196908
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196908 [2016/04/13 08:25] – [Yerranderie] kennettj | 196908 [2016/04/23 13:43] – [Yerranderie] kennettj | ||
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Mrs. Beryl Nipparess, Scenic Road, Kilcare Heights | Mrs. Beryl Nipparess, Scenic Road, Kilcare Heights | ||
via HARDYS BAY 2256.\\ | via HARDYS BAY 2256.\\ | ||
- | Cheque, money order, etc. made payable to " | + | Cheque, money order, etc. made payable to " |
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------------ | ------------ | ||
**ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS** | **ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS** | ||
- | 4.0 | ||
Active Member 5.50\\ | Active Member 5.50\\ | ||
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Non-active with Magazine 2.50 | Non-active with Magazine 2.50 | ||
- | Subscriptions are now overdue - if you have not already paid, please send cheques etc. to :- | + | Subscriptions are now overdue - if you have not already paid, please send cheques etc. to |
The Treasurer, The Sydney Bushwalkers, | The Treasurer, The Sydney Bushwalkers, | ||
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And they chained us up to ploughs, brave boys, to plough Van Diemans Land". | And they chained us up to ploughs, brave boys, to plough Van Diemans Land". | ||
- | Lawson and Paterson looked back on the green years and the footloose mateship. Sardonically, | + | Lawson and Paterson looked back on the green years and the footloose mateship. Sardonically, |
French tradition, both avoiding involvement. Gradually, in verse appearing in the last thirty years, poets have realised the epic nature of the Australian experience, and in some hard edged lines have produced poetry as realistic and moving to prove the promise of the earlier Australian fiction. | French tradition, both avoiding involvement. Gradually, in verse appearing in the last thirty years, poets have realised the epic nature of the Australian experience, and in some hard edged lines have produced poetry as realistic and moving to prove the promise of the earlier Australian fiction. | ||
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...... if you would pray brother, pray for a clean death. | ...... if you would pray brother, pray for a clean death. | ||
- | (Furphy wrote of the sleeper cutter with his fingers caught in a split log, the other hand reaching, scrabbling, but never catching the axe to | + | |
- | chop off the fingers, the skeleton barely holding the cloth together). | + | (Furphy wrote of the sleeper cutter with his fingers caught in a split log, the other hand reaching, scrabbling, but never catching the axe to chop off the fingers, the skeleton barely holding the cloth together). |
There is serenity in a lot of Fitzgerald' | There is serenity in a lot of Fitzgerald' | ||
- | ... I think in your unanswering tombs | + | |
- | you feel, though me todays known bliss because, you, living, saw such blooms in coloured spring times far from this. | + | ... I think in your unanswering tombs\\ |
- | The practical surveyor peeps through in " | + | you feel, though me todays known bliss \\ |
- | ...... the gain | + | because, you, living, saw such blooms |
+ | in coloured spring times far from this. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The practical surveyor peeps through in " | ||
+ | |||
+ | ...... the gain\\ | ||
was learning what not to expect. | was learning what not to expect. | ||
- | Or in " | ||
- | ...... saying which In turn about and face concrete and glass as things familiarknown | ||
- | like brick, shell mortar and grey Hawkosbury stone. | ||
- | Not surprisingly many of the newer poets took explorers and erectud | ||
- | elaborate but very moving symbolic structures around them. Kenneth Slessor, | ||
- | an editor of the Sydney Sun, in "Fivo Visions of Captain Cook": | ||
- | Men who ride broomsticks with a mesmerist Mock the ty-nhoon. So, too, it was with Cook. | ||
- | Although Judith Wright took a rather large volume, "The Generations of Men" to record the misfortunes of her forbears, the Dalwoods of the Hunter | ||
- | Valley vineyard, two lines of verse are the crystallisation ... he weathered all the striding years | + | Or in " |
- | till they ran widdershins in his brain. Or, from an early poem published in wartime: | + | ...... saying which in turn about and face \\ |
- | ... round us, round the company of lovers Death draws his cordons in. | + | concrete and glass as things familiar known\\ |
- | There is a lighter side to modern poetry which nevertheless draws its strength from the same sources. David Campbell' | + | like brick, shell mortar and grey Hawkesbury stone. |
+ | |||
+ | Not surprisingly many of the newer poets took explorers and erected elaborate but very moving symbolic structures around them. Kenneth Slessor, an editor of the Sydney Sun, in "Five Visions of Captain Cook": | ||
+ | |||
+ | Men who ride broomsticks with a mesmerist \\ | ||
+ | Mock the typhoon. So, too, it was with Cook. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Although Judith Wright took a rather large volume, "The Generations of Men" to record the misfortunes of her forbears, the Dalwoods of the Hunter | ||
+ | he weathered all the striding years\\ | ||
+ | till they ran widdershins in his brain. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Or, from an early poem published in wartime:\\ | ||
+ | ... round us, round the company of lovers | ||
+ | Death draws his cordons in. | ||
+ | |||
+ | There is a lighter side to modern poetry which nevertheless draws its strength from the same sources. David Campbell' | ||
... look at me as they look for rain. | ... look at me as they look for rain. | ||
- | Or, A. G. Austin in a dugout in Torbruks | + | |
- | In my cave lives a solitary rat, (A celibate rat, | + | Or A. G. Austin in a dugout in Torbruk\\ |
- | I can vouch for that). | + | In my cave lives a solitary rat, \\ |
- | I can't resist John Manifold' | + | (A celibate rat, I can vouch for that). |
- | ...I knew a most superior camper | + | |
+ | I can't resist John Manifold' | ||
+ | ...I knew a most superior camper | ||
+ | Whose methods were absurdly wrong. | ||
+ | He did not live on tea and damper | ||
