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- | x0xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | + | =====The Sydney Bushwalker.===== |
- | THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER | + | |
- | A monthly bulletin of matters of interest to The Sydney Bush Walkers, Box 4476 G.P.O., Sydney, 2001. Club meetings are held every Wednesday evening from 7.30 pm at the Wireless Institute Building, 14 Atchison | + | A monthly bulletin of matters of interest to The Sydney Bush Walkers, Box 4476 G.P.O., Sydney, 2001. Club meetings are held every Wednesday evening from 7.30 pm at the Wireless Institute Building, 14 Atchison Street, St. Leonards. Enquiries concerning the Club should be referred to Ann Ravn, Telephone 798,8607. |
- | Street, St. Leonards. Enquiries concerning the Club should be referred | + | |
- | to Ann Ravn, Telephone 798,8607. | + | |Editor|Helen Gray, 209 Malton |
- | * * * * * * * * * * * * | + | |Business Manager|Bill Burke, 3 Coral Tree Drive, Carlingford, |
- | EDITOR: Helen Gray, 209Malton | + | |Typist|Kath Brown| |
- | Telephone 86,6263. | + | Duplicator Operator|Phil Butt| |
- | BUSINESS MANAGER: Bill Burke, 3 Coral Tree Drive, Carlingford, | + | |
- | 113IST: Kath Brown. | + | ====April, 1981.==== |
- | DUPLICATOR OPERATOR: Phil Butt. | + | |
- | * * *.* *, * * *.* * * * * | + | | | |Page| |
- | APRIL, 1981. | + | |Tom Herbert Tells About "The Bone"| | 2| |
- | Tom Herbert Tells About The Bone" Re-Union 1981 | + | |Re-Union 1981|Helen Gray| 3| |
- | The Reverse Side of the Coin | + | |The Reverse Side of the Coin|Jim Brown| 6| |
- | Advertisement - Eastwood Camping Centre | + | |Advertisement - Eastwood Camping Centre| | 9| |
- | Where to Winmalee Dot's Party | + | |Where to Winmalee|Gordon Lee|10| |
- | Travelling with Children in India - Part 2 Our Hon. Solicitor | + | |Dot's Party| |11| |
- | The Annual General Meeting, March 1981 Walks Announcement | + | |Travelling with Children in India - Part 2|Marcia Shappert|12| |
- | Social Notes for May Annual Subscriptions 1981 | + | |Our Hon. Solicitor| |14| |
- | He's Making a Mountain Congratulations | + | |The Annual General Meeting, March 1981|Barry Wallace|15| |
- | Re Dot Butler' | + | |Walks Announcement|George Walton|17| |
- | Easter Planner | + | |Social Notes for May|Peter Miller|17| |
- | Two Obituaries | + | |Annual Subscriptions 1981| |17| |
- | by Helen Gray Jim Brown | + | |He's Making a Mountain| |18| |
- | 9 | + | |Congratulations| |18| |
- | 10 | + | |Re Dot Butler' |
- | 11 | + | |Easter Planner| |19| |
- | 12 Marcia Shappert | + | |Two Obituaries| |20| |
- | 14 | + | |
- | 15 Barry Wallace | + | =====Tom Herbert Tells About "The Bone".===== |
- | 17 George Walton | + | |
- | Peter Miller 17 | + | |
- | 17 | + | |
- | 18 | + | |
- | 18 | + | |
- | 18 | + | |
- | 19 | + | |
- | 20 | + | |
- | Gordon Lee | + | |
- | Page | + | |
- | 2 | + | |
- | 3 | + | |
- | ******************************************************************************# | + | |
- | Page 2 THE SYDNEY BUWiWALKER April, | + | |
- | TOM HERBERT TELIS ABOUT "THE BONE" | + | |
I was more than gratified to learn that "the Bone", the Mace of Office of the President of The Sydney Bush Walkers, was still being exposed on its stand in front of the President at all general meetings of the S.B.W. | I was more than gratified to learn that "the Bone", the Mace of Office of the President of The Sydney Bush Walkers, was still being exposed on its stand in front of the President at all general meetings of the S.B.W. | ||
- | - | + | |
- | As many younger members of the S.B.W. have expressed a wish to know | + | As many younger members of the S.B.W. have expressed a wish to know of the origin of this forty-seven year old S.B.W. tradition, I recall my election to the presidency at the Annual General Meeting of the S.B.W. in March, 1934. |
- | of the origin of this forty-seven year old S.M. tradition, I recall my election to the presidency at the Annual General Meeting of the S.B.W. in March, 1934. | + | |
- | The re-union camp was held at Etroka | + | The re-union camp was held at Euroka |
- | ideal setting and attended by most of the Club members who Were in sparkling good humour. | + | |
