Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- 196609 [2016/08/15 13:15] – tyreless
+++ 196609 [2016/08/16 13:01] – tyreless
@@ Line 219: / Line 219: @@
 ----
-WHITE-OUT.
+=====White-Out.=====
-(Ski-ing in a snow storm.) - Greg Reading.
-The sky is formless and void, empty and white. Earth too is formless and. void, empty and White.
+(Ski-ing in a snow storm.)
-Here they meet.
-And I - am in between
+Greg Reading.
-When the sun shines the sky is bright and hard -
-Though a thousand miles bsyond my reach.
+The sky is formless and void, empty and white.\\
-(today I touch it with each glance l It licks my face:
+Earth too is formless and void, empty and white.\\
-I hold it on my hand!)
+Here they meet.\\
-But When the sun shines the sky is hard and bright.
+And I - am in between.
-Earth too is hard and 'bright, its edges steep and sharp.
-I strain to cut a grip on it, cling with all my might - Lest I should slide right off.
+When the sun shines the sky is bright and hard -\\
-But today the world is formless and void, empty and white. Mind too is formless and void, empty and white. Body only is moving in perfect harmony,
+Though a thousand miles beyond my reach.\\
+(today I touch it with each glance! It licks my face! I hold it on my hand!)\\
+But when the sun shines the sky is hard and bright.\\
+Earth too is hard and bright, its edges steep and sharp.\\
+I strain to cut a grip on it, cling with all my might -\\
+Lest I should slide right off.
+But today the world is formless and void, empty and white.\\
+Mind too is formless and void, empty and white.\\
+Body only is moving in perfect harmony,\\
 Floating, falling - through this nothing white.
-CONSERVATION COMMENTARY.
+----
+=====Conservation Commentary.=====
 by the Conservation Secretary, Alex Colley.
-At our Annual General meeting in March, a small Committee was appointed to represent the Club in a discussion with the Minister for Lands. The Committee consisted of Heather Joyce, Michael Elfick, the President (ex officio), Alan Rigby, whose experience and ideas will be sadly missed, and myself. It has since co-opted Henry Gold, *hose knowledge of overseas parks, together with his photographic talents, will be valuable. It has
-been an active Committee, having met four times, and visited the Minister, while individual members have inspected controlled burning methods at Canberra, photographed the Church Creek limestone formation for the Dept.
+At our Annual General meeting in March, a small Committee was appointed to represent the Club in a discussion with the Minister for Lands. The Committee consisted of Heather Joyce, Michael Elfick, the President (ex officio), Alan Rigby, whose experience and ideas will be sadly missed, and myself. It has since co-opted Henry Gold, whose knowledge of overseas parks, together with his photographic talents, will be valuable. It has been an active Committee, having met four times, and visited the Minister, while individual members have inspected controlled burning methods at Canberra, photographed the Church Creek limestone formation for the Dept. of Lands, and held discussions with top departmental and other conservationists. A great deal of knowledge of modern conservation practice has been, and is being acquired. This report seeks to summarise some of it.
-of Lands, and held discussions with top departmental and other conservationists. A great deal of knowledge of modern conservation practice has bowl, and is being acquired. This report seeks to summarise some of it.
-There is no need to reiterate the S.D.T.conservaton policy, which was adequately discussed, and approved by the General Meeting of June, 1964, but it is something new to have our long-cherished ideal of extensive primitive areas receiving support from many quarters. For long we were accused of
+There is no need to reiterate the S.D.W. conservaton policy, which was adequately discussed, and approved by the General Meeting of June, 1964, but it is something new to have our long-cherished ideal of extensive primitive areas receiving support from many quarters. For long we were accused of wanting to keep the parks for ourselves. Parks could not be created, it was said, unless roads, buildings and all mod. cons were introduced, thus making them available to the public. I have already drawn attention in the magazine to President Johnson's reference, in his Message to Congress on Natural Beauty, to "the forgotten outdoorsmen of today who like to walk, hike, ride horseback or bicycle. For "them", he said, we must have trails, as well as highways. Nor should motor vehicles be allowed to tyranaise the more leisurely human traffic." Shortly afterwards Congress set aside nine million acres of "permanent Wilderness" in which "earth and its community of life are untrammelled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain."
