Litchfield National Park
Our first Australian camping experience.
AUSTRALIA
After doing our road trip from Sydney to Brisbane, we flew to Darwin, the capital city of the Northern Territory of Australia, where we rented a station wagon with camping gear. Our plan was to drive along hwy 1 all the way to Perth, exploring and camping along the way.
Our first stop was Litchfield National Park, famous for its picturesque waterfalls. We decided to stay at the Wangi Falls camping area. This was a first come first serve campground. We arrived on the shoulder season just at the start of the rainy season. We got sunny sky's and only had a few other campers in the campground. This campground is nestled amidst lush greenery and surrounded by the stunning Wangi Falls. The campground had well-maintained facilities, including bathrooms, barbecue areas, and picnic spots. On our way there we stopped at the Magnetic Termite Mounds.
From the campground it was just a short walk along a well maintained trail to Wangi Falls and the plunge pool. Luckily at the time we were there, it was before the rainy season. The majority of our time camping was spent trying to stay cool and looking for where to setup where we could find a breeze through the tent.
Over our time in the Northern Territory we did have a couple nights where thunderstorms moved in and dumped a tropical style quick downpour. Usually the rain and wind was over quickly but at night you could also get some great views of the lightning in the clouds.
We fully enjoyed our visit to Litchfield National Park. We felt incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the beauty of this natural wonder. Happy exploring!
As I was making dinner at our campsite, Janet spotted a Wallaby with a baby munching on some plants. At this park we truly felt immersed in nature.
Up to 100 years old, these structures are unique to the northern parts of Australia, including Litchfield National Park. There was a well maintained boardwalk to walk and view these enormous magnetic compasses, with their thin edges pointing north-south and broad backs facing east-west. This aspect thermo-regulates the mounds for the magnetic termites inside, who prefer high humidity and stable temperatures. After viewing the termite mounds we continued to the campground and paid at the self check-in. We found a semi-shady campsite and setup our tent, table, and chairs.
With no issues with Saltwater Crocodiles during our stay and the ambient temperature around 38°C, we were eager to jump into the refreshing plunge pool. We had a blast swimming and taking in the incredible surrounding.
One of the other surprises was how fast our swimsuits dried after coming out of the pool. It was so hot and dry, that you went from soaking wet to dry in a matter of minutes.
The next day we did a day trip to Florence Falls. To get to the falls and plunge pool, we hiked a few hundred meters down 135 stairs and then along a short trail.
There was a viewing platform for Florence Falls that allowed us to view this picturesque waterfall as its crystal-clear water cascaded down into a plunge pool below. Surrounded by lush greenery and towering cliffs, the falls created a tranquil oasis that was perfect for relaxation and rejuvenation. We indulged in several hours of swimming in the invigorating water, savoring the picturesque view of the falls.
We were fortunate that they were just short storms as once the rain picks up for a long period and the floods start, salt water crocodiles move in and you aren't able to swim. Below is a sign at the plunge pool warning that the pool is closed during the rainy season due to the dangers.
Daytime rainstorm as we drove down the highway.
Nighttime lightning and clouds on the horizon.
