(Editor’s Note: Local adventurers Pat and Shevonne Travers are currently on a five-week journey in Australia, during which they are hiking the Great North Walk, a hiking trail that runs from Sydney to Newcastle. During that hike, Shevonne Travers is sharing some of their adventures with Valley Reporter readers.)
After months of trying to find a reasonable way from Melbourne to Sydney on our bicycles, we threw in the towel and decided to pursue finding a reasonable walk-about. There are not many roads from south to north conducive for safe cycling. The only shoulders that exist seem to be on major highways.
Eventually we settled on the Great North Walk, 150 miles of hiking from Sydney north to Newcastle that promises (we believe) lodging every night either in a hotel or a Boy Scout camp or a pub. Of course, we have packed our tent, sleeping bags and pads, should we find ourselves in a pickle.
After doing the tourist scene for over a week in Sydney, which included climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge and kayaking at sunrise in the harbor, we drove to Phillip Island, some 500 miles to the south, to watch the hundreds of little penguins emerge at sunset, get up close to some koalas and bite our nails while we watched our daughter take on her first surfing lesson in the chilly ocean. Then, we returned to Sydney.
Our precursor to our first day on the Great North Walk was the Dirty Dancing Spectacle at the Darling Harbour Theatre. Much to our surprise, over five thousand people, the majority much younger than we are, participated in watching Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray come alive on a big screen while musicians and singers played and sang the soundtrack. “Dirty Dancing” is one of my all-time favorite movies and it did not disappoint. Whomever wished to go down in front of the stage and dance in front of the stage following the show were invited. Of course, we did!
Day one of this walk about began with a trek to the train station, stuffed backpacks, poles, and an iced coffee in hand. We hadn’t planned on having to find a spot to stand next to all the morning commuters and it was frighteningly warm. Eventually we landed a seat and the woman sitting next to us was so excited about our trip she asked to take a photo. When we exited the train, the next method of travel to get to the beginning of the hike was the ferry to Woolwich. After an hour wait for the ferry, we found ourselves heading toward the western part of Sydney.
WE WERE READY
When we exited the boat, we were ready or at least thought we were ready, for eight miles of walking to North Ryde. Beginning in a suburban gated neighborhood, we followed the trail along the Lane Cove River that featured several parks, mango groves, sweeping magpies, a kookaburra, rock, and wooden stairs on single tracks. It was quite warm for late winter here, requiring us to take our time and look for additional water as we quickly ran dry.
At one point, Pat noticed the brown baby snakes which prompted me to put on the gaiters we purchased at Clearwater Sports. Over the past week, we have been warned about the snakes that are coming out from winter hibernation and local folk wanted to make sure we had gaiters.
Though we thought we could complete day one in five hours, we totally misjudged our capabilities. It took six and a half hours to locate our first overnight stay meaning we need to revamp our plan. Did we have enough food with us for day one? That was a firm no, only a bit of cheese to sustain us a few hours in. Should we attempt eating an actual breakfast from now on, rather than only downing a yogurt and splitting an orange? Yes, we plan to do so and find space for Gatorade.