+ | But took a little stove along. | ||
There are a whole host of poets, contemporary in the last thirty years. They are worth reading. | There are a whole host of poets, contemporary in the last thirty years. They are worth reading. | ||
+ | |||
+ | --------------- | ||
+ | |||
Recent historical writings suggest that the " | Recent historical writings suggest that the " | ||
- | few permanently successful | + | few permanently successful |
- | began their operations. Pressure for closer settlement came from the middleclass | + | |
- | backloading, | + | |
- | of land holding were entirely effective, due mainly from basic misconceptions | + | |
- | of agriculture | + | |
- | TriZi 13USB7ALKER August, | + | |
====== The Yo-Yos Go Nordic ====== | ====== The Yo-Yos Go Nordic ====== | ||
- | _ . | + | A Yo-yo is a person with enough |
- | A Yo-yo is a peis& | + | |
- | . merely pleads that one changed one's parka and could ...... Just this time? | + | |
- | In a season with little snow, the fall of nearly one foot as we arrived was sufficient .to put off our cross country trip. We nooder to get back our confiJenee, this snow will only last another day; hew do we wax?, 'where do we co? These discussions in a.warm hut after a superb meal are a wonderful excuse for not washing up and itaiems a pity to lose such a fruitful and divisive subject by going. .;11 theoretical discussions, | + | |
- | FOUT of us had bout cross country skis. Bill Bourke proved to be a dedicated yo-yo, but Den Matthews, Helen Gray and myself took our skis from the rack and then, from some inner compulsion, secret voice or logical deduction achieved the greatest spread of waxes for the one condition that was possible. I went for sticky purple, Helen for sticky orange, and Don for sticky green with a touch of sticky blue under the foot. The results wore identical - we could walk downhill as fast as we could walk uphill. Don rationalised that the object was to walk uphill and you couldn' | + | |
- | PERISHER GA.,7 The next day, 8Y) Spiro Ketas, Snow Brown, Shirley Dean and Duncan, the advance party have hired skis from the Cooma Hut, presumably waxed for the expected conditions. Helen, Don, Bill Bourke and myself have done the washing up and have joined them for the run into Farm Crook arid the crossing of the snowy at Guthega. The weather is magnificent. One by one wo slide off. And fall. There is an unbreakable crust of ice. It is of the ,clear artificial variety encountered in lemon seuash. It is possible to stand and run straight, but then there is no turning resistance Falling is so easy; your bindings take effect half way along the big toe. | + | |
- | The Gap is full of brittle laughter and the sound of brittle skis and bodies coming to some sort of accomodation with the ice. Bodies meet. the ' | + | |
- | GUTHEGA; 70 can see Tait peeping over the skyline, The level snow across | + | |
+ | In a season with little snow, the fall of nearly one foot as we arrived was sufficient to put off our cross country trip. We needed to get back our confidence, this snow will only last another day; how do we wax?, where do we go? These discussions in a warm hut after a superb meal are a wonderful excuse for not washing up and it seems a pity to lose such a fruitful and divisive subject by going. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Four of us had bought cross country skis. Bill Bourke proved to be a dedicated yo-yo, but Don Matthews, Helen Gray and myself took our skis from the rack and then, from some inner compulsion, secret voice or logical deduction achieved the greatest spread of waxes for the one condition that was possible. I went for sticky purple, Helen for sticky orange, and Don for sticky green with a touch of sticky blue under the foot. The results wore identical - we could walk downhill as fast as we could walk uphill. Don rationalised that the object was to walk uphill and you couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | **PERISHER GAP** The next day, 8.30am, Spiro Ketas, Snow Brown, Shirley Dean and Duncan, the advance party have hired skis from the Cooma Hut, presumably waxed for the expected conditions. Helen, Don, Bill Bourke and myself have done the washing up and have joined them for the run into Farm Creek and the crossing of the snowy at Guthega. The weather is magnificent. One by one we slide off. And fall. There is an unbreakable crust of ice. It is of the clear artificial variety encountered in lemon squash. It is possible to stand and run straight, but then there is no turning resistance. Falling is so easy; your bindings take effect half way along the big toe. The Gap is full of brittle laughter and the sound of brittle skis and bodies coming to some sort of accomodation with the ice. Bodies meet the snow in attitudes undreamt, toes have teen turned in arcs on the far side of astonishment, | ||
+ | |||
+ | **GUTHEGA; | ||
+ | |||
+ | Someone says, "Where now, leader?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | Everyone looks at Mathews. Mathews is mute. In agony Mathews searches his soul. Finally he speaks. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "I was thinking of going up the Summit Road to Spencers Creek and the Chalet" | ||
+ | |||
+ | But aren't you the Leader? No. Then who is? | ||
+ | |||
+ | No one wants to be first among equals. I have forgotten who is carrying the roast leg of lamb for lunch. Onwards. Among the trees of Guthega Creek we find new hazards. Snow drifted over the miniature ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Consett Stephen Pass is a great white bowl of sparkling ice above us. Duncan takes a higher tack at the mountain so that he is above and behind me every time I look up. Helen has found a fluted buttress leading onto a very steep slope. Below the buttress there is an even steeper slope falling off into the creek. Mature consideration tells me I will roll forever if I try below the buttress. It is a damn awkward buttress. Trudge, trudge, trudge. The skis hold an astonishing angle on the ice. Duncan still above and. behind, Helen' | ||
- | .....= | ||
- | the dam has been the easiest yet, and spirits are renewed. | ||
- | Someone SVS, " | ||
- | Everyone looks at Mathews. Mathews is soul. Finally he speaks. | ||
