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Description
This is mostly a dry season walk. An easy walk beside a creek with multiple habitats, rainforest, savannah and rocky cliffs.
In the rainforest at the start of the walk, watch for Rainbow Pitta , Shining Flycatcher , Pacific Emerald Dove on the ground near the creek. In the mid canopy watch for Arafura Shrikethrush , Green-backed Gerygone , Northern Fantail and Arafura Fantail , and in the upper canopy watch for White-throated Honeyeater , Dusky Honeyeater , Rufous-banded Honeyeater , Varied Triller and White-bellied Cuckooshrike.
Look for Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove feeding in the palms that line the walk, particularly after the long perforated boardwalk. These colourful doves can be easy to hear, but difficult to see elsewhere in the Top End. Look into any palms that have ripe, red fruit - the doves move quietly when feeding. Torresian Imperial-Pigeon can also be seen.
Keep an eye on the skies - the open country west of the rainforest track is perfect for this. A Red Goshawk sighting in 2019 led to a twitch which added a host of other species to the list. Brown Goshawk and Whistling Kite are the most often seen raptors. Rarely a Black-breasted Buzzard , Pacific Baza , Australian Hobby , Brahminy Kite or Wedge-tailed Eagle are seen. A vagrant Oriental Honey-buzzard was even seen!
Varied Lorikeet , Rainbow Bee-eater , White-breasted Woodswallow , Torresian Crow and occasionally Pacific Swift may also be seen overhead.
Savannah species like Rufous Whistler , Red-backed Fairywren , Silver-crowned Friarbird , Weebill and even, rarely Black-tailed Treecreeper may be seen particularly past the long perforated boardwalk. Also Leaden Flycatcher , Olive-backed Oriole and Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo.
The open country is worth a bit of time. Rarely Partridge Pigeon has been seen. Towards the end of track near the falls watch for Little Woodswallow.
Details
Access
Green Ant Creek is in Litchfield National Park, south of Darwin. Its about 150 km drive from Darwin.
If you are not a resident of Northern Territory, you'll need to buy a Parks Pass online before you go to Litchfield. It is $10 for a day, and gets cheaper for longer passes. You can use the Parks Pass for other parks in the NT, but not Kakadu. See the link below.
Access is by car from Darwin, via Batchelor or Berry Springs, along Litchfield Park Road. It's right in the heart of the park, between Florence Falls/Buley Rockhole and Wangi Falls. Press P on the map for directions.
There’s a carpark, information board and toilets. There are a few little tracks off the carpark, some to picnic tables, but you’ll find the walking track pretty quickly - it's to the right of the information board. The track to the toilets branches off this one after the small bridge. There’s a few more small information signs, then a longer timber-slat bridge that crosses the creek that usually has water in it. A few hundred metres further is a longer perforated metal boardwalk through rainforest. There are no more bridges until the junction with the track to Tjaetaba Falls Lookout - this is a short, perforated metal bridge.
After that the track climbs uphill through savannah woodland, to the falls and pool.
If you’re planning on doing the whole walk to the falls, start early or late - it gets really hot. We regularly spend two hours just on the shady rainforest part of the track and don’t make it to the falls.
Terrain and Habitat
Forest , Canyon/cliff , Scattered trees and bushes , GrasslandConditions
Flat , Rocky , Hilly , Dry , WetCircular trail
NoIs a telescope useful?
NoGood birding season
Winter , SpringBest time to visit
WinterRoute
Narrow trailDifficulty walking trail
Average walkAccessible by
FootBirdwatching hide / platform
NoExtra info
Tjaetaba is a First Nations indigenous name. You'll see it used increasingly instead of Green Ant Ck. Litchfield NP is part of the traditional lands of the Werat, Koongurrukun, Mak Mak Marranunggu and Warray People.
There's some important cultural heritage here. No swimming is allowed below the falls, but the upper pool (above the waterfall) is available for a dip.