An adventure of endurance

Published by: Tania Cahill

This is my tale of an adventure of endurance that ultimately challenged me both physically and mentally. Along with Robert, my partner who supported me as my one and only crew, I embarked on the mammoth task of completing the entire length of the 440km Hume and Hovell Walking Track solo.

Beginning at Cooma Cottage in Yass, the track follows the trails discovered by explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell in the south east of NSW, Australia. It traverses both rugged and beautiful countryside while following a mix of public roads, fire trails, purpose built single track and over 100 footbridges and finishes at the Hovell Tree at Albury.

The track is without a doubt one of New South Wales’ best kept secrets. After 18 months of planning, my dream of completing the track was realized when I finished the entire journey at the Hovell Tree in Albury at around 8:30pm on October 2.

The diversity of the track is mind blowing and ensured that my adventure was everything I expected and more. From the beauty and the sometimes roaring waterfalls, the rivers, the bridges, the forest roads, the feeling ofdesolation in the logged pine forests, the plants and wildflowers, the sheer enormity of the trees, to the open farmland and rolling hills.

The sound of branches creaking has you fearing for your life while under the watchful eye of the wildlife including brumbies, snakes, kangaroos and wombats sneaking around their holes.

The steep climbs and descents of mountains that the explorers climbed up, over and through rivers kept my mind asking why? Are you fecking kidding... why didn’t you just go around, and how? How did they manage to keep going as far as they did? Especially with all the horses, bullocks and men, not to mention the load of supplies they would have needed for such a long and treacherous journey!

My only explanation is... “With the Spirit of Discovery and Adventure!”