Table of contents for Issue 187, Autumn 2023 in Wild

Dear Wild, I became very emotional watching the new film, Franklin. The film relives the Tasmanian dams campaign through the eyes of a young man retracing his father’s rafting trip on the way to getting arrested at the Gordon River blockade. They were very rich and heady times to be in the movement. The day the High Court announced the Franklin would be saved was the happiest day of my young life. Many of us were optimistic that we were striding towards a more environmentally responsible Australia. Forty years on, the scorecard is less rosy. The latest State of the Environment report provided a shocking account of the state of Australia’s natural environment. While there have been some notable environmental wins over that time, these stick out as anomalies in…

In the post-monsoon season of 2021, three Ukranian climbers (Mikhail Fomin, Nikita Balabanov and Viacheslav Polezhaiko) embarked on an attempt of one of the most sought-after big lines in the Himalaya: the complex 3000m southeast ridge of Annapurna III. Leaving their remote base camp, they headed up the mountain with twelve days’ food and fuel, carried in packs weighing up to 24kg. After a tenacious struggle over eighteen days, they amazingly succeeded in getting up and down intact and with no injuries. It was undoubtedly one of the greatest alpine-style climbs ever done, one that I hold in the highest regard. Yet despite being short-listed for the annual Piolet d’Or—mountaineering’s equivalent of an Olympic gold medal—the award was not given to them. In essence, the reason was because the trio…

After decades of struggle, local conservation groups won additional protection for the Gardens of Stone near the NSW town of Lithgow. Sitting to the south of Gardens of Stone NP, the new, approximately 30,000ha state conservation area, with a world-class tourism and conservation vision, would be a win for workers, the community, and the environment. Called Destination Pagoda, it proposed a gentler, more family-friendly and nature-immersive experience than its rugged World Heritage-listed neighbour, the Blue Mountains NP. This vision celebrated the national park idea, allowing the new state conservation area reserve to be upgraded once already-approved underground coal mining in the area ceased. It seemed to be a victory for conservationists. But when the NSW Government announced the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area in 2021, it came—thanks to pressure…

WILD: You’re the CEO and Co-Founder of For Wild Places. Tell us a little about what FWP wants to achieve. HM: Our mission is to make trail running a meaningful expression of environmental activism. We want to connect the community with actionable ways to protect our incredible biodiversity, culture and ecosystems. WILD: What’s the genesis of the organisation? HM: After takayna Trail 2020, event Co-Founder Simon Harris reached out to some participants who’d expressed interest in being more involved. We were in the early throws of COVID lockdowns, and had time on our hands; personally, I felt adrift and somewhat useless in the chaos. Together, we took on the task of creating a sustainable non-profit with a wonderful rag-tag crew of trail runners turned Board members! Fast forward almost three…

This story is a work of fiction, but based on Caro’s 19 years of actual search jobs. SATURDAY 8:38 AM The headlights of the Subaru Forester work hard to cut through the mountain mist as Dave turns off the bitumen. Dropping his speed to avoid kangaroos and potholes, the moment brings back memories of long-past adventures, before the claustrophobia of pandemic restrictions and bushfires had forced him inside. This is it—it’s time to get out. Pushing further away from the city in his mind, he passes through the patchwork quilt of radiata pine, making several turns along logging trails, before crossing the invisible boundary into the national park. It’s years since he’s been here, and although things don’t exactly reflect his memory, he puts it down to newer or re-routed…

DAY 1 Mountain Lagoon to Colo River 17km; 110m ascent/590m descent; approx 7-10 hours From Sams Way, walk north along the fire trail for 400m to a fork in the trail and a locked gate. The left-hand branch is the Tootie Creek (T3) Track, which you will return on. The righthand branch is the Gospers Ridge Track, signposted to Colo Meroo. Take the right-hand branch and follow it. After a short steep uphill, the fire trail swings roughly east for about 2km, and then roughly northeast for about 1.5km. After another 1.5km heading roughly east, you should reach a track junction at about GR848985. By this stage the fire trail is more like a wide foot track. The right branch continues down Gospers Ridge to Upper Colo, so take the…

We get it; we know ads aren’t the primary reason you read Wild. But without our supporters, Wild simply wouldn’t exist*. If you love what we’re on about here at Wild, if you’re passionate about both adventure and protecting our natural heritage, if having a magazine that’s full of well-written, crafted stories means something to you, a magazine that fights hard for our environment, then support our supporters; without them, Wild wouldn’t exist. We know that our advertising supporters aren’t, of course, your only options when it comes to choosing what gear you purchase. But if you’re in a situation where you have a few cool options to choose from, and one of them happens to be from one of our advertisers, then show them their support means something by choosing…

“No stopping Sara on this family bushwalk along the Overland Track in Tasmania. At seven years old, Sara walked 77km over seven days, and as far as Sara is aware, it does not rain in the mountains of Tasmania (lucky for her and her family). Here, she pauses to take in the view of Lake Windermere while waiting for her mum and three-year-old brother to catch up.”ANDREW DAVISON Dederang, VIC Andrew wins an awesome Osprey MUTANT 22 climbing pack. It features integrated rope carry, a wide-mouth zippered opening, customizable options for carrying crampons/other items on the front of the pack, a secure and easy-to-use ice tool carry system, and the webbing hipbelt won’t get in the way whether worn, buckled behind you, or removed. osprey.com SEND US YOUR WILD…

On Wild’s social media posts about commercial developments being proposed for NSW’s Gardens of Stone SCA: “Sigh. An ‘adventure theme park’. What is wrong with the people managing our public lands?” MC “These development types are the great takers in life.” JP EVERY published letter this issue will receive a pair of Smartwool PhD crew hike socks. Smartwool is well known for their itch-free, odour-free Merino clothing, and their technical PhD socks have seamless toes and are mesh-panelled for comfort. Jonathan’s Letter of the Issue will get something special: A Smartwool sock drawer. It’ll include hiking, running and lifestyle socks, enough for anyone to throw out all those old raggedy, holey and often stinky socks they’ve been making do with.…

Apologies if I’ve mentioned this before, but I have a lot of outdoor equipment. I don’t say this to show off, but because it gives me a privileged perspective on the value of possessions. Everyone loves getting shiny new gear for their adventures, and that special feeling when you’ve spent a considerable amount of money on a dream tent or sleeping bag is magical. I’ll never forget it. The thing is, despite my extensive gear closet (OK, it now occupies a small room of its own), it’s been a long time since I spent ‘a considerable amount of money’ on any outdoor gear. Working in the outdoor industry for any length of time, you just can’t help but accumulate ‘stuff’. There are giveaways at trade shows and training nights, prodeals…

Been climbing for a while and looking to up your game? Want the awesomeness of a bouldering gym in the convenience of your home? Sounds like it’s time you built a ‘woody’! A woody is the suspicious name climbers give to home climbing walls as they are predominantly made of timber, therefore … woody. Fun, isn’t it? So I set myself a goal over this last summer to finally build my own woody. I got a few things right, and definitely learnt a few things too, so here’s what I learnt that will help you when building your own home wall. 1. FIGURE OUT ANGLE AND DIMENSIONS. Your woody needs a home, so figure out where you’re going to put it and then work out what size wall you are…

“A whoop of joy means it’s high, and a cry of despair means it’s low,” I announced to Pete and Tyrone as I bounded off down the hill to find the river, leaving them to finish setting up the tents. As I pushed through the last bit of dense scrub fringing the river, a small stream came into view at my feet. My optimism evaporated. Packrafting this ‘river’ for 30km to the ocean was about as appealing as crawling it. I was so dismayed that I didn’t have the will to do the cry of despair. A short while later, Tyrone pushed through the scrub and joined me in a pall of gloom. We contemplated the possibilities. The river rising overnight seemed unlikely, as two days of supposed rain didn’t seem…

WHEN IT COMES TO SLEEPING SNUGLY, the debate of quilts vs sleeping bags is a divisive one. Most people seem to either despise sleeping bags and every feather of their existence, or they think they’re the bomb.com; there don’t seem to be many people in the ‘meh’ camp. Admittedly, having exclusively owned sleeping bags, I haven’t felt strongly one way or the other; sleeping bags are just what I’ve always had. Until I got my hands—well, my feet and arms and everything else—under the new Sea to Summit Double Ember 1 quilt. Ooph, let me tell you, I no longer sit on the fence. Where most couples have their own sleeping bags (or, for that matter, quilts), for the last three years or so—mainly in the interest of saving weight…

