Walking alone in wilderness, that’s my great good fortune. I hear a rustle and stand still. Who’s there? An echidna wanders towards me! It, she, he, they, stops to investigate below twigs and branches with its long snout, smelling for afternoon tea of ants then wanders on towards my silence. I love the lack of neatness in the bush, the broken sticks and bark laying full of food for native animals.
A sign nearby reads: “Booking Season 1 October – 31 May. If you intend to walk the Overland Track duirng the booking season you must purchase an Overland Track Pass and walk from north (Cradle Mountain) to south (Lake St Clair). This booking system helps avoid overcrowding at overnight nodes, protecting your wilderness experience and the environment.” May this landscape always be pristine. May it always be wilderness, always protected. May it always be clean from rubbish, free of pests. May people appreciate the animals and plants, the fungus and creeks, the mountains and paths, the land that is Australia.