DAY 153 to the Gwydir HighwayIn

The track leaving Leamon's Hut

 NSW Day 11 (153) Sunday 24th October, 2021 26.4km

3022.6 / 2076.3km

After the excitement of the last week today is a bit of a road slog to the Gwydir Highway and my resupply bucket. If that has been compromised its a 34 kilometre slog to Glenn Innes.

In the shadow is the remains of a chimney. 
Imagine all the sweating and cursing that goes
into making these. Atleast they stand as a legacy
to the hard work.

I move out fairly early and there is a cold wind blowing but it's at my back which makes the walking much easier. It also keeps the flies away. I've pulled out the fly net once so far and find it hot to walk in but it saves those times when the flies dart into your eyeballs.

The station track eventually meets a gravel road and I get about 10 kilometres in before breakfast. I stop by a Telstra telephone exchange for breakfast hoping a localised 4g antenna was inside but no luck.

The track winding up to the road

When walking these roads I zone out and get into a rhythm. I noticed my sister has looked at my photos. Long time between visits there. I've got to be nicer to family.

My head goes funny places on these plods and I even lose arguments I have with myself.

Before too long I'm coming down the road to the highway looking for the spot I put the bucket out. Wondering if I had missed it then seeing the spot. Closer to the highway than I thought, I should have taken a GPS reading. When I walk over it is still hidden which I gingerly uncover in case of snakes and there it is. Not a mark on it.

The road

I carry it up the highway as I noticed a school bus stop and a bin. I open it up and I've loaded 7 days food in it which is more than enough now to have trouble on the next section. I rearrange the pack and load up and set off south again. Instead of staying at the Gwydir Highway TSR camp I move 5km down the road to a grassy spot beside a creek. I can see cars going past but that stops on dark and all is quiet. Not the best spot to find a level site not under some very large trees blackened in a recent bushfire but I'm not going back so I make do.

Telephone exchange

My bucket is up in the rocks

The bucket

The track leaves the road and goes down
beside a pine forest. Much quieter.

Day 152 Lemons Hut

The path up the creek

 NSW Day 10 (152) Saturday 23rd October, 2021 16.5km

2996.2/2102.7km

I had heard stories about the next section but in the end it was OK.

It was ok getting through

Firstly I had to follow Dry Creek for about 3 kilometres. Even though it's a park there is a fairly distinct cow pad, or in some instances more than one. I followed the one I thought best even when it took me over a large spur. The creek at that stage was squeezed between to cliffs and as the creek was running the alternative would have been to scramble through the water. The cows did ok with a fairly easy climb up and down.

The ridge to climb out

At the 3k mark you've got to find a spur to climb out. I checked one out but it was wrong. The second one just a little further had the markers and I was about to climb.

Up top meeting the North Fire Trail

The book mentions a cattle pad but it is a vehicle track with something coming down recently. I would say a large front end loader after seeing some of the trees pushed aside and the tyre track. It made it fairly simple to follow. And I needed simple so I could concentrate on the climb. It's a 500m elevation gain over 2k and it was warm and humid. On these climbs I just put my head down and get into a rhythm. You get told not to look down when your high up but when I'm climbing I don't look up. With the sweat dripping off me and I'm puffing I really don't want to see how far I've got left. 9 times out of 10 when the legs just don't want to push you sneak a look and stop.

Warratah

I promised myself breakfast when I met up with the North Fire Trail. Which was the top of that climb. In the end I was glad I had moved up the creek yesterday as I got to the top of the climb by 9am and the day only got warmer from there.

It's the weekend and I expect to see a few people but it's not till I reach the Boundary Falls picnic area that I see any. I didn't go to the base of the falls as my jelly legs might not lift me out again. But I did spy a BBQ and hot wraps are better than cold so I fired it up and boiled the billy for tea.

Lyrebird Falls

Whilst I was sitting there Marg drove up and looked at the Falls then spoke to me on her way back. We sat down and talked. She drives the big ore trains in the Pilbara but is now stuck in NSW after taking extended leave. Her home base is Grafton. I wondered if we could put her up for a home quarantine in Perth so she can get back to work. The subject of food came up. My pack is running bare but Marg, the angel, offers me 3 bananas and a half block of Cadbury dairy milk. I will try to head to Grafton on one of my car shuffles and buy her a drink. One of the bananas was gone before she had cleared the car park. Thanks Marguerite Leahy

Boundary Falls

I loaded up and headed down the track to Lyrebird Falls. Did the tourist thing then started the trek to the camp for the night at Leamons Hut. It was rebuilt by a couple of Petits. Ron and Lyne I think. Not happy with it and got stung on the hand by that bloody plant again. It was growing near the door. I setup the tent outside and Belinda sent a message of a severe thunderstorms. Glen Innes was at the northern edge so I decided to chance it and it proved OK.

