hiking
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Green Cliff Falls — The Day the River Taught Us a Lesson
Seven of us set out for Green Cliff Falls looking for adventure. We found the waterfall, tackled the technical terrain — and on the way back made one mistake in the river that reminded us how quickly an adventure can change.
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The Unfinished Hike
The first time I attempted this trail, getting lost resulted in the SES, police and ambulance becoming involved. Naturally, I decided to try it again — this time adding a nudist colony, a trespassing sign and a very full bladder to the adventure.
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Devil’s Thumb
The rule of hiking Devil’s Thumb is if you can’t see it from the highway, give the hike a miss. Naturally, I ignored it — and spent nine hours battling leeches, stepping around snakes and eventually standing inside the clouds.
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Saddle Mountain!!!
I finally found the elusive turn-off to Saddle Mountain. The track was confusing, the views came and went with the clouds, and for a while I thought I could stay up there forever — until I started shivering and changed my mind.
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Mt. William
I usually think hikers exaggerate when they describe a trail as difficult. Then I climbed Mt William — four hours of chasing pink ribbons, a bad shortcut at Stoney Creek Falls, two unhappy knees, 2% phone battery and a frantic husband waiting below. This time, the reviews were right.
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When the Plan Keeps Changing
Our plan was to cross Mt Bartle Frere and camp on the eastern side. Then came slow progress, thick fog, a full campground and a nine-year-old yelling, “I don’t want to die!” Hiking plans, apparently, are merely suggestions. 😂
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What Queensland’s highest mountain keeps teaching me
George Mallory is famously quoted as answering the question of why he wanted to climb Mount Everest with three words: “Because it’s there.” I know Bartle Frere is nothing compared with Everest, but whenever people ask why I keep climbing Queensland’s highest mountain, my answer is much the same. Because it’s there. But there is…
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Hiking Reunion 2023
I used to think becoming a better hiker meant becoming stronger and more independent. Group hiking taught me something different: sometimes accepting help is part of being a good teammate.
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You Can Take the Girl Away From the Mountain…
I went to Thredbo determined to tick Mt Kosciuszko off my bucket list. Severe weather had other ideas, and somewhere between battling the wind, clinging to a railing and playing in the snow, I found one of my happy places instead. 😊
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One More Off the Bucket List — Mt Pieter Botte
Twenty-two hikers were invited. Five of us turned up. Add heavy rain, slippery boulders, a 12kg pack and two supposedly non-drowsy antihistamines, and Mt Pieter Botte became exactly the kind of adventure I should have known better than to enjoy.
Stories Along the Way 