I'm reposting this question with more specifics, because last time I tried a didn't get any answers!

We will be visiting Kakadu and Litchfield Park in October 2007. I'm just trying to get a feel for how the water situation is likely to be in various waterfalls there. This will be toward the end of the dry season--so I'm wondering if the falls will be dry. Or maybe since it's the tropics, they keep going all year??

We were thinking of Florence Falls, Wangi Falls and Tolmer Falls in Litchfield. And then Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls in Kakadu.

Anything information anyone knows about this would be so much appreciated!

My one trip to Litchfield was in September - closer to the end of the last rains than for you. There was plenty of water in the swimming holes beneath the waterfalls - what an amazing place!

Kakadu - two visits, but only on the first did I go to Jim Jim and Twin Falls. It was mid Nov - just after there had been a few short showers nightime ahead of the real "Wet" - and again there was plenty of water.

So a good time to go.

But now I'm trying to remember which one of them was closed to visitors for some time because of crocs. And also which one you had to swim to get to. I'm pretty sure that was Twin Falls - yep - swim or take a rubber ring.

Could all have changed, of course.

fuzzylogic, thanks so much for answering. Would we do better to try to go in late September rather than October?

Our tentative itinerary is:
Sydney (4-5 days)
Adelaide/Kangaroo Island OR Tasmania (5 days)
Red Centre (3-4 days)
Darwin (to see Kakadu and Litchfield)(3 days)
Port Douglas (5 days)
Whitsundays or other Island (2-3 days)

I picked October, because I thought the weather might be less rainy in Sydney by then --and warmer in Tasmania or South Australia--depending on what we decide.

We also think we might like to go to Port Stephens to see the dolphins--but would hope to see some whales too (September might be too early for whales???)

But, now I'm wondering if for the rest of the trip--Red Center, The Top, Queensland--it might be better to go a bit earlier (September instead of October)--not sure if this outweighs the worse weather that I'm assuming we'd find at the beginning of the trip.

(I had thought of just reversing the order of our trip--but we really want to end with the North Queensland part--because we want to relax on the islands, etc.)

Ideas?

You really can't calculate how much water will be in any of the falls because it all depends on how heavy the wet is for that particular year. So it's going to be a bit of a gamble.
Why not do Northern Territory first and leave the southern areas - Tasmania or South Australia to last.

caligirl, marg is right in saying that water situation would depend on previous wet season and as that hasn't happened yet for 2007, its a very difficult question to answer. Which is probably why you didn't get answers to to your previous post. This year there was a very heavy wet season with a major cyclone, but who knows what will happen in 2007. After March/April, 2007 why not check with Northern Territory tourism, they'll be able to give a far more coherent answer than anyone can take a stab at this stage.

Caligirl56 posted:
"Our tentative itinerary is:
Sydney (4-5 days)
Adelaide/Kangaroo Island OR Tasmania (5 days)
Red Centre (3-4 days)
Darwin (to see Kakadu and Litchfield)(3 days)
Port Douglas (5 days)
Whitsundays or other Island (2-3 days)"

Whew!!! My husband, daughter and I just returned from Australia 2 days ago and are in the throes of jetleg, etc. We were there from Aug. 2-22. I just had to make a quick reply regarding this proposed itinerary.

We spent from Aug. 9-19 in the NT and 3 nights in Kakadu...2 nights in Jabiru and one night in Cooinda. I think this is about the minimum time for a trip to Kakadu. You can't see Kakadu well on a day trip from Darwin. It is a huge area and the drive to Jabiru from Darwin takes hours. I loved Kakadu and there was much more to see and do that we didn't have time for even spending 3 nights in right in the park.

You could do a day trip to Litchfield from Darwin on a tour..it would be a long day but is doable. Litchfield was great; we stayed 2 nights in Batchelor which is right by Litchfield. Even so, Wangi Falls are 66 km (about 40 miles on a curvy road) from Batchelor and it took about an hour to drive that distance. Batchelor is about 85 km from Darwin I think.

My initial thoughts are that you are trying to cram in too many places in Australia. It is a such a very large country with many regional differences. You should try to concentrate on fewer areas and get to know them rather than do so much, IMHO.

If you can only find 3 days for Darwin and area I think you should consider skipping it and waiting until another trip to see this fabulous part of the country.

LynAK,
Thanks so much for your comments. Our time everywhere in Australia is dreadfully short. I guess I'm trying to pack a lot in, because I'm not sure when we'll make it back.

My tentative plan had actually been to spend two nights in Darwin and one in Kakadu. We would do a day trip to Litchfield one day. And then drive to Kakadu early the next day. Take a yellow water billabong tour there--and then I don't know if it would be better to spend the rest of the time with a guide or on our own. I figured we'd have the whole morning of the second day in Kakadu to look around--and then back to Darwin for the flight to Cairns.