I had the block of chocolate for sweets and promptly zonked out for a pretty good sleep considering the standard of the rest.

Leamon's Hut

Day 151 Horse Swamp Creek

The morning view

 NSW Day 9 (151) Thursday 21st October, 2021 15.2km

2979.7/2119.2km

Even with a full belly I had a restless sleep. Up early and ready to go at 6.30am but I waited a little so I could say goodbye to Duncan and thank him again for the hospitality.

The shed the boys were building on the river flats

The trail follows Grasstree Creek which is one side of Fort Danger Ridge with the Rocky Creek as they call it but officially Timbarra River going the other side. After about 3 kilometres the track comes around the Ridge and I follow the river again.

Just a spot to look across the valley

It definitely rained much heavier just the 3 or 4 kilometres from my camp. The road is covered in sand and debris washed down. I come to a locked gate which takes me onto Moogem. It was locked as motorcycles following the road easement annoyed the owner. I can see a neighbourly dispute coming as the shed Duncan is building is for a camp for motorcycle riders. He has plans on having some events here having hosted one event recently.

The creek obvisouly gets a flow up at times

However after walking over the Moogem property I can see his trouble with his soil being a sandy clay which has eroded severely in parts. Where the water is able to get to bare dirt it scores it very quickly. So keeping the grass cover seems important. However after walking past one eroded gully filled with rubbish and another over 10 metres deep where the road has been diverted the land care seems to be lacking for a long time in the past.

Rainbow bee-eater

I was intending to walk into the next property and stay at Jack's Hut but as I was getting close I spied a quad bike upturned in a gully. I walk over expecting to find somebody but came across a traffic cone with a bunch of flowers in it. Seems I might have been late. Belinda later found the accident was two weeks ago with the gent dying. At Jack's hut the ramps to load the quad on a trailer were still there so I decided to go up Dry Creek and find a spot.

The rubbish in the gully. This flows directly
into the creek.

The creek proved quite wet so I was happy to go up and shorten tomorrow. I found a spot just inside the National Park. I also found a patch of that plant that has given me a couple of bites. Why wasn't I told (number 96). Got me again on the foot. I will wear my wet pants for the rest of the creek walk.

Don't know how long this has been sitting here....
but zoom in at the bottom of the door.

The track across the paddock.

Jack's Hut. Notice the ramps.

I found a spot up Dry Creek to camp

Day 150 Grasstree

Looking back at my campsite

 NSW Day 8 (150) Wednesday 20th October, 2021 15.8km

2964.5/2134.4km

Had a pleasant night. The wind howled along the ridgetops and I had a few showers pass across.

The morning pack up went well. I'm still not sleeping the best but the short days means I am not exhausted.

The morning view up the valley

Today is only 16 kilometres as I walked a little past the camp spot last night. Rain is predicted this afternoon so I would like to get there early and setup.

It's is road walking following the upper Rocky River Road. There are a lot of areas beside the river that look like camping spots. Initially it looks like privately run areas with no trespassing signs but when you walk into the state forest area there are spots where there are drop toilets but I'm unsure what the system is. I did use one of the toilets. No one about so had a great view with a poo or vice versa.

More views

I then had to walk across a causeway on the river and follow the road up Grasstree Creek. Not far I come to a spot where there is a shed named Grass tree Hut. I get frightened by the dog Dozer a big piece of work. The lady of the hut, Liz, comes out and points out the camping area. She tells me a crew is about 4 kilometres away working on a shed. The camping area has a flushing toilet and water tap. Also a gate goes down to the creek.

The Rocky River Road

As I'm setting up the tent a car pulls up and I get to meet Duncan. Grasstree is their second property and they are down from Mt Mee in Qld. He offers me a couple of beers, Great Northern, and heads back out to the shed. The beers went down real well but made me a bit dozy. I managed to get my camp sorted and have a wash down before a shower come across.