-wanting to keep the parks for ourselves. Parks could not be created, it was
-said, unless roads, buildings and all mod. cons were introduced, thus making
+Here in New South Wales we find Dr. Mosley now of The Australian Conservation Foundation, a geographer who has specialised in parkland studies, giving an address which could well have delivered by Myles Dunphy, whose work he describes with enthusiasm. Dr. Mosley addressed the N.S.W. Nature Conservation Council and his address has been reproduced in "Architecture in Australia", "The Living Earth", and possibly other publications.
-September, 1966 The Sydney Bus hwalker 15.
-them available to the public. I have already drawn attention the magazine to President Johnsonts reference, in his Message to Congress on Natural Beauty, to "the forgotten outdoorsmen of today who like to walk9 hike, ride horseback or bicycle. For "them", he said, we must have trails, as well
-as highways. Nor should motor vehicles be allowed to tyran:aise the more
-leisurely human traffic." Shortly afterwards Congress set aside nine million acres of "permanent Tilderness" in which "earth and its community of life are untrammelled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain."
-Here in New South Wales we find Dr. Mosley now of The Australian
-Conservation Foundation, a geographer who has specialised in parkland studies,
-giving an address which could well have delivered by Myles Dunphy, whose work he describes with enthusiasm. Dr. Mosley addressed the N.S.T, Nature
-Conservation Council and his address has been reproduced in Architecture in Australia", "The Living Earth", and possibly other publications.
 Squarely facing the "availability to the public" argument for "improvements" Dr. Mosley said:
-"Because unconfined recreation is almost by definition a minority activity
-some people are suspicious of the equity of devoting such large areas to this purposes Further, some nature conservationists fool that more intensive use offers a better prospect for successfully resisting claims for commercial alienation and so of preserving some natural values. Their attitude is defeatist but perfectly natural in view of our park history.
+"Because unconfined recreation is almost by definition a minority activity some people are suspicious of the equity of devoting such large areas to this purpose. Further, some nature conservationists feel that more intensive use offers a better prospect for successfully resisting claims for commercial alienation and so of preserving some natural values. Their attitude is defeatist but perfectly natural in view of our park history.
-For this reason it is essential to publicise the rationale for wilderness
-parks. It seems reasonable to assume that since the different activity
+For this reason it is essential to publicise the rationale for wilderness parks. It seems reasonable to assume that since the different activity groups in the community need different conditions for satisfaction it is in the public interest to preserve the maximum environmental variety. It is easy to see that since wilderness offers the maximum contrast with the city and therefore lies at the extreme end of the spectrum of recreational environment it is a particularly valuable resource. Its destruction would significantly narrow the range of environmental choice. Thus it is a half truth to say that such areas are available only for the use of the exclusive few. Like many other special community facilities, such as museums and art galleries, these are available for all who wish to use them and hence are a collective good."
-groups in the community need different conditions for satisfaction it is in the public interest to preserve the maximum environmental variety
-It is easy to see that since wilderness offers the maximum contrast with the city and therefore lies at the extreme end of the spectrum of
+Speaking of the existing park system Dr. Mosley said that it "favours the gradual conversion of all parkland to serve the interests of mass tourism." This was the reason why our policy defined a park as "a sanctuary from modern civilisation." We fully recognised the need for popular, commercialised, mass recreation areas, but said that such areas were in no sense national parks.
-recreational environment it is a particularly valuable resource. Its destruction would significantly narrow the range of environmental choice Thus it is a half truth to say that such areas are available only for the use of the exclusive few. Like many other special community facilities,
-such as museums and art galleries, these are available for all who wish to use them and hence are a collective good."
