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 Next day one of the men drove us in his truck sixty miles to the crossing on the East Alligator River. From here we were to walk four days, following up the river then cutting across country through a range and so back to Jabiru.
-Following a river should not be difficult, but we soon found that unless you kept the water of the main river in view you could be lured
+Following a river should not be difficult, but we soon found that unless you kept the water of the main river in view you could be lured away even more than 90 degrees off course following one of the anabranches, or the long billabongs that arc off in mares' tails over the flat country. It took a little bit of sorting out for the first few hours, when some crossed a billabong while the others remained on its near bank. I had climbed a rocky escarpment as a look-out point for lost members, but couldn't spot anyone out among the billabongs. Making my way back through the tangled thickets I was having a loud conversation with a malley fowl, "There's no need to panic, Chooko; I won't hurt you." Suddenly came a call and there was the lost party, sitting by the riverbank. From then on we all kept, together, although Libby kindly gave me a tin of sardines in case I should have become separated again when the next meal came around.
-away even more than 90 degrees off course following one of the anabranches,
-or the long billabongs that arc off in mares' tails over the flat country. It took a little bit of sorting out for the first few hours, when some crossed a billabong while the others remained on its near bank. I had
+Arnhem Land is buffalo land. You meet them everywhere. The mothers are formidable foes if separated from their young, so whenever we came upon them unexpectedly we took good care that they were all galloping together, heads thrust forwards and horns back, and of course away from us.
-cliMbed a rocky escarpment as a look-out point for lost members, but
-couldn't spot anyone out among the billabongs. Making my way back through the tangled thickets I was having a loud conversation with a malley fowl, "There's no need to panic, Chooko I won't hurt you." Suddenly came a
+Our first night's camp in alligator country was fraught with tension. Being on the banks of the river made us easy targets, and as we chased around selecting a camp-site, each with thoughts of self-preservation in mind, everyone was remembering the story we had heard of the woman who was recently eaten alive. We lit a big fire between us and the water, and Dennis got up at frequent intervals to scan the dark water with his torch. "I want you all to come down here and give me a second opinion," quoth he. So down we would troop, to find the suspicious object he was focussing on was a floating log and what looked like eyes were knots on the wood. Sometimes we climbed up and made camp away from the water, just to be sure.
-call and there was the lost party, sitting by the riverbank. From then on we all kept ,together, although Libby kindly gave me a tin of sardines
-in case vi should have become separated again when the next meal came around.
+New country is always fascinating. Besides the buffalo there were wild pigs wallowing in the black mud, and wallabies, dingoes, emus, lizards, not to mention brown snakes and taipans - nobody was really sure how to distinguish between these two. David would have close-up frontal encounters zooming in with his movie camera, but once when the snake reared up and looked like business Dave made off hastily, dropping his red bag that contained photographic gear and exposed film, and it took quite some time to find it again, with all the company combing the underbrush, at the same time keeping a wary eye open for the hidden snake.
-Arnhem Land is buffalo land. You meet them everywhere. The
-mothers are formidable foes if separated from their young, so whenever we
+There were the usual Bushwalker adventures of route finding in unknown country. Once, rather than swim a billabong, we had to climb up through a small range, then back again to the river. Pretty rugged going up among the rocks, but very interesting.
-came upon them unexpectedly we took good care that they were all
-galloping together, heads thrust forwards and horns back, and of course away from us.
+On our second day the river spread out into a lake about a mile wide with many water birds - ducks and jabirus and magpie geese with legs on them like footballers, and white egrets and herons, and darting over the banks were russet and blue kingfishers. Whirring flights of quail rose at our approach. At night curlews wailed in rising crescendo of panic. It gave Dave the shivers - like a woman being strangled, he said. We wondered whether he spoke from first-hand experience.
-Our first night's camp in alligator country was fraught with tension.
