Day 67

Day 67

            It has certainly been a wild adventure staying and working on Lochinvar Cattle Station, roughly 60Km north of Augathella, Queensland. I have seen and done more here than I could have imagined, thanks to owners Peter and Milly and the station Ringer, Davie, who has been all too eager to help in my hunt for food sources and talk “bush life” with me on our long days in the yards.

            My ankle has healed nicely from my encounter early in my stay with a rowdy bull, who pinned my leg to a yard gate during drafting one afternoon. Since then I have had several more close calls, but luckily no more injuries!

            I have had the chance to sample several different bush foods while out here, including Kangaroo and cactus!

            As were my findings earlier on when exploring the north east of New South Wales, many edible plants do require much preparation in order to be safe to eat. Leeching, baking, grinding and so on. It seems that certain areas cater much better to a long-term stay than a shorter, survival-type necessity. The land certainly provides every necessity to live, as long as you are willing to look and work a bit for it.

            My findings have shown though that lizards, such as the frilled-neck, and goanna, and insects like the whichetty grub (or whichy grub as locals call it) and locust, prove to be the easiest food source to locate in most locations of this environment. That is, without a great deal of knowledge of the surrounding plant life. I should point out that these lizards, just like many (and most) animals in Australia are protected and hunting many of them is not permitted.

            I was thrilled to encounter my first goanna just the other day. And since then, signs have been appearing quite regularly of their early rise from hibernation. This has also been true of the snakes. Due to recent high day time temperatures, many of these critters have become eager to begin roaming once again.

            I will admit I was somewhat surprised at the sheer size of both the snakes and the goanna. While I have been quite aware that the northern-dwelling snakes, such as the pythons and boas can become enormous, the size of the brown and king browns we have been finding are wild! Averaging an easy five to six feet in length!

            I am nearing the end of my stay at Lochinvar though, and will soon begin the long haul north towards Darwin. The over 2500Km journey should land me in Darwin in early September, assuming I may be able to hitch-hike with some degree of success from Mount Isa, about 1100Km from my current location. Crossing the Barkly Tablelands of Central Northern Territory may prove quite difficult on foot, as temperatures in that region are already seeing average daily’s in the low 30°C range.

            Where the road leads from Darwin is uncertain - Either south to Alice Springs, or South West through the Kimberly to Broome. Where the road will lead between now and Darwin is also very uncertain, all I know, I will get there eventually.

            Although I am having a blast out here, I am getting eager to get to Alice Springs as well. From there I am planning on trekking the Larapinta Trail through the MacDonnell Ranges. The roughly 225Km trail leads from the old Alice Springs Telegraph Station, west to Mount Sonder. My trek will last approximately 26 days, as I attempt the East to West route, then after a slight detour, return from West to East. On my return trip I will veer from the main path here and there, exploring some of the off-shoot trails scattered through the ranges. 

           500Km in 26 days, that’s the plan. Wish me luck!