+On the subject of improvements, Dr. Mosley goes further than we were game to venture. The original report of the Conservation Policy Committee recognised the need and even desirability of roads built to the perimeter of National Parks, but stated that no road should penetrate far into the Park. The meeting thought even this was asking too much and settled for "a minimum of roads." But Dr. Mosley says it is undesirable to have good roads extending even to the wilderness boundary. A practical compromise here might be a policy of roads to "Development areas" near, (preferably outside) park boundaries but stopping short of wilderness areas. Of wilderness areas he says:
-Speaking of the existing park system Dr. Mosley said that it "favours
-the gradual conversion of all parkland to serve the interests of mass tourism." This was the reason why our policy defined a park as "a sanctuary from modern civilisation." we fully recognised the need for popular, commercialised, mass recreation areas, but said that such areas were in no sense national
+"One of the chief characteristics of wilderness recreation is that it is unconfined. If the country within the reserve is to invite the visitor to wander where he will and present a challenge to route-finding skills, it must be kept as wild as possible. The landscape should exude an atmosphere of boundless freedom. Any attempt to influence movement is clearly incompatible and these areas should be kept trackless, hutless and bridgeless. Roads and graded tracks obviously have no place in such an area and hence the satisfaction of visiting it. I believe that an element of danger should be accepted as an essential ingredient of wilderness. If, in spite of this consideration, track markings and survival huts are thought necessary for safety they should be minimal and strictly prescribed.
-parks.
-On the subject of irmovements, Dr. Mosley goes further than we were game to venture. The criginal report of the Conservation Policy Committee recognised the need and even desirability of roads built to the perimeter of National Parks, but stated that no road should penetrate far into the Park.
+The spontaneity of the visit can be spoiled by many things which are useful in some parts of a national park but undesirable in a wilderness area, such as warning notices, interpretive signs, uniformed rangers, entrance gates and other visitor paraphernalia which suggests to the traveller that he is entering a specially designed play area. The visitor can obtain all the information he needs from maps and pamphlets. Mechanised access of ahy kind is also undesirable. This includes all kinds of rough country and over-snow vehicles, ski-lifts and aeroplanes. It not only reduces self-reliance in travel and impairs the biota but also brings mechanised civilisation into the bush. All this requires that management be as unobtrusive as possible."
-. The Sydney DuShwalke:r September, 1966
-The meeting thought even this wau asking too much and settled for "a minimum
+At this point Bush Walkers may ask themselves "Is this heaven, or have we been dreaming?" Let us take a deep breath and look at another report in which Mr. C.P. Gabel, Operations Officer of the Parks Service Bureau, covers the main threat to any wilderness area likely to be established in this country - bush fires. Mr. Gabel's methods of fire protection are founded on simple facts known to any bushman. These are that fire risk and/or intensity increases with temperature, falling humidity, wind velocity, lack of rainfall and the amount and condition of readily combustible undergrowth. These factors have been calibrated and combined to create a "fire danger index." One of the measures of the index is the distance of "spotting" in advance of fires - i.e. the carrying of burning material upward from the fire and deposition some distance ahead of the fire front. This distance can be up to 7 miles on a bad day. Is there any means of controlling such a fire? Mr. Gabel thinks there is, provided the area is divided into compartments by the creation of "buffer strips". "Buffer strips" would be areas where "fuel reduction" had been undertaken. "Fuel reduction" is accomplished by a light ground fire, lit and controlled in mild conditions. There may be nothing new in this method. The aboriginals lit fires, possibly to protect the grazing lands of their game, and it is a fair bet that they never wilfully started a "wild fire" which would leave both the game and themselves to starve to death. Graziers have used fires, frequently uncontrolled, to protect their properties, often with no concern what happened to the fire once it left their boundaries. The creation of "compartments" is, however, a recent development made possible by the bulldozer. The purpose of the roads is to provide easy access both for control burning and for fire fighting.
-of roadS." Put Dr. Mosley says it is undesirable to have good roads
-extending even to the wilderness boundary. A practical coMpromise here might be a policy of roads to "Development areas" near, (preferably outside) park boundaries but stopping short of wilderness areas. Of wildernaSs'areas he says:
+Mr. Gabel's park is therefore a far cry from Dr. Mosley's Eden. It is, in fact, almost indistinguishable from a State Forest. Will this roaded and partly burnt out area sufficiently resemble a wilderness to serve as the kind of recreation area Dr. Mosley envisages? If the views of Club members are indicative, it won't. But, if uncontrolled fire destroys wilderness and roads and controlled burning can preserve part of it, isn't half a loaf better than none? It is, if these are the real alternatives. But are they?
