Bushwalk Australia

Is the easiest hike into Gordonvale 9yo child friendly?

Provided the river is not a raging torrent it would be fine. The mud really only gets bad after Gordonvale, but still enough to entertain a 9yo! It is pretty well flat the whole way after the river. Give yourself 3 hours to get there.

Agree with Pazzar, so long as the river crossing is ok, there's no reason that a young one couldn't do it! Would be a reasonable place to camp, though it struck me that it would probably be quite cold and damp!

Don't forget the river crossing is a log bridge these days. So long as it doesn't look this (slippery!), it is definitely achievable for a 9yo.

thanks all!

You'd wanna be sure they are good swimmers though, it's a dark cold river!! I wouldnt take my 8yr old in there....... I'd be a nervous wreck watching him cross the log!!

If you did it in summer at low levels the traditional crossing is no more than knee deep whereas the water around the log is a lot deeper.

stepbystep wrote:If you did it in summer at low levels the traditional crossing is no more than knee deep whereas the water around the log is a lot deeper.

Good advice. I remember us going across the log on the way out from the Stepped Hills only to see Martin next to us walking across the river in shin deep water.

The river is so dark it looks deep even when it's not.

I might wait until she's a bit older. Unpredictable rains = unpredictable river levels = stuck with kid on one side of river and grumpy mother on other side. A dangerous combination...

Thanks all!

Drifting wrote:I might wait until she's a bit older. Unpredictable rains = unpredictable river levels = stuck with kid on one side of river and grumpy mother on other side. A dangerous combination...

Thanks all!

Yep....should have mentioned that...

The only positive here is that the angry mother is on the OTHER side of the river

Drifting wrote:I might wait until she's a bit older. Unpredictable rains = unpredictable river levels = stuck with kid on one side of river and grumpy mother on other side. A dangerous combination...

Thanks all!

I'd assumed you were doing it as a daywalk. If you were sensible you could pick your time and be very safe but camping 'on the other side' is another thing...

Check the various experiences of Rhona trips on this site.

Drifting wrote:I might wait until she's a bit older. Unpredictable rains = unpredictable river levels = stuck with kid on one side of river and grumpy mother on other side. A dangerous combination...

Thanks all!

If the potentially grumpy mother was the inspiration for "Rowella" then that's wise indeed!

LOL- the same, Nik.