Lincoln Wreck Trek

2/3 June 2001

I've heard it said that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  I must be very strong.

I had known of the Lincoln Wreck on Mt Superbus for years and never had the opportunity to go there, despite spending a lot of time in the district, either with the club or accompanying my brother-in-law on geological excursions.  Maybe I left it a bit late, and I definitely was not prepared as well as the members of the Logan and Beaudesert Bushwalkers who led us.

John Shera organised the weekend with his friends the bushwalkers and the Club, so he tried fitting in some driving and walking onto the weekend.

After Charleen and I met Ron and Wade Penfold and David Martin at Aratula at 2:00pm, we had a pleasant drive up the range and along Emu Creek to a lovely campsite at the old sawmill, under the prow of the magnificent Steamer Range.

Here we caught up with Greg Bryant and also members of the Logan and Beaudesert Bushwalkers, two of whom were driving Foresters.  After we setup, John was eager to get going, and took the 4Wdrivers to the northern side of the Steamers, where we climbed a couple of hills "for a better view".

I was feeling a bit smug as I was driving the well set-up Brumby with 2" lift and 14s.  In front was John in the Forester followed by Ron's Challenger.  I could go anywhere a Forester could of course.  Greg in the Mazda and Dave in his Brumby brought up the rear.

Smugness disappeared when I failed at the very first climb after John had skittered up and Ron rocked and rolled up.   In the wet clay and rock I lost traction quickly and sat spinning.  A few more tries got me nothing more than the job writing this report.

We let down the tyres a bit and moved Greg and David back so I could get a runup.  All went well and we caught up to the rest.

The delay had made us late so the rest of the run, up an even steeper hill, was completed just on dark, and the return was a lot of fun.

We all had a very sociable night around the fire and next morning we were all rearing to go at 8:00am.  This time around to the south of the Steamers for a short drive to the car park and it was walk the rest of the way (all uphill of course)

For the first kilometre we reminisced of the last time we drove up the track, and were able to pick out the spot we were stopped by deep washouts.  A lot of berms have been placed on the track since.

A little further along we left the onetime made road and into the deep dark jungle we went.  It was quite a pleasant walk, still mostly uphill, but only a couple more klicks and we came to a spot where one of the engines of the Lincoln lay.  I thought we must be nearly there, a notion eagerly reinforced by John.

The rest of the way to the crash site was to climb up a creek bed to the summit of the mountain.  As the creek bed got steeper and steeper, John gave us more words of encouragement.  "Nearly there.  Nearly there."  I had done the very same thing to other club members on a previous trip, and I wasn't fooled for a moment, but I did want to get there.

We found another engine and took a short break.  Soon after, Charleen had the good sense to stop and wait for our return, but I forged onward and upward, albeit very slowly.  John and Rob both stayed back with me whilst the more fit of the group raced ahead.  Of our group, David, Greg, Ron and Wade acquitted themselves well and kept up.

We eventually got there and spend some time examining the ruins of the Lincoln.  Then it was the last 20 metre climb to a lovely lunch spot.  The bushwalkers unloaded their packs, one of them even boiled a billy for a cuppa!!!

I had only been capable of carrying a water bottle and a couple of muesli bars.

Worried about having left Charleen way below, I decided to start back down early and share our muesli bars.  In my semi-exhausted state, I took a wrong turn and after five minutes going down I found myself at the top of a cliff with no easy way over.  So it was back up to the turn.  That took another fifteen minutes and I was by then completely buggered and the rest of the crew were starting down.  With no rest, I started down again.  Down, whilst physically less work, is a lot more daunting and dangerous.

We found Charleen and made our way back down to the track, but by now I was in great pain, barely able to hold my balance.  The long walk back to the cars is happily just a memory now, the memory aided by my aching ankles, legs and back.

David and Ron were kind enough to reinflate my tyres while they were waiting, and John assisted with a battery because I had forgotten to switch off the Engel. (Got to get that dual setup installed).

We said our goodbyes and made the drive home in a few short hours.

A great weekend (despite the pain), good driving, good company and another "been there" ticked off the list.

So, am I going to get myself fit and continue with the bushwalking/mountain climbing? I hear you ask.

No.

Clint Lovell SC009