Hill climb has sting in its top
A leisurely amble after upgrade
THERE are a few surprises walking the new, improved Earl Hill Walking Track – and not all of them are good.
The safety barriers have finally come off the northern beaches’ challenging hill climb and, to be honest, it’s now a much less challenging walk.
The Queensland Government spent $150,000 to upgrade the walking track over the past 12 months, making it longer with new sections, and purpose-built viewing sites.
Before the upgrade, the Earl Hill Walking Track was steep right from its start, with walkers required to do a little bit of rock hopping and occasional stumbling over tree roots to get up steps.
The walk is now about 500m longer than the original trek, and follows a more northeasterly path around the hill, with about a dozen switchbacks.
These switchbacks have decreased the incline of the trail immensely, making it more of a leisurely amble to the summit.
The new scenic platform, about halfway up the hill, overseeing Trinity Beach, is well placed, and makes for a great detour on your way up.
But once you get to the top, there is a nasty surprise awaiting just off the path: a large stinging tree, which has been signposted with a warning for walkers to not go anywhere near it.
I was interested to see what had become of the old walking track, which is still accessible and runs parallel to the new track, towards the base of the hill.
It’s a little overgrown in parts – I’m assuming rangers will allow nature to reclaim it, in good time – but I counted three more stinging trees, wherever there were shafts of light penetrating through the forest canopy.
These kinds of natural deterrents, however, will ensure no bush-bashing, and the 54ha hill’s conservation values will certainly remain intact.
Another surprise was the lack of work that has gone into the hill’s summit.
Other than a bit more vegetation clearing, there is nowhere to sit down and enjoy the spectacular view of the coast looking north.
The old signage is still there, detailing the sights in the distance such as Double Island and Buchan Point. And it still has graffiti on it, appearing in a state of disrepair
It is good, however, to see that canine companions are still welcome on the track – as long as they are on leads, and owners pick up any waste along the way.
Walking Earl Hill with my furry friend, it was clear that one of us clearly enjoyed the trail more than the other – even if she wasn’t allowed anywhere off the path, for fear of encountering any venomous plants.