193408
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193408 [2014/09/01 15:37] – [THE WOLGAN VALLEY AND COLO RIVER] emmanuelle_c | 193408 [2014/09/02 13:22] – [THE LOG OF THE JOY] emmanuelle_c | ||
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__Sunday, 7th. January.__ Ninian, Ray and Wal up at 4.45 a.m., drying their sleeping bags, I got up and had breakfast cooking at 6.30, fried tomatoes and chops, porridge and coffee with bread and jam. Mr. Young had breakfast with us. When we inspected the lorry there was driftwood piled over the bonnet, and sand and rubbish all up over the running board. While we were finishing our breakfast a man came along in a sulky and stopped and had a yarn to Mr. Young, he said we should have gone up to his house for the night, but Mr. Young said we were quite all right and didn't need to go anywhere as we seemed to have everything for our comfort. Personally, I think Mr. Young had the time of his life, he seemed to enjoy getting stuck in the river. When we left him he was scooping the sand from round the wheels of the car with his hands, he had his trousers rolled up above his knees and was paddling round with a grin on, his old round face like a schoolboy. He shook hands with us all and hoped he would see us again sometime. I don't think I have ever seen a better tempered old man, or a young one either, for that matter; he never growled even when we got stuck in the river, everything the boys suggested he let them have a go at, and fiddled round in Roxy's raincape with his trousers rolled up above his knees. | __Sunday, 7th. January.__ Ninian, Ray and Wal up at 4.45 a.m., drying their sleeping bags, I got up and had breakfast cooking at 6.30, fried tomatoes and chops, porridge and coffee with bread and jam. Mr. Young had breakfast with us. When we inspected the lorry there was driftwood piled over the bonnet, and sand and rubbish all up over the running board. While we were finishing our breakfast a man came along in a sulky and stopped and had a yarn to Mr. Young, he said we should have gone up to his house for the night, but Mr. Young said we were quite all right and didn't need to go anywhere as we seemed to have everything for our comfort. Personally, I think Mr. Young had the time of his life, he seemed to enjoy getting stuck in the river. When we left him he was scooping the sand from round the wheels of the car with his hands, he had his trousers rolled up above his knees and was paddling round with a grin on, his old round face like a schoolboy. He shook hands with us all and hoped he would see us again sometime. I don't think I have ever seen a better tempered old man, or a young one either, for that matter; he never growled even when we got stuck in the river, everything the boys suggested he let them have a go at, and fiddled round in Roxy's raincape with his trousers rolled up above his knees. | ||
- | We left camp at 9.15 a.m. and walked six miles to Newnes | + | We left camp at 9.15 a.m. and walked six miles to Newnes |
In places along the track the trees met overhead, and the ground by the side of the road was blue with violets and bluebells. We followed the Wolgan all the way along the floor of the Valley, and all round were sheer rock cliffs rising about 2000 feet; Ninian pointed out the old Newnes railway line on the cliffs in places. We passed a house about half a mile from Newnes and a little girl waved to us, and about fourteen dogs, more or less, barked at us. | In places along the track the trees met overhead, and the ground by the side of the road was blue with violets and bluebells. We followed the Wolgan all the way along the floor of the Valley, and all round were sheer rock cliffs rising about 2000 feet; Ninian pointed out the old Newnes railway line on the cliffs in places. We passed a house about half a mile from Newnes and a little girl waved to us, and about fourteen dogs, more or less, barked at us. | ||
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__by Bill Reilly.__ | __by Bill Reilly.__ | ||
- | (with the "RuShalong | + | __(with the "Rushalong |
- | After the usual procedure that takes place to have one's name put on the Board, it was it fitting sequel that the test walk should have as its leader Mrs. Jean Austen, by whom I WAS nominated for membership to the Club. | + | |
