I tend to hobby jump. Some stick around longer than benefit me – like watching Married at First Sight obsessively – and others lose consistency, much like I do on a diet. However, hiking has remained a love of mine for a number of years now. I’ve been able to enjoy it solo, with Meabh, and with friends.
In December 2024 I forced three of my friends, all of whom had never met each other and live in different states/countries, to spend two nights and three days hiking the Routeburn Trek in New Zealand. Never doubting my friend match-making abilities for a second, I was proven right when we all emerged from the 33km trek smelly but still smiling. A blossoming friendship group had formed. We vowed to do it every year.
Narrowly missing 2025, we ventured to our latest destination – the Overland Track in Tasmania in January 2026. Our longest hike yet, we were due to spend 5 nights and 6 days on one of Australia’s most famous multi-day hikes, reduced to the bare bones of living. As competitive as Taylor Swift tickets, we logged in bright and early mid June 2025 to secure our spot on the track.
While NZ’s huts provided mattresses, gas and a live-in ranger, Australia prefers to treat you to the bare necessities — the simple bare necessities. This meant, sadly, there wasn’t room for the three bottles of wine we brought on our last adventure.
Instead, we squeezed 750ml of port into three flasks, dehydrated our food down to a small scale, and carried our own gas canisters and 5cm sleeping mats.
For those who know me well, I used to be a tight arse. I’ve loosened my grip on my bank account since becoming an unemployed pauper (funny – you’d think it would be the other way around), but still there are things I’d rather not spend money on. Commercial dehydrated meals at $15.99 a serving was one of them.
I was also put off after Elysha and I tried a Back Country vegetarian meal while hiking in Hotham and I couldn’t even finish it.
So instead, I put my hand up to be chef for four and make breakfast, lunch and dinner with my very own, newly purchased dehydrator. You’re probably thinking, “Hannah, this would have cost you more than just buying the meals,” and you’re probably right. I have no argument. And yes, the irony of going through TAS biosecurity looking like Cocaine Cassie is not lost on me.
However, you can’t put a price on raising your electricity bill, waking at midnight to turn your trays and sweating over them – all for the joy of eating that perfect Thai green curry at the end of a 17km walk.
And that’s exactly how they all turned out — we were the best fed on the trek. Along with port and fresh popcorn (yes, that’s right – made in our pot), squeezy peanut butter and eight bars of chocolate, my 64 meals for four never disappointed.
Like I said at the start, I hobby jump, so don’t be surprised if you see me advertising dehydrated meals in the future. It’ll beat nursing.
With Alice coming from Christchurch, Elysha from the Gold Coast, and Vicki and I from Adelaide, we’d somehow planned the most perfectly timed arrival in Launceston. We were all due to land within two hours of each other and take our pre-organised shuttle down to Cradle Mountain before beginning our hike the next day.
It nearly worked.
Alice and Elysha made it, with Vicki and I experiencing some “technical difficulties” (code for: we will not be telling you the truth), resulting in a missed shuttle, a $350 flight change fee and a $250 Uber down to Cradle.
Not knowing whether my dehydrated meals were going to flop or not, we spent the night indulging a carb heavy dinner at Pepper’s Tavern, before heading back to our accomodation to pack. We all successfully managed to pile 16 meals each, snacks, 2 sets of clothes, 2 pairs of socks, sock liners, waterproofs, a jumper, pj’s, thermals, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, first aid, undies, cooking utensils, gas, 2 tents and coffee into our packs – our lives aggressively downsized.
The internet had told us Day 1 was the hardest. Given the internet never lies, we prepared for our uphill battle with our gear on our backs, compressed into 70L. Starting at Ronny Creek, we walked the boardwalk through a peaceful landscape, before losing our breath during the ascent up to Marion’s Lookout. Nothing like a breathless hike for Day 1.
Stopping for lunch, we tried our first dehydrated meal – couscous, edamame and vegetable salad (I’d even brought salt, pepper and an oil-based dressing). So chuffed it worked; it gave us the energy to continue on to summit Cradle Mountain.
With the weather on our side, we scrambled like I’ve never scrambled before across jagged rocks – parkour-style climbing with a real need for groin flexibility – up the 1,545m high mountain that stands proudly in its own national park. A view worth climbing for.
By the time we’d descended, I’d rolled my ankle and Vicki had a tumble. We were exhausted and could not be arsed. Sadly, we were a few km from shelter (yes we had tents, but you can only camp in the designated spots). The last few km’s weren’t wonderful – hot, sweaty and humid, but we made it to Waterfall Gully Hut with volunteer, Judy, there to greet us warmly.
After Mac n’ Cheese for dinner and a hot chocolate and chocolate for dessert, we climbed into our sleeping bags ready to sleep like babies. Unfortunately, we all slept like babies in their 4 month regression, because SOMEONE WAS SNORING! Like a train. I wanted to throw my boot at him.
Day 2 – My birthday! Like all alpine climates, you can’t really predict the weather. I remember when we were first planning this hike, I suggested a snow hike to the girls. They were very quick to shatter that idea, keen to book a summer trek. Knowing Tassie likely wouldn’t reach soaring temperatures, I compromised.
However, I got my day in court, with rain, hail, snow and sunshine arriving in 15-minute intervals across the whole day. It snowed! On my birthday! In summer! Alpine weather — the ultimate birthday gift.
We weathered a slight hailstorm to walk a short 9km to Windermere Hut. On the birthday menu was Thai Coconut Soup for lunch, Vegetarian Chilli for dinner, and popcorn and port for dessert.
That night, we escaped the snorer’s room and slept like the perfect, quiet babies that only exist in that metaphor.
Waking up the next day, it was as if the weather knew we had a 17km hike ahead of us. The sun shone and remained that way for the remainder of the hike. We continued our walk through alpine terrain, where the views were nothing short of epic. Throughout the next few days, we walked, swam in rivers, ate well and, for the most part, slept well.
Day 4 we summited Mt Ossa – Tassie’s highest peak. It stood at 1,617m and certainly was a challenging climb. Again, a scramble across jagged rocks and steep inclines tested our balance, groin flexibility, and general willingness to swear at nature. But reaching the top, with 360-degree views that made every aching muscle worth it, felt like winning the alpine lottery. We had dehydrated pasta salad at the top as we took in the view before stumbling down.
By the time we finished the 75km track on Day 6, our packs, and our minds, were a lot lighter. The port was gone, the chocolate eaten, 64 meals survived, and four slightly battered friends had emerged, bonded by snoring, naked swims, popcorn, and a week of eating straight out of a lunch box.
