Thursday 10 September finds us securely ensconced in our hotel-motel room in Kilkivan - right next to the pub and only a stone’s throw from tomorrow’s starting point on the Kilkivan-Kingaroy Rail Trail (parts of which are also known as the South Burnett Raul Trail). Big thanks to my awesome hubby for dropping us here this afternoon - he’s getting used to driving me to my drop off points!
For the history buffs, Kilkivan was the site of the first discovery of gold in Qld in 1852 and what was probably once a bustling regional town is now a small town in decline with a lovely main street lined with shops, cafes and a pub that is owned by Fred Brophy - he of the travelling boxing troupe fame. If you are ever passing by this way, the antique shop here is an absolute wonder and so well-stocked with beautiful pieces that you could easily spend an afternoon marvelling at the collection and finding hidden treasures.
We sussed out the rail trail starting point this afternoon, which has suddenly made this all the more real, tested our Jetboil set ups (portable cooking and tea stations) and packed/repacked our kits to ensure we have the optimal loads.
Dinner at the pub - rissoles with mash and steamed veges - the first of what I hope will be many delicious counter meals. Of particular note - 5-star gravy a specialty of Mrs Brophy and two friendly Jack Russell terriers who were happy to have cuddles and jump into laps for head scratches.
My pack is just over 18kg but sits well on the hips, distributing the weight to the strongest parts of the body. Really important to ensure the set up is right as we will spend 29km tomorrow hiking from Kilkivan to Goomeri. We are planning a nice leisurely walk, with an easy pace, frequent rest stops each hour and the better part of our day spent travelling.
So for now it’s time for some rest in preparation for the adventure to begin.
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