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THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER

A monthly bulletin of matters of interest to The Sydney. Bushwalkers, 14 Atchison Street, St. Leonards.
POSTAL ADDRESS Box 4476, G.P.O., SYDNEY, N.S.W., 2001.
JANUARY 1972
Editor: Jim Brown, 103 Gipps Street, Drummoyne. Tel. 81-2675. Typist: Kath Brown
Duplication: Jim Vatiliotis.
Business Manager: Ramon U’Brien, 7/25 Dartbrook Road, Auburn.
Tel. 888-6444 (Business)

IN THIS ISSUE. page
From the Editor 2
At the December General Meeting 3
“Food!” Dot Butler 5
Paddy’s Advertisement 6

Moruya - Deua River - Araluen - Braidwood Jess Martin 8
Why Bulldoze the Boyd (from the Colong Committee paper) 11
Ausventure Advertisement 12
“Buck” Alice Wyborn 13
Lilo Landlubbers Neville Page 14
Mountain Equipment Advertisement 16
Membership Notes Geoff Mattingly 18
Letter from Frank Leyden, abroad 19
That Change of Address… 20
Coming Walks, February, 1972 Pat Harrison 21
The Smokewalkers (from N.P,k. Fire Fighting Force) 22


Enquiries regarding Club – Marcia Shappert, Tel. 30-2028



From the Editor
’’Where Shall We Wander?’’
With depressing regularity, it seems, we hear of projects that threaten the accessibility of favoured walking country, if not the despoliation of the country itself. Coal mines in the Southern Blue Mountains F transmission lines near Medlow Gap, a radar-type installation spanning the Nattai Valley.; and, of course, the extension of limestone quarrying at Bungonia - all these are disturbing schemes that have materialised in the past twelve months.
Sometimes it almost seems that we are going to be crowded out, or at least hemmed in, by the “march of human progress” (cliche).
By the way, is it really Progress?
So it may be timely to have a look at what has happened to deprive us of walking country in the forty-four years since the Club was founded.
Some of the country once frequented by day-walkers has been lost - the FrenDh’s Forest, Oxford Falls area, for instance - and in other places habitation has spread out towards the Tira of the gullies, as at Engadine and Keathoote. But the presence of reserves and parklands both north and south of Sydney has contained this sprawl, and more recently the establishment of the Blue Mountains Naional Park has secured a reasonably “safe” area in the foothills west of the Nepean.
In the week-end walking country, Burragorang has been flooded, but we still have the Cox and the Kowmung above their junction, and now protected to some degree as a catchment area. The Wollondilly south of Jooriland is still ours, and the Nattai above Blue Gum Creek, notwithstanding some coal mining ventures. The Grose flows largely through the Blue Mountains Park, and so far we still have almost
unlimitea access to the vast and unchanged Colo River system. Some of the Shoalhaven Gorge will be closed by future water supply proposals, but walkers rarely enter that part of the valley.
The increase in the ownership of private transport has also extended enormously the range of our walking territory. Complete generations of walkers thirty or forty years ago never saw the Budawangs or the Northern Blue Mountains, or the high country behind Canberra - places that now appear regularly on the walks programmes as the site of normal two-day trips. Even the rash of fire trails
and bush roads carved out for various reasons ten or fifteen years back (and we deplored them at the time) have allowed excursions to
be made into some interesting places within the compass of two days.
This includes the Middle Colo (from Culoul Range) and the Southern Blue Mountains (from Bindook).
Thus, in over forty years our sphere of activity has not been too seriously diminished, and our increased mobility has so far more
Page 3 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALICER January,
than compensated for the regions lost to us. There seems good reason to hope there will be plenty of unspoiled places for our successors to walk in long after we have crossed our last watershed.
This doesn’t mean we should be complacent about it all. There is only one Bungonia. There are no readily available replacements
for the Nattai Valley. Whilst we shouldn’t cry despair that every
inroad into walking country spells irretrievable disaster for the sport, neither should we accept such development as necessary or inevitable. It’s a good cause to fight.
*#
At the December General Meeting
The attendance of 35 at the beginning of the meeting was
reasonably good, considering it was a wet night in a sequence of showery days, and there were no buses on the roads. Two of the four new members were present - Nora Freeman and Deidre Jones, but
the two male representatives, Dennis Brown and. Bill Terpstra, hadn’t made it.
Since neither Minutes nor Correspondence contained anything of
real moment, we were quite quickly at the Reports stage, with the Treasurer advising a closing balance in November of $1,171.9 only a small amount below the previous month’s tally. Pat Harrison
duly produced a fairly full statement of November’s activities, commencing with Roy Higginbottom’s Christy’s Creek trip, which had
seven starters, found low water in all streams, but experienced a snow-fall during the homeward trip. On the same week-end Neville
Page’s team of ten was on the Clyde River, going up Pigeon House on Saturday, but abandoning the attempt on Byangee Walls on Sunday owing to rain. The same rain dampened Joan Cordell’s day walkers, 14 of them, along the way from Waterfall to Uloola, but it was finer
in the afternoon when they sighted an outstanding display of flannel flowers near Audley.
A week later was the second car-swap Colo trip, reported in the last magazine. Don Findh’s account of the reverse-way party mentioned a couple of Colo walkers who were well down towards
Angorawa Creek and thought they were still above Wollemi Junctions Bill Hall took over and re-arranged Alan Hedstrom’s trip in the
Kiama area, but details of the walk were not known and Jim Callaway’s Sunday trip from Garie to Heathcote was diverted slightly to provide swimming opportunities.
