Day 145 Back on the National Trail

Better pecs than me!

 NSW Day 3

National Trail back on track continuation Day 145 16.9km

2868.4 km walked / 2154.1 remaining

I read a bit last night but had a very restless sleep. It was a relief to finally hear a bird call and start packing up. It was a chilly morning and I was walking before 6am.

This is why I get paranoid about wind and trees

Not much to do today. I have planned a few short days to get back into the rhythm and as the pack is at its fullest it seemed silly to bust a gut early.

So 17 kilometres to a TSR with a dam. The walk is unspectacular leaving the park and walking up Mt Lindsay Rd.

The lavender farm was too far away

I hit a corner where the trail heads south and I will have to walk back the 1.5 kilometres to here tomorrow.

With a minor detour down a wrong track I finally get it right and get to the dam on Jenner Creek, which is fenced off with no gate so I have to climb hoping I don't tear my new pants.

It's only 11:40 am but I need to find a spot out of the wind so I filter the water and walk back towards the road and find a nice grassy spot far enough in the trees to cut the wind down.

The closed sign hasn't moved for a while

I spend the afternoon listening to music and reading. I picked up a new solar charger in Toowoomba the other day and set it up. It's working well. It's the same one I had before but I couldn't work out what went wrong. I did get it wet a couple of times and the only thing I can think of is the printed circuit board. Apart from that the rest of the panel is fairly simple.

The road where I get back to the official trail

Bigger day tomorrow, so I hope I get a good sleep. There is plenty of water about, so no need to carry more than a litre and half.

The dam on Jenner Creek. Fenced off so I had
to jump the fence without tearing my new pants.

The grass was soft and less wind here.

NSW Day 2 Bald Rock National Park

 NSW Day 2 Friday 15th October, 2021

The day started with thunder, lightning and rain. The initial forecast had it clearing by 7am but the morning forecast had pushed it out to 11am.

So I repacked, had some breakfast, Michael had work to do so we decided to leave at 11am.

I sat on Michael's verandah watching the storm clouds come over and basking in the sunshine when it came. The wind was cold but on the eastern verandah it was blocked by the house. I'm sure I dozed for a while.

At 11 we jumped in my car and headed out to Bald Rock National Park. Belinda had booked me a campsite for the night. Normally on the drive in you don't see the rock but a bushfire has thinned the canopy and you get glimpses on the way in.

Spot away from most trees

There were plenty of campsites all large enough for me and my tent. But with the wind blowing at gale force I was wary of the sites that had trees overhanging. In the end I moved to a large site and set up in the middle of the parking area.

It's funny watching someone you only met yesterday driving away in your car. I suppose it's funny offering a bed and meal to strange hobos as well. I'm very grateful to the people who work the trail.

It was a pleasant camp spot that was protected from the major wind gusts by the rock. I spent the afternoon climbing up and walking some of the other trails. Didn't stay long at the very top as the wind was to strong. Mapped a path back to Queensland from here if I need it.

Going up the rock

I used the BBQ to heat my tuna wraps I had for afternoon tea.

In the end there were 4 sites taken for the night. I spoke to no one and went to bed on dark. It was cold and the sleeping bag was the best spot.

Looking across the summit

I couldn't kick it down

Path down

Mind your head

I hope it stays up for a few more seconds

Hot wraps are better than cold ones

Ready to tackle NSW after Borders open

The Bluff

 Thursday 14th October, 2021

I woke up this morning feeling a little nervous. Today was the day I head into NSW and once I make the crossing any return is a long road.

On the drive towards the border I was still mulling it over and gave Belinda a call. I said fond farewells to Belinda and Isabelle as I now won't see them until December ? and then took the plunge.

It's strange thinking this way. I made my first drive across the country from Townsville to Perth in 1977 and I was nervous for a whole load of different reasons on that trip but now, many years land after 20 or so country crossings later this is the first time I've felt Australia divided.

The day involved driving down to Glen Innes and then finding a spot near the trail to drop a resupply bucket. The walk to Ebor will take between 14 to 17 days and I don't have the capacity in the pack to carry enough supplies. I could probably do it with the Hyperlite pack but as the walk in the NT showed it is not comfortable at all above the 14 kg mark. I think with 10 days on board and water I will be pushing 19 kg at the start, dropping about 800 grams a day as I chew through the food.

Morning Tenterfield

So bucket hidden I drive back to Tenterfield to stay with a trail coordinator for the night. If the bucket gets raided by humans, animals or insects I will have a 36 kilometre walk into Glen Innes.

Horses backed up to the tree out of the rain

There is a weather front moving through the area and it's producing thunderstorms but supposed to clear in the morning. I have decided to not go all the way back to the border as it is just road walking, but to get dropped off at Bald Rock National Park which is about 20 kilometres south off the trail. Hopefully I get a chance with the weather to look around.

The following day I will walk North back to the trail. I have called this plan NSW 1...

My car's home until I can get back, probably 
from Aberdeen

Section co-ordinator, Michael's house near Tenterfield

Day 144 Killarney

Wednesday 8th September, 2021 31.3km

The road up the range

2851.5 / 2247.4km

I woke up early. The guidebook has the walk to Killarney split into two days. The distance is about 33 kilometres with the climb up the range a tough start to the day. In the end I managed to climb the hill in short order. Yesterday there was a lot of traffic but today a Monday I didn't see a vehicle until about 10am.

