Litchfield National Park

82 km back road in, 30 km unsealed

After 3 days at Tumbling Waters Holiday Park we continued a further 82 kilometres into Litchfield National Park, 30 kilometres of this road was unsealed and very dusty.

This National Park is very different to Kakadu, where Kakadu was mainly flood plain and savannah land and a large part of it burnt bush, this park was smaller and on an escarpment. It was a wonderland of waterfalls, cascading streams, palms, monsoon forest, rocky headlands and woodland areas. It is visually more interesting, lush and scenic than Kakadu. We spent 3 days exploring this national Park. Scrambling over rocky paths leading to the top of the waterfalls. Cooling down in the plunge pools at the bottom of the falls after the hot walk. Strolling along the well maintained crazy paving as it wound through woodland areas, following rippling, cascading streams through the tropical monsoon forest pockets.

Tropical monsoon forest area

Shady Creek walk

Tumbling waters of Shady Creek walk

Cascades

Crazy paving path through the woodlands

The first night we decided to camp at Wangi Falls camp ground, a basic bush camp maintained by the parks and wildlife organisation, $6-60 per person. After a satisfying day of walking, swimming and taking lots of photos we pulled into the camp ground. What a surprise it was full, in fact it was crowded. The Safari camp ground was 5 kilometres along the road, it was a commercially run camp and charged $25 for unpowered site, $35 for powered site, so we booked in on the unpowered, that is where we stayed the night.

Next day it was more exploring of the remaining walks and waterfalls. Florence falls was very popular and had lots of people swimming and cooling off in it. I went in also, I am not a confident swimmer and have a phobia about my head going under water, so it was with great caution, hanging onto rocky outcrops, that I lowered myself in. The rocks were very slippery and when a rather large fish came over and nibbled my leg I decided that was enough cooling off for me…

Wangi Falls walk to top of waterfall

Wangi Falls

Tolmer Falls

Florence Falls

 

The last waterfall was the Buley Rockholes and this area also had a basic bush camp. At 4pm when we drove in it only had one other camper there. So we set the van up and then went for a walk along the stream to the rockholes. It was breathtaking beautiful with rippling cascades of water falling from level to level over the rocks. No one else was in the small plunge pool at the bottom of the last cascade. Jack was quickly in and splashing around under the small waterfall. It looked such an inviting and small pool that Jack persuaded me to come in. It was heaven, not deep, no slippery rocks, no splashing and jumping children, no fishes, I eventually picked up the courage, with Jack’s help, to sit under the small waterfall, it was like a bubbling spa refreshing my body.

It was a full moon that night and as we lay in the van we could hear dingoes howling in the distance.

Next morning we went back with our cameras to catch that magical early morning light.

Buley Rockholes

 

Can you see Jack?

 

That’s me feeling very brave….