17 - Tjuwallyn (Douglas) Hot Springs

17 – June 2016 - 27/6/16

Over the last week there seemed to have been an increase in the volume of school aged children around us. Northern Territory school holidays were due to commence in around a week for a duration of a month and it seemed quite a number had started holidays early. 

This was adding to the congestion at our current location and would create additional impact at the various locations we had been planning to spend time at during the next month. Our topic of conversation regularly included ideas and strategies we could utilize with our travels around the top end of Northern Territory during these busy periods. Other than evacuate and return once the peak period had diminished. 

One of our ideas was to bypass some of the less patronised areas we would normally avail time for exploration and we relocated to one of the publicized locations that appealed to us at the Tjuwallyn (Douglas) Hot Springs about a 160 kilometre drive hoping to experience this location before the additional increase of people with the onslaught of the forthcoming school holidays. 

There were a few areas in close proximity where very hot water bubbled out of the ground forming pools that overflowed into other shallow pools and also mixed with some cooler water flowing from the Douglas River in other pool areas.

Hot bubbling waters

We found the pools close to the hot springs far too hot for us and we settled for soaking our bodies in the cooler waters further down the stream. The base of the pools consisted of coarse river sand which was ok to walk, lay or sit on. It was lovely to immerse our bodies in a few different temperature pools. We would start warm and when our external body colour turned to a pretty red, we would then move to another cooler pond to cool down.

This water hole felt a bit on the hot side

Early morning pools

This one felt just right

Once again we were reassessing the publicity literature we had been able to obtain describing the highlights of this area and areas in close proximity. A drive to a publicised swimming area “To Be Experienced” at The Arches and The Waterhole was a fizzer due to the presence of crocodile signage and verbal recommendation by the caravan park owners not to enter the water that as it turned out controlled this location.

Another drive to Butterfly Gorge with allegedly thousands of butterflies ended up after a couple of hours with sighting of 3 butterflies. It was a beautiful gorge with a rather difficult not well presented trail to gain access. We did get to catch up on some exercise which had been absent over the last few days.

Walking trail to Butterfly Gorge

Butterfly Gorge

Butterfly Gorge road Termite Mound

Unfortunately once again we were questioning the literature provided by “Tourism Top End” promoting our present area and areas in close proximity (Daly River area). This is where the friendly travel community do help by providing descriptions of their experiences and views for areas they have travelled. After chatting with people, some around the campground and many scantily clad people relaxing in the hot spring waters amongst us, we came to the conclusion that the Daly River region catered for people with boats, focused on fishing and there weren’t any references to any other activities or highlights.

We did enjoy the experience of soaking our bodies in the hot flowing waters produced by the Tjuwallyn (Douglas) Hot Springs creating a happy environment amongst its visitors.

Six days at this location could have easily increased to more but we had a minor hiccup where we needed the services of a dentist. So we made our way to Darwin instead of in a month’s time.