TOP END ADVENTURE

JUST A SHORT DRIVE FROM DARWIN, LITCHFIELD NATIONAL PARK OFFERS SPECTACULAR WATERFALLS, INCREDIBLE SWIMMING HOLES, AN AMAZING ARRAY OF FLORA AND FAUNA, AND SEVERAL FUN WATER CROSSINGS. IT'S A MUST-DO WHEN IN THE TOP END

- KEV SMITH

THE Northern Territory has some amazing and diverse protected areas ranging from rich wetlands to dry savannah and deserts. Of course, one of these areas is Australia’s largest national park, Kakadu, but not far from here is the much smaller but equally significant Litchfield National Park.

Just over an hour’s drive from Darwin, Litchfield NP is one of the most popular parks in the NT’s north, attracting more than 260,000 visitors a year, and is an integral part of the Territory’s network of conservation areas.

Covering just 1500km², Litchfield NP contains a diverse range of plants and animals with some only found within its borders.

HISTORY LESSON

LOCAL Aboriginal tribes have lived in the area for thousands of years and unlike other parks, their cultural sites are not open to the general public. It was in 1864 when explorer Fredrick Litchfield headed an expedition through this area that the park was named after him. On this trip, they found gold in the nearby Finniss River and over the next few years, a mini gold rush boomed in the Top End.

Litchfield is a day visit for many travelling in 2WD cars, with easy access to waterfalls and stunning views from the plateau lookouts, but to see the real hidden gems here you’ll need a 4x4 vehicle. These days there are two sealed roads into Litchfield so most visitors can do a loop around and continue back to Darwin or continue on their journey south. The drive from Darwin heads off the Cox Peninsula Road from the north, and the road in from Batchelor comes off the Stuart Highway to the east.