Byron Hikers

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Saturday 4 March: Forest Bathing with David - POSTPONED

Tempted by a magnificent view, a musical creek and a secluded waterhole to finish? This month’s forest bathing walk takes us to Coopers Creek near Huonbrook from where we ascend to the Doon Doon saddle and venture on to the Flying Fox lookout for panoramic views over the valley. We will spend periods of time walking in silence. Upon return, we will access a special waterhole for a swim and chat.

Grade 3 with a steepish ascent along well-formed tracks to the lookout. Return the same way.

Leader David Roland, email david@davidroland.com.au

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Sunday, March 5: Clean up Australia Day

Sunday 5th March 2023 - Clean Up Australia Day Walk at Cabarita Headland and Bush Tucker Loop 

We thought club members would like to volunteer to clean up some part of our favourite environment. As we walk we will collect any rubbish we find (bring gloves and a bag). We follow the foreshore trail through a pocket of rainforest then past an historical aboriginal midden to Norries Head viewing platform to admire the view. We will then continue along a coastal banksia woodland bush tucker trail. We will learn about bush tucker plants along the trail and even a soap tree. We walk back along the beach to complete the loop back to our starting point. 7km, 2 hours, Grade 1 

Leader Lucy Baker, email: lucy.baker@path2u.com.au 

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Sat-Sunday 11-12 March. Jerusalem Creek Kayak and campout- POSTPONED

The creek runs past the campground at Black Rocks NP. The campsite is where the estuary joins the ocean. 

If you don't have a canoe or kayak, we will try to organise some loaners.

Leaders Chris 0422 005 771 and Rob 0410485969

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Sunday 19 March: Forest bathing with David

Two short walks both coming off Coopers Creek in Huonbrook, taking us into two different and marvelous forests, both with creeks. Because these are short, easy walking trails we will go slow with guided invitations to deepen our nature connection. We finish our second walk at a superb waterhole where we can swim and eat lunch.

10 am - 1 pm, Grade 2. Leader David Roland Email: david@davidroland.com.au

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Friday 23rd arvo - Sunday 25 March:  2 Nights out, camping in Postman's Tree

Ive organised a wicked little adventure trail that involves beautiful creeks, waterfalls, unlogged off track areas and the Postman Track camping in the tree. We enter and exit from private properties previously organised so our cars will be safe. 

This would have to be a late friday afternoon start from Huonbrook where we camp for the night with spectacular sunset and sunrise views to Wollumbin. Saturday we leave the big back packs and explore 3 waterfalls on the beautiful Coopers Creek, head up to flying fox look out for lunch, pick up our packs and head to the Postman Track and onto the tree to make camp for Sat night. Sunday we head down to the Lost Valley at the top of the impressive Wanganui waterfall to play in the river and head out of the bush and back into reality sunday afternoon. Grade 3: Leader Lauren 0473 372 825, freerangechange@gmail.com 

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Saturday 25 March: Leadership Training Part 1

Our Club has developed a Leadership course to give any member the skills and the confidence to lead others on single day or multi-day hikes. Even if you don't think you are quite ready to give back to the Club in this way just yet, you will gain invaluable confidence on planning and doing your own walks.

We want to encourage many different leaders so that the Club offers a greater range of walk types.

More info from Dave F, 0402 470 546 . Lucy, lucy.baker@path2u.com.au Steve, 0414 312 917

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Saturday 5pm, 1 April: Iceland, Greenland & Himalaya Social night in Byron

Diana and her son recently did remote hiking in these legendary countries ( including taking turns carrying the Polar Bear rifle! ). 

All are invited to a BYO evening picnic at her house in Sunrise. (there will be a BBQ ) Diana has prepared a video of this amazing trip.

As a warm-up act, Steve will do a video promo for the proposed Indian Himalayan trip in September. RSVP to Diana, 0408 103 542

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Sunday April 2: Koonyum Range

I am taking two families with young kids (from my Lightweight Hiking course at the Byron Community College) along our favourite cliff line this Sunday. There will be a few more spots for members for this short hike with a 9 am meetup. We might have a cooling dip in the pool above Boogeram Falls later. Grade 3: phone Steve 0414 312 917

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Saturday 8 April: Forest bathing with David

A short walk coming off Coopers Creek in Huonbrook takes us into wet rainforest alongside a wild creek that flows into Coopers Creek. This is a short, easy walking trail (the one we didn't do on the previous forest bathing walk) and we will go slow with guided invitations to deepen our nature connection. We finish at a superb waterhole where we can swim and eat lunch. I would like to give preference to those who missed out on the last walk because it was booked out.

