Description
If you love waterfalls and lush surroundings, beautiful gorges and nature in all its glory and mystery - then prepare for heaven. Situated only 130kms from
Darwin,
Litchfield National Park is one of the most spectacular and accessible National Parks in the "Top End". While the majority of the park is sealed and of good gravel quality, there are a couple of excellent 4WD alternatives that take you to some of the lesser know areas of Litchfield. It's possible to take in
Litchfield NP in a day, but if you have the time, then its definitely worth exploring around. If you're travelling in the park, especially in the peak season of May to October, don't be surprised if the major attractions in the park are extremely popular.
Interactive Route Map

Features:

Position: 131.0799ºE 12.6729ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Blackmore River Conservation Reserve
Distance: 22.3km
Average Speed: 50.75km/h
Features:

Position: 130.9467ºE 12.7670ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Mount Finniss
Distance: 39.65km
Average Speed: 57km/h
Features:

Position: 130.7872ºE 12.9539ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Mount Finnis Mine
Distance: 0.17km
Average Speed: 67.17km/h
Features:

Position: 130.7858ºE 12.9558ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Bad Crossing
Distance: 4.24km
Average Speed: 72.61km/h
Features:

Position: 130.7612ºE 12.9662ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Litchfield NP, Northern Boundary
Distance: 8.66km
Average Speed: 65.28km/h
Features:

Position: 130.7240ºE 13.0278ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Walker Creek
Distance: 6.75km
Average Speed: 70.06km/h
Walker Creek
This is the perfect spot for a refreshing swim, a quiet picnic or a relaxing rest after a long bushwalk. It has a shared camping and swimming site and there is a reservation board in the carpark to book a night or two.
Features:

Position: 130.6978ºE 13.0781ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Wangi Falls
Distance: 24.64km
Average Speed: 66km/h
Wangi Falls
Wangi Falls is located approximately 66km south west of Batchelor is Wangi Falls. This waterfall is absolutely beautiful and flows into a large permanent natural pool all year round.
Features:

Position: 130.6799ºE 13.1629ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Greenant Creek
Distance: 10.71km
Average Speed: 47.89km/h
Greenant Creek
There is a lovely pleasant walk that follows Greenant Creek to the top of Tjaetaba Falls. This area is part of an Aboriginal Sacred Site, so please respect the wishes of the Site's custodians and do not enter the water anywhere below these falls along the creek.
Features:

Position: 130.7000ºE 13.1997ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Tjaetaba Falls
Distance: 0.47km
Average Speed: 58.72km/h
Features:

Position: 130.7032ºE 13.1942ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Tolmer Falls
Distance: 1.09km
Average Speed: 60.87km/h
Tolmer Falls
These lovely falls cascade over beautiful massive red cliffs and into a large, deep pool below. There is a lookout that is 400m from the carpark, gives a superb view of the narrow gorge and the falls that flow into it.
Features:

Position: 130.7137ºE 13.2024ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Tabletop Swamp
Distance: 5.59km
Average Speed: 71.83km/h
Tabletop Swamp
This rather attractive wetland is surrounded by paperbark trees and is an ideal spot for nature enthusiasts or those that want quieter places to picnic and relax.
Features:

Position: 130.7471ºE 13.1779ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Litchfield Park Rd, The Lost City Access
Distance: 4.87km
Average Speed: 74.44km/h
Features:

Position: 130.7759ºE 13.1501ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: The Lost City
Distance: 9.4km
Average Speed: 21.65km/h
The Lost City
The Lost City is a natural formation, formed by thousands of years of wind and rain erosion whose walls, narrow passages and domes give the impression that they were man made.
Features:

Position: 130.7463ºE 13.2148ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Litchfield Park Rd, The Lost City Access
Distance: 9.4km
Average Speed: 21.65km/h
Features:

Position: 130.7759ºE 13.1501ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Buley Rockhole
Distance: 7.81km
Average Speed: 50.39km/h
Buley Rockhole
Buley Rockhole is located 43km west of Batchelor, these beautiful small rock pools and cascades are ideal for a refreshing swim.
Features:

Position: 130.7855ºE 13.1123ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Aida Creek Jump-up
Distance: 4.6km
Average Speed: 51.81km/h
Features:

Position: 130.8146ºE 13.1190ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Magnetic Termite Mounds
Distance: 4.6km
Average Speed: 66.4km/h
Magnetic Termite Mounds
There are many grey, wedge-shaped mounds with some rising several metres high around this area. These mounds are built by termites and are a mysterious natural phenomena because they all seem to have the flat sides with a North-South orientation.
Features:

Position: 130.8440ºE 13.1021ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Litchfield NP, Eastern Boundary
Distance: 17.41km
Average Speed: 72.47km/h
Features:

