Hinchinbrook Thorsborne Trail Adventure

Scratch a bare patch about knee high against a butt, about half way out from Southern Lands, and, instead, millions ago, from the Gondwana supercontinent and left to drift south, giving Darwin’s Natural Selection the time needed to direct the evolution of unique flora and fauna.

So universally understood is Earth’s ancient history that it’s possible to visualise these epoch-spanning events in fast motion, like a time-lapse cinema screening inside the head. Gondwanaland breaks up, the continents we know today drift across space to eventually settle and form the geographic symmetry we recognise in the present age. As this happens, ancient biodiversity comes into existence, flourishes and then fades away. Ancient trilobites appear, thrive, then recede, to be replaced by new creatures. During the chaos of this span of time, volcanoes and climate shift and events rearrange to escape into other eras, bringing the ancient into the present. Hinchinbrook Island is one such throwback.

Over most of the island, self-reliant, nature-based and ecologically sustainable recreation is permitted. The majority of the natural environment remains undisturbed and preserved under various acts, legislation and management policies.

Hinchinbrook Island National Park lies within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Overnight responsibility is shared by government, the Hinchinbrook traditional owners, the Biyaygiri people, and the wider local community.

Due to Hinchinbrook’s World Heritage designation, pretty much all of the Thorsborne trail is as nature intended. There is very little trail building, with much of the 32km path following natural undulations and obstacles.

There’s a requirement to carry everything in and out on your back — including all food, water, fuel and rubbish. As such, it’s a difficult proposition. There’s creeks and rivers to negotiate and large boulders to scramble up and over, oftentimes in hot and humid conditions.

This would be a challenge in its own right, but squeezed into 8 to 10 kilometres sections per day, over soft sand and through sometimes tangled rainforest growth, carrying a 15 to 20kg pack, can become an arduous proposition for the unprepared.

Whereas, for those who are prepared, it’s a multi-day trek like no other, a full-blown odyssey into a remarkable and pristine environment. The trail is a straight line walk rather than a loop, working its way through rainforest, along mangrove-fringed coastlines dotted with unique crocodile-free fresh coves for the brave swimmer — beaches can be found in all water courses — both marine and fresh, over sandy beach coves and along narrow, winnowing paths. All the while, Mount Bowen looms, at 1,120m tall, to the east of the trail and is one of green in the centre of the island.