Day 7 - Daintree

Day 7 - Friday 23rd April, 2021

Belinda sent the property owner a text message last night and as I was packing the pack he rang with the directions I needed.

So with those in mind I wandered out of Daintree Village just as the were opening up. Whilst it rained last night it was now dry but overcast.

I have wanted to go this way as there are only a few spots in the first couple of hundred kilometres that are more interesting than a plod down a highway. The trip over the CREB track was one that I had already missed and i will come back and do it as a stand alone walk.

Stewart creek road wanders through some rain forest and open cattle farms. There was plenty of water after the rains and my first path of rainforest saw me pick up a cloud of mosquitos.

I came across a herd of cows on the road after Harlows Bridge. Lovely cows....piss smell now. But it looked like I was going to chase them over the range as they all just kept moving in front of me along the road. That was until a car came through so they had to chose a big open paddock to the side instead of the little red suzuki and the scary man. The sun also came out at this time and I was just dribbling sweat out of every pore.

There was a little paddock of goats and one looked at me and let out a little bleat and I noticed his head was stuck in the fence. I jumped over and manouvered his head and horns back through. Forgot to take a photo for Frances.

Finally came to the concrete causeway. Hmmm, water was flowing a little fast but the depth was only about 150mm. This is where that "conditioning" I was carrying and the two walking poles helped. Each foot placement was made slowly as when I put the foot into the water the current pushed it back. But one foot and two poles would always be grounded when taking a step and I got across ok.

Then it was a march acoss the grassy paddock to the little grassy rise I could see in the distance. Sun and humidity was taking its toll and my first scramble up the slope took a lot out of me. I dropped the pack as I could hear a creek and I had to scramble down to load up with water as I didn't know what was up top.

Here I picked up some leaches that I had to pick off over the next couple of hours. So I added 3 kilograms to the pack and headed up this track. I was glad it was clear but boy it was steep. I asked the property owner if he minded me passing on the information to walkers following, although they are towing monowalkers. His response was OK "But I hope thay are built like draughthorses if they want to tow anything up that slope"

One spot had gravity winning the fight on the slippery clay. I was sliding down hill trying to stab my poles in an effort to stop. In the end it was only 2 metres but I was thinking if I keep going its about a 30 metre section and it was steep and I really didn't want to do it twice.

With my head down I failed to notice the Wait-a-While vines hanging down and next thing I'm caught up with 2 or 3 vines wrapped over the backpack and my arms. Lost a little blood but the 3 litre bladder of water now had a small hole in it.

I eventually made the top but I was buggered! The path now follows the ERGON maintenance track and its about 9 kilometres through to the other side of the range. This track also goes up and down but whilst steep in parts is not as hard to handle. I did about 7 kilometres of it and decided to camp in a clear area beside a pole. The mentioned camp is down by the road at the end of the track but I like the solitude up here. Little bit of sun meant I lay everything out for some drying and air.

As I'm writing this the sun is going down and the rain has started. So the tent goes in wet again tomorrow.

The misty mountain look

The pole route to the top of the hill

The grassy paddock to cross

The trail up

The pole track up top

Elevation

Day 6 - Bus / Drive to Daintree Village

Day 6 Thursday 22nd April, 2021

Got up and packed my pack as if to walk. CREB Track was out as there were too many ifs and if I walked three days and the river was still high I couldn't nil down any alternatives.

No word on Bloomfield track but I was not enamoured with that. So I booked a ticket from Ayton to Mossman and Trevor kindly offered to pick me up and drive me to the Daintree Village.

So I managed to get to the Daintree caravan park and initially was the only guest where set up the tent for night. I went across to the pub and had a pizza and beer. Not as rewarding as I had skipped three days walking but I couldnt face lentils for dinner so late in the afternoon.

Sill trying to talk to a land owner and have left 3 messages so far. Have no idea if its possible to climb the hill without the guidance of the property owner.

Raining again as I go to sleep.

Days 5 & 6 - More Rain

Bloomfield

The rain continues. Options are getting slim. The Daintree River is 2 metres deeper than I can cross and whilst it has reduced in height the constant top up of rain has meant it is staying high.

I was told today the Bloomfield Track had closed but cannot confirm it. But with the rain it would seem reasonable.

I rang the bus company that does a coastal run on Tuesdays and Thursdays and they are not coming up through Cape Tribulation but are doing a modified run on Thursday where they drive the Mulligan Highway and come down to Wujal Wujal from the Cooktown side. I have to ring back before 4.30pm to see if it even running as there are rockslides and landslips on the Port Douglas road and the Jullaten Range. Did ring but they had gone home just after 4.

Day 4 - Bloomfield (Rain) 21st April, 2021

Day 4 - RAIN

As you may have expected the rain system that came in and has continued to hang around meant that I have propped and taken a cabin at the Bloomfield Beach Camp.

The rain comes down very heavy for long periods of time and I am constantly checking on websites for the level of rivers I may have to cross.

I did get a break with lighter rain to walk down to the local shops about a kilometre away. Stupidly I did this in my camp shoes which have rubbed a patch of skin off on both my feet.

Sometimes I think I need to remember all my lessons on walks and don't make those silly mistakes that can come back to haunt me. Like not putting on my wet pants at the right time, causing injury to my feet for no good reason or not tieing my hat on my pack correctly. The little things can bring you undone later. I walked back from the shop carrying my camp slip ons and that just causes more problems especially in North Qld in the wet with open wounds on feet.

