Entry 7 – Litchfield National Park to 7th to 22nd July.
It was good to get the ongoing saga with our tow tug windscreen sorted with completion of its replacement. Leaving Darwin our first stop was at a supermarket where we got to tick off everything on our shopping list, hopefully with enough food for another couple of weeks of independent living. Our last requirement for the day was to stop at Berry Springs and immerse our bodies in the warm thermal waters at Berry Springs Nature Reserve. It was a good tonic, to disperse all the built-up anxiety from a long busy day.
We continued to view different locations at Litchfield NP with a hike along Greenant Creek to Tjaetaba Falls. There was an unattended slow-moving fire at sections of the walking track. A regular occurrence in the Northern Territory. It was school holidays and it was crowded around most of the unique special locations in the N.P. At least the boys who were jumping into the pool at the top of the falls permitted us a quick photo shoot.
Late one afternoon we headed up to the top of Wangi Falls to watch the colours in the sky from the setting sun. On the way through the monsoon forest section, we spotted a Rainbow Pitta bird. Our second ever, sighting of a Pitta bird, we had previously sighted one in 2016 when visiting one of the water holes in Kakadu.
Another evening we attended an enlightening talk from one of the rangers who provided lots of interesting information about Litchfield NP. Wangi Falls pool was still closed at mid-July. It had been a good wet season and the flow of water was currently deemed to be too high where crocodiles could still enter the falls pool. They had removed 15 crocodiles this season to date. One trap was located in the fall’s waters and two traps just downstream from the falls. Four of those crocodiles trapped had been the man-eating salt-water variety with one at four metres in length.
We knew we were in crocodile country but after hearing about the number of crocodiles removed from Wangi Falls pool area we weren’t as keen to enter the water even if the park rangers announced it to be safe for swimming. We have added one of our photographs taken on a previous trip near this area of Australia showing a wild salt water crocodile, adding to our element of mind games fear.
Another day we did the Lower Cascades walk with a cool down dip in one of several ponds The walk was a bit scrambly in places requiring concentration on foot placement.
It was the first year with the introduction of camp ground hosts in Litchfield NP who provided advice about the N.P, kept the camp ground clean and monitored all the camp ground sites. We became quite friendly with Geof and Rossanne who were enjoying their camp ground hosting. It probably helped we were staying for an extended period, not like most, here one day, gone the next. One day they invited us to their site for freshly made scones with lashings of jam and cream. There was no hesitation, accepting their yummy offer. We even spotted a couple of curlew birds near their site. We had heard the loud crying/wailing sound unique to the curlew birds during the nights and were chuffed to have finally spotted them.
Rossanne was keen to visit Sandy Creek Falls and we happily accommodated her as their vehicle didn’t have enough clearance to travel through the water crossings. We arrived early morning before the sun had penetrated into the falls gorge. It was very enjoyable lazing about in the cool fall’s waters. We have added a picture from our dash cam showing us propped for an oncoming vehicle travelling through the deepish water crossing on the way to Sandy Creek.
Through the N.P. there were many pockets of ancient Cycad Trees. Part of the ranger talk had been about these trees. The below pictures show the female version and the male version. We saw mostly female versions and needed to look about for the male version.
In one section of the N.P. there is a controlled viewing area where you can see some magnetic termite mounds in the distance. The mounds are wide on two sides and very narrow on the other two, designed to avoid the sun generated heat of the day. The termites will work on the coolest side during the day depending on the sun’s location at any time. There were some magnetic termite mounds nearby the Sandy Creek Falls track, providing an opportunity for good viewing.
One morning we walked the track to the Upper Cascades. For the best part of the 1.7 kilometre walk we were in need to watch our foot placement amongst the rocky terrain. And as always when participating on one of these walks there can be too many choices of water holes to select from to immerse one’s body into the beautiful cooling creek waters. Mary did enjoy her modelling duties in a beautiful pristine environment.
On Geof and Rossanne’s finale afternoon as camp ground hosts at Wangi Falls we provided them with a farewell treat. An apple crumble we put together the same afternoon, made from fresh granny smith apples, cooked in our oven and served up hot.
We had a short splattering of internet access and have uploaded our current recordings. At this point in time we were thinking perhaps another week at Litchfield NP would be nice.
