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+ | ====== The Sydney Bushwalker. ====== | ||
+ | |||
+ | A monthly bulletin of matters of interest to the Sydney Bush Walkers, The N.S.W. Nurses' | ||
+ | |||
+ | === 330. June 1962. Price 1/-. === | ||
+ | |||
+ | |**Editor**|Stuart Brooks, 5 Ingalara Rd, Wahroonga. 484343.| | ||
+ | |**Business Manager**|Brian Harvey| | ||
+ | |**Reproduction**|Denise Hull| | ||
+ | |**Sales & Subs.**|Lola Wedlock| | ||
+ | |**Typed by**|Shirley Dean| | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Contents ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | | | |Page| | ||
+ | |Editorial| | 1| | ||
+ | |Letters to the Editor - Greyhound Pacific Ltd.| | 3| | ||
+ | |Letters to the Editor - Taro| | 4| | ||
+ | |Sonnet to the Long Week-end|Thornigah| 4| | ||
+ | |May General Meeting|Alex Colley| 5| | ||
+ | |Ascent of N.W. Face of Federation Peak|" | ||
+ | |" | ||
+ | |Day Walks| |12| | ||
+ | |Federation Report| |13| | ||
+ | |Report on 1961 Expedition to the Carstensz Mountains (continued)|C.Putt|16| | ||
+ | |The Saws are Silent Now|Jim Brown|19| | ||
+ | |Science Naturally| |22| | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Advertisements ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | | |Page| | ||
+ | |Hatswell' | ||
+ | |Roy's Friendly Service Ad|11| | ||
+ | |Paddy' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Editorial. ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Hi, | ||
+ | |||
+ | You may, or may not, know Frank Smythe. A fine mountaineer, | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was he, with Eric Shipton, who made the final assault on Mt. Everest in 1933, and after Eric had dropped out sick at about 27000 feet, had climbed alone, unaided by any mechanical assistance, such as oxygen to 28,100 feet on the extremely difficult North face. | ||
+ | |||
+ | To my mind, and I don't think that I am alone here, this feat ranks ahead of any subsequent (albeit successful) attempt on that mountain or any other. | ||
+ | |||
+ | This is all incidental, and I am sure Frank Smythe would be the first to agree. He was a man who loved Nature for her own sake, and revelled in the great untamed spaces. To quote his owh words (referring to a walking holiday in the Alps) - | ||
+ | |||
+ | "The best way of seeing any country is to journey through it on foot. In the case of the Alps this means passing from one valley to another over the intervening peaks and ranges and spending nights at inns or huts. To perform the journey successfully and enjoyably it is essential to travel lightly laden and carry everything needful in a rucksack, but Sybarites, among whom I number myself, may artfully contrive to send a clean shirt on ahead by post to await them at some village en route. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Clean shirts aside, the charm of such travel lies in unexpectedness. Even in a well trodden and accurately mapped country like Switzerland it is possible to experience the thrills of pioneering. | ||
+ | |||
+ | No valley, no pass, no peak has been explored until __you__ have set __your__ foot there, and he who sets out from a valley in the morning to cross a range into another valley is as much an explorer in spirit as the more fortunate person who first sets eyes on the dazzling splendour of hitherto untrodden mountains." | ||
+ | |||
+ | Let this be the spirit with which you attack your own walking! So thousands of walker' | ||
+ | |||
+ | There are countless places awaiting your eager, pioneering footsteps - Cox River, Kanangra Creek, Bungonia Gorge, Lockley' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The lifeblood of any walking club is the old homespun pioneering outlook. So go to it! | ||
+ | |||
+ | And incidentally, | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Letters to the Editor: Greyhound Pacific Ltd. Coolangatta. | ||
+ | " | ||
+ | A few vacancies are still available on the 4 weeks Northern Territory and Central Australian Tour "P, which includes Darwin, and is scheduled to also depart Sydney on Saturday; 11th August, | ||
+ | Letter to the Editor : Taro. | ||
+ | In a letter from an old friend of mine - Alan Rigby, one of the active founders of the S.B.W. and still walking as ever, is an account of the recent rescue operation at Leura, it should be of interest to all our club members. We have read all the details in the press reports, but here is the tragedy aszseen by the loftier vision of a | ||
+ | poet. Taro. | ||
+ | "I was one of the search and rescue party that went to Leura last weekend to search for the lost boy. 50 men searched for a week and our crowd found his body in 90 minutes. It was exactly where I had figured it would be from the details of his movements. However, I was in a party detailed to search Leura Creek, Police squad came up on Saturday afternoon with gear. We helped to transport and erect it and later hauled up the body on a stretcher from 400' below. | ||
