Entry 10 – 2024 – Litchfield National Park – Wangi Falls, NT
It was departure day at Nitmiluk National Park - Leliyn Edith Falls campground for “the group of four,” us with Petra and Jeff.
It was a magnificent location and none of us were keen to move on. We decided on one last loop walk, to the upper falls, including an enticing dip in its pool.
In the morning, we moved out of the campground, parking in the nearby day use area, annulling the campground departure time lines and we were off on our hike.
We were back with our vehicles around mid-day feeling satisfyingly contented. What a fantastic departure day memory.
A bit further up the road we propped at the small town of Pine Creek for a lunch break, where we introduced Jeff and Petra to an “Aussie BBQ.”
We noticed they had an initial bit of nervousness, trying something new. We watched on with interest as they both obtained a second serving and some more. The previous day, “the group of four,” had travelled together to Katherine to obtain needed supplies and we had partaken in a meal at the Katherine Club. Our feel good, neurotransmitters were buzzing from the exceptionally good scenery of Nitmiluk National Park, the availability of feel-good walking trails, providing satisfying exercise. We enjoyed some great meals, tantalising our taste buds and an added bonus with exceptional good company.
We said our good-byes. They were heading east into Kakadu N. P. and we were heading north to Litchfield N.P.
It was almost exactly 5 p.m. when we arrived at Litchfield’s, Wangi Falls campground. It was very different from our previous visits where we had aimed for an arrival time between 8 - 9 a.m. to coincide with the day’s departures for a best-case scenario to obtain a site. The new current system requiring a site pre-booking with payment, prior to arrival.
Litchfield N. P. campgrounds are similar to most other national park campgrounds around Australia. They are covered by shade producing trees. Our caravan, like many modern-day caravans rely on solar power, with a requirement to be positioned out in the “blazing sun.”
Thus, our national park site options are disappointingly restricted. We had selected the most suitable site for our power needs identified from a previous visit. Unbeknown to us the nearby trees had shot up, substantially since our last visit. Grrr. We found ourselves relying on portable solar panels to help obtain our daily power supply needs.
It’s an easy stroll from the campground to Wangi Falls with its beautiful pool and surrounds. This is one of those locations which has helped us to “slow down,” and enjoy life at a more sedate, tranquil pace. We carry an array of equipment, providing an option to set ourselves up to specifically embrace environments of this nature. This included some extended shade, helping to cater for the temperatures we were experiencing, 33 to 36 C daily.
For us Wangi Falls provided our neurotransmitter receptacles with all our feel-good needs. At camp we would sit in our chairs/lounges gazing across a grand setting of greenery. When our bodies started to feel a bit hot, we would wonder down to the pool, swimming out to the falls for a refreshing cool massage from the tumbling falls waters. We would utilize foam noodles as a support device, floating in the cool pool waters admiring our beautiful surrounds. It was an absolute delight. We especially enjoyed the falls early morning and late afternoons. The people traffic was quite congested between 10 a.m. until around 3.30 p.m.
During the afternoons we would regularly see water monitors sunning nearby the pool waters.
There is a Wangi Loop Walk, a steep rocky trail which circumnavigates the plateau above the water falls. There are a lot of steps, providing a good cardio-vascular work out. You can get glimpses of the surrounding woodlands as far as the eye can see.
On one side of Wangi Falls is a colony of flying foxes. We noted a marked increase in the size of their population compared to previous visits.
From our campsite at dusk, we would see the sky awash with flying foxes heading out for their nightly food hunt.
During the day we thought there seemed to be an absence of bird life around the campground and the falls area, in comparison to our previous visits. We wondered if the increase of the flying fox population was an influential factor due to the increased competition for suitable food?
It was day 8 and we hadn’t ventured away from the campground and falls area. It was such a grand setting, activating all our feel-good senses. We thought perhaps it was time to start up the tow tug and drive a bit down the road to Walker Creek for a look. We hiked along the trail for a while with a dip in one of the many pools.
Day nine at Wangi Falls campground, our relaxed, laid-back persona changed. We became more active, with the arrival of friends, Petra and Jeff. There was lots of chatter, catching up with one another’s movements over the last week and a bit. We still managed to maintain our regular cooling dips in the falls pool, though it was now with, “the group of four.”