- | . "I was thinking of going up the Summit the Chalet" | ||
- | -But aren't you the Leader? -No. | ||
- | -Then who is? | ||
- | mute. In agony he searches his | ||
- | Road towards Spencers Creek and | ||
- | No one wants to be first among equals. I have forgotten who is carrying the roast leg of lamb for lunch. Onwaxas. Among the trees of Guthega Creek we fina new wazards. Snow drifted over the miniature ' | ||
- | hidden rocks. Lill Bourke finds one big .enough to conceal himself, and | ||
- | from which he escapes by climbing a tree, skis and all. Helen and Duncan try Sliding until Duncan loses a stock hundreds of feet above the creek, gives his skis to Helen to carry, retrieves his stock and then foots it until he can persuade Helen to bring his skis dawn to him. The line of skiers expands, contracts, finally halts with everyone present so that a screwdriver can be founa and matches jammed into Helen' | ||
- | Consett Stephen Pass is a great white bowl of sparkling ice above us. Duncan takes a higher tack at the mountain so that he is above and behind me every time I look up. Helen has found a fluted buttress leading onto a very steep slope. Below the buttress there is an even steepr slope falling off into the creek. Mature consideration tells me I will roll forever if I try below the buttress. It is a damn awkward buttress. Trudge, trudge, trudge. The skis hold an astonishing angle on the ice. Duncan still above and. behind., Helen' | ||
We have reached the pass. | We have reached the pass. | ||
- | Duncan, holen and myself climb a small pinnacle of rock coated in ice. 7o climb to the top on skis. Dill Bourke reaches the pass and takes off | ||
- | his skis. The others come into view, toiling, walking, dragging skis across the slope of the pass. We foregather, rest, eat. The leg of lamb is carved and then the bone passed around. | ||
- | Tait is too remote, another hour's climb at least. There is a low ridge shielding us from the view of rTatsons Crags. Is it worth while to climb? Duncan, Helen and myself, having rested longer, are the only ones who think so. On the reverse slope the sound of skis on ice is astonishing. The ice is wierdly wind abraded - the view is magnificent, | ||
- | Then we turned back Duncan almost immediately disappeared. The pass up | ||
- | |||
- | which we had trudged must surely' | ||
- | There comes a time on any trip when apprehension about getting home at all gives way to the lessor apprehension of getting home before dark. Returning up Farm Creek, Mathews, Helen and myself began again to have binding problems. 70 formed the steadily plodding rearguard, watching the various styles of the others as they moved up Porisher Gap. Duncan still maintaining a higher track, Shirley marching competitively, | ||
- | Sunset and the Rearguard ci.;me to the GaP at the same time. 7Te looked .back at the Main Range and the sculptured pink ice of the Gap. Ahead of us the shadow of the Earth crept into the skye Perisher Gap astonishingly delineated. In darkness we Skiied gingerly down. Irony of irony the skis ran, turned, checked. In the light of the drying room there were long patches of white wood rubbed free of all wax and tar. | ||
- | In the all-electric kitchen, Joan Rigby had soup and coffee waiting for us. | ||
+ | Duncan, Helen and myself climb a small pinnacle of rock coated in ice. We climb to the top on skis. Bill Bourke reaches the pass and takes off his skis. The others come into view, toiling, walking, dragging skis across the slope of the pass. We foregather, rest, eat. The leg of lamb is carved and then the bone passed around. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Tait is too remote, another hour's climb at least. There is a low ridge shielding us from the view of Watsons Crags. Is it worth while to climb? Duncan, Helen and myself, having rested longer, are the only ones who think so. On the reverse slope the sound of skis on ice is astonishing. The ice is weirdly wind abraded - the view is magnificent, | ||
+ | |||
+ | When we turned back Duncan almost immediately disappeared. The pass up which we had trudged must surely " | ||
+ | |||
+ | There comes a time on any trip when apprehension about getting home at all gives way to the lessor apprehension of getting home before dark. Returning up Farm Creek, Mathews, Helen and myself began again to have binding problems. We formed the steadily plodding rearguard, watching the various styles of the others as they moved up Perisher Gap. Duncan still maintaining a higher track, Shirley marching competitively, | ||
+ | Sunset and the Rearguard came to the Gap at the same time. We looked back at the Main Range and the sculptured pink ice of the Gap. Ahead of us the shadow of the Earth crept into the sky. Perisher Gap astonishingly delineated. In darkness we skied gingerly down. Irony of irony the skis ran, turned, checked. In the light of the drying room there were long patches of white wood rubbed free of all wax and tar. | ||
+ | In the all electric kitchen, Joan Rigby had soup and coffee waiting for us. | ||
====== Andean Expedition ====== | ====== Andean Expedition ====== | ||
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Be amazed at the sophistication of a typed letter from this wild and rugged spot. Our donated Remington typewriter, carried in to base camp in rawhide nets on the backs of mules over incredibly rugged terrain, is doing a sterling job. Our base camp is situated at 14,200 ft. in a grassy cirque completely encircled by snowy giants roaring up at incredibly steep angles to heights of 20,000 ft. Yesterday, Keith McNaughton and I made the first ascent to the Expedition' | Be amazed at the sophistication of a typed letter from this wild and rugged spot. Our donated Remington typewriter, carried in to base camp in rawhide nets on the backs of mules over incredibly rugged terrain, is doing a sterling job. Our base camp is situated at 14,200 ft. in a grassy cirque completely encircled by snowy giants roaring up at incredibly steep angles to heights of 20,000 ft. Yesterday, Keith McNaughton and I made the first ascent to the Expedition' | ||