+ | It was an extraordinary experience - all the afternoon a storm had milled around Kedumba valley below Korrowal and just as we were raising the body - it came over us - not so much rain :. but swirling mist racing up the cliff face writhing and twisting until there was no visibility over the valley - or below. Then as we pulled the stretcher came into sight above the cliff just as if it had come from a world of nothingness - there was not a person there who was not moved by the scene. | ||
+ | It seemed as though some supernatural force tried to hide the grievous wrong, there was something Valkyrian-Wagnerian about it. We don't know how it happened, but he was a studious boy - somewhat moody and anti-social as many boys of 17 are. It was a habit to go for a walk along the Prince Henry cliff track after studies. | ||
+ | It is a beautiful walk and he loved to stand on the very cliff edge and look down. As there is a ledge 100' below the top you cannot | ||
+ | 4 The Sydney Bushwalker June 1962 | ||
+ | see right to the foot of the main cliff - and my theory is that he found his way down through one of the very steep gull:ies to look over the main cliff - and either slipped or fell. I feel sorry for the parents, I saw the father and he was a very fine type. | ||
+ | Anyway, the bushwalkers made a fine effort - there, were 97 from the different clubs of the Federatich.' | ||
+ | Letter to the Editor : E.G, | ||
+ | I would like to say that ::. enjoyed your " | ||
+ | I don't know if you intend to answer questions, but as a strictly amateur zoologist, I have always been intrigued by the variation in the size of crab's claws. Is there any reason for this? | ||
+ | E.G. | ||
+ | (You will find, E.G, that only married crabs have little nippers. Ed). | ||
+ | 111.11., | ||
+ | Sonnet for the LongilefAend. | ||
+ | Thornigah. | ||
+ | The best time of the year, bright, waking to froSt And the warming life of a breakfast fire. The Labrynth, The Oaks, The Wheels energetic trip. But it rained at The Oaks, the miserable Steady rain of winter: We caught water From the tent sufficient to cook: drink; talked In subtleties (being young uncertain; sure only Of the winter, the rain and the sighing trees.) | ||
+ | We had read the Rubiyat as a testament, | ||
+ | Caught by the clear diction, the rigid rhymes, The subtle reasonings, the poets intent. An erotic King James done for modern times. | ||
+ | Let me leave my footprints on the Great Divide, Or drive a car to that sweet mountain-side. | ||
+ | June 1962 The Sydney Eushwalker 5. | ||
+ | itT OUR MAY MEETING | ||
+ | Alex Colley | ||
+ | Our meeting commenced with a welcome to new member Tony Quietzch. | ||
+ | - In correspondence as a letter from Henry Gold: now in California where, we learned, walking has all but ceased. He had been unable to locate a walkin2, club and the furthest the citizens | ||
+ | of Oaklands could be induced to walk was from their car to the office. Perhaps the happy dayo of completc inertia are even closer there than here. | ||
+ | Our Treasurer, Gordon Redmond, reported that, after starting the month with 1391316 collecting 19714/- and disbursing 51/12/6 we finished up with 16/12/6 in the bank. Our main item of income was 19 for subs and our main expense 35/13/3 for badges. | ||
+ | Next our Social Secretary, Molly Rodgers5 reminded us of the Colour slide competition to be held on June 30th, There were to be 6 slides from each entrant and they should be marked clearly and handed in by not later than Juno 13-ch. | ||
+ | In Federation report we hoard that Paddy has a new notice board outside his shop on which there will be a space 17i inches square for each club's use | ||
+ | President Bill Rodgers told 1,1s that the Committee had given | ||
+ | a lot of consideration to the filling of the walks programme. There were always quite a few vacancies on the programme when it came before committee, and this was unfair not only to those members who did regularly put walks on the programme but to Walks Secretary, Wilf Hilder who put a lot of effort into making it up. With very little extra thought and trouble many private walks cou10. be made | ||
+ | into programme walks, Committee had decided in view of' the difficulty of finding leaders2 that in future any vacancies on the programme when it came up for consideration would remain. No further effort would be made to fill them 4 (California here we come!) | ||
+ | Walks Secretc4ry Uilf Hilder reported that the first walk in April, Geoff Wagg's Davies Canyon walk though well attended (7 members and 1 visitor) had struck bad :weather, and difficultios_were increased by the disvpearanco of the wall known lodge beneath the second waterfall. Irene Prjdham3s walk to Megalong and Galong Creek had also struck bad weather - bu-cL 4 members and 1 prospective had turned out. No less than 12 membrs7 6 -Drospectives and 2 visitors went with Jess Martin to Uloola Falls. Jess 1-eported that the track was very overgrown. Jim Brown' | ||
+ | 6. The Sydney Bushwalker June 1962 | ||
+ | Tolwong through the block up was not so popular (3 starters); but swimming in the Shoalhaven at the end of April doesn' | ||
