Leliyn – Edith Falls in the Nitmiluk National Park

A small waterfall poured into a large plunge pool where visitors were enjoying the swim at the day area near the campground at Leliyn. Our swim would have to wait.

Taking the Leliyn 2.6 kilometre loop walking trail was a steep climb at the start. The first 500 metres climbed the scarp before following light woodlands to the crest. From a vantage point at the top of the scarp, we looked down on the large pool where we had started out.










We were alerted to the proximity of the waterfall from the roaring sound and as we reached the crest, Edith Falls could be seen below us. A short downhill walk and the trail reached the water’s edge. Time for a refreshing swim. The water was comfortably cool, as I swam around to the base of the waterfall. Fast flowing water tumbled down over a series of cascades and through the rocky pools. Edith Falls is just one of these cascades.





Once refreshed, we continued on the loop trail, which crosses the river between Edith Falls and the next cascades by a series of foot bridges. A short climb took us to the next lookout point which had a seat to relax and look back on Edith Falls, the footbridge, the lower falls and with views downstream to where the river vanishes over the edge of the escarpment to make its way to the plunge pool back at the car park.

The trail meandered down through light woodlands, and crossed a few stream as the river divides as it spreads across the plains.

We were lucky to have come on the right day for a Ranger talk, which occur at many Northern Territory Parks on set days during the tourist season as part of the Territory Parks Alive programme. This talk was about park management and wildlife. One such example of local wildlife is the Hooded Parrot which is limited to an area ranging from Pine Creek across to Arnhem Land and south to Mataranka. Significant numbers occur and breed in Nitmiluk National Park. This species of parrot makes holes in termite mounds for nesting, as the mounds offer a degree of protection from the heat of wildfires. However with less frequent and more intense fires, the species is suffering.

The Nitmiluk National Park consists of five types of country; the sandstone escarpment, remnant pockets of monsoonal rainforest in sub gorges, open woodland, open forest and riverine. Each supports different eco-system of flora and fauna.


Read more detail about this trip and see all the photos in our 2009 travelogues