Litchfield National Park
Encyclopedia
Litchfield National Park, covering approximately 1500 km2, is near the township of Batchelor
, 100 km south-west of Darwin
, in the Northern Territory
of Australia
. Each year the park attracts over 260,000 visitors.
Proclaimed a national park in 1986, it is named after Frederick Henry Litchfield
, a Territory pioneer, who explored areas of the Northern Territory from Escape Cliffs on the Timor Sea
to the Daly River in 1864.
people have lived throughout the area for thousands of years. It is important to the Mak Mak Marranunggu (northern portion), Werat and Waray (southern portion)Aboriginal people whose Ancestral Spirits formed the landscape, plants and animals and are still present in the landscape today.
, a member of the Finniss Expedition that travelled from South Australia
in 1864. This was the first European expedition to visit the Top End of Australia and it was their aim to explore as widely as possible and establish a settlement at Escape Cliffs, on the mouth of the Adelaide River
. Previous attempts at settlement of Australia’s northern coast at Fort Dundas, Raffles Bay and Port Essington had already failed.
The surveyor and soldier, Boyle Travers Finniss, was chosen by the South Australian government to be their government Resident in the Northern Territory. His decision to choose an area near Escape Cliffs for settlement was disastrous. The settlers suffered from inadequate food rations and infected mosquito bites. Finniss was disliked by the settlers who had accompanied him and argued with his officials.
The area which is now known as Litchfield National Park was first visited by Europeans in September 1865, when Litchfield led a small group to explore the Daly River. His diary of Monday, 25 September describes his travels:
“Monday, 25 – Three horses look as if they were going to knock up; will give them a day’s spell here. There are fine plains here, splendidly grassed and watered; small belts of stunted gum, vaquois, fan palm, and honeysuckle. Most of the timber is small, but plenty of it is adapted for station purposes. The country from here to Manton’s Creek on the Adelaide (River) is as fine a country for stock as I have ever seen, the whole of it being well grassed and well watered at all times of the year.”
The discovery of copper
and tin
led to the establishment of several small scale subsistence mining operations. Pastoral occupation also began in the 1870’s, with loggers and graziers facing the difficult conditions of torrential rain, mosquitoes and sandflies.
In 1888 Mt Tolmer became the site of the first tin mine and produced a continual supply of tin. Bamboo Creek’s tin mining operation began at Makanbarr, A Mak Mak Marranunggu campsite, in 1906. High quality tin was often found in the ancient riverbeds and on the surface of the hills. All it needed was to be bagged and sold. Small groups operated this way for the next 30 years. By 1941 miners began following the tin-bearing seams into the hills using picks and shovels, and loading the ore into wagons to be pushed or pulled back to the mines’ entrances.
Charles Stead, Thomas Niciloff and Charles Claydon took out the first real lease and set about turning the mine into a commercial venture, with the assistance of local Mak Mak Marranunggu men and women and some Europeans. However, the mine was closed in 1951 after a large flood filled many of the shafts with water. A relic of old tin mine at Bamboo Creek stands as a reminder of the difficult conditions endured by the pioneer miners.
In 1924 a small homestead was built by the Sargent family on their leased land in the lowlands near Tolmer Falls where there was reliable water and reasonable grazing for their cattle. Their farm proved successful and in 1928 they built Blyth Homestead as an outstation a little further south, so their cattle could take advantage of the good grazing among the paperbarks in this area. Typical of other structures of that time, the homestead is supported with cypress pine tied together with heavy wire and covered with corrugated iron. The family was able to farm their own vegetable and fruit crops, and held up to 13,500 head of cattle, due to the permanent water nearby. After 40 years, the Sargent family sold the lease to the Townsend family who farmed until the early 1960s. The abandoned homestead stands as a stark reminder of the tough conditions graziers faced.
Logging of paperbark, cypress
and Leichhardt pines
began in 1948 in the north-western section of the park. Again, Aboriginal people assisted and ex-army equipment was utilized to take the timber to the mill where it was prepared for local builders.