So a couple of days now to contemplate the little things and then get back into the serious business of walking.

Trying to work through options now which include walking the Bloomfield track back down to Cape Tribulation but that is now closed to vehicle traffic. Walking the CREB and looking for a boat ride acrross the Daintree. Getting a lift back to the Lions Den and getting the bus back to Mount Molly.

Each one has it's problems with the rain moving south I can start walking again but the road closures cause me a problem. A bus just puts me back into the middle of the rain again for another couple of days and the road from Mount Molloy to Mossman is closed.

Another nights sleep and see what tomorrow brings it is still pissing down rain so some of the options are not getting any better.

Day 3 - Ayton / Bloomfield

Day 3 19th April, 2021

I passed the night at the campsite listening to the rain. Not at all concerned as it was light and intermittent. Camping by a creek does make you listen more but it didn't seem any water had been up to the tent site for a long time.

My aim today was to get to Ayton and beyond and camp at the beginning of the CREB (I think CREB stands for Cairns Regional Electricity Board) track. A lot of the walk diverts down these power pole access tracks. The distance planned was about 24 kilometres.

The days started ok with intermittent showers. I didn't don any rain gear as it is still fairly warm and you just sweat buckets inside. I should have put the pants on at least as it diverts the rain outside of the gators and boots. As the rain got heavier I was thinking about it and then the heavens opened and it was too late. I had to quickly bag those things like my phones and notes which is why there are not too many photos and I reckon after about 15 minutes Hughie had poured a bucket of about 20mm on me and it had wicked its way down my pants to my socks. Now whilst I have lived in North Queensland before you forget about the rain. I reckon I got Perths July Average over the next 2 hours.

Day 2 Blackmountain towards Ayton

 Day 2 Sunday 18th April, 2021

This was the day I started proper. Belinda and Isabelle were heading back to Townsville and I was on my own.

They dropped me off and we said our goodbyes. Isabelle had bought me a rock in Cooktown yesterday which was meant to give me courage. So now that is packed away. I suppose if anyone was going to mug me I could always throw the rock.

The walk down to the Lions Den hotel is a narrower yet cooler road. There is a lot more shade and as long as there is a breeze it was a pleasant walk.

We came down last night after Belinda picked me up as Trevor Simpson recommended their pizzas. They were good but it was the Ginger Beer on tap that I was sucking on like lollie water. They pour it over ice and add a slice of lime and Its about 4% alcohol but I loved it. Might have just been the hot and thirsty 27 kilometres I had just walked but I downed a couple.

This poor old camel has a right broken leg (needs a little TLC)

It looked like they were having some breakfasts(at the lions den) but at this stage I am not yet into the hiker hunger and a muesli bar sufficed.

As I was walking into Rossville a lady driving by stopped and said to me "You look like a man that could use some Rambutans".

She handed me a branch broken off a tree with about 7 fruit on it we decided to split it and I ended up with 4. Threw the branch away after I had removed the fruit and went into Rossville and sat on the side of the road and ate them. There was one dud but three of them were very juicy and sweet. I also spotted a discarded rambutan peel on the road so she had been into them before I saw her.

The afternoon was a bit of a chore in the heat as the wind died down and I was just a lather of sweat. Water control is a bit of an issue as I am not carrying a lot and rely on creeks as I walk. There were plenty of creeks today which helped as I was going through it faster than planned.

I arived at the planned campsite about 4pm. There's a nice creek flowing through but a lot of rubbish and toilet paper scattered . A little disaponting but I know following accesible places this was going to be the case.

Day 1: 17th April, 2021

 CookTown To Black Mountain

Yesterday evening I went for a walk in Cooktown from the motel to find the National Trail Start/Finish Cairn.

Today's walk ended up being mostly on the bitumen highway. The spots where the trail dives down fencelines or under pole routes are only just slashed or overgrown with 3-4 metre high spear grass.

Some of the route notes left me a little confused but when I decided to just follow the highway there was no need to worry any more.

I started about 6.30 in the morning and Nial, I haven't worked out the hat tie down and lost it within the first 3-4 kilometres! Lucky I have backups.

I managed to wander onto someones property and the dog had a massive head that looked like could chew my leg off quite comfortably. After talking to the owner who knows about the trail, but is not happy with people rolling up early morning setting the dogs off. So I backtracked and headed back to the highway.

Right: Cook watching me get lost

Below: Annan Bridge

It was a hot day with the temperature reaching 30 degrees and 84% humidity. I ended up down a creek at about 10.20am too cool off and promptly fell asleep. It's strange I have had 3 nights sleeping in beds yet today I fell asleep quite quickly on the rocks.

Belinda got a little worried when she had noticed I hadn't moved for an hour. But I felt really refreshed and cooled down for another couple of hours. My next rest was at Trevathan creek for another wash down and cool off.

Left: The Bridge not to take

My final push was up to the Black Mountain look out where Belinda picked me up and we went out to the Lions Den hotel for Pizza.

I spend one more night with Belinda and Isabelle then they head back down to Townsville. I will see them again in July McGowan willing.

The morning trail:

Trevathan Creek Crossing: