Hiking in Summer

[Will305]

I was Hiking in the Gold Cost hinterland last weekend after a particularly large storm in and my partner and I were planning on doing a 40 km loop put 10 km in and the leeches just took over even with gators I would of had at least 20 leechers per foot. We ended up only doing around 27. This trip has completely put me of hiking in summer. Although this was in a dense rainforest. Does anyone know of a good spot for hiking in summer, free of leeches and not necessarily bone dry. (Preferably close to Brisbane)

[MickyB]

Welcome to the forum Will305,

I encounter leeches on most of the walks I do. The actual leeches have never worried me but the itchiness in the days following is not pleasant. About 12 or 18 months ago I started wearing full length Skins/compression pants whenever I went bush and I haven't had a leech on my legs since. My socks go over the pants so none of my leg is exposed. I also wear shorts and gaiters. I thought they may have been too hot but I don't actually notice them. They are also quick drying which is good for me as I normally do a few river/creek crossings. I still get the occasional leech on my arms and neck so I will eventually get a compression top.

[GPSGuided]

How do leeches get to your neck? Thinking of prevention strategy.

[MickyB]

How do leeches get to your neck? Thinking of prevention strategy.

In wetter forests they can be on the foliage of trees and shrubs. If you brush past the foliage they can attach themselves to you. I believe they can also drop from the foliage onto you as you walk past. I have heard of a few different prevention strategies such as insect repellent or eucalyptus oil but haven't tried either of them. I usually just take a container of salt and sprinkle it on them when they attach. I used to get them mainly on my ankles and lower legs but since wearing the Skins I only get the occasional one on my upper body so I am happy just to use the salt. I have heard of people having leeches attached to their eye

[Champion_Munch]

Bushwalking in Summer in SEQ is already fairly restrictive... I generally stick to rainforest walks, which of course means lots of leeches! If you prefer doing ~40 km day walks then you will certainly be limited to hiking in rainforest as it's simply too hot to do walks in the middle of the day in any other kind of environment, unless you're lucky enough to catch a rare cooler day (or can otherwise somehow deal with the heat). At places like Mount Coot-tha, Glasshouse Mountains, any coastal areas etc you will obviously be unlikely to pick up leeches, but you will have to deal with summer heat.

If you keep away from walks with lots of creeks/rivers or don't go immediately after/during rain, you usually won't catch many. Even walks close to rivers and creeks are OK if it hasn't rained much lately. Lamington NP is really the only place where I tend to get lots of leeches, but even then it's only during/after rain that it's an issue. e.g. walks like Coomera Falls Circuit, Albert River Circuit, Ships Stern Circuit, Illinbah Circuit, although they all run alongside water for significant lengths, I've done them before without getting leeches.

Out of interest what walk were you doing?

[devoswitch]

I completely understand how you felt. A few year ago I walked the Gold Coast hinterland Great Walk. About 10km in from Oreillys plateau the leeches started. It was horrendous. Terr had just been huge storms and was still drizzling. My legs were literally bright red from all the blood. Looking at the ground an there's hundreds of leeches all heading straight towards you like the slippery blood sucking caterpillars they look like. There was no where to escape except out on rocky outcrops. They can get anywhere, they climb foliage and attach themselves as you brush past. I even got a bite on te eyeball. I ended up just letting them bite me from the knees down.
That trip nearly broke me mentally. However I came through it and am now much stronger for it!

[Bubbalouie]

I love the beauty of QLD's rain forests and wished we had some in SA, reading these stories makes me grateful the worst I have to deal with is blowies and maybe the very rare tick.

The solution below might work, can't say I'd be so keen myself though:

http://www.superfansuits.com/media/cata ... ime2-f.jpg

[Will305]

Out of interest what walk were you doing?

Champion Munch
We were planning on doing the border track (Binna burra to Orileys and back)

[RonK]

The actual leeches have never worried me but the itchiness in the days following is not pleasant.

Use Paraderm Plus antiseptic cream. It contains an anesthetic that stops the itch, so you're not scratching the bites open and getting them infected.
Works a treat for NZ sandflies bites too - any itchy insect bites really.

[MickyB]

The actual leeches have never worried me but the itchiness in the days following is not pleasant.

Use Paraderm Plus antiseptic cream. It contains an anesthetic that stops the itch, so you're not scratching the bites open and getting them infected.
Works a treat for NZ sandflies bites too - any itchy insect bites really.

Thanks for the tip RonK. I will definitely purchase some.

[kaite]

nth central Qld we only get leeches up higher. Recently was volunteering with some scientists who had worked in Borneo previously they wore a different kind of gaiters specially to keep out leeches. they are made of a dense weave cotton material, shaped somewhat like a Santa sock, with drawstring along upper edge. The sock-gaiter is worn inside the shoe, over normal sock, and over long pants, tied at knee. I made a pair out of old pants legs, they kept leeches off legs, but were of a nylon material which made me slide too much into the toe tip of my shoes.