- | Today we are having a rest day at base camp Some Indians have been up to | + | Today we are having a rest day at base camp. Some Indians have been up to see us from the village of Yanama, 7 kms. down the Rio de Yanama Valley, about 3,000 ft. below us. They came bearing potatoes (papas) which they bartered for a block of Cadbury' |
- | see us from the village of Yanama, 7 kms. down the Rio de Yanama Valley, | + | |
- | . about 3,000 ft. below us. They came bearing potatoes (papas) which they | + | |
- | bartered for a block of Cadbury' | + | |
- | empty fruit tins which are highly sought after articles in this primitive community. Tomorrow they will come again bringing us half a sack of potatoes which they will exchange for the sack we gave them to carry them in. They seem delighted with the bartering bargains they make, so we are being | + | |
- | 9. THE SYDZIET BUS1-i-7ALL= August, | + | |
- | careful. not to inflate the-local 1.: | + | |
- | Cows pasture, to, l6,000, ft in the high upland pastures- and. otth catil. is frequently invaded:, by the. inquisitive b east s who wont t take no for an answer but come righ.t. up to the canip., browsing inquisitively right Lagainst the tents. .i1though.the-, | + | |
- | The clays are fine and sunny.- Put as soon as the sun sinks below the surrounding mountains the temperature drops sharply and we 'rug up'in our down jackets.. It is quite pleasant flaring the clay in shorts. and shirt, but the night temperatures drop to 20 degrees below zero at base camp,. and probabl-si- 5 or :0 degrees lower at the high camps at 16,000 feet. In.the' | + | |
- | inside the Moad.e tent with the sleeve, doors three-quarters closed. At base | + | |
- | camp we have a big Community tent where we do the cooking on2.-imuses and into this tent .everyone crowds at meal times, sitting on petrol drums and sacks and being Careful to keep their elbows at their sides while they eat | + | |
- | so as not -to,. knack their next-d.00r. neighbours off their drums. One night | + | |
- | Mike took the lid off the pressure cooker before it' had. coeled. down sufficiently and the res.ulting explosion of super-heated steam caused. pandemonium in the tightly pq,diced crowd, Three people are still being treated by Johnno the Sutton for burns. Incidentally, | + | |
- | tho name of 7E1 Varripiro'' | + | |
- | the blood of his victims for his medical project He thinks he is really . on to something, 'quite original in the way of studying the' | + | |
- | Fay Retchford 'and. Leslie 3/ | + | |
+ | Cows pasture to 16,000ft in the high upland pastures and our camp is frequently invaded by the inquisitive beasts who won't take no for an answer but come right up to the camp browsing inquisitively right against the tents although they look rather fearsome with long sharp horns they are really quite pleasant beasts and give an air of romance with their thick hairy coats and playful butting of each other. Some days an Indian will come up from the valley settlement below to check up on his cattle and we all shake hands all round and do our best at conversation in sign language and a bit of Quechua-con-Spanish, | ||
- | with broad grins of delighto | + | The days are fine and sunny. But as soon as the sun sinks below the surrounding mountains the temperature drops sharply and we rug up in our down jackets. It is quite pleasant during the day in shorts and shirt, but the night temperatures drop to 20 degrees below zero at base camp, and probably 5 or 10 degrees lower at the high camps at 16,000 feet. In the high camps up on the glacier ice the insides of the tents ice up at night and food taken from the pressure cooker is cold before it is eaten. |
- | On 26th June, Richard Bennett decided he must fulfil his obligations to Channel 9 of Melbourne, | + | |
- | my shirt-tail tucked in and my sun-cream was tastefully applied. It was | + | Fay Retchford and Leslie McNaughton, the wives of two of the Melbourne boys, have been with us at base camp for a couple of days. They are going back to Cusco tomorrow or the next day and taking all our letters out with them, so there is a great deal of letter writing going on as this might be the last chance for getting mail out till after the end of August. The girls came in on mule-back, 5 days up the Santa Teresa Valley, but they will be walking back alone. Although the country is probably the wildest on earth (and this is no exaggeration), |
- | suggested. that I borrow Fay's uplift brassiere to give more sex appeal to | + | |
- | the picture, but a fair go is a fair go - I cant breathe in the damn things | + | On 26th June, Richard Bennett decided he must fulfil his obligations to Channel 9 of Melbourne, |
- | ' | + | the picture, but a fair go is a fair go - I cant breathe in the damn things |
- | specifications, | + | long, I began to steam up so out came the shirt tail for ventilation, |
- | long, I began to steam up so out came the shirt tail for ventilation, | + | |
- | was a bushwalker in shorts. This was much more comfortable and Dirko de- | + | It's curving underside was hung with great glistening icicles and the whole effect was one of breathtaking beauty. We picked our way gingerly along this fragile airy skyway. John Gamlen and Keith McNaughton |
- | cided he wouldn' | + | |
- | came to the real climbing problems so we dressed again as mountaineers and | + | The girls are taking this film out with them when they leave today, so it should reach Australia in about three weeks time. Channel 9 has been asked to let Peter Marsh know when it will be filmed, so he will pass the information |
- | it was one Dirko and. I were on one rope and Mike Feller and John Retchford on the other. Birko took us from every angle in all sorts of hazardous | + | |
- | positions, clinging on to rock faces by our finger nails and to ice precip- | + | |
- | ices by ice-screws, ice axes and- the skin of our teeth. Film was running | + | |
- | short as we struggled up the final steep ice-filled couloir and gained the summit ice-cap. | + | |
- | met our.eyes. The entire summit was like a turbulent sea whipped up into | + | |
- | two icot high waves and then frozen into a state of icy immobility. These waves were as fragile as foam and we kicked | + | |
- | foaming ocean wave, immobilised- suddenly as it was in the act of breaking. | + | |