Quite spontaneously a small group of members conspired to arrange for the campfire, an initiation ceremony for the newly-elected president. On looking around for some " | Quite spontaneously a small group of members conspired to arrange for the campfire, an initiation ceremony for the newly-elected president. On looking around for some " | ||
- | Ernie Austin, ex Olympic Games representative and employed as a | ||
- | meat inspector at the Homebush Abattoirs, was immediately voted master of ceremonies and invited to use the beef bones and his professional knowledge | ||
- | to do the presidential initiation. | ||
- | At the campfire I was called forward for the initiation and quite | ||
- | spontaneously Ernie Austin picked up each bone one by one, identified it by name and explained its function in the animal body. He also related the function of each bone in some way to the pleasures, pains and obligations of bushwalking. It was an excellent speech and many regretted | ||
- | that no record was made of it. | ||
- | Next day I was draped with the bones I had received the night before and many photos taken. One photo was enlarged, mounted, framed and presented to me a year later at the re-union camp at Emu Plains on March 9, 1935, when I was re-inducted for my second year as president. With that Photo were the signatures of those present at the 1935 camp. | ||
- | Of the bones presented at the 1934 re-union camp one was selected | + | Ernie Austin, ex Olympic Games representative and employed as a meat inspector at the Homebush Abattoirs, was immediately voted master of ceremonies and invited to use the beef bones and his professional knowledge to do the presidential initiation. |
- | as the President' | + | |
- | Origin | + | At the campfire I was called forward for the initiation and quite spontaneously Ernie Austin picked up each bone one by one, identified it by name and explained its function in the animal body. He also related the function of each bone in some way to the pleasures, pains and obligations of bushwalking. It was an excellent speech and many regretted that no record was made of it. |
- | The retiring president hands on "The Bone" to his successor in office and a bushwalking tradition lives on. | + | |
- | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * | + | Next day I was draped with the bones I had received the night before and many photos taken. One photo was enlarged, mounted, framed and presented to me a year later at the re-union camp at Emu Plains on March 9, 1935, when I was re-inducted for my second year as president. With that photo were the signatures of those present at the 1935 camp. |
- | 'Page 3 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER April, | + | |
- | RE-UNION 1981. | + | Of the bones presented at the 1934 re-union camp one was selected as the President' |
- | by .Belen | + | |
- | . It was Friday, 13th March, and the re-union weekend. "It will be a failure," | + | The retiring president hands on "The Bone" to his successor in office and a bushwalking tradition lives on. |
- | Early next morning we finally got away. It was fine but, as Ray pointed out the weather map didn't look too good. Two and a half hours later we were at " | + | |
- | " | + | =====Re-Union 1981.===== |
- | b less Denise and Geoff Yndoll | + | |
- | Hodgsons and Butt and Wallace and Fazeley (with three nephews and a neice) and Spiro (with none this time) et al. The Yudells, having left their | + | by Helen Gray. |
- | secluded spot for only, an hour to have a swim, looked stunned on their return, but smiled bravely., | + | |
- | The rain had started by now and the giant Hodgson tarpaulin drew people like bees to thelloneypot. Which reminds me, David Cotton was . there too, talking about his favourite subject. Ray had an audience, too, to which he could tell his Friday 13th saga:- | + | It was Friday, 13th March, and the re-union weekend. "It will be a failure," |
- | "I went into a shop for a carton of milk but was 50 short, so I | + | |
- | promised to pay the balance later. I walked out of the shop and there on | + | Early next morning we finally got away. It was fine but, as Ray pointed out the weather map didn't look too good. Two and a half hours later we were at " |
