Tjenya Falls Camp to Walker Creek Camp, Tabletop Track, Litchfield National Park - September 2010

Walker Creek, a couple of minutes up stream from tonights camp - I've camped in worse spots!

Once again today we were away early trying to beat the heat of the day a bit as we headed towards Walker Creek. Our track today headed in a generally north easterly direction across some fairly open country.... and it was bloody hot! While Skip was keen to push on with Janty, Bel and I took it a little slower this morning. At times this morning we were only walking twenty minutes before stopping under the any shade we could find to cool down a bit and have drink, thankfully Bel and I had set off from Tjenya Falls with around 3 litres each so water wasn't too much of an issue, well except for the fact that it was luke warm.

Today was super hot.

The Savannah Woodland wasn't supplying a lot of shade either.

We made full use of the shade that we did get though!

After crossing another shallow, baking hot valley we climbed up onto a low rocky ridge and decided that it was once again time for a drink. While enjoying our little break up here in the heat it was with more than a little relief that we spied the turn off for the Walker Creek Link Track just ahead. Shouldering our packs we set off once again, the thought of an afternoon soaking in a cool waterhole motivating us a little more now. The link track across to Walker Creek was a fairly convoluted walk as the pad wound its way up and around numerous rocky outcrops. Around 40 minutes after setting foot on the link track we were happy to see the lush green trees lining Walker Creek in the distance, passing by the long drop dunny a few minutes later we knew our days walking was pretty well over.

We've just climbed onto this low ridge.

Bel's found some more shade.

Gee, this old canvas pack has done some miles... a bit like it's weather beaten owner actually!

It was about now that I spied the Walker Creek Link Track heading off.

Skip had claimed a nice camp spot for us and already had his tent up and was relaxing in one of the many stunning plunge pools on Walker Creek. It didn't take Bel and I very long to get our tents up and we joined Skip and Janty, cooling off in the refreshing water. We'd arrived at Walker Creek well before lunch time and now had the rest of the day to chill out and explore this magic spot.

Bel's dropping her core temperature a bit.

Walker Creek

Our Walker Creek Camp was pretty comfortable.

Walker Creek features numerous walk in campsite that (at the time we did the walk) have to be reserved at the car park around two kilometres down stream, with no one around we decided to roll the dice this afternoon and avoid the walk out to the road to reserve our site. Thankfully our gamble paid off, we didn't see another person all day much less anyone carrying camping equipment out here... I suppose that might have been the side benefit of walking up here in late September. After our first cooling swim and then lunch we explored a little around our camp, the numerous cascades and pools up and down Walker Creek all helping keep the afternoon heat and humidity at bay. For the first time on our walk it looked like we were going to cop a storm tonight as black clouds, along with wind and lightening picked up after dinner. However after scrambling around and quickly throwing the fly's on the tents the storm dodged us... a very good outcome as sleeping in a tent with a fly on in the stifling heat and humidity wasn't going to be comfortable.

Bel and I.

Conditions are a lot softer around the creek lines up here.

We did have one visitor this afternoon.

After a swim and a sun bake on the rocks he melted back into the scrub.

The Dirt.

We walked around 12 kilometres on today's medium grade walk and climbed around 150 metres I'm guessing. Most of the walking was pretty easy this morning although nearing Walker Creek things got a little rougher and rockier. We didn't cross any water after leaving camp until we arrived at our Walker Creek camp this morning. With our Walker Creek Camp being a walk-in camp from the Litchfield Park Road the facilities and camping spots are a little more formal than the other camps that we'd used on our walk, and while its still not overly plush we did have a flat patch of dirt, a picnic table along with the long drop not far from camp - you can't ask for more really. There is an official Tabletop Track Camp a little further along the track towards Florence Falls however all the reports that I've had on the official camp are that things are a little grim out there. I used the fifth edition of Maps NT Lichfield National Park map along with the Daly's notes out of their Take a Walk in Northern Territory's National Parks book on this walk.

Relevant Posts.

Cascade Camp to Tjenya Falls Camp, Tabletop Track, Litchfield National Park, 2010.

Skip, exploring up stream a little.

Late afternoon on Walker Creek.

This plunge pool was around twenty seconds walk from camp. We are just kicking back here now in the early evening as the sting of the heat slowly goes out of the day. 

Bel looks super happy with the long drop;)

The creek is in the line of green trees behind our tents.