- | Having an excitable nature, my week of preparation was rather an ordeal, because time wouldmot travel as fast as I wanted it, food had no attraction for me and in my dreams I could see myself carrying a huge pack, must have weighed about 100 Dos., and walking miles and miles, with a leader always saying, "Come along, don't lag behind," | + | |
- | Meeting Mrs.' Jean Austen on the Caves Express on the Friday morning, we began our trip in a driving rain, and as we commenced to rise in the mountains, it Was very apparent that the rain was still very wet, and falling as fast as ever. | + | |
- | We arrived at KatooMba in a fine drizzle of rain and the town surrounded in | + | |
- | mist, so, locating Mrs. Austen' | + | |
- | Owing to the inclement weather, the original trip of going down Nellie' | + | |
- | changing into our " | + | |
- | shorts, shoes, capes etc., and if you have not been through KatooMba dressed for walking before, you cannot judge the type of people that laugh at you, but most of the laughs came from hilarious little flappers getting off the train at KatoOmba, | + | |
- | to spend a nice quiet week end at one of KatooMba' | + | |
- | Finally we made our way back to our cave and turned in for the night; but about midnight we were awakened by a torch light, and it proved to be two men mi women, looking for a shelter, but as there wasn't sufficient room in our small cave we couldn' | + | |
- | After breakfast we again proceeded to KatooMba to await a wire from Ernie Austen as to whether the trip Was on. Much to my excitement we got "Trip on as arranged", | + | |
- | up towards the Station we perceived " | + | |
- | saw, they still would be insufficient. . | + | |
- | Upon cleaning up we started on our, way to make camp at Diamond Falls in preparation for the rest of the crowd at night. Bidding good-bye to the "Duke of Clear Hill", we slowliambled over the Causeway, to drink in deep the beauties that everywhere abounded. Arriving at Diamond Falls at about 4 p.m., we pitched camp on a dry spot on the Southern hills. | + | |
- | Several parties now began to pass on their way to various parts of Narrow Neck | + | |
- | and Clear Hill, and the first part of the official party to arrive was Rene Browne, Dune, Barney, etc., then Ian Malcolm and many others, until we numbered in all about 22. When tea had been completed, preparations were put in hand for a camp fire, when dawn came the rain, and it Was the same shower that was raining until 1 or. 2 a.m. on Monday morning; so we had some rain on the mountains. | + | |
- | Sunday morning ws awakened to a heavy driving rain and mist, and after breakfast we walked out to Corral Swamp, where Ethel Hansard was laid up with a sprained ankle. | + | |
- | Continuing on we walked out to 2nd. Narrow Neck, where we passed "The Duke of Clear | + | |
- | Hill" on his way,hame, and he reckoned that we should all be in Callan Park, but Jean Austen told him something rather warm, and we continue& | + | |
- | rest of the day. The party had gradually diminished, until only Jean and Ernie Austen, Gwen Laurie, Betty Bell, Don Gordon, | + | |
- | At tea time on Sunday we made the best of a slight pause in the storm to have our tea, and it. was here that Jean Austen suggested that we should all give a silent hope for fine weather, | + | |
- | hope, he would have a permanent record of scmething someone nearly did, but not quite. Anyhow, we put it down' to that hope that on Monday morning we were greeted with fine | + | |
- | weather. Up at 6 o' | + | |
- | Golden Stairs by 8.20 a.m., not knowing what we had to do when we commenced, the pace | + | |
- | was Fairly smart getting down into the valley, and it was getting dawn here that I began to realise why experienced bush walkers get such 'a thrill out of these mountain | + | |
- | walks, and become more enthusiastic after each visit to these fascinating parts, and | + | |
- | the enduring beauty of the shaded tracks and by-ways and the magnificence of the neverlasting hills" | + | |
- | hills" - not until you have followed in the path of the " | + | |
- | completed Mount Solitary in one day, with lunch at Kedumba Pass, can you realise the exactness of the phrase. These everlasting hills and glens, with their thick undergrowth, | + | |
- | the walkers of this country. On our dashing kway we passed innumerable brooks an falls, as clear as crystal, from which we sipped the water of life, and which allowed us to get up to within speaking distance of the " | + | After the usual procedure |
- | Passing the track to Ruined Castle about 10 o' | + | |