-"One of the chief characteristics of wilderness recreation is that it is unconfined. If the country vrithin the reserve is to invite the visitor to wander where he will and present a challenge to route-finding skills, it must be kept as wild as possible- The landscape should exude an atmosphere of boundless freedom. 1,ny attempt to influence movement is clearly incompatible and these areas should be kept trackless, hutless and bridgeless. Roads and graded tracks obviously have no place in such an area and hence the satisfaction of visiting it0 I believe that an element of danger should be accepted as an essential ingredient of wilderness. If, in spite of this consideration, track markings and survival huts are thought necessary for safety they should be minimal and strictly prescribed.
-The spontaneity of the visit can be spoiled by many things which are useful in some parts of a national park but undesirable in a wilderness area, such as warning notices, interpretive signs, uniformed rangers, entrance gates and other visitor paraphernalia which suggests to the
+Take first the fire control aspect. Technically Mr. Gabel's report represents a summation of forestry experience, but, is it economically possible? When the Forestry Department, a substantial revenue producer, is short of funds for fire control, what hope have park authorities of obtaining sufficient funds to control fires over millions of acres of rough, non-revenue producing bushland? None that I can see. The danger is that they will get enough to do the comparatively easy initial work of pushing bulldozers along ridges, but not enough to maintain their roads; build dams, pay men to do control burning and fire fighting, buy equipment and, in general carry the job through to the stage of effective fire control.
-traveller that he is entering a specially designed play area. The
-visitor can obtain all the information he needs from maps and pamphlets. Mechanised access of ahy kind is also undesirable. This includes all kinds of rough country and over-snow vehicles, Ski-lifts and aeroplanes.
+Next let us examine the premise that fires destroy wilderness. Any fire, controlled or uncontrolled, destroys flora and fauna and creates erosion potential, but, as any Bush Walker knows some parts suffer much more than others. The worst areas are those frequently fired, and the best those infrequently burnt. The worst areas are almost invariably in the vicinity of huts and settlement and the best in the more remote parts. Little bushland outside State forests, with the exception of that growing between houses in settled areas such as the North Shore, escapes fires. But there are substantial areas of infrequently burnt remote country where the interval between fires is sufficient for almost complete recovery of flora and fauna. An example of this is the Deua Valley and parts of the Kosciusko State Park, where trees in the vicinity of huts have been killed by frequent fires but the wilderness a short distance away from huts and tracks is little affected. This leads to the conclusion that if the incidence of fires could be reduced to that of the more remote areas, wilderness might survive despite occasional burning.
-It n4.t only reduces self-reliance in travel and impairs the biota but
-also brings mechanised civilisation into the bush. All this requires that management be as unobtrusive as possible."
+Could such a reduction be achieved? Mr. Gabel prescribes several methods of reducing incidence, such as provision of fire places, restriction of access along service trails, prohibition of fire during danger periods, prohibiting or educating people against smoking away from safe places during the bush fire danger period, and even the closing of parks when the danger index is high. But for some reason he omits what the Forestry Department in its annual reports describes as the prime cause of bush fires - burning off. True, there is a law which, if obeyed, would eliminate this cause, but obviously it is not obeyed. Fires lit outside parks are allowed to travel beyond the property of the person responsible. Other fires are lit, some within the park itself, to create a no-cost "green pick" for stock. The policing of fire laws and regulations requires staff and funds, but it would be considerably cheaper than a fully roaded, equipped and staffed fire control service. It would be preferable to a partly organised service which would destroy wilderness values without giving protection. From the viewpoint of recreation it would provide an environment which could usually be enjoyed, instead of a network of roads and "buffer zones" in which true wilderness appeal would be non-existent.
