Day 1 hiking the Australian Alps Walking Track solo

Australian Alps Walking Trail, Hiking, Trail Journal

First steps on the Alps Track: steep climbs, busy trails, gear fail, kangaroos, and already missing Jane — a journey of the body and mind begins.

Tharwa to Honeysuckle Creek Camp (15.6km)

With some last-minute packing changes done, Jane and I set off from our Canberra housesit for the Namadgi National Park Visitor Centre – the start of the Australian Alpine Walking Track.

After organising a camping permit for Cotter Flat with the ranger, we walked together for around 500 metres along the track, which would be my home and sole occupation over the coming 35 days.

Following a teary farewell, I started the track in earnest. However, only 20 minutes in, I thought I’d lost my way when the trail started to climb steeply. After double backing to check, I retraced my steps and continued the long slug up.

The trail was buzzing with weekend warriors undertaking day hikes, as well as a school group on a seven-day hike. It was busier than I was anticipating, which gave me an unwanted audience as I worked on getting my pack and gear into shape, tinkering with straps and buckles and repositioning my go-to bits of kit.

It was a gruelling start to the hike, but the track soon gave way to a more gently undulating landscape and dozens of kangaroos skipped across the track at Bushfold Flats.

I continued onto the Booroomba Rocks carpark, where I decided against doing the side trail in an effort to be kind to my aching body, and tender soul.

At around 3pm, I arrived at Honeysuckle Creek – an evidently popular campground amongst local car campers.

It’s fully booked tonight so I found a little patch of earth tucked between official sites.

Among such a crowd, I wonder weather the feeling of being alone is greater? We’ll soon see.

I experienced my first gear failure while preparing my water supply for the next day.

There was a blockage in my Sawyer Water Filter, which rendered it useless (without the correct gear to fix it).

Instead, I treated the yellowish water from the tank – a popular bird bath – with purification tablets or by boiling.

Dinner tonight was stroganoff.

While I was settling in my tent to sleep, a young Alps hiker made it into camp just before nightfall. Spotting his large hiking pack, I popped my head out to say g’day. His name is Noah, and he’ll be completing the track in 30 days so it’s unlikely I’ll see him again.

I miss my wife Jane immensely already, and am counting down the sleeps til I see her – my Trail Angel – in Kiandra for the first food drop.

It’s clear already that completing this trip will be an effort of the mind, as well as body.