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-ETTREMA GORGE.
+=====Ettrema Gorge.=====
 A new playground with a challenge.
-By Wal Roots. The Prologue:
-Recently a young chap named Bob, in discussing bushwalkins with Paddy said in tones just reeking with the condescension of the young and virile to the old and bold - "These days, Paddy, I
+By Wal Roots.
-suppose you only tackle the easy tripsu.
+====The Prologue:====
+Recently a young chap named Bob, in discussing bushwalking with Paddy said in tones just reeking with the condescension of the young and virile to the old and bold - "These days, Paddy, I suppose you only tackle the easy trips".
 "Yes", said Paddy, "I guess that's about right".
-There wasa twinkle in Paddy's eye for he had plans. These plans have since matured, and so I tell the story of Paddy's Easter
-Gamble of 1952. The Build-up.
+There was a twinkle in Paddy's eye for he had plans. These plans have since matured, and so I tell the story of Paddy's Easter Gamble of 1952.
+====The Build-up.====
 For the sake of posterity, let me record that the party consisted of Paddy Pallin, Fred King, Norm White, Ken Brown, Paul Howard and the Scribe.
-The idea of the trip was to traverse the country from Yalwal,
-westward to the.Shoalhaven just to see what lay in between. Paddy and Paul had made a trip down that way a year or two before but flood conditions had upset calculations aad prevented penetration to any depth.
+The idea of the trip was to traverse the country from Yalwal, westward to the Shoalhaven just to see what lay in between. Paddy and Paul had made a trip down that way a year or two before but flood conditions had upset calculations aad prevented penetration to any depth.
-On that trip, however, they had learned from the locals of the "impenetrableli gorge which lay to the westward.
+On that trip, however, they had learned from the locals of the "impenetrable" gorge which lay to the westward.
 "Ettrema it's called, it's terrific, you can't get into it - cliffs for miles, and if you get in you won't get out. Give it a miss or you will finish up breaking your ruddy necks."
 With this challenge ringing in their ears for two years, is it any wonder Paddy and Paul lead us back that way?
-There is no published military map of this area, in fact, no maps at all, but Paul has influence and managed to dig up something taken from aerial surveys, aid in addition was able to study the sterioscopic photos of the area.
-The photos fulrbacked up the locals' opiaion of Ettrema and served to whet appetites already as keen as a westerly on Clear Hill. From the photos Paul worked out a plan of attack; there was a point here which had distinct possibilities aid if that failed, this oreek was a cinch. So we have two new names for the maps of the future - Point Possibility aid Cinch Creek. And now to the story.
+There is no published military map of this area, in fact, no maps at all, but Paul has influence and managed to dig up something taken from aerial surveys, and in addition was able to study the sterioscopic photos of the area.
-The Story_7_,
-Thursday night found us camping in a drizzle at Saltwater Creek some seven miles out of Nowra. This was as far as we could go by
+The photos fully backed up the locals' opinion of Ettrema and served to whet appetites already as keen as a westerly on Clear Hill. From the photos Paul worked out a plan of attack; there was a point here which had distinct possibilities and if that failed, this creek was a cinch. So we have two new names for the maps of the future - Point Possibility and Cinch Creek. And now to the story.
-.
-transport^as the bridge had been wrecked in a flood a fortnight before.
+====The Story.====
-Fortunately, there lived an the other side of the busted bridge a blitz buggy and driver, and in the morning we climbed aboard (after
-helping to ferry the cream cans across the remnants of the bridge)
+Thursday night found us camping in a drizzle at Saltwater Creek some seven miles out of Nowra. This was as far as we could go by transport as the bridge had been wrecked in a flood a fortnight before.
-and were duly deposited in that picturesque old mining town of Yalwal.
-We told our driver what we had in mind and whilst he was most polite, he nevertheless left with us the impression that he thought anyone who wasn't a bushman Who went playing around in that country was nuts.
