Damo's Blog

Bushwalking on Hinchinbrook Island

From 5th to 14th April, my and another family shared a six day bushwalk on Hinchinbrook Island in North Queensland. We walked the Thorsborn Trail.

The ecology of Hinchinbrook is quite beguiling with transitions between rainforest filled with palms to eucalypt forest to melaleuca forest, casuarina forest and then back to rainforest all in short distances.

The beaches are incredibly beautiful as are the many streams running down off the mountains. To be in wilderness again renewed me. No computers, roads, electricity to complicate life! I had a huge cry just after leaving the island. Something about how important our natural heritage is and how we must protect and recover it.

The biggest highlight of the walk was watching my ten year old daughter skipping along Nina Beach with her new backpack on. This was the first time she carried any real weight. She did really well for the five days.

Amrta and Aneliese on Nina Beach

Many thanks to my wife Suzanne for all the organisation, dehydrating the food, working out all the transport arrangements and so much more. Thanks also to Kelly and John Pittendreigh Wickham for all their organisation and good company on the walk.

I am hoping to return to climb Mt Bowen next year so have to get fitter. It did not take long to gather an interested group of male friends together. Mentioning "the most beautiful place I have been for ten years..." was enough.

I would strongly recommend to other computer workers to get out into wilderness and nature in general. It is easier than you might think and does a huge amount of good for your headspace. I like the example of Las Vegas where it is possible to visit beautiful places less than 10 kms from the strip.

Another real highlight was scrambling up Nina Peak well behind John, his son Aeden and my twelve year old son Bodhi. They thrashed me! The view was astounding. On one side was a mangrove system like a National Geographic image of the Amazon and on the other a high peak, Mt Bowen, like in Hawaii.

 John & Aeden Pitt Wick with Bodhi in the middle

Hinchinbrook Island is for the organised bushwalker. You have to carry all your own food but there is plenty of water.  Crocodiles and stingers  are an issue but can easily be planned around. The track is not graded and is pretty overgrown particularly on side trips like to Hidded Reef. Don't be deterred. It is the sort of place that can change your life!