<p class="has-text-align-left" value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">As I lift the flap to my tent, I can hear the surf a few KMs away down across the dunes. It’s pumping, it's loud, and it just about drowns out the rumble of my tummy, despite having just finished dinner. My last 5-minute packet rice and rainwater collected from the nearby tank. There is a light breeze blowing up over our campground – a raised site with views of Lake Cootharaba to the west.As I lift the flap to my tent, I can hear the surf a few KMs away down across the dunes. It’s pumping, it’s loud, and it just about drowns out the rumble of my tummy, despite having just finished dinner. My last 5-minute packet rice and rainwater collected from the nearby tank. There is a light breeze blowing up over our campground – a raised site with views of Lake Cootharaba to the west.

Above me, the stars are fighting for attention in a darkened winter sky while the soft glow of a red sunset is slipping away over the ranges to the west. The air is warmer here than last night’s camp down along the Noosa River but it’s still cold. It’s only 5:30pm and I’m ready for bed. With no open fires allowed in the National Park, there’s no reason to stay outside or up. So headlamp on, it’s time to crawl into my sleeping bag, journal and then read for a bit. Tomorrow, we hike out, and the thought of real food has me looking forward to completing the final day. Four days of muesli bars, packet rice on the stove and nothing but water has me wanting something with a little more body and flavour. 

Carnarvon Great Walk here I come.