-At this point Bush Walkers may ask themselves "Is this heaven, or have we been dreaming?" Let us take a deep breath and look at another report in which Mr. C.P. Gabel, Operations Officer of the Parks Service Bureau, covers the main threat to any wilderness area likely to be 4stablished in
-this country - bush fires. Mr. Gabel's methods of fire protection are foundea
+Dr. Mosley doesn't say a great deal on this subject but what he does say is not only very sympathetic to the "no roads" viewpoint, but goes so far as to question whether Mr. Gabel's methods have not already been superseded in modern park management practice.
-on simple facts known to any bushman. These are that fire risk and/or
-intensity increases with temperature, falling humidity, wind velocity, lack of rainfall and the amount and condition of readily combustible undergrowth. These factors have been calibrated and combined to create a "fire danger indez." One of the measures of the index is the distance of "spotting" in advance of fires - i e. the carrying of burning material upward from the fire and deposition some distance ahead of the fire front. This distance can be up to 7 miles on a bad day. Is there any means of controlling such a fire? Mr. Gabel thinks there is, provided the area is divided into compartments by the creation of "buffer strips". "Duffer strips" would be areas where "fuel reduction" had been undertaken. "Fuel reduction" is accomplfahed by a light ground fire, lit and contr)Iled in mild conditions. There may be nothing new in this method. The aboriginals lit fires, possibly to protect the grazing lands of their game, and it i'a fair bet that they never wilfully
+He says: "By far the greatest obstacle to the maintenance of a successful wilderness environment is the use of fire roads. Without entering into the polemics of fire ecology one can safely say that some fire control is necessary to prevent the alteration of the biota by man-made exaggeration of the fire factor and to prevent fires from affecting adjoining property. Unfortunately the existing major method of control - the fire road - detracts from wilderness enjoyment in such a way that many of the walkers I have canvassed believe that it is better to have no fire roads and risk fires in wilderness areas. The answer of course is to find methods of controlling fires without roads, and this has been done in the wilderness areas of the U.S.A., where by using helicopters to transport men and materials they have been able to abandon the fire road systems. Although helicopters are expensive it is worth remembering that there are not other major costs involved in the management of wilderness. Surely the advantage to be gained justifies their experimental use in this State."
-September, 1966 The Sydney Dushwalker 17.
-started a "wild fire which would leave both the gaEe and themselves to starve to death. Graziers have used fires, frequently uncontrolled, to protect their properties, often with no concern what happene,I to the fire once it left their boundaries The creation of "compartments" is, however, a recent development made -eossible by the buildezer. The -eurpose of the roads is to provide easy access both for control burning and for fire fighting.
+Helicopters are expensive, mighty expensive, and this points up the second economic limitation to fire control in parks. The preparatory measures - roading and control burning might be achieved by a fairly small and not prohibitively expensive organisation. But, if control is to be effective, a large reserve of trained manpower and expensive equipment must be kept on hand for instant occasional use. To keep such reserves in being for park protection, to be fully utilized perhaps only once in several years, is not financially practical. If men and equipment are not available when required, the whole system will prove futile. The solution which I have proposed to this dilemma is to make fire fighting a regular part of defence training and use defence personnel and equipment when essential.
-.Er. Gabel's park is therefore a far cry from Dr, Mosley's Eden. It is, in fact, almost indistinecuishable from a State Forest5 will this roadedeand partly burnt out area sufficiently resemble a wilderness to serve as the kind of recreation area Dr. Mosley envisages? If the views of Club members are indicative, it won't. But, if uncontrolled fire C,estreys wilderness and roads and controlled burning can preserve part of it, isn't half a loaf better than none? It is,if these are the real alternatives. But are they?
-Take first the fire control aspect. Technically Yr. Gabel 's
+Enough has been said to prove that there is no easy solution to wilderness conservation. Let us suppose we were in the Minister's seat. What would we do? Firstly, I would say, we would seek all the knowledgeable advice we could get, which is just what he has done. Nor would we commit ourselves until we had listened to all points of view. With such thoughts in mind your representatives made it clear that we were out to help rather than criticise. As a means of presenting our credentials, we outlined the Club's previous conservation efforts. We told him of current projects and asked how our efforts could be made most effective. We queried the effectiveness of fire trails. The Minister gave us a sympathetic hearing, and I believe he is with us a good part of the way. He has had extensive fire fighting experience and believes that heavy equipment is necessary for fire fighting. On this he may be right, but we hope he isn't. Perhaps the most significant thing he told us was that he will be only too pleased to receive and consider any proposals we like to put before him on suitable areas for the creation of National Parks. Detailed work on land titles is, he told us, no longer necessary - it can be done by the Department.
