Other ways to enjoy the Highlands
Hike the other way
To avoid the steep ascent to Denham Range on Day 1, and get full visibility of the trail markers, you can walk the other way, from Pine Grove to Moonlight Dam. You’ll need to arrange a pick-up at the end; there is Telstra mobile reception at the Denham Range campsite, so call your car-owning friend the night before you plan to complete the hike and give them an estimated finish time. Tell them to bring a book in case you take some time over the lengthy descent: Moonlight Dam has no reception to update your friend with your estimated time of arrival, and there’s nothing there except a long-drop loo, water tank and shady tree. (Don’t expect to be able to hitchhike out; there’s no passing traffic and it’s a long trudge to the nearest sealed road.)
Take the comfy option
Stay at Eungella Chalet the night before your hike, and dine there or down in the valley. It’s a very brief stroll from the Chalet to the Pine Grove trailhead in the morning, and you’ll finish the day in Broken River, where you can book dinner, as we did, at the Broken River Mountain Resort ( brokenrivermr.com.au). You can stay there, too, and breakfast at the resort or at the Broken River Kiosk. You’ll still have to camp on Days 2 and 3, but if you arrange to stay at the resort the night after your hike, they’ll pick you up from Moonlight Dam.
Do day walks
If you’re not keen on the full 56.9km hike, take heart: you can enjoy many of the most beautiful sections on day walks. Stay at the Broken River campsite or resort, pick up a free map from the kiosk and enjoy the many tracks, which range from the 400m Platypus
Walk to the 8.2km Clarke Range Track (that’s one-way, so you’ll have to arrange a pick-up or car shuffle, or walk back the way you came). If you’re staying at the resort, they offer dropoffs to the one-way trails. You can fill your non-hiking days with trips to Eungella Dam, a visit to the site of the Mount Britton goldmining township or exploring Finch Hatton Gorge.