- | Pushing on along the top of Mount Solitary, we found that the top was longer than was anticipated. The Austens had now told, us that we. were going to complete the trip through to Wentworth Falls, as we had: | + | |
- | Finally we found our way along the top of the spur going down, and I must say that to me this was the hardest part af the journey, as in parts we slipped and tripped and fell over rocks, and eventually arrived at the bottom properly fatigued, and ready for a good lunch, and what a lunch, the tea had more flavour than any tea I' have tasted :before, the honey seemed " | + | |
- | The weather had taken quite a change and a storm was brewing, with heavy thunder and lightning. We found our, way up until it commenced to rain, so to cool of our bodies, we walked for quite a while without our capes around us. Arriving at the to we were naturally tempted to look back on our achievement &nil even then it seemed a dream, as on the journey we hadn't had time to think of what 'We were doing, but just walked to that continued dirge of " | + | |
- | When all nicely seated, Ernie Austen | + | |
- | Looking back now upon -oUr- adventure, I feel ,extremely sorry we had to rush it so, because we had no time to absorb the beauties, that presented themselves, and the rush photographs which I took I feel quite ashamed of, but still it had to be done. It had been set dawn for two days and .accomplished in one, and I can safely say that it was the leaders who made it look zo easy, and to emulate them, we have done something that is quite unique, | + | |
+ | Having an excitable nature, my week of preparation was rather an ordeal, because time would not travel as fast as I wanted it, food had no attraction for me and in my dreams I could see myself carrying a huge pack, must have weighed about 100 lbs., and walking miles and miles, with a leader always saying, "Come along, don't lag behind" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Meeting Mrs. Jean Austen on the Caves Express on the Friday morning, we began our trip in a driving rain, and as we commenced to rise in the mountains, it was very apparent that the rain was still very wet, and falling as fast as ever. | ||
+ | |||
+ | We arrived at Katoomba in a fine drizzle of rain and the town surrounded in mist, so, locating Mrs. Austen' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Owing to the inclement weather, the original trip of going down Nellie' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Finally we made our way back to our cave and turned in for the night; but about midnight we were awakened by a torch light, and it proved to be two men and women, looking for a shelter, but as there wasn't sufficient room in our small cave we couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | After breakfast we again proceeded to Katoomba to await a wire from Ernie Austen as to whether the trip was on. Much to my excitement we got "Trip on as arranged", | ||
+ | |||
+ | Upon cleaning up we started on our way to make camp at Diamond Falls in preparation for the rest of the crowd at night. Bidding good-bye to the "Duke of Clear Hill", we slowly ambled over the Causeway, to drink in deep the beauties that everywhere abounded. Arriving at Diamond Falls at about 4 p.m., we pitched camp on a dry spot on the Southern hills. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Several parties now began to pass on their way to various parts of Narrow Neck and Clear Hill, and the first part of the official party to arrive was Rene Browne, Dunc, Barney, etc., then Ian Malcolm and many others, until we numbered in all about 22. When tea had been completed, preparations were put in hand for a camp fire, when down came the rain, and it was the same shower that was raining until 1 or. 2 a.m. on Monday morning; so we had some rain on the mountains. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Sunday morning we awakened to a heavy driving rain and mist, and after breakfast we walked out to Corral Swamp, where Ethel Hansard was laid up with a sprained ankle. Continuing on we walked out to 2nd. Narrow Neck, where we passed "The Duke of Clear Hill" on his way home, and he reckoned that we should all be in Callan Park, but Jean Austen told him something rather warm, and we continued on our way. We eventually returned to camp without seeing a thing except mist, and stayed there the | ||
+ | rest of the day. The party had gradually diminished, until only Jean and Ernie Austen, Gwen Laurie, Betty Bell, Don Gordon, Rene Smith and myself remained. | ||
