Around Straya
Walker Creek
Our first trek at Litchfield was Walker Creek. A hot but interesting walk through multiple little camp sites and swimming holes. At the very last camp site at the top was a beautiful waterfall and the nicest swimming hole there. After the hot walk it was wondrously refreshing to jump into the water. There were leaches on the waterfalls so some of us had to get them off us before the walk back. The tropical pandanus palm forests and humid air made the whole walk have a very special feel about it. There were plenty of green ants there too. We tried to keep a little green ant nest that fell from a tree but soon gave up as it was not in one piece by the time we got back to the car park again.
Wangi Falls
Wangi Falls was a very popular area! There were loads of people there all having a lovely swim in the very large swimming hole. We wanted to have a swim there but it was so crowded that we decided to try and come back during the week. It looked amazing but it did not have many shallow areas for the little kids to swim in. We ended up staying by the steps and watching a little water monitor lazing in the sun and then swim off once we disturbed it.
Tolmer Falls
Tolmer Falls was only a look out. The walk to the Falls had been closed due to a colony of ghost bats that were there. Apparently all the hikers and climbers coming through the gorge were disturbing the colony and as ghost bats have a very fragile eco system they decided to close the walk. There was only a look-out to see the falls and the falls were not very full as it was over half way through the dry season. It was pretty through and you could vaguely see a natural archway further in through the gorge.
Bulley Rockholes
Bulley Rockholes was by far the most enjoyable place of Litchfield. Mainly because there were loads of little swimming holes. Some of them were shallow so the kids could have a lovely time with them, some of them were really deep so you could jump from the rocks into them. There were also little flat rock spots you could sit on or leave your things on without coming back to everything covered in green ants. It was such an enjoyable time that we just stayed there the rest of the day and did not go to any further spots. It was hot and so very refreshing swimming in the cool pools. There were little fish in there that kept us interested in the wildlife and it was just overall a wonderful time!
Magnetic Termite Mounds
The magnetic termite mounds were amazing! They were like big tombstones sticking out of the ground. We learned quite a lot about them. We learned that the termites were blind and that at first scientists did not know why they built their termite mounds directly facing North. They thought was because of the sun, but because they were blind that would not have been the answer. Then they decided to artificially change the magnetic field around the termites. As a result the termites stopped building their mound facing North and, instead, began moving everything to face the new direction of the artificial magnetic field. So for some reason the termites are sensitive to the magnetic field surrounding the earth and build their mounds facing the North magnetic field.
These termites are only found in the Northern Territory of Australia. It was such an interesting place.
There were also Cathedral termite mounds that we looked at. Some of these mounds were very, very large!
Florence Falls
We went to Florence Falls twice. It was a nice, steep walk down to the base of the falls and once there it was a great swimming hole and the falls were nice and full! Some of us swam and some of us watched. Hadassah went around the whole swimming hole on the rocks with her Dad.
