Litchfield National Park & Berry Springs Nature Park

The day trip to Litchfield National Park makes you realise why so many overseas visitors visit the NT. Access to the park is through the small town of Batchelor which was originally a demonstration farm experimenting with various crops before the airfield was used during WWII & then after Uranium was found at Rum Jungle the government constructed much of the town for administration & housing for workers.

The park is home to assorted termite families including the magnetic mounds that are built north south to minimise exposure to the sun.

We could be in a movie at this site. The guy that took this photo was doing a time elapse photo of this ants nest for a project he has worked on around Australia. He is entering it in short movie contest relating to the genre & also releasing a photographic book of his photos.

The twin cascades at Florence Falls are spectacular & after a descending 160 steps the pool at the bottom is crystal clear. We had a swim here & swam up to the falls. There is a strong flow from the water & close to the falls it is quite windy. While it is supposed to be safe from Crocs you can't help feeling a bit uneasy! Luckily we were refreshed & nice & cool for the walk back up the 160 steps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rocky outcrop reached by 10km of rough narrow dirt road is worth the trip. The Lost City is an area of eroded sandstone rocks covering the area of a small village. Be because we are here just after wet season it still has remnant vegetation including the dry spear grass that covers much of NT.

Single lane in & out so it was a bit exciting around corners. Most drivers were taking their time except for one young cowboy in his fitted out ute who thought it was a good place to impress his chicky babe in the passenger seat, luckily we passed him on a pullover area.

 

 

 

Next stop was Wangi Falls. This is a beautiful spot. The water so clear and the bottom strewn with rounded rocks & pebbles. This has to be one of the best places I have visited - it is simply one of natures perfect spots. A bit of a cliche but this a breathtaking place & swimming here is magic. Imagine if you were from a crowded country or city & arrived here? It would be a great place to spend a day on a li-lo.

This is the runoff area from the pool through pandanus lined banks

The trip home via the dirt option to complete the Darwin to Darwin loop. As we were getting late in the afternoon we saw quite a few wallabies on the road so travel was steady. Unfortunately we saw a hire van being loaded on a trailer after a rollover just near the start of the tar, could have been speed or swerving to miss some wildlife.

We thoroughly enjoyed Litchfield Park, though others we have spoken to weren't that impressed. We missed Buleys Waterhole & have since been told it was a highlight for others.

 

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