Kate’s 50th – a 230 km trek
The first view of Mt. Sonder, from Counts Point.
Year 3 Academic Administration officer at Mildura Regional Clinical School, Kate Murdoch, decided on a unique way to celebrate her 50th birthday recently.
Kate and husband Ralf joined a group on a trek of about 230 km along the Larapinta trail in Australia’s red centre.
The Larapinta trail winds its way along the western end of the MacDonnell Ranges ending with a climb onto Mt Sonder, the fourth highest peak in the Northern Territory.
Kate and Ralf and the group passed along rocky ridges and dry sandy creek beds, visiting iconic landmarks such as Simpson’s Gap, Standley Chasm, Ormiston Pound and Glen Helen Gorge.
The trail is named after the local Aboriginal name for the Finke River, which is one of the world’s oldest rivers having run the same course for more than 350 million years. Larapinta means brackish/salty water – and it is.
There were eight walkers in the group and they were warned on the first day that no section of the trail is easy, which according to Kate proved to be an understatement. The trail is made up of 12 sections some of which are completed over two days.
Kate completed 11 of the 12 sections (15 out of 16 days of walking) and says: “You have to leave something for next time.”
Highlights of the trek for Kate were the first view of Mt Sonder from Counts Point, getting up at 2:00am to climb Mt Sonder to view the sunrise, and not having any phone contact for 16 days!
And would she do it again? You bet.