This week a Field Training Officer (Billy), a plumber (Brownie) and a park ranger (Shelly) headed off station to visit the Macquarie Island field huts for some routine maintenance. Billy had to check the Search and Rescue caches (SAR caches have food, tents and ropes in them requiring inspection) around the island as well as undertaking a stocktake in the field huts. Shelly, the park ranger, had park ranger stuff to take care of, which she assures me is a long list including monitoring of the Azorella Macquariensis plants, track maintenance and of course, wildlife monitoring. The main reason for me on this round trip was to do a 6 monthly inspection of the fire extinguishers and fire blankets, while also having a good look at the hut plumbing for future maintenance.
The trip started from station VJM with our first stopover at the Green Gorge hut for the night. We then journeyed to Waterfall Bay where we left park ranger Shelly. Billy the FTO and I, Brownie the plumber, then ventured to Davis Point hut, after a very windy and wet traverse across Windy Ridge. It was good to get back down to sea level and into the hut to dry out. Our second last leg of the trip was to head to Brothers Point for the evening via Green Gorge hut where we caught up with station chef Nick, who made us a hot cuppa and some gourmet 2 minute noodles for Saturday brunch. The final leg of the journey saw Billy the FTO and myself go our separate ways, with Billy heading back to station via the coastal route while I took the inland track across to Bauer Bay for the last of the inspections, before heading back to VJM (Station) to finish the trip off. With the aid of technology I tracked the length of the hike and managed to walk 91 kilometres for the entire trip.
So until next week, cheers from your friendly neighbourhood Macca crew.
Brownie
