Day 24 station tracks

Monday 10th May, 2021 23.7km

581.7 / 4517.2 km

Early morning set off

Spiders decorate the trees

Another day to try and move as far as possible.

It was a warm night with fog in the morning.

Within half hour of starting the cow cockie rolls up. We had a bit of a chat but this Station looks a lot drier than others.

It look's cool but quite warm

Lunch spot by the dam

The book says the next camp is a dam at Rhonella Park. It's just used at mustering times and I got there about lunch. I sat under the shade of an ironbark tree and had peanut butter wraps and tea.

The white roads are hot at midday

I thought I would track further south to another dam which apparently can seen from the road. After walking the measured distance and plotting myself at a spot on the map I was pretty sure I was at the right spot but I couldn't see a dam.

I dropped my pack and took my filter stuff and followed a water course down hill after about 200 metres into the scrub, where I could just make out water. It is not a well used dam as cows would normally have trampled a beach of sorts. I had to trample across weeds and still couldn't get water clear of vegetation. In the end I had to end up wading out past the weeds to get a bag full of water. Then carry it all back up the hill.

Sunscreen for the left hand, burnt from being in the morning sun

I normally camp close to the road so people can see me, especially shooters. I don't want to be hidden in scrub with people firing off bullets. This area has been very quiet, in the past 4 days I have seen 2 cars and 1 motorbike.

Day 24 distance and elevation

Day 23 Station tracks

Sunday 9th May, 2021 22.5km

558 / 4540.9km

Onwards

This next section of the walk takes me a couple of hundred kilometres through cattle stations. I will be following a road and the biggest test will be to make sure I always have enough water on board.

Even though the other night was cool, it seems to be warming up again. The afternoons I am finding very draining, so I've decided to siesta for a while from about 2pm. This gives me the afternoon to move a couple more kilometres. Not getting the distance I want but saving a lot of sweat and water.

Getting hotter

Walking through the Valley of Lagoons Station and it seems I've crossed my last running creek for a while. There is a lot of standing water but it is more muddy. I've had to backwash the filter more often.

My last water fill for the day was at Junction Dam.

I walked a little further south so the cattle can come in and drink. I set up the tent here near a gum tree that was in flower. As I was watching, the smallest bird or the biggest bumble bee was flying around the flowers. It didn't seem much bigger than a finch and had yellow across its belly and it's wings seemed translucent. I tried to get a picture and video. Gavin will let me know

Clear water out

Muddy Water In

The track continues

Always on the lookout

There is a little bird up there!

Day 22 - Wairuna

Saturday 8th May, 2021 28.4km

535.5 / 4563.4 km

I woke up early but was snug in the spare room so rolled over and ignored the kookaburras. Eventually I heard movement from others so I made the move. 10 degrees outside. Good walking weather but I was promised a bacon and egg sandwich for breakfast.

I did have dinner with Vicki and Jeff last night and we sat down, had a chinwag and watched Friday night NRL. Well half of it, I was fagged so went to bed. Their generosity was overwhelming and Vicki gave me a gift of a neckwipe to cool me down on the hotter afternoon slog. We will parcel up something and send them a gift. Hard to do when they have what they need and want for not much. Simple life but hard work. In their 70s and not planning to stop.

So the morning ended up a half hour later but that put the sun above the trees. The trail continues on this road but drops down to the Burdekin River.

Company

I had a cow follow me for about a kilometre. They had yarded 300 head last night and I think this one was left behind. I was heading away from the yard and I wasn't heading back.

The road less travelled

The road gets real quiet after Yammanie. I didn't see a car all day. The road gets narrower to a two wheel track as most of the area now is National Park and Conservation Park.

I'm heading down to an old homestead that is listed under the National Trust. Apparently it has been restored and was up for sale as the National park people didn't want to look after it. Imagine the hassle owning a listed building that everyone wants to keep authentic.

I was able to take a picture across a pond which was as close as I could get.

Wairuna Reserve

Wairuna Homestead across the lake

An old pioneer grave

Then the big end today was after I crossed the Burdekin. Every one said there were three crossings but didn't agree on whether it was the first or third that was running and no more than a metre deep.

Well it was 4 crossings and all had water. After I crossed the first one I filled up all water for a camp. To cross I have to take of my boots and tie them to the pack. So after the first crossing my heavy pack gets heavier with 3 litres of water. I put my boots on and walk 100 metres to another dip and have to take them off again.

Crossing through that one I could see the track just went up and down so I walked bare feet and yep another wet crossing. So across I go and looked up and the track curved but look like it went down. That was 150m bare foot walking. This crossing wasn't as deep as the first but faster flowing. I walked out and found a tent spot and set up. It's getting late. I think it was nearly 30k which took a bit out of me but I'll sleep well tonight.

Third crossing

This deep

Fourth crossing

Day 21 Yammanie

Friday 7th May, 2021 23.6km

507.1 / 4591.8km

It got cold last night and a heavy dew. I nearly had to pull the gloves out to start but I knew it would only be for a short while so didn't bother.

The road was a continuation of the bitumen and I had about 20 something kilometres to go to Yaminine Station where my next food drop was.

The walk in the cool was pleasant and I made fairly good time in the morning. This area was where Ludwig Leichhardt explored and I would eventually fill up my water from a creek named after him.

The turn-off to Minamoolka Station has the G.W. swamp. I tried to get photos of the birds etc but as it's been a good year there was a lot of water about and I couldn't quite get past the treeline.

Glen Hardings holdings still has a tree blazed by Leichhardt there too.

Trying to get past the trees

GW Swamp

The best I could do

When I hit the Yammanie boundary I still had 2.5 hours of walking to do to get the homestead.

I think they said they have 30,000 acres and they back onto Walters Plains Lake. Vicky and her husband are in their 70s and have owned the place for 6 years. I don't think they will ever join the grey nomads.

The problem with the road is sometimes you can see too far

Leichardht Creek

I arrived there at about 2pm and they offered me a bed and dinner. They even had a Pepsi Max! Watched the first half of Friday Night Football and then went to bed. Warm and snug tonight. Showered and clothes washed. I've got a heavy pack tomorrow with 7 days supplies on board.

Entrance to Yammanie

Pademelon living in the shed

Day 20 - Gunawarra Road to Yammanie

 Day 20 Thursday 6th May, 2021 29.7km

483.5 / 4615.4km

The early morning road

I had to get up in the middle of the night to put on the tent fly as a heavy dew was saturating me inside.

The walk was as expected with a plod down the road. I am lucky there is a lot of water about as I can keep a steady pace and refill when needed, as long as the cows haven't been around. When I say cool in the morning it is about as warm as I want it to be all day.

A lot of fish in that water. They won't miss a couple of litres

I usually walk in winter and a good maximum for this type of plod would be 17 or 18. A fast pace to keep warm, minimal sweat and low water consumption.

I passed a crop I couldn't recognise and a couple of fancy property signs.

A fancy sign. They grow cotton and avocados

Another well made sign

I did scare the crap out of a wedge tailed eagle, or we scared each other!

He was a big bird feeding on a carcass in the grass on the side of the track. When he heard me he took off across the road about 3 metres in front of me. No photo as I was busy watching him gain height. I reckon he was 2.5m across the wings.

Cotton

The Mt Garnet policeman was on his way down the road pulled up and we had a chat. A couple out to look after some cattle they have also stopped to chat. I am craving a fizzy drink... no-one offered one.

Bathing pool

The mid afternoon is warm but I plodded through to the guidebook camp. It says to camp beside the water which I couldn't find. I hitched the pack and kept walking and the next puddle just had 50 or so cows standing in it. So I kept going to the next creek which still had a little flow going. This meant dinner and a cup of tea. I normally use about a litre of water at camp.

Early to bed long walk to my food drop tomorrow.

The road to Yammanie

Day 19 Gunawarra

 Day 19 Wednesday 5th May, 2021 26km

453.8 / 4645.1 km

The road out

Packing up in the fog

Woke up to a foggy morning. Tent fly saturated. But I love the coolness of the mornings and hope to use it to cover a few kilometres early.

This section is not the most scenic and once I get to the road it goes 300 kilometres atleast. So I plan to lift the pace where possible.

Creek crossing

Still won't miss much at 4.5kph but it does turn into trudge and more a test between mind and body.

The power easement

The day started with a long walk under a power line virtually following a cow pad through the spear grass. My big excitement for the morning was pulling two dead birds from a cattle water trough. I didn't need to fill luckily.

Hit the bitumen of Gunawarra Road, pulled the seeds out, hitched the pack up and started the plod. I actually got to the designated camp site fairly early but decided to keep going into the afternoon and stealth camp beside the road somewhere. So loaded up with water and went on my way. Still only covered 26k and have to do it all again for the next 10 days.

Some more bitumen

Tacos - Dehydrated mince with taco seasoning. Would have killed for an avocado.

No fly on the tent looking at the sun go down

The designated camp site looked good

Gunnawarra Station entrance. Apparently the homestead is original timber and is heritage listed. Couldn't see it from the road.