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Camping at Walker Creek in Litchfield National Park

22/10/2020

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  • Does camping in the Northern Territory with your very own private waterhole tickle your fancy?  If so then Walker Creek in the Northern Territory's Litchfield National Park is absolutely not to be missed.

As the name suggests, the campsites are walk-in only. However, if thats not your thing don't be put off just yet. The hike is very short, with all 8 of the campsites being scattered along a 2km trail that follows the crystal clear Walker Creek, meaning the furthest site is still less than 2km from your car.

Each camp site has a table, water access and space for a tent or 2. Ours also came with a complimentary water monitor (a type of a swimming lizard). The creek is deemed croc-free in the dry season once it has been cleared, however as usual with all swimming spots in the NT it's best to be alert, but not alarmed.

You can walk along Walker Creek as a short 3.5km return day hike OR you can pop you name down on the blackboard on your way in and secure yourself your very own private campsite (complete with some form of plunge pool and maybe even a waterfall!).

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The Trail

The trail is an easy 3.5km return trip that follows the creek via all 8 camp sites. You can also follow the trail up to where it links in to the multi-day tabletop track.

Throughout the day you could have hikers passing along the trail coming via your camp - however we didn't see anyone is the 2 days that we were in our spot.
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The Camp Spots

All 8 sites are pretty spectacular! When we arrived there wasn't anyone else in any of the sites so we got to pick which one we liked the most. We chose site 3, which was our favourite due to the huge pool and small waterfall! There was also some shade which was nice during the day. Site 4 was also nice, and sites 7 & 8 were super private (at the very end of the trail).
Site 2 was probably our least favourite and also the least private as the trail walks straight past it (the rest are short side trips off the main trail).
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The Reservation System

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The reservation system is non-existent. You cross your fingers, show up at the start of the trail and hope there are some spots available on the blackboard. Yes, I said blackboard. 

At the beginning of the trail there is a board with all 8 campsites on it, you can either pick one at random and write your name on it and then hike in with your gear. Or you can go and check out the sites and then come back and pop your name down.

As we said earlier, our favourites sites were 3 & 4!

At the time of visiting in Sep 2020 camping was free due to vandalism of onsite payment collection boxes. 
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Note that Walker Creek camping facilities are pretty basic, so come prepared with your own drinking water or means to treat the stream water before drinking. The sites share a couple of drop toilets which may be a little walk from your campsite - you'll need to bring your own loo paper too!
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For more ideas of things to do and see in the NT check out our 4 Week Northern Territory Road Trip Itinerary 
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Nitmiluk (Katherine) National Park

12/10/2020

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Nitmiluk National Park in Australia's Northern Territory is a real treat to outdoor enthusiasts.
With its variety of hiking and mountain biking trails, waterfalls, swimming holes and canoeing options it's pretty darn spectacular.

The park also hosts the famous 62km multi-day Jatbula trail. The trail can be completed over 5 or 6 days and books out months and months in advance. We were meant to do this hike at the end of August this year, however the trail was closed (for the first time ever) due to catastrophic fire danger. I was bummed, but it just means we'll have to head back another time. 

The park is split up into two main visitor areas; Leliyn (Edith) Falls and Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge. Edith Falls is 30km to the north of Katherine, where as the gorge is to the east of town. Both areas are accessible by all vehicles and there are campgrounds at both Leliyn (Edith Falls) and at the Katherine Gorge Visitor Centre, as well as plenty of campground options in Katherine town.

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Camping Options:

The Nitmiluk Campground at the gorge visitor centre is pretty pricey, at $23 per person for unpowered sites. They do have a pool and all the usual campground trimmings however, and at the time we stayed, free-to-use washing machines. What you're really paying for here is the proximity to the gorge and activities though which is very handy. If this is out of your budget though there are some cheaper options in town.

The campground at Edith Falls is far cheaper at $12 per person (there are only unpowered sites) and is a few 100 metres to the 'plunge pool' aka the giant swimming hole. Saturday nights at Edith Falls are pretty fun with opt-in well priced group meals and live music!
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Leliyn (Edith) Falls

The swimming hole is beautiful, rimmed with sandstone cliffs that glow at sunset - it's pretty special. The falls themselves are pretty small ​however it's still worth swimming over to them to check them out. If you're not super confident swimming you can grab a noodle from the campground Kiosk to assist you in your 150m trip to the falls.