+ | the Seven Gods mountain. Wilf's awn Easter trip down the Capertee and up the Wolgan attracted 7 starters, including some C.M.W. members. A side trip to Uraterer was abandoned a few miles short of the mountain because of the difficulty of picking the ridge in the time available, but Wilf made sure there was enough time left to erect a 6 ft. cairn on Grassy Hill to the memory of Gordon Smith, who, with Max Gentle, was probably the first bushwalker to use this route. Wilf was surprised, after reports from old hands, to find the Capertee easy going and the old track fairly close to the River. Flooding and siltation might have removed or covered many of the obstacles along the river. There was now about 5 times as much sand as water in the river bed. The easy going enabled a side trip to Mount Cameron from the true Annie Rowan' | ||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | Further cheering news was that the Blue Mountains Council was going to spend its 20,000 unemployment relief grant on building a road along Narrow Neck. (How we fought to preserve that lovely escarpment!) | ||
+ | Towards the end of the meeting Frank Ashdown had a busy time, First he auctioned a pair of boots for 10/-. Then, to further bolster our finances, he succeeded in persuading members to cancel our subscription to ' | ||
+ | Congratulations to Bruce and Kath McInnes on the arrival of their second daughter, Heather. | ||
+ | June 1962 The Sydney Bushwalker 7. THE ASCENT OF THE 'NORTH WEST FACE OF FEDERATION PEAK. Boto(" | ||
+ | It was Monday evening, January 1st. I had just blown out the candle and I was carrying out that ritual peculiar to those who use sleeping-bags. The night was fine, and we were banking on a fine day for the morrow. | ||
+ | As I lay there, slowly drifting off to sleep, my thoughts reInged back over the preparations for the trip: to long letters written to Jack and doubts about there being enough people 'to make the trip possible. There were only four of us IATJ:.o finally boarded the plane on Boxing Day 1960; Jack O' | ||
+ | The march into BercherVaise Plateau had been a hot exhausting slog. I could still see us stretched out Ineath some bushes on that hot afternoon on the slopes of Mt. Picton. We brewed tea while we waited for the heat of the day to pass. As we slogged along the South | ||
+ | | ||
+ | adr attempt at the climb. | ||
+ | . . | ||
+ | Now, after a combined reconnaissance" | ||
+ | whilst Jqck and myself had traced a. route. from the valley floor directly below the climb. Our findings agreed on' one, point - the overhand about two-thirds the way up the main face would be difficult to negotiate. | ||
+ | We woke the next morning to fine weather With the early morning cloud dispersin& | ||
+ | . ' | ||
+ | , We climbed to the Terrace and then ::traversed north between the Federation Massif and a large pinnacle which was visible from camp. We then descended a' | ||
+ | |||
+ | - | ||
+ | . led up the first pitch fOr 120- feet 6ver greaSy,: | ||
+ | 70 feet further up' the buttresS. I joined' | ||
+ | 6.? | ||
+ | 8. The Sydney Bushwalker June 1962 | ||
+ | our surroundings. Opposite to us on the other side of the main couloir on the most w3-5tern ridge of the mountain was a huge gendarme It rises straight from the valley floor and when viewed from the Devil' | ||
+ | By this time the others were drawing near, so I led down and acroe toward the " | ||
+ | chocolate we talked over our immediate plans. The time was 2.30 pm, which gave us at least six hours of daylight-time to reach the top. Also, the weather looked like being fine for the remainder of the day. | ||
+ | I started off and climbed to the top of an easy diagonal ledge one rope length away. Jack followed and then led through; first up the | ||
+ | face for 20 feet, along a groove for about 20 feet, and then straight | ||
+ | up to a good stance near a pinnacle. The exposure over those delicate holds was emphasised when some chocolate slipped from Jack's pocket an went spiralling into the depths. After passing my companion.I began climbing up a coloir of moderate difficulty. About 40 feet up it branched and I took the right hand fork and climbed upwards for anothe) 40 feet, well protected by large boulders. Here I encountered a grass: ledge (which we later called the "Bus Stop" | ||
+ | Whilst these manoeuvres were taking place down below me I made a study of the overhang, 120 feet above me. It did seem that a way 14gh1 be forced up it by taking a route up an overhanging chimney - if we could get into it! Unfortunately the interchange of ropes down below took quite some time and it was ages before Geoff appeared. Jack foll( and leaving Geoff. to bring up Rob, we joined forces nee more. | ||
+ | led off, first left for.10 feet, then upwards in a groove for 50 feet I banged in a piton and a delicate move brought me out onto | ||
+ | the face again. From here I climbed upwards diagonally to the right for 25 feet, until I reached a large protruding flake. I fixed a runner and traversed left:for 15 feet toward a corner. I was only | ||
+ | 8 feet below the overhang. There I banged in a piton and prepared to | ||
