Hinchenbrook Island Hike Day 4

Yeah, we have made it to day 4 but it has taken some effort as we are tired, sore and bitten.

All our equipment is wet but we are in no rush this morning and calmly dry things of as best we can and pack up camp.

Alone, we take a skinny dip in Mulligan Falls and find our remaining fresh clothes to put on. It’s a 7.5 km hike down to George Point with 5km of it on the beach. The going is much easier and our pace is good as we need to cross the tidal creek before high tide kicks in this morning. We check the creek out and knee deep, take the shortest route across. Jen is startled by a fish and we joke that surely we can’t get eaten by a croc so close to the finishing line.

I get mobile reception and txt John for an 11.30am pick up at Mulligan Bay camping area. The last part is always a drag and the finishing line can not come soon enough. We see Lucinda across the shore and the 5.7km long jetty which carries sugar cane to be loaded onto ships. Our shoulders are sore from carrying heavy packs so we stop and rest for 5 minutes. I pull my pack back on, take 5 awkward steps and spot the George Point sign on the corner of the bay, less than 20m away. We had stoped 31.88km into our 32km hike and salvation was just a few small steps for mankind...

We laugh and celebrate survival, relieved that we have finally made it and our bodies can have a rest. “I’m not a celebrity, get me out of here” says Jen which kind of sums up how we feel even though we are elated to have completed the torturous hike on Hinchenbrook Island. We stretch out our backs on a lonely picnic bench etched with the names and dates of those before us or maybe in memory of those who never made it... Soon our ferry boat arrives and picks us up to transfer to... what another island.... aahh, it’s the island called ‘Australia’. Awe sweet!!

DRIVE: Lucinda to Mission Beach via Cardwell (128km).

After a much needed shower at the Lucinda caravan park, we collect our car and campervan and head up the coast to Mission Beach, stopping at Cardwell for a crab burger.

CAMP: Big 4 Beachcomber Holiday Park, South Mission Beach.Read more