-Being on the banks of the river made us ea.:J3, targets, and as we chased around selecting a camp-site, each with thoughts of self-preservation in
+When we left the river we took a compass course across low country, finding water when we needed it wherever the paperbarks and pandanus grew. The last day was a long one. We had hoped to get back to Jabiru by dark, but were still steering our course by starlight, and eventually tried to home in on the generator's noise. This was not such a wise move though, as we found we were cut off from the now lit-up camp by a billabong which seemed to run for miles. So we had to backtrack to get around it, and it was six very weary Bushwalkers who eventually trailed into the recreation room and were revived by cans of beer.
-mind, everyone was remembering the story we had heard of the woman who was recently eaten alive. We lit a big fire between us and the water, and Denlas got up at frequent intervals to scan the dark water with his torchk. "I want you all to come down here and give me a second opinion," quoth So down we would troop, to find the suspicious object he was
-focussing ol21 was a floating log9 and what looked like eyes were knots on
+Libby and I spent the night with the Ranger and his wife in their 60 ft. caravan. Next day he drove us out to Mt. Brockman, a place sacred to the aboriginals and very rich in rock paintings. He is apprehensive as to what may happen to this priceless treasure when the mine is finally established (its working has been held up for four years while an environment impact study is being conducted). The mountain is only two miles away from the boundary of the company's lease.
-the wood. Sometimes we climbed up and made camp away from the water, just to be sure.
-New country is always fascinating. Besides the buffalo there were wild pigs wallowing in the black mud, and wallabies, dingoes, emus, lizards, not to mention brown snakes and taipans =body was really sure how to distinguish between these two. David would have close-up frontal encounters zooming in with his movie camera, but once when the snake reared up and looked like business Dave made off hastily, dropping his red bag that contained photographic gear. and exposed film, and it took quite some time to find it again, with all the company combing the underbrush, at the same time keeping a wary eye open for the hidden snake._
+Mt. Brockman is to be included in a new northern national park - the Kakudu National Park. We climbed around its base, looking at the beautiful rock paintings on the red walls of the bat-filled caves and feeling the spirit of antiquity upon everything. We had to leave sooner than we would have liked as we had to reach Gove Peninsula before sundown.
-There were the usual Bushwalker adventures of route finding in unknown country. Once, rather than swim a billabong, we had to climb up through a small range, then back again to the river. Pretty rugged going 127) among the rocks, but very interesting.
-On OUT second day the. river spread out into a lake about a mile wide with many water birds - ducks and jabirus and magpie geese with
+Gove Peninsula is the northernmost tip of Arnhem Land. We stayed the night with a pleasant young couple, the husband being one in charge of the bauxite mine. We swam in the warm Arafura Sea and ran along the beach, and had a guided tour around the mine workings. There is a fantastic endless belt which carries the bauxite for two miles from the diggings to the process plant. (We could do with something like that to carry pebbles from the Kangaroo River to our hut building site!)
-Page 11 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER August, 1975.
-legs Ali them like fc) b ba,llers, and white egrets and herons, and darting over the banks were russet and blue kingfishers. Whirring flights of
+Our next destination was Urapunga and the Roper River Mission. One of the elders of the tribe, who spoke quite good English, met our plane and offered us the hospitality of his house for a cup of tea and use of the toilets. His pump was not working, so the boys repaired it for him. An interesting aspect of the toilets was that when you pulled the chain a large green frog came swimming out of the dwindling surge and clambered up again to his damp home in the cistern.
-quail rose at our approach. At night curlews wailed in rising crescendo
-of panic. It gave Dave the shivers - like a woman being strangled, he said. We wondered whether he spoke from first-hand experience.
+Lots of photographs were taken of the little aboriginal children on the beach. Libby bought a bark painting from the store. She asked an artist on the beach would he touch up a spot on it. He looked at it in some disgust, dismantled all the trimmings and set to and repainted the whole thing.
-When we left the river we took a compass course across low country, finding water when we needed it wherever the paperbarks and pandanus
-grew. The last day was a long one. We had hoped to get back to Jabiru
+That night we went to a beaut barbecue party and were given some large fillets of barramundi to take away with us.
