Stop #21 - Litchfield and Berry Springs

On our way to Litchfield, we stop off at Katherine to do some grocery shopping.  At midday, it's stinking hot, with the mercury touching 35 degrees.  Every move in this stifling heat takes an effort, and drains your body every minute you're out in the open. 

After replenishing our stocks, we drive north west to Litchfield, a destination we were all looking forward to, one that Jackie and I missed out on, when we drove our campervan from Alice Springs to Darwin over 10 years ago.

Passing through the welcome sign, the lushness and beauty of Litchfield greets you, as we drive through termite mounds and blackboy plants in the fading light.

We reach our intended camp site at Wangi Falls late afternoon, and are unable to find a campsite after doing a number of loops.  The campsite has a section for campers, which is filled with backpackers, and a separate section for caravans and camper trailers.  We left for another site 4klms down the road, and would have to come back the next morning to find a spot.  At least this alternate site was powered, allowing us to utilise the A/C in the caravan, and allowing us to charge our electrical devices.  We meet another family who have the same caravan as us, same number of kids and are spending 12 months travelling around Australia after selling their house.

We try to leave the overnight campsite early, only managing to get out just before 10am.  Arriving at Wangi Falls, we're relieved to see some available sites, and we set up near our new friends.  As it turns out, there are two other Expandas, all the same model as ours, who have set up site around one another.  Although our model is popular in the Jayco range, we've not seen many others like ours during our travels, and to see 4 so close together was a rarity.

After working up a sweat setting up the site, we eagerly trudge to the falls from our site.  With the temperature already in the thirties, the kids need no invitation to jump into the water and swim towards the waterfalls.

We spend much of our time at Litchfield swimming at Wangi Falls, which we believe was the best of all the attractions within Litchfield.  The high, flowing falls and wide base pool were refreshing.  The gardens and picnic facilities were fantastic, and there is a café at the entrance to the falls.

One afternoon we drove out to Florence Falls, which required a trek of over one kilometre or the walking of 135 steps to the base of the waterfall.  We did the latter, with Grace counting every step to the bottom, just to make sure the signage was correct.

Florence Falls itself is not as refreshing as Wangi Falls, but the falls were certainly full and powerful.  The large rocks on the floor made navigating the pool difficult, and the small pool base was crowded with visitors, not helped by a Contiki bus that pulled up as we arrived.

We also managed to see Buley rock pools, which was a creek that had mini waterfalls and rock pools for swimmers to wade, swim and relax in.  Certainly worth a visit, and we felt refreshed after visiting the rock pools.

Wangi Falls was our first National Park stay for the trip, and our site did not have any electricity or running water.  This meant that we could not use our A/C or 240v devices, so our nights were spent trying to expel the hot air built up inside our caravan, and cool down whichever way possible.  

Unfortunately opening our windows invited inside hundreds of small midges and mosquitoes, who were attracted to our lights and were able to squeeze through our fly screens.  Closing all the windows, minimising our lighting, and using our 12v fans reduced the number of flies and midges, however the caravan became a makeshift sauna and the heat was unbearable.  Thankfully the last few nights were cooler, with temperatures dropping down to the mid- twenties in the evening, making sleeping more bearable.

Despite the mozzie infestation, Litchfield was great, with Wangi Falls being the highlight.  We wonder what the place would be like during summer, as during their supposed cooler season, the temperature and humidity was extreme and taxing.

From Litchfield, we intended to go to Dundee Beach so I could go on a fishing charter.  When we arrived at Dundee Beach, we found out that the caravan park had lost telephone connectivity and we'd need to use cash for all our purchases.  The views of the ocean was stunning, the beaches isolated and you had the feeling of remoteness.  The lodge itself was clearly set up for the fishing clientele, with no swimming pool or family activities/catering, and a big bar with fishing paraphernalia lining the walls.  Along with the communications problem (meaning also no internet), I was not able to book onto a fishing charter for another couple of days, so with the sweltering heat, no swimming pool and lack of catering for the family, it was unfair to ask them to stay here for 3 nights.

We decided to head back up to Berry Springs, a town we passed on the way to Dundee Beach, Jackie had seen advertisements and brochures for a nice caravan park called Tumbling Waters, so we decide to check into this place for a few nights.

Upon checking in, we drive through the lush park, passing bird aviaries, a crocodile enclosure and the amenities and camp kitchen.  The amenities are intimate, well maintained and modern, with the finishing touches reminiscent of private lodges.  The attention to detail and quality of the amenities was a delight, with the number of mosquitoes reduced by the fans, lighting and closed doors.  The staff were very friendly and accommodating, providing us a site near the amenities under mature trees and amidst healthy green buffalo grass.

The mosquitoes were still out in force, making it unbearable to sit at the café or go outdoors without covering oneself with insect repellent and lighting the mosquito coils.  Despite taking all these preventative measures, the mozzies were still persistent and consistently found the square cm of skin that was not covered by the repellent.

The main attraction of the caravan park is no doubt the fresh water enclosure, where we say at least 3 crocodiles baking in the sun, we believe there may be 1 or 2 others lurking in the waters.  This was the first chance the kids have been able to get up close and personal with crocodiles, even if they are fresh and captive, so they loved walking on the walkway and studying the details of the crocs.  Grace even presented her school news in front of the crocodile.

Whilst staying at Tumbling Waters, we visited the springs at Berry Springs, which was a nice little watering hole that was fed by a small creek that had cascading waterfalls.

