Day 111 - Wednesday 24th April 2024

One month left on my big trip; 24th May is the day that I fly from Perth back home. This barely seems possible, but I still have a month left to make more memories .... starting with today. 

Awake with the alarm this morning, and an early getaway into Litchfield National Park in an attempt to beat the worst of the forecast high temperatures. The first stop was 45 minutes from the motel, and was a viewing area for termite mounds.

The first one viewed was the Cathedral Termite mound, which towered above me. I could see the termites leaving and entering through entry holes a few feet above ground level. I find it quite remarkable that a community of such small individuals can build something on this scale.

Across the car park from the Cathedral Termite mound was the path to the viewing area for the Magnetic Termite mounds. I know from photos and videos I've seen that the fields are full of these mounds, shaped like gravestones and aligned to minimise the amount of heat that's captured from the sun. However, it's the end of the wet season and the grasses in the field were hiding the majority; there were some that could be glimpsed in the mass of grasses though.

Back to the shelter of the car before I was eaten alive by the biting insects, and on to the first waterfalls of the day. A few minutes along the road, and I turned right at a signpost for Buley Rockpools and Florence Falls .... to the rockpools first.

I followed a loop path down beside a series of cascades with a pool between each; this is a very popular spot for swimming, and I managed to time my visit perfectly as nobody else was there. As I was leaving after enjoying the solitude a group of swimmers was just heading down from the car park. It was a lovely spot to spend some time.

Just a couple of minutes away, I made my way to Florence Falls. First I followed the signs to the viewing platform, and found a great view of a double waterfall falling into a pool where I could already see people swimming.

I followed the path downwards via 164 steps, and came to the pool at the base of the falls and about 30 people readying themselves for a swim. I nipped in quick to get a shot from that angle, but the right hand fall was around the corner and was difficult to see. I used the steps leading into the water and hung onto a railing to lean out as far as possible to get a shot.

Then away from the falls, I took a different path back to the car along Shady Creek, through monsoon forest and savannah woodland that was beautiful (and meant that I didn't need to do the 164 steps!).

Onto the road once more, and the next falls were dialled into Google Maps. I pulled up into the car park, and found a shaded spot to park before making my way to the viewpoint; not much of a view of the falls from this spot, but it did give a fantastic view over the forest.

Down towards the falls viewpoint, I followed the sign for the able bodied, and found myself on a path that seemed to lead away from the falls. I retraced my steps, and followed the other path, which bought me to the lookout I was searching for. 

Tolmar Falls is a long single drop fall, and although the viewpoint wasn't close the view of the fall was fantastic.

 A slow walk back up the hill to the car park as the temperature reached 31 degrees, and it was still only 10:00; some time was spent sat in the car with air con at full blast before moving on again, this time to Wangi Falls.

As I approached the Wangi Falls car park, the signs indicated that the plunge pool was closed for swimming. A short walk from the car park bought me to a fenced off part of the path leading to the pool at the bottom of the falls. To the right a path lead off to a viewing  platform, and from here the view of the falls was fantastic. This is by far the best falls I've seen so far in Australia; a double fall with the right hand side thundering down into the pool at the bottom. Immediately beside the viewing platform was a crocodile trap, which I suspect explains the closure for swimming.

Away from Mangi Falls after a while enjoying the falling water, I made my way to Greenant Creek. This was the trailhead for the walk to Tjaetaba Falls; a 2.7km, 1.5 hour return walk in 33 degree heat didn't feel like a wise idea though, so I continued onto the last planned spot to visit.

I turned off the main road to follow the signs to the Lost City; a rock formation about 4km away from the main road, but was blocked by closed gates and a road closed sign. I therefore turned back, and made my way back to the motel, where I spent the afternoon enjoying the air conditioning.

Dinner at 18:00, and then the Anzac eve AFL game was about to start as I left so I'll sit and watch that this evening. Tomorrow is Anzac Day (the Australian and New Zealand remembrance day), so the game was preceded by ceremony and the two anthems ..... I wonder if I'll encounter anything on my short travel day tomorrow.