Day 15 hiking the Australian Alps Walking Track solo

Australian Alps Walking Trail, Hiking, Trail Journal

Brumby calls at dawn, lost trails and a brutal climb—until 4WDers, chocolate and charged devices delivered lifesaving trail magic.

Cowombat Flat Track to Buckwong Creek (23km) | TOTAL – 327.2km

I woke this morning at 5am, as well as several times during the night, to the deep breaths of a lone brumby echoing through the valley – an unsettling sound alone in darkness.

I took my fleece jumper off during the night, so I assume it wasn’t as cold, or I’m using my sleeping quilt straps better.

The trail was nearly impossible to follow, and I got off track around the Stoney Creek campsite, but after some bush-bashing I thankfully rejoined the trail.

It was a lovely area to walk through, with bizarre insect-created squiggly marks adorning the gum trees and a chorus of birds all morning – food for the soul.

The track followed a mostly dry creek bed, with soaring trees and dense bush throughout.

I’m unsure who created the track in this section, humans or brumbies. Regardless, it’s clear by all the droppings that it’s a shared track.

From Smoke Oh Camp, the track followed the rushing Dead Horse Creek, creating a beautiful soundtrack and a lovely spot to splash my face.

I found the track easy to navigate from Smoke Oh Creek, with regular trail markers, pink ribbons and many fallen trees removed from the track.

It was a very green section of trail, with moss, ferns and grasses covering the earth.

As I moved away from Dead Horse Creek, it became more typically Australian bush, with eucalyptus trees and tufts of long grass.

Thickets of small and spindly eucalyptus gave way to towering gums as the upward climb continued, and ferns with delicate leaves continued right the way through.

Despite the tall trees, there were fewer birds to keep me company, and the presence of brumbies also appeared to lessen.

They may have opted for a switchback trail, instead of this steep ascent! Hardly blame them.

It was an absolutely gruelling climb from Dead Horse Creek over two summits.

I stopped at the top to call Jane (my AAWT cheerleader) and enjoy lunch, before a very steep and gnarly walk down, were I lost my footing a couple of times – and eventually the track!

I spent the late afternoon pushing through dense vegetation on a hillside, trying my best to find the trail with a flat phone.

I sat and recharged my phone, and analysed my maps, trail notes and GPS apps, before getting going again and following the GPS constantly.

When I bush bashed my way into camp I met a crew of 4WDers that I’d come across on the track two hours earlier.

My emotions were raw and tears flowed when I realised I’d left my hiking sticks (and tent poles) on the trail, and my devices were all about dead.

The leader of the tour was a lovely gentleman and invited me to sit by the fire.

Between the party, all my devices were charged in cars, chocolates given and a stall provided to sit on – absolute trail magic that kept me in the game, when I felt on the verge of throwing it in.