10 am - 2 pm, Grade 2. Leader David Roland To register email: david@davidroland.com.au

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Saturday 15 April: Broken head coastal loop.

This walk takes in some coastal forest, headlands and the stunning beaches of Broken Head. Meeting at the Suffolk park bakery to organise coffee and carpooling, it includes rock hopping and scrambling around rock shelves on the coast between stunning bays and some basic scrambling/ climbing confidence and skills. Low tide is at 10.41 am and there will be plenty of opportunity for swimming and lazing on beaches. Expected finish time is around 3 pm give or take an hour or so. It also includes some road walking on Broken Head road so care will be needed. Grade 3

Please email David Froggatt at dwfroggatt@gmail.com to book in.

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Yuraygir Coastal Walk - 20th - 24th April 2023

A beautiful 4.5 day pack walk (65.5 km) from Angourie to Red Rock. 

This will include coastal hiking, littoral rainforest, paperbark swamps, heathlands, creeks, lagoons and rock platforms.  

Grade 4. Maximum 5 people. Members Only. 

To register please send an email to Kathy Lucic - kathylmc@hotmail.com

You will need to be self-sufficient carrying a tent, sleeping bag, gear and food. 

 A car shuffle is required on day one to leave a car/s at each end.   

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K'gari 6 Day Hike Thursday May 18 - Tuesday 23 May       ( Formerly known as Fraser Island )

Explore the world's largest sand island on foot and discover ever-changing landscapes; stunning beach scenery, giant drifting sand dunes, the Valley of the Giants (giant forest trees), and freshwater perched lakes at each camp. We have booked campsites for a party of 7 starting at Happy Valley resort and finishing at Dilli Village. We will be camping at Inskip Point, Rainbow Beach on Wednesday 17th and taking the ferry across to K'gari the next morning and then driving up the beach for 2 hours. Last year we had 3 members for whom this was their first multi-day hike.

The Club has some overnight hiking gear that members can borrow for a modest rental. Grade 3 walking conditions on compacted sand tracks.          Leader Steve:  0414 312 917. Assistant leader, Lauren: freerangechange@gmail.com

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Sunday May 28: Middle Pocket

Our member, Dave Rawlins is going to guide us through a private property that he has regenerated into rainforest some years ago. This will be an exclusive opportunity to witness a rainforest being re-created with the process being explained by a professional. Grade 3: Leader Dave: daverawlins75@gmail.com

 

April-May 2023: 10-day part Bundian Way Hike

We will be retracing an ancient indigenous path from the Snowy River gorge through to the ocean at Eden in the southern-most part of NSW. This track was painstakingly re-discovered by author John Blay ( On Track ) with the help of local elders. Coastal people used it to walk to the high country to feast on Bogong moths in summer, and by tribes from northeast Victoria to help with whale hunting each spring. The route is always on some sort of track starting in the Byadbo wilderness, breaking out into seldom-used roads leading west and east of the small border town of Delegate and through another forested range to the coast. The 10-day proposal finishes at Delegate. The rest of the track is another 12 days.

This track will eventually get funding to be a national hiking route, but we thought we would rather do it now before it becomes too developed. The route is not available to the general public and is only shared with hiking clubs.  Talk to Steve to express your interest. 0414 312 917

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(International multi-day walk) September 2023: Indian Himalayas

Some of our members have established a close personal contact directly with one of India's pre-eminent expedition companies.

In 2018, 12 of us trekked for 16 days at high altitude in a seldom-visited, high desert region of Ladakh where we were totally away from civilisation. After acclimatising for 5 days in Leh, we started the trek at 4700m and gradually climbed to the highest pass of 5330m, all the while surrounded by snow-capped peaks in excess of 6000m. Most of these peaks have never been climbed. We were supported by a dozen staff and 32 ponies that carried our shelter and fresh food through a barren, rocky landscape that is no longer visited even by seasonal shepherds.

In 2019 we walked amongst forests and high pasture from Manali towards Daramshala, over 2 passes of around 4800m, with most of the trek between 3000m and 3500m. On this trek, we saw a few goat and sheep herders away in the distance grazing on their high pastures. Halfway through we spent 2 nights camped opposite the last remote Indian village that is only occupied during the summer months.

We had 2 expedition groups set to do this Bara Bhangal trek in 2020 but the Covid virus put paid to that.

We have made reservations with Kapil, our expedition leader, for Septembers 2023. This will obviously be subject to the virus being under control before departure.

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For further info, talk to Steve 0414 312 917

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