Uranium
was discovered outside what is now Litchfield’s eastern boundary in August 1949, by a local prospector, Jack White. Australia’s first fully operational uranium mine was opened at Rum Jungle, and underground mining occurred from 1950 to 1953. The name Rum Jungle is derived from an accident that occurred in 1871. A bullock-wagon load of rum, destined for the construction gangs, was said to have been bogged near a patch of jungle on the crocodile inhabited East Finniss River - the bullockies untethered the oxen and set about drinking the rum, having one of histories most glorious binges. Production from the open cut area started in 1953 and proved to be one of the largest economic influences in the development of the Top End, with sales to the United Kingdom for their atomic weapons program. The mine closed in 1971.
The park was originally part of Stapleton Station, Tipperary Station and Camp Creek Station pastoral leases. The pastoral activity persisted until the declaration of the area as a Park when in 1985, the lessees of Stapleton Station negotiated the surrender of the pastoral lease and it was subsequently taken up by the Conservation Land Corporation.
and Darwin Stringybark, as well as banksia
s, grevillea
s, terminalias
and a wide variety of other woodland species.
Remnant pockets of monsoon
rainforest thrive along the bottom of the escarpment, and in the deep narrow gorges created over thousands of years by the force of the waterfalls cutting into the escarpment walls.
They are significant because of their size and lack of disturbance. Here visitors will find lilies
and slender ground orchids growing among Pandanus
, paperbark and swamp bloodwood
s.
, Sugar Glider
, Northern Brushtail Possum
, Fawn Antechinus
, Black
and Little Red Flying-fox
es and the Dingo
. The caves near Tolmer Falls
are home to a colony of the rare Orange Leaf-nosed Bat
and the Ghost Bat
.
Litchfield is a habitat for hundreds of native bird species. Black Kite
s, and other birds of prey are common during the dry season. The Yellow Oriole
, Figbird
, Pacific Koel
, Spangled Drongo
, Dollarbird
and the Rainbow Bee-eater
inhabit the sheltered areas close to waterfalls.
A species of marsupial mouse (the Northern Dibbler), the Rufous-tailed Bush-hen, a frog (the Pealing Chirper) and the Primitive archerfish
, occur in the Wangi Falls area.
Wangi, Tolmer and Florence falls and Buley Rockhole, are popular with visitors and tour groups. The falls have large pools that attract birds and reptiles such as monitors
. Orange-footed Scrubfowl
, honeyeater
s, Figbirds and Torres Strait Pigeon
s share the fruit and berries in the areas with nocturnal mammals like the Northern Quoll
, Northern Brown Bandicoot
and Northern Brushtail Possum. Frill-necked Lizard
are common throughout the park, but will not be seen as frequently during the cool dry season months. The Finniss River area also hosts a number of large Saltwater Crocodiles, commonly abbreviated as "salties".
The magnetic termite mounds are a popular tourist attraction. These wedge-shaped mounds are aligned in a north-south direction as a response to the environment. The termites which build them feed on grass roots and other plant debris found in plains which are seasonally flooded. Therefore, the termites are forced to remain above the water, in the mound. The alignment of the mound acts as a temperature regulator, and allows the temperature to remain stable.
The homestead was established in 1928 to function as an outstation on Stapleton Station, then owned by Harry Sargent and his family. It was constructed using bush timber (cypress pine) and iron in the form of a large central room that could be closed up with verandahs around the edges. Blyth Homestead is one of the few existing examples of this type of building which was formerly common on NT pastoral leases. The Homestead site contains tangible and well-preserved remnants of both pastoral and mining activities.
The isolated location necessitated the occupants to be virtually self-sufficient with a fruit and vegetable garden, milking cows and meat. A sawmilling plant was used to cut timber needed. Their income was supplemented by alluvial and reef tin mining to the east of the homestead, the products of which had to be carted by buckboard along a self-made track over the Finiss River.
As described by Max Sargent, the tenth of fourteen children of the Sargent family:
“We were possibly the best fed people in Australia right through the depression, with butter, cream and milk, cheese, dried fruit
s and fresh fruits, fresh vegetables the year round, more than what we could use, but no money!”
The simple bush architecture of the homestead and the opportunistic nature of the mine workings illustrate the harsh conditions under which the Sargent family lived.
