What an amazing adventure! We have just come back from a 10 week trek on the BNT (Bicentennial National Trail) and it has been such a fantastic journey that we just have to share.
We began our adventure on the 21st September with 9 horses and 5 riders leaving from Grafton to meet up with the BNT at Ebor. Our destination was Parliament House so the choice to travel on the BNT was an obvious one as it would take us straight to Canberra on an established trail. We called ourselves The Woop Woop March as we are born and bred bushies from Woop Woop, and we were on a mission to deliver a message to our politicians in the Big Smoke.
We are farmers who are concerned about the future and wanted to let them know that here in the bush, Clean Water is our most valuable resource. We rely on water to produce food for the nation but that water is under threat from the invading Coal Seam Gas industry. We were carrying many letters from others who shared our concerns and so began the Woop Woop March’s Pony Express mail delivery to Canberra.
Getting to Ebor was straightforward but definitely came with its challenges. Though we were following a Travelling Stock Route we were forced to use the road much of the time and were grateful to have friends providing support vehicles both front and rear through this section of our journey. After 5 days of travel, we met up with the BNT between Hernani and Ebor and from there we could begin to enjoy the delights of the trail.
At Ebor we met Mushgang, another BNT trekker who had stopped for awhile at Ebor and had bought himself a Guy Fawkes Brumby that he was training up to join his team. It was great to chat with him and hear some of his stories from the trail. After a rest at Ebor we looked forward to getting off bitumen for the next section into the Styx River. We were not disappointed as we entered into some beautiful and most spectacular country. The initial climb to Ebor had tested the horse’s fitness but now there endurance would be tested as we followed the trail up and down through steep valleys and along creeks and rivers to emerge on the Macleay River at Georges Junction.
Here we said goodbye to our extra support vehicle and sent the Woop Woop Wagon ahead as we prepared for our first solo trek with packs through Kunderang to Werrikimbe. This 4 day section, with its many river crossings and isolated huts along the way was definitely one of the highlights of the trip and a test for horses and riders alike. Arriving at the Mooraback campsite the riders were weary but eager to share their adventures with the waiting Support crew. The horses enjoyed a well-earned rest and some extra feed after the long haul out of the valley.
Riding the BNT to Protect Clean Water
13 Love Thy Horse Magazine