Mt Barney, Peasants Ridge, June 2009

This was Harry's first trip up Mt Barney.   For years he had wanted to take the mountain on and today  was the big day.   Unfortunately mother nature had other plans.   Harry had been nagging Dominic for months and with other Wanderers resting up for the 2009 Kokoda Challenge, Harry, Joel and Dominic started early at 4 o'clock with clear skies above.   Half way up the mountain at 8 o'clock in the morning a storm came from no where and covered the range.  Rain came down and the mountain was  covered in cloud like a heavy fog, we couldn't see anything.   We were still determined to make it to the top even though there would be no views.  That soon changed when the fog and cloud lit up from lightning.   It was getting a bit hair raising and for our own safety we made a tough call to turn around and get off the mountain.    But we weren't out of the woods yet.   Not too far back down Harry's jacket was leaking and he was getting very wet and seriously cold.  So cold in fact we had to wrap him in a space blanket and got some hot Nestle condensed coffee into him.   He got back in action and back to the car, when the sky cleared again!  Harry was disappointed but was determined to come back another day to give it another go.   Check out the videos below where you can see the lightning flash in the fog around us.

Buchanan's Fort, November 2008

Greg, Shannon and Joel had stayed up on Buchanan's Fort the previous year in 2007.  Ross and Dominic joined them this time for a great night up on the mountain.  It was tremendous fun with the highlight being an early afternoon storm passing through.  We noticed at 2 o'clock on the first day a storm approaching.  After trying without success to set up an emergency tarp in a tree on the side of a cliff we took shelter in our little tents as a wall of water hit.  After an hour of lightening, thunder, wind and horizontal rain the storm passed.  We took some great photos and videos that you can enjoy here on our blog.

Flinders Peak, July 2008

Twelve of us hit the track for this great little day walk.   We left the car park at 8.30am and reached the peak at 1.30pm.   The track is a little challenging in places as it can get steep and there is some rock hopping to do.   You are rewarded with great views on the way up, the odd cave here and there and sensational 360 degree views at the top.   We were treated with a nice clear day and we could see Brisbane and Amberley in the distance.    We also spotted a mysterious white object on a rocky outcrop... and still not sure what it is?  

Mt Barney up SE Ridge, April 2008 - Overnight

Greg's nephew Ned joined us for another eventful trip up Mt Barney.   This was our first time up Sout-East Ridge, more spectacular and risky than Peasants.   Words like "air-iness" and "hand-jams" are used in the trail guides.   Leaving the car park it was windy and cold and as the day went on it started raining.  We pushed on, climbing up the ridge for 10 hours until we reached a spot near the top.  It was windy, raining and we could see trees on the summit whipping around in the wind.  We decided it seemed pointless camping on the mountain in a gale.   An hour from the top we made the decision to turn back.  The weather was just no good and Ned was feeling ill and looking pale.   Also at this time the legend of the "wobbly rock" was born.   With no one willing to lose face by making the call to turn back, a small rock that blocked our way up the mountain became a scape goat!  And so after 10 hours of hiking we went back down.   After another 4 hours of bolting down the mountain in fading light, exhausted we set-up camp in the dark, and ate as we usually do on hikes - like kings!   Sleep was only broken by the sound of Ned vomiting out the flap of his tent at some early hour.   After a guzzle of Dominic's Gatorade Ned went back to counting Z's.   Next morning we had breakfast, packed up and headed home.   All up it was still a great trip. 

Mt Superbus and Lincoln Bomber, December 2007

Mt Superbus and the Lincoln Bomber

In April 1955 a Lincoln Bomber crashed into Mt Superbus, near Warwick in Queensland.   On an emergency medical flight from Townsville to Brisbane the plane was of course when before it hit the mountain.  Four experienced RAAF crew and 2 passengers were tragically killed.   Mt Superbus (at 1375m) is South East Queensland's highest mountain, and third highest in Queensland.   The top is more like a plateau than a definite peak.   More information on the crash visit Oz At War

Our Trip

We set off to try and find the wreckage with Joel, Shannon, Dominic and Harry and Greg, Caitlyn and Nathan.   The last part of the drive is practically 4WD only and after many creek crossings along Emu Creek we stopped and parked the cars on the side of the dirt road near the start of the track.   The track in was not too difficult, it is well marked in some places but quite overgrown in others.   Stinging nettles were a problem on a few occasions.   As the sun was setting we came up short in finding the plane on day one and set up camp at the top of a major waterfall.   We planned an early start to find the wreck on day 2.   After our usual long breakfast and look around the top of the falls we set off across the creek.   The track gets steep and you pretty much walk straight up from here.   Hours later we hadn't found any wreckage and the weather had started to look bad.  Shannon and Dominic made a mad dash up the ridge to scout out any signs of a plane.   They found some parts but with light fading and a storm approaching they quickly headed back down to meet the others who had turned back.   We did find an engine at the bottom of the hill near the creek as a consolation.   Just back at our tents we heard thunder creeping nearer and quickly packed up our tents.   With some luck, just as we put our packs on the skies opened with heavy rain.  But we were out yet.   The rain got heavier as we walked down the track back to the cars.   The walking track turned into small streams as water rushed through our legs.   Back at the cars we saw that Emu Creek had risen considerably from the rain.   Also, the 5 or so kilometer dirt road had turned to mud making the drive out hair raising to say the least... and maybe the least said the better!   To every one's relief we reached the bitumen near Emu Vale thanks to some pretty fancy driving.   We didn't find the wreck this time but would return in the future.

Mt Warning Breakfast, November 2007

The Weary Wanderers like to "eat on a hike", or maybe that should be "hike on an eat" but this was on a whole new level!  There is not much not say except we carried a camping stove, bacon and eggs and champagne to the top of Mt Warning in northern NSW to have a sunrise breakfast like no other.   Shannon deserves a medal for carrying his Coleman camping stove in his hiking pack up the mountain form us.   We weren't the only people up there for the sunrise and the looks on the folk's faces while we cooked bacon and eggs and drank champagne was priceless.   Check out the videos from the lookout and of Shannon's Survivor Mt Warning spoof.

Mt Barney via Peasants, September 2007

Mt Barney is a great mountain to climb, situated 90km south west of Brisbane, Queensland.   Starting at about 200m above sea level at the car park you reach the top of Mt Barney at 1359m.   After all your hard work you are rewarded at the top with amazing 360 degree views of south-east Queensland.

This was our first trip up Mt Barney.   We went up South Ridge, also know as Peasants and camped over night in the saddle at the Old Hut Site.   With a full overnight pack our the hike to the saddle was hard going.   We left the Yellow pinch car park at 5.30am and reached the Old Hut Site at 12.30pm.   After setting up camp we headed up to the east peak for a look this took about an hour.  Darkness fell quickly so it was headlights on back down to camp to follow our trusted routine of cooking dinner having a few drinks and laughs before bed.  

Mt Barney is a fantastic mountain for hiking.   The views from the top are amazing and worth the hours of effort to enjoy them.  Mt Barney on Wikipedia