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 ==== "WARRAGAMBOLS" ====
-Gordon Smith.
+Gordon Smith
-The canoe trip should have commenced at Penrith on Xmas Eve; but as at that time the canoe was miles away, I had better start from the beginning, when Hama Galliott, "Kissme" Hardy and I set out for Camden on Friday, December 20th. The Canoe had been freighted from Liverpool to Camden, it being our intention to follow the Nepean River to Penrith and from there commence the trip proper on Xmas Eve. The canoe Was carried to the Nepean, and at 9 a.m. on Saturday a start was made on the 40 miles of river to Penrith. After covering 22 miles of the George's River to Liverpool in half a day, I was optimistic enough to think we could reach Penrith by Sunday night:---alast
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-There was not much information available about this part of the Nepean, but no news is good news - sometimes. After a quarter of a mile the weir appeared, and by lunch time, after five portages, our appetite for weirs was more than satiated.	In between times the canoe was dragged through sand, assisted over snags and occasionally paddled, and by dusk nine miles had been covered.
+\\ The canoe trip should have commenced at Penrith on Christmas Eve; but as at that time the canoe was miles away, I had better start from the beginning, when Hama Galliott, "Kissme" Hardy and I set out for Camden on Friday, December 20th. The canoe had been freighted from Liverpool to Camden, it being our intention to follow the Nepean River to Penrith and from there commence the trip proper on Christmas Eve. The canoe Was carried to the Nepean, and at 9 am on Saturday, a start was made on the 40 miles of river to Penrith. After covering 22 miles of the George's River to Liverpool in half a day, I was optimistic enough to think we could reach Penrith by Sunday night...alas!
-After a 7 a.m. departure, progress improved and about 9 a.m. I was able to use the oars and visualize a spot of lunch about Wallacia. A beautiful stretch of water, where the banks were heavily wooded, ended abruptly at the entrance to a narrow defile. What shall I say about the next six or seven hours when at
+\\
-the expense of some gruelling hard work, and heavy falls on green, slippery rocks, an advance of 3A mile was made. "Kissme" tugged heroically at one end, while Hilma, surrounded with packs, on all sides, emulated a donkey along the rocky banks.
+\\ There was not much information available about this part of the Nepean, but no news is good news - sometimes. After a quarter of a mile the weir appeared, and by lunch time, after five portages, our appetite for weirs was more than satiated. In between times the canoe was dragged through sand, assisted over snags and occasionally paddled, and by dusk, nine miles had been covered.
-At 5 p.m. we "threw in the sponge," parked the canoe to await our return on Christmas Eve and in 35 minutes reached Bent's Basin. On our arrival at Wallaeia after tea, it was found that the last service car had gone. After some good team work between the storekeeper and a car owner, we departed at an average speed of 50 miles p.h., for Kingswood, where, we were informed, the last train would stop for us if asked nicely. It didn't, and we slept in a paddock waking at 4 a.m. to catch the first train to Sydney.
+\\
-Next night, Xmas Eve, saw the same party, plus Ada Frost, on Central waiting the 8-40 p.m. train to Penrith. Not I am wrong for Mr. Hardy arrived at 8-45 full of joie de vivre, and reeled off a sad and recurrent story of missed taxis and convival friends encountered. A sunlight soap box held his surplus groceries, and his pockets bulged with cigars. He forgot nothing - not even to give the Stationmaster at Kingswood a 'raspberry'.
+\\ After a 7 am departure, progress improved and about 9 am, I was able to use the oars and visualise a spot of lunch about Wallacia. A beautiful stretch of water, where the banks were heavily wooded, ended abruptly at the entrance to a narrow defile. What shall I say about the next six or seven hours when at the expense of some gruelling hard work, and heavy falls on green, slippery rocks, an advance of 3/4 mile was made. "Kissme" tugged heroically at one end, while Hilma, surrounded with packs, on all sides, emulated a donkey along the rocky banks.
-The service car from Penrith dropped us at Wallacia about 12-30 a.m., and accompanied by one stray dog, we staggered a mile or two before camping.
+\\
-Xmas Day was hot and a combined load of 180 lbs. of food and gear made our journey to Bent's Basin a nightmare. The canoe had been left some 3/4 mile
+\\ At 5 pm we "threw in the sponge," parked the canoe to await our return on Christmas Eve and in 35 minutes reached Bent's Basin. On our arrival at Wallacia after tea, it was found that the last service car had gone. After some good team work between the storekeeper and a car owner, we departed at an average speed of 50 miles p.h., for Kingswood, where, we were informed, the last train would stop for us if asked nicely. It didn't, and we slept in a paddock waking at 4 am to catch the first train to Sydney.
-above this spot. The Basin, almost circular, with a diameter of about 150 yards, and fringed with rocks, grass and river oaks provided an ideal camp site, and a swim in its limpid waters soon removed the tired feeling. Soon after tea "Kissme" produced a bright green mosquito net and hid himself. In confidence, let me tell you that "Rissme" (according to Kissme) does everything but gamble, but vfoddahl and sleep are his two favorite pastimes. He had been burning the midnight oil recently and intended to get all the beauty sleep possible.
