Mount Keira - Ken Ausburn Track

So after not being able to go on a hike with my mate Tristan for ages due to scheduling (and being in hospital), he kept trying to find a date asking me about the 1st of February (2021). I told him I had a Drs. Appointment that day to find out the results of the bone marrow biopsy I had received on the 18th of January. 

He sent me the walk, a 5km one that sorta looked like it went between Mount Keira and Mount Kembla. Assuming the walk would be easy enough to do in time I agree to do it the morning of, before I received my results which I was extremely nervous about. I told him to pick me any time after 9, as that was when I took my midostaurin (cancer medication).

He arrived to pick me up around 9:30am and we set off towards Wollongong.

"You don't mind if I grab a coffee on the way, do you?" He asked me. 
I told him I was fine, and he offered to shout me one, but I told him about how much my medication makes me urinate, saying since taking it I had already gone to the toilet 6 times and felt like I needed to again. He pulled in at a shop in Brownsville and we continued on to Wollongong, rapidly talking about things along the way including my anxiety at my upcoming appointment. I told him I felt physically well, that I didn't feel like I had cancer (still feeling like I was in remission) but that I was concerned as I had many bruises over me (that I thought were probably from my Dog jumping on me in my sleep). He set up his GPS, and we made our way past Wollongong University pulling up ready to begin I sprayed my shoes with Bushman's (a bug repellent spray, just to keep leeches off). Tristan talked about how he didn't use things like that because of how carcinogenic they are, saying they absorb through the skin. I said I never use them either but just because of my condition I was using it just on my shoes to stop leeches climbing up me.

There was a bit of confusing as to the site Tristan had found the walk actually began the walk somewhere in the university. So this walk would only be about 1 and a half km from where we were actually beginning (near a roundabout connecting Robsons Road, O'Leary Road and Northfields Ave), linking in to the Mount Keira Ring Track.

We followed a chain link fence along to the sign in the above picture, where I stopped to read about the walk. Nearby was another sign post, with a walkers code.

All rather sensible rules. We entered through a doorway made in the fencing and began uphill with another chain link fence to our right, and the back of people's home to our left.

As we made our way up through past these houses Tristan and I talked about how my cancer treatment had been going, things I had experienced and our love of getting out on adventures. I told him I had a view from Wollongong Hospital during my second round of Chemotherapy, looking out over Mount Keira, and that I got to see it in the rain, and fog and sun and all I could think about was how desperate I was to get out into some fresh air and walk to the top.

On the way up we discussed (with my Bush Regeneration past, and Tristan's current career) many plants we encountered. With me trying to see how many I knew or which ones I remembered scientific names for, my knowledge no where near as impressive as Tristan's. (Orange Thorn, or Pittosporum multiflorum was probably about the limits of my knowledge. 

There were some signs or plaques along the way to highlight certain plants and trees, with some information on the history of usage by White European settlers or by Indigenous Australians, however, often the tree they were at was missing.

The ground was a little muddy, due to recent rains which put me on edge for fear of dreaded Leeches. Ever scarred from my one experience doing Sublime Point in the rain.

At one point there was a gap in the fence to our right, with no signage, and I questioned whether that was the way to go, but we continued straight up beside the houses until the path became uneven with tree roots and we could see a concrete footpath up ahead.

The weather was incredibly humid, making the uphill walk more of a struggle with the hot thick air. However after spending so much time in hospital (where one of my beds was placed directly under freezing cold air conditioning) I had grown to become less affected by warmer temperatures and more affected by the cold.

The concrete path bent to the right and we saw some wooden stairs leading higher up just as a man jogged downwards past us.

While climbing the stairs I noticed a rock sitting their. A painted rock. NSW Rocks. Something I had been collecting as mentioned in my Mount Jellore post as well as my collection of collected ones saved as permanent story on my Instagram.

From the stairs I looked out and pointed to Tristan that I could see Wollongong Hospital, and felt a sort of melancholy. Knowing there might be someone sitting in there looking out to Mount Keira with the sadness and longing that I had felt, feeling the fear that the beautiful experience of life could soon be gone.

We continued up, again the path transitioning to concrete a leading us to a big monument.

This photo was actually taken on the way back down. (False chronology, awful)

We both split to different sides of the path, hoping no one would come as we both needed to go to the toilet.

Tristan looking for a pristine area to relieve himself

After emptying the bladder and looking around the giant statue from all different angles and discussing what it was ("Is it meant to be an Angel?" I asked). We found a plaque on the ground informing us that it was the Herbert Flugelman Lawrence Hargrave Memorial. 1988-1989 from the University of Wollongong Art Collection. (Ahhh yes, all questions answered).

