Pteropus wrote:After 73 years of sitting in the rainforest the wreck is just a few pieces of twisted steel.
tasadam wrote:Funny, that's all it was 30 years ago when I went there.
WarrenH wrote:Dear Nik, could your post be meant for the NSW thread Wollangambe River Tradgedy?
No matter how rude or patronising I'm perceived to be towards National Parks on this thread, that is only a fraction as rude and as patronising as the trumped-up counter-jumpers of our State's National Parks, are towards the we owners of Australia's National Parks.
With all respect, I suggest that you get up National Parks and not the dedicated members of this Forum.
Your devoted servant and fond Member of http://www.bushwalk.com ... and in all humility,
Warren Hudson.
PS, Nik, you could be right, I can be a rude person ... because I don't tolerate fools?
isoma wrote:O'Reilly's to Christmas Ck via Point Lookout is definately achievable in a day for fit groups who know what they're doing.
If you 'enjoyed' this route, you should think about tackling the Stretcher Track. This was also originally cut out to find survivors from the Stinson crash. Its quite a punishing walk as well.
Pterodactyl wrote:Pteropus,
"Looking up the ridge from the bottom" takes me back a long way. Beautiful colour and a nicely composed photograph give an authentic, mountainous, rainforest "feel". Was the palm leaf in the foreground a prop or just happened to be there? In either case, well done.
Well done, also, for the remainder of the wreckage shot. Tasadam raises an interesting point - since his visit, how has the wreckage fared in the intervening years? I walked to the Stinson in the late '70s, twice. Probably at much the same time as Tasadam. My memory has fared no better than his, however, I did take some photos of the wreckage. But where are they? They were transparencies and since then filed in one of the many boxes of "stuff" accumulated over the years of moving interstate and overseas. Unfortunately they were not filed methodically (to say the least). I will try to find them and then post. Friends who accompanied me on my second walk to the site also took some photographs; they may be able to help.
At the risk of being boring, let me reminisce. The first visit was with my long-suffering wife. Long suffering because she went along, bemusedly, with some of the more hair-brained schemes I concocted in those days! We planned Christmas Creek to the Stinson, camping the night on the ridge above the wreckage, and then return next day. After an early and sunny start, we had a look at Westray's grave and then proceeded uphill. Against the run of the weather forecast it then began to rain, and rain, and rain - heavily. We pressed on. In visibility of around 20 meters and increasing torrents of water, the going was slow. With darkness gathering we approached the site and the rain eased to a light mist. We dumped our packs on the ridge above and went down to look at the site itself. After the rigors of our day the atmosphere seemed eerily quite. In the dim deep stillness of the forest we both imagined the hardship, suffering and fear of the survivors. It is difficult to describe the effect on us both, except to say it was very powerful and a moment that has never dimmed. It is a feeling that I certainly will never forget.
As the rain returned we built our hooch on, and in, a river of water, leaves and mud. Being an ex "grunt", I spurned a tent as unnecessary weight, a luxury for those sybarites afraid of the dark (after a number of bad experiences and being older and, I hope, wiser, I now balance the weight factor against the likelihood of really needing one). We joined our sleeping bags for mutual warmth but we slept wet and, joy oh joy, with a number of leeches for bedfellows. Throughout the night more rain fell. Next morning (we didn't sleep in) the descent was slip and slide in unceasing torrential rain – difficult, and at one stage due very poor visibility and the mud river we were in, we roped together and one played anchor for the other in overlapping moves. Back to the car and then we were damned lucky to get out due to the flooded creeks. Back to civilization and, sure enough, Brisbane and the Gold Coast in flood. No wonder I will never forget that walk! I will return.
Thank you Pteropus for bringing back those memories.
Cocksy_86 wrote:
Then there was getting lost. We took the wrong track going from Echo Point to Rat-a-tat. The track we took was the old one from the 1930s that fizzles into nothing halfway down to Albert River. From there we just had to set a compass bearing and cut our way through the bush to the path. We averaged 1km/hr and had to ascend 400m. (In hinesight, backtracking is a far more effective solution when lost.)
cams wrote:
Thinking of doing the stretcher track next month actually. Any comments or advice would be appreciated (via PM maybe to keep this thread on topic). ta.
Gunnar wrote:Hi all. My name is Gunnar Weisskamp.A friend and I did the Stinson Strecher walk last weekend and then out via Christmas Creek. Personally would NOT advise the Strecher Trail. It is jungle. There are numerous plants which will rip you to shreads. The track is overgrown so don't expect one. There are also no view points and no water points until you get to Christmas Creek. If you do decided to do it this is what you will need. 1 - Very high level of fitness. 2 - While the Strecher trail does go along a ridge you will still need great navigation skills as you can get confused / disorinentated due to the terrain. Take a compass / map. 3 - Take GPS 4 - Emergency location beacon. 5 - As much water as you can carry 6 - Mobile Phone & tell someone where you are going 7 - Do the Strecher Walk and come out via Christmas Creek 8 - BIG TIP - When walking down the ridge to get out via Christmas Creek your map may indicate that you have to walk all the way to the cliff edge. DO NOT DO THIS. The down trail off the ridge is about 50 - 80 meters before you hit cliff edge. Keep a look out for it. Kind regards Gunnar
facebox wrote:My grandfather was part of the orginial rescue party. Amazing story. He's stilling lliving in Beaudesert and happy to share with anyone with an interest. PM me for contact details.
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