-by dark, but were still steering our course by starlight, and eventually tried to home in on the generator's noise. This was not such a wise move though, as we found we were out cff from the now lit-up camp by a billabong which seemed to run for miles. So we had to backtrack to get around it, and it was six very weary Bushwalkers who eventually trailed into the recreation room and were revived by cans of beer.
-Libby and I spent the night with the Rancor and his wife in their
+We had been making enquiries along the way as to the whereabouts of a mysterious "lost city" of Arnhem Land, recently shown on T.V., but no one was sure of its location. At Roper River, however, we struck pay dirt; a huge aboriginal offered to show it to us if we would afterwards drop him off at the Roper Bar airstrip, 30 miles away.
-ft. caravan. Next day he drove us out to Mt. Brockman, a place sacred to the aborir;inals and very rich in rock paintings. He is apprehensive
-as to what may happen to this priceless treasure when the mine is finally established (its working has been held up for four years while an environment impact study is being conducted). The mountain is only two miles away from the boundary of the company7s lease.
+We offloaded all the packs to offset his weight and packed him in among the passengers (a tight squeeze for me in the gap between seats). Then, following his pointing arm, soared out 60 miles and came spot on target. It was an ancient range weathered down to a mass of spires and pinnacles with maze-like gaps between. We circled it many times and photographed it from all angles. An astounding sight! Then we returned and duly offloaded our guide at Roper Bar.
-Mt. Brochman is to be included in a new northern national park -
-the Kakudu National Park. We climbed around its base, looking at the beautiful rock paintings on the red walls of the bat-filled caves and feeling the spirit of antiquity upon everything. We had to leave
+Next day we flew to Rockhampton, then across to Frazer Island - a most beautiful place, threatened by sand-mining. We swam in the blue, blue ocean and lazed on the beach, then reluctantly headed for home.
-sooner than we would have liked as we had to reach Gove Peninsula before sundown.
-Gove Peninsula is the northernmost tip of Arnhem Land. We stayed
+Rain greeted us at Bankstown, and cold too, and a great swarm of tiny planes all homing in like a swarm of gnats at sundown. We all piled into Peter's car and so to Burwood for a dinner of barramundi from Arnhem Land.
-the night with a pleasant young couple, the husband being one in charge of the bauxity mine. We swam in the warm Arafura Sea and ran along the beach, and had a guided tour around the mine workings. There is a fantastic endless belt which carries the bauxite for two miles from the
-diggings to the process plant. (We could do with something like that to carry pebbles from the Kangaroo River to OUT hut building site!)
+Dennis is already making plans for another trip next June. Worth keeping in mind. The cost was $225 plus food.
-Our next destination was Urapunga and the Roper River Mission. One of the elders of the tribe, who spoke quite good English, met our plane and offered us the hospitality of his house for a cup of tea and use of the toilets. His pump was not working, so the boys repaired it
-for him. An interesting aspect of the toilets was that when you pulled
+====SOCIAL NOTES====
-the chain a large green frog came swimming out of the dwindling surge
+by Spiro Ketas
-and clambered up again to his damp home in the cistern.
-Lots of photographs were taken of the little aboriginal children
+On 17th September Ian Saltmarsh will hold his Assam Tea Planting night assisted by an attractive sarong-clad Assam maiden who will serve tea to all present. Come along and learn how tea is made from planting to the pot.
-on the beach. Libby bought a bark painting from the store. She asked
-an artist on the beach would he touch up a spot on it. He looked at
+The Federation Ball will be held at 8.30 p m. on Friday, 19th September at Petersham Town Hall. Two bands and supper. Prizes. Tickets $4.00 single.
-it in some disgust, dismantled all the trimmings and set to and repainted the whole thing.
-Page 12 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER August, 1975.
+Then on 24th September Wade Butler is to show a few slides on Antarctica and tell us all about his 15 month job at Mawson with the Australian Antarctic Scientific Expedition. Wade occupied his time in various ways including fishing, skiing and swimming. Yes, swimming in the Antarctic! If you don't believe me come and see and hear for yourself before Wade heads off to Hobart next month.