- | he footpath was a $2 note: I paid off my debt, then I drove home.." | + | |
- | 1Lve forgotten Ray's exact words, and I wouldn' | + | " |
- | libbed, but as I remember it he then decided to look In his radiator with the engine still running, dropped the radiator cap on the fan and. broke it Walked | + | |
- | lodged 6 bottles of drink on top of the fridge (but too close to the edge) | + | The rain had started by now and the giant Hodgson tarpaulin drew people like bees to the honeypot. Which reminds me, David Cotton was there too, talking about his favourite subject. Ray had an audience, too, to which he could tell his Friday 13th saga:- |
- | and broke the lot. | + | |
- | "Well, at least you emnd $2," said someone. | + | "I went into a shop for a carton of milk but was 50 short, so I promised to pay the balance later. I walked out of the shop and there on the footpath was a $2 note! I paid off my debt, then I drove home." 1Lve forgotten Ray's exact words, and I wouldn' |
- | " | + | |
- | The rain eased and I left the shelter to visit the new toilet designed by George and erected by him, With' | + | "Well, at least you found $2," said someone. |
- | The influance of his overseas holidays is evident - the toilet seat is about | + | |
- | 10 inches above ground and there is the choice of using it as a western- | + | " |
- | sit-down or an Asian-stand-up. | + | |
- | The sky was clearing and meals were being hurriedly cooked as dusk | + | The rain eased and I left the shelter to visit the new toilet designed by George and erected by him, with Dot and John Redfern, the previous weekend. The influance of his overseas holidays is evident - the toilet seat is about 10 inches above ground and there is the choice of using it as a western-sit-down or an Asian-stand-up. |
- | approached. The musicians started to warm up and the crowd grew. And what a crowds | + | |
- | Barbara Bruce and Bob Younger, as has become the tradition, led the singing | + | The sky was clearing and meals were being hurriedly cooked as dusk approached. The musicians started to warm up and the crowd grew. And what a crowd! |
- | to the Bob_Hodg-son--- Len-Newland-- Gordon-Lee-MI& | + | |
- | Page 4 TEE SYDNEY BIISHWALKER April, | + | The supper crew of Spiro and John Redfern had been working hard just beyond the campfire and the smell of fruit cake had tempted us so that when Jim's sketch ended more than half the mob had lept to its feet and was heading towards the supper area. "We haven' |
- | .... | + | |
- | to lead us, we still managed to sing in 'different keys and in different | + | The campfire was still providing lots of heat and the crowd broke into smaller groups to either sing, chat, plan or reminisce. The Grays, Youngers, Gordon Lee, John Redfern, Phil Butt and Owen were talking about Dot. " |
- | 4ot's adaptation of "The Cremation of Sam McGee" to that of " | + | |
- | as their enthusiasm that at times even Dot's strong voice 'was almost drowned | + | " |
- | out. Jim's sketch, " | + | |
- | since 1935 too? (I gueSs not Jim, your memory is amazingl) ** | + | We decided we'd have a party. Whose yard was big enough for all Dot's friends? Maybe the Grays - but what if it rained? A hall's the answer. Gordon volunteered |
- | The supper crew of Spiro and John Redfern had been working hard Just | + | |
- | beyond the campfire and the smell of fruit cake had tempted us so that when Jim's sketch ended more than half the mob had lept to its feet and was heading towards the supper area. "We haven' | + | |
- | The campfire was still providing.lots of heat and the crowd broke into | + | |
- | smaller groups to either sing, chat, plan or reminisce. The Grays, Youngers, Gordon Lee, John Redfern, Phil Butt and Owen were talking about Dot. " | + | |
- | " | + | |
- | We decided we'd have a party. Whose yard was big enough for all Dot's friends? Maybe the Grays - but what if it rained? A hall's the answer. Gordon volunteered | + | |
- | (illogically) they could pay for the hall. Owen and I elected to approach Dot. | + | |