+ | |||
+ | At tea time on Sunday we made the best of a slight pause in the storm to have our tea, and it was here that Jean Austen suggested that we should all give a silent hope for fine weather, and if one could only put into a photograph Ernie Austen' | ||
+ | the walkers of this country. On our dashing way we passed innumerable brooks and falls, as clear as crystal, from which we sipped the water of life, and which allowed us to get up to within speaking distance of the " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Passing the track to Ruined Castle about 10 o' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Pushing on along the top of Mount Solitary, we found that the top was longer than was anticipated. The Austens had now told us that we were going to complete the trip through to Wentworth Falls, as we had been good children, and not lagged behind on the first part of the journey, and that now we would actually have to move fast, because we were not going to have lunch till we reached the Katoomba Creek, at the base of Kedumba Pass, at 2 o' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Finally we found our way along the top of the spur going down, and I must say that to me this was the hardest part of the journey, as in parts we slipped and tripped and fell over rocks, and eventually arrived at the bottom properly fatigued, and ready for a good lunch, and what a lunch, the tea had more flavour than any tea I have tasted before, the honey seemed " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The weather had taken quite a change and a storm was brewing, with heavy thunder and lightning. We found our way up until it commenced to rain, so to cool off our bodies, we walked for quite a while without our capes around us. Arriving at the top we were naturally tempted to look back on our achievement and even then it seemed a dream, as on the journey we hadn't had time to think of what we were doing, but just walked to that continued dirge of " | ||
+ | |||
+ | When all nicely seated, Ernie Austen produced a packet of cigarettes he had just bought at Wentworth Falls, and to his displeasure the packet contained only one cigarette, how generous of them to leave one cigarette there! Still, after we had cleaned ourselves up we awaited Penrith, where a nice billy of hot tea put a finish to a most marvellous week-end. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Looking back now upon our adventure, I feel extremely sorry we had to rush it so, because we had no time to absorb the beauties that presented themselves, and the rush photographs which I took I feel quite ashamed of, but still it had to be done. It had been set down for two days and accomplished in one, and I can safely say that it was the leaders who made it look so easy, and to emulate them, we have done something that is quite unique as a test walk, and which I believe has never been done before in the one day, in the direction we went, as a Club walk. | ||
====== GOOD COMPANIONS ====== | ====== GOOD COMPANIONS ====== | ||
- | A Bushwalker, perhaps better than any other person-, knows the worth of Good Companions. | + | A Bushwalker, perhaps better than any other person, knows the worth of Good Companions. |
- | In town not much-is' | + | |
- | conventional good manners comes off with our travelling clothes and true worth is soon discovered. We once heard it said of a Bushwalker "A good fellow | + | In town not much is required of us to be labelled a Good Fellow. In the Clubroom it is easy to be pleasant and sociable, but in the bush the veneer of conventional good manners comes off with our travelling clothes and true worth is soon discovered. We once heard it said of a Bushwalker "A good fellow... the sort of chap to have with you when things go wrong," |
It is when things go wrong that the test comes. Will he lose his temper? Will he lose his head? | It is when things go wrong that the test comes. Will he lose his temper? Will he lose his head? | ||
+ | |||
It is much the same with camping gear. On an easy trip in fine weather any old gear will do, but let it rain and see what happens, or carry 45 lbs. in your pack and scramble through needle bush and lawyer vines from dawn till dark and let the westerlies blow from snow capped mountains. Then you will see if your cape and your tent, your rucksack and your sleeping bag are good companions. | It is much the same with camping gear. On an easy trip in fine weather any old gear will do, but let it rain and see what happens, or carry 45 lbs. in your pack and scramble through needle bush and lawyer vines from dawn till dark and let the westerlies blow from snow capped mountains. Then you will see if your cape and your tent, your rucksack and your sleeping bag are good companions. | ||