Edith falls is the end of the jatbula Trail. The huge pool and well equipped kiosk are great for those ending their hike, or anyone else that's after a cool drink or coffee.
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Hikes

There are a couple of hikes here that you can do from the pool, both of which take you to a new and exciting swimming pool. Remember to start early in the day and take plenty of water as the temperatures here exceed the high 30's very regularly.

Leliyn Trail (Upper Pools) :
2.6km loop
This loop heads up and around the back of the main fall and takes you to the upper falls and pool. It then returns via the Bemang lookout.
The upper pools can be a little quieter and are a nice spot to spend the day.

Sweetwater Pools Hike:
8.6km return
This trail heads along the beginning of the upper pools hike before splitting off and following the Jatbula trail to the Sweetwater Pool.
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Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge

Nitmiluk National Park has over 10 stunning gorges. You are able to hike or canoe out to different areas and camp overnight. As well as hiking, there is a new network of mountain biking trails that was opened in July 2020. They are still under construction and when completed, will boast over 10km of trails through the park.
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Hikes

The hiking trails of the Southern Walks (the hikes at the Katherine end of the park) stretch out over lots of kilometres and all link up. The hikes all start at the visitors centre so depending on how big of a day you after you may need to camp out somewhere overnight to get to the furthest gorge (it's over 10km one way on foot if you take the shortest route).

A few popular day hikes are:
  • Pat's Lookout
  • Jedda's Lookout
  • Butterfly Gorge
  • Southern Rockhole 
We did a run one morning and visited all these spots in 15km, so it would be a nice day hike if you started out early!

Find a PDF from NT Parks of the Southern hiking trails ​here
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Kakadu National Park Itinerary

8/10/2020

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Buckle up, this is an overview of our 4 day itinerary in Kakadu National Park and it covers a lot of ground. The park is spread over a huge amount of land, so resultantly there is quite large distance between places and a fair bit of driving time!

We'll cover waterfalls, wildlife and rock art, along with a couple of hiking trails thrown in for good measure.

It's also important that we mention our itinerary is by no means exhaustive. There are loads more campgrounds and things to do that we didn't get to. On our trip around Australia, we had our trusty little VW transporter which was wonderful, but not a 4WD which really limited some things we could visit in Kakadu. Head over to the Parks Australia - Kakadu website or more in-depth information on everything in the park.

First things first you'll need a Park Pass. When we visited (September 2020) entry was free due to COVID-19 and its impact on the tourism industry. The pass usually costs $40 in the dry season and lasts for 7 days by default, this can be extended to 14 days at no extra cost. 

​As always when visiting a national park ensure you check the parks websites for any warnings or closures. Trails can be closed for a variety of reasons including fire danger and extreme temperatures.

We visited Kakadu during our 4 week trip of the Northern Territory in August/September 2020. To see our 4 week road trip itinerary click the button below!

4 Week NT Road Trip Itinerary
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Itinerary Overview

Day 1:
  • Drive from Darwin 
  • Mamukala Wetlands & Bird Hide to see the magpie geese
  • Cahills Crossing
    • Note time this with the incoming high tide for optimal croc action!
  • Sunset and rock art at Ubirr
  • Camp at Merl Campground ($15 per person - there are hot showers)
Day 2:
  • Bardedjilidji Walk
  • Cahills Crossing for croc spotting if yesterday didn't deliver!
  • Jabiru
  • Check in to Cooinda Campground ($30 for an unpowered site)
  • Yellow Water Sunset Cruise
Day 3:
  • Yellow Water Sunrise Cruise
    • Yes we went twice and loved both times. The second cruise is 50% off
  • Maguk Plunge Pool & Waterfall 
    • We rode our bikes in the 10km from the main road. The road is signposted as 4WD only, that being said we saw a lot of 2WD's heading in, it was just verrrry corrugated!
  • Camp at Maguk or Cooinda
Day 4:
  • Barrk Sandstone Hike at Burrungkuy (Nourlangie)
  • Head on out or explore a lot more if you're in a 4WD!
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Day 1: Mamukala Wetlands, Cahill's Crossing, Ubirr & Merl Campground 

When arriving in Kakadu National Park from Darwin you'll come to the Mamukala Wetlands before you reach Jabiru. There is an impressive bird hide overlooking the wetlands making it a bird lovers paradise. Depending on the time of the year that you visit, you may see huge numbers of the magpie geese.


