34 | AG Outdoor
The Track:The Corker Trail is officially a
20km return track from Lagoon Pinch
Picnic Area to Carey’s Peak lookout.
Junction Pools campsite is a further 8km
along the track.
Where:Barrington Tops National Park is in
the Hunter region of NSW, about 200km
north of Sydney.
When:October to May. Several trails close
for the winter, from 1 June to 1 October.
Camping:There are three campsites to
choose from on this track: Wombat Creek,
which has a fresh water stream and a pit
toilet; Black Swamp (no facilities); and
Junction Pools campground (accessible
by 4WD, has toilet and barbecue facilities
according to the National Parks website).
More info:www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.
au/things-to-do/Walking-tracks/Corker-trailTHE ESSENTIALS
Enormous, moss-covered tree
trunks flank the Corker Trail as
it weaves through the ancient
subtropical rainforestADVENTURE | THE CORKER TRAIL, BARRINGTON TOPS NP, NSW
marked by a wide, clear mountain stream that
we rock-hopped across. There were a few other
campers scattered about the area, but the campsite
is spread over a lovely wide-open space high on
the plateau of Barrington Tops and there was
plenty of room for us to find a quiet corner just
to ourselves.
It was definitely going to be a good night to
have shelter. The wind had picked up more and
the snow had become more like sideways sleet.
We pulled out our trusty tent with all its poles
and before long were bunkered down for the night
ahead.
DAY TWO
By the next morning the snow had mostly melted.
We packed up and retraced our steps back down
the Corker. The silvery morning light soon bright-
ened as the sun rose in the sky and alpine country
turned back into ancient rainforest.
We enjoyed the final descent with fresh eyes
- having previously navigated much of it by the
single beam of our headtorches, which had only
seemed to blacken the forest either side of the
track. At the time, we’d spooked ourselves with
stories of that mysterious airplane disappearance.
This time, we discovered at least one of the
mysteries that really lived beyond those ancient
stands of trees when a pair of lyrebirds emerged
ahead of us on the track. We stopped in awed
silence for a long while, watching the beautiful
creatures with their long fern-like tails that so
perfectly match the surrounding rainforest, and
listened to their fascinating calls.
There’s probably a moral in the story about
tent poles, but that wasn’t what lingered in our
minds by the time we were back in Sydney that
very evening – it was the prehistoric flora, the
charming old hut, the flurries of snow and the
clear mountain streams.
A touch of misadventure the first time round
is what had us making the return trip – but it’s
the stunning place itself that will have us back
there again, no doubt.