- | It's curving underside was hung with great glistening icicles and the whole effect was one of breathtaking beauty. We picked our way gingerly along this fragile airy skyway. John Gamlen and Keith EcNaughton | + | |
- | summit of our first virgin | + | |
- | viewers). Birko came into the Picture | + | |
- | movie film went through the gate, 240 ft, of tense gripping adventure in the highlands: Mountaineers grappling with death 18,000 ft. up in the rarified atmosphere, looking down into the miles aeep canyons where the Santa Teresa River foamed. through its rocky gorges to meet the mighty Urubamba, the Father of Taters, roaring over its rapids on its thousands of miles journey down through the jungles to the Amazon Basin and the tropic | + | |
- | The girls are taking this film out with them when they leave today, so it should reach Australia in about three weeks time. Channel 9 has been asked to let Peter Marsh know when it will be filmed, so he will pass the inf ormation | + | |
- | 11. THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER August, | + | |
====== Yerranderie ====== | ====== Yerranderie ====== | ||
- | Marion Lloyd. | + | Marion Lloyd |
- | Well, after packing | + | Well, after packing |
- | We passed through Oberon about midnight, then headed towards Black Springs, Unfortunately Alan was very mixed up about the directions and of course the road map of N.S.W. was over 30 years old and everything was out added to this we were of the firm opinion that we are NEVER wrong. However we eventually got to Black Springs and then Alan couldn' | + | We passed through Oberon about midnight, then headed towards Black Springs. Unfortunately Alan was very mixed up about the directions and of course the road map of N.S.W. was over 30 years old and everything was out added to this we were of the firm opinion that we are NEVER wrong. However we eventually got to Black Springs and then Alan couldn' |
Here we decided to have a couple of hours sleep. It was 4 a.m. and we were nearly out of petrol. How I blessed that fire, the heavy frost had frozen everything including myself. Alan, at 6 a.m, dragged us from our flea bags, stuffed us up with rib sticker (porridge) and a gallon of tea, and we set off again about 7 a.m. | Here we decided to have a couple of hours sleep. It was 4 a.m. and we were nearly out of petrol. How I blessed that fire, the heavy frost had frozen everything including myself. Alan, at 6 a.m, dragged us from our flea bags, stuffed us up with rib sticker (porridge) and a gallon of tea, and we set off again about 7 a.m. | ||
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Then we pulled up at a garage at Oberon, we noticed a car full of scouts. I asked them where they were going and they informed me that they were going to Colong Caves. One scout nearly swallowed his apple whole, when I gave a hyena laugh and tore off to tell Alan the good news. The scouts gave us all the details and instructions which sounded so easy. Needless to say they assured us with that classical remark ' | Then we pulled up at a garage at Oberon, we noticed a car full of scouts. I asked them where they were going and they informed me that they were going to Colong Caves. One scout nearly swallowed his apple whole, when I gave a hyena laugh and tore off to tell Alan the good news. The scouts gave us all the details and instructions which sounded so easy. Needless to say they assured us with that classical remark ' | ||
- | We set off along the track; about 15 minutes later there was a shriek from Dot. She had put her foot into an old rusty dingo trap. Fortunately no harm was done, but we were careful from then on. We passed about four more, if we had not been looking out for them, I am sure another foot would have been caught. We walked through a swamp, a short Puff up and down into a saddle, and brisk effort up Mt. Colong. Here we found water from a spring and had lunch on a nice grassy slope. We were all agreeably surprised to find how pleasant Mt. Oolong | + | We set off along the track; about 15 minutes later there was a shriek from Dot. She had put her foot into an old rusty dingo trap. Fortunately no harm was done, but we were careful from then on. We passed about four more, if we had not been looking out for them, I am sure another foot would have been caught. We walked through a swamp, a short puff up and down into a saddle, and brisk effort up Mt. Colong. Here we found water from a spring and had lunch on a nice grassy slope. We were all agreeably surprised to find how pleasant Mt. Colong |
- | When we were nearly on the fire trail, John Campbell, who was racing through the bush, jumped on a stick which wont straight through his sandshoe into his foot. With great presence of mind, he ripped his shoe off and sucked the debris etc. out of the wound. Of course this had the desired effect and everybody, startled. by this sight, wanted to carry his pack and one oven went to the extreme of vs7nting | + | |
- | I call really smooth, but really the wound was pretty | + | When we were nearly on the fire trail, John Campbell, who was racing through the bush, jumped on a stick which went straight through his sandshoe into his foot. With great presence of mind, he ripped his shoe off and sucked the debris etc. out of the wound. Of course this had the desired effect and everybody, startled by this sight, wanted to carry his pack and one even went to the extreme of wanting |
- | now be spent on doctoring our ailing John. It was rather hilarious, everybody knew the exact treatment and poor John, bewildered by it all, collapsed and let the first alders | + | |
- | day John remained at camp whilst we followed the creek to Yorranderie (being about 4 miles. | + | I think it is one of the most exciting |
- | I think it is one of the most excitins7 "places I have been to. To | + | |
- | start with, there is a shaft valich | + | In the main street was what appeared to be a hall, probably some pub and something else. Next was a grocer store and/or real estate and one or 2 other shops, |