ADRENALINE: GIVE THE GIFT OF ADVENTURE Adventurers like you live the part, not just look it. So this Christmas, you can make sure your loved ones do too. Adrenaline’s adventure range has been designed for all levels of activity, from mountain biking and horse riding, to canyoning and hiking. The easiest way to share your passion with your crew is by giving adventure. Learn more at ADRENALINE.COM.AU CRADLE MOUNTAIN CANYONS ALUM CLIFFS PACKRAFTING Join the adventure professionals, Cradle Mountain Canyons, in a Tasmanian river this summer! Cool water, wildlife and fun rapids make packrafting the Alum Cliffs an unforgettable three-day adventure. Navigate the Mersey River in packrafts: paddling through a spectacular gorge by day and camping under the stars at night. No previous experience required, all on-river gear provided,…

@meganholbeck www.meganholbeck.com Last year was a bit average. There were highlights: time spent in the rainforests of Tassie’s takayna; a fantastic family adventure up to Far North Queensland, exploring the reef, the waterfalls, the stunning beaches and landscapes; three days of sunshine and stunning coastline along the NSW South Coast’s Light to Light track; and many other smaller adventures. There was also the chance to reconnect with friends and family after years of COVID interruptions, and, conversely, there was not a single day of home schooling. But after what feels like years of crap weather, I realised my outlook and expectations changed in 2022. (I suspect a large swathe of the East Coast’s population also adapted to 2022’s ‘new normal’, just like we did globally with the pandemic.) I stopped…

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(unless otherwise credited) Reconsidering canyoning ethics Canyoning is my favourite outdoor pursuit. They’re exquisite places, canyons. But they’re also incredibly sensitive environments. And with more people—not just in Australia, but internationally—discovering canyoning’s rewards, it’s imperative—possibly now more than ever—that we revisit the discourse around how to canyon ethically, both in terms of environmental protection and personal safety. But it’s not just the number of people canyoning that, for me, has brought to the fore the question of what’s considered ethical; on a personal level, a canyoning experience—while in a relatively remote part of the Blue Mountains—led me to re-evaluate the approach to canyoning that my wife and I take. At the time, we’d been canyoning regularly for a number of years, usually in more popular and easily accessible canyons, but…

THIS WAS A PRODUCT I never expected I’d review: a rechargeable air pump. In fact, when first asked to review the Flextail Tiny Pump 2X, I reflexively said no. But then I thought I should learn a little about it before dismissing it entirely, and when I saw that it weighed just 96g, and that it doubled as a lantern, I relented. Still, it seemed gimmicky. Seriously, who needs a pump to inflate a Thermarest? Then I remembered that my wife refuses to use a Thermarest when camping. This includes backpacking. Instead we lug around a 15cm-high double air bed. Yeah, it’s huge. Anyway, when the package arrived and I unboxed the Tiny Pump 2X (plus its accompanying range of nozzles), it was so small—about the size of one of…

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE trail running T-shirts has a problem. Yes, it’s comfortable on the trail. Yes, it fits me well. Yes, it looks half-decent, too, with a colour that, if I don’t say so myself, actually suits me. But hoh boy! Does it ever stink! At least half the time that I pull it out of the drawer, I put it straight back in simply because I can’t deal with the potential stench. And that’s the problem with synthetic garments. They can reek. Not all of them, mind you, but enough do that I’m always trigger shy when it comes to buying one. But that’s where Icebreaker’s ZoneKnit garments shine. I’m sure by now that you’re well aware of merino wool’s antimicrobial properties, and hence its lack of, well,…

Wild is no ordinary magazine. Since its establishment in 1981, Wild has been the inspiring voice of the Australian outdoors. It is a magazine of self-reliance and challenge and sometimes doing it tough. While it is not necessarily hard-core, what it certainly is not is soft-core. It is not glamping. It is not about being pampered while experiencing the outdoors. Wild does not speak down to experienced adventurers. And Wild does not look on conservation as a mere marketing tool. For nearly four decades, Wild has actively and fiercely fought for the environment. Campaigning to protect our wild places is part of our DNA. Show that you care about stories that matter by subscribing to Wild. Better yet, subscribe to Wild yourself and tell your friends and family how great…