After visiting Mamukala the next stop is Merl Campground. Grab yourself a site (it's first in, first served) before heading to Cahill's crossing to hopefully spot some crocs! It's important at the crossing to time the tides right so that you can get a real indication of just how many giant lizards there are in this little stretch of water. As a general rule, incoming tides are good, but depending on lunar cycles and actual tide heights, there can be a few hours variation on when this will be the best. At the time of month that we were there, we found that right on high tide was the best as this was the only time there was plenty of water washing over the crossing. If you're not sure, either check the tide chart here, or try to ask a ranger or a local with plenty of boating/fishing knowledge. If all else fails, just plan to show up and be patient.

From Cahill's Crossing you can head onwards to Ubirr for a little hike visiting some beautiful indigenous art and a glorious view including some of neighbouring Arnhem Land and the sunset over the Savanna.
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Day 2: Bardedjilidji Walk, Cooinda Campground and Yellow Water Sunset Cruise

Start your day with the Bardedjilidji Walk near Cahill's Crossing. It's always best to get your activities done early in the day before it heats up - it was 39 every day we were in Kakadu!

After that check out Cahill's Crossing one more time if the tide is right, as there is no such thing as too much croc watching in my opinion.

Head back towards jabiru and onwards to Cooinda. Book yourself a campsite for the night and a spot on the Yellow Water sunset cruise (I'd suggest booking this in advance, we didn't and got lucky but friends of ours missed out!). 

Next up hang out in the pool to cool off (never thought I'd write something like that but there you go, the 39 degree weather will get ya.)

​Head off on your sunset cruise to see loads of crocodiles, birds and more. If you've got binoculars bring them!
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Day 3: Yellow Water Sunrise Cruise and Maguk Plunge Pool & Waterfall

Wake up bright and early to head out for your sunrise cruise. If you book two cruises then the second one is 50% off, and these cruises are seriously worth the money!

After the cruise head back to camp and have some breakfast before setting off for Maguk. The 10km entry road to Maguk Plunge Pool is labelled as 4WD, however we have seen, and spoken to many people who have done it in a 2WD, it's just corrugated.

​We rode in on our bikes - and it was worth it! It's a beautiful spot and nice to be able to swim in a natural water source!

There is a campground 1km from the Maguk Plunge Pool, it's in a great spot for those in 4WD's and those willing to drive their 2WD's in.

Next up head back to camp for an early night, you'll be up bright and early to do the Barrk Sandstone walk in the morning!
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Day 4: Barrk Sandstone Walk and much, much more in a 4WD!

Due to the high temperatures in Kakadu it's important to get up bright and early for this hike. The Barrk Walk is a 12km loop that climbs over and around the large sandstone rock Burrungui (Nourlangie) it also goes past the Nanguluwur art site.
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Download the PDF for the walk from the Parks Australia website here

Extras that we didn't get to do:

Here are a variety of things we didn't get to do either due to time constraints or not having a 4WD (the bug bear of travelling the Northern territory!)
  • Jim Jim Falls & Twin Falls (4WD ACCESS ONLY)
  • Barrk Marlam Walk (4WD ACCESS ONLY)
  • Twin Falls Plateau Walk (4WD ACCESS ONLY)
  • Twin Falls Gorge Walk (4WD ACCESS ONLY)
  • Camp at Maguk (4WD ACCESS ONLY - although many 2WD's do it!)
  • Camp at Gunlom Plunge Pool 
  • Camp at Koolpin Gorge
  • Motor Car Falls
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The Riesling Trail in South Australia's Famous Clare Valley

6/10/2020

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Like wine? and like riding your bike? Or perhaps you just like drinking wine and not having to drive a car. Whatever the reason you've ended up here we think the Riesling Trail has a little something to offer everyone. This post goes over our Riesling trail cycling itinerary along with the wineries we visited, the food we ate and the wine we bought! 

