Litchfield National Park
- Introduction
- Fact file
- A look at the past
- Aboriginal culture
- Natural features
- Native plants
- Wildlife
- PWCNT Batchelor (08) 8976 0282
- PWCNT Palmerston (08) 8999 4555
Introduction
Litchfield National Park is a gem of a park, encompassing diverse landscapes that take in most Top End habitats. Spring-fed waterfalls flow from a plateau, creating beautiful, crocodile-free swimming holes, and outliers of imposing, weathered rock rise from grassy plains dotted with massive termite mounds.
Fact file
Access
From Darwin via Stuart Hwy then through Batchelor or via Cox Peninsula Rd then Litchfield Park Rd (both 2WD but latter has some gravel sections); or via Stuart Hwy to Adelaide River then Dorat and Daly River roads (4WD access)
Best Season
May to September; 4WD tracks open dry season only
Location
100 km south of Darwin
Park Information
Size
146 000 ha
Where to Stay
Banyan Tree Caravan and Tourist Park (08) 8976 0330 Batchelor Caravillage (08) 8976 0166 Batchelor Resort (08) 8976 0123 Rum Jungle Motor Inn (08) 8976 0123
A look at the past
In 1864 explorer Frederick Litchfield was the first European to discover many of the park’s spectacular features. For many years, until the 1950s, Litchfield was the site of tin and copper mining and old workings remain at Bamboo Creek, and near Blyth Homestead, a basic bush house built by pastoralists in 1929. Batchelor was an air force base during World War II then uranium was discovered nearby in 1949, leading to Australia’s first uranium mine at Rum Jungle. The mine closed in 1971.
Aboriginal culture
Aboriginal people have lived in the region for thousands of years and the park encompasses traditional lands of the Koongurrukun, Marranunggu, Werat and Waray clans.
Natural features
Dominating the park is the Tabletop Range, with spring-fed waterfalls plunging over its sheer escarpments and craggy rock faces. The constant flow of water from springs and wet-season floods has gouged out ravines, and large rock holes at the base of the range. Creeks spill into the Finniss and Reynolds rivers, which meander westwards across the flood plains to the coast.
Native plants
Two eucalypt species dominate the tropical woodland, the Darwin woollybutt and stringybark, while banksias, grevilleas, acacias and other flowering species attract birds and insects. Carpentaria palms and aquatic pandanus are common around monsoonal rainforests and along creeks. Some of the Carpentaria forests are incredibly tall, each tree competing for sunlight. Cypress pines grow on the upper slopes around Florence Falls.
Wildlife
Water monitors are common around the rock pools (watch for the large, dark brown to black Merten’s water monitor or the much smaller, paler coloured Mitchell’s water monitor, with its distinctive yellow spots or flecks). Pythons dwell in the moist, tropical vegetation and bats inhabit the large caverns of the sandstone escarpment – Tolmer Falls has several colonies of the rare orange leafnosed-bat and the ghost bat. The latter species, a carnivore and dubbed a false vampire, has pale translucent wings. Out in the woodland there are agile wallabies, antilopine wallaroos, common brushtail possums, quolls, sugar gliders and dingoes.The prolific birdlife includes nectar-loving honeyeaters and rainbow lorikeets, and olive-backed and yellow orioles, dollarbirds, common koels and gbirds. Red-tailed black-cockatoos sit high in the eucalypts feeding on seed pods, while rainbow bee-eaters flit across the sky snapping up insects in midair. The river flood plains are important breeding sites for birds such as magpie geese and are home to saltwater crocodiles. The golden orb-weaving spider is common around waterways.
Bushwalking
Clearly marked trails leave from carparks in most popular areas. At Wangi Falls, a beautiful walk leads around the pool via the top of the falls and includes a boardwalk with wheelchair access. At Buley Rockhole, a walk follows Florence Creek, while a short loop walk leads from the Florence Falls carpark to the bottom pool and back. At Tolmer Falls, a 20-minute walk leads from the carpark to an observation platform overlooking a massive rock pool with magnificent Tolmer Falls spilling into the void. Tjaynera Falls and a delightfully cool rock pool are at the end of a rocky track leading from the carpark past ancient cycads. A stroll around magnetic termite mounds in the north-east of the park is enhanced by a boardwalk with information panels, while one of the best walks in Litchfield is among the sandstone pillars of the Lost City. The Tabletop Track is a 39-kilometre circuit that links many of the park attractions and can be accessed at Florence Falls, Greenant Creek, Wangi Falls and Walker Creek. Overnight campers must stay at designated campgrounds and are asked to register on 1300 650 730.
Four-wheel driving
A 4WD track enters the park from the Daly River Road in the south, leading onto the main loop road, with turn-offs to Surprise Creek and Tjaynera Falls and Blyth Homestead ruins. The Lost City 4WD track is not too demanding but you do need a high-clearance vehicle.
Swimming
Florence, Wangi and Tjaynera are impressive waterfalls that plunge into rock pools ideal for swimming and safe from crocodiles. Buley Rockhole, where water cascades over rocks into a series of small pools, offers visitors a degree of privacy in their own pool. Another good swimming spot, at the end of a 20-minute walk, is above Tjaetaba Falls (Greenant Creek). Surprise Creek Falls is a delightful and rarely visited site just off a 4WD track. The Finniss and Reynolds rivers are off-limits to swimmers because they are saltwater crocodile habitats. Visitors must observe crocodile warning signs and be crocodile-wise at all times.
Campsites
Florence Falls 2WD camping area
Florence Falls 4WD camping area
Surprise Creek Falls camping area
Tjaynera (Sandy Creek) Falls camping area
Walker Creek camping area (walk-in camping)
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