, Litchfield National Park is less than two hours drive from the city via a sealed road through the township of Batchelor or via a partially unsealed road off the Cox Peninsula Road.
Details of some of the major attractions follow:
is a double-plunge waterfall leading to a popular swimming hole.
is easily accessible and open all year round. However, swimming is not always possible due to water levels from heavy rain.
cascades over two high escarpments into a deep plunge pool. The bottom of the falls is home to several colonies of rare Ghost Bats and Orange Horseshoe Bats.
s, Double-barred Finch
es, or kingfishers.
Commercial accommodation options are available outside the park at:
1864
Batchelor, Northern Territory
Batchelor is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia. The town is located in the Coomalie Shire Local Government Area, 98 kilometres south of the territory capital, Darwin...
, 100 km south-west of Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Each year the park attracts over 260,000 visitors.
Proclaimed a national park in 1986, it is named after Frederick Henry Litchfield
Frederick Henry Litchfield
Frederick Henry Litchfield , pastoralist, gold miner, explorer, usually known as Fred, is a South Australian prominently associated with the early exploration of the Northern Territory, and more particularly with the discovery of gold there.-Early life:Litchfield was born in Ghazipur, British...
, a Territory pioneer, who explored areas of the Northern Territory from Escape Cliffs on the Timor Sea
Timor Sea
The Timor Sea is a relatively shallow sea bounded to the north by the island of Timor, to the east by the Arafura Sea, to the south by Australia and to the west by the Indian Ocean....
to the Daly River in 1864.
Early history
AboriginalAustralian Aborigines
Australian Aborigines , also called Aboriginal Australians, from the latin ab originem , are people who are indigenous to most of the Australian continentthat is, to mainland Australia and the island of Tasmania...
people have lived throughout the area for thousands of years. It is important to the Mak Mak Marranunggu (northern portion), Werat and Waray (southern portion)Aboriginal people whose Ancestral Spirits formed the landscape, plants and animals and are still present in the landscape today.
Recent history
The park was named after Frederick Henry LitchfieldFrederick Henry Litchfield
Frederick Henry Litchfield , pastoralist, gold miner, explorer, usually known as Fred, is a South Australian prominently associated with the early exploration of the Northern Territory, and more particularly with the discovery of gold there.-Early life:Litchfield was born in Ghazipur, British...
, a member of the Finniss Expedition that travelled from South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in 1864. This was the first European expedition to visit the Top End of Australia and it was their aim to explore as widely as possible and establish a settlement at Escape Cliffs, on the mouth of the Adelaide River
Adelaide River
Adelaide River is a river in the Northern Territory of Australia. It starts in Litchfield National Park and flows generally northwards to Clarence Strait, being crossed by both the Stuart Highway and the Arnhem Highway...
. Previous attempts at settlement of Australia’s northern coast at Fort Dundas, Raffles Bay and Port Essington had already failed.
The surveyor and soldier, Boyle Travers Finniss, was chosen by the South Australian government to be their government Resident in the Northern Territory. His decision to choose an area near Escape Cliffs for settlement was disastrous. The settlers suffered from inadequate food rations and infected mosquito bites. Finniss was disliked by the settlers who had accompanied him and argued with his officials.
The area which is now known as Litchfield National Park was first visited by Europeans in September 1865, when Litchfield led a small group to explore the Daly River. His diary of Monday, 25 September describes his travels:
“Monday, 25 – Three horses look as if they were going to knock up; will give them a day’s spell here. There are fine plains here, splendidly grassed and watered; small belts of stunted gum, vaquois, fan palm, and honeysuckle. Most of the timber is small, but plenty of it is adapted for station purposes. The country from here to Manton’s Creek on the Adelaide (River) is as fine a country for stock as I have ever seen, the whole of it being well grassed and well watered at all times of the year.”
The discovery of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
and tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
led to the establishment of several small scale subsistence mining operations. Pastoral occupation also began in the 1870’s, with loggers and graziers facing the difficult conditions of torrential rain, mosquitoes and sandflies.