The trail is 35 km and runs from Auburn to Clare (or vice versa). It passes by a lot of great vineyards and wineries and passes through some beautiful countryside. Depending on the winery that you visit they may or may not charge for a tasting (usually around 5 wines). If they do charge, then they'll usually take the amount off any bottles of wine that you purchase.

Now we won't pretend that we're super knowledgeable about wine so we won't delve into the details of everything we drank. However, someone who is super knowledgeable about wines is our friend Chloe from Crush at Social. You can find her blog post on the regions best wines here.

Note: If you didn't come prepared with your own bike don't stress, you're not alone. There are a few bike hire places in town. We'd suggest hitting the visitor information centre in Clare and getting some info there!

Camping and Accomodation Options

First things first, you'll need somewhere to stay in the Clare Valley. There are plenty of Airbnb options available along the trail and in the towns it passes through. Or if you, like us, are camping then there are 2 good options that we checked out.
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Option 1: Clare Discovery Park - this is your usual family-friendly campground with all the trimmings. At $30 a night for an unpowered site it isn't cheap, but it totally does the job! Its also located right across the road from the trail so is easy to get to and from. As a bonus, this means you can also drop your purchased wine bottles off during the day if necessary.

Option 2: Auburn Community Caravan Park - this is a great value park with clean amenities. At $8 per person it's pretty good value and the unpowered sites are nice and grassy. We'd stay here next time we visited for sure.
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The Riesling Trail - Our Day on The Bikes

Our day begun with a visit to the Clare Visitors Centre.

Here we were able to get a map of the region, and the bike trail along with some helpful information and local knowledge. 

Day Overview:
  • Clare Visitor Information Centre
  • Shut The Gate Wine
  • Clare Rise Bakery
  • Tim Adams Wine
  • Sevenhill Cellars

The 3 wineries we visited can be visited in under 10km of bike riding, making it an achievable itinerary for almost everyone.. 

Bonus Stop:
  • Pikes Brewery & Winery
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Shut The Gate Wines

Our first stop was just down the road from the visitors centre. Shut The Gate Wines offers free tastings, and has a small goods store with a selection of meats, cheese, olives etc - everything you need for a picnic.

We purchased some 2018 "The Forager" Shiraz for $28. It is delicious.
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Clare Rise Bakery

After our tasting we headed to the local bakery, Clare Rise. The bakery was recommended to us by the crew from Shut the Gate, and we're glad because their vegetable pasty was delicious!

We also grabbed a Turkish loaf for lunch.

Next up we headed into the main shopping centre of Clare. We hit Woolworths for some more food and picnic supplies and then turned around to head back down the Riesling Trail.
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Tim Adams Wines

Next up we headed to Tim Adams Wines. A tasting flight costs $10 per person and this $10 is taken off any money spent on wine (over a certain amount).

Worth noting is that they offer a wine and cheese tasting flight in which they match 5 artisan cheeses with 5 single vintage wines for $35 - this appeared to be pretty popular!

Here we splurged a little.
We bought 2 bottles, The 2016 Ladera Tempranillo ($40) and The Fergus, a blend of Grenache, Tempranillo and Malbec ($28). 
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Sevenhill Cellars

Next up we headed to Sevenhill Cellars. this one had been recommended to us by a few people, not only for it's wine, but also for its history and setting. Sevenhill Cellars was the first winery in the Clare Valley and there is a stunning church on the grounds, surrounded by vines. It's a pretty beautiful place.

Here again the tasting flight costs $10, but this is taken off any wine you purchase.

We bought The Inigo 2018 Malbec for $28.
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Reisling Trail Overview

To visit all 3 of the wineries we hit can involves less than 10km of riding, making this a day out that is accessible for all ages and skill levels.

Bike riding (or hiking or running) the Riesling Trail makes for an enjoyable day out for anyone, even for those not drinking. The scenery is spectacular, and during Spring in particular the flowers are absolutely gorgeous.

