Australia's favourite adventure writer, Ion Idriess, briefly lived in the Herberton area before World War One. The Jungleman's Walkabout trek retraces an adventure described in his book "Back O' Cairns" published in 1957, from diaries compiled some 46 years earlier. The Cairns Railway had advanced to Herberton, John Moffat's mining empire was reaching it's peak, and new towns were springing up as new mineral wealth was discovered. The Jungle Man invites Idriess to explore this bonanza "then we can follow right up the divide, and drop down on Stannary Hills or Irvinebank. An easy walk...." Over a thousand pack mules toiled throughout the region. The building from which Idriess purchased his notebooks is still on the same street corner in Herberton, but now houses a unique camera museum. Remains of mining endeavours reported by Idriess are scattered along the way. Irvinebank is no longer the exciting and busy industrial centre he records, but a quaint remnant hidden in the hills. This eight day (seven nights camping) trek retraces disused pack tracks, explores the Wild River Gorge, visits a rock art gallery, provides views from the rugged Dargo Range (1400 metres) and an opportunity to explore Loudon House Museum in Irvinebank.