Annie Vanderbijl (Dragonfly Annie)

Completed: 15 August 2017

Photo of Annie Vanderbijl (Dragonfly Annie)
Annie Vanderbijl
Dragonfly Annie
  • Start date: 15 June 2017
  • Age When Completed: 55
  • Direction Walked: South to North

General Comments

A winter hike but tiger snakes were out and about in June. It rained and rained and then it hailed.

Food/Supplies Comments

The odd subway sandwich walked into a shelter was awesome.

Favourite Section

Murray to Swamp Oak. Wow. Spine tingling views over the undulations through the gullies. Turned from a bitterly cold day to one with sunshine and rainbows.

Highlights

Finishing as a solo hiker but a few friends joined me for sections.  Surviving Mt Cooke in the torrential rain.

Personal Reactions

Time to think and work out that I had actually survived 18 months of severe workplace bullying.

Wildlife

Birds every day. Close and personal with feeding wallaby on Mt Cuthbert. Bandicoots at Torbay,  kangaroos mainly on the south coast and pigs on the plains.

Your Best Equipment

My late father’s hanky. It reminded me that I had to be strong and courageous even if it felt too hard. Both my parents instilled a love of nature in me and I felt it strongly throughout my hike.

Your Worst Equipment

Mobile phone batteries draining with the cold.

Advice for Others

Winter hiking can be fun.