Litchfield National Park

Anastasia
Phil May and Andrea Twigg
Fri 31 Aug 2012 14:19
Yesterday we visited the Litchfield National Park, where we swam at a couple of beautiful waterfalls and also saw the remarkable magnetic termite mounds.  The magnetic termite mounds are so named, not because they are actually magnetic, but because they are built by blind termites and yet they are all aligned with magnetic north, to within 1 degree of error. 
 
Our guide discussed the aboriginal way of maintaining the land by controlled brush fires, how this has been going on for tens of thousands of years and that land and the indigenous species have come to depend on it.  Attempts to stop the firing have been damaging to the environment and now the park authorities carry on the traditions of controlled firing.  He showed us how kites gather around the fires waiting for animals to be flushed out.  Apparently kites have been seen carrying burning embers to a new site to start a fire that will flush out fresh prey.
Florence falls
A wallaby by the path on the way down to Florence Falls
Wangi falls
The natural hot tub at Wangi
Magnetic termite mounds, all flattened and aligned north/south.
A regular Cathedral Termite mound