-report represents a summation of forestry experience, but, is it economically possible?. Then the Forestry Department, a substantial revenue producer, is short of funds for fire control, what hope have park authorities of Obtaining sufficient funds to control fires over millions of acres of rough, non revenue producing bushiand? None that I can see. The dancer is that they will get. enough to do the comparati vely easy initial work of pushing bulldozers along ridges, but not enough to maintain their roads; build Cams, pay men to do control burning and fire fighting, buy equipment and, in general carry the job through to the stage of effective fire control,
-Next let us examine the premise that fires destroy wilderness Any fire, controlled or uncontrolled, destroys flora and fauna and creates erosion potential, but, as any Bush Walker knows some parts suffer much more than
+Shortly after this we received a request from Balder Byles for photographs of the Church Creek Limestone formation. The following weekend John White and Henry Gold went down there and took excellent photographs with which Mr. Byles was very pleased.
-others. The worst areas are those frequently fired, and the best those infrequently 1,LI-Tt. The worst areas are almost invariably in the vicinity of
-huts and settlement aml ':ho. est in the more remote parts. Little bushland outside State forests, with the exception of that growing between houses in settled areas such as the North Shore, escapes fires. But there are substantial areas of infrequently burnt remote country where the interval between
+Members of the Committee believe this is a climax period for conservation and that, if we put forward a well-reasoned case in co-operative spirit, it may well be adopted.
-fires is sufficient for almost complete recovery of flora and fauna. An example of this is the Duna Valley and pnrts of the Kosciusko State Park, where trees in the vicinity of huts have been killed by frequent fires but the wilderness a short distance away from huts and tracks is little affected.
-This leads to the conclusion that if the incidence of fires could be reduced
+----
-to that of the more remote areas, wilderness might survive despite occasional burning.
-,Could such a reduction be achieved? Mr. Gabel prescribes several
+=====One More Month.=====
-methods of reducing incidence, such as provision of fire places, restriction of access along service trails, prohibition of fire during danger T)eriods, prohibiting or educating people against smoking away from safe places during
-the bush fire danger period, and even the closing of parks when the danger
-index is high, But for some reason he omits what the Forestry Department in
-. The Sydney Bushwalker September, 1966
-its annual reports describes as the prime cause of bush fires  burning off. True, there is a law which, if obeyed, would eliminate this cause, but
-obviously it is not obeyed. Fires lit outside parks are allowed to travel beyond the property of the person responsible. Other fires are lit, some
-within the park itself, to create a nocost "green pick" for stock. The
-policing of fire laws and regulations requires staff and funds, but it
-would be considerably cheaper than a fully roaded, equipped and staffed
-fire control service. It would be preferable to a partly organised service
-which would destroy wilderness values without giving protection. From the viewpoint of recreation it would provide an environment which could usually be enjoyed, instead of a network of roads and "buffer zones" in which true wilderness appeal would be nonexistent.
-Dr. Mosley doesn't say a great deal on this subject but at he does say is not only very sympathetic to the "no roads" viewpoint, but goes so far as to question whether Mr. Gabel's methods have not already been superseded in modern park management practice.
-He says: "By far the greatest cbstacle tolhe maintenance of a successful wilderness environment is the use of fire roads. Without entering into the polemics of fire ecology one can safely say that some fire control is necessary to prevent the alteration of the biota by manmade exaggeration of the fire factor and to prevent fires from affecting adjoining property. Unfortunately the existing major method of control  the fire road  detracts from wilderness enjoyment in such a way that many of the walkers have canvassed believe that it is better to have no fire roads and risk fires in wilderness areas. The answer of course is to find methods of controlling fires without roads,
-and this has been done in the wilderness areas of the U.S.A., where by using helicopters to transport men and materials they have been able to
-abandon the fire road systems. Although helicopters are expensive it is worth remembering that there are not other major costs involved in
-the management of wilderness. Surely the advantage to be gained justifies their experimental use in this State."