Bob Younger had the Friday nighter next week-end, out into
Martin’s Creek and the Nattai. Despite some rain Saturday the trip
was highly successful - Bob applauded the early starts feasible with
daylight saving, and considered there was scope for time and motion
Page 4 TI SYLEEY BUSHWALIR January9 1972
studies. Saturday saw Neville Page with 13 people9 including 9 prospectives, heading it over Mount Solitary9 and debating with a person claiming to be a Water Board Ranger who wanted to see their permits. Meryl Watman reported that the Sunday trip from Heathcote to Engadine via Kangaroo Creek was attended by 179 and was a routine walk.
For the final week-end there was a choice of Max Crisp’s Bonnum Pic jaunt, which took out 192 they met a Mr. Sampson who owns the Wanganderry property9 and is quite amenable to walkers9 but likes to know who is going through - his Sydney ‘phone being 7895144; or Peter Levander’s substantial day walk in upper WollongaMbe Creek9 with 13 people who found the stream very muddy.
Arising from the final report9 there was some discussion on the fouling of the headwaters of some of the Colo streams. Wilf
Hilder was able to tell us that a sand-washing plant near Newnes
Junction was responsible, and on a motion by Pat Harrison it was
agreed to draw the attention of Federation. Owen Marks also had a comment on the Walks RePort9 particularly on the party which
acknowledged it didn’t have a time-pieces Don Finch9 who had reason
to be interested9 pointed out a watch was not one of the essentials
listed on the Walks Programme.
Kath Brown reminded the meeting that as yet there were no takers
for the convener or organisers of the 1972 Re-union - but no offers
were received. Phil Hall mentioned that the reservation covering the Barren Grounds ended 50-ft below the plateaus there were coal deposits9 and if mining were permitted it could cause subsidence and
damage to the rare swamp ecology on top. Wilf mentioned that the 50-ft vertical was a normal practice in such gazettals, but agreed
it could have bad results if mining occurred. We then carried Phil’s motion to write to the Lands and Mines Departments9 and ask Federation delegates to bring the matter up.
The Cloth Badge sub-committee next presented its findings9
including two saml:aes. Three quotes had beenobtained, one between 0..50 and (1:i29 another at ‘;1.25 (minimum 100)9 and the third at 85c. (no minimum). The samples (for the two cheaper models) were passed
round, and considerable discussion took place on which was the better. It was finally resolved that the cheaper (85c.) variety be adopted9
with addition of a leaf on the flannel flower and breaking of the word “Bush Walkers” - this may slightly increase the price - and that
the Club purchase 100 to be ro-sold to members only.
Only a few minor points remained. Dot Butler was able to tell us she had persuaded the Electricity Undertaking to divert a power line away from Coolana9 and Wilf Hilder reported that the access
from the Mongarlowe Road to the Budawangs had been plotted on a maps
the owners of the property wore Quite content for people to pass through subject to reasonable behaviour and cleanliness. Colin Ferguson referred to prosDootives on day test walks without packs,
and Geoff Mattingley said it was included in the list of essential

‘^,
Page 5 TIE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER January, 1972
paraphernalia, and newcomers tore also advised accordingly.
The meeting closed at 9.52 with a S. & R. alert for a youngster astray in the lower Blue Mountains. Is it happened, he walked out early the next day before the searchers took to the bush.

FOOD
(At the Club Ts Christmas Party the western wall was decorated- with a serieu of sketches and the following verse, which Dot Butler describes as “mostly Hilaire Belloc” but certainly with Butler additives.)
Alas! That various tastes in food Divide the human brotherhood!
Birds in their little nests agree With Chinamen, but not with me.
Colonials like their oysters hot, Their omelets heavy I do not.
The French are fond of slugs and frogs, The Siamese eat puppydogs.
The nobles at the brilliant Court Of Muscoyy consumed a sort Of candles held and eaten thus As though they were asparagus.
The Spaniard, I have heard it said, Bats garlic, by itself, on breads That if your President should come To lunch with you at halfpast one And you were jovially to say,
“Here’s bread and garlic! Peg away!”
I doubt if you would gain your end
Of keeping Spiro as a friend.
In Italy the traveller notes
With great disgust the flesh of goats Appearing on the table d’hotes5 And even this the natives spoil By frying it in rancid oil.
In Maryland they charge like sin For nasty stuff called terrapin And when they ask you out to dine At Washington, instead of wine, They give you water from the spring With lumps of ice for flavouring
Page 6
THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER
January, 1972
DO YOU WAFT TO KYOW WHAT’S IN STORE FOR YOU, OR DO YOU HAVE THE “ME Mr PHILOSOPHY?
We can tell you one thing that’s in store
in a few years you will be using maps scaled in kilometers with the height indication in Tasters. But for a long time you will still have to use maps graduated in yards and miles, and with the heights shown in feet.
You won’t be able to count those ounces (because every ounce counts) you will have to think in terms of grammes or litres if you insist on carrying fluids.
If you wonder what’s in store for you, try Paddy’s Store, where the equipment available is light and rugged, whether it’s rated in pounds or kilogrammes. Even a decimal dunce will get the full pound (or kilo) at Paddy’s,
PADDY PALLIN
65 Liverpool Street9 Sydney
Phone 26-2685
PADDY PALLM
Ligh-tweight Camp Gear
6g
Li VERPOoL 51-KEET, 5YDUEY
26,e685
Page 7 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER January, 1972
That sometimes kill and always freeze The high plenipotentiaries.
In Massachussetts all the way From Boston down to Buzzards Bay
They feed you till you want to die On rhubarb pie and pumpkin pie
And horrible huckleberry pie,
And_ when you summon strength to cry,
“What is there else that I can try?”
They stare at you in mild surprise And serve you other kinds of pies.
And I with these mine eyes have soon
A dreadful stuff called Margarine Consumed by men in Bethnal Green.
