to cool off. We swam in the many small pools as we made our way along the Cascades. It was only on our return journey back to the car park that I could feel something between my toes; biting! and when I looked closer I discovered it was a leech!!! So with one hand on Katrina shoulder for balance, she begrudgingly tried to remove it. The little bastard didn’t want to let go without a fight and it took a few tugs, it reminded me of a rubber band as it body stretched, it eventually gave up my toes and recoiled; it flew through the air landing between rocks next to a pool of water for the next unexpected tourist to find!.

Bamboo Creek Tin Mine

Walkers Creek

The Cascades

On our second day in the park we decided to get off the beaten track and see something that wasn’t full of tourists. So we headed down the four wheel drive track to Tjaynera Falls (Sandy Creek). As we walked along the 1.7km track the sound of falling water grew louder but the boulders of the valley slowly revealed it’s secret hidden amongst the paperbark trees. We were the only two people there and enjoyed a swim in the refreshing plunge pool below the falls, with the sound of the birds and the falls in the background.

As we made our way back towards the main road we stopped off at the Blyth Homestead ruins which was built in 1929 by the Sergeant family, which was eventually abandoned in the 1960’s. That afternoon we spent swimming in the Wangi falls where we had camped.

Tjaynera Falls

Blyth Homestead

Wangi Falls

On our last full day in the park we had to fit as much in as possible, so we set of early for the lost city, more off road driving for James, he wasn’t complaining!!. The impressive sandstone blocks and pillars are reminiscent of the ruins of some lost civilisation. From there we headed towards some of the more tourist parts of the park, Florence falls and then on to Buley Rockhole. Luckily we got to Florence falls before they all arrived and managed to have a swim in the deep pool with only a few people there. Florence falls is a double waterfall amongst the monsoon rainforest. When more people started arriving we left for the rock holes hoping to get there before they did, unfortunately there where more tour groups there already but we still had a dip in the series of small falls and rock holes. Wanting a break from all the swimming and relaxation we decided to go to Tolmer Falls, No swimming is allowed here due to it being a sacred area to the Aboriginal people. It is also home to some rare colonies of bats. Tolmer Falls is spectacular, it cascades over two very high escarpments into a distant plunge pool.

The Lost City

Florence Falls

Buley Rockhole

Tolmer Falls

After packing up the trailer we decided to have a final swim in Wangi Falls before heading off. On our way out of the park we stopped at the Magnetic Termite Mounds. The mounds stand up to two metres in height and are in a north-south orientation. The means only the smallest surface area is exposed to the sun. However it does make the area look like a big graveyard. Strangely enough just across the car park there was also cathedral mounds too. After this we stopped quickly at Batchelor to take pictures of a castle that James spotted on our way in to the National Park, then it was back to Katherine for us for the night.

Magnetic Termite Mounds