+ | June 1962 The Sydney Bushwalker | ||
+ | belay the others. Jack joined me and we agreed that in order to climb into the chimneyk we had to traverse around the corner. Jack' set out and tried hard. He cams back shaking his head. " | ||
+ | even get a piton in". I had a look at it then decided we might. force it lower down. So I climbed down to the flake and then began traversing on delicate holds. Jack's encouragement egged me on "Good on | ||
+ | you ' | ||
+ | As neither Geoff nor Rob felt like leading Jack had to remain where he was and belay Geoff up to the flake, By now it was raining lightly. Upon reaching this Geoff 's exclamation was "The bloody thing' | ||
+ | Geoff in turn. He then climbed up to me leaving Geoff to bring Rob up. 'It was now 8.15 p,m. and visibility was poor. Rob reached the flake and with a sterling effort, completed the traverse to Geoff in semidarkness. | ||
+ | Geoff joined Jack and myself whilst Role, who was the only person wearing a parka, remained below tied to the piton. Geoff was straddled with his legs across the chimney Jack was squatting on a chockstone and I found myself wedged above them, half supported on one foot. Under these conditions we resolved to pass the night. We cursed loudly when we thought of the gear and food which we had left behind at camp, but fortunately we did not starve altogether. Geoff had a bag of peanuts and I had some raisins and chocolate. It was at this stage that I suddenly had an acute attack of " | ||
+ | Throughout the night we were subjected to periodic gusts of freezing wind blowing through the crack. About 1 a m. we all fell silent listening with dismay to the unmistakeable sound of trickling water. From then on we passed the time deciding what we could do if our chimney was suddenly transformed into a waterfall. After what seemed an eternity we noticed that the sound of trickling water had | ||
+ | 10 The Sydney Bushwalker June 1962 | ||
+ | stopped and a new sound had taken its place; the unmistakeable chirp of birds from the valley far below us,, A half hour later and we were gazing out from our miserable bivouac at q bleak sky. | ||
+ | After we had stretched our cramped limbs our first move was to try and climb up the chimney-crack from inside, as no one relished the thought of leading straight off onto an overhanging face. Geoff was the first to try to squeeze through the crack on the inside to a chockstone about 15 feet above us, However the bulk of both he and his clothes forced him back. During this manoeuvre I found my raisins which I had dropped during the night wedged in a crevice. I decided to try the crack next: and to give myself every possible chance, I stripped off and had Jack and Geoff remove my trousers. My efforts were not in vain and after gaining the top of the chock- stone, I put on my trousers, then threw down the rope weighted with Karabiners. From here I moved onto the face and climbed a pitch of 100 feet to the ledge at the top of the overhang. | ||
+ | Jack climbed up the face to the top of the chockstone and from there brought up Geoff. Leaving Geoff to belay Rob, he then climbed up to my ledge where we waited for them. The weather had become colder and it was sleeting lightly. Time passed and we could perceive no movement from the other two; we became impatient and finally we dropped them a top rope. A short time later they joined us, and they swore that we stood at the beginning of the ramp leading to the summit. Rob and Geoff led off and we traversed to the right for a full pitch and thdn climbed for two pitches up an easy couloir. A | ||
+ | few steps led us to a cairn. Sunlight shone briefly as we shook hands, yodelling gaily. It as 8 a m. Tuesday; 3rd January. | ||
+ | Geoff handed us 4 ounces chocolate apiece from the cache he had prepared two days earlier. A photograph was taken, then we grabbed our gear and hurried down to Berchervaise Gully out of the bitter wind. A short time later we were back on the Plateau. We devoured quantities of biscuits and cheese before sinking into our sleeping bags. We slept with the sleep induced by a combination of exertion, bliss and fulfilment of purpose in our 1200 ft of climbing. | ||
+ | An interesting sequel to the climh came just 24 hours later. The area was ravaged by a fierce storm with wind gusts reaching 70-80 miles per hour. The tent occupied by Rob and Jack was blown down three times and they only stopped it from blowing away by lying on top of it, wrapped in their plastic bivouac tubes. | ||
+ | The climb from the valley floor to the top of the Blade was successfully accomplished by Jack OiHalloran and myself on Saturday January 7. The climb itself was no less interesting than the one just described. We completed the 1300 ft. of climbing (actually 900 feet measured vertically), | ||
+ | June 162 The Sydney Bushwalker 11. | ||
+ | PLUMBING TROUBLES??? | ||
+ | DO YOU 'NEED - | ||
+ | OR DOES | ||
+ | OR PERHAPS - | ||
+ | NEW ROOF, GUTTERING and DOWNPIPES ?? | ||
+ | THE ROOF AND GUTTERING NEED RE-PAINTING ?? | ||
+ | A NEW WATER SERVICE OR HOT-KATER INSTALLATION ?? | ||
