Acubra Hats

[Fluppy]

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone knows where (in Brisbane) to get those acubra hats from that have corks dangling to keep flies away? I was thinking of purchasing one before I trek Kokoda…

[jafa]

Corks? Thats an Aussie myth isn`t it.

Seriously though – Flies are not a problem on the track. Aside from a few places – neither are mozzies.

[Xman]

G'day Fluppy,
To find your local agent or retailer, contact Akubra by phone or fax and they will put you in contact with the Akubra outlet closest to you.

Akubra Hats
PO Box 287
Kempsey NSW 2440
Phone +61 2 6562 6177
Fax +61 2 6562 8726

As far as myth goes the Swaggy actually did have them hanging off his hat…and yes if you want to you can still buy them. I couldn't find an Akubra in my size when I was in Melbourne so I settled for a leather Bramah hat which was great. Would have liked an Akubra though. Here is an excerpt from the poem 'The Swagman' by C J Dennis

'Twas hard to earn a bite of bread,
He told me. Then he shook his head,
And all the little corks that hung
Around his hat-brim danced and swung
And bobbed about his face; and when
I laughed he made them dance again.
He said they were for keeping flies –
"The pesky varmints" – from his eyes.
He called me "Codger". . . "Now you see
The best days of your life," said he.
"But days will come to bend your back,
And, when they come, keep off the track.
Keep off, young codger, if you can.
He seemed a funny sort of man.

Cheers

X Man

[Xman]

OOps forgat jafa is right almost no flies on the track so you don't need to go the whole way and get the corks if anything would be more annoying then helpful.

Cheers

XMan

[sph]

If you are looking for a good hiking hat i would recommend the drizabone bucket hat made from drizabone raincoat material. It i water proof and durable. I have worn both my drizabone and my Acubra Cattleman hiking. I found the drizabone better for my needs and easier to store when not in use.

[phantom]

Hi,
You dont need an Akubra in PNG. They will be more hinderance than anything. Columbia do a very light weight hat and cap. Much better proposition.

[rkoomans]

Hi, I went on the track while in the PNGVR, standard Army Uniform of the 60's. Floppy hat was said to be better and had 101 uses… last one as a hat! fair dinkum mate, flies were least of my problems. we had a swarm of SWEAT BUGS hang around at the time. they like to drink up sweat from exposed skin. ticklish!!! no-one had a solution though, Native troops just joked that the white sergeant (Me) had dissappered and a BUKA sergeant replaced him – I was covered in black bugs!!!
Have a great time on the trek, hey, all the best mate!!! Bob Jackway-Koomans, ex-serviceman Mortar Platoon, PNGVR. (ancestral NGVR was First to fight Japanese in PNG – with heavy losses)

[Author]

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