- | If camping partners do not come' | ||
- | In designing and making gear, Paddy' | ||
- | ====== "THE BURRAGORANc" | + | If camping partners do not come up to scratch, we avoid them next trip, but alas: our pockets do not allow a too frequent change of camping gear. |
- | Ina the Burragorang' | + | In designing and making gear, Paddy' |
+ | |||
+ | ====== "THE BURRAGORANG" | ||
+ | __" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Oh! the Burragorang' | ||
+ | Midst mountains of a purple strand,\\ | ||
+ | Away out west where the Wongas nest\\ | ||
And a gentle calm rests o'er the land. | And a gentle calm rests o'er the land. | ||
- | - _ | + | |
- | The men have tilled for a hundred years | + | The men have tilled for a hundred years\\ |
- | The deep rich loam, which always cheers | + | The deep rich loam, which always cheers\\ |
- | The hearts of such as eschew the touch | + | The hearts of such as eschew the touch\\ |
- | Of a city's life with its trials and cares. There are sunlit fields and flawing streams, | + | Of a city's life with its trials and cares. |
- | And flowers and birds; and it always seems That here in the end my way I' | + | |
+ | There are sunlit fields and flawing streams,\\ | ||
+ | And flowers and birds; and it always seems\\ | ||
+ | That here in the end my way I' | ||
Again to the Valley - my valley of dreams. | Again to the Valley - my valley of dreams. | ||
- | And I'd rest there awhile near the river-flow wide | + | |
- | And list to the Voice for which I have sighed, | + | And I'd rest there awhile near the river-flow wide\\ |
- | The voice of the Breese, and the Birds in the Trees, | + | And list to the Voice for which I have sighed,\\ |
+ | The voice of the Breeze, and the Birds in the Trees,\\ | ||
The lilt from the Bush - the call to her side. | The lilt from the Bush - the call to her side. | ||
- | " | ||
====== THE LOG OF THE " | ====== THE LOG OF THE " | ||
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Continued from | Continued from | ||
Feb. Issue (No.17). | Feb. Issue (No.17). | ||
- | Boxing Day - Cloudy. Up at five and away at six, for breakfast must be caught. We headed downstream and turned into the Shoalhaven at seven. Five rapids followed, the last of which we were able to shoot. Just prior to this I had a shot at a fox from the boat. He was hit but the shot were too light to do much more than make him yelp. We landed to follow him up and saw three more, but they were well out of range and loping away fast. I shot a rabbit and we returned to | + | |
- | the canoe. | + | Boxing Day - Cloudy. Up at five and away at six, for breakfast must be caught. We headed downstream and turned into the Shoalhaven at seven. Five rapids followed, the last of which we were able to shoot. Just prior to this I had a shot at a fox from the boat. He was hit but the shot were too light to do much more than make him yelp. We landed to follow him up and saw three more, but they were well out of range and loping away fast. I shot a rabbit and we returned to the canoe. |
- | After passing our fifth rapid we had three nice fish)so we stopped on a sandy beach near Apple Tree Flat for breakfast, the time being 9.30 a.m. Eleven thirty saw us again an our way, passing through river flats, the motntains | + | |
- | We have not yet shaved so are sights to behold. But as we are approaching civilisation we will have to part with our natural fly veils. So here goes: Shaving completed we held a council-of-mar and decided that a camp here would be in the best interests of the meat supply. We bagged a rabbit each before tea, mine had hydatids so we had to use him for eel bait. Tea consiste& | + | After passing our fifth rapid we had three nice fish so we stopped on a sandy beach near Apple Tree Flat for breakfast, the time being 9.30 a.m. Eleven thirty saw us again on our way, passing through river flats, the mountains |
+ | |||
+ | We have not yet shaved so are sights to behold. But as we are approaching civilisation we will have to part with our natural fly veils. So here goes: Shaving completed we held a council-of-war and decided that a camp here would be in the best interests of the meat supply. We bagged a rabbit each before tea, mine had hydatids so we had to use him for eel bait. Tea consisted | ||