In 1888 Mt Tolmer became the site of the first tin mine and produced a continual supply of tin. Bamboo Creek’s tin mining operation began at Makanbarr, A Mak Mak Marranunggu campsite, in 1906. High quality tin was often found in the ancient riverbeds and on the surface of the hills. All it needed was to be bagged and sold. Small groups operated this way for the next 30 years. By 1941 miners began following the tin-bearing seams into the hills using picks and shovels, and loading the ore into wagons to be pushed or pulled back to the mines’ entrances.
Charles Stead, Thomas Niciloff and Charles Claydon took out the first real lease and set about turning the mine into a commercial venture, with the assistance of local Mak Mak Marranunggu men and women and some Europeans. However, the mine was closed in 1951 after a large flood filled many of the shafts with water. A relic of old tin mine at Bamboo Creek stands as a reminder of the difficult conditions endured by the pioneer miners.
In 1924 a small homestead was built by the Sargent family on their leased land in the lowlands near Tolmer Falls where there was reliable water and reasonable grazing for their cattle. Their farm proved successful and in 1928 they built Blyth Homestead as an outstation a little further south, so their cattle could take advantage of the good grazing among the paperbarks in this area. Typical of other structures of that time, the homestead is supported with cypress pine tied together with heavy wire and covered with corrugated iron. The family was able to farm their own vegetable and fruit crops, and held up to 13,500 head of cattle, due to the permanent water nearby. After 40 years, the Sargent family sold the lease to the Townsend family who farmed until the early 1960s. The abandoned homestead stands as a stark reminder of the tough conditions graziers faced.
Logging of paperbark, cypress
Cypress
Cypress is the name applied to many plants in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is a conifer of northern temperate regions. Most cypress species are trees, while a few are shrubs...
and Leichhardt pines
Nauclea orientalis
Nauclea orientalis is a species of tree in the Rubiaceae family. It is commonly known as the Leichhardt tree and yellow cheesewood, among other names. It grows to a maximum of around in height and has large glossy leaves. It bears spherical clusters of fragrant flowers that develop into golf...
began in 1948 in the north-western section of the park. Again, Aboriginal people assisted and ex-army equipment was utilized to take the timber to the mill where it was prepared for local builders.
Uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
was discovered outside what is now Litchfield’s eastern boundary in August 1949, by a local prospector, Jack White. Australia’s first fully operational uranium mine was opened at Rum Jungle, and underground mining occurred from 1950 to 1953. The name Rum Jungle is derived from an accident that occurred in 1871. A bullock-wagon load of rum, destined for the construction gangs, was said to have been bogged near a patch of jungle on the crocodile inhabited East Finniss River - the bullockies untethered the oxen and set about drinking the rum, having one of histories most glorious binges. Production from the open cut area started in 1953 and proved to be one of the largest economic influences in the development of the Top End, with sales to the United Kingdom for their atomic weapons program. The mine closed in 1971.
The park was originally part of Stapleton Station, Tipperary Station and Camp Creek Station pastoral leases. The pastoral activity persisted until the declaration of the area as a Park when in 1985, the lessees of Stapleton Station negotiated the surrender of the pastoral lease and it was subsequently taken up by the Conservation Land Corporation.
Flora
The Central sandstone plateau supports rich woodland flora communities dominated by species including Darwin WoolybuttEucalyptus miniata
The Darwin woollybutt is a eucalypt which is native to Australia's Top End, found from Cape York in north Queensland across through to the Northern Territory into the Kimberley Region of northern Western Australia. It is a medium-sized tree which can reach 15–25 m in height. The bark is soft and...
and Darwin Stringybark, as well as banksia
Banksia
Banksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...
s, grevillea
Grevillea
Grevillea is a diverse genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the protea family Proteaceae, native to Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Sulawesi. It was named in honour of Charles Francis Greville. The species range from prostrate shrubs less than 0.5 m tall to trees...
s, terminalias
Terminalia (plant)
Terminalia is a genus of large trees of the flowering plant family Combretaceae, comprising around 100 species distributed in tropical regions of the world. This genus gets it name from Latin terminus, referring to the fact that the leaves appear at the very tips of the shoots.Trees of this genus...
and a wide variety of other woodland species.