Being crazy mango fans, we visited Crazy Acres Mango Farm, where we purchase a large tub of mango icecream, mango jam and dried mango.  The icecream was divine, smooth with sufficient mango flavouring; needless to say it did not last long.  The jam was also delicious, very similar to something my mother had made with tamarind when I was younger; unfortunately we did not bring any sticky rice with us, as I think this jam would be amazing to eat with sticky rice.  The dried mango was sliced thin, and more dry than other dried mangoes I'd tried previously.  It was not inundated with flavourings, sugar or preservatives, with the flavours being exactly that of a fresh mango, once one chewed on it for a few moments.  Certainly this was different to the dried mangoes you would normally buy at a fruit shop back in Sydney.

The brochures for Tumbling Waters advertised that you could fish the local river at your doorstep, so I asked the manager/owner what that was about.  He provided me with a map of the fishing locations the caravan park recommended, with the usual warning of crocodiles potentially being around.  The first location was the fresh water Billabong a couple of hundred metres below the caravan park, this was more family friendly.  Upon checking out this location, I dismissed it due to the shallowness of the water and number of leaves and foliage surrounding the location.  Perhaps during the wet season, this place would have produced some good fish, however the water levels had dropped and the Billabong was looking devoid of life.

The second spot looked more promising, a location where the fresh water flowed into the salt, always a prime location for fish.  To boot, there was plenty of deep water and high rocky vantage spots for me to stay clear of any unwelcome reptiles.  This location was what I envisaged remote NT or WA fishing locations would look like, rugged and isolated, with only nature surrounding you.

Having scoped out the fishing location during low tide, I memorised the structures and gullies, in readiness for fishing the next morning.  The amazing thing with fishing up here are the shift in tides, how quickly they move and the difference between the high and low tides.  So without knowing the underwater terrain, I'd be fishing in the wrong spots when the water is higher.

It was mid-tide the first morning, high tide still a few hours away.  The fresh water from the river still dropping into the salt water below it.  Not an ideal fishing time, tide wise, however the conditions were still and there were sounds of fish slapping the surface.  A few eagles sat perched high above on the trees, scouring for prey looking to swim upstream, my presence not bothering them.

This type of fishing and the target species is new to me, but I know there are a lot of snags around and there won't be much room for movement if I do catch a fish.  I try a different array of soft plastics, hard bodies, shallow and deeper divers.  I lose a few lures to snags, one has to be close to the structure to be amongst the fish.  I see and hear more fish slapping the surface, but they are not interested in anything I throw their way, no matter the size, colour, angle or speed of retrieval.  I switch to a 12mm surface popper, and cast away.  After half an hour of casting in different directions, I elicit a strike from a fish, it follows the popper to the shore and I catch a glimpse of the culprit, a good sized Queenfish.  Cast and entice as I may, I could not raise another fish; I leave a frustrated angler, another fruitless session.

Over the next day, I review my approach and my lure selection.  I rig up my smaller rod with a golden bomber shallow diver, the heavier rod with the 12mm popper.  Arriving the next morning at the same time as the previous morning, I decide to try and fish further downstream, above where the stream flows into the river.  The tide is lower, revealing more structures, and too low to fish above the stream.  I decide to jump over the stream to fish the opposite side of the bank, which I am sure is seldom fished by other anglers, due to it's inaccessibility.

Moving to the main body of water, I see that it is cut off from the river by some rocks and sandy banks, and that a further hour will see the river rush into this main body.  I figure this is a prime spot for the larger fish to wait and ambush incoming prey.  I concentrate my casts in the direction of the cascading water, as it flows into the main body of water.  At first it starts off as a slow and steady trickle, but soon transforms into a raging flood of water, the sound of the rushing water soon dominating the previously serene environment.  Unfortunately my repeated casts into what I thought were the hot spots were fruitless, so it was time to change tact once again.

I move further downstream and put on an 8mm black popper, my casts are concentrated in the channel leading up to where the cascading fresh water falls into the salt.  I see a splash behind my popper, but no strike.  I hastily re-cast back to the same spot and I finally have a hook up.  There is not much weight behind the fish, and it is brought in quickly; my first Queenfish at 45cm.  Back into the water she goes, and I resume casting in the same region.

Further bloops with the popper ensue, another near miss and then I am hit again.  This time there is more weight, and I know I have a keeper on my hands.  With the snags around, I muscle the fish in and am rewarded with a fish near 75cm that has some weight to it.  I'm stoked, the hard work has paid off, I don't need to do the walk of shame back home this time.

Further casts with the same popper result in a total of 5 Queenfish caught, with one kept for the table.  I try using my larger popper and am hit with another good sized Queenie at my feet.  The heavy rod and gear makes light work of this Queenie, and the fish is brought in quickly.  It is entangled in both trebles, so I decide to keep this one for the table as well.

I could have fished all morning, and try other lures for a Barra, however it was time to get back to the family and help with the schooling.  Packing up the gear I trudge back the way I came, however the tide had risen further than I anticipated and I am required to wade ankle deep in water, back to the starting point.  Thoughts of the cleaned fish attracting some toothy critters cross my mind and I scan the area before I quickly scamper across the 5 metre beach. 

We had Queenfish fillets that night, and they were thick and juicy, with a fresh water tinge to it.  Probably not the best fish we've eaten on this trip, but any fresh fish is better than most eaten in the restaurants.  We save the upper half of the fish for steaming later on, the kids love steamed fish and leaves little waste behind.

Although I did not get to fish Dundee Beach, and missed the opportunity to catch big Jewfish and Barra on a charter, the time spent at Tumbling waters with the family and my little fishing escapade was well worth it.

We'd recommend people to stay at Tumbling Waters if you are looking for a place to stay to visit Litchfield (you can do day trips) or want a break between Litchfield and Darwin.