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-With the exception of a couple of hours' portage of the canoe to the Basin, Boxing Day WAS spent in a leisurely fashion. A sharp shower of rain drove us into the tent at night.
+\\ Next night, Christmas Eve, saw the same party, plus Ada Frost, on Central waiting the 8.40 pm train to Penrith. No! I am wrong for Mr Hardy arrived at 8.45 full of joie de vivre, and reeled off a sad and recurrent story of missed taxis and convival friends encountered. A sunlight soap box held his surplus groceries, and his pockets bulged with cigars. He forgot nothing - not even to give the Stationmaster at Kingswood a 'raspberry'.
-At 11 a0m0 on Friday the two gi7ls caught the launch to Wallacia (7 miles) and we followed 13y canoe, in time for lunch. Two trips were made to the weir, and after unloading, commenced the mile portage to Nortonls Basin which was gloomy with the approaching dusk before we arrived Joan Fitzpatrick and Jock Kaske, who had arranged to start by canoe that morning from Penrith and meet us at the Basin, werenit present in the flesh but an apt description by local campers satisfied me that they and the canoe werentt far distant. After breakfast they strolled up, expecting to see us, had been told that a "pommy and a big dago" had been sightedt
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+\\ The service car from Penrith dropped us at Wallacia about 12.30 am, and accompanied by one stray dog, we staggered a mile or two before camping.
+\\
+\\ Christmas Day was hot and a combined load of 180 lbs of food and gear made our journey to Bent's Basin a nightmare. The canoe had been left some 3/4 mile above this spot. The Basin, almost circular, with a diameter of about 150 yards, and fringed with rocks, grass and river oaks provided an ideal camp site, and a swim in its limpid waters soon removed the tired feeling. Soon after tea, "Kissme" produced a bright green mosquito net and hid himself. In confidence, let me tell you that "Kissme" (according to Kissme) does everything but gamble, but "foddah" and sleep are his two favorite pastimes. He had been burning the midnight oil recently and intended to get all the beauty sleep possible.
+\\
+\\ With the exception of a couple of hours' portage of the canoe to the Basin, Boxing Day was spent in a leisurely fashion. A sharp shower of rain drove us into the tent at night.
+\\
+\\ At 11 a0m0 on Friday the two gi7ls caught the launch to Wallacia (7 miles) and we followed 13y canoe, in time for lunch. Two trips were made to the weir, and after unloading, commenced the mile portage to Nortonls Basin which was gloomy with the approaching dusk before we arrived Joan Fitzpatrick and Jock Kaske, who had arranged to start by canoe that morning from Penrith and meet us at the Basin, werenit present in the flesh but an apt description by local campers satisfied me that they and the canoe werentt far distant. After breakfast they strolled up, expecting to see us, had been told that a "pommy and a big dago" had been sightedt
 In the afternoon Joan, Hilma, Jock and I went to Wallacia for supplies, while Ada and "Kissme" moved camp to a cave at the mouth of the Warragamba; the real beginning of the combined canoe trip, it being our intention to paddle up this river to Burragorang. Vic. Leeson and Bill Medbury in a third canoe completed the party.
 In the morning I rose early and took one of our party four miles upstream by canoe, paddling back in time to see the others pack and depart en masse. Gladys Parsons and Hee. Carruthers who were only out for the week-end gazed mournfully at us from the bank. Steady rain fell for an hour or so; but at lunch-time the skies were clear again. The river had narrowed and the canoes made tortuous progress between huge boulders towering on either side. The first few rapids presented little difficulty. To drag the canoes through the fast but shallow water was comparatively easy; but early in the afternoon the volume of water increased, and as a result of carelessness on my part, a wave swept over the side and swamped my canoe, some of the contents suffered but not seriously. About this time the company had an encounter with two youths, travelling downstream in a canvas canoe;who gave us a vivid, if exaggerated description of the terrors ahead. Owing to the reported dearth of camp sites above Monkey Creek, it was decided to camp there on our arrival although only 3-15 p.m. An early start on the morrow was planned, and Joan certainly arose at some ungodly hour to disturb the peace. That she even had "Kissme" out of bed early says a lot for her enthusiasm. By 7 a.m. the canoes were in motion and the day proved to be a hard one. Our canoe was overstocked, of course, with luggage for four, entailing loss of time at each portage. One or two of us took turns to walk along the rough banks. Later the "Trail Blazer" and the "Pig" very kindly took a passenger each. Stretches of half a mile or so of open water were encountered between some rapids; but this was far from general. At times, forces were combined, the five men pushing the canoes, in turn, through the swirling waters, or carrying them bodily over the rocks. This method lessened the hard work; but probably lost time. Lunch Was taken on a large, flat rock and the close of a rather tiring day saw the gorge Was behind us. Green banks, similar to those of the Cox, appeared in view and at 6 p.m. camp was made one mile short of the big bend and four to five miles from the CoxWollondilly Junction.