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Termite mounds in
Litchfield National Park |
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| Regeneration after a bushfire |
Today we headed out to Litchfield National Park, 100kms south of Darwin in the little Yaris which was surprisingly comfortable on the highway.
The first sights we saw were expanses of bushland that had been burnt out and were in the process of regeneration. The bright green of the new growth standing out against the blackened wood and grey ash. Further along we saw the famous giant termite mounds which are scattered throughout the plateau.
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| She's happy when she's in the water |
The next stop was the Buley Rockhole, which is a series of waterfalls and rock-holes, where you can find your own spot to swim and relax. It was incredibly refreshing. The main hole is small, only a few metres across, but very deep and clear water which is good enough to bottle. You can even jump and dive without fear of touching the stony bottom.
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| Wangi Falls |
Next was Florence Falls for another swim - Frances had to experience all of the swimming holes. This was a large pool many metres across and fed by two waterfalls. The last pool at Wangi Falls was almost like a council swimming pool, with concrete steps and hand-rail into the water and hundreds of people - at least the water was refreshing, but we weren't as tempted to drink it.
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| Trees and sculptures in the park at night |
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| Night view of Darwin Harbour |
The drive back seemed to take less time (at least fewer photo stops), so we were back in Darwin by mid afternoon - in time for a rest before having drinks on Mindil beach, watching the sunset again. That night we went to The Jetty restaurant for a seafood buffet. The food was excellent, the service friendly. We chatted at length with one of the 4 French staff who were on duty that night, all backpackers,!
Darwin seems to be a magnet for young European travelers on working holidays. So, over an excellent meal, we leisurely took in the night-time harbour views from our table over the water - a real highlight.