The grassy flats beside the river

It wasn't long before the whole crew turned up as it was raining much heavier at the work site. I went and introduced myself and to dump the empty cans. They were a bunch of friends living in different areas but used to be a shift crew together on a coal mine near Singleton. They fired up a big fire and I was able to join them as they drank beer and talked nonsense. Liz had the job of trying to feed 5 men and 1 bum.

Clear water in the river

A cheese platter came out and whatever the blue cheese was it was yum. I was the only one eating it and I forgot to ask the brand. Next came chicken wings then a chicken stir fry and rice. Now I can't be sure this would happen for every National Trail Trekker but if Liz and Duncan are there then you will be treated well. Providing a spot to camp shows the generosity of people. Their friends provided good conversation and laughs. Don't know how well the shed will finish up.

I went to bed with a full belly for the first time in a week. I did eat my chocolate for sweets.

Toilet with a view

Grasstree campsite

Grasstree hut

Day 149 Billyrimba Creek

The track

NSW Day 7 (149) Tuesday 19th October, 2021 21km

2948.7 / 2150.2km

Sun coming up

The snake didn't visit. But when I got up for a toilet break during the night the headtorch was on the brightest setting and a lot of swinging about before I ventured out.

The trail follows Demon Creek. At the moment it is flowing ok. The first obstacle is a house yard which is always a worry as I'm on the lookout for dogs. As I go down through the creek there is a cow carcass and I count 14 wild pigs take off from feeding as I disturb them.

The track now a cattle pad

The track descends into a cattle pad and a grassed track. At some points there are multiple ways to go and I just blunder on keeping the creek in sight. There are many crossings. I stop for breakfast at one crossing and just sit and appreciate the privilege of being able to walk through here. As I go further there are more signs of civilisation and I move past a few different huts and homes. The flies are getting worse as the day wears on. The trail turns into a track then a gravel road as I pop out the other side.

Breakfast at Demon Creek

For the first time I put on the fly net and change into my $10 Kmart shorts. This allows me to shed more heat as I walk. The down side is when I moved off the road for lunch by a creek a brushed against something that stung me behind my knee.

I eventually join Billarimba Rd and I've been told the Billarimba homestead isn't happy with campers at the marked campsite so decide to move on further. The road comes back down to the creek and in this area I find a spot down by the creek that is hidden from the road. I spend the rest of the afternoon washing and drying some clothes and generally having a rest. I have some hard work coming up and getting some recovery into the legs will help. I plan a short day tomorrow as well. Just can't take a day off as my supplies don't allow for that.

The road out

Those rolling hills again

Day 148 Demon Creek

Early morning fog

 NSW Day 6 (148) Tuesday 19th October, 2021 22.4km

2927.7km / 2171.2km

There were are couple of mice annoying me last night. I hung up all my food as mice normally hang around man made structures. Knowing the food was safe didn't help as they scurried around me as I tried to sleep.

Needed smoke out of a chimney

I have to catch up the 6 or so km that I didn't do yesterday. But being out of the thunderstorm was a better option.

It was a short walk up the highway then a walk down McLeod Creek road. This started through farmland then climbs a range to State Forest. I got to the top of Darcy's Hill for breakfast and as I had signal I was able to send some photos to Belinda. Although each upload was 7 to 10 minutes as the signal went from 4g to 3g.

The road through State forest

The track winds across state forest before starting a descend to Sandy Creek. I decided to stop here and rest for a while. The water was clear and cool and the day was warm enough to wash down without freezing.

It's back into farmland and a bugger of a climb back up till I meet Demon Creek Rd. Then it's a plunge back down. From the top there are spectacular views up the Demon Fault. This happened as the earth's crust moved 15 kilometres north and split the range. I'll be following the creeks along the fault and climb out the other end.

A bit of colour

Bit of drama at the designated camp. I wasn't happy with the spot as large dead trees with an undermined bank overhung the spot. I went looking around and came back to find a black snake with a red belly searching through the grass next to my pack. He looked at me walking up and decided to ignore me. I tried rolling some rocks near him but it took a couple of stamps of my boots to get him to move a short distance when he decided not to go any further. It was enough for me to get my pack and move up the track. He just watched me go. Hope I'm far enough away tonight.

Creek for lunch and wash

Looking down the valley I'll be walking

Demon fault

The snake