Remnant pockets of monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
rainforest thrive along the bottom of the escarpment, and in the deep narrow gorges created over thousands of years by the force of the waterfalls cutting into the escarpment walls.
They are significant because of their size and lack of disturbance. Here visitors will find lilies
Lilium
Lilium is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs. Most species are native to the temperate northern hemisphere, though the range extends into the northern subtropics...
and slender ground orchids growing among Pandanus
Pandanus
Pandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. They are numerous palmlike dioecious trees and shrubs native of the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are classified in the order Pandanales, family Pandanaceae.-Overview:...
, paperbark and swamp bloodwood
Bloodwood
Bloodwood has several meanings. It is the name of a dark red wood, from South America. It is also a common name for several unrelated groups of trees, for instance:* Brosimum paraense, a tree found in Central and South America...
s.
Fauna
Common wildlife species include the Antilopine Wallaroo, Agile WallabyAgile Wallaby
The Agile Wallaby , also known as the Sandy Wallaby, is a species of wallaby found in northern Australia and New Guinea. It is the most common wallaby in Australia's north....
, Sugar Glider
Sugar Glider
The sugar glider is a small gliding possum originating from the marsupial family.The sugar glider is native to eastern and northern mainland Australia and is also native to New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago.- Habitat :Sugar gliders can be found all throughout the northern and eastern parts of...
, Northern Brushtail Possum
Northern Brushtail Possum
The Northern Brushtail Possum is a nocturnal marsupial inhabiting northern Australia. It is closely related to the Short-eared Possum, Mountain Brushtail Possum, Coppery Brushtail Possum, and the Common Brushtail Possum, the other four species of its genus.- Appearance :Its fur is a grey in...
, Fawn Antechinus
Fawn Antechinus
The Fawn Antechinus is a species of small carnivorous marsupial found in northern Australia. It is the only antechinus to be found in the Northern Territory and has a patchy, restricted range.-Taxonomy:...
, Black
Black Flying-fox
The Black Flying-Fox, Pteropus alecto, is a megabat in the family Pteropodidae. Members of the genus Pteropus include the largest bats in the world. The Pteropus genus has currently about 57 recognised species...
and Little Red Flying-fox
Little Red Flying-fox
The Little Red Flying Fox is a species of megabat native to northern and eastern Australia. With a weight of it is large fruit bat, but the smallest Flying Fox in mainland Australia . It has the widest range of all the species, going much further inland than the larger fruit bats...
es and the Dingo
Dingo
The Australian Dingo or Warrigal is a free-roaming wild dog unique to the continent of Australia, mainly found in the outback. Its original ancestors are thought to have arrived with humans from southeast Asia thousands of years ago, when dogs were still relatively undomesticated and closer to...
. The caves near Tolmer Falls
Tolmer Falls
Tolmer Falls are located in the Litchfield National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia. Accessed by sealed road, the falls are found near the western boundary of the park, 85 km south of Darwin as the crow flies. They were named by explorer Frederick Henry Litchfield after his late...
are home to a colony of the rare Orange Leaf-nosed Bat
Orange Leaf-nosed Bat
The Orange Leaf-nosed Bat, Rhinonicteris aurantia, is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae. It is the only living species in the genus Rhinonicteris. It is endemic to Australia.-References:...
and the Ghost Bat
Ghost Bat
The Ghost Bat , also known as the False Vampire Bat is a bat endemic to Australia, named for the extremely thin membrane of its wings that makes it appear ghostly at night. Ghost Bats have grey fur on their backs and pale grey or white fur on their undersides. They have long, narrow wings but no...
.
Litchfield is a habitat for hundreds of native bird species. Black Kite
Black Kite
The Black Kite is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors. Unlike others of the group, they are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge. They spend a lot of time soaring and gliding in thermals in search of food. Their...
s, and other birds of prey are common during the dry season. The Yellow Oriole
Australasian Yellow Oriole
The Yellow Oriole or Green Oriole, is an inconspicuous inhabitant of lush tropical vegetation throughout New Guinea and northern Australia, including Cape York Peninsula, the Top End and the Kimberley....
