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| Long day planned |
Thursday 13th May, 2021 22.8km652.7 / 4446.2 km
On my way to Helen's place. Helen is a former BNT track co-ordinator and now provides advice and knowledge on the track around her with a helping hand and accomodation if required.
As usual I got out of bed early as I had about 18 kilometres to get to Helen's place (Ewan), tied up the boots and headed on down the road.
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| The view in the hills from a 4 wheeler |
About an hour and half in I heard the put-put putting of a 4 wheeler coming down the road. A station hand from Kangaroo Hills pulls up and says do you want a lift to the boundary mate. Quick think and "yeh" I say. I should have asked at first how far the boundary was but after 25 minutes in the 4 wheeler I did say "Where is the boundary?". "Just this side of Oaky Creek" he says. So after 15 kilometres of sitting on my arse he stops at the gate and I've only got about 3 kilometres to go for the day and it's 9.30am.
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| Oakey Creek |
The creek beckons and I sit down for some breakfast and boil the billy for tea. I promptly lay down in the warm sun and had a sleep for an hour then decide to actually get up and move along.
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| Breakfast at Oakey Creek |
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| Lucky I have big feet |
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| The paracord stopping the soles from dropping and me from tripping |
There is a short walk into the old area of Ewan and Helen's place is a couple of hundred metres down Shrimp Battery Road . I am greeted by a fizzy drink (yeeehah), probably didn't deserve it I've only walked about 6 kilometres total today. Then there is a good sitdown with a coffee, lamington and some gossip.
Helen provides a little room for accomodation with toilet, shower and kitchenette and also cooked me a spaghetti bog for dinner with a couple of beers thrown in. I also found a half dozen pepsi in the fridge in the assigned quarters. Generous lady with a good knowledge of the history in the area. I must admit I was talked out by the end.
In the afternoon Helen took me for a tour through the old Shrimp Battery site where there is some real old working machinery as well as some more modern quarters as the place was worked years later. It would be a shame to see these places fall further into disrepair, and whilst Helen keeps things as best she can my worry is, when a lady like her disappears from the area, who will take up the mantle.
Anyone who does the track in the area should at least take the time to walk down (after making sure she is there of course) and talk to Helen, even if it's only for a short while. I am sure she will appreciate the company and conversation.
So it was with a full belly and a couple of sugary soft drinks I sank into slumber in a bed.
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| Helen's dog "Kip" |
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| The battery |
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| The stampers |
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| Tools Helen has collected |
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| Slowly decaying |
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| The guest rooms |
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| Helen's Castle |
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