Day 6 Sweetwater Pool to Leliyn (Edith Falls) and Back to Darwin - Jatbula Trip

 Day 6 – Thursday 22 August

Sweetwater Pool to Leliyn (Edith Falls) and Back to Darwin

https://nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/200590/jatbula-trail-maps-booklet.pdf

https://nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/200594/jatbula-trail-information-sheet.pdf

https://northernterritory.com/katherine-and-surrounds/see-and-do/sweetwater-pool

We were again awake about 5:45am, but chose a slow start to today’s short walk, leaving about 7am.

The first 350m of today’s walk was very slow going over rocks.  There were many burnt areas from the recent bush fires and from the controlled burns to contain the fires and protect the park.  In some areas we could still smell the burn.  In some places the fires had clearly been uncontrolled as the burn went high up into the trees and all the way down to the waterline.  We saw one trail runner, one macropod and one tiny snake on the way to Longhole.

We arrived at Longhole around 7:45am and had the pool all to ourselves for a swim. Two black cockatoos flew over while we were swimming.  Just after leaving Longhole we saw another two macropods.  When we reached the junction between the Jatbula Trail and Leliyn Trail we chose to take the longer route to Edith Falls. 

First stop was Leliyn lookout. 

We then went for a swim at the Upper Pool. There were lots of day visitors here of all ages. 

We exited the pool valley on the opposite side of the pool with a steep ascent to Bemang lookout. This was followed by a steep descent to the Lower Pool.

https://nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/413837/leliyn-edith-falls-fact-sheet-and-map.pdf

https://nt.gov.au/parks/find-a-park/nitmiluk-national-park/leliyn-edith-falls

At the Lower Pool there were a group of rangers examining the entrance to the pool and deciding on maintenance and potential relocation of the entrance.  I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to talk to the “Senior Cultural Advisor” and thank him for the opportunity to walk on his ancestors tracks, and for how well maintained the park and track were.  We then swam 150m across to the far side of the pool to hang under Edith Falls – it was very powerful.  We then swam back to the other side.

Statistics

Distance    5.60km

Time        2h 20m

Ascent    98m

Descent    151m

At the Leliyn Café we had a delicious hamburger with a Bundaberg soft drink.  

https://jawoyn-leliynkiosk.com.au/

We then relaxed and read in the shade near the swimming hole before our bus transfer back to the start of the walk. When we arrived at the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre I took the set of tent poles in and I messaged the August walkers groups that that was where they were – hopefully they will find their way back to their owner.

https://www.nitmiluktours.com.au/about/visitor-centre/

Needless to say, the car was extremely hot after being parked for six days in high thirties sunshine.  We drove into Katherine. Opposite the Salvation Army there were free showers where we cleaned up and washed our hair.  

https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/locations/northern-territory/ny17/katherine-corps/

Then off to the shops to buy some snacks for the drive back to Darwin. We were on our way by 4pm.  We stopped briefly in Adelaide River and saw a north bound freight train go through.  The public toilets here were the best kept and prettiest I have seen (other than Maryborough’s Cistern Chapel). 

https://northernterritory.com/darwin-and-surrounds/destinations/adelaide-river-town

https://cisternchapel.com/

Next stop was the Mindil Beach markets for dinner.  We did not quite make it in time for sunset, but did get to see the last of the colour.  Drew and I shared a Pad Thai for dinner, followed by ice cream for dessert – Irish Cream for Drew and New York Chunky Chocolate for me.  We bumped into the two girls from our hike, who had finished a day earlier.

https://mindil.com.au/

We camped for the night at Hidden Valley Caravan Park and were ready for bed about 9:30pm.  What a day!

Darwin to Katherine - Jatbula Trip

 

Pre Day 1 – Friday 16 August

Darwin to Katherine

We woke about 6:30am and had showers and breakfast.  Once reception opened, we checked out and headed to BCF Yarrawonga (to be there when the opened at 8:30am) to purchase our gas and insect repellent for the hike.

https://www.bcf.com.au/stores/details/bcf-palmerston

South down the Stuart Highway to Katherine.  There is something special about the bush in the Top End.  The Kapok trees were in bloom with very few leaves left on the trees.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_Highway

https://www.visitkatherine.com.au/

https://northernterritory.com/katherine-and-surrounds

Things we saw on the road that remind us we are in the Top End: 

• 130km/h speed signs
• Road trains with 4 trailers. We saw one road train that was transporting three demountable houses at once
• Metal power poles – the termites are too active for anything else to last

We arrived in Katherine in time for lunch, which we enjoyed at the local Coffee Club. We then headed to Riverview Tourist Park and set up our tent in an unpowered site.  We filled the water bladders in our packs and organised the food needed to the first day of our walk to be accessible. 

We filled the car with petrol, which proved a little tricky as the instructions provided on how to open the cap for the petrol tank turned out to be for a different vehicle.   

Then off to Nitmiluk Visitor Centre for our 3pm Safety Briefing and to have our permits signed to be able to board the ferry in the morning.  We met some of our fellow hikers, who would all be going on the 7am ferry the next morning.  Two young men in their early 20’s, and three brothers in their mid to late 20’s.  After the briefing we walked over to where the ferry would go the next morning to be sure we knew exactly where we would be going as we knew we would be pushed for time in the morning.

https://www.nitmiluktours.com.au/about/visitor-centre/

https://nt.gov.au/parks/find-a-park/nitmiluk-national-park/nitmiluk-national-park-jatbula-trail#:~:text=Safety%20briefings%20take%20place%20at,you%20can%20attend%20either%20session.

We then drove back to Katherine and had a relax in the crystal-clear Katherine Hot Springs before dinner and an early night.  The Katherine Hot Springs are a short walk via a gate at the back of the caravan park.

https://northernterritory.com/katherine-and-surrounds/see-and-do/katherine-hot-springs

28 July - School, Car Service, Maintenance

28 July 2016 – 180 935

School, Car Service, Maintenance

This morning Drew took the car in for its 180 000km service at the Toyota Dealership in Katherine. They were kind enough to drop him back out at our accommodation, as well as to advise us that there was an additional four hours of work to be done under recalls from Toyota – one was about the towbar bolts giving way, definitely needed to know about that one. https://www.katherinetoyota.com.au/enquiries/service-booking/ So we will be carless for most of the day.  Hayden had a school work day, I did washing, journals and other equally exciting tasks; but mainly just rested.  Drew collected the car this afternoon and there were no unexpected surprises thankfully.  Then, horror of horrors, Drew WASHED the car!  It does not look like our car now, but I am sure we will fix that before we get another opportunity to wash it. 

In the late afternoon light, I ventured down to the Katherine River to take some photos; it is really pretty and looks like a beautiful swimming spot except for the no swimming, crocodiles sign.  Another early night for me, but finally on the improve.