Magnetic Termite Mounds

Litchfield National Park


About 17km after entering the park from Batchelor you come to what look like tombstones. But only the very tip of these magnetic termite mounds is used to bury the dead; at the bottom are the king and queen, with workers in between. They're perfectly aligned to regulate temperature, catching the morning sun, then allowing the residents to dodge the midday heat. Nearby are some giant mounds made by the aptly named cathedral termites.