I got a slackline for Christmas a few years ago. After the classic Aussie Chrissy lunch, my sisters and I headed out to the front lawn to set it up. I remember grabbing hold of each of my sister’s shoulders as I wobbled on the line.

The slackline stayed set up for weeks after the 25th; conveniently it served as a barrier between the car parks and the house, which resulted in a lot of tripping. In those weeks, the most progress I made was around five steps before I’d bounce off the line and land on the prickly needles of the pine tree that guards our yard.

With that experience in mind, I was prepared to be totally in awe of highlining, full stop.

And I wasn’t wrong.

Beechmont is a stunning locality near Binna Burra; it’s characterized by stunning rolling hills, pretty houses perched on ridgetops, and slowly winding country roads. So one Sunday morning this year, I pulled up to a conservation area in the region ready to investigate this new extreme sport.

Turns out you have to hike in to go highlining in that location, which I wasn’t complaining about!

Watching the highliners walk across the gorge was mesmerizing. They had a thin piece of gear between themselves and a deep gorge; the pressure of people watching; the challenge of endurance due to the distance; and the mental game of the height.

It was a slow dance, a ritual, a meditative practice.

I learned a lot by simply watching on the side of the cliff!!

I must admit that my slackline still sits in one of my outdoor gear storage boxes that have a place of pride in the corner of my room. One day, I’ll dust it off and take it out bush!