But I myself that here complain
Confess restrictions quite in vain.
I feel my native courage fail
To see a Gascon eat a snai13 I dare not ask abroad for tea No cannibal can dine with me.
But Walkers are a race apart
Their eating feats delight the heart.
Conic join our ranks, dear Jill and George, You’ll love to see the devils gorge.
*##
About 20 years after those expatriate Kiwis, Nan and Paddy Bourke, first came to Sydney and the S.B.W., they have lit out for Melbourne, where Paddy is to fill another niche in the hierarchy of I.G.I. Nan, of course, has been one of our backroom girls as Club Auditor for a good many years, and they have been sounding out Melbournian Geoff Mattingly as to walking clubs over there. No fixed abode as yet, because daughter Rosemary is
studying Indonesian as her language at High School, andthore’s only one
school where this is taught in Melbourne. So it’s a case of first
finding a home in a suburb within the territoy of that school.
Page 8 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER January, 1972
Moru. a Deua River Araluen Braidwood.
by Jess ilartin.
In 1936 Gordon Mannell and his uncle Jack Lynch (2 years Gordon’s
senior) were visiting a policeman relative in Braidwood, and during
their stay they browsed amongst old papers in the convictbuilt gaol, which recorded details of early settlement in the area when convicts were incarcerated in the gaol or assigned to work for property owners in the district. Amongst these old papers they found a sketch map
of “George’s Pack Track” across the ranges from Eoruya to “Bendethera” (owned. by the George family) on the Deua River the upper waters of the Moruya River.
The boys msde plans for a later holiday and after consulting
Myles Dunphy, who had visited the area some years before and then later
returned from the Krawarree side with his sister Cora to holiday with
the Rankins (a few miles downstream from “Bendethera”), Gordon wrote to old Mr. Rankin advising him of the planned trip and asking for permission to pass through the property.
At the last moment, unfortunately, Jack Lynch and Nanette Gorringe dropped out and Jean Travis, Gordon Mannell and I caught the train to Bomaderry one Saturday morning early in March, and were driven by Er. Con Bartlett to Moruya. We had to wait for the vehicular punt
at Bateman’s Bay and arrived in Moruya just in time to buy some bread, parcel up our homegoing clothes and mail them to be collected in Braidgood a week later. We walked a short distance out of the town
on the Araluen Road to camp for the night.
On the road early next morning, and crossing the bridge near the
KiaOra butter and cheese factory we began to watch for the mouth of Burrs, Creek. Just then we were hailed by a man with an Irish brogue, who told us that ETo Randolph George had ridden out to “Bendethera”
the day before and he was expecting Mr. Alan Rankin to follow him,to
look at some cattle running on the river banks. “Tell him Dinny Eillkin said that Alan Rankin had a poisoned foot and would not be out”. He discribed the beginning of the Pack Trail, where it went
up the spur behind some ola fruit trees near an abandoned farmhouse.
When replying to Gordon’s letter, Mr. Rankin had advised him to be
sure to take the righthand fork in the track near the top of the ridge, because only on that track would we come to water.
We came to an enclosure on the ridge, in which stock were penned when they were being walked to Mbruya for sale, and in a shallow gull y
below this Gordon found water, and as it was near 4 p m. we decided
to stop for the night, not knowing Where the next water would be found.
Shortly after leaving our camp spot next morning, we reached the
top of the range and the track dropped steeply down to Diamond Creek,
one of the loveliest creeks I have seen, above a fine waterfall. Wading up the creek for a short distance and crossing to the righthand side,
Page 9 TIE SYDTEY BUSHWILICR January, 1972
and then downstream for a few yards, we again climbed up and up and then down to Coondella, a really lovely grassy spot, ideal for a camp. This place, we were told later, was used by the family when crossing to the coast on horseback - a ton-hour ride.
The track wound its way round the hillside and then we saw “Bendethere - or what remained9 just the kitchen which, as was usual with so many of the old homesteads, was separate from the main house. Mr. George welcomed us, thanked us for Dinny’s message, and showed us a good spot to camp, and suggested we come over in the evening to spend some time in front of his fire, a large open fireplace in which
we sat toasting our toes. It was cold enough for a good fire, too.
An enjoyable evening was spent listening to Mr. George’s tales. He was 78, and could remember the police coming to the house when he
was a small boy, hunting the bushrangers of the Clark/O’Connell gang.
They used to hole up in the Nerringundah country near the Deua source. Near Braidwood later we met ono of the Rankin girls who had married a
member of the Clark family.
Mr. George told us of a good fishing hole - next day Gordon caught
three fair-sized perch also an apple tree, the fruit of which we thoroughly enjoyed.
We listened and yarned late into the night and Mr. George told
us that quite a number of University people had visited the Bendethera Caves in earlier years; and then he said he would show us the entrance to a cave next morning. Con Creek runs into the Deua near the house and, riding his horse, Mr. George took us up Con Creek until the bed of
the creek became dry, with the water issuing from a hole in the hillside.
Thereon we were on our own, being advised to take the right-hand creek
where it forked and we would find the cave entrance behind a figtree on the right-hand hillside of a blind gully. NT. George told us that
the aborigines in that district always planted a figtree to screen such places.
We entered the cave and found a wire rope descending into a
sinkhole, screened by ferns, at the back of the cave. However, our
torches were not ver reliable and, not being keen on dark holes, we
went no further.
Next day we said good,-bye to Mr. George and wandered down the
river, the water so clear that 15-ft. of water looked shallow. Plenty of wildlife - kangaroos, huge goannas and small and large birds, also
a few snakes; there were many wildflowers and tree orchids.
