IN LEICHHARDT'S FOOTSTEPS

Journeying across the far reaches of Queensland and the Northern Territory, the route of Leichhardt's 1844 expedition is an interesting and challenging trip, even today

- RON AND VIV MOON

WE THUMPED into a narrow erosion gully. The Cruiser's engine growled and the suspension flexed as we clambered out of a sharp-edged gutter. Minutes earlier, the tall, thick grass had hidden all sorts of obstacles as we pushed through. Now, it had given way to shorter, drier pasture, cut by clefts left from recent floods that had drowned the Gulf Country plains under more than a metre of water. An expansive sea of drying grass, sprinkled with spindly trees and scrubs, cut here and there by still running streams, was interspersed with pools and lagoons dotting the surrounding area.

In front of us, leading us through the maze of broken ground and confused waterways, was the local station manager on his Honda trail bike, zigzagging his way to our hard-to-find goal. While previously mustering cattle, Carl had flown over the remote monument we were looking for, but he had never reached our objective by vehicle. Nevertheless, his knowledge and memory of the country was near photographic, and his insight was bringing our four-day search to a fitting climax.

We were mere metres away from the small monument before we saw it, the four star-pickets weathered by nearly 40 years of tropical storms and dry seasons, almost invisible amongst the grass and scrawny scrub. It gives added testimony, if we hadn't already realised, how difficult it is to find an isolated marker in this seemingly immeasurable landscape, even when you have been given some old map grid references and GPS points to help lead you to the spot.

IN LEICHHARDT'S FOOTSTEPS