+Fortunately, there lived on the other side of the busted bridge a blitz buggy and driver, and in the morning we climbed aboard (after helping to ferry the cream cans across the remnants of the bridge) and were duly deposited in that picturesque old mining town of Yalwal.
-"You won't get through! The cliffs on Ettrema extend as far as you can see - I'll keep an eye open for you on your way back.''
-From Yalwal, we followed up the Creek past the old battery and
+We told our driver what we had in mind and whilst he was most polite, he nevertheless left with us the impression that he thought anyone who wasn't a bushman who went playing around in that country was nuts.
-cyanide tanks (Paul panned some dirt from the battery - no luck) and
-lunched prior to making the climb over the ridge and into Bundurdah Creek. It is a very pleasant climb of 1,500 feet or so to a classic gap, aid then an easy drop down to a lovely little creek and a beautiful campsite.
+"You won't get through! The cliffs on Ettrema extend as far as you can see - I'll keep an eye open for you on your way back."
-On Saturday, we were up betimes -. beat the old Sol by plenty - for this was the BIG day, the day an Which we were to conquer Ettrema (we hoped) and we weren't so sure of ourselves as to risk a late start.
-A glorious day this, clear and crisp and with woolly clouds floating lazily in an azure sky, blue distance with purple shadows
+From Yalwal, we followed up the Creek past the old battery and cyanide tanks (Paul panned some dirt from the battery - no luck) and lunched prior to making the climb over the ridge and into Bundumdah Creek. It is a very pleasant climb of 1,500 feet or so to a classic gap, and then an easy drop down to a lovely little creek and a beautiful campsite.
-in the gullies, and flecks of red where the prolific Burrawongs had cast their fruit.
-There was no hardship in the climb, although it was steep in
+On Saturday, we were up betimes - beat the old Sol by plenty - for this was the BIG day, the day on which we were to conquer Ettrema (we hoped) and we weren't so sure of ourselves as to risk a late start.
-places, and by nine o'clock we were on the plateau and headed towards Pt. Possibility. We followed height of land through scrub covered country (poor visibility) until reaching an eMinence (unnamed) which seems to be the central feature of this plateau. There we had an early lunch prior to making a bee line for Pt. Possibility.
-A change was coming over our glorious day. and we arrived at P.P. just ten minutes prior to a rain squall, which the roar of camera shutters made sound like a thunderstorm.
+A glorious day this, clear and crisp and with woolly clouds floating lazily in an azure sky, blue distance with purple shadows in the gullies, and flecks of red where the prolific Burrawongs had cast their fruit.
-Ettrema Gorge - this was it! The unknown - the unconquerable the great challenge: We stood in awe and looked in wonderment at a seemingly unbroken line of cliffs extending as far as the eye could see, with a secondary and sometimes a tertiary cliff line below.
+There was no hardship in the climb, although it was steep in places, and by nine o'clock we were on the plateau and headed towards Pt. Possibility. We followed height of land through scrub covered country (poor visibility) until reaching an eminence (unnamed) which seems to be the central feature of this plateau. There we had an early lunch prior to making a bee line for Pt. Possibility.
+A change was coming over our glorious day and we arrived at P.P. just ten minutes prior to a rain squall, which the roar of camera shutters made sound like a thunderstorm.
+Ettrema Gorge - this was it! The unknown - the unconquerable - the great challenge! We stood in awe and looked in wonderment at a seemingly unbroken line of cliffs extending as far as the eye could see, with a secondary and sometimes a tertiary cliff line below.
 The talus slopes were at angle of repose and after mentally jumping the cliff face (some 300 feet or more) the question arose as to whether it would be best to use triple hobs or butter.
-The scene was one of untamed grandeur and thrills raced up and down our spines as we gazed into the blue depth's: For this was new country - untrodden by all but one or two' - a challenging new playground for bushwalkers to explore.
-.
+The scene was one of untamed grandeur and thrills raced up and down our spines as we gazed into the blue depths. For this was new country - untrodden by all but one or two - a challenging new playground for bushwalkers to explore.