There was reported to be a small area in Litchfield NP where we could get Telstra internet near the turnoff from the main road to Florence Falls. Our block of Telstra internet was due to expire, still with 100 gig of data left. We made a list of internet usage “stuff” and drove the near 25 kilometres to this location. We did find a hot spot where we could get some scratchy reception but the quality just wasn’t there and we ended up abandoning our hunt for Telstra internet. It was a normal week day and we were nearby to Buley Rock Holes, it had been hot in the car whilst attending to our internet stuff. So, we thought we would give Buley Rock Holes a go.
The main area of Buley Rock Holes was rather crowded, unappealing for us. We walked down stream following the walking path for about half a kilometre where we found three more smallish swimming holes with the third less crowded. It felt good cooling off in a magnificent setting providing our well-being senses with a positive boost. Seemingly, again, again and again.
We had a look at Tabletop Swamp finding it an interesting location where there was a largish area of water near the upper levels in Litchfield NP. The upper tree canopy was quite thick inhibiting our bird viewing activities.
It was about a 11-kilometre drive off the main road to a location called The Lost City along a sign posted 4wd only track. It led to a smallish area of eroded sandstone rocks. We found an entrance for what could have been our residence. It was ok but we wouldn’t bother again if in this area.
We could see a bush fire in the distance and thought it might enhance some sunset viewing. We made our way around the Wangi Falls circuit walk to the top of the falls where we enjoyed watching the various stages of the sunset with the sun seeming to explode through the smoke haze. For our return trip down the falls track we utilized torch lights to illuminate our passage as the moon was just a mere slither not far from the setting sun.
It was into the second half of July and Wangi Falls Pool swimming area was still closed, with any nearby cooling pool waters, requiring a drive from around 10 to 20 kilometres away.
Whilst based at Wangi Falls Campground, we regularly visited, The Cascades, Walkers Creek and Sandy Creek Falls swimming areas, enjoying some good walking trails, plenty of fantastic scenery and the fabulous fresh, body cooling waters.
The daily temperatures were a constant 33 to 36 degrees C, helping with the appreciation of our bodies being immersed in the cool fresh creek waters throughout Litchfield National Park. It was the last weekend of the school holidays and we decided to take a punt and relocate back to Florence Falls Campground where we could walk to some of the water holes, without a need to drive, providing our tow tug with a rest.
It was about a half hour drive up the road to the Florence Falls Campground, setting up our camp site with our extended sun shielding area in record time.
Then it was into the beautiful waters of the Florence Falls Pool for a cool down and later in the day with a dip in the less crowded creek waters above the falls. It felt good without the need to drive to obtain a therapeutic dip. Early the following morning we walked about 2 kilometres to the Buley Rock Holes. It was one of the easiest walks we had experienced in Litchfield NP with a smooth cement path surface and few steps.
Buley Rock Holes was still deserted at the early hour and we or “Steve,” thought we should replicate one of our previous pictures showing the normal daily scene at Buley Rock Holes, minus the crowds. Precisely referring to the girl on the right of the below picture
Even as we were attempting these magnificent feats, people started to arrive wanting the use of our pool in preference to 10 other vacant ones. Something to do with our magnetism? Then, it was Mary’s turn. She stood looking and looking. Then she put her hand up, saying “No Way.” Steve provided some encouragement, something about her age, etc. She finally relented, but from a more subdue height.
She hit the water and disappeared below the surface and then the water started to boil with Mary exhaling from below. Once she resurfaced and composed herself, she was happy, young again.
Later the same day the error of our ways was pointed out to us. National Park bylaw, no jumping from rocks, oops.
From Florence Falls Campground there were a few walking trails options. We enjoyed them all, the Buley Rock Hole walk, the walk to the old 4wd campground and the Shady Creek walk around the Florence Falls terrain. The Shady Creek walk crossed over the creek several times and on one occasion we spotted a seat shaped rock.
For us Litchfield NP is a most enchanting place, one we could stay on and on and on. Sad for us it was time to move on with some personal time lines imposed.
Some more special memories from our time in Litchfield National Park, including on our final night a camp fire cooked fruit damper.
