Litchfield 4wd Trip & Adelaide River

After the family left Darwin we also decided we had outstayed our welcome, especially as the rain had started to get more frequent and the air a little more sticky, so we headed back to Litchfield to do a 4wd trip with Stu & Megs as our last hoorah, we were due to go our separate ways once we hit Katherine so one more adventure trip was a must. 

The weather really showed off the day we decided to leave and the rain came down so hard at one stage we were doing about 20 km's in a 90 km zone.

Us holding Megan & Stu up!

We dropped off our caravan for storage at 'Litchfield Tourist Park' where the manager Ben only charged us $5 a night, which was a great considering it was the only park that would do it. He was really helpful and the park seemed really clean, with a pool and a cafe, would've have been a great park to stay at the night but we decided rain, hail or shine we were leaving then and there.........so off we went.

The first 4wd  camp spot is only 10 minutes of the main road.

The rain had eased so we found some flat ground to set up.

Posing with the air mattress a must for camping out here!
Especially when you have a hole in the bottom of your tent!

Trying to set up a bit of a rain shelter so we wouldn't have to hide in our tent's all afternoon.

Our lonely little tent.

Then we trekked through the scrub for about 15 minutes and got to Florence falls.
Usually you have to walk down a million steps (like we did the previous week) but staying at the campground you bypass the stairs, thank god!

There were about 5 other tourists at Florence Falls but all were just sitting on the edge of the water scared to go in thinking there were crocs swimming around, they were very relieved when we showed up and told them they would all make it out alive, no crocs until after wet season apparently!

Cooking over the fire.

Us nerds with our head lights and a great BBQ dinner!

The next day the weather was better and we were ready to take on the track.
(This sign is from the end of the track,we left from Litchfield park drive)

Now the fun really starts.

This walk is on the way before you get to any of the swimming areas but has some great views, only about a half hour walk.

A view from the top.

The lookout platform to view the falls.

A fair way up, can't imagine this place in wet season!

The walk was nice and shady which was great because it was about 35 degrees.

A few rocky hills but nothing too challenging.

Water around from the previous few days made for some great sights.

Back on the road again for our first water crossing, one of many!

A water crossing you do not want to get stuck in!

The ruins of an old homestead, now home to wasps and spiders!
Inside there is information and maps of the 4wd track that you can take with you.

They must have been short back in the day!

The rain made for a fun drive, lot's of mud!

Brenton was in his element!

I even did my first creek crossing!

Getting closer to water, in need of a swim! 

Our first swimming spot at Tjaynera falls, we were going to camp here the night but heard there was better spot up further so just stopped for a swim and some lunch.

Getting closer, it's about a half hour walk from the car park, thongs not advised, very rocky in parts.

Another great view and a huge swimming area all to ourselves!!

Plenty of fish an no doubt some fresh water crocs.

Playing around with Meg and Stu's underwater camera.

Then it was back on the road heading for Surprise Creek.

A few more muddy potholes.

Throughout the trip the landscape changed drastically.

A sandy water hole one of about 8 crossings.

Stu making a splash!

The bundy, Brenton and a termite mound.

Probably one of the deepest we had to go through.

Brenton having fun in the mud, going to be fun to clean.

Finally at Surprise creek and set up.

Great free camping, even a bush toilet, table and camp fire.

We weren't sure what to expect at Surprise creek, we didn't think it was going to be as big as it was and it's only a 10 minute walk from the camp area through a rain-forest type area.

This was our first surprise before the creek.

He was huge!

Then there was the creek, it was huge and we were a bit suss about swimming in here.

Until Stu walked up the side of this rock and around the corner.

Surprise..

An amazing rock pool with a waterfall that leads out to the part we were suss about!

It was scarily deep here with no rocks sticking out, the perfect spot for a jump!

One of the huge tree's you pass to get to the falls.

Did I mentioned we jumped?

And jumped....

Jumped...

Jumped some more...

Megs jumped...

We all jumped....

Until we were all jumped out...

Trying to walk up to jump I fell and slid down the rocks, it was very slippery and Im very clumsy not a great mix!

Trying to get up, it was nice to have Stu's worried face to get up to......not!
But I can imagine it looked quite funny as I slid a long way, Brenton must have also been very worried as he managed to take some photo's!
Just scraped legs and a few bruises, luckily!

I still managed to jump afterwards though..

So refreshing, and we had it all to ourselves!

Taken from up near the rock-pool.

We could not believe this was only 10 mins from our FREE campsite!! Amazing!

We literally spent the whole day here, there was also another swimming hole on the top of this one, but the rocks were very slippery so it was easier to swim in this one.

And we kept on jumping..

The boy's negotiating who will jump first of the highest platform.

Stu was the first to jump.

Brenton got there in the end.

Then the rain started....

But it was still hot so we enjoyed it.

The rain was so thick!

Then we thought we should be getting back to the camp site to see if we were washed out.

So we ran back through the scrub in the pouring rain.

It was soaking!
Our little tent got a few wet patches inside but thankfully dried by the time we went to bed. 

The next day we got up early,went for another swim and sadly said good-bye to our little paradise.

Back on track.

A curious hawk looks on.

Our last water crossing of the day.

We made it and now the boys have to blow the tyres back up, so we can head off and get our van.

After we picked up our van from the tourist park we headed back to Adelaide River and decided to stay a night because it was too late to get to Katherine, which was about 2 and a half hours away.

We crossed the bridge and stayed at the showgrounds, $20 a night for a powered site, it was nice and green, had a pool and was also very secure.

Stu and Meg stayed behind the Adelaide River Pub, it was also a great spot and the pool was huge!

The boy's playing a bit of soccer.

Doing there best anyway.

That night the sky was amazing, after all the storms had been through already.

Sitting in the 'common area' for dinner, pasta, yummo!

Surprise, as it was our last night with Megan & Stu, we had a little birthday celebration for Brenton, even though it was still a few weeks away.

An inventive Tim Tam birthday cake.

And even a pressie!

A lure to catch a big barra!!

The place was full of frogs!

It was a great last night together and although we were meeting up in Katherine to do the shopping together the next day we couldn't believe we were going our separate ways after all this time, us west and Megan and Stu east, we had so much fun together!!

Darwin was a longer stint that we had originally planned but there is a lot to do and see there, we were lucky to have some great weather but towards the end you could tell wet season was looming and apparently is was starting earlier this year, so again we were of to chase the sun!

xx