+ | No job is too. small - for any plumbing installations or alterations: | ||
+ | YOU NEED ROY/S FRIENDLY PLUMBING SERVICE | ||
+ | CONTACT ROY c, the S.B1, | ||
+ | , | ||
+ | , | ||
+ | YOU ROY '5 FRIENDLY SERVICE !!! | ||
+ | =1.1-1111r | ||
+ | Imramm.,.. _ | ||
+ | 1401........1.InisMer w...1.1..... | ||
+ | FOR ALL YOUR TRANSPORT FROM BLACKHEATH CONTACT | ||
+ | HATSWELL' | ||
+ | ' | ||
+ | SPEEDY 5 or 8 PASSENGER CARS AVAILABLE LARGE OR SMALL PARTIES CATERED FOR | ||
+ | FARES: Kanangra Walls 30/- per head (minimum 5 passengers) | ||
+ | Perry' | ||
+ | | ||
+ | 'C anion s Farm 12/6 | ||
+ | WE WILL BE PLEASED TO QUOTE TRIPS OR SPECIAL PARTIES ON APPLICATION H. | ||
+ | 12. The Sydney Bushwalker June. 1962... SITTIN/ ON SEVEN | ||
+ | A summary of good walking techniques as advocated by Wilf Hilder. | ||
+ | Head forrld, tail aft, | ||
+ | Thus begins the walker' | ||
+ | Arms swingin, knees bent, | ||
+ | They' | ||
+ | Pigeon toed; knock kneed, | ||
+ | Now you're really gaining speed. | ||
+ | Weight on toes, Injun style, | ||
+ | Eight minutes flat for every mile. | ||
+ | Jarring? Toes absorb it! | ||
+ | Take care you don't go into orbit. | ||
+ | (But if you really want to shift, | ||
+ | Stand quite still, and thumb a lift, Ed.) | ||
+ | | ||
+ | DAY WALKS | ||
+ | JUNE 17 Glenbrook Glenbrook Gorge - Nepean Lookout - Euroka Clearing - Glenbrook. 12 miles, | ||
+ | Check your Walks Programme and note that this walk is the first of four to explore the Glenbrook - Blue Labyrinth area,. which is full of opportunity for map reading, either to | ||
+ | learn about it or to practice it. A rock hop down the Gorge with a sharp climb up to Nepean Lookout. | ||
+ | 8.20 am. Lithgow train from Central Steam Station to Glenbrool Tickets : Glenbrook @ 13/9 return. Mbp : Liverpool Military; Leader.: Ern French. | ||
+ | JUNE 24 Grose Wold - The Vale Lookout - Woods Creek.- North: | ||
+ | June 1962 The Sydney Bushwalker 13. | ||
+ | JULY 1 Waterfall - Uloola Falls - Audley - Launch to Cronulla. 8 miles. | ||
+ | Pleasant walking mainly through the uplands of the National Park. As the launch leaves Audiey at 3,45 pm, a reasonable pace will have to be maintaine d to reach Audley ih time. The launch trip on Port Hacking is particularly good. 8.50 am Cronulla train from Central Electric Station, | ||
+ | , CHANGE AT SUTHERLAND for rail motor to Waterfall. | ||
+ | Tickets : Waterfall return @ 5/9 plus about 3/- launch fare. Map Port Hacking Tourist or Military. | ||
+ | Leader Dick Child, | ||
+ | JULY 8 Engadine - voronora River - Scouters7 Mountain - Woronora | ||
+ | Trig - Waterfall. 13 miles. | ||
+ | The construction of an access road onto Scouters Mountain has eased the difficulty of approach. However, there is still some thick growth on parts of this trip, which has not been lessened by the wet summer. Gaiters recommended. If the party is interested - tea in the bush. | ||
+ | 8.20 a m. Cronulla train from Central Electric Station. CHANGE AT SUTHERLAND for rail motor to Engadine. | ||
+ | Tickets : Waterfall return @ 5/90 Map, Port Hacking Tourist or Camden Military, | ||
+ | Leader : David Ingram. | ||
+ | JULY 15 Glenbrook The Oaks - Erskine Creek Lookout - Breakfast Creek - Euroka Glenbrook. 13 miles. | ||
+ | Not much time for sitting around on this trip. Traverses an interesting part of the Blue Labyrinth. Could be scratchy in parts. | ||
+ | 8.54 am. Mt. Victoria train from Central Steam Station to Glenbrook. NOTE SPECIALLY altered departure time of train. Tickets ; Glonbrook return @ 13/9. Map : Liverpool Military: Leader : Jim Brown, | ||
+ | FEDERATION REPORT - April 1962 Meeting. | ||
+ | . | ||
+ | ITEMS FOR ATTENTION. ' | ||
+ | The Bushwalkers Bail 19620 Paddington Town Hall, Friday 14th September. | ||
+ | Re-enactment of the Crossing of the Blue Mountaips. Tehtative dates are-Ta-down at 11th May i5g-3 to 28th May0-6-3. Volunteers are required to enact the roles of B1-1xland, Wentworth and Lawson, and | ||
+ | 4 servants who accompanied them. Federation will co-operate with the Blue Mountains City Counr:ii. | ||
+ | The Sydney Bushwalker ' June 1962. | ||
+ | - | ||
+ | New Notice Board at Pad' | ||
+ | Search and Rescue Practice Week-end. July 21 _ 22, 1962. Nin. Melville says that the outing will not be designed as a picnic. See the -Club' | ||
+ | -ITEMSFOR INFORMATION. Blocks 8-9 Parish of Bulgo. It is anticipated TEET-MITT777EIT-Ee resumed, but it is not clear whether it will be 'added to Garrawarra or :National Park. | ||
+ | EL294...cti.I: | ||
+ | na17-177777e-nii-Conservation Service about the proposed work to be done at Bouddi. A date for a working bee is yet to be fixed. Search and Rescue. A party from Newcastle Y.M.C.A., decided to come | ||
+ | UTIT7TTETRe-linion at Blue Gum via Victoria Falls. Owing to a sprained ankle and illness the party did not reach their cars at Govett' | ||
+ | S R had been alerted. Some recognition by the Royal Humane Society of the parts played by Russell Kippax and Graham Nelson in the rescue | ||
+ | at Kanangra Rivulet in March is likely. | ||
+ | | ||
