The Top End is a truly beautiful part of Australia. Lush wet season forests, stunning waterfalls and incredible national parks all combine to make a part of Australia that is like no other. However, living in the tropics can have downsides. During the wet season, high heat and extreme humidity combine to make the Top End an often uncomfortable place to live. With such weather, all you want to do is jump into the ocean to cool down, but unfortunately, that is not a good option.
I have mentioned it before and I will mention it again. The Top End is croc country, and these big salties like to lurk in the oceans here, meaning that going for a quick ocean dip will always come with risks. So, with these wet season weather conditions being rather trying and the beaches not being a good place to cool down, what options is one left with?
Luckily, here in the Territory, we have a fair few natural waterholes that we can safely swim in without fearing becoming dinner for a predatory reptile! Many of these waterholes lie within Litchfield National Park and are incredibly popular among both locals and tourists alike. However, sometimes it is nice to skip the crowds and get away to places that only the locals know about.
Enter Robin Falls.
My besties (above) Tess and Ethan had flown up from Adelaide to visit me in my new home base and cooling off in some stunning Northern Territory waterfalls sounded pretty much perfect.
So how does one get to this hidden away little paradise?
Most people heading for a watering hole adventure follow Stuart Highway from Darwin, turn off at Batchelor and head straight for Litchfield National Park. However, to get to these particular falls, you ignore the turnoff, keep going along Stuart Highway for another 25 or so kilometres, take the Dorat Road turnoff and follow the signs.
Once you park your car, there is an unmarked trail (just follow the river upstream) to the falls. It takes about 20 minutes to walk and requires a little bit of scrambling across rocks and boulders. I am an uncoordinated human and had to take my time to ensure I didn’t break an ankle! However, my more sure-footed friends could have run the track in about 10 minutes flat.
Robin Falls will certainly never be named one of the prettiest waterfalls in the Territory, but it’s secluded, the water is cool and best of all – no croc watch required!
As I mentioned above, visiting the Top End during the wet season brings humidity, heat and potential for torrential downpour at any second, but it also means that all the waterfalls and all the natural pools are full of water, flowing fast and free – which makes them that much more impressive. It is at this time of the year that professional photographers flock to the area to get the most beautiful photographs possible.
I have loved my decision to move to the Territory (and the past almost nine months that I have been here has flown by) but one of the downsides is that I miss my friends pretty terribly. Having them come up to visit was pretty fantastic. It also ended up being the last time I saw Tessa before she moved to London – so I cherished the visit that much more.
Eventually we grew a little bored of just staying in the one spot, so we decided to head back down Stuart Highway and towards Litchfield to see what other places we could find to have a little swim in. Stay tuned!
T H E L O W D O W N
Getting to Darwin: International flights arrive from Bali, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur
Getting to Robin Falls: From Darwin, follow Stuart Highway until the Dorat Road turnoff and follow the signs
Camera: Nikon Coolpix S31 and Olympus OM-D E-M1 with M.Zuiko 12-40mm pro lens
Seasons: Robin Falls can be accessed year round but it’s advisable to skip it during or immediately after monsoonal rains
Remember: Sunscreen, beer and mosquito repellent!
Don’t forget to add me on Snapchat and Instagram – @wwellend – for more foolishness and travel adventures!
Reblogged this on Wyrdwend.
Looks and sounds paradisiacal. If ever I make it to Australia, I will put it on my list! Thank you. Best, Tanja
Awesome! I hope you make it to Aus soon 🙂
Love the NT, such a beautiful and relatively unknown part of the world – https://jontynz.com/2015/10/14/further-afield-darwin-to-broome/
It definitely does seem to get overlooked by most people who come to travel Aus – such a shame – Australia is so much more than its major cities!
I love NT! I will be sure to go to Robin Falls next time I am there…. nothing beats a secluded waterfall!
Awesome! That is the sorta thing I love to hear! Headed to the NT soon?
Wow, I’d LOVE to swim there!!!! You are blessed. ❤️😍
I definitely am a very lucky girl! Any plans to visit Aus in the future?
If I ever do make it, I’ll buy you lunch! I would so love to visit Australia!
Sounds good to me! I love a good avo on toast for lunch fyi 😉
It’s a deal! 😬
The finest thing about waterfalls is that they don’t need to pass a popularity test or have a pedigree. All they need to do is look, and be, refreshing. Robin Falls certainly passes those marks! Look forward to more of the “Top End”!
I totally agree! Awesome – I have plenty more coming your way!
Australia is one of those places that scare me. But those photos you took make it look stunning!
Not too scary really, you just need to know where to swim! 🙂
The snakes, spiders, and all the other creepy crawlies also freak me out. I live in Canada, where if I put on my shoe and there’s a caterpillar inside I won’t need to be rushed to the hospital. 😉
But you have bears! 🙂
And rattlesnakes and tarantulas and wolf spiders. 🙂 Plus, bears are nothing–it’s cougars you have to be wary of. They hunt people.
Hey, wanna visit? 😉
I do actually. Canada is at the top of my list! Seriously though James, you have the wrong idea of Australia. You need to come over and visit! 🙂
I have many friends in Australia who all remind me that same thing. 🙂 One day, I’ll be there for a visit!
Goodo and I bet you won’t meet any of those dangerous creatures anywhere. 🙂 And you’ll probably be disappointed. lol
You shouldn’t be scared! Australia is amazing and totally not scary at all!
But aren’t there spiders there the size of your hand (and bigger)?
Yeah but most of the big furry ones are pretty harmless!
I’m almost convinced…
What more will I need to blog about to convince you fully?
Just keep blogging. You’ll convince me eventually I’m sure.
Now that I can do!
Gorgeous photos.
Thank you! x
Great pics I can’t wait to see it tomorrow 🙂
Wow that looks gorgeous!
It really is a lovely waterfall 🙂
Wow, Robin Falls looks beautiful!
Definitely worth a trip if you ever visit the NT!
I wish I was there looks amazing.
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@sheismelrose
Definitely worth a trip one day!
So, what makes a particular swimming hole croc-safe? Are they marked as such? Beautiful falls. –Curt
As someone living here, I just found out through people, common knowledge kinda deal. But there is a croc-wise info page on the internet for visitors.
Local lore is always the best! Unless of course you can have local lore and back it up with more studied, scientific data. I think I would wait until I actually saw the locals swimming in a pool. 🙂 –Curt
Believe me when I say, EVERYBODY swims in Buley – totally safe 🙂
🙂
Waterfalls always attracted me to them….lovely scenes…..like the every little attention given to your experience. Happy you shared this!!:)
Brilliant pictures. Thanks for taking us on the journey with you. Adelaide is a nice city too. I spent three years there.
What brought you to Adelaide?
I lived on Fullerton Road commencing 1962, got married 1964 then left for India in 1965.
Wow! How long did you stay in India?
We were there 20 years. My territory to cover was Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka at that time. Afghanistan was also within the territory but I didn’t visit there. We actually lived in Pune and Mumbai during the time though I was assigned to live in Colombo briefly. Six months as I recall.