We spent the day at Litchfield Park on Wednesday, leaving around 8.00am and not getting back until 5.00pm and then the girls really didn’t want to leave the Buley Rockhole.
The Park is enclosed by a spectacular Tabletop Range, which is a wide sandstone plateau mostly surrounded by cliffs. We drove to the farthest point first which was the Cascade Falls but with a rocky watercrossing, we didn’t stay very long because we all had shoes and socks. Our next stop was the Wangi Falls which was my favourite. A large waterhole with two waterfalls, one large and the other smaller, the water just cascading out of the rocks, seemingly from nowhere and surrounded by lush monsoonal rainforest
The girls ventured in straight away while we set up lunch. Then it was Em & my turn to gingerly put our toes in the cool water and take the plunge. It was magical, once we were submerged, we could have spent the afternoon there. Apparently during the wet season the falls thunder from the cliffs to the rock pools.
Our next stop was Florence Falls, then onto Tolmer Falls with its unusual rock formations, even a natural arch which has been formed over the years by the water seeping in through the cracks.
Buley Rock Pool was the girls favourite as they could scramble, slip and slide over the rocks and then dive or jump into the crystal cool water pools.
Our last stop was the magnetic termite mounds.
Then it was homeward bound
As Colleen says”this takes me back”. Glad you enjoyed the warm pools at Mataranka, when we were there last the bats were terrible, you couldn’t even put your towel down because of the droppings. However we did enjoy the soak. Litchfield is another place that is bringing back so many good memories. If you have the chance and the funds take a helicopter ride over the place, just magic. Ahh, the rest of us will just dream on. See you for coffee Monday!!!!
Litchfield is the first place on your trip which I’ve visited. We were there around 2000 I think when we went to Darwin for my brother Patrick’s wedding. I remember how beautiful it was – and how hot! We had hired a tiny car and had no way to keep our water cool so my clearest memory is of a dehydrated feeling ( vowed to always travel with a thermos style water bottle). I also remember the amazing termite mounds. Keep safe & have fun.
PS. Eric has just put a book of the photos of his outback trip in 1972 (the year we met and got engaged). I’m sending you the link and when you get back to Melbourne you might be interested in having a browse:
http://www.blurb.com/books/2439036