, Figbird
Australasian Figbird
The Australasian Figbird is a conspicuous medium-sized passerine bird native to a wide range of wooded habitats in northern and eastern Australia, southern Papua New Guinea, and the Kai Islands in Indonesia. It was formerly considered a subspecies of S...
, Pacific Koel
Pacific Koel
The Pacific Koel , also known as the Eastern Koel, is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It has often been considered conspecific with the Asian and Black-billed Koels, but they are increasingly treated as a separate species...
, Spangled Drongo
Spangled Drongo
The Spangled Drongo is a bird of the family Dicruridae.The Spangled Drongo is the only Drongo to be found in Australia...
, Dollarbird
Dollarbird
The Oriental Dollarbird , also known as the Dollar Roller, is a bird of the roller family, so named because of the distinctive blue coin-shaped spots on its wings....
and the Rainbow Bee-eater
Rainbow Bee-eater
The Rainbow Bee-eater, Merops ornatus, is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. It is the only species of Meropidae found in Australia.-Description:...
inhabit the sheltered areas close to waterfalls.
A species of marsupial mouse (the Northern Dibbler), the Rufous-tailed Bush-hen, a frog (the Pealing Chirper) and the Primitive archerfish
Toxotes lorentzi
Toxotes lorentzi is a tropical freshwater fish found in New Guinea, Australia, and Indonesia. It was first named by Weber in 1910, and is commonly known as the Primitive archerfish or the Lorent'z archerfish....
, occur in the Wangi Falls area.
Wangi, Tolmer and Florence falls and Buley Rockhole, are popular with visitors and tour groups. The falls have large pools that attract birds and reptiles such as monitors
Monitor lizard
Monitor lizards are usually large reptiles, although some can be as small as in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known...
. Orange-footed Scrubfowl
Orange-footed Scrubfowl
The Orange-footed Scrubfowl, Megapodius reinwardt, is a small megapode of the family Megapodiidae.This species comprises five subspecies found on many islands in Wallacea as well as southern New Guinea and northern Australia. It is a terrestrial bird the size of a domestic chicken and dark-coloured...
, honeyeater
Honeyeater
The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea, but also found in New Zealand, the Pacific islands as far east as Samoa and Tonga, and the islands to the north and west of New Guinea known as Wallacea...
s, Figbirds and Torres Strait Pigeon
Torresian Imperial-pigeon
The Torresian Imperial Pigeon , also known as the Nutmeg Pigeon or Torres Strait Pigeon, is a relatively large, pied species of pigeon...
s share the fruit and berries in the areas with nocturnal mammals like the Northern Quoll
Northern Quoll
The Northern Quoll , also known as the Northern Native Cat, the Satanellus, the North Australian Native Cat or the Njanmak , is a carnivorous marsupial mammal, native to Australia.- Taxonomy :The Northern Quoll is a member of the family Dasyuridae, and is often stated to be the most distinctive...
, Northern Brown Bandicoot
Northern Brown Bandicoot
The Northern Brown Bandicoot , a marsupial species, is a bandicoot found only on the northern and eastern coasts of Australia and nearby islands, mainly Papua New Guinea. It is not, however, found far inland....
and Northern Brushtail Possum. Frill-necked Lizard
Frill-necked Lizard
The frill-necked lizard , also known as the frilled lizard or frilled dragon, is found mainly in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. Its name comes from the large frill around its neck, which usually stays folded against the lizard's body. It is largely arboreal, spending the majority of...
are common throughout the park, but will not be seen as frequently during the cool dry season months. The Finniss River area also hosts a number of large Saltwater Crocodiles, commonly abbreviated as "salties".
The magnetic termite mounds are a popular tourist attraction. These wedge-shaped mounds are aligned in a north-south direction as a response to the environment. The termites which build them feed on grass roots and other plant debris found in plains which are seasonally flooded. Therefore, the termites are forced to remain above the water, in the mound. The alignment of the mound acts as a temperature regulator, and allows the temperature to remain stable.
