Location: Paluma Range National Park
Article: Written by Wade Howlett; Imagery by Wade Howlett
Directions: Access is via Forestry Road (-19.239 146.405)
As the great John Cleese once said…..and now for something completely different!
I have often wondered what the inner sections of the PRB trail would be like and after an taste last November with Townsville Hike and Explore (I couldn’t keep up with the greyhounds), things came together last weekend with the following plan as long as it all worked out.
So a three day effort was put in place:
Day 1: Bluewater shelter to Little Star River….tick
Day 2: Little Star River to Halifax summit (been there before from Paces)……mmmmm
Day 3: Halifax summit to Paces road…….
And an out if things don’t quite go to plan in such an unknown wilderness. Both Halifax summit area and Bluewater shelter have some surrounding phone coverage.
Well as it would happen, day one went perfect but from about 3km south of the Halifax junction on day 2 I ran into an ongoing wall of fallen trees, some with trunks 0.5m diameter. This combined with slippery, muddy clay and massive washouts and puddles both natural and vehicle related resulted in life rapidly becoming a nightmare!!
To make my pickup time I needed to make a choice, not to mention the strain it was putting on me. Also Rose was expecting a welfare call from me that night.
Back to Bluewater I decided, at least I could enjoy the journey. 18.5km over 9hrs.
Overall I had a blast and it looks like the FB group ‘Forestry 4×4’ has a lot more work to do clearing more trees – they are doing marvels up there.