-Helicopters are ex-oensive, mighty expensive, and this points up
-the second economic limitation to fire control in parks. The preparatory measures  roading and control burning might be achieved by a fairly small and not prohibitively expensive organisation. But, if control is to be effective, a large reserve of trained manpower and expensive equipment must be kept on hand for instant occasional use To keep such reserves in. being
-for park protection, to be fully utilized perhaps only once in several years, is not financially practical. If men and equipment are not available when
-required, the whole system will prove futile. The solution which I have
-proposed to this dilemma is to make fire fighting a regular part of defence training and use defence personnel and equipment when essential.
-Enough has been said to prove that there is no easy solution to wilderness conservation. Let us suppose we were in the Minister's seat. What would we do? Firstly, I would say, we would seek all the knowledgeable
-advice we could get, which is just what he has done. Nor would we commit'
-September, 1966 The Sydney Dushwalker 19.
-ourselves until we had listened to all points of view. With such thoughts in mind your representatives made it clear that we were out to help rather than criticise. As a means of presenting our credentials, we outlined the Club's previous conservation efforts. 7e told him of current projects and asked how our efforts could be made most effective. 70 queried the
-effectiveness of fire trails. The Minister gave us a sympathetic hearing,
-and I believe he is with us a good part of the way. He has had extensive fire fighting experience and believes that heavy equipment is necessary for fire fighting. On this he may be right, but we hope he isn't. Perhaps the most significant thing he told us was that he will be only too pleased to receive and consider any proposals we like to put before him on suitable areas for the creation of National Parks. Detailed work on land titles. is, he told us, no longer necessary  it can be done by the Department.
-Shortly after this we received a request from Balder Dyles for photographs of the Church Creek Limestone formation. The following weekend John White and Henry Gold went down there and took excellent photographs With which Mr. Dyles was very pleased.
-Members of the Committee believe this is a climax period for conservation and that, if we put forward a wellreasoned case in cooperative spirit, it may well be adopted.
-IM10.
-TE MORE MONTH.
 by "Observer".
-Paddy Pallin's Orienteering Contest held in the Wheeny Creek area, was a great success. 17 teams (a total of 34 bushwalkers) from many Clubs competed and only 2 teams became lost (whoops, sorry, we meant temporarily mislaid). The winners were Messrs. Daniels and Lorimer of the C.M.T. (winning time 5 hours 23 mins), Messrs. Rasmanis and Kavalieris of the Newcastle Dushwalking Club ran second and Wilf Hilder and N. Rees of the C.M.T. were third. Of the Sydney Dushies, Paddy reports that Joanna Hallman and Margaret Dogertom, the only allfemale team in the contest, aid exceedingly well Paddy says it's definitely on again next year.
-Two very wellknown Club members were seen carrying a suitcase down
+Paddy Pallin's Orienteering Contest held in the Wheeny Creek area, was a great success. 17 teams (a total of 34 bushwalkers) from many Clubs competed and only 2 teams became lost (whoops, sorry, we meant temporarily mislaid). The winners were Messrs. Daniels and Lorimer of the C.M.W. (winning time 5 hours 23 mins), Messrs. Rasmanis and Kavalieris of the Newcastle Bushwalking Club ran second and Wilf Hilder and N. Rees of the C.M.W. were third. Of the Sydney Bushies, Paddy reports that Joanna Hallman and Margaret Dogertom, the only all-female team in the contest, did exceedingly well. Paddy says it's definitely on again next year.
-at Burning Palms. This would have been alright except for the embarrassment of running into Owen Marks' Saturday day walk. We can well imagine Owen's challenging cry of "the things you see when you havent got a gun."
