Saddle Mountain and plane wreck

Date: 7 March 2021
Leader: Luen

Jodie and I first went looking for the plane wreck on an earlier overnight trip back in 15-16 June 2019. Alan Simet (former Club president) had given me a very old map back in November 2018 with the wreck marked and the vaguest of instructions: "At the leaning tree, head downhill." We found the right area late in the day, but by the time we reached the crash site, it was already dark, so we could not properly appreciate the wreckage and only saw a little bit of it. We filled a 10 L bladder with water, climbed back up to the flat summit to camp, and the next day abseiled down the major cliff line before heading out. It was enough to make me want to return and do it properly in the daylight.

So, a few years later, after Wilfred had since visited the wreck in daylight, I led a Townsville Bushwalking Club trip back to Saddle Mountain on Sunday 7 March 2021. We met at Fairfield Waters around 5:00 am, then carpooled out and met a resident from Giru near the roadside start. Not long after setting off, someone realised they had lost their GPS unit. Luckily, it turned up in the long grass near the bottom, which we found on the way back down later in the day and felt like a good win.

From the road, we climbed via the north-east route. It was a pleasant ascent through open grass and bushland, with beautiful sheoaks and the occasional granite boulder scattered along the ridge. We stopped for morning tea among the rocks with a view before continuing higher. As we gained elevation, the vegetation gradually changed. The open bush gave way to rainforest, with vines, lawyer cane, drizzle, and low cloud adding a damp, moody feel to the mountain. Higher up, the summit area was surprisingly open underfoot, which made for fairly easy walking despite the wet conditions.

From the summit, we continued slightly down the other side along the main ridgeline until we reached the leaning tree, then headed downhill to the wreckage. The remains of the old Mosquito were scattered through the forest, half reclaimed by moss, mud, roots, and time. One of our members, who had a defence background, had brought along a laminated plaque and secured it to one of the metal wreck sections, which I believe was the engine block. We stood quietly for a minute of silence before taking a closer look around at the twisted metal and other pieces of the aircraft hidden amongst the rainforest.

The weather never really cleared, so there were not many views on offer, although the cloud and drizzle gave the whole trip a memorable atmosphere. After spending time at the site, we retraced our steps back down the same way, descending through the wet grasslands and bush to the cars. We started around 6:00 am and were back by about 1:30 pm.

This was a strong day out on a very hard off-track mountain. Saddle Mountain is a fine climb in its own right, but the wreck adds another layer altogether - history, mystery, and a reminder of how quickly the rainforest can reclaim even something as large as an aircraft. A damp day, few views, and a bit of lost-and-found drama only added to the adventure.

- Luen