Mrs. Rankin and her two daughters, Irene and Kathleen, welcomed
us, insisting we have lunch with them, and then we made our camp on
the river bank. Hrz. Rankin had come to the river as a bride (at the time of our visit she was in her late seventies) and they were practically self-sufficient, growing their own vegetables and fruit. Poplars
had been planted when they first made their home, and these and the almond and walnut trees were magnificent.
Page 10 TI SYMIEY BUSH7A.T=13. January, 1972.
Mr. Rankin and Mr. Jim George had ridden to Krawarree to a cattle sale. In the afternoon the two men returned. Mr. Rankin, a fine looking whitebearded gontleman who looks belied his ago of 84, did not seem tired by his long ride. hr. Jim George was Randolph
George’s younger brother, and was living with the Rankins.
The Rankin womcnfold showed us many of their handicrafts. Snow
lies on the ground in winter, and the girls had made quilts of rabbit fur, piecing the different coloured skins into beautiful patchwork patterns. The house was slabbuilt with a bark roof and the interior walls lined with periodicals and newspapers a large open fireplace
in the kitchen and all their cooking, including broad and cakes, was done in camp ovens. The brick fireplace and oven outside had fallen into disrepair. The family were hoping to persuade the old couple to move to nruya,, which they did a few years later.
1Ze reluctantly refused a pressing invitation to stay all our holiday with the Rankins and after a couple of dais sot off down the
river towards Araluon. 7c next met and lunched with the Blanchards,
father, mother and daughter who was home on holidays from training at
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Their house was near the track leading out of the valley to Krawarroo. Further down river we mot Mrs. Davis and her daughter Nita, and the two children, Myrtle and Vernon. The two women had built their own cattlo drafting yards and worked the place
themselves. After an afternoon talking with the Davis’ we wont on to Noringla Creek.
Up Meringla Creek to “Yang Yalley”, a property owned by a Mr.Bensley who lived out from Braidwood. M2. Huggett, the manager, came down to
our camp and said we were to come to the house as the crock was rising and would isolate us. 7c stayed in the house overnight.
Into Araluon, where we bought more food. 7Te planned to go to Major’s Crook and from there to the Shoalhavon River, but were warned there had been a steep rise in the river and what we planned to do would be impossible.
The publican at Major’s Creek., one Syphrone Turnbull (delighted to have a now audience), regaled us with gossip about all the people we
had met, showed us his aviaries of birds, drove us to a coldmine where we were invited down the shaft for an sopection but as we would havo had to stand on one foot in a bucket to be lowered, 70 declined and then he drove us some miles across flat, scrubby, uninteresting country to near who Shoalhavon.
77e looked at the river and as it was running a banker, we decided it was not attractive, and headed for Braidwood. 7.-o lunched in a
paddock where a herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle became too interested in us, and hurriedly set out for OUT next camping spot, on a creek just out from Braidwood.
After dark 70 entered the town and as Joan and I considered we were both too dishevelled for public gaze, we waited in the doorway of
Page 11 TH1: SYDNEY BUSH7LLKER January, 1972.
a shop while Gordon visited the mail-oar office to pick. up OUT “town” clothes. Unfortunately, the town’s electricity supply had boon inaug-
urated the night before and the local policeman noticod 70 girls and he
returned, accompanied by the sergeant, just as Gordon was pulling his trousers up over his shorts an’l 70 were fastening our skirts. “Hm,
dressing in a public placc!” 7:o wore then auostioned as to our identity,
ago, and where we were staying.
71= 70 called at the police staion next day to obtain diroctions to the Bonslcy’s on the Braidwood-Nero-iga Road, and Gordon mentioned his uncle who had boon stationed in Braidwood, the sergeant was very affable. lift= referring to the previous night’s encounter) tho sorgoant told us they wore on the look-out for some escapees from an institation.
77C inspected the town, including the old gaol and some of its
records, and then ou to the Bensleys, whom Gordon had met on his previous visit.
On the Saturday the Bonslcys drove us into the town, and Gordon was interviewed by the local newspaper, and account of our “intrepid” trip appearing in the next week’s paper.
The evening mail car drove us to Tarago, whero 70 boarded the train for Sydney, after a most successful holiday.
*
717 Bulldoze the Boyill
That good question is put by the Colong Committee in a “white paper” it has issued.
For a long time, it says, forestry has ranked second bottom on the land use scale, just abovo national parks and recreation reserves. Since
a good deal of land which is too rough or too poor for agriculture or grazing is Crown Land, this is the land which the Forestry Commission has
had to use. Its proposal to use the Boyd Plateau for growing Dino
forests is thus consistent with its past policy and means.
E077CVOT7 tho “whito paper” says, the situation has changed Quito
drastically in recant times. Zlustralia has to import timber and timber products valued at about 3200-mi1lion a year, and this may be oxpoctod
to increase. Tho action to mako Australia solf-sufficiont in timbor is to grow certain high-yielding species, such as pines - particularly pinus
radiata. For most efficient working the plantations need to be concontratod so that largo volumes of timber can be supplied to processing plants.
On the other hand, grazing has becomo largely unprofitable in the field of wool production, and at present the country has to expend large
sums annually in subsidizing the wool industry..
It argues that a strong case exists for examining the practicability of devoting to timbor production areas of the Central Tablelands now given
ovor to unprofitable grazing, instead of laying waste naturally forested
Page 12
THE SYDNEY BUSINALKER
January, 1972
ALS\/LNI LRE
WITDERNESS
Have you hoard of UDJONG KULON on the Western Tip of Java? Charles Lindbergh -CP’resi ntof World Wildlife Fund USA) called this “The Last Paradise”.
We have ,ust scouted it , It is a place where you can just be, eat mango, swim, run na]pd along a white coral sand beach, explore jungle, travel in fishing boats and hide up to see one of the last 37 Javanese rhinoceros in the world, the Banteng, barking deer, wild pig, leopard and monkeys galore
MOTORIKI ISLAND North of Suva another unspoiled spot near
Fiji
KILABI farm centre, Mount Hagen another.