Tuesday - After writing the diary last night we caught an eel. This gave us an excuse for cancelling our proposed early start as we now had our fish for breakfast. | Tuesday - After writing the diary last night we caught an eel. This gave us an excuse for cancelling our proposed early start as we now had our fish for breakfast. | ||
+ | |||
The morning dawned clear and still, a few fleecy clouds in the sky and the sun with a sting in it. We loaded up after breakfast and embarked at 9.50 a.m., determined to stop at the first deep pool for a bath and a swim. This we did at 10 a.m., and played round taking photos till nearly midday. | The morning dawned clear and still, a few fleecy clouds in the sky and the sun with a sting in it. We loaded up after breakfast and embarked at 9.50 a.m., determined to stop at the first deep pool for a bath and a swim. This we did at 10 a.m., and played round taking photos till nearly midday. | ||
- | Five rapids followed before lunch, the first four were shallow and had to be waded. The fifth was shallow at the start but narrowed and deepened, | + | |
- | 2.30 found us .on our way again, rapids followed in quick succession and the pools were fairly short. We were only able to shoot 2 rapids, the first just after lunch and the second just before we made camp (4 p.m.) at Yal Wal Creek. Both these rapids were long and narrow and gave us a good run, the waves at times being level with our gunwales. | + | Five rapids followed before lunch, the first four were shallow and had to be waded. The fifth was shallow at the start but narrowed and deepened, |
+ | |||
+ | 2.30 found us on our way again, rapids followed in quick succession and the pools were fairly short. We were only able to shoot 2 rapids, the first just after lunch and the second just before we made camp (4 p.m.) at Yal Wal Creek. Both these rapids were long and narrow and gave us a good run, the waves at times being level with our gunwales. | ||
Yal Wal Creek is a pretty little spot and the site of our camp, in flood, ilmuld be an island, the creek having two mouths. The creek itself flaws through an arch of interlocking troea and is quite dark for some distance up. Tea consisted of rabbit stew, followed by apricots and sago and proved; very good eating. Tom has just built up the fire to get coals for damper and then early to bed for to-morrow we want to get beyond Burriar and it will be a hard day. | Yal Wal Creek is a pretty little spot and the site of our camp, in flood, ilmuld be an island, the creek having two mouths. The creek itself flaws through an arch of interlocking troea and is quite dark for some distance up. Tea consisted of rabbit stew, followed by apricots and sago and proved; very good eating. Tom has just built up the fire to get coals for damper and then early to bed for to-morrow we want to get beyond Burriar and it will be a hard day. | ||
Mr. Thompson passed 116 again on his way home, just as we were finishing tea, Wednesday . Up early, breakfast was soon an accomplished fact. Washing Up was | Mr. Thompson passed 116 again on his way home, just as we were finishing tea, Wednesday . Up early, breakfast was soon an accomplished fact. Washing Up was | ||
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train and smoked our pipes. We had timed our holiday to an hour, andwe were | train and smoked our pipes. We had timed our holiday to an hour, andwe were | ||
satisfied. | satisfied. | ||
- | WIFFIS | + | |
+ | ====== WIFF' | ||
+ | |||
Vic Thorsen and I set off for Mudgee an the 14th. July by train leaving Central at 9.46 !lam. The scenery looking down the Capertee Valley is something worth looking at. The train travels nearly half way around the valley, climbing all the way to 3000 ft. Arriving at Mudgee at 6 p.m., we visited " | Vic Thorsen and I set off for Mudgee an the 14th. July by train leaving Central at 9.46 !lam. The scenery looking down the Capertee Valley is something worth looking at. The train travels nearly half way around the valley, climbing all the way to 3000 ft. Arriving at Mudgee at 6 p.m., we visited " | ||
house, and polished off the usual steak and eggs. Then we set off at 7 p.m. | house, and polished off the usual steak and eggs. Then we set off at 7 p.m. |
193408.txt · Last modified: 2014/09/11 10:52 by emmanuelle_c