- | for goodness knows how many hundreds of foot. They must have had a job pulling the trolleys up the trolley rails can still be seen. All the houses are pretty much the same; made of bark or timber slabs cemented together by | + | road is a Post Office, but unfortunately someone had bought it and were doing it up. While we were there, the people concerned were painting it green and white and many renovations were being made to it. It is the only double storey structure in the village. It made the rest of the place look terrible and took away the atmosphere of a complete ghost town. I was most upset about it because I felt that now the place is inhabited, I would not be able to sleep there and see the ghost that is rumoured to have lived inside it has even been claimed that its apparition has frightened many a bushwalker. Adjacent to it are two shacks, and in the last one we spent about half an hour sifting through papers and weeklies |
- | In the main street was what appeared to be a ball, probably some pub and something else. Next was a grocer store and/or real estate and one or 2 other shops9 | + | |
- | road is a Post Office, but unfortunately someone had bought it and were | + | About 1.5 miles up the road was the residential section. Most of those dwellings were made of mud bricks. The Church' |
- | doing it up. Mile we were there, the people concerned were painting it | + | In one backyard was an old relic of a T model Ford; about 10 yards away was half a rusty old bike frame. Margaret Wyborn informs me that it is probably the sorrowful remains of Ross's old bike that was abandoned on the last successful Mittagong - Katoomba trip. Coincidence again - Dot Noble took a photo of me attempting to ride this bike; there were several peaks in the background. Later, Dot showed a photo of a man on a horse in almost exactly the same position where I posed. It had been taken many years before by Mrs. Noble whilst doing a geology thesis at Yerranderie when she was at University. |
- | green and white and many renovations were :being made to it. It is the only double storey structure in the village. It made the rest of the | + | |
- | place look terrible and took away the atmosphere of a complete ghost town. I was most upset about it because I felt that now the place is inhabited, | + | To our delight, in another backyard was a double seater outhouse, so We all had to take it in turns in pairs to try it out. At one stage there was quite a queue. This little episode reminded me of a hilarious book called "The Specialist" |
- | I would not be able to sleep there and see the ghost that is rumoured to have lived inside it has even been claimed that its apparition has frightened many a bushwalker. Adjacent to it are two shacks, and in the last one we spent about half an hour sifting through papers and weeklilloo | + | |
- | 13. THE SYDNEY BUSH7ALKER August, | + | Some of us went across the paddocks |
- | dating back 30 years. There were, believe or not, the same scandals, sensational headings, murders, rapes, tragedies and comic strips. On the walls | + | |
- | of the lounge room were pasted front page covers of the "Woments | + | We stopped on the outskirts to explore the kiln, processing works and open cut section of the mine, then it was a fast walk back to camp. We collected our gear, had a strong brew and marched about 4 or 5 miles down the fire trail to pitch camp once more. The ground was hard, water murky |
- | a small space for breadmaking ana a big box for the wood. There was the typical lean to with corrugated iron stack chimney. It had a mud floor verandah and verandah posts. This little house was a typical dwelling of the village. That was the business part of the town. | + | but not bad and it was cold. At one stage there seemed to be a contest to see which group could build the biggest fire without being scorched or having to eat burnt food. The food was exchanged so much that some of the menus ended unspeakable, |
- | About miles up the road was the residential section, Most of those | + | |
- | dwellings were made of mud bricks. The Church' | + | Next day we set off up the path to the mountain, skirted around one side of it and than onto the ridge. Here once again, 18 members and 18 navigators had to give their opinions and of course it became a complete muddle with 18 different interpretations of north, contour lines, bearings etc. that I for one became completely confused. Of course there wore the usual reconnoitres - just as a diversion. Eventually after such a magnificent group effort we climbed off the ridge into Colong Creek and thence the pretty walk to Colong Caves. |
- | condition, but was a complete shell inside. However, seeing | + | |
- | In one backyard was an old relic of a T model Ford; about 10 yards away was half a rusty old bikeframe. Margaret Wyborn informs me that it is probably the sorrowful remains of Ross's old bike that was abandoned on | + | Here we borrowed a couple of carbide lamps and explored a few caves, after which we had a strong brew, a little bit of something to eat from several obliging cavers, bit of a chat, then along the creek and up that notorious Acetylene Ridge. How some of those cavers with all their junk and emergency rations can climb that hill is hard to comprehend. Maybe that is why they fill the hungry bushwalkers as they go by. |
- | the last successful Mittagong - Katoomba trip. Coincidence again - Dot Noble took a photo of me attempting to ride this bike; there were several | + | After a spell at the top we made fast time back to Batch Camp arriving about midday. Some were gone in ten minutes but after 4 of us had lunch, cleaned up and once more gone through the process of packing, unpacking and repacking, a couple of hours had passed by. To fill in time I walked along the road whilst the rover was being fed with water and petrol, spark plugs checked, wind screen wiper being fixed plus a hundred other mechanical operations. About 3 miles down the road I was picked up but had another half an hour delay. A couple of Victorians in a Rover wanted directions to such and such a place; they were on holidays and were aiming to follow the Great Divide its whole length via the back roads. The men pored over maps for quite a while, sometimes later after many stops and starts, Alan put them onto the right fire trail. |
- | peaks in the background. Later, Dot showed a photo of a man on a horse | + | |
- | in almost exactly the same position where I posed. It had. been taken many years before by Mrs. Noble whilst doing a geology thesis at Yerranderie | + | About 8 p.m. we had hamburgers & chips at Richmond and about 1.5 hours later arrived home tired dirty and happy. |
