To the Gulf and Beyond!

Ok, back online again….today is Friday 19^th – Day 28. It has certainly gone fast. A couple of day to write about here.

We left Daly River on Wednesday at about 9am, as normal. On out last night at Daly River, I set up my camera for a 6-hour time exposure photo. I had to get up at 3am to turn it off, but when I got out to the camera in the paddock, it was already off – the battery had died. So I didn’t know how long it went for. I just looked at the meta-data of the photo and it went for 12,115.9 seconds – 201 minutes – 3hrs 20ins-ish. It was a bit over exposed, as you can see below.

We headed north from Daly River and arrived in Litchfield on Wednesday about 11:30, in plenty of time to find some adjoining campsites at Wangi Falls. The camping is typical of most NPs in that each site is fenced off by poles and you only can get one camp in each site. It is an honesty payment system where you put your money in an envelope, together with your details (arrival/departure dates/campsite number/number of campers/etc), and put a sheet on your car dash. It was only $6.60pp/n. We had hot showers and flush toilets, and there are BBQs and tables spread all around.

There was not a whole lot of shade, but we survived the very hot conditions, even tho the heat went well into the night. We had lots of mozzies and bugs, so we all retired to bed about 8pm! After we set up camp we headed off the fall for a swim in the pool created by the falls. It was beautiful – see pics.

Litchfield has a lot to offer the tourist. There are lots of falls, cliffs, look-outs, swimming areas, termite mounds, creeks, creek crossing, river crossings, walks, wetlands, mozzies and heat. We had a look at a few things in the arvo we arrived, but most we saw on the second day. All the places and things we saw were well worth it. The park isn’t very big, and most attractions are within 6 or so Kms of each other. That makes it easy. The furthest place we went was down the dirt road which can take a 4WD (no vans or campers) SW to the Daly River Rd. We only did about half of it, just far enough to cross, over and back, the Reynolds River. The crossing is the main obstacle of the road, as it floods easily, deeply, and is full of crocs. Luck for us, the water was only about a metre deep at it’s deepest, but considering it is about 100m long with a sandy, rough bottom. Both cars survived the crossings so all is well. K took video of me, and I took photos of him – apparently I was supposed to take video of him too, but he didn’t tell me that until afterwards. You can see his crossing below.

All the falls were magnificent, except for maybe the last ones we did which was a rough 2km walk in and quick splash, and then a 2km walk out again….all trying to beat the sunset, and hence a dark drive back up the dirt. Again, we made it ok, and even got to call into the Old Homestead ruins on the way back…the crossing there was in more darkness than light! No one died, so that is always a plus.

I thoroughly recommend Litchfield. Quite a few people have said they prefer it to Kakadu, butI think that is because you can see a lot more in a short period of time. Kakadu is probably 10 times bigger than LNP.

So although it was a quick visit, we saw all but one spot, and that was because we had seen the same thing earlier on in the trip.

We headed out of LNP, back through Batchelor where Wendy wanted to post some cards, and then back to the Stuart Hwy, heading south. Our objective was Ketherine again, to get some power, some shopping, some fuel and some internet. It is now 6:23pm, and I am sitting at my campsite, typing this, getting the photos ready, all so I can go in McDonalds and use their free wifi. My phone has used up nearly all the data - I passed 85% about 4 days ago, and I think it restarts again tomorrow. We are only here for the night, heading off tomorrow and will probably stay near Elliot at the billabong. There is no phone coverage there. From there we will head towards Tennant Creek where K&B’s middle daughter lives and works. We will be there for a three or four days. My next post will be from there. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the photos…

Here is my 6hr, which ended up 3hrs 20mins as the battery died, exposure at Daly River

This Short Eared Rock Wallaby mum visited us on our first morning. She had a very young baby in her pouch. She was about 3m from our breakie table.

She was cleaning out her pouch. She is holding it open with her hands, and licking inside. I hate to imagine what the baby did!

Litchfield NP is littered with old Tin Mine relics.

Florence Falls from the lookout. There were 135 steps to get to the bottom. We went down the steps and then did the 1.2km walk back along Shady Creek. It was beautiful.

Lots of Turkey bush in the area. This was on the path into the Tabletop Swamp.

This wetlands swamp reminded us of Lara Wetlands

This is the biggest falls in LNP. It was a very hot walk.

This Pheasant Cuckoo ran across our path...

The Magnetic termite mounds on the dirt road south. These mounds are constructed so that the this edge faces the mid-day sun, to stop it getting overheated.

Preparing to cross the Reynolds River

K&B doing the same...

They plunged in...

...through...

...and out.

I thought this guy standing on the roof as they came back was a bit dangerous...especially considering crocs were in the river.

...a bit of a bow wave...

Heading back up the track.....it was a bit dusty.

Me taking the plunge in Tjaynera Falls. This was the one late in the day that was 2km in and 2km out....some of the group suffered a bit of stress worrying about the darkness approaching...