TERRY Korn recently has achieved his lifelong ambition of canoeing the Macleay River from the mountains to the sea, a journey that began more than 50 years ago.
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“It wasn’t the fastest trip,” Mr Korn said.
“It took me fifty years to complete because of work, family and other commitments.
The most satisfying aspect of the trip was that every leg of the journey was shared with different family members or relations”
Mr Korn worked in beef cattle production before switching to wildlife management and conservation spending the last eight years of his working life as a senior executive of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Mr Korn retired in 2006 and in 2007 was awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding service to conservation and establishment of joint management programs with Aboriginal communities.
He also led the team in Timor Leste (the former East Timor) which established the new nation’s protected wildlife area system.
Mr Korn began the trip down the Macleay River in 1962.
“The first sector was completed in when I was 16,” Mr Korn said.
“My cousins, Gary and Wayne Hudson and friends Max and Russel Wicks canoed from Bellbrook to Toorooka in very leaky home-made tin canoes over two days, sleeping on a sand bank under the bridge at Nook Creek.
“We thought it was a great adventure.”
In 1994 Mr Korn, his son Alistair, nephew Lachlan Witchard and Lachlan’s friend Ben Crotty completed the Toorooka to Sherwood section during a total fire ban.
“We weren’t allowed to light a fire so we had cold food for the two days,” Mr Korn said.
“The beauty and health of the river was highlighted at this time as the clear water displayed large beds of mussels, abundant tortoises, large lurking Australian Bass.”
In 2009 while the river was in flood Mr Korn attempted the section from Sherwood to Kempsey with his great nephew Oliver Payne but the water was too dangerous.
“I wasn’t able to complete the Sherwood section until this Easter,” Mr Korn said.
Mr Korn traversed what he considers the most beautiful part of the river, from George’s Creek to Bellbrook, over three days in November 2011 with his brother David and his sons, Scott and Danny.
Scott had travelled from Katherine in the Northern Territory and David and Danny from Townsville in Queensland to accompany Mr Korn.
All are keen fishermen and were not disappointed by wonderful bass they caught for each night’s meal.
“The Macleay River justly deserves its reputation as one of the best bass rivers in Australia,” Mr Korn said.
“Canoeing this section of the river was both a delight and a challenge.
“The top sections contain tricky rocky chutes overhung with low branches and tangled rafts of logs. “But the scenery is stunning and the wildlife abundant.”
In Easter 2013 Mr Korn completed the open water section from Kempsey to South West Rocks with his son Alistair.
A little over 40 kilometres, the trip was done over two days as it was important to work around tides and wind.
“As we got to Smithtown on the first day at about 11am we were confronted by a strong headwind which proved impossible to paddle against so we hauled out, called in our back-up team and finished for the day,” Mr Korn said.
We had hoped to get the Kinchela but weather conditions beat us.
“The next day we put in at Smithtown at 6.30 am under perfect conditions, no wind with an outgoing tide. This allowed us to complete the last and most difficult section of my fifty year trip by 11 am on Saturday March 30, I was elated.”