 Even more mysterious became our gorge as the rain storm draped its gossamer veil - we could better understand its legend of impenetrability, seeing it thus.
-Before long, we started looking for ways down and ways up tlother side. We could see two possible ways up , Paul picked one (Howard's Pass) and the Scribe was dead keen on another (you've guessed it - Roots' Route), but first we had to get down.
+Before long, we started looking for ways down and ways up t'other side. We could see two possible ways up. Paul picked one (Howard's Pass) and the Scribe was dead keen on another (you've guessed it - Roots' Route), but first we had to get down.
 Pt. Possibility we found was wrongly named, it should have been Impossibility. You'd need to be a hybrid octopus to get down there. So we turned our attention to Cinch Creek ard what did we find? A rift vying in sheer magnificence with Kanangra Gorge and just as inviting as a possible route to the valley floor.
 Believe me, Cinch Creek is terrific - the sort of place that mountain goats and rock wallabies class as mile-a-day country.
-The rim rocks were continuous and we could detect not one place where a possibility of descent existed. It looked as if ottr trip was over for we were two days out on a four day trip and most of us commenced adjusting our mental processes to this thought - but not Paul.
-Pau_L conducted a rock by rock search and finally located a split in a cliff, some 18 inches wide, through Which we were able to climb down to the talus slope. Packs had to be roped down as they could not be wangled through the cleft. Then it was a case of down, down and down. Down through the rain forest, sliding on the moss, crashing
+The rim rocks were continuous and we could detect not one place where a possibility of descent existed. It looked as if our trip was over for we were two days out on a four day trip and most of us commenced adjusting our mental processes to this thought - but not Paul.
-through the rotting timber and skidding on the greasy rocks. Down and
-down at. a hell of an angle, missing the stinging Gympies by the grace of God, frightening the devil out of the wallabies and lyre birds.
+Paul conducted a rock by rock search and finally located a split in a cliff, some 18 inches wide, through which we were able to climb down to the talus slope. Packs had to be roped down as they could not be wangled through the cleft. Then it was a case of down, down and down. Down through the rain forest, sliding on the moss, crashing through the rotting timber and skidding on the greasy rocks. Down and down at a hell of an angle, missing the stinging Gympies by the grace of God, frightening the devil out of the wallabies and lyre birds.
-The daylight was still with us When we reached the waters of Cinch Creek and it remained while we scrambled down a mile or so,
-until we came to the only level patch we had seen for hours. We camped, and how we slept:
+The daylight was still with us when we reached the waters of Cinch Creek and it remained while we scrambled down a mile or so, until we came to the only level patch we had seen for hours. We camped, and how we slept!
-An hour after our "crack of dawn" start found us on Ettrema
-Creek, looking up and wondering whether our climb out would be as spectacular as the descent.
+An hour after our "crack of dawn" start found us on Ettrema Creek, looking up and wondering whether our climb out would be as spectacular as the descent.
-Ettrema is delightful, a sort of young Kowmung but with a
-personality of its own. Here are tall casuarinas, and some fine old
+Ettrema is delightful, a sort of young Kowmung but with a personality of its own. Here are tall casuarinas, and some fine old cedars, mysterious deep rock pools (with whopping big perch, I'll bet) and some lovely camp sites.
-cedars, mysterious deep rock pools (with whopping big perch, I'll bet)
-and some lovely camp sites.
+What a thrill it would be to spend a week following this lovely stream down to its junction with the Shoalhven - I wonder who will be able to say "I was the first one through".
-What a thrill it wculd be to spend.a week following this lovely
-streaM down to its junction with the Shoalhven -- I wonder who will be able to say was the first one tl-raugh''.
+We could only enjoy it for less than an hour while we argued Howard's Pass or Roots' Route. Paul put up the best case so up we went, plugging away in the blasted rain and cursing because of the view we were missing.