-Scene: Ross Tyborn's 21st Birthday Party on August 6. A huge crate was carried into the assembled company in the Wyborn living room. With some trepidation our Rosso began to unpack it and after several layers were removed a real live human leg was thrust into Roszo's astonished face. Out
+Two very well-known Club members were seen carrying a suitcase down at Burning Palms. This would have been alright except for the embarrassment of running into Owen Marks' Saturday day walk. We can well imagine Owen's challenging cry of "the things you see when you havent got a gun."
--. The Sydney Dushwalker September, 1966
-popped Don Finch, full of vim and vigour despite his close confinement; a dubious sort of 21st birthday present, you might say, is Donnie Finch, but no, he was only the bearer of a beaut. new Mountain Mule pack. May that pack go to great heights - and come down safely again!
+Scene: Ross Wyborn's 21st Birthday Party on August 6. A huge crate was carried into the assembled company in the Wyborn living room. With some trepidation our Rosso began to unpack it and after several layers were removed a real live human leg was thrust into Rosso's astonished face. Out popped Don Finch, full of vim and vigour despite his close confinement; a dubious sort of 21st birthday present, you might say, is Donnie Finch, but no, he was only the bearer of a beaut. new Mountain Mule pack. May that pack go to great heights - and come down safely again!
-Once again a most promising and brimming-over Walks Programme (SspteMber-October-November) has been produced. If they all go, there's going to be some wonderful new and rarely-visited country come under the boots of S.D.T this spring. For good measure, we have a speleological trip, a snow instructional, a gourmet week-end and a "paddling on Li-Los, Inner Tubes or Surfboard" thrown in. Versatility has, perhaps, always been one of S.:D.T.'s greatest strengths.
-Dad luck about the entries in the Colour Slide Competition not being judged. As things were, acclamation from the audience proclaimed that Edna Stretton and Audrey Kenway had won joint honours.
+Once again a most promising and brimming-over Walks Programme (Ssptember-October-November) has been produced. If they all go, there's going to be some wonderful new and rarely-visited country come under the boots of S.B.W this spring. For good measure, we have a speleological trip, a snow instructional, a gourmet week-end and a "paddling on Li-Los, Inner Tubes or Surfboard" thrown in. Versatility has, perhaps, always been one of S.B.W.'s greatest strengths.
-FEDERATION REPORT - AUGUST
+Bad luck about the entries in the Colour Slide Competition not being judged. As things were, acclamation from the audience proclaimed that Edna Stretton and Audrey Kenway had won joint honours.
+----
+=====Federation Report - August.=====
 Phil Butt.
-From "Correspondence In" - The Scenery Preservation Board at Hobart reports
-that rangers have no power, to restrict entry to the Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Claire Reserve even in bad weather.
+From "Correspondence In" - The Scenery Preservation Board at Hobart reports that rangers have no power to restrict entry to the Cradle Mountain - Lake St. Claire Reserve even in bad weather.
-From "Reports" - Tracks and Access - Lindemans and Rdbertsons Pass tracks are
-to be blazed with aluminium markers by Members of Federation and then cleared by Blue Mountains City Coancil.
+From "Reports" - Tracks and Access - Lindemans and Robertsons Pass tracks are to be blazed with aluminium markers by Members of Federation and then cleared by Blue Mountains City Coancil.
-The S & R demonstration programme this year 15-16th October, 1966) will depend on offers of assistance and suggestions.
+The S & R demonstration programme this year (15-16th October, 1966) will depend on offers of assistance and suggestions.
 Mr. Paul Barnes was elected unopposed for the position of Junior Vice President.
 The positions of Convenor of the Publications Committee and member of the Conservation Bureau are still vacant and member clubs have been circularised that these positions are vacant and requesting volunteers to fill them.
-Dates of Federati4Ims:
-S & R Demonstration - 15-16th October, 1966 Federation Reunion - 11-12th March, 1967
-S & R Practice - to be decided.
-Annual General Meeting - 18th July, 1967.
+Dates of Federations:
+  * S & R Demonstration - 15-16th October, 1966
+  * Federation Reunion - 11-12th March, 1967
+  * S & R Practice - to be decided.
+  * Annual General Meeting - 18th July, 1967.