Here is the GPS of our days outing. It's longer due to our detour into Clare and a trip towards Auburn after visiting Sevenhill Cellars.

Pikes Brewery (and Winery)

Also worth a mention is Pikes Brewery. We visited here the day before our bike adventure and got a tasting paddle along with some hot chippies! The beer was great, we're told the wine is great and the setting is pretty special.
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Hiking at Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges

2/10/2020

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The Flinders Ranges are the largest mountain range in South Australia. Starting roughly 200km north of Adelaide at Port Pirie the range stretches for over 400km up to Callabonna. Given the vast area these mountains cover there are a lot of great spots to hike, run and explore so it can be kinda overwhelming deciding where to go, especially if you're short on time.

We visited the Flinders Ranges in a few spots and did a couple of great hikes. Our highlight however would have to be spending a few days at Wilpena Pound and exploring around there. There are hikes for all ages and fitness abilities

We stayed at Wilpena Pound Resort, and at $26 per night for an unpowered site - hot showers, coin laundry, IGA, camp kitchens, included on site we thought it was pretty good value. Apparently there is a pool on site too, although we didn't go looking for it as it rarely got above 10 degrees whilst we were there. Wilpena Pound was also in a wonderful location, close to plenty of trails for day hikes, as well as the super-long multi day Mawson and Heysen trails passing right through the campground here.

​There is also a large amount of national park campground available throughout the Flinders.

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Hiking (or trail running) Routes:

  • St Mary's Peak
  • Wangara Lookouts
  • Boom and Bust Loop
Ones we forgot!
  • Mount Ohlssen Bagge
Also in the area:
  • Mawson Trail
  • Heysen Trail

NOTE: 

A lot of the hikes in this are are closed from November 30th to March 1 each year due to fire danger. Always check park alerts before setting out.
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St Mary's Peak

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At 1171m St Mary's Peak is the highest mountain in the Flinders Ranges, and the views along the way showcase it.

The hike can be completed as a 14.6km out and back, or a 21.5km loop. We did the loop as a trail run, we went up the outside trail and down the inside track (anticlockwise).

As the peak and its subsequent panoramic views are sacred to the local indigenous people they request that you do not hike to the peak. You can instead take in the views at the Tanderra saddle, 1.6km below the peak.

Map, elevation profile & walking trail facts taken from the Running SA website.
Head to the Walking SA website for more information on this hike here
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Wangara Lookout Hike

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The hike is a 7km out and back from the Wilpena Visitor Centre. The first 3kms of the trail are easy, undulating and wide. The last 500m up to the 2 look outs is steep and rocky, but worth it for the gorgeous views of the pound.

I ran it one day and came across a gorgeous little emu family!

Map, elevation profile & walking trail facts taken from the Running SA website.

Head to the Walking SA website for more information on this hike here
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Boom and Bust Loop

This is a great short loop walk that again leaves from Wilpena Pound Visitors Centre.

The hike climbs a short way over a mix of trail and rock step, but it is accessible for all ages.

​Along the way there are signs explaining how different plant and animal life are affected by drought (bust) years vs heavy rainfall (boom) years.

Heysen Trail & Mawson Trail

Also passing through this are both the Mawson Trail and Heysen Trail.

The Heysen Trail is a 1200km hike from Cape Jervis, Fleurieu Peninsula to Parachilna Gorge, Flinders Ranges. You can hop on and off all throughout this region and do as much or as little as you'd like. Check out more info on it here.

The Mawson Trail is a 900km bike trail (recommended for gravel or mountain bikes) starting
just north of Adelaide and travelling to the Outback town of Blinman in the Flinders Ranges. Check out more info on it here.

We've done sections of both of these trails on foot and on bike in various locations throughout South Australia. Some of the areas these trails pass through are simply stunning - and you'll get most of it to yourself!
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So far we've been super impressed by what South Australia has to offer and we can't wait to explore more of it!
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    Bec & Sean

    A couple of Aussies who love travelling, hiking, trail running and pretty much any activity you can do outdoors.

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