+ | Heathcote Primitive Area. Application has been made by the Boy Scouts' | ||
+ | arata by motor vehicles via the Water Board road is causing the Trustees concern. | ||
+ | Tracks and Access. A large cairn has been erected and some warnirig | ||
+ | signs painted near the Hornsby Rifle Range in an effort to prevent | ||
+ | _ . | ||
+ | | ||
+ | walkers from wandering onto the Range. | ||
+ | THE NEW LOOK AT PADDY S. | ||
+ | Ski-ing Bushwalkers will be delighted with the "new look" at Paddy' | ||
+ | Double boots come as low as 91101-. Kofix. soled skis at 911916. | ||
+ | But Paddy hasn't forgotten the walker and he still has plenty of camping gar for his walking friends. | ||
+ | EQUIPNENT FOR SKIERS AND WALKERS FROM | ||
+ | PADDY' | ||
+ | ADDY PALL | ||
+ | Lightweight amp Gear | ||
+ | 201 CASTLEREAGH St SYDNEY | ||
+ | BM2685 NI I) | ||
+ | 4ei | ||
+ | 16 The Sydney Bushwalker. June 1962 | ||
+ | REPORT OF THE 1961 EXPEDITION TO THE CARSTENSZ MOUNTAINS OF NETHERLNDS NEW GUINEA - Part II. Leader Colin Putt. | ||
+ | Initial difficulties with the plans. | ||
+ | Less than a month before the party was due to leave for New Guinea, we were advised that the Christian and Missionary Alliance had refused permission for us to use their Ilaga airstrip. | ||
+ | As there was a good chance that this, | ||
+ | Temple arrived in Hollandia on May 23 and with the help of | ||
+ | Mr. Schorool of the Government Staff made the necessary contacts and arrangements. He worked hard on the problem of aecess to Ilaga, but did not at the time know of the background to the difficulties and the airfield at Ilaga was finally closed to ourselves and to another climbing party which had hoped to use it. However, permission was granted by Mr. Craig of the Australian Baptist Field Mission, to land at their Tiome station, seven days? walk through uncontrolled country from Ilaga, | ||
+ | Postponement ro | ||
+ | The other fundamental difficulty. in the execution of our plans appeared at the same time as the remaining five members of the expedition arrived in Hollandia. This arose from the shortage - completely unsuspected - of aircraft in Netherlands New Guinea at the time. N.N.G.L.M. De Kroonduif, who were to move stores and personnel to the starting point at Wamena, were unable to land DC3 aircraft there, from 6th to 9th June, because of flooding of part of the airfield, and their Twin Pioneers, which might have landed on the reduced strip, were grounded at the time with mechanical trouble. No other suitable aircraft were available in Netherlands New Guinea. At the same time, one of the Mission Aviation Fellowship' | ||
+ | June 1962 The Sydney Bushwalker 17. Tiomt_o nage., the West Baliem. | ||
+ | When we found theft we would have to walk from Tiome to Ilaga, through the North and West Baliem valleys, we consulted Mr. R. Den Haan, the Controller of the Central Highlands, and were given the following information, | ||
+ | The Baliem valleys were inhabited by members of the Dani | ||
+ | group of tribes. These are vigorous, intelligent, | ||
+ | . An arrangement was made with Mr. Den Haan, whereby we would try to make radio contact with Enarotali, on the Wissel Lakes, every evening after 11th June; if no contact was made for five days it would be assumed that we were in trouble. | ||
+ | On the morning of June 9 we flew by the regular DC3 service, with all our supplies, to Wamena and flew from there to Tiome in thr2.e.Cessna loads, with 40 pounds each of personal and party eqpipment, and a total of 80 pounds of food. We were very kindly received by the staff of the Tiome mission and school, and with their help we recruited, before noon, six Christian Dani to carry with us to Ilaga for a payment of one large bush knife each and eight others to help for the first two days for three large cowrie shells each. Ijombe, a recognised native leader of very strong and good character, was appointed head carrier, and proved to be capable and conscientious. We set off up the 1,rileri tributary of the North Baliem at 12.30 and bought some food for the carriers on the way. In camp that evening the carriers warned us that we might meet hostile natives the next day, and the guns were unpacked and assembled. On the morning of June 10, the route lay through friendly villages, here we bought enough food for the carriers for a week, and were joined by a man and his wife wanting safe conduct to Ilaga. | ||
+ | At 1 p m, as we were about to start the climb from the Mbleri river to an 11,000 foot pass into the North Baleim2 an unexpected arrow attack was made on the party from a village by the track. The bowmen fired indiscriminately on carriers and " | ||
+ | 18 The Sydney Bushwalker June 1962 | ||
+ | On the 11th we descended through dense forest to the North Baliem valley and paid off our two-day carriers where we joined the main track up the river. Carriers and tuans were now carrying loads of 40 to 45 pounds. /-L rough native track leads through the remains of deserted villages and gardens to a large native suspension bridge across the West Baliem, which we reached at 10 am, on June 12. | ||