Bamboo Creek Tin Mine
Bamboo Creek tin mine is an example of small scale, labour intensive mine operated without the benefit of heavy earth machinery. It was typical of many of the mines in the Northern Territory which operated in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, especially those operated by the Chinese. The remains include the mine workings; the tin processing mill; and the associated domestic and industrial remains. Tin was discovered at Bamboo Creek in 1906 and was mined irregularly until 1955. The wide variety of remains are notable in that they reflect the complete range of activities associated with underground mining. Artefacts relating to ore extraction, processing and transport are present as well as domestic remains and remnants of the explosives magazine.Blyth Homestead
Blyth Homestead is of heritage significance to the Northern Territory due to its architectural and social significance. The remains consist of the homestead building itself which is a single room, cypress pine and corrugated iron structure encircled by verandahs; a flagstone floor; a scatter of corrugated iron, sandstone blocks and other metal objects; and a set of stockyards constructed using bush timber poles and barbed wireThe homestead was established in 1928 to function as an outstation on Stapleton Station, then owned by Harry Sargent and his family. It was constructed using bush timber (cypress pine) and iron in the form of a large central room that could be closed up with verandahs around the edges. Blyth Homestead is one of the few existing examples of this type of building which was formerly common on NT pastoral leases. The Homestead site contains tangible and well-preserved remnants of both pastoral and mining activities.
The isolated location necessitated the occupants to be virtually self-sufficient with a fruit and vegetable garden, milking cows and meat. A sawmilling plant was used to cut timber needed. Their income was supplemented by alluvial and reef tin mining to the east of the homestead, the products of which had to be carted by buckboard along a self-made track over the Finiss River.
As described by Max Sargent, the tenth of fourteen children of the Sargent family:
“We were possibly the best fed people in Australia right through the depression, with butter, cream and milk, cheese, dried fruit
Dried fruit
Dried fruit is fruit where the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to the fourth millennium BC in Mesopotamia, and is prized...
s and fresh fruits, fresh vegetables the year round, more than what we could use, but no money!”
The simple bush architecture of the homestead and the opportunistic nature of the mine workings illustrate the harsh conditions under which the Sargent family lived.
Greenant Creek
The area of Greenant Creek below the Tjaetaba Falls is a registered Aboriginal sacred site. Swimming or entering the water is not allowed. Visitors are requested to observe all signage.Aboriginal sacred sites
There are several sacred and special sites within Litchfield National Park.Tourism
Every year over quarter of a million of visitors come to the park. Closer to Darwin than the Kakadu National ParkKakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin.Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It covers an area of , extending nearly 200 kilometres from north to south and over 100 kilometres...
, Litchfield National Park is less than two hours drive from the city via a sealed road through the township of Batchelor or via a partially unsealed road off the Cox Peninsula Road.
Attractions
Most of the major attractions in the park are linked by sealed road and are easily accessed by two-wheel drive car. However, some of the more remote attractions require a four-wheel drive to access them.Details of some of the major attractions follow:
Florence Falls
Florence FallsFlorence Falls
Florence Falls are located in the Litchfield National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia. Accessed by sealed road, the falls are found near the northern boundary of the park, 80 km south of Darwin as the crow flies....
is a double-plunge waterfall leading to a popular swimming hole.
Buley Rockhole
Visitors to Buley Rockhole will find a long series of cascading plunge pools.Wangi Falls
Possibly Litchfield’s most popular attraction, Wangi FallsWangi Falls
Wangi Falls are located in the Litchfield National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia. Accessed by sealed road, the falls are found near the western boundary of the park, 80 km south of Darwin as the crow flies.-See also:* Florence Falls...
is easily accessible and open all year round. However, swimming is not always possible due to water levels from heavy rain.
Tolmer Falls
Tolmer FallsTolmer Falls
Tolmer Falls are located in the Litchfield National Park in the Northern Territory of Australia. Accessed by sealed road, the falls are found near the western boundary of the park, 85 km south of Darwin as the crow flies. They were named by explorer Frederick Henry Litchfield after his late...
cascades over two high escarpments into a deep plunge pool. The bottom of the falls is home to several colonies of rare Ghost Bats and Orange Horseshoe Bats.
