FROM DARWIN G4 01 LITCHFIELD “WETLANDS & RIVERS” BY 4WD – Premium and Gold Class – 3 DAYS Top End

Absorb the sights and sounds of Litchfield National ParkDay1

Your itinerary today will include:

Indigenous tourism identity Tess Atie invites you to experience inspiration, education and adventure on her family’s beautiful country. Tess’s guides bring the world-class natural landscapes of Litchfield National Park and the Daly River region to life on this interactive, small-group day tour. Available July to October.

We’ll pick you up in a comfortable, air-conditioned four-wheel drive tour vehicle from your Darwin accommodation between 7:15 and 7:30 am.

Wulangurrmin (Finniss River)

Back roads from Darwin take us to the Finniss River and beyond, into Tess’s family’s country. We’ll stretch our legs at this shady riverside stop and learn about resources available from this riverine environment.

Bush resources

At various places we’ll demonstrate seasonal bush resources used by local Aboriginal people for thousands of years, and describe the relationship of Litchfield’s landscape features to local indigenous culture.

Wunthewurr (Termite mounds)

You’ll learn about the many termites, primary herbivores of the Northern Territory, and the huge housing complexes they build. You’ll be amazed at how indigenous people use these industrious creatures and their homes.

Ngunalang (Woolaning Spring)

You’ll enjoy morning tea as exclusive visitors to Tess’s family’s private land at beautiful Woolaning Spring. In our little patch of rainforest you can take a therapeutic dip in the warm spring waters or explore the remains of Tess’s family’s sawmill camp.

Nyundjurr (Wangi Falls)

We’ll visit iconic Wangi Falls, its plunge pool a popular dry season swimming spot and a special place for indigenous women. Take a refreshing dip or explore the nearby lush rainforest, home to a variety of birds and restless fruit bats.

Reynolds River Track

The four-wheel drive only Reynolds River Track and several creek crossings lead us into spectacular landscapes that few are able to experience. We’ll visit heritage-listed Blyth Homestead, where Tess’s uncle Max and Aunty Esther grew up in a tiny, rough-hewn homestead their family built about 1928. Get a taste of pioneer life in the days of working cattle, tin and vegetables, carving out a living in this rugged environment.

Surprise Creek Falls

You’ll enjoy a refreshing swim in beautiful Surprise Creek while your guide prepares a flame-grilled, beautifully presented lunch of ocean-caught barramundi, marinated kangaroo loin fillet and crocodile back fillet.

Nauiyu Nambiyu (Daly River)

Late in the afternoon we’ll arrive at the community of Nauiyu Nambiyu, on the bank of the Daly River. The community has around 450 residents and is surrounded by hills and billabongs, with an abundant supply of bush tucker as well as the barramundi and crocodiles for which the Daly River is famous.

You’ll spend the night in safe and comfortable bungalow accommodation, with the Daly River flowing lazily by.

Meals:

Morning and Afternoon tea, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation:

Daly River Barra Resort 3 *

Homelands, Bushtracks, Rivers and Wetlands and Magnificent SightseeingDay2

Merrepen Arts Centre

On the second day you’ll look around the area and visit Merrepen Arts, a well established arts centre with around 20 artists working in a variety of traditional and contemporary media. They use zinc or lino plates, coloured ink and a press machine to produce etchings and prints; batik techniques using wax and silk painting to make t-shirts, scarves and sarongs; paper-mâché techniques to make bowls and animal figures; screen printing techniques for tea-towels and other kinds of fabric; and weaving of merrepen (pandanus) leaves to make dilly bags, fishnets, baskets and sun mats. The beautiful paintings produced by the ladies (and small number of men) of Merrepen Arts are stylistically very different to what is generally expected of Aboriginal art.

Marrakai Track

In the afternoon we’ll head north-east, visiting Adelaide River township on the way to the Marrakai track. The Marrakai track is the former ‘main road’ to the floodplains that became part of Kakadu National Park and is now an adventurous four-wheel drive track with a deep ford across the Adelaide River. We’ll see wildlife along the track and pass through iconic Territory cattle stations.

Wildman Wilderness Lodge

You’ll spend the second night of our odyssey at Wildman Wilderness Lodge, a small-scale, high quality safari lodge on the edge of the Mary River floodplain. Its teeming wildlife and lush wetlands are a world far removed from the mainstream, yet with all the modern comforts of luxury safari tent-style accommodation, delicious meals and wine to enjoy at the end of the day.

Before dinner we’ll journey through forests and savannahs to Leichhardt Point, where we’ll stop for refreshments as we watch a glorious sunset over the wetlands.

Meals:

Breakfast, Morning and Afternoon tea, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation:

Mary River Retreat

Wildflowers and Bird Life, Tropical River Cruise and Windows on the WetlandDay3

Crocodiles and waterbirds

In the morning we’ll enjoy a cruise on this meandering tropical river as the sun warms up and nature comes to life. You are likely to glide past prehistoric looking crocodiles, a diverse array of birdlife and an abundance of wildflowers. It is an ever-changing, living ecosystem, both beautiful and fascinating. Every cruise is different and offers a unique experience.

Back to Darwin

As we travel slowly back to Darwin, we’ll visit Window on the Wetlands. This centre, on historic Beatrice Hill over-looking the Adelaide River floodplains, is run by local Limilngan-Wulna traditional owners and offers insights into the culture of the Adelaide river floodplains. We’ll arrive back in Darwin about 5 pm, in time to watch the sun set over Darwin Harbour before dinner, markets or nightlife.

Meals:

Breakfast, Morning and Afternoon tea, Lunch

Accommodation:

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