+ | The North end of the bridge is defended by a strong stockade, and a native guard came out to talk to us. When it was seen that we were well armed, we were told that we could go up the North bank of the West Baliem which is nowadays uninhabited. The route from | ||
+ | the bridge to the head of the river lies entirely through a great swamp which is in fact probably a fossil tundra, laid down during the last ice age. At first the swamp supports a forest, but further up the river the trees are relatively sparse and the bog is clothed with tall rushes; ferns and grasses. The valley floor lies between 8000 and 9000 feet above sea level, and in the whole of the swamp, which took us 2i days to cross, there is no good going underfoot; the mud is often knee deep for long stretches. Towards the head of the | ||
+ | | ||
+ | On June 12 we tried to transmit a radio message, and found that the transmitter had been badly damaged, probably when the loads were thrown down in the skirmish in the Meleri valley, and could not be repaired in the field. | ||
+ | On June 15 we left the Baliem valley at the upper end of the great swamp, and climbed on to the 11,000 ft. high plateau which separates the headwaters of the Baleim, Ilaga and Zengilorong and Kemaboe rivers. This plateau is above the treeline, very wet and swampy, and to our surprise the country rock, the first we had seen since entering the swamps of the West Baliem, was igneous, with clear evidence of mineralisation c The afternoon weather on this plateau can be particularly unpleasant; at 4 pm on the 15th we were struck by a sudden hailstorm which so seriously affected our naked and by now rather underfed carriers that they were unable to help themselves, part of our precious half-gallon of kerosine had to be used to start a fire to prevent th= from freezing to death on the spot. On the morning of June 16 the Ilaga valley mission buildings and airstrip were seen from the edge of the plateau, and the first village was reached at 2 pm. The rest of the afternoon was spent in an unavoidable triumphal procession up the valley; at 6 pm we reached the Ilaga Mission and were received with great kindness and hospitality by Mr and Mrs Larson, who gave us the use of a large building to camp in. | ||
+ | To be continued. | ||
+ | III UAD SitEJA11.1 101JfiSI1A on 9E32 | ||
+ | iii i' | ||
+ | 011 _on Cii-\J\JJ CiiiTh | ||
+ | rrl | ||
+ | CENTRAL AUSTRALIA, ALICE SPRINGS, AYERS ROCK TOUR (DURATION 3 WEEKS). | ||
+ | TOUR " | ||
+ | Mary Kathleen, Mt. Isa, Flynn Memorial, Tennant Creek, Alice Springs (2 days), Ayers Rock (2 days), Mt. Olga, Coober Pedy, Pt. Augusta and Broken Hill. FARE E 55, 0. O. | ||
+ | CENT. AUST. AND NTH. TERRITORY (INCLUDING | ||
+ | TOUR " | ||
+ | Itinerary as Tours " | ||
+ | NORTHERN QUEENSLAND, ATHERTON TABLELANDS AND COOKTOWN TOUR (DURATION 3 WEEKS). | ||
+ | TOUR " | ||
+ | Travelling via Newcastle, Kampsey, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Rockhampton, | ||
+ | (1 day), Daintree, Cairns, (Green Is.), Charters Towers, Clermont, Toowoomba, Tenterfield and Tamworth. FARE E 54. 0, O. | ||
+ | WESTERN AUSTRALIA CAVES AND WILD FLOWERS TOUR (DURATION 4 WEEKS). | ||
+ | TOUR " | ||
+ | Travelling via Albury, Bendigo, Bordertown, " | ||
+ | GRAND AROUND AUSTRALIA ALL STATES TOUR (DURATION 76 DAYS). | ||
+ | TOUR " | ||
+ | Travelling via Taree, Brisbane (1 day), Rockhampton, | ||
+ | Mataranka (1 day), Darwin (2 days), Rum Jungle, Wyndham, Derby, Broome (1 day), Marble Bar (1 day), liammersley Ranges (3 days), Carnarvon (1 day), Geraldton | ||
+ | (2 days), Perth (3 days), Margaret River Caves (2 days), Albany (1 day), Esperance, Nullabor Plains, Adelaide (1 day), Melbourne, Gundagai. FARE E 125.10. O. | ||
+ | N.B. OTHER TOURS TO FLINDERS RANGES (TOUR " | ||
+ | TOUR " | ||
+ | BOOKINGS AND INFORMATION : V. C. PENFOLD, GREYHOUND PACIFIC LTD., P.O. BOX 50, COOLANGATTA. QLD, | ||
+ | June 1962 The Sydney Bushwalker 19 | ||
+ | THE SAWS ARE SILENT KW. | ||
+ | Jim Brown. | ||
+ | In the magazine of September 1953: Alex Colley in a story of the pre-fire trail walk from Putty to Monundilla and beyond, wrote "As we neared Coricudgy the angry whirr of buzz-saws tearing into the remainder of the rare Eucalyptus Globulus trees that were once the glory of the mountain, became louder." | ||
+ | Lately I made a kind of sentimental journey back to Coricudgy - | ||
+ | this time the easy way from the Rylstone side - and at last the saws are silent, and the big mountain, rather like an old tired and mangy lion, crouches on his angle of the Dividing Range towering above the headwaters of three river systems - the westward flowing Cudgegong, | ||
+ | tributary of the Macquarie; the southern feeders of the Hunter, (Blackwater Creek, Widden Brook); the north western heads of the Colo - the tops of Wollemi Creek. | ||
+ | If you travel the way I did, the foot of the mountain is about | ||
+ | 170 miles from Sydney via Lithgow, the Mudgee Road as far as Ifordi | ||
+ | then Kandos and Rylstone, where a side road to the eqst is signposted "Glen Alice, Glen Davis, Narrango" | ||
