Tag Archives: Magnetic Termite Mounds

Magnetic Termite Mounds

During our 2019 trip to Darwin we took a tour. The two sights we were destined to see that day were the famous Wangi Falls (more on that later), and the fascinating and massive Magnetic Termite Mounds located in Litchfield National Park.

Anatomy of a magnetic termite mound

These mounds are not “magnetic”. Nor are the termites that make them. Rather, the term refers to how these termites (amitermes meridionalis) construct the main axis of these slab-sided mounds along a north-south orientation. Some of these mounds may reach 6.5 feet/2 meters in height:

Magnetic termite mounds

But these aren’t the only termites here. There is another even more impressive species called the cathedral termite (nasutitermes triodiae). Let’s head on up to one and take a look.

Approaching Cathedral Termite Mound

As you may have deduced from the name, a cathedral termite mound is one on a truly grand scale. Some reach 13 feet/4 meters!

Cathedral termite mound

Now let’s head out to another Litchfield National Park attraction, Wangi Falls.

Wangi Falls, Litchfield National Park

Here I’ll just let the falls themselves do the talking:

Wangi Falls

Wangi Falls

Wangi Falls

Wangi Falls