Litchfield National Park Attractions
Litchfield National Park is a largely pristine wilderness with monsoon rainforest, large groves of cycads (plants resembling palms), the impressive Tabletop Range and a network of creeks and waterfalls. You can drive from Darwin into the western corner of the park in two hours if you choose the partly unsealed Cox Peninsula Road or take a little longer on sealed roads through Batchelor via the Stuart Highway and enter Litchfield from the east. Roads allow access to several waterfalls, though in most cases you have to take a substantial hike before you can cool off in the pools below.
The easiest access is to Wangi Falls which has a pool, barbecue facilities, and an interpretive walk. Buley Rockholes are a series of small waterfalls and rock-holes which are also relatively easy to get to. This is a good spot to cool off on a hot day and one which is frequented by locals and travellers alike. Serious hikers can walk to the foot of Florence Falls, while those who'd prefer to jump straight to the spectacular panorama can take a short drive to the viewing platform above. You will need a four-wheel drive to reach an area known as the Lost City, featuring strange sandstone formations naturally shaped to look like buildings, statues, people and animals.
The very pretty Tjaynera Falls on Sandy Creek is also 4WD country. It is a 3.5 km return trek to the falls from the parking area. Major falls are fed by springs which flow year round, though in the Wet season they are particularly impressive and well worth the trip. Tolmer Falls is probably the most spectacular of the waterfalls in the region. Be sure to take your camera, a large picnic and plenty of water because you'll certainly want to stick around. Visit the Magnetic Termite Mounds not far from the park entrance through Batchelor. Made by termites, hundred of these two-metre high mounds stand upright and are often compared with rows of gravestones. These structures are around a century old and are totally unique to northern regions of Australia.