-*xxxx*************** M OUNTAIN
-********************
+====THE JULY GENERAL MEETING====
-**********************
+by Jim Brown
-EQUIPMENT
-*****************
-IF YOU ARE
-BUYING OR HIRING HIRING OR BUYING
-BUYING OR HIRING HIRING OR BUYING
-GEAR FOR
-WALKING ...... CAMPING Opoo000 CLIMTING ...... CANOEING 0 0 0 WALKING ...... CAMPING ...... CLIMBING ...... CANOEING o4doe
-THINK OF
-MOUNTAIN_EQUIPMENT
-Alexander Street, Crow's Nest, 2065 (On the corner of Falcon Street) Telephone 439-3454.
-for
-FAIRYDOWN SLEEPING BAGS
-HIGH LOAD PACKS (Weight 3 ib 10 oz)
-AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS YOU COULD POSSIBLY NEED
-* * * * * * * * *
-Page 13 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALICR August 1975.,
-. .
-That night we went to a b,oaut barbecue party and were given some
-large fillets of barramundi to take away with us.
-We had been making enquiries along the way as to the whereabouts of a mysterious "lot city" of Arnhem Land, recently shown on T.V., but no
-one was sure of its location. At Roper River, however, we struck pay
-dirt; a huge aboriginal offered to show it to us if we would afterwards drop him off at the Roper Bar airstrip, 30 miles away.
-We offloaded all the packs to offset his weight and packed him in
-among the passengers (a tight squeeze for me in the gap between seats),
-Then, following his pointing arm, soared out 60 miles and came spot on
-target. It was an ancient range weathered down to a mass of spires -
-and pinnacles with maze-like gaps between. We circled it many times
-and photographed it from all angles. An astounding sight! Then we returned and duly offloaded our guide at Roper Bar.
-Next day we flew to Rockhampton, then across to Frazer Island. -
-a most beautiful place, threatened by sand-mining. We swam in the ,blue, blue ocean and lazed on the beach, then reluctantly headed for home.
-Rain L'reeted us at Bankstown, and cold too, and'a great swarm of tiny planes all homing in like a swarm of gnats at sundown. We all piled into Peter's car and so to Burwood for a dinner of barramundi from Arnhem Land.
-Dennis is already making plans for another trip next June. Worth keeping in mina. The cost was $225 plus food,
-**************
-SOCIAL NOTES. by Spiro Ketas.
-On 17th September Ian Saltmarsh will hold his Assam Tea Planting night assisted by an attractive sarong-clad Assam maiden who will serve tea to all,prosent. Come along and learn how tea is made from planting to the pot.
-The Federation Ball will be held at 8.30 p m. on Friday, 19th
-September at Petersham Town Hail. Two bands and supper. Prizes. Tickets $4.00 single.
-Then on 24th September Wade Butler is to show a few slides on Antarctica and tell us all about his 15 month job at Mawson with the Australian Antarctic Scientific Expedition,. Wade occupied his time in
-various ways including fishing, Skiing and swimming. Yes, swimming in
-the Antarctic! If you don't believe me come and see and hear for yourself before Wade heads off to Hobart next month.
-Page 14 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER August, 1975.
-THE JULY GENERAL MEETING.
-by Jim Brown.
 Your reporter is pleased to record that, in the absence of a walks report, the notes for the July meeting will be quite brief. In fact he believes the July meeting should. be kept to a minimum each year, which means that the transcription of the notes into a (more or less) readable summary will take only 20 minutes instead of the usual 1 - 14.41 hours, and one can complete one's taxation return in the remaining time (I hope).
 Well, having offered this preliminary padding, it can be said that Vice-President Neville Page occupied the chair, there were about 30 folk present, and the business began at 8.25 p m0 with greetings to Robyn Preston and Dick Winthorpe, also to a last month's candidate, Linda Robbins. No