"Hey, Dot," said Owen. "What are you doing on the last weekend in May?" | "Hey, Dot," said Owen. "What are you doing on the last weekend in May?" | ||
+ | |||
"Let me think," | "Let me think," | ||
- | " | + | |
- | are made and we've hired a hall." | + | " |
- | It was after midnight and the number of singers had dwindled but the musicians played on and a few of us lay around the fire looking up at the now cloudless, starry night sky. " | + | |
- | To my ,surprise I awoke early (for me) to find the landscape shrouded | + | It was after midnight and the number of singers had dwindled but the musicians played on and a few of us lay around the fire looking up at the now cloudless, starry night sky. " |
- | .......... | + | |
- | **. In coming magazines it is proposed to publish in instalments a slightly_ | + | To my surprise I awoke early (for me) to find the landscape shrouded |
- | abridged version of the campfire presentation of " | + | |
- | Page 5 THE SYDNEY BUSHWAIIKER April, | + | "I get to like ' |
- | . - . | + | |
- | turn each drop of water on each plant into a jewel. | + | " |
- | . . . | + | |
- | ' | + | |
- | already heading down to the river to freshen up. This took at least an hour. Firstly, there were.all the people on the Davison Tree level to chat to. | + | |
- | These were the Paddy-A-tent and . .anies | + | |
- | A'different class altogether. Not only mattress, | + | |
- | " | + | |
- | fittings for the hut). " | + | |
- | but each time I dropped into a friend' | + | |
- | and - you know how it is Now,the expressway by-passes | + | |
Someone else's voice. " | Someone else's voice. " | ||
- | , The damper competition was under way. Kath McInnes was busy making | + | |
- | the biggest birthday damper you've ever seen for her daughter, Debbie, 21 that day. It was Debbie' | + | The damper competition was under way. Kath McInnes was busy making the biggest birthday damper you've ever seen for her daughter, Debbie, 21 that day. It was Debbie' |
- | resulted in some dampers looking like floral arrangements rather than food. - Joan Rigby declined to enter this year and Spiro was one of the Judges (Len Netland was the other), so we thought we had the chance to win this time. But who won a prize - Scott Walker - Joan's nephew. I think he'd had some | + | |
- | expert tuition. Fazeley' | + | "One of those children will burn himself before the weekend' |
- | "One of those children will burn himself before the weekend' | + | |
- | prophesied Ray. Unhappily, he was right. Our cooking fire had been dowsed with water but Fazeley' | + | Another wonderful re-union over. Reuniting with friends old and new is certainly one of the highlights of my year each year. And we are indeed lucky to have our own " |
- | sandshoed foot on the soggy ash. Up shot a ,spurt of steam and down went a screaming boy with a badly burned ankle. Happily, I can 'report that after 4 days of treatment at the hospital out-patients department, Alistair is no healing well. | + | |
- | Another wonderful re-union over . Reuniting with friends old and new is certainly one of the highlights of my year each year. And we are indeed lucky to have our own " | + | * In coming magazines it is proposed to publish in instalments a slightly abridged version of the campfire presentation of " |
- | I-;age6 ME SYDNEY BUSHWALKER April, | + | |
- | THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE COIN. | + | =====The Reverse Side Of The Coin.===== |
by Jim Brown. | by Jim Brown. | ||
- | Almost a year ago, having finally got around to visiting the northern end of Axe Heqd Mountain, near Yerranderie, | ||
- | aS I sat on the Sentinel, the topmost point of Axe Head, that brilliant March afternoon, I looked north-east to the line of golden cliffs that farm the western edge of Lacy's Tableland and wondered whether the outlook from thorn would be almost as spectacular. Sure, to judge from the map, you | ||
- | wouldn' | ||
- | a 180-degree panorama, from south through west to north, but including Axe Head itself, and those same impressive rocky islets of Bull Island, Mounts Relentless and Remorseless, | ||