One evening we walked via the Wangi Loop Walk to nearby the top of the falls to watch the sunset. There were some nibbles with a happy atmosphere.
The sun set was pretty good too.
With most of the illuminating light almost gone, the flying foxes started to take flight from the forest below, for their night time food forage. It was fabulous viewing.
It was such enjoyable viewing the following evening we watched the flying foxes taking flight from “below,” at the pool level.
There was a drive along a track to Sandy Creek Falls. First, we encountered a bit of a water crossing, with more water to cross on a side road to look at Blyth Homestead, built in the early 1900’s. Then there was the photo shoot being up close to some giant termite mounds.
It wasn’t all smooth going. Steve had already reduced the tow tugs tyre pressures but the track surfaced corrugations were horrendous. He stopped along the way to reduce the tyre pressures even further.
The walk to Sandy Creek Falls was a delightful track with varying scenery from a small flowing creek with lush green trees, some rocky steep hills and some open terrain.
The pinnacle highlight with the arrival of the welcoming vista of the grand Sandy Creek Falls.
One section along the Sandy Creek Falls trail you walk through a small valley, covered with some very different flora. We loved this special setting of a valley populated with ancient cycad’s.
Wangi Falls was one of those superb settings, very pleasing on the eye. It is within an easy drive (about 160 kilometres) from the city of Darwin. It is one of those major tourist attractions and is a busy, “people,” location.
We (“the group of four,”) made a special effort to obtain a treasured memory photograph on our final day. As per normal it had been quite congested during the day with lots and lots of people. We tried our luck near sunset with some modelling in the water.
We spent our final evening paddling about in the Wangi Falls Pool, thoroughly enjoying the magnificent setting around us. We climbed out of the pool as the sun was setting, disappearing below the tree canopy. It was a heart-warming, special memory for our finale, at Wangi Falls.
Below are some other special pictures during our time at Wangi Falls in Litchfield National Park.
Leaving Wangi Falls we travelled through Litchfield N.P. We propped at Florence Falls located about 25 kilometres up the road for a few days, because we could!
It was still, “the group of four,” and the first thing on our agenda was Buley Rock Hole.
Each morning, The Florence Falls to Buley Rock Hole Walk provided a welcoming incentive for all of us to be up early and walking. It was a special feeling whilst walking, watching the morning sun appearing on the horizon, rising from the base of the surrounding trees.
It had been a month since we had last been at the Florence Falls area and it was amazing how much had changed. Our early morning walk, through a predominate green flora canopy, was now awash with flowers. There was a noticeable increase in the bird life activity. Our early morning walks were now accompanied with a background noise with a variety of different melodies, complements from a diversity of birds.
During the day it was a delight to cool our hot bodies in the Florence Falls Pool or one of the many nearby creek swimming holes.
Since our last visit we had acquired a thermometer to position outside under our caravan awning. Most days there were periods with the temperature hovering around the 40 C mark. It was a confirmation of what our bodies were saying, it was hot. Too hot.
The other noticeable change was a significant reduction in the volume of people out and about. Our creek pool cool downs we had to ourselves. The previous month we had been jockeying for some water space. Each visit to the Florence Falls Pool was still busy with people, though without the off-putting excessive volume of people from the previous month’s visits.
There was a colony of flying foxes in the tree canopy nearby, The Florence Falls Pool, whom were not present the previous month. We thought they may have been attracted by the arrival of the flowers in the tree canopies?
During our time at Litchfield N.P. we had been searching for a bower bird nest. On our second to last day, it was a delight to finally spot one.
It was departure day. “The group of four,” had packed up camp the previous afternoon in the oppressive heat, to maximize available time the following morning.
On foot we left the campground whilst most other campers were sound asleep. We were all keen for our last, Florence Falls to Buley Rock Hole Walk. Our early morning dip in the pleasant, coolish waters of Buley Rock Hole was just as exciting as our first dip experience. It was a gratifying delight. Our final day departure activity couldn’t have been any better. Our neurotransmitter receptacles were bubbling with satisfaction. Back at camp we had a departure time group hug. They were heading south and we were heading north.
