Day 51: Jack's Paddock to Mt Compass 30km

The day was better but the tent was very wet. A little rain and a lot of dew.

Left Jacks Paddock about 7 am with a long day to Mt Compass. Simple walk out of the forest area to Kyeema Conservation Area. After that its a fairly long walk then I entered the Mt Magnificent area.

I was halfway up the side trail to the summit and decided I didn't really need another hill to climb. After that it was fairly long road walk through some nice countryside before a long walk down the main road to Mt Compass.

I was booked to stay at the caravan park and I went into town to pick up some supplies for the last 6 days. The town area is 2 kilometres off trail and the caravan park is an additional 700 metres.... a long way to walk with a couple of bags of groceries.

I did look at the tavern menu to see whether it would be worth a walk back in and out for a pub meal but decided I could make do with the supplies I had and a rest.

I managed to get my clothes washed and had hard boiled some eggs when the power went out and didn't come back on till 4.30 am. The little cabin was a cold place without the ability to get the heater going. So it was early to bed and mindless television watching.

Day 50: Rocky Creek to Jacks Paddock

This day started miserably progressively got worse and then the sun came out. I set off fairly early along the now muddier tracks. The trail winds through some farmland then enters a southern section of the Kuitpo Forrest reserve.

It started raining heavier as I came to the Chookarloo Camping area which was my intended stop but after looking around at all the drowned camp spots I decided to keep moving and see if anything better came up.

It's a little harder with more civilisation to find quiet little camp spots outside of the designated spots. The forest headquarters had a map showing a horse camping area further south called Jacks Paddock so I decided to head further.

At least the sun came out for the afternoon. Took a bit to find the paddock as its not on the Heysen itself but a horse trail. I found it ok and managed to sleep through the racket Koalas were making.

I was thinking as one grumbled very close to the tent that Koalas sound like the scariest animal in the Australian bush when there grunting at each other. When I got up one had climbed the tree near the tent and as I looked up with the headtorch on he looked down at me and his eyes glowed yellow. Sound scary and look scary in the dark.

Day 49: Hahndorf to Rocky Creek Hut 24km

The walk out of Hahndorf was wet. It was the fourth day of rain I had to put up with and it looked like it was to continue. I had looked at a shortcut to Mylor so I didn't have to walk the same path back to Bridgewater that I had taken the other day.

It looked ok on a map but as I turned into the road there was a No through Road sign but I kept going anyway. The road did go under the freeway and then I came across the second No Through Road sign and I was getting a little worried as it was along way back. However there was a track through just not open to traffic and then there was a little river running after the days rain that I was able to get across.

I got into Mylor and was told the Harvest Cafe did the best breakfast. Only trouble is it was 10 to 9 and they don't open till 9 and the kitchen doesn't open till 9..30 am. So much for a breakfast. Thats hiker lunchtime.

I went up to the general store and they had coffee machine. A mug of coffee and a bacon and egg sandwich for $10 is hiker heaven. The walk out of town was uninspiring up a couple of roads then a walk across some very muddy paddocks. There was a bit of drizzle just to make the day even less pleasant then a walk into the Kuitpo Forest which is mainly radiata pine.

The days walk ended at the Rocky Creek Campground. There were a few people braving the weather and one family had lit a fire that I used to boil the billy. Another weekend hiker rolled up and we had a chat about hiking. Then I retired to my tent for the night of wind and showers. For some reason I was very tired and had a good nights sleep.

Kuitpo is pronounced kaypo I found out when a lady asked me whether I was walking to Kaypo and I gave her the old fart blank look till I realised what she was talking about.

Day 47 & 48: Hahndorf

2 rest days in Hahndorf. Very wet so not much else to do but rest and relax.


Last zero days before finishing the last section of 9 days.

Day 46: Woodhouse Activity Centre to Hahndorf 14km

Rain most of the morning and needed to pack up without getting too wet. The weather is wet all day and I have about 14 kilometres to do.

Shouldn't take long but not much to do except plod in the rain unless there is a let up and a nice spot to sit. The walk initially takes you into Bridgewater via some bushtracks then a walk under the freeway and rail line. I stopped at the Coles Shopping centre and found a cafe, had a coffee and something to eat and warmed up a little.

The track then splits with a trail going south or a sidetrail into Hahndorf. Since my pickup date is set to the 15th and the distance involved I can stop in Hahndorf for 3 nights. A good time sto stop and recoup.

I did drop in on The Cedars which is Hans Heysen's house. He was a painter of landscapes of the Mt Lofty and Flinders Ranges thus his name was given to the trail. I will come back on the drive back to Perth to have a real look at the house and his work as I was dripping wet and would only chill down by taking all my wet weather gear off.

So another half hour bought me into Hahndorf. The motel owners let me use their washing machine and then I was able to warm up. Been a long couple of days.