If we decide that it really just doesn't make sense to go to the North for just 3 nights, do you have a suggestion of where we should stay longer? Maybe the Red Centre? (Our current plan for the Red Centre is two nights in Uluru and one in Kings Canyon--hopefully allowing us to hike the Kings Canyon Rim, hike the Valley of the Winds in the Olgas, and spend time viewing, walking around the Rock, etc.--but I really hadn't planned any time in Alice Springs, except to catch the plane to Darwin)

Pat,
Thanks so much for enlightening me about the water situation in the North Territory waterfalls. I'll do what you said--and wait until March or April to research further.

Sounds like some of the settings are so spectacular (rocks and other scenery), that it may not matter so much whether or not there's water in the falls, anyway.

I have never been to Uluru or Alice Springs so can't comment on that area.

One question I have is what time is your flight to Cairns from Darwin? And is the place you are planning to stay for your one night in Kakadu the place at Cooinda?

The Gagadju Lodge there is really the only thing in Cooinda as far as I could tell besides the little museum (which is very good and worth some time). There is no regular grocery store like in Jabiru, just a little shop in the lodge with basics and they don't sell alcohol in this shop...so you are a captive audience for their bistro! So take some supplies if you don't want to pay lodge prices.

We took the dawn cruise and it was great! but we met some folks who did the sunset cruise and they were also pleased. If you can't do the dawn one then I think you should shoot for the sunset one as those are the times the animals are most active.

We did not have a guide in Kakadu and I don't think you need one if you are only going to be there a short time and just hit the basics like Nourlangie or Ubirr. There are clearly marked walkways by all the rock art. You can get a lot of info at the Bowali Center which you'll pass by on your way to Cooinda.

Just be aware that you are in for a LOT of driving with this itinerary, both with the one day to Kakadu, driving around there for an afternoon and morning and then back to Darwin the next day. It would have felt too rushed for me and you won't be able to see a lot of the cool stuff that is there in Kakadu. There is a lot of walking in Kakadu so you also have to factor that in. We were very, very tired at the end of each day.

If your plan is to see Jim Jim and Twin then you may want to hook up with a tourguide for that as it is a 4WD trip. We didn't go there. I don't know if you'd also have time to go to Nourlangie and Ubirr to see the major rock art in those places. And climbing to Nadab lookout was spectacular and something I wouldn't have wanted to miss.

A day trip out of Darwin to Litchfield is also going to be a long day. And you don't just want to go and LOOK at the falls and the swimming places...you must swim in them so that will be an active day. And missing swimming in Buley rockholes would be a mistake. That is a very cool place. The advantage of a bus tour is that you can sleep on the way back to Darwin. But if you self drive it will be a long day...though people from Darwin do it (avoid the weekend in Litchfield if possible)

There is also the Territory Wildlife Park on the way to Litchfield and Berry Springs next door, which is 3 connected thermal pools and fabulous (get there early and not on a weekend to avoid crowds, though)...These 2 places are about a half day experience though.

But here's the other thing: Darwin is a very good place to visit all by itself. There are quite a few things to do there and your plan will totally leave no time for exploring Darwin. If you could add even one more day to this part of the trip I think you'd have a more enjoyable time.

So there is a lot to do and see in the NT and we haven't even talked about Katherine Gorge. So if you can plan another trip to give yourself more time there you would be in for a treat. Think positive and start planning now to return to Australia. I think you will want to.

Thanks again for your advise. We actually don't have flight times, etc. yet--believe it or not, I'm not planning for THIS October, but for NEXT October. I guess I sort enjoy planning way in advance.

You've pretty much convinced me to plan an extra day in either Darwin or Kakadu. I had planned to stay in Jabiru--how long is the drive to Ubirr and Noulangie from there? I think the real problem would be doing a dawn boat cruise--I'm guessing the drive to Cooinda is over an hour??? (What time did your cruise start?)

The Litchfield trip sounds doable in a day. Isn't it only about an hour and a half drive? I hope the Buley Rockholes will have water in them in early October--that's the very end of the dry season. Sounds like maybe Florence Falls almost always has water in its swimming hole--hopefully at least that will be there to cool off in.

What are some of the things that you enjoyed doing in Darwin? I think we'll go to a crocodile farm while we're in Port Douglas, so I've kind of avoided planning to see one around Darwin too. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Don't have much time to post right this minute, but I hope you have found another recent thread called Kakadu With Kids. I have posted on that a lot of information about our trip so it would be good for you to read also.

We stayed at the Lakeview Caravan Park in Jabiru. I wrote a lot about the Lakeview in the other post. Jabiru is the central place to stay in Kakadu although it is a little underwhelming when you first get to Jabiru. They do have a grocery store, takeaway, Westpac ATM, but it was not what I expected.

Cooinda is at least a half hour drive so making the 6:45 am boat ride would be possible but harder than staying right in Cooinda. We stayed 2 nights in Jabiru and the last night in Cooinda so we'd have an easier time making the early boat ride. It was a good trip to do.

Planning a year in advance is not a bad idea but be aware that flights out of Darwin to anywhere can be weird and limited and at odd times so you have to make your plans around them. For ex. we flew to Sydney leaving at 1:30 am from Darwin. I think the flight to Cairns leaves at 6 am. It all makes a difference in your planning of where you are going to be when.

bump, as this thread has good planning information, even if a couple of years old.

bump again