The light up top

Had a quick stop to take a shot of Teviot Falls. Then the view opens up into a valley where the Condamine River begins it journey. It's a magnificent view down the valley, in the crisp morning air it was a wonderful day to walk.

The border with NSW comes right next to the road so I did have a cheeky look over the fence. It's amazing that the rabbit proof fence keeps the zombie hordes at bay.

Half way up

Teviout falls

The Gorge road was open and I started down it. After the walk through the valley it was getting a little disappointing to be confronted by lots of signs. The land here is in private hands and of course the people driving through must have their share of assholes. But the agressive signage and fencing makes the walk less than satisfying. Still lovely spot. 14 Creek crossings, although 1 is a concrete causeway so no problem. I have a depth marker on my pole so I can see how deep it is and avoid spots that go over a height that fills the boots. In the end with a few little diversions I got across with dry feet.

Then it's a long slog along the last bit into Killarney. Today I had 4 cars stopping to have a chat. 2 photos taken. Might be famous on someone's else's page. Didn't have my tooth in though, whiskers hide a lot.

Then finally Killarney. Bitter-sweet. I've done as much as I can. Time to meet the family but a feeling of wanting to go on and finish this bloody thing.

Over the top. Start of the Condamine River

The town of Killarney closes early, 3pm and no Cafe, only the food works store. The town is stretched and I still had 850m to go to the motel/caravan park. I dropped in at the pub to look at the menu for an idea of whether I would walk back tonight. Decided against it and took some refreshments with me instead. The motel was $90 but deserves a mention because it was cheap, clean, and maintained well. The lady running it was a pleasure and offered me some lasagne for dinner. One of the best places I've stayed and a bowl of complimentary snacks like 2 packets of chips and 3 or 4 Cadbury favourite type chocolates. I've paid a lot more for lot less.

Horses enjoying the sun

Time to clean up and I will be picked up tomorrow. Train arranged Thursday out of Brisbane to get me up to Hervey Bay to my car.

The border with NSW

My head made it into NSW!

Canbanorra Gorge

The local neighbourhood watch

14 crossings of the Condamne River achieved
without getting my feet wet

Turnoff to Killarney

Town of Killarney

Killarney Heritage Centre

Day 144

Qld done! 

Day 143 Teviot Creek

Mt Greville

Monday 6th September, 2021 22.5

2820.2 / 2278.7km

Dogs barked most of the night. There is a property somewhere that has many and cars driving past sent them all off.

So it was an early morning start down a couple of country roads through some pretty countryside.

Clear day on the ranges today

The day has cleared up and maybe if I was back up the rim trail I would get those clear views to the coast. I can't turn back though.

At one point a RAAF transport plane flew across and it was very low, below the top of the escarpment. It turned and went through the gap I would be going over tomorrow. Amberley isn't that close so it must have been a training exercise.

morning light

Most of the morning follows the Teviot Creek and the day finished early when I decided to pull up at a camp early and rest for the climb tomorrow. Both camp sites mentioned in the guidebook have signs saying private property. I ignored the sign and camped at the back and rested with the creek bubbling away behind me.

Love the look

Teviot Creek

Day 142 Scenic Rim end / back to BNT

Sunday 5th September, 2021

Dark and gloomy

I was up early so I could get going at first light. Having a platform to set up on made it easier to keep a track of everything in the dim light. I had some rubbish in an empty peanut butter jar which was now missing. Whatever took it must have been a lot bigger than a mouse. I looked around as far as I dared without annoying my fellow campers and came up with a lightweight MSR tent peg from under the platform.

The light makes patterns in the gloom

So the track continues on a firetrail which makes it easy as the light gets better. Then it turns back into the unmaintained trail that takes me deep into the forest along the escarpment. I still have very little luck with any sort of views as the cloud keeps rolling over. The track in the dim light is sometimes hard to trace. I had to stop and take a good look a couple of times to discern it across rocky areas and the more open areas covered in leaf litter. Overall it didn't prove that difficult. The problem though was the wet and slippery roots and rocks, only one minor fall today no damage done.

The mist keeps it damp

The track brings me out at Bare Rock where it meets up with the maintained track from the Cunningham gap car park.

I stopped for breakfast and received a call from Isabelle. Apparently it's father's day. She had made a gift which I will see eventually. I still have a lot of gifts and cards from all my children that I have received. I like the hand made ones.

some bare rock

I get joined by a day walker and as it is Sunday expect to see a few more on the track.

Different layers of cloud

This is the case as I wind back down to Cunningham's gap. The car park is full and there are a lot of cars parked beside the road. On any other day this would be the end of my walk but I've got to get down the range to meet the National Trail. Looking at it later I should have gone further west may be and come a different way. But I headed down the highway. Not recommended at all but with a couple of road crossings I eventually made it to the windsock at the turnoff.

Towards the coast

I crossed the road and I'm back on the trail. The directions through the property that take me to Spicers Gap Rd are confusing and in the end, I believe, wrong. I'm sure there is a 1km hole in the book. You also take the second gate not the first. The first gate in the fence is a wire gate. The second, pipe gate further on seems more logical. A paragraph seems to describe a 1.5 km section where distances would help. A trail sign might also come in handy.

Stopped to appreciate the view

Ah the trail. Not 5 minutes on it and it reminds me it's not a walk trail. The last 3 days seem so far away.

The time after is a straight plod to pick up 10 or so kilometres to a camp site where the creek is running and there is a at area for a tent. I've got to get my trail head back on.

Cunninghams Gap. Cloud rolling through

The windsock which marks the trail crossing