Tjaetaba Falls
Tjaetaba Falls is a drop along Greenant Creek, one of the smaller systems in the park. These falls and the area below them is an Aboriginal sacred site, and visitors are requested to swim only above the falls.Tjaynera Falls (Sandy Creek)
After a moderate level, 3.5 km return walk through an open valley, visitors can enjoy the usually un-crowded plunge pool beneath Tjaynera Falls.Blyth Homestead
This homestead, build in 1929, stands as a reminder of the tough conditions faced by the pioneers in remote areas.Bamboo Creek
Interpretive signs explain the methods used to extract the tin and to help appreciate the hardship endured by miners as they struggled to make a living in intolerable conditions.Magnetic termite mounds
These termite mounds are built by thousands of termites with a north-south orientation to control the temperature inside the mounds.Bushwalks
Litchfield National Park offers a wide range of walking tracks. It is strongly recommended that overnight walks are registered with the Overnight Walker Registration Scheme on telephone 1300 650 730. Walkers must camp in designated campgrounds.Tabletop Track
The Tabletop Track, within Litchfield National Park, is a 39 kilometre bushwalk along trickling creeklines, cascading waterfalls, crystal clear pools and undisturbed pockets of tropical monsoon rainforest. Along this track, hikers will spot some of the local wildlife such as wallabies, possums, and flying foxes.Florence Creek Walk
Forming part of the Tabletop Track in Litchfield National Park, this 22 kilometre walk will take you to Greenant Creek, through pockets of cool monsoon rainforest inhabited by a variety of birdlife. Spot kingfishers, honey-eaters, fairy-wrens and pigeons. Other wildlife may be seen along the way such as brown bandicoots and northern quolls. This walk is graded as difficult, and takes about two days.Greenant Creek
This eight and a half kilometre walk, which forms part of the Tabletop Track in Litchfield National Park, takes you from Greenant Creek through to Wangi Falls. The creeks and springs around this region have a constant supply of water, thereby creating an abundance of flora and fauna. There are Carpentaria palms, fig trees and weeping paperbark trees, and, along the forest floor, spot geckos, lizards and frogs.Wangi Falls Walk
This two day walk, part of the Tabletop Track, runs from Wangi Falls through to Walker Creek. This landscape with its rocky outcrops and ridges provides a haven for the local wildlife such as Northern Quolls, wallabies, frogs and lizards. There is abundant birdlife too – try spotting colourful Red-winged ParrotRed-winged Parrot
The Red-winged Parrot , is a parrot native to Australia and Papua New Guinea.-Description:The Red-winged parrot is typically about 30 to 33 cm in length. Both sexes have bright red wings and a bright green body. The male birds have a black nape, lower blue back and rump with a yellow tip on their...
s, Double-barred Finch
Double-barred Finch
The Double-barred Finch Taeniopygia bichenovii is an estrildid finch found in dry savanna, tropical dry grassland and shrubland habitats in northern and eastern Australia...
es, or kingfishers.
Walker Creek Walk
This final trek of the Tabletop Track in Litchfield National Park, will take you from Walker Creek to Florence Falls. Spot local wildlife including wallabies and possums, or listen to some of the curious bird calls from the variety of birdlife that also inhabit this forest area.The Lost City
These freestanding sandstone blocks and pillar formations bring to mind the ruins of a long-forgotten civilisation. This is considered one of the best short walks in Litchfield National Park. Accessible by four-wheel drive only.Accommodation
There are several camping locations throughout Litchfield. Camping fees apply. Camping is permitted at:- Wangi Falls
- Buley Rockhole
- Florence Falls
- Tjaynera Falls (Sandy Creek)
- Walker Creek
- Surprise Creek Falls
- Florence Falls (downstream)
Commercial accommodation options are available outside the park at:
- Litchfield Tourist & Van Park
- Wangi Tourist Park
- Litchfield Campgrounds/Monsoon Café
- Banyan Tree Caravan Park
- Batchelor Resort Carravillage
- Batchelor Butterfly & Bird Farm
- Historic Retreat
- Rum Jungle Bungalows
See also
- Protected areas of the Northern Territory (Australia)
External links
- Litchfield NP Tourism web site
- Litchfield Park web site
- Tabletop Google Map
- RUm Jungle
- Facts about termites
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