- | I had once before trodden a short section of Lacy's Tableland, but that was further north. What's more, the old enemy Time meant that I had walked it in the middle of a summer' | ||
- | Because of the draught it was a year before I felt game to put it to | ||
- | the test, and even now I'm not sure that I chose the best approach route. This was done from Kanangra via Gingra Range and Hughes Ridge to the Kowmung River, and down the Kowmung to the Water Board road which follows the old Cedar Road formation. Leaving Kanangra shortly before noon, the first night camp was on the river just upstream of the Cedar Road, and quite late at | ||
- | 6,40 | ||
- | In the morning my path continued up the Cedar Road to Scott' | ||
- | The next leg was over the low divide called Green Wattle Break between Butcher' | ||
- | his recent home-buying capers I said " | ||
- | Page 7 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER April, | ||
- | WEIMOI1191IM | ||
- | Presently I came to a waterfall, which plainly offered no way to a Solo walker with no confidence in exposed places. At least there was a #ck pool, so I lunched in a small overhang, then began the scramble up out Of the gully aa to that same ridge I had been on before. Very steep, grown with a lot of rubbish, and .obviously burnt out a few years before to judge from the dry sticks bent over at various heights between ankle and thigh. T took a pasting in that scrub, and it was 3.30 pm before I was on Green Wattle Creek. On the way I remember recalling a former work-fellow who 4sed to sigh at the end of a trying day, "There must be an easier way (to Make a living)" | ||
- | A short spell on arrival at Green tattle Creek, and my way then led downstream about an hour and a half. The pass I intended to use to get through: the cliff line and on to Lacy's Tableland is situated at map reference Burragorang-1: | ||
- | As it turned out, the further I went down Green tattle Crcek the less | ||
- | water I found, and over the last kilometre I was reluctantly considering | ||
- | having to retreat upstream. I had actually passed the spot where | ||
- | intended to ,)limb out when I found a single waterhole where a tree had been Uprooted, and maybe thirty or forty litres of water with a brownish discolouration and an irridescent film over its surface. "I have drank worse" T caunselled and camped straightaway on a pleasant grassy flat just above it | ||
- | Up before dawn and away in piccaninny daylight at 5.25 am, wearing long trousers as a concession to the scrub that I knew I'd have to get through on the ridge. Apart from that, it was not a bad ridge and took the right up to a projecting bluff which lies immediately west of the pass. Then it was simply a matter of skirting around just below the cliff and into the pass. It is a little beauty, this pass; the cliff braks down altogether, and one walks up through a grassy, richly vegetated volcanic spill. It looks very pretty, too, but there' | ||
- | Once on top, I was back into typical sandstone country and vegetation, 1 fancy it must have been burned several years ago, perhaps in the savage - !:77 fires, because there are places where there is hardly any small growth, beneath the trees, and other sedtions where the way lies through a tangle | ||
- | of dead sticks. In one respect the plateau is easy going - there are only minor undulations, | ||
- | west bearing. All told, the rate of progress was below 2 kilametres per hOur. | ||
- | Page 8 THE SYDNEY BUSHUALKER April, | ||
- | And the scenery is good. There are two particular vantage points where the highest ground lies right beside the cliff line and there are bare rocky shelves with nothing to block the line of sight. One of these is about reference Burragorang 302953, with an excellent outlook up and ., down Green Wattle Creek: the other near the knoll with ,a " | ||
- | rim. Apart from the fact that my time (and tucker) were running out, the tableland was extremely dry and I suspected one would have to descend a long way into the top of side creeks to find water. | ||
- | - Presently the ridge curved away to the south east, and its rim now | ||
- | overlooked Yerranderie and the Tonalli River. It this point I did another, capital job of " | ||
- | detached cliