Litchfield National Park

                                               Host Blogger: Joel


 Litchfield National Park is roughly 130 kilometers from Darwin. It stretches an amazing 1500 km2 and receives a whopping 260,000 visitors every year!! We came in from Berry Springs and didn't we love it! This place has it all from Humongous Waterfalls, old mines, old shacks, termite mounds, and more waterholes than you can poke a stick at. The road we took out to Litchfield is a dirt road it was a little bit corrugated but in the dry was fine. Our time there saw us go to Curtain falls, Walker Creek, Wangi falls, Upper and Lower Cascades, Bluey Rock hole, Tolmer falls, and the Magnetic termite mounds! If you have a 4wd you can go to some more out of the way places, to escape the crowds. Sit back and enjoy the Photos.

Big Termite Mound

Old Mine

Walker Creek

Little Wetland

Lower Cascades

Lower Cascades

Curtain Falls

Lower Cascades

Chloe Airborne

Beatifull Swimming Hole

Mini Waterfall

Wangi Falls

The waterfall is Freezing!!

Jumping off some Rocks

Beautiful View

Tolmer Falls

Birdlife

Chloe swimming in cyrstal clear water

Bluey Rockhole

Lower Cascades

Highlights of the Kimberley

             

Caught 22 Red fin ( Ate well that night)

            Host Blogger Joel
      
             ( Keen as Fisho!) His highlights of the Kimberley

The Kimberley really is "God's own Country". The Rugged Ranges, Endless mudflats, Open grassy plains, Billabong's full of Barra, Bountiful Boab Trees, Majestic Wildlife really words can't do this part of the world Justice. Its no wonder people say " Perfect one day Perfect the next!

93 cm Mulloway!

The Number 1 Highlight has Gotta be the fishing. The fish up here are so plentiful they they practically jump onto your hook, pity there so good at jumping off again . There are lots of places to fish but your best bet is to have a Yarn with a local and get some Information. Just remember that Saltwater Crocodiles aren't scared of you so treat them with uttermost respect, As they say the Barra are big but the Crocs are bigger!

Freshwater Crocodile

The Wildlife is something to behold as well, if you sit down and keep quiet you can see Wallabies, Goannas, Geese, Crocs, Fish, Cattle (Plenty of them), lizards, snakes, eagles and heaps more!

Finch on a Paperbark Tree

Beautiful Frill- Necked Lizard 

After the fishing (only just) the Scenery is Second Best Words can't explain and even photos don't do justice

Out the Back of Fitzroy Crossing

Cable Beach

Broome Jetty 

Fitzroy Crossing

Derby Grasslands

Derby Mudflats

Lily Creek Lagoon

Ord River

Lily Creek Lagoon

Ord River

Top 9 Places to Camp (well so far)

First up, sorry for my long absence!!

Alright, so we have camped in several great spots over the places that we have so far traveled. We thought we would share them with you, as some you really should camp at if you can!!

Paddy's River Flats, near
Tumburrumba

1. Paddy's River Flat- Alright, we all froze here but it was some great fun, and the little stream out the back just added to the picturesqueness. The hot water up at the toilets was an added blessing, and it was great fun to have a roaring fire. Luckily, there was plenty of dead wood lying around.



Sunset over Gum Bend Lake,
Condobolin

2. Gum Bend Lake- This was definitely one of the best value spots we ever free-camped. With hot showers and clean toilets, without paying a cent all we needed was a generator and we were set!! The lake was nice and cool (perfect for a swim on a hot day) and Joel liked fishing at the river feeding into the lake. We also used to go along the lake shore and flick lures in nice and shallow and have the fun of pulling in carp.



Right on the Murray at Merbein Common

3. Merbein Common (Horseshoe Common)- This was a great camp-site as we camped (literally) right on the Murray. The boys got treated to some lovely sunrises when they woke up, and Joel left his rod out all night trying to catch some fish. The rope swing we made it nice and fun to swing out over the water, as the water was too shallow to jump in (and getting a bit on the cold side).

Dumaresq Dam, near Armidale

4. Dumaresq Dam- This was the first stopping point after we set off, and it remains in our memory because of that. The big shelter in the middle of the camp ground was great, having a big fireplace, tables, and a few resident possums. The dam itself was overrun with redfin, and we had some lovely dinners on the fish that Joel caught. It was also fun to go for a kayak.

5. Swifts Creek- This was a camping ground set right in the Victorian high country. When you steeped out the door of the caravan, there was a lovely stream. and then high mountains reaching for the sky. There was power there (lucky!) and the big shelter was great for drying clothes and cooking dinner when the weather turned rainy.

The view at Swifts Creek

6. Mendooran- This camp spot was right on the river, and when Joel, Chloe and I went exploring, there was plenty of rope swings around. There was also a great playground in town, where the girls loved to have a play at.

7. Victoria River Roadhouse- This mainly got onto the list because of the majestic scenery surrounding it. The scenery was typical of the East Kimberly (which we had never seen before) and it was lovely to see the sun slowly sinking behind the red ranges.Also, Joel had a great fish there (although no fish).

8. Woolomin- Woolomin was our second stop of the trip, and the camping spot was lovely and green, and the river out the back (remember, river always makes it better) was full of fishing prospects (well, not according to Joel, but the locals said so). It was also a great drive out to Chaffey Dam, where there was also camping for die-hard free campers (we're not).



Sunrise at Yambuck, near Warnambool

9. Yambuck- Yambuck was on the Great Ocean Road, and earned it's place because of the lovely views. Camped on top of a hill, the caravan park overlooked a river, which you could follow with you eyes until it hit the dune system, and then it dissapeared into the ocean. There was also Victoria's longest slide (well, last time I checked) just down the road heading towards the beach.

10 top Swimming Spots Around Oz

We have some at some excellent swimming times in our travels around Australia. I gathered our favourite places from around Oz, and here they are:

1. Scotts Head Beach- Alright we haven't seen this while travelling, but we rented for 6 months, the year before we left. We LOVE Scotts Head, and as it was a pretty (pristine water, and the sand extending for miles on end) beach.There was almost always waves (about 2 days there was none).

Henderson Cove

Curtain Falls, in Litchfield National Park

2. Henderson's cove- We swam at this cove recently, near Dampier. The water was a sparkling blue colour, and the rich red rocks contrasted sharply with the water. The beach was made of shells, and the girls enjoyed looking for shells. Joel and I went snorkeling around the rocks, and there was a variety of fish (and one ray that surprised me)

3. Curtain falls was a wonderful swimming place at Litchfield National Park. You will notice that Litchfield will have several spots on our list, as it was such a great place!! Anyway, the actual location of Curtain falls is in dispute in the family. Some think where we swam was just the Lower cascades, but anyway, where ever we swam, it was definitely very pretty.

Windjana Gorge, Windjana Gorge
National Park

4. Windjana gorge is more on this list because of the lovely gorge. The water was a bit shallow, and the bottom muddy, but you just floated there and looked at the big towering rock walls towering on the other side. There is also a lot of freshwater crocs around. The beach that we swam off, was nice and cool with big trees, and the towering walls of the gorge towering above you, putting you in the shadows and making it cool.

Edith Falls, Nitmiluk National
Park

5. Edith falls was a lovely pool, with a big waterfall and lots of places to swim. The island made of rocks and sand is one to avoid on a hot day!! I walked over the island, and my feet got really burnt. I was hopping around trying to get to a cool place, and when I got in the water I sank in with a big “aaahhhh”. The waterfall was nice and cool, and there was plenty of places to jump, with the water being nice and deep.

Pretty Pool, Port Hedland

6. Pretty Pool- This is a place that reminds us of back home. Pretty Pool is in Port Hedland, and one of the only places that locals swim. When the tide is going out, the current is really strong and we had some awesome fun pushing against the current.

We only all got into a dilemma once, and teamwork saved the day, and brought us back to land before we went sailing the merry blue seas..  We have dinners down at Pretty pool, as there is barbecues, and overlook the scenery.

Berry Springs, at Berry Springs
National Park

7. Berry Springs was about half an hour out of Darwin, and only 5 minutes away from us. We stayed at Tumbling Waters Caravan Park, which was just out of Berry Springs, There was three pools at Berry Springs, and the very first pool was small, but it had a waterfall and it was fun to duck under and c

ome up the other side. The last pool had a rope swing, and it was fun to swing out and drop down “plop”. Chloe even had some fun on it!!

8. Valentine Springs, and the further on Middle Springs and Black rock were some stunning waterfalls at Kununurra. We didn't go with the whole family, just Chloe and I went with a family from church. You need a 4WD to get out there, so we couldn't get out there, otherwise we would have. My favourite was definitely Black Rock, which was a humongous waterfall, with black rock behind it. The water was really cold, and the waterall was even colder!!

Stevie Hole, at Elsey National Park

9. Mataranka was one of the first great waterholes that we visited up north. The springs had crystal clear water, and it was warm. We more enjoyed the river out the back, where we kayaked and swam. There was apparently crocs, but we're crazy and swam anyway. 

No, only freshwater so probably fine. We also took a walk out to Stevie's hole, which was absolutely great, being deserted and pretty, two clinchers that make a waterhole!!

Crowded but beautiful at
Buley Rockholes.

10. Buley Rockhole was my favourite place in Litchfield. It was quite crowded, bur there was a few empty rockholes, and it was fine to move from one rockhole to another, testing the water and finding good places to jump in the water. It was also fun to sit in the waterfalls and just let the water wash over you (photo on About the Author is taken here).