Australia’s Litchfield National Park to get a makeover

Kakadu National Park may be the more famous spot for wildlife adventures in Australia’s Top End, but only 70kms south of Darwin, Litchfield National Park is the most visited. For most international travellers to Australia, you have to visit both while you’re Down Under.

In exciting news for locals and visitors alike, the Australian government has announced an A$12.1 million package to develop Litchfield National Park over the coming 12 months, opening up five extra (croc-free) swimming spots, new mountain biking tracks, new four-wheel driving routes, and three new campgrounds for visitors.

The Minister for Tourism and Culture Lauren Moss said: “This will be the biggest ever investment in new infrastructure to establish Litchfield as a premier tourist destination for adventure seekers.”

There’s also scope for more commercial ventures inside the park, with the approval of the traditional owners and native title holders. Though named after a British explorer, this is the traditional lands of the Marrathiel, Marranunggu, Werat, Warray and Koongurrukun peoples.

At present most of the 370,000 visitors per annum spend most of their time in the northern sections of the 1500 sq km wilderness, entering from Batchelor in the north before visiting its magnetic termite mounds, Buley Rockhole and the lush Florence Falls. But the longer term plan is to develop Litchfield from the most southern areas near Daly River all the way up to Florence Falls making a through trip to Western Australia possible one day.