Litchfield National Park is located 100 km south west of Darwin and was given National Park status in 1986. Each year the park attracts over quarter of a million visitors and features some of the greatest scenery in Australia. The majority of the sites are stunning waterfalls with most open for swimming.
Following up from a previous post about the Aboriginal rock art in the Kakadu National Park I wanted to share a short video made at the Ubirr site where some of the oldest rock art can be found.
Below is my view from the Ubirr lookout into Armen Land, unfortunately I wasn’t there at sunset. I have shared this photograph before as part of another post but thought it also fits here.
The main reason for Kakadu’s World Heritage Status is because of its collection of Aboriginal rock art in the area. The art details the history of the Aboriginal people of Australia and features some key historical moments, including the early contact with European people.
The art is evidence of the close personal relationship that Aboriginal people have with the land and their country. It provides a record of Aboriginal life over thousands of years with the earliest painting dating back 20,000 years! The longest historical record of any group of people in the world.
Look closely at the top of the over hanging rock.
Some how there is a painting on the over hang of the rock 10m above the ground. One of the rangers told me about the Aboriginal story of how they grew tall enough to reach the area and paint it there. I found it hard to believe but as I stood underneath I couldn’t come up with any other logical explanation. Below is a closer look.
Now, the rock art is extremely important to the Aboriginal people of Kakadu as it provides a scientific and historical record for the region. It is important that the rock art is preserved and many measured are made to reduce the impact on these historical paintings.
These photographs of Aboriginal rock art are taken from Kakadu National Park.
Aboriginal Rock Art
Read more about the rock art of Kakadu National Park, where you can see it and the steps being taken to conserve it by visiting the Parks Australia website. For more about Aboriginal history and culture click HERE
All I wanted to see while travelling in the Northern Territories was a crocodile in the wild. Many of the places I visited had signs warning of crocodiles but after staring into the water hoping for a head to appear I hadn’t seen one. There were signs of them being around everywhere.
In the end I drove out to the deepest parts of Kakadu National Park hoping for a glimpse but it seemed like a wasted journey until suddenly a head appeared in the water and disappeared again. At that point it became very real, I took a step back from the waters edge as my heart raced. It was minutes before the head surfaced again slightly further away.
Have you noticed the bravery of the people fishing further up stream?
Travelling to Uluru was part of a road trip from Adelaide to Darwin. A distance of around 3200km with only one ‘city’ in between, Alice springs. It was a large amount of driving but there were many highlights along the way. Some of these I have covered in other posts but here are a few other reasons the drive is a must.
Coober Pedy
In south Australia there is very little to see along the drive and its not until Coober Pedy, a small town that grew out of Opal mining but now resembles the last place on earth, that you meet any signs of civilisation. Most of the town is built underground out of the rock so when you go to the local viewing point there is very little to see. The town has also become famous for being the location for many films, including Mad Max.
View over Coober PedySculpture in the Coober Pedy mines
Uluru National
Heading from Adelaide you have to turn off the highway to reach Uluru National Park but it is well worth the visit. It can be expensive in petrol but also park entrance fees and higher camping costs. Before heading back to the highway I would recommend another detour and stopping at Kings Canyon and using a few hours for the larger walking route which offers amazing views.
Kings Canyon
Alice Springs
Alice Springs is almost exactly halfway between Adelaide and Darwin. The town is one of the only major towns to be named after an Australian woman. The Todd river runs through Alice Springs but is usually always dry.
View over Alice SpringsThe Todd River, Alice Springs
National Parks in the Northern Territories
Once you arrive in the Northern Territories the scenery really changes with an abundance of National Parks. I stopped in both Litchfield and Kakadu, they were both absolutely spectacular. The sites in Litchfield are much closer together and a good majority of them can be seen in one day, where as Kakadu requires a lot more driving but again is well worth it. If you are staying in Darwin a weekend trip can be made to visit this National Parks and can be a very busy time.
Kakadu National Park
This route does seem very long and there are other cheaper and quicker alternatives if you are looking to visit Uluru National Park but if you are looking to take in the National Parks in the north I would drive. There are many other sites along the way including the Devils Marbles, Australia’s UFO capital and of course the natural beauty of the Australian Outback.
Our Shadows Will Remain 