:: l a m i n g t o n

This adventure started out mostly as a need to build up trek ability for XPD and fluctuated from 2-9 people over the course of the week prior. Eventually 9 of us headed out with a plan to trek from Binna Burra to O’Reilly in Lamington National Park. The trek distance along the border track is apparently 21km. We planned to camp overnight at O’Reillys and then walk back the next day, 21km isn’t actually that far hey???

Carrying all our gear in packs including tents cooking gear food etc we set off. Here is point number one: ask around about what facilities exist at the place you are trekking to. (More on that soon) The border track pretty much follows the border along a Ridgeline and is not terribly steep. It is rocky, muddy, leech infested and snake filled. There are also snapping hissing lobster crayfish things that are bright blue.. Day 1 we walked for ever. Personally I have never hiked with a big pack like that and my pack was not the best. It was very heavy and wouldn’t sit right. We had a great walk in though with regular team deleechings occurring every couple of hundred metres. I had never had a leech before. Bucket list item- check! The track is heavily rainforested but various view points along the way were incredibly spectacular. We managed to see a gorgeous python across the trail and Gary and Nikki and I walked past a feisty baby brown. Nikki also walked on a snake but didn’t realize- the guys behind only told her later. They had to fight it off as she had made him a bit unhappy. Finally after 7 hours we made it in to the campsite. When I said earlier about finding out about your destination – I mean that this place had a pub, restaurant and takeaway pizza…. We had packed and eaten awesome freeze dried meals…,yummo ;p After dinner we headed up to bar where we met a lost soul keen to tell his tale. It was rather good entertainment and we stayed up till at least 10pm (which is late by mojo standards) A moderate sleep on air beds and we managed to break camp by 7am. We were all a bit sore and even though we tried to eat all our food those packs where still heavy! On the way back we did a different circuit that involved the famous waterfalls of Lamington. Lots of down switch backs and up switchbacks… And water. We did a slight deviation at one stage that led us to a very steep washed out section that involved falling down and mud sliding. But it was a fun moment. We also picked up a lost couple “the 4 minute man and his wife” that tagged along with us for a bit. The trip home seemed longer and the packs got much heavier. The storm clouds opened and we all just kept walking. Finally a person pushing a pram up the trail alerted us to the closeness of the finish. Then it was DONE! A hot shower, a lamington in the lodge and a dinner at the Goldie. We had some other tracks we eyeballed that I would love to do without my huge pack. I certainly experienced no pack envy!!! (All those people with little day packs – ugh!) Thanks to everyone who came out and shared the experience. Such amazing attitudes and so much fun. Till next time…

JT