Position: 130.9251ºE 13.0402ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Batchelor
Distance: 18.79km
Average Speed: 68.34km/h
Batchelor
Batchelor is a well-maintained town, about 100 km south of Darwin. It is the entry point for visitors to the stunning Litchfield National Park. A sealed road provides access to the town which has a small shopping/services centre and accommodation.
Named after the politician E.
Position: 131.0307ºE 13.0505ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Stuart Hwy & Batchelor Rd
Distance: 13.87km
Average Speed: 48.04km/h
Features:

Position: 131.1203ºE 13.0007ºS (GDA 94)
Permits
There are no entry fees for
Litchfield National Park, however fees do apply in the designated
camping areas.
Permits are needed from the Parks and Wildlife Ranger Station (in
Batchelor) if you camp out of the designated campground areas.
Things to See & Do
Preparation
Please ensure you have adequate supplies such as: plenty of water and personal protection gear like suitable clothing and footwear, hats, sunscreen and insect propellant. Carry a
first aid kit and ensure your vehicle is well maintained and equipped. We have good articles on these topics such as:
Servicing,
Recovery Gear and
Survival.
The main route into
Litchfield NP is 2WD access via
Batchelor on the Litchfield Park Road with sealed roads accessing the popular sites and unsealed roads accessing the more remote sites. During the dry and hot seasons,
Litchfield NP can be accessed from Stuart Highway & Cox Peninsula Rd junction, as stated in this trek note. There may be sections of this road that are unsealed and badly corrugated so take extreme care. Also, towing caravan and trailers are not recommended on this road. During the wet season rains which are between October and April, floods may occur in the lowlands of the National Park so frequent checking of the
road conditions is a must. Phone the Road Information Service on 1800 246 199, Ranger staff at
Batchelor on (08) 8976 0282 or Walker Creek on (08) 8978 2302.
Fuel Supplies & Usage
 | Batchelor |
Diesel | 4cyl 30 litres |
ULP | 4cyl 35 litres |
LPG | 4cyl 43 litres |
| 6cyl 33 litres | 6cyl 38 litres * | 6cyl 38 litres |
| 8cyl 35 litres | 8cyl 36 litres | |
Usage is averaged from
TrekFuel (* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.
Best Time To Visit
Closest Climatic Station
Darwin Airport
Distance from Trek Mid Point 57.83km N
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Mean Max. °C |
31.8 | 31.4 | 31.9 | 32.7 |
32.0 | 30.6 | 30.5 | 31.3 |
32.5 | 33.2 | 33.2 | 32.6 |
| Mean Min. °C |
24.8 | 24.7 | 24.5 | 24.0 |
22.1 | 19.9 | 19.3 | 20.5 |
23.0 | 25.0 | 25.3 | 25.3 |
| Mean Rain mm |
419.0 | 358.1 | 324.7 | 101.7 |
21.0 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 5.4 |
14.9 | 69.3 | 140.4 | 246.1 |
Best time to travel Ok time to travel Travel NOT recommended
Services & Supplies
The following locations have various services and supplies:
Batchelor
Camp Sites & Accomodation
There are many designated campsites within
Litchfield National Park and there are
camping fees that apply. Simply deposit your fees in the boxes provided. There are no powered sites available and there are some rules that must be followed such as generators are not to be used in the Park, caravan
camping is available at
Wangi Falls only and
permits are needed when you wish to camp out of designated campgrounds areas which are obtained from the Parks and Wildlife Ranger Station in
Batchelor. I you wish to seek additional information for commercial
camping areas and
accommodation outside
Litchfield National Park, contact the Tourism
Top End number on (08) 8936 2499
Environment
Litchfield National Park is a very integral part of the
Northern Territory’s network of conservation reserves. The park covers approximately 1,500 square kilometres and features
sandstone plateaus, tropical woodlands, paperbark and monsoon forests, gorges, waterfalls, creeks, floodplains and much more. It has a high diversity of plants and animals including around twenty plant species and a dozen animal species.
Like just about all
places there are hazards and
Litchfield National Park is no exception. Please use caution and observe Park safety signs, swim only where recommended and observe warning signs.
Estuarine crocodiles also known as Saltwater crocodiles live in the
top end of
Australia and management practises reduces the risk of these reptiles entering popular areas such as
Wangi Falls. Prior to opening the Falls each year, surveys are conducted and crocs are trapped and removed when detected. Please report sightings to Park Rangers and do not risk entering areas that are closed.
History
The history of Litchfield begins with the Wagiat Aboriginal people who lived here for thousand of years supported by a rich environment which provided plenty of bush tucker and materials for shelter and bush medicine.
The first European discovery of the area was in 1864 with the Finnis Expedition. The park was named after a member of this expedition, Fredrick Henry Litchfield, who believed the area offered enormous prosperity and settled here.
From 1889, copper and tin were mined at Bamboo Creek and Mt Tolmer for ten years and later parts of the area were used for pastoral leases. In the late 1960's, 4WD tracks were pushed through to a number of falls. In 1986, increasing visitors to the area results in the establishment of
Litchfield National Park.
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.