- | when she was at University. | + | |
- | To our delight, in another backyard was a double seater outhouse, so WO all had to take it in turns in pairs to try it out. At one stage there was quite a queue. This little episode reminded me of a hilarious book | + | John told me some days later that he was allergic to tetanus injections and had to bathe his foot every 2 hours for a couple of days. |
- | called "The Specialist" | + | |
- | in this particular art. His pride and joy was a seven seater. | + | -------------- |
- | Some of us wont across the pad-docks | + | |
- | station; one was inhabited by a mining company and the other by a water board- employee. To get there, we had to -edge past a German shepherd dog; we were agreeably surprised to find it very friendly. We had a bit of a chat to the drillers and water board employee and then took off down the road to the cemetery and some other mines, On the way we net the rest of the party5 | + | Quotes: Man lost in bush to companion as they came to a creek: "Ah detergent! We must be nearing civilisation." |
- | was brief as we decided to go b adk before we froze. | + | |
- | We stopped on the outskirts to explore the kiln, processing works and | + | The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, |
- | open cut section of the mine, then it was a fast walk back to camp. We collected our gear, had a strong brew and marched about 4 or 5 miles down the fire trail to pitch camp once more. The ground was hard, water murky | + | |
- | but not batl and it was cola. At one stage there seemed to be a contest to see which group could build the biggest fire without being scorched or | + | W. C. Phelps. (Many thanks to Marian & Owen). |
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ====== Gambolling in the Gangerangs ====== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Barry Pacey | ||
+ | |||
+ | Up and over Ti-Willa Mountain, and thanks to Galloping Callaway, we landed on Compagnoni Pass. We descended onto Ti Willa Buttress aided only by steel spikes and safety chains and as we heard night falling we found ourselves confronted by a formidable obstacle. The descent of Stockyard Spur in darkness had left many a wretched walker' | ||
+ | |||
+ | On arrival at the bottom we were met by a beaut camp site and just a suggestion of rain. However, tents were soon pitched and fires started and many a tasty morsel was soon cooking. Tea that night was a bludger' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the evening went on Jim said he thought that the huge Japanese ship building combines had been intimidating the Eskimo Kayak builders long enough and suggested that we petition the U.S. Government to unionise the poor blighters. A noted member was soon psycho-analysing a fair young femme prospective and there was an English chap who kept standing up and telling jokes about a follow named Paddy and an Irish mate of his. As lateness grew near, so did I to my sleeping bag and shortly dozed off in the arms of a fair young femme prospective with a quaint psychological problem. | ||
+ | |||
+ | After a cloudy Saturday and a bit of a drizzle On Saturday night, Sunday' | ||
+ | |||
+ | As we moved up the trail we were able to look to our right and trace our route of the previous day. Back past the high flat expanse of Ti-Willa Plateau with its long ridges reaching nearly to the top. Then past the ice-capped peak of Cloudmaker and the sow teeth of Rip, Rac Roar and Rumble which had sent many a previous walker retreating, shattered, to the bar of Caves House. As we skipped along listening to the occasional chortle of a goanna the trail was becoming noticeably wetter especially to the people at the back of the party. | ||
+ | |||
+ | This caused some puzzlement until it was discovered that the ice, which had encrusted itself on the tents the previous night, was at last, melting and dripping in a steady stream from people' | ||
+ | |||
+ | It's surprising what people save to the last, for soon there was tea and coffee and all sorts of biscuits and chocolates circulating around. | ||
+ | |||
+ | When we had finished our somewhat elongated afternoon tea, the walk in the sunshine back to the cars was a fitting end to a most delightful and eventful walk. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ------------ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Quotes : We hope that when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on our picnics. (B. Vaughan). | ||
+ | |||
+ | He that defers his charity until he is dead is, if you weigh it rightly, liberal of another man's goods rather than his own. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Art of bludging (Francis Bacon) | ||
+ | |||
+ | If I wished to see a mountain or other scenery under the most favourable auspices, I would go to it in foul weather, so as to be there when it cleared up; we are then in the most suitable mood, and nature is most fresh and inspiring. There is no serenity so fair as that which is just established in the tearful eye. (Heywood Broun). | ||
+ | |||
+ | As a nation, we Australians are wasting our air, our water and our soil. The only thing we seem to be encouraging is our concrete. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Save Colong Caves!\\ | ||
+ | (B. Vaughan). | ||
- | having to oat burnt food. The food was exchanged so much that some of the menus ended unspeakable, | ||
- | Next day we set off up.the path to the mountain, skirted around one side of it and than onto the ridge. Here once again, 18 members and 18 navigators had to give their opinions and of course it became a complete muddle with 18 different interpretations of north, contour lines, bearings etc. that I for one became cattletely confused. Of course there wore the usual reconnoitres -just as a div6rsion. Eventually after such a magnificent group effort we ' | ||
- | Here we borrowed a couple of carbide lamps and explored a few caves, after which we had a strong brew, a little bit of something to eat from several Obliging cavers, bit of a chat, then along the creek and up that notorious Acetylene Ridge. How some of those cavers with all their junk' and emergency rations can climb that hill is hard to comprehend. Maybe that is why they fill the hungry bushwalkers as they go by. | ||
