lighthouses trek stories

She stands alone
On the rocky headland
Surrounded by a swirling blue sea
She stands alone dressed in white
Reflecting in her memories
Of the men that have loved her
The sounds of children laughing
Playing
All in the past
Now distant
Fading

She is old now
A grand old lady
Yet a feeling of sadness prevails
On this rocky headland today
And strong winds fill the passing sails
Tomorrow her bright eyes will grow pale
Dim
And be no more
And one last time
The old lightkeeper
Her lover
Will close the old Greencape door.
 

Contributed by Donna & Anssi Rantamaa from Canada who did the Lighthouses Trek in November 2005

Thanks again for an terrific trip - we had a great time and enjoyed
every minute of it. You folks were very professional and we appreciated
how you interacted with everyone and did things that indicated you were
paying attention to the details (eg. cream for Anssi's coffee.)

The holiday surpassed our expectations by the end of the first day.  We really enjoyed the trip to Montague Island – the whales, the seals, the terns and the seagulls were amazing. The quality of the dinner was unexpected. I looked over my notes and every day said, “Another great day,” or “A lovely day,” even the tough day in the 34 degree heat. 

The accommodation and meals were way beyond our expectations  - we’re used to sleeping in sleeping bags on therma rests and eating camp food on our adventure tours – this was way beyond that and we were pleasantly surprised. The meals in the lighthouses prepared by Monica and Sharon were delicious and very special in the way they were so elegantly presented – and champagne! - we never would have believed it.

We loved the scenery along the ocean and across the heaths. The little wildflowers were like gems in the grass and the big kangaroos we saw for the first time were awesome. We liked the variety of the walks, there were so many different types of landscape.

The standard of the guiding was excellent. We were very happy that information was given about the trees and plants and history of the various areas we passed through. We were impressed that there wasn’t a lecture given about the rules, but the requirements for the walkers quickly became apparent and people stepped up. Although Donna felt challenged in some parts of the walk, that was expected and she would have been disappointed if she had sailed through without ever being nervous. We admired the way you encouraged people to go beyond what they thought were their limits. We felt that the leaders worked very hard and that the trip went without any visible hitches because of the leadership.

Another thing that made the trip so enjoyable for us was the other clients as well as yourselves. Everybody was so friendly and welcoming, we felt right at home very quickly.  We have nothing but happy memories and feel very fortunate that we ended up on that particular trip.

We can’t think of a thing that could be improved – all of our expectations were exceeded. We really enjoyed Australia and have already made a list of what we would like to do there the next time we visit – we do want to go back. Our list includes another Auswalk trip.

THE CANADIANS LEARN TO SPEAK AUSTRALIAN
It's been a BRILLIANT trek with Auswalk and you,
We've seen snakes and flies and kangaroos too.
We tramped along in 40 mph winds,
And we did it all with scarcely a WHINGE.
The ocean and lighthouses were like magic,
It's no wonder we became lighthouse TRAGIC.
We tasted some VEGEMITE and sang the song,
And did some BUSH BASHING as we walked along.
We'll fondly remember our LARRIKIN companions,
As we now fly off to see the GRAMPIANS.
By Donna Rantamaa

For more details on this trip see Auswalk's Lighthouses Trek.

The author's group by the Captain Cook Memorial at
  Point Hicks Lighthouse - photo courtesy Norman Rich

Contributed by Lynne Bliss from Canberra

In October 2003, eight members of Deakin Step Into Life, Kaye Collins, Alison Worner, Bob and Anne Thorne, Al and Judy Miles, Lynne Bliss and Anne Davey, trekked their way on the Light to Light track for an eight-day holiday with AUSWALK.

The walks were all within the Ben Boyd and Croajingolong National Parks. We started at Eden NSW and finished at Point Hicks in Victoria In between we walked, climbed and enjoyed the heath that was out in flower. It was gorgeous bush and beach, lakeside and rock walking, some wilderness areas. The walking ranged from three hour moderate walks to other areas that were hard and challenging, especially the 24 kms on day seven and the sand dunes on the last day accomplished by the inexhaustible Al and Judy.

Gabo Island was a highlight. We reached this old lighthouse station by light aircraft, a ten-minute scenic flight that we hoped would yield good views of whales. Plenty of dolphins and seals were spotted and the odd wave of a whale tail kept us hoping for more. Gabo Island is also home to thousands of Small Penguins that return at dusk to the island to feed their chicks. We sat on a small platform while these fascinating and tiny creatures arrived in shifts a bit like train commuters, to call loudly to each other and to the clucking chicks before waddling into the darkness to their homes, passing right beneath our feet.

We stayed for two nights at the wonderful Gypsy Point Lodge where we woke to the song of native birds and owls. It was here, at this magical place near Mallacoota , that we kicked back, relaxed, washed our hair, and enjoyed terrific accommodation and gourmet food. Anne D caused a sensation at the dinner table by finding a tick on her neck, which was immediately removed by our guide Phil at the dinner table! . Kaye had previously been ‘operated on’ by Phil our guide a day earlier.

On day two, Al bravely saved the group from a 16ft brown snake that was sunning itself on our narrow track. We also spotted a Red Belly Black and a green snake. Anne D kept a log and counted 35 or so species of birds and wildlife, and we tried to identify all the types of native flora. We were very lucky that our holiday coincided with the full flowering of all the native heaths and wildflowers.

On the sixth day we began the Long Walk, a distance of 24 km beginning at Wingan Inlet, first walking along a sandy beach, then traveling through the bush across Ram’s Head. At the lookout on Ram’s Head we could catch a glimpse of the Point Hicks Lighthouse, our destination. We came out of the bush to continue the long trek on the second beach, walking on firm sand, with the wind at our backs and the sun shining gently. A long stretch of rocks kept us busy for an hour and half and at last, the lighthouse was in sight again. Slowly it got closer as we walked in a steady rhythm, (except Judy who danced across the sand) to be broken by the necessity of crossing the Mueller River that had broken through its sandbar. Most crossed successfully, although Anne T went thigh deep in ‘quicksand’ and ended up wet to the waist. Kaye tried to beat that, but only got wet to the hips. After this, another little river to cross, ankle to knee depth only, then a short walk through bush to find that Anne D and Lynne had brought the bus to us, saving us an extra 5 km. It was the best present ever and stopped the Long Walk from becoming the Just too Long Walk.

We visited three lighthouses, Green Cape, Gabo and Point Hicks and stayed in cottages at the last two which are also still working lighthouses. Our cottages were those built for the assistant lighthouse keepers families about a hundred years ago. Each lighthouses was unique and while there, we had time to explore and think about what life would have been like for the people who lived and in some cases, died, there.

We all reported that coming home and returning to work was difficult. We were captivated by the great outdoors and beauty of Australia’s bush. We were lucky with the weather but often had to don our strong wind-proof jackets and our boots were our good friends. You’d think such an active holiday would have trimmed us down. Not so, most of us put on weight, muscle of course, due in no small measure to our guides’ ‘nosebag’ and our vino, for recuperative purposes at the end of each day’s trek. A great holiday, thank you Monica and Phil - we recommend AUSWALK to our fellow travellers at SIL. We’d also like to thank Step into Life for making us fit and confident enough to attempt (and complete) this walking holiday.

NOTE: THIS ITINERARY HAS BEEN CHANGED A LITTLE. IT NOW INCLUDES MONTAGUE ISLAND BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE GABO ISLAND.

For more details on this trip see Auswalk's Lighthouses Trek.

Contributed by Sue Dowrie who did the Lighthouses Trek in October 2006

Auswalk has developed a great itinerary for the Lighthouses Trek and they manage it very well. It's a wonderfully satisfying experience of landscape and wildflowers, of 19th Century enterprise and technology, of personal challenges and group dynamics that illustrates how interesting a walking holiday can be. We saw eucalypt forest and heath, melaleuca forest and dune vegetation. We saw whales, seals and a Sooty Albatross.  We were challenged and saw others meet their challenges in an atmosphere of practical support, encouragement and lots of laughter. We met great people in all the places we went - and the grub was good too! You’ll see me on another Auswalk, I just can't decide which one to do next... To continue the theme of 19th Century enterprise and the sea, how about some Walt Whitman poetry -

from "The Explorers"):
 Greater than stars or suns,
 Bounding O Soul thou journeyest forth;
 Away O Soul! hoist instantly the anchor!
 Cut the hawsers - haul out - shake out every sail!
 Sail forth, steer for the deep waters only,
 Reckless O Soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me,
 For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go,
 And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.
 O my brave Soul!
 O farther, farther sail!
 O darling joy, but safe! are they not all the seas of God?
 O farther, farther, farther sail!

and (from "On the beach at night, alone"):
 On the beach, at night, alone,
 As the old mother sways her to and fro singing her husky song,
 As I watch the bright stars shining, I think a thought of the clef of the universes and of the future.
 A vast similitude interlocks all,
 All distances of space however wide,
 All distances of time,
 All souls, all living bodies though they be ever so different,
 All nations, all identities that have existed or may exist,
 All lives and deaths, all of the past, present, future,
 This vast similitude spans them, and always has spanned,
 And shall forever span them and shall compactly hold and enclose them.

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