-We could only enjoy it for less than an hour While we argued Howard's Pass or Roots' Route. Paul put up the best case so up we
-went, plugging away in the blasted rain and cursing because of the view we were missing.
-.
 Howard's Pass is really a cinch (though I still believe Roots' Route is better, mark you) and to get up through the rim rocks is no trouble at all.
 We paused at the top and looked back into the mist and rain filled gorge we had left. We had confounded the locals, we had crossed their uncrossable Ettrema and it had been a grand experience.
 The rest of the trip was uneventful - that is if you disregard hour after hour of scrub barging on a compass course in continuous teeming rain, the swimming of the racing Shoalhaven in a twelve foot flood and a hair raising ride in a utility into Goulburn.
 And that is the end of the story - all that remains is the challenge.
-The Challenge.
-We six hasbeens - old aid bold - or what have you, pass along to you youngsters this challenge from one we have come to respect and to love, from Ettrema herself.
+====The Challenge.====
-All you who glory in your ability to climb, to explore, to nap, and who love wild and untamed places, here is a new thrill worthy of the best of you. See what you can do about taming this and
+We six has-beens - old and bold - or what have you, pass along to you youngsters this challenge from one we have come to respect and to love, from Ettrema herself.
+All you who glory in your ability to climb, to explore, to map, and who love wild and untamed places, here is a new thrill worthy of the best of you. See what you can do about taming this one!
 But don't think I've painted the lily, that the old boys have forgotten what toughness is. Put an extra day's tucker in the rucksack and a hundred feet of rope.
-THE CASE FOR PROHIBITION.
-The party which spent Anzac Weekend in the Newnes-Glen Davis
+----
-country angrily deny that their walk became a pub crawl. They point to about forty miles of honest-to-goodness foot slogging, While admitting to a night spent in the Newnes hostelry sheltering from the unkind elements.
-It seems that the Newnes pub could offer refuge but no victuals, so the party cooked their awn an the kitchen range to the amusement of the lady of the house.
+=====The Case For Prohibition.=====
-En route to Wolgan Gap via the road a well-intentioned farmer
-met them and offered them the shelter of his barn, but it was discovered that the pigs had moved in first, so they went their ways to pitch their tents in the storm. This is, of course, ample proof that their behaviour at Newnes was beyond reproach for, as everyone knows : You can tell a man who boozes by the company he chooses - and the pig got up and slowly walked away".
+The party which spent Anzac Weekend in the Newnes-Glen Davis country angrily deny that their walk became a pub crawl. They point to about forty miles of honest-to-goodness foot slogging, while admitting to a night spent in the Newnes hostelry sheltering from the unkind elements.
+It seems that the Newnes pub could offer refuge but no victuals, so the party cooked their own on the kitchen range to the amusement of the lady of the house.
+En route to Wolgan Gap via the road a well-intentioned farmer met them and offered them the shelter of his barn, but it was discovered that the pigs had moved in first, so they went their ways to pitch their tents in the storm. This is, of course, ample proof that their behaviour at Newnes was beyond reproach for, as everyone knows: "You can tell a man who boozes by the company he chooses - and the pig got up and slowly walked away".
 In this case the walkers slowly walked away.
+[Editorial note by Geoff Goodyer...
+The quote above is taken from a poem. In full, the poem goes:
+'Twas the pig fair last September,\\
+the day I well remember,\\
+I was walking up and down in drunken pride.\\
+When my knees began to flutter\\
+and I sank down in the gutter\\
+and a pig came up and lay down by my side.
+As I lay there in the gutter,\\
+thinking thoughts I could not utter,\\
+I thought I heard a passing lady say,\\
+"You can tell the man who boozes\\
+by the company that he chooses."\\
+And with that the pig got up and walked away.]
+----
 THE FACTORY WAS WARN:ED.
 Paddy entertained some 25 or 30 walkers at this factory in Harris Street on the evening of May 9th. Probably there would have been more had the weather been less forbidding or Harris Street better protected by awnings.