- | After a spell at the top we made fast time back to Batch Camp arriving about midday Some were gone in ten minutes but after 4 of us had lunch, cleaned up and once more gone through the process of packing, unpacking and repacking, n, couple of hours had passed by. To fill in time I walked along the road- whilst the rover was being fed with water and petrol, spark plugs checked, wind screen wiper being fixed plus a hundred other mechanical operations. About 3 miles down the road I was picked up but had another half an hour delay. A couple of Victorians in a Rover wanted directions to such and-such a place; they were on holidays-ana wore aiming to follow the Great Divide | ||
- | About 8 p.m. we had hamburgers & chips at Richmond and about hours later arrived home tired dirty and happy. | ||
- | . John told me some days later that he was allergic to tetanus injections and had to bathe his foot every 2 hours for a couple of days. | ||
- | Quotes: Man lost in bush to companion as they came to a aredk: "Ah detergent! We must be nearing civilisation." | ||
- | The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use hdsure as a means of mental development, | ||
- | W. C. Phelps. (Many thanks to | ||
- | Marian & Owen), | ||
- | 17. TH.SYDNEY BUSHWALKER August, | ||
- | -Itrs surprising what people.save to the last, for soon there was tea | ||
- | and coffee and all sorts of biscuits and chocolates circulating around. | ||
- | - | ||
- | Then we had finished our somewhat elongated afternoon tea,' the walk in the sunshine back to the cars was a fitting end to a most delightful and eventful walk. . | ||
- | ..Q.utobSt. We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will -remember with gratitude how we took them along on our' picnics. (B. Vaughan). | ||
- | He that defers his charity until he is 'dead is, if you -weigh rightly, liberal of another man's goods rather than his own. | ||
- | Art of bludging: | ||
- | If I wished to see a mountain or other scenery under the most | ||
- | favourable auspices, I would go to it in foul weather, so as to | ||
- | be there when it cleared up; we are then in the most suitable mood, and nature is most fresh and inspiring. 'There is no serenity so | ||
- | fair as that which is just established in the tearful eye. (Heywood Broun). | ||
- | . As a nation, we .Australians are wasting | ||
- | - our soil. The only thing we seem to be | ||
- | crete. | ||
- | Save Oolong Caves: | ||
- | our air, our water .and encouraging is our con- | ||
- | '(B. -Vaughan). | ||
The Editor, | The Editor, | ||
- | 2.119.117.22MLI1121M21.19..E | ||
Dear Sir, | Dear Sir, | ||
- | In the latest issue of the Melbourne Weekend Club circular they reprinted a letter from the South Australian Activities Federation. | + | In the latest issue of the Melbourne Weekend Club circular they reprinted a letter from the South Australian Activities Federation. It may be interesting for the Sydney members to realise that Clubs |
- | It may be interesting for the Sydney members to realise that Clubs | + | in other States also have practical ideas about clean camp sites. I enclose their letter for you.\\ |
- | in other States also have practical ideas a: | + | Yours faithfully,\\ |
- | Yours faithfully, | + | L. G. Harrison. |
- | L. G. Harrison. | + | |
- | THE SYD1TEY BUSENLAIKER August, | + | |
- | . | + | |
- | Up and over Ti-Willa Mountain, and thanks to Galloping Callaway, we landed on Compar;noni Pass. 70 descended onto Ti Buttress aided only | + | |
- | by steel spikes and safety Chains and as we heard night falling we found ourselves confronted by a formidable obstacle. The descent of Stockyard | + | |
- | Spur in darkness had left many a wretched walker' | + | |
- | wanting for happier situations. With nostrils twitching and tongues wet- tins parched dry lips we began to walk, nay slide toward the icy crook thousands of foot below0 | + | |
- | on arrival at the bottom we were 1,:et by a beaut camp site and just a suggestion of ra.in. However, tents were soon pitched and fires started and many a tasty morsel was soon cooking, Tea that night was a bludger' | + | |
- | As the evening went on Jim said he thought that the huge Japanese ship building combines had been intimidating the Eskimo Kayak builders long enough and sugcested that we petition the U.S. Government to unionise the poor blighters. A noted member was soon psycho-analysing a fair young femme prosnective and there was an English chap who kept standing up and tolling jokes about a follow named Paddy and an Irish mate of his. As lateness grew near, so did I to my sleeping bag and shortly dozed off in the arms of a fair young femme prospective with a quaint psychological problem. | + | |
- | After a cloudy Saturday and a bit of a drizzle On Saturday night, Sunday' | + | |
- | and green and it was quite pleasant to see the water buffalo grazing there again. | + | |
- | As we moved up the trail we were able to look to OUT Tight and trace our route of the previous day. Back Past the high flat expanse of Ti-Villa Plateau with its long ridges reaching nearly to the top. Then past the | + | |
- | ice-capped peak of Cloudmaker and the sow teeth of Rip, Rac Roar and | + | |
- | Rumble which had sent many a previous walker retreating, shattered, to the | + | |
- | bar of Caves House. As we skipTled along listening to the occasional chortle of a goanna the trail was becoming noticeably wetter especially to the people at the back of the party. | + | |
- | This caused some puzzlement until it wps discovered that the ice, which had encrusted itself on the tents the previous night, was at last, | + | |
- | melting and dripping in a steady stream from people' | + | |
- | their miserable foods in front of them while all around hung tents like great bolts of crude cloth from the Centra4 Zambezi Cotton Mills. In spite of two twisted ankles and a sprained knee suffered the night before on Stockyard Spur we reached the coal SON71 cave by 2 p.m where a fire was soon in fine shape | + | |
- | 41110 | + | |
====== Notices ====== | ====== Notices ====== |
196908.txt · Last modified: 2023/08/21 18:10 by sbw