+ | road forks, and the northern branch marked " | ||
+ | Tawinbang and Corricudgy. They aren't indicated. | ||
+ | The road is good to Olinda, where a left hand branch goes off to Nullo Mountain, then deteriorates rapidly, It is still some 12 miles or so to the base of Coricudgy, along a road marked " | ||
+ | Beyond the hut the main ' | ||
+ | There is a good layer of rich brown basalt soil on the top, 800' or so of Coricudgy; and as the mountain is probably 2 miles north-south, | ||
+ | 20 The Sydney Bushwalker June 1962 | ||
+ | I left the vehicle at the foot of the main climb and walked up past the Fire Watcher' | ||
+ | Up to this corner, the main points to catch: the eye are Mount Boonbourwal south across the tops of the Cudgegong, and Mounts Darcy and Durambang in the same range. ' | ||
+ | Once you round the corner, a whole new vista takes the eye. East lies Yengo and north a little way the other big flat-top near Howes Valley, Mt. Wareng. Straight ahead the three pinnacles of | ||
+ | the Kekeelbon Mountains; : north-east Mbnundilla, presenting a narrow aspect like the stern 'of 'a ship (Munundilla' | ||
+ | It had been something of a disappointment on the previous trip over Coricudgy that there was no time to spend on a lazy look-around, | ||
+ | I traced the road to the northern end-of the summit, and there it broke down into a series of logging tracks, one of which took me to the tops. Because of the vegetation the ViZIATS were harder ta get one must push through to. the rim:' since the sun was going over toward the north-west, there;mas-a great deal of glare, and in that direction, towards Nullo.Mountain; | ||
+ | 21. The Sydney Bushwalker June 1962. | ||
+ | About 4 pm. having made a full circuit of the mountain I was back to the "Fire Trail to Three Ways", For old time's sake I decided to camp over at the Kekeelbon Peaks. Nine years ago it took us from 3 pm one day until 10 next morning - probably four hours walking - but with the aid of the jeep road I felt quite confident of making it in the opposite direction, with a generally falling grade in 1* hours. | ||
+ | What I did forget was that this is very " | ||
+ | Somewhere on the way I recognised the little patch of stunted | ||
+ | sally gum where Ray Kirkby, Ira Butler and I stood shivering in the bitter west wind at nightfall on a June day whilst Alex checked that there was water in a steep little gully before we made camp. And at the Kekeelbons I was forcibly reminded of the draaghty nature of this country when the only water I could find in the darkening after- | ||
+ | noon was a pool in a wheel rut - it was tha colour of very strong tea with a dash of milk. It had to suffice. | ||
+ | Even with their quota of fire trails the Northern Blue Mountains still possess an indefinable quality of wildness. Even campers by a | ||
+ | fire trail carrying recent jeep tracks, and walking back to Coricudgy next morning I felt really alone and out in the bush. It may be just a reaction to memories of other days and other trips, when it really was a lost and lonely areal but to me it still feels some of the roughest country in the State" | ||
+ | " | ||
+ | An old aboriginal saying, which freely translated means " | ||
+ | 22. The Sydney Bushlvmlker | ||
+ | SCIENCE - NATURALLY. | ||
+ | Lightweight "Food Pack" for Arm | ||
+ | "The Australian soldier will eoon be able to carry in hie pack enough meat and Vegetables to-laet him six days in an emergency and its total weight will be only-about 12 lb. | ||
+ | The ration -has been evolved at the Army Food Science Research Station at Scottsdale, Tasmania, and is-now being tested under service conditions by troops of the Citizen Military Forces in that State. | ||
+ | At the research station, bedf, mutton and vegetables are dehydrated and compressed into blocks about two inches square and half an inch thick, each weighing about 2i' | ||
+ | At present the station is producing prototype ration packs for the Pacific Islands Regiment in New Guinea, where soldiers are | ||
+ | often on jungle patrol for days at a time.'' | ||
+ | (A recent newspaper item). | ||
+ | This is good stuff, but will probably leave bushwalkers a | ||
+ | little cold. Read what Eric Shipton said 27 years ago, writing about expeditions to the Himalayas. | ||
+ | The simplest method of working out the amount of food required for a given period is to allow two pounds per man per day, and to | ||
+ | divide the total suitably between the various commodities available, (flour, rice, cheeses sugar etc.) I have nearly always found this infallible - for months at a stretch one is rarely out more than | ||
+ | a day or two eith3r way. The normal Artic sledging ration is 27 oz. | ||
+ | per day, but this contains a high proportion of fat not available locally in the Himalayas." | ||
+ | We know Pam Baker and Irene Pridham went through Tasmania on 28 oz per day, and look at them! | ||
+ | We also know a few walkers who get by on even less! Is our Army hep? | ||
+ | Australia' | ||
196206.txt · Last modified: 2019/06/21 13:18 by tyreless