Editor’s Note: This is the third installment of Waitsfield adventurers Shevonne and Pat Travers’ Great North Walk in Australia.
Pat and I have now hiked over 100 miles on the Great North Walk. Because of the difficulties in getting from section to section without lodging or transportation, we’ve had to do a bit of leapfrogging. Regardless it’s been stunning to walk through a small part of Australia’s bush, hear the songs from the unique bird species and engage in brief conversations with several Aussies.
On our one day off from hiking, we signed on to help deliver the mail via boat to the islanders who live along the Hawkesbury River. Five days a week they receive their mail by boat. Then we were back on the trail via the train to Gosford, where we dropped our bags and requested an Uber to the MooneyMooney Creek track head. At the top of Mt. Scopas, we had 360-degree views of the surrounding hillsides. For the first time on this trip, we ran into a young man who is attempting to do the entire Great North Walk. He is the only other person we have met attempting this.
At the hike’s end, we arrived at a train station platform and flagged down the conductor. The platform is so small, only one door of the train opens. Back at Gosford, we arrived in time for the hotel’s weekly trivia game. That was a bit tricky given that many of the questions were about Australia.
The next morning, it was back up to the Mooney Mooney Creek to hike in the opposite direction to the Somersby Store. The trek was easier but as we crossed one set of rocks in the stream, there was nothing to prevent us from falling. It was like being on ice. Shortly thereafter, the trail disappeared requiring some exploration. We trekked through two rainforests and then the last few miles were on roads through the horse farms of Somersby.
NOT SIMPLE
The next morning, we left Gosford, with our heavy backpacks, ready to take on the bush for three or four miles. Though I had convinced myself it would be simple, it proved otherwise. While Pat moved quickly and confidently up and down the steep rocky slopes, including stepping through an overblown mess of trees, I tiptoed gingerly and groaned loudly. I was ecstatic when we arrived at the end of the trek.
At 2:45 p.m., a red Suzuki pulled up and Adam, the manager of the Noonaweena Resort, where we had booked a glamping site, introduced himself. As Adam steered his vehicle through the narrow two-lane roads, we shared plenty of stories and he shared information about the resort’s focused wellness retreats.
Our home for the next two days was a canvas tent in the midst of the forest. Inside we found three double beds with flowering spreads, solar lights, rugs strewn on the floor, and plenty of accoutrements: bathrobes, towels, slippers, and a first aid kit. And just like home in Vermont, as we set our backpacks inside the tent, several cows made their way toward us.
Farther down the hill we found an open-air structure made of a sandstone base with wood frame construction and a metal roof. This was to be our kitchen, our dining area, and our place for showering. It was equipped with electricity, hot water, a gas grill, a toaster, a refrigerator, a microwave, dishes and utensils and a tea kettle. Inside the refrigerator, we found steaks, fruit, potatoes, salad, ham and eggs. We prepared breakfast and dinners both evenings, shared a bottle of wine and had small campfires while reminiscing about other journeys.
4K TURNS INTO 20K
The next day Adam suggested we take the 4K hike to the Mangrove Creek Dam; turns out he underestimated the walk; in total, we did 20K, from the resort and back, passing race horse training farms and sheep farms as we attempted to spot the elusive wildlife. Though I identified koala poop, I saw none hanging out in the trees. We did, however, come upon five kangaroos in a pasture. When they got wind of us, they easily leaped over the 5-foot-high electric fence and went into the bush.
We travelled on to Newcastle by train after determining we could walk from the end of the Great North Walk backwards on treks for a few more days and swim in the ocean baths. Now spring, the beaches in Newcastle are busy with swimmers eager to dive in the waves and young men in their wet suits, carrying surf boards.
Over the past two days, we have walked backward on three of the Great North Walk tracks, through parks, beaches, lagoons, and short segments of bush and around a gigantic lake. In Newcastle, we discovered the Memorial Walk overlooking the sea, constructed in honour of the Australians who participated in The Great War. In this country that then had five million residents, of the 416,000 men who enlisted in the service, 60,000 died and another 152,000 were either gassed or wounded. The Great War is very significant to the Australians, and we find memorials to the soldiers in every community.
After ending one of the hikes in Charlestown, we found ourselves inside a large sports facility, and watched several rounds of lawn bowling, of which we know nothing. We are thoroughly enjoying the coffee, the quieter pace of life and the ease with which several people feel comfortable chatting with us. One more part of the Great North Walk is on our schedule and then we will be flying home to Waitsfield.
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