Days 108 to 116 Covid Lockdown

Monday 2nd August to Tuesday 10th August

Boots resoled

COVID lockdown in South East Qld

I decided to get off trail for I don't know how long I had to find something to do. I helped Fred do some painting and cleaning. Also had a haircut and decided to do the first covid shot whilst I was sitting still.

I watched the news everyday and Queensland handled the lockdown ok. NSW has lost it but I can do a bit more in Queensland and depending on how NSW is doing in a couple of weeks will I decide if I continue on or go home.

Dundowran Beach Sunset

Haircut

Day 106 - 107 to Nanango

Sun's over there. I'm freezing over here.

 Day 106 Saturday 31st July, 2021 26.7km

2494.3 / 2604.6km

Day 107 Sunday 1st August 0km

Having spent a few hours relaxing the day before I had a plan worked out about how far I was going and how long it would be before I went through Blackbutt. So today I was going to walk to a camp just before Nanango at a public dipping facility then walk through Nanango tomorrow and then walk into Blackbutt the following day for resupply and rest. We had arranged for Blackbutt hardware to get the required gas cylinder for resupply.

Following the river

The walk starts out travelling a little further down the Brisbane River Valley before you turn up another road to climb a spur. This particular road up the spur reminds me of the Castle Hill Road in Townsville and I attack it the same way and plod my way on a seemingly never ending climb. I'm glad I don't see any cars coming down as it is narrow section of bitumen.

After a while it evens out and I'm on top a a range with the Brisbane River Valley on the left and can also see over to the west.

Climbed out of the Brisbane River valley

The track then heads along this ridge towards a national park or state forest and I can see Tarong Power Station in the distance. I pass by the state forest and the rural blocks are getting smaller and more civilisation as I drop down the range to the west. I was taking note of a seemingly endless line of discarded Bundaberg rum and coke cans on the side of the road as I came up the ridge and all the way to within about 7 kilometres of Nanango and have come to the conclusion it is the same person over many a trip probably going home. Looks like a 4 or 5 can trip. Multiply that by the 10 or so trips and you can get an idea of the number of cans I see along this section of road.

I drop down the range passing some more cattle properties and come to an intersection I need to take to climb back up and over into Nanango. I sit down here as I see the camp I want is on the road I am turning off and it's confusing me a little. But I see that I had misread the notes(again) and the camp is off trail by about 2 kilometres back down onto the Mt Lindsay Rd. So I decide to keep going down the road instead of turning.

A lot more blocks and then I come across the public dip that is a coue of kilometres outside Nanango. I can see I can camp here but there is a little graffiti sprayed about and as I'm looking at the water tanks I notice someone's been shooting holes in it. So the local hoons obviously come here to park up. Hope it's not tonight.

That's the Tarong Power Station in the distance

It was then I see a message come in that South East Qld is going into lockdown. Shit. I try and get hold of Belinda to get details. The last time this happened the caravan brigade dropped and stopped and there was nowhere for the likes of me to camp in places like Blackbutt and of course now we are much closer to the action. The zone of the lockdown includes the Lockyer Valley and after Blackbutt I head towards Esk and turn down into the valley to Murphy's Creek and Withcott. Trying to decipher what effect the lockdown will have on me over the next 4 days is hard so I decide to keep going the 4 kilometres into Nanango and pick up a room.

Looking west

Belinda found a room easy enough as there was a flurry of cancellations as people couldn't leave and I was the first of a wave of travellers stopping short and reassessing. I think the motel went from fully booked 12 rooms to only 2 rooms booked then back up to 10 rooms over the course of a couple of hours.

Mirkwood ?

3 day lockdown means: it will take a couple of days to get to Blackbutt but if it extends then I'm stuck as the trail heads into one of the LGA's that are in lockdown. I may be OK but it is a risk. If I have to stop, there is no guarantee on how long. We look at the possibility of Belinda's Dad picking me up and heading towards Hervey Bay for a week but if I go to Blackbutt he can't come out till Thursday meaning I will be stopped there for 4 days. If I stay I could ask him to come out Monday or Tuesday to Nanango meaning I stop here for one extra day. This is what is decided and it proved OK as the lockdown is extended and I can have a week off at Fred's place and see what happens. I book another night and relax.

Coming down towards Nanango

There is a bus service but it comes from Caboolture which is in the zone. After lockdown I can get back out here by public transport. NSW looks like a basket case who knows how I'm going to go getting across the border.

and walking into Nanango

Day 105 Brisbane River

The tent fly was frozen stiff

Friday 30th July, 2021 19.8km

2467.6 / 2631.3km

It was cold as predicted. I wake up about 5.30 am and get out of bed for morning ablutions and when I grab the tent fly it's like cardboard. It's frozen.

even the handles of my poles

I've learnt a few tricks such as doing all my buttons up before getting out of the tent as it's impossible with icy fingers.

The pack up was fast so I can get moving to warm up. It's another simple day of wandering country roads. Today ends up at the watershed of the Brisbane River and then follow the western branch of the river most of the day.

After climbing the hill, turn down a side road

I did about 20 kilometres by lunch but decided to stop at a beautiful spot by the river. I managed to wash and clean and had an afternoon listening to an audio book. These spots need to be savoured when found. I feel relaxed again.

Granite block marking the shire boundary

The trees are covered in old man's whiskers

Don't stand still for too long
in this forest

Brisbane River Western Branch camp

washing up in freezing cold water

Camped for the night

Day 104 Manumbar Station

Came through that farmland

Thursday 29th July, 2021 22.0km

2447.8 / 2651.1km

I was fairly well rested after yesterday's effort. Today was a simple day of walking out to Manumbar Rd past Manumba Station.

This house is mentioned as abandoned in the
old books so that's been at least 30 years.

It was a pleasant enough walk with 3 people stopping to have a chat. A little bit of rain before 10am then sunny for the rest of the day.

I got to the camp fairly early but decided to stay. It's at an old steam wood mill, it looks like an effort has been put in to restore parts but there's a long way to go.

Manumbar Station

There's a chill in the air and it's only early afternoon. I think I will need to rug up tonight.

Manumbar Road. Walked this all day.

The boiler at the saw mill

Saw Mill

Wood chute

Camp for the night

Old truck

Day 103 Wratten National Park

Wednesday 28th July, 2021 24.3km

2425.8 / 2673.1km

Morning view

Mid morning view

Today was a funny day. The trail follows a road across the hills in the Wratten National Park and I know there could be views but there is no where I can actually get a good look.

It's heavily timbered and I really just follow a green corridor.

Afternoon view

turn left

That is until the trail turns down a track to descend a ridge line to the valley below. It started off all right but I lost the ridge line and think I went down one a little bit north. I was fighting my way through Lantana at one stage crawling on hands and knees to push my way through. I paid a blood price and by the time I got down the bottom I just moved back to the correct line and found a flat spot and went to bed. I'd had enough.

Mid afternoon view

I knew there was a view out there somewhere

The track starts down the spur

Blood sacrifice paid

Day 102 Rossmore Rd - Wrattens NP

The marker points to the bar at Rossmore
Caravan Park. Don't know if there's one
showing the way out.

27th July, 2021 19.6km

2401.5 / 2697.4km

Sometimes you see some unexpected things.
They should have been in Birdsville this weekend.

I had to get up early as I was getting a lift with Mal back over to Rossmore Rd where the trail continues. They have another couple of hundred acres that back onto the caravan park.

The pack was very full and heavy and I had a selection of Lesleys slices for smoko.

We said our goodbyes and I was on my way. The trail continues up Rossmore Rd and eventually goes into a dirt road. A good sign initially was water flowing in the creeks and I hoped that would continue.

Rossmore Road

Got excited. This is not just a drain pipe but
clear running water coming out of it.

I was planning to visit some chimneys that are left from an old smelter. It's claim to fame is that it's built with split stone instead of bricks. In my eagerness I turned off the road and started climbing a hill before I realised I missed the turnoff to the chimney. The hill climb was a bugger with a couple of false summits and I wasn't going back down to do it again.

Once on top of the range it was fairly easy going and fine views north. There are rural blocks and plenty of signs telling me it's private property. What is it with people.

I checked out the official camping reserve and it had no water so I had to keep moving past the old shamrock gold mine. There was water in the creeks along here but since they were beside the cyanide pond I decided to leave them. The trail then turns down a road and I enter Wrattens National Park.

I picked up some water from a dam and found a flattish spot next to the road. There were other flat spots but under large trees which I normally give a miss. Being at elevation I'm hoping it is not as cold. -0.8 at Lesleys place this morning.

Looking back towards Kilkivan. I think
Rossmore road follows that valley.

Second jump up. I think I was thinking you've got to be
kidding and then looked up and saw a rare BNT sign
mocking me as if to say yep up this bloody hill you go

My camp spot for the night. Best I could do to
keep away from large trees. A car passed about 4am.
I was thinking after walking it Copperhead Road,
(song reference) especially as it's a back road to Gympie.

Found this stuff at IGA Murgon. 3 different
flavours. Will try it out.