Lietchfield National Park - Falls, Falls, Falls & Termites!

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September 6, 2014 – We headed out bright and early to Litchfield National Park, a 1500 square kilometer park, 100 km southwest of Darwin. This was Father’s Day in Australia and we were expecting the roads to be busy. Maybe we left before the crowds, or maybe we were just faster than the rest (the speed limit is this part of Australia is 130 kms/hr!!) but, we didn't meet another vehicle until we were well within the park.

Termites!

Everything in Australia is big! And nothing symbolizes this more than their termite mounds – one type of termite (there are several kinds) build tall Cathedral Mounds that can be over 50 years old! They’re not the kind a cathedral I’m used to, but I did feel a kind a reverence for the tiny creatures that create these amazing structures. I had never really known much about termites because there aren't a whole lot of them around where I live. Mostly I've heard about the bad things they do to people's homes, but they do perform a most useful function in dry parts of the world as they break down rotten wood and dead plants. Without them the place would be a real mess! Still, I'm not petitioning them to live at my home.



Falls, falls and more falls!



Cascades Falls was a little less than a 4 km to walk; however, the heat, the sandy trail, rock climbing and stream fording made it seem much longer. I still find it amazing that I was scrambling through the Australian forest in running shoes, shorts and a t-shirt with wild black cockatoos looking down at me flapping their wings and squawking!



Florence Falls was a double-plunge water fall with a lovely (although, rocky) swimming hole beneath. There are two routes to get to the falls. On the way there, we took the stairs, and on the way back, we took the Shady Creek walk that went through a splendid little rain forest.



Buley Rock Hole was a series of cascading plunge pools filled with people of all ages enjoying the day – this is where all the people enjoying Father’s Day had gone.



Wangi Falls is surrounded by a beautiful rain forest, has easy access, warm water and a soft bottom. Picture in your mind one of those perfect lagoons you’ve seen in a Hollywood movie – we were there! As the temperature was at least 35 C, we donned our swim suits and dove in! Mal thinks he might just recreate these falls and lagoon in his yard some day.



Tolmer Falls is truly spectacular plunging 135 into a deep gorge with caves at the bottom that provide a home to Orange Horseshoe & Ghost bats.

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[D MJ Binkley]

Falls
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