We decided to continue on, on a bit of a schedule for me to make my appointment.

As Tristan turned around and I took a photo of him face on. I stopped. Looking at him with a furrowed brow.
"You look like someone." I said.

"Who?"
I stared at him longer trying to put my finger on it. Suddenly it came to me.

"Ben from Survivor!"

"Who?"

"He was a marine, he won season 35 (Heroes vs Healers vs Hustlers) and was also on season 40 (Winners at War)".

Tristan, never having watched Survivor still had no idea, so I assured him I would show him once I got home.

As we continued into the rainforest the humidity began to get even worse, and we both began to sweat. But although I had seen leeches stretched up from the mud we had been able to avoid them.

We walked past a few signs on plants and one detailing the history of transporting coal to Wollongong Harbour.

Again, a sign with no tree

The area began to become dense with ferns and after crossing a wooden bridge there was a track down to our left leading to a fenced off area that had been forcibly opened.

Tristan wanted to go in and explore behind the fence, despite the warning signs saying to keep out, and that there could be potential fines.
I was hesitant never liking to do the wrong thing (and also financially being off work because of my cancer I really didn't fancy a fine). Eventually he talked me into it and anxiously I followed behind him.

Honestly there wasn't that much to see, and the only reason I could see to actually keep people out is if they were climbing around on things, which the ones who are going to do that are going to do that regardless of keep out signs and it place should probably just be open with historic information signs for bushwalkers to read.

After a quick look around, we quickly skedaddled and continued along the dirt path leading us to a brick ventilation shaft with a sign explaining some history. After reading this Tristan began to tell me a story about his grandfather and his work in a factory... or mine... or something back in England. I honestly forget the story. (Sorry Tristan).

The walk continued up with Tristan still telling his grandfather's story, before opening up into the Mount Keira Loop Track.

Looking to our right along the Loop Track

Looking to our left along the Loop Track

Soon we were on our phones, mobile data switched on, looking at how long the Loop Track was, as I was very eager to continue the walk. I began telling Tristan I believed we had enough time to do it. But being the less impulsive of the two of us, he said he didn't want us to be rushed and that I still needed time to get home to shower and change to come back in to Wollongong for my Doctors appointment.
Soon I gave in to his logic, upset, pining to continue the trail.

We soon turned around back down the Ken Ausburn Track.

The view heading back down the track

On our way back down Tristan told me of his friend, and her brother's battle with bone cancer and how he beat it. I felt moved and stressed about my own outcome. Dreading my appointment I yearned for the simplicity of a bushwalk, the peace in nature. The burn of physical exertion, the thrill of seeing new sights and the fun of just hanging with my friend.

NOOOOOOO

Soon we had arrived back at the Angel, where we took a selfie together that I already shared, and made our way down towards Tristan's car. As we arrived I told him that although I would write this as a blog, I would save it as a part 1 and publish it after we had done all the other Mount Keira walks.

After a shower and some lunch I made my way back to Wollongong for my appointment. Basically I was told that there was still trace amounts of Leukemia in my bone marrow (according to a really advanced test, though I was still in remission), which is what they had acknowledged could be the case. So all there was to do was to stay on my midostaurin to inhibit the cancer's growth and wait until the next year for my Stem Cell Transplant.

Obviously since this walk I also wrote the blogs: Barren Grounds - Kangaroo Ridge and Griffiths Loop Track, Gibbergunyah Reserve Walk, and my post about my Stem Cell Transplant.

Due to being so busy with other walks and fighting cancer, I never actually wrote this blog post (which is why I struggle a bit with my recall).

However I am now over 6 months post Stem Cell Transplant, things SEEM to be going well. However as many will know we had the outbreak of Delta Covid-19 in NSW, and as an immunocompromised person I really haven't been able to leave the house much, only for a little exercise here and there.
I have received both doses of my corona virus vaccine (vaccines are science if you're anti science you're an idiot, sorry, not sorry), and am currently awaiting getting all my other childhood vaccinations, with the possibility of a third covid shot. 

But NSW is now opening up. I have just been taken of my immunocompromising medication known as Ciclosporin, and my immune system will begin to get better allowing me to do more things (and potentially get out and hike with double vaxxed such as my Dad or Tristan). 
So in my self contained lockdown, I decided to do the Ken Ausburn Track as it's own post instead of as a greater Mount Keira post (which Tristan looks forward to doing with me in the future).

I hope anyone reading this has kept safe and maybe we'll see you out there!

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Thanks for reading! - Steven

Tristan alongside Ben Driebergen from Survivor