“…freedom isn’t secured by filling up on your heart’s desire but by removing your desire.”
-Epictetus
The Old River I, Pentax MX, Ilford XP 2 Super, Nov 2025.
It became evident rather quickly that there would be no more paddling until we reached the Cracroft River, on the other side of the Eastern Arthurs Range. The Old River had plenty of water in it and the task ahead of us was to follow the meandering course of the river past Harry’s Bluff and the Spiro Range, all the way to the foot of Federation Peak. Grant’s optimistic outlook predicted that we would paddle for a few days before we would have to walk with our packs, meaning we would have eaten at least a few kilos of the eleven days of provisions for this leg of our journey.
In reality, we were walking just a bit after lunch time on the first day out of Bathurst Harbour, when we gave up trying to paddle against the flow of the Old River. For Gabe and I, this was day nine of our trip. For Grant, this was day two. We packed up our rafts and started the long sidle around Harry’s Bluff.
The Old River II, Pentax MX, Ilford XP 2 Super, Nov 2025.
The Old River came in and out of view as we sidled on the slimy buttongrass. What a beautiful river it was! Cascading through oversized boulders, flowing through an immense valley with huge quartzite peaks rising up on both sides!
The river looked inviting and was flowing well. It looked to be a very enjoyable class three paddle… if only we were going the other way! Alas, we were resigned to lumbering with our incredibly overloaded packs, all of us carrying 30kgs+, slipping, cursing and sliding as we went along.
Actually, only Grant and I cursed. Gabe seemed eternally content. In fact I don’t recall him complaining a single time throughout the entire trip. Even though there was plenty to complain about!
The Old River III, Pentax MX, Ilford XP 2 Super, Nov 2025.
We covered a meagerly couple of kilometres with great effort along the river before it was knock-off-a-clock. It was around five o’clock when we arrived to a spot that was flattish enough that we could strike camp. There was nothing more promising looking further ahead, so we decided to make do. Harry’s Bluff towered over us.
If ‘Up-Kellatie-Creek’ was the worst camp of our trip, this camp was a close second-worst, despite the tremendous views along the Old River’s Valley. It really was a stunning place to camp. But the slime, oh the slime! So much SLIME! It lay so thick on the ground, about the consistency of snot. None of us was quite sure what the slime was or where it came from, we only knew it was there and it was there in abundance! It was almost impossible not to get it all over everything.
Camping on buttongrass is also a bit hilarious in general. One has to wedge between the clumps when lying down. It can actually be quite comfortable, as long as one gives up any notion of trying to lie in a straight line.
The Old River IV, Pentax MX, Ilford XP 2 Super, Nov 2025.
”Pouring raing now, Gabe is snoring and the tent smells like wet socks”.
And so we went to sleep at our camp on Slimy Ridge.
-A.S. 21/2/2026, Brushy Creek.