Author: Tim

Day 9: 11 March 2019

My sister, Barbie had long been keen to be part of our support team and today was the perfect day. She drove us to the start of the walk then did some photography around Borradaile plains while we walked about 7 kilometres down tracks and cross country to meet her at the old cattleman’s hut. When we arrived she pulled out a fantastic picnic lunch complete with Lamb and Feta spicy meatballs cooked on a portable stove. We then walked another 3 kilometres to finish the day and connect with our previous stage.

Continue reading “Lunch at Borradaile”

Day 8: 3 March 2019

For a while we have wondered how we would go climbing the 640m elevation ascent from Lemonthyme to Borradaile plains. We looked at a range of possibilites on several old maps. The planning was made more challenging for two reasons. First, the whole area was burnt out in 2016 which meant no clear indication of any cross country tracks through the bush. Secondly, the existing forestry roads had been closed by bulldozing the accesses many years ago and they were consequently well grown over and washed out in places. We knew both these facts and were prepared to navigate as close to the old maps as we could. What we didn’t know was that whoever had drawn the connecting tracks on the old maps had clearly never been there and had just sketched them in where someone had suggested there was a connecting track.

Day 7: 22 February 2019

Walking with Jessie is special for several reasons.  Merran and Jessie have been walking partners for the last year.  She is preparing to celebrate each of her next few birthdays by climbing mountains – and we are not talking just little hills. While she is a former ballerina, Jessie is now well into her 70s and still able to easily knock over 10 kms or so with us. We value her friendship as she has encouraged and supported Madeleine in particular in her musical endeavours. Jessie loves music and the arts and has done much for North West Tassie in establishing the Hans Vonk Music House which hosts regular classical music performances, master classes, poetry and philosophy gatherings. She has become one of Merran’s good friends.

Continue reading “Walking with Jessie”

Day 6: 19 February 2019

On Tuesday afternoon and evening, it took us less than 2 hours to wind our way gently up the Forth River to the hidden valley of Lorinna. It is a pleasant and relaxing walk in the hills above Lake Cethana. The road is closed now to vehicles but great for walking or mountain bike riding. We enjoyed listening to the birds and the wind in the trees as we wound down after a day at work. The car shuffle was quite long so we didn’t start walking until nearly 6.00 pm. It was just starting to get dark as we walked into Lorinna to collect our car.

Continue reading “Into the hidden valley”

Day 5: 18 February 2019

The short but interesting Round Mountain section of our trail took us south from the Coffee Shop at the intersection of Staverton Road along the original road to Lorinna. I (Tim) remember this road as a child and was always fascinated by passing the abandoned Round Mountain mine. This road was wiped out when floods on Machinery Creek took out the bridge and a joining road was pushed through from the Mount Claude hydro road. This all happened 40 or so years ago so there is not much left of the track.

Continue reading “Round Mountain”

Day 4: 17 February 2019

Staverton is high farming country sitting above Lake Barrington and the Forth River valley. Day 4 was the steady climb up over Staverton and down to Cethana on the Cradle Mountain Road. For Tim, it was tackling the first hills since his surgery.

Continue reading “Over Staverton”

Day 3: 16 February 2019

Today we were back on the track, the first day since our pilgrimage was interrupted by Tim’s cardiac arrest. We had been at the intersection of West Kentish Road on that day and turned left to head to Mount Roland. Today we turned right to walk through the township of Roland and on to Tasmazia.

Continue reading “Back on the Track to Lower Crackpot”

27 November 2018

Pilgrimages always hold the unexpected. We knew that on our first day with a change of route due to high river levels. Day 2, 5Okm down and we were in for a much bigger surprise. After a great day in which I was feeling fit and in relatively good shape, over I went in a dizzy spell and collapse. The initial assessment was of an electrical malfunction in the heart because I had no heart damage and no indicators of actually having had a heart attack (cardiac enzymes released by damaged muscles). I had some ECG waves associated with another condition that may still be underlying and need to be addressed. The main outcome of yesterday’s investigations is that what I experienced was at least in part due to some underlying blockages which no one, nursing staff, doctors or me expected to find. I will need major surgery. That fact that I have an undamaged heart after Saturday is entirely due to the intensity, quality and regularity of the CPR I received for a significant period. The staff here are quite amazed and a little in awe of my CPR team. So thanks again, Anthea, Andrew, Bruce, Merran, Grant, and all others who had a hand in keeping me here.  To have 2 ambulance teams and fire brigade arrive in under 10 minutes to a remote setting was nothing short of remarkable. They also provided CPR and successful defibrillation. Our sincere thanks to them for their diligent work in our community and their expertise and care to us when we needed it. Continue reading “So far and no more for now…”

Day 2: 24 November 2018

Two very eager walkers returned to Nook for a familiar section, across the Badgers into Sheffield. The weather was perfect and our hearts were full of joy.

Continue reading “From Nook to Mt Roland”