Packwalk Ettrema Wilderness – Morton National Park

Ettrema Wilderness – Morton National Park

Date: - 30 Oct – 3 Nov 2024

Walkers: - Trevor (L), jenny, Merilyn & Graeme

Maps: - Burrier 1; 25,000 & Yalwal 1: 25,000

I have not walked in this area since 2008, we soon discovered that it has changed significantly following a series of natural disasters. We planned to enter Yalwal Creek via the McKenzie saddle track. I had read a report on Bushwalking Australia that the track was in a very poor condition so we decided to check out the access via McKenzie lookout on Monday afternoon. As I had feared the track has all but disappeared in the massive regrowth of the bush that has followed the 2019-20 fires and a succession of wet years.

Plan B was to start the walk at Toorooroo and follow the Yalwal Creek Walking Track to Ettrema Gorge. We camped the first night at Yalwal Gap and were away early Tuesday morning. We found the first signpost indicating that a track had once existed but thereafter there was only the occasional hint of a track, confirmed by the GPS. We pushed on through almost impenetrable acacia regrowth and fallen timber. Progress at less than one kilometre per hour.

By lunchtime it was obvious that we were not going to reach Ettrema Gorge by nightfall so we decided to make an early camp on a convenient sandy beach. The area where we stopped had lot of damage from the 2022 floods. Massive flood debris 10 metres above water level. River flats that had once been large casuarina forest was now just a forest of broken stumps. The river flow had been diverted and in one section was flowing a channel that was actually higher than the valley floor.

The Ettrema wilderness is close to the HMAS Albatross, the RAN air station. For three days there was constant activity, low level military helicopters flying above and at low altitude along the valley. This activity continued until late at night.

On the third day we found another access into Yalwal Creek off Grassy Gully Road. As we walked along the creek there was an incredible noise and dust storm ahead of us. It was an RAN Sea Hawk helicopter hovering about 20 metres above the ground. It maintained a perfectly stationary position for several minutes. We half expected to see a troop of commandos abseil down, but instead, it gradually turned towards us and flew up the valley only 50 metres above us.

Trevor Henderson