If you don’t want to trek to Everest or Annapurna, or in the Indian Himalayas, or climb Mt. Wilhelm, or trek across Viti Levu, or if you would like to combine active and more passive enjoyment of wilderness and if you want peace closer to home, what about a weekend at Chakola Wildlife Refuge, Kangaroo Valley?
That’s our gar2et
For catalogues
AUSVENTURE.
P.O. Box 54,
MOSMAN, N.S.W. 2088
Telephone: 960-1677.
Page 13 TES SYD1= BUSE=ER January, 1972.
areas, such as the Boyd Plateau. In this way it would enable men of the land to continue their chosen way of life utilise their skills and
a good doal of farm equipment and machinery, as wall as the “infrastructure” of roads, homes, farm buildings, power installations, etc.
Such a programme would utilise already cleared land in a locality climatically suitod to pino culture, land on which somo of the worst orosion in the State has occurred, and this could be arrested by reafforestation.
Thy Bulldoze the Boyd? As the Oolong Committee puts it, it is a good quostion.

Buck. by Alice 7yborno
(A letter written by Alice 7yborn from Canada was so long in the mails that Alice had returnod before it was received. Accompanying the
letter was a verse of appreciation about “Buck”, the golden retriever
ovmed by Ross and Eargriet, who kept Alice company while the “childron” were climbing in Alaska during July, 1971.)
7ho wagged his tail when first we met
and almost said “I don’t know you yot”? ao always wanted to load the way,
but always stopped when told to “stay”?
Uho carried his pack both there and back, and always managed to find the track? The loves to swim and chase a stick,
not small ones, but some quite thick? The comes downhill the faster,
carrying tho iceaxe for his master?
The swam to savo the canoe from sailing,
when the rope came loose, and the light was failing? Thoth funny whistle in the fog
sounds like a marmot, but is really a dog?
The runs with me until I fall
but immediately comes to me when I call?
‘The oats his meal and falls asleep
the whole night through without a poop? The comes inside the tent at night
and cuddles dawn until it’s light?
The always seems to find the Tight spot
when we want OUT lunch, and the sun is hot?
The loves to go with me in the car
and roam the hills both mar and far?
The loves the mountains and the snow as much as anyone I know?
Those friendship meant so much to me
when family and friends were over the sea?
And now I say “Goodbye Good luck”
to my handsome fourfootod hero, Buck.
*
Page 14 THE SYDNEY BUSE:TALKER January, 1972
“Li-lo Landlubbors”
by Neville Page
Like those who search for the first elusive “cuckoo” in spring, here we were eager to partake of the first blissful carefree rapturous li-b trip this season. Li-lo fanatics from way back, lining up to indulge
in the festivities offered, included our Club Jester (Alan 737born), Laurie
Quaken, Don Finch (Commander-in-Chief), Heather Smith, Dave Rostron,
Lesley Page and myself. Those who said they EiEht. be along were Peter and Barbara Finch (down from the bush), but apparently not being fired by the missionary zeal of the rest they didn’t turn up.
It was programmed as a day trip but Loslcy and I (being Monday-toFriday-only urbanites whonovor possible) set forth on Saturday afternoon, driving as far as Mount Tomah there to camp by courtesy of John and Heather 7hite on their most magnificent piece of real estate, complete with panoramic vistas for miles, fresh mountain air and rich soil just
right for rhododendrons. Don and Heather joined us that evening and the four of us settled down for a somewhat coolish night. Later TO got
a heavy show= of rain which continued steadily almost until dawn, thus
making fire-lighting for breakfast a job for a good wizard with a flameflssh generating magic wand. None of us being wizards however, we had to be content with breaking up twigs into half inch lengths and using
our lungs. Barely half-way through breakfast were we when Dave Rostron
rolled up in his Fairmont. Little past 7.30 a m. was it, but 770 took their hints kindly and hurried ourselves along as much as possible, not
to have the day pass wastefully.
Away to Mount 7ilson we roa ted, not many miles distant, there to
be greeted by that inexhaustable supply of wit, good humour, and straight-
out corn, Alan yborn. Alice was there too, but she had no intention
of going li-icing, especially on a cold, miserable, wet morning like this was. Alan too, although he had his day pack with him in which was stowed his lunch urappod in multitudinous plastic bags, said he wasn’t too keen
on a cold li-b trip and would just as soon go home and do some concreting.
This was just enough, of course, to encourage the white-ant element in
the group and soon we had a loud chorus of dissenters, not the least of whom was the leader himself. More had all that enthusiasm gone? That a bunch of pikers!! The leader, who wasn’t in too good a mood at all, had nothing bettor to suggest than a change of route to Blue Gum Forest and return via Poarce’s Pass. That being the case, Alan 7Yborn was
definitely going home to do his concreting, but wait a minute, ho had a
map showing a good walk to The Crater via Bell Crook and 7ollongambe Creek.
In true democratic style the matter was put to the vote, The Crater won (by a small margin), instructions and counter-instructions issued, Alan 7yborn was finally porsuadcd to come along as guido and wo sot forth by
car to the starting point further up the Boll road. 71hat the lead= really wanted of course, was to spend the rest of the day in the warmth
and comfort of the 77Yborn weekender at Mount Tilson. ell that was not to be, and thank goodness too, because wo would have thus missed out on a beaut little day walk..
Page 15 THE SYDNEY BUSH7ALKER January, 1972
We set forth from the Bell road about 8 miles west of Mount alson,
Don clutching his Tallerawang 1 inch to 1 milo, and Alan studying his one-off 7yborn special 2 inchcs to 1 mile. With such guidance how could we go
wrong? Immediately (as we later, but much later, learnt) we proceeded down the wrong ridge. But then, what is wrongness anywayF it’s all
relative, and as long as 70 get to where we want to go, it can hardly be said to be wrong. As I said, we followed tho wrong ridge (too far west) resulting in our arrival, after a couige of hours walking, at the brink of a formidable drop by way of a sheer cliff. 11 substantial crook flowed
below, possibly Bell Crook, but impossiblo to determine from the top. But
the walk had been an eye-opener to some very interesting terrain so far,
and oven had we boon forced to turn back at that point, the day would not have been wasted. But oven if the thought entered our heads, the need did
not eventuate as 00-leador7 advisor, navigator Dave Rostron found a good
way dawn to the creek whore it was confirmed to be Boll Crook (by its direction, volume-flow etc, though how I aon’t know since those crocks flow
in all sorts of funny patterns).
By following the crook a little, sliding down a few rocks, and doing a thigh-waist deep wade, stripping off whore necessary, we were able to
negotiate the narrow canyon-like watercourse and by chance located a safe
exit, thus enabling us to continuo on OUT chosen course. 7e now passed through country prosonting a variety of interesting scenery including monolith-typo outcrops of rook, 10 and 20 feet tall, twisted and misshapen by weat and erosion over aeons of time. Every now and then we would climb
to the top of one of those monoliths to survey the surrounding landscape of craggy peaks covered with scrubby tea-tree and low profile eucalypts, criss-
crossed with doop-out gorges. One spectacular feature of the walk was tho
prolific display of flannel flowers - clumps of creamy white blossoms extending for up to 25 OT 30 foot in a patch. Beautiful to behold indeed!
By now the initial gnawing of sharpening appotitos began to warn walkers that the time was approaching for a meal stop. It was decided though, that we should not stop until Tollongambo Creek was gained, and there we could satisfy our hunger in comfort at water’s edge.
As it turned out, 7C didn’t have long to wait because we soon came
upon another of the area’s characteristic deep gorges. Facing us from the
other side was the beautiful warm face of a deep yellow-orange sandstone cliff, and between us and the river stood three or four levels of cliff line. First away again was front-liner Dave, searching for a way dawn. According
to Alan there was a relatively easy way down, as described by daughter Lyn,
involving a squeozo hole and tunnel which negotiated the highest of the cliff linos. Upon discovering the way, it proved to be exactly as doscribod, and in fact was Quite easily negotiated by everyone.
That confronted us at the bottom, however, was no crystal clear stream awaiting our indulgence, but a thick, bright yellow, very very dirty river.
We wore not unwarned abouth this greeting as the subject of the 7ollongaMbels
polution had been raised at the Club mooting that very week, but it was still
a terriblo shock to sec this man-made dospoliation of Nature’s beauty, and here of all places, comparatively quite isolated from the activities of man.
Page 16 THESYDNEY BUSYWALICR January, 1972
Nioun
qu:L pffiefit
Perhaps you have came hack from that long holiday trip over Christmas/New Year with gear that has worn well, but is now wellworn.
Sometimes it is these testing trips that convince you that you really will have to replace that pack or that sleeping bag certainly before the return of cooler weather means a resumption of energetic walking jaunts.
That still leaves plenty of time for your to come over to North,Sydney and see what we have to offer in the way of high class, superlight equipment designed to go on taking the kind of punishment that walking gear should be built to take0
The address is
and the telephone 222914.504.
Page 17 THE SYDNEY BUSETALKER January) 1972
2pparent1y a gravelwashing plant is emptying muddy outflow into the valley, and this is eventually finding its way downstream and into the 7o11ongambe in auito substantial volumes, So thick was this coloured mud that visibility below surface was nil. Fortunately we were able to locate a side crook running freely with cool, clear water which was beautiful to drink, but the contrast was manifest to us as wo sat and watched this untouched mountain stream moot the dirty yellow river and merge together, to dontinuo its journey as a Polluted flow of harsh, undrinkablo coloured fluid.
Hero it was we had lunch, in a conveniontly placed overhang, floored with lovely soft sand, our fresh water supply babbling down across the rocks at OUT loft. Heather Passed around first of all a billy of delicious tomato soup, which was tried by everyone, and then followed it with a gourmet’s delight of different shooses, smelly and not so smelly. Others
partood of the usual cabanossi and biscuits etc. etc.
Still overcast and cool, not many of the party felt much inclined
towards having a swim in fact the only water numph to venture forth with
swimming costume was Laurie Quakcn, and he only as far as his upper calves (lower knees).
Insufficiont time was now left for The Crator, and since Alan’s indications wore that it wasn’t all that spectacular anyway, we decided to change direction and head for home. Our way back followed the route along which we should have come, so what we ended up with was the trip in reverse. But again, it’s all a matter of relativity, and who’s to say that our mistakes didn’t result in a far bettor walk than what 76,S intended. 2,1an 7ynorn took charge to loaa the way back, thoroughly baffling the true loader (Don) and some of the party members by taking us through about 200 degrees of the compass, thus giving the impression of walking in a circle. But his local
knowledge of the area proved superior to Cul. supposed logic and 170 eventually arrived. back at Boll Creek, this time at a different spot from earlier
in the day, but at a much easier place to srosss a simple walk over a
conveniently fallen log. The way into Boll Crook at this point was Torso
than following a maze, but to the man with local experience (2,1an) it was simple down one cliff and follow its base along, dropping all the time
until the crook is reached. 2-lan also showod us a perfect little camping
spot down near the creek, sheltered from the winds by cliffs, with a nearby swimming hole and unspoilt ferny glen, crystal clear pool and white sandy bottom L real Garden of Edon!
The weathor was now threatening rain, as it hal on and off throughout the day, so 7c pushed on, spirits still high. The party in general was bearing up well against the 7yborn wit which hardly stopped for a breath bctvrcen jokes (do Lop. know- why elephants have yellow on the soles of their foot?).
As we proccodod we could faintly hear the sound of cars on the Bell
roado, so we knew there was not too far to go, but before we made the road a groat bank of cloud rolled over the hill ahoad of us, threatening to
envelope the Party in its billowing white misty mass. is a precaution wo took: compass bearings on our goal to safouard against tho dangers of being
complotely surrounded by mist and low visibility. Onwards 70 marched as
Page 18 THE SYDNEY BUSH LIE. January, 1972
the cool moisture wrapped around our cars and our faces, but we weren’t far
from the road and our cars now, and we pushed on merrily and in high spirits. In fact we finished up right at the spot whore we started on the Bell road, thus initiating a round of selfcongratulatory remarks by those who considered themselves responsible.
Back we went to the yborn weekender where we ate them out of house -
ana home, and drank gallons of tea and coffee, magging and chatting about what a beaut day it had been. Reluctantly we loft, for a slower than usual drive back to Sydney after the groat lilo trip that wasn’t. But who
cares, there’ll always be the next time.

membelL11.11.1.b.21 by Geoff Eattin,zley
At the time this edition of the
committee meeting had not been held, Due to the Christmas break there are
however we hope that their enjoyment
because of this. They ares
Philip Brown Joseph Rivera
magazine went to press, January’s
so I cannot list any new members.
only four prospectives to welcome of walking will not be any less
Bob Beattie John Adams
At the end of February, the term of the following prospoctiv members will expire. Thus they should ensure that they have completed their walk requirements and passed their oral tests in time to be interviewed by the committee at its March meeting.
Leigh Sheridan Neville Lupton
Susan Hancock Margaret Merrotsy
Sally Briggs Alan Rico
Hugh Ferguson Charles Suadk
You still have time! Don’t waste your prospective membership fee
complete the requirements and become a member.

Just before Christmas word reached us through Peter Donnelly
that our recently retired Membership Secretary, Barbara Bruce, was still part of the Broken Hill scene, having evidently found it a much more
agreeable spot than originally expectea.
She had even locatea a walking group at Broken Hill, but up to that
stage hadn’t been out with them. Seems the Flinaers Ranges in South
Australia are within striking distance for rreekena jaunts, and no cleat Mootwingee (where the abo cave paintings are reputed to be rather more inspired than those at Rea Hand Cave) is almost in the daywalk
bracket.
Page 19 THE SYDTEY BUSHWALKER January, 1972
Letter from Frank 1.1yden in the Old Dart
Rambling in Sussex
24th November, 1971.
Dear Fellow Walkers
Winter’s first snow is bright in the morning
sun across the gardens and houses outside my window. Autumn gold lingers everywhere in the leafy landscape, but is fast being stripped away by the freshening westerlies.
The local Ashdown Ramblers 7alking Club has made the weekends for me something to look forward to. The large extent of the Ashdown Forest
exists because the soil is too poor for farming. It is largely a Natural
Reserve area managed by a Board of Conservators for recreation and pre-
servation. Animals are deer, foxes, rabbits, squirrels, birds, partridge,
hedgehogs, insects and fish, swans and ducks in the ponds.
I arrived at the end of the blackberry season. The Devil swishes
his tail if blackberries are eaten after Michaelmas, but as appetite is
slightly stronger than religion, we cleaned up That was still left of blackberries of the Sussex Weald and Wold, not to mention windfall apples, quinces and whatever was too clOSZ, to the public footpath.
These footpaths or rightsofway were originally whore the farm :. workers used to walk back across the fields and through the hedges and lanes to their cottages a sort of travelling stock route for people.
Now they are jealously preserved by legal enactments, track clearing parties
and volunteers to walk on them to keep them in use. Mostly farmers cooperate. Sometimes they retaliate with barbed wire, bulls and sundry
confusements. Navigation reciuires detailed Laps and groat skill and
constitution as the ‘path’ may be through eightfoot bracken, imprenetrable chestnuts or the lounge of “The Blacksmith’s Arms”.
Walks start from the local car park down past the lato Oliver Crom well’s house. Then you drive like hell through all the other mad
motorists to a place where you can get right away from the rotten things.
Walks are graded A, B, C, D with A, 20 30 miles and D, 5 miles. D’s
have 30 - 40 pso-fle and A’s 6 Or S. D’s often finish in some lovely old home, stone walls several feet thick, cosy fire, tea and home made cakes!
They are a great crowd, and I enjoy all types of the walks. In summer there: are niht walks in the long twili,.:ht and interesting coast cliff Talks. A walk is described on the Programme as “Alfriston with
cafe tea” or “Layby at Pippingford” or “Stumblewood from The Goat”. Walks reorts are fully published in both local newspaers. There arc no club rooms, hardly any office bearers or any business at all except walking and track clearing. The annual sub. is only five bob, and slide nights or social toEetherments arc at the -1)rivat., homes or by takeover of the local school.
I enjoy the beauty of the green rolling countryside with the holly
Page 20 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER January, 1972.
and bramlle hedges, the giant oaks and the slender white birch, tho beeches, chestnut and fir. Instead of stumbling over middens on walks,
substitute covens, old cravestones, mysterious monuments and hidey holes Last Sunday’s 20 miler was in the Kipling Country near Hastings. Also famous for 10660
Had a most enjoyable evening with Bill O’Neill at Covent Garden
Opera House performance of “Anastasia” ballot, Also “Great Waltz” as a
stage performance at Drury Lane Theatre. G. & S. “Patience” done by a
local group was great fun and included in cast some of the Ramblers. Also ‘qly Fair Lady” at another local theatre.
My Hillman car is great for excursions further afield such as
TunbriElge Wells, Crawley and the coast. But icy roads and fogs take every skill one has. Am totally converted to the GIVE WAY system, but
not yet to the GIVE UP system.
The night sky when clear shows my old friends The Great Bear, Pole Star, Dragon, Cassiopeia. Pleiades is about 35 degrees south from
zenith and Orion’s Belt, upside down right and loft reversed, just above the south horizon.
Every day I’m getting more like a white man, but it’s the rich,
glizgey local jersey cream and cakes that’s really killing me, and I’m
getting a proper TV bottom. But you should insist on colour TV in Australia, and stop looking at black and white substitutes.
My tasks here are the most interesting I have ever done, meeting
people from all countries and levels, making lots of friends and learning many new things.
WisLing you all sunshine, good walking, season’s greetings and all the very best -
From Frank Leyden.
*
Well, now…0 about that change of address……
Along with the Annual Report each year goes a list of membersy
their addresses and telephone numbers. This leads to three questions: (I) Have your vital statistics changed during the last few months?
(2) If so, have you notified the Secretary?
(3) If not, do you want to keep them secret? (and not receive any Club publications)
If your answers were (1) Yes s (2) No and (3) No…. better tell the Secretary RIGHT NO or your entry in the Pink Pages for 1972 will
be wrong. *
Talking of changed addresses, Will. Hilder has recently moved, and for the benefit of people who want to contact him on mapping and similar matters, advises his new address is
21 Jean Street, Seven Hills. Postcode 2147. Tele. 622-3353 (home)
Page 21 THE SYDNEY BUSH7ALKER January9 1972
Coming Ualks - February 1972
by Pat Harrison
February 49 59 6 s There has been a plethora of 7o11angambie trips on this programme. The river is also being spoilt by the sand-washing activitics upstroam at Bell. Bill gillam has therefore changed his outing to a fishing trip, oither for Bass on the Colo or for Trout in tho Middle Kowmung. Bill’s phone 520-8423 (H).
February 6t Bundeena to Otford9 the best coastal day walk there
is. Loaders Jim Callaway 520-7081 (H).
February 6s Wildflowers and apiary inspection at Darkes Forest.
Privatc transport. David Cotton the leader.
February 11,12713s L different part of the Shoalhaven9 led by Max Crisp. Phone 207333 Ext0220 (B). Kay be swimming.
February 19, 13s Abseiling in Kanangra Deep under the care of Roger Gowing 43-5281(H).
February 13: Nan Bourke, who was to take charge of the Swimming Carnival at Lake Eckersley, has gone to Melbourne to
live. Watch for notice of change of loader for this
event.
February 18,l9,20 I floxiblo trip to the 7ol1ondi11y with Robin Blumb 918-6183 (H) or 40-080 (H). Bring thc children and
relax in scenic surroundings, or wander off on your
own for womothing more energetic.
February 20s JIrethusa Canyon0 Lbsoiling and swimming absolutely
unavoidable. Pray for a heat wave. /Ilan Pike the leader.
February 25926927: Tony Donhara 99-1246 (H) has all the wrinkles for a
beaut trip through Hidden Valley and across to Folly Point in the Budo;uangs.
February 26927:
Fcbruary 27s
Bill Hall 57-5145 (H) has a 1 day camp trip in the Royal National Park. Train 12.50 p m0 electric to Cronulla.
Jim Brown 81-2675 (H) loads th,D last round-up from Holensburgh to Iiilyvale via Era and Burning Palms. Train 842 aomo country. Return Lilyvale..

Page 22 TIE S YDITLY BUSH:MEER January, 1972
The Smokewalkoro.
A circular from the National Parks Association’s Fire Fighting Force has been received, seeking additional manpower, and setting out its objectives. The following is a summary of the main points made
in this publication.
Thc Smokewalkers is a body of fire fighters dedicated to the protection of bushland from fire. They are willing to walk through rough country to get to a fire and, when reasonable safe to do so, to
extinguish the fire without resorting to the backburn method unless more direct methods are impracticable. The most apnropriate role is in suppressing quiet fires burning well away from roads in rough “inaccessible” country.
The need for this force arises from the fact that fires burning
in bushland away from roads and houses have frequently been loft to burn
unchecked, fire fighting efforts being mostly confined to the vicinity
of private properties. This is wrong because-
* If the fire becomes wind driven it may later threaten property.
* Re-,?cated fire in an area endanjer its ecological integrity by destroying certain species of plants or animals.
* Fires cause scenic depreciation of the bushland.
The Smokowalkers operate mainly in National and State Parks and Nature Reserves, but will fight fires if requested in other natural areas, including Crown Lands, State Forests and 7ater Catchments, if sufficient volunteers arc available. On occasions assistance may be given to save private property.
The telephone contact systea is so arranged that the whole force
can be alerted within about half an hour. Transport is by members’ cars and equipment is provided by the Parks and :Tildlifo Service. A
support force has been formed to deliver food and drink to the fire
fighters, to assist in driving, communicatiom, first aid, etc.
The Smokewalkers are not intended to compete with, interfere with or criticise the Voluntary Bush Fire Brigade organisation, whose main
concern is the safeguarding of life and property, and is essential for that purpose. This is a perfectly legitimate limitation (not that it always applies), but the Smokowalkors consider it should be someone’s responsibility to protect the bush itself,. The two forces should
therefore coexist and cooperate with mutual understanding and tolerance.
The Smokewaikers have asked that bodies interested consider the formation of Club groups, which would provide their own contact and
support organisation, and this matter will come before the next General
Meeting.
**

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