Saturday, 9 May 2026
Seeing as we showered late yesterday, and we were planning some wild swimming today, we decided to skip showers this morning, dress, eat and go. We started out driving back into the park towards Tolmer Falls. Passing a sign we noted that Wangi Falls was only 10 kilometres beyond Tolmer Falls. Feeling optimistic, we decided to drive to Wangi Falls again, you know, just in case they had finished the work they were doing on the observation deck. They hadn’t.
We jumped back in the car and returned to the Tolmer Falls car park. There is no swimming at these falls so we decided to complete the Tolmer Creek Walk, a 1.5 Kilometre Grade 3 – Moderate walk (rocky in parts). The walk took us through typical Top End sandstone that provides a refuge for Cyprus pine not seen elsewhere in the landscape. Because it is not adapted to survive fire, the pine trees have adapted to grow on the sandstone escarpments.
The sandstone itself has weathered in a very blocky, structured way so that the outcrops almost look like the ruins of man-made structures. Both of us were reminded of some of the temple ruins that we visited in Siem Reap. During the walk we wandered beside Tolmer Creek and one of its tributaries. The path started out like a paved super highway and then continued over the sandstone with plenty of arrow markers … until there weren’t.
Blaze-a-Trail Boy went straight ahead at one stage and before long was (to me) clearly NOT following the trail. He would have continued forging his own way (as usual) but I insisted we should return to the last position where were sure we were on the marked trail. Steps re-traced, it was fairly easy to see (with 20/20 hindsight) that we should have taken a hard left.
Back on track, and with no more deviations, we came out on the trail that leads to the Tolmer Falls Lookouts. Left for the lower lookout, so we headed there first, for an outstanding view of the falls and the archway suspended above them. Finally, a spectacular waterfall with an unimpeded view. From the lower lookout, we walked up to the top lookout for a different perspective of the falls and a stupendous panorama looking out over the treetops of Litchfield National Park.
Returning to the truck, we drove back to Litchfield Park Road to make our way to our next stop, Tabletop Swamp. There was a picnic table available to we grabbed the sangas we purchased this morning before we left out of the fridge and enjoyed FRESH sandwiches, made today. As we ate our lunch, we listened to parrots in the melaleuca forest. We could hear many birds, but only saw a couple of crows and a few whistling kites, we couldn’t spot any of the more colourful birds.
Next stop, Buley Rockhole to try a bit of wild swimming with our pool noodles. We had to go to Anaconda for a second visit while we were in Darwin, following an email from Litchfield Outback Resort reminding us to bring pool noodles. We had actually purchased pool noodles, before we left Melbourne, BUT those noodles didn’t get packed!! With it being Saturday, it was quite busy at Buley Rockhole. We parked the truck, then used the facilities to change into our togs and we broke out our water shoes. Also purchased at Anaconda in Melbourne, these did make it into our luggage. Bathers, water shoes, pool noodles tucked under our arms, we headed for the pool.
Buley Rockhole is actually more of a series of pools with water rushing between them. At this time of the year there was still plenty of water flowing along Florence Creek. We found a spot to put our bags and towels and, with great trepidation on my part at least, we entered one of the pools. With the current running quite strongly at the moment, it was almost like being in an endless swimming spa! We managed to manoeuvre ourselves over to a rock ledge, where we could sit and relax out of the direct current. I was very happy to have my pool noodle. I would have been much less confident about wild swimming without it.
When we arrived at the pool(s) we noticed a group seated around a cooler, drinking stubbies. Yup, stubbies, despite the fact that they had brought them past a sign that clearly said No Glass Beyond This Point. While we were sitting in the water we noticed the Park Rangers arrive with garbage bags partially filled with rubbish, despite other signs that ask visitors to take all their rubbish with them. When the rangers came upon the stubby drinkers they told them they would have to pack up and leave. Why do people find it so difficult to follow basic rules? The park isn’t trying to kill the fun by banning alcohol, only glass containers, which is just common sense really.
After spending a bit of time in Buley Rockhole, we exited the water and gathered up our gear to drive around to Florence Falls. Hmmn, maybe we should have visited this waterhole first as it’s a bit more strenuous to access the plunge pool at the base of Florence Falls. You have to choose between an easy one kilometre track or 160 steps! We decided on the steps and made our way down a gently sloping path to the falls lookout, before starting the climb down the stairs. Another impressive waterfall with an unimpeded view. Not feeling so bad now about missing out on a clear look at Wangi Falls.
Another waterhole, more people determined to break the rules. At this waterhole there are signs up stating No Jumping, No Diving but, of course, people were. People were clambering up the rock faces, using tree roots to haul themselves up to ledges from which they could launch themselves into the pool below. Not only am I a stickler for the rules, I am pretty risk averse, so pretty horrified at all these people carrying on with wild abandon.
The water here was cooler, so we didn’t spend quite as long in the water. We also couldn’t find a ledge to sit on in this pool so, just hanging around in the water with our noodles under our armpits!! After hauling ourselves out of the water over rocks (due to a family seated on the steps provided at this waterhole!) we had to face the 160 steps back up again.
When we arrived back at the lookout deck we could see the guys who had been jumping from part way up the rock face had now clambered right to the top of the falls. OMG, are they really going to jump from there??? We had to wait to see if they would. It took them a while but, eventually, one made the leap so then, of course, his mates couldn’t lose face by chickening out. Relieved to report that they all made it down into the pool at the bottom without any injuries.
After a rather adventurous day, we made just one more stop on our way back to Batchelor – at the Magnetic Termite Mounds. The termites that build these rather blade-like mounds, orient the mounds on a north-south axis, to regulate internal temperatures, keeping the interior cool and humid. Located on a floodplain, these termite mounds stretched as far as the eye could see and looked a little bit like headstones in a graveyard.
Back in our room, we showered and dressed and made our way to the bistro again for dinner. We have a cabin again when we return to Katherine tomorrow, so we should (will) cook a few more meals again while we are there.
Steps: 11,388 (7.25kms)
