Table of contents for Issue 155, Sept-Oct 2016 in Wild

Trees led us to ourselves and we stood against them trunk to trunk, arms upon branches, our thoughts tangled in the stars.’– Roger McDonald In the early 1820s a handful of seeds were planted in Count Francesco Ricciardi Camaldoli’s garden (L’Hortus Camaldulensis di Napoli) on the western the outskirts of Naples. A decade or so later the seeds had sprouted into hefty eucalypts. In the spirit of all things taxonomic, the Count’s gardener, German botanist Frederick Dehnhardt, set about describing these specimens. And so in 1832 Australia’s greatest gum tree – our beloved river red – became known (science-wise) as Eucalyptus camaldulensis. No one knows for sure why these trees ended up in a Neapolitan garden, though it’s likely the seeds were sourced from another botanical bod, Charles Fraser, who…

Much like disco, bell-bottoms and pet rocks, the Scenic Rim Traverse is a trend that faded during the seventies and never truly returned to vogue. There are several adequate, perhaps even prudent and sane reasons for this. Residents of South East Queensland, particularly folk of an outdoorsy persuasion, will be intimately acquainted with the concept of the Scenic Rim. Wedged between vast tracts of agricultural land and the inexorable urban sprawl of one of Australia’s fastest growing population centres, the Scenic Rim remains as the last bastion of remote wilderness in the region. Volcanic in origin, the various mountain ranges of the rim describe a huge quarter circle spanning some 200 kilometres from Laidley to the Gold Coast. In a region known for its beautiful and diverse landscapes, the Scenic…

I sometimes wonder if the ocean is in my blood. For generations my family has worked with the sea – as fishermen, marine surveyors, ferry operators, lighthouse keepers and now, of course, a kayak tour operator. A life on the ocean was probably more of a destiny than I realised.” – Reg Grundy From his earliest days, Reg Grundy formed a deep bond with Tasmania’s dramatic coastlines and the volatile, allencompassing sea. This bond has allowed him to pursue a career doing what he loves, while also giving back to the environment that supports it. Now as the owner, operator and chief guide at Roaring 40s Kayaking, Reg recalls his first taste of paddling while at school. “I discovered kayaking at my riverfront high school in Hobart, back in the…

INTRODUCTION The running shoe, like so many other products, has evolved and diversified greatly in the past few decades. For the most part this is driven by innovations in materials technology as well as the precepts of consumerism, but in many cases this is justified. When it comes to hiking boots, you want to select a pair that suits your individual needs, simply because it’s such an integral piece of kit. There are few items you will use more throughout the course of a journey than your shoes, and if you’re thinking of running over rough terrain then the shoes become even more critical. After all, the forces of shock and torsion that occur during running are many times higher than those present at walking pace. When it comes to…

Seen any OBPs?” I inquired of Bob Brown as I grabbed my pack off the white pebbly airstrip at Melaleuca. I ducked under the wing of the small airplane that dropped me in the heart of Tasmania’s Southwest National Park. It was a much more inspiring place to meet with the former Greens leader than in the ‘bustle’ of Hobart. Bob stood tall in gumboots, ready for a session monitoring the rare and endangered orange-bellied parrots (OBPs). “I have seen a few, but heard many more!” he replied. My confused and perplexed facial expression invited clarification. “OBPs; Oh Bob Please!” He smiled. “Those bird boxes in the trees still providing room service meals for the ingenious tiger snakes?” I asked as we walked towards the bird observatory. How symbolic to…

Of course we wanted to reach the summit of Mount Proteus, a peak hiding shyly behind (and to the west of) the bigger and more imposing elephant of a hulk, Mount Pelion West, which dominates the scenery along the Overland Track for many kilometres. However, reaching this summit was not the major thought that wrested my attention when I awoke on the day we intended to climb. After a good-sized walk to get to base camp the previous day, we had retired to our tents early due to the drizzling rain that made socialising impossible. I had been very cold during the night, and so was chastising myself for being a wuss as I reluctantly entered the world outside the tent to give a nod of recognition to the new…

While I mentioned the ‘specific pause’ as something I’d like to look, I’d like to divert for this issue to instead look at strength, conditioning and endurance training for the fastest growing wilderness sport: trail running. With a large amount of trail running-related material in this issue I think it’s important we couple that with some useful information regarding activity-specific training. The spring trail running season is coming up fast and more people than ever are hitting the track. Whether you are a seasoned trail runner or a novice, this sport is what wilderness adventure sports are all about. It has everything we love; a physical challenge, stunning natural environments, the simplicity the human body in nature and technical skills required to negotiate difficult tracks. It really is no wonder…

Michelle Ryan shares her recent experiences of rural South Australia while walking the Lavender Federation Trail “I’m walking the Lavender Federation Trail”, I would answer when asked what my next big walk would be. No one had heard of this trail – to be honest nor had I and I’ve been walking in Australia for quite some time now. I came across this trail in early 2015 when looking for a new adventure to finish off the hiking season. I had a great year, with my husband and I just recently returned from hiking 950 kilometres along the Via Francigena in Italy and while laid up in bed with the flu, the planning had begun. The Lavender Federation Trail is a 212-kilometre hiking trail that starts on the beautiful banks…

In South Westland and northern Fiordland, in the south of New Zealand’s South Island, lies a large tract of wild country with no roads and few tracks. It is accessed by a long gravel road south from the west coast highway in the north, and the Hollyford road, which branches from the Milford Sound tourist road to the south. Between lies a series of intriguing and little-visited parallel mountain ranges of quite varied character, a reflection of their differing bedrock geology. Rocks have been a lifelong interest for me, but the diversity and landscape expression here is of broader interest. There is a wide range of colouration in the exposed rocks, and the vegetation that cloaks the ranges provide additional variations, and all can present with great clarity in the…

Andrew is an Australian expedition doctor and adventure travel photographer producing breathtaking imagery telling stories of the places he's explored. His journeys are infused with a desire to return home with bold and creative images. Adventurous people enjoying life in a dramatic landscape really captures his attention as reflected in this series of images from a rafting trip down the Colorado River.…

“For me, trail running was a natural progression from hiking. I wanted to push the boundaries of how far I could travel in a certain timeframe with the freedom to move quickly, unencumbered by the weight of a heavy pack,” says Henk Morgans, member of Australian alpine team Sum8. For many people, running is an experience restricted to suburban parks or city footpaths. Walking, on the other hand, may be done anywhere, but bushwalking has a specific connotation. Not everyone takes the next step of extending their love of running into bush environments. There are plenty of reasons why this may be the case. Firstly, running can be very hard on the body, and in a wilderness environment the risks of injury increase manifold. Other people may prefer to move…

MAKING TRACKS Luke Frisken from Mitcham, VIC writes: Making tracks on Hochstetter Dome, Aoraki National Park, New Zealand. It was the opening day of climbing during the Melbourne University Mountaineering Club mountaineering camp 2014-15. The image was captured using a Canon PowerShot G16. Luke wins a pair of Salomon Speedcross Shoes, valued at $199. This trail running shoe is a mainstay of the Salomon range, providing a lightweight, wellcushioned shoe that provides traction in all conditions. For your chance to win a quality piece of outdoor kit, send your humorous, inspiring or spectacular shots to wild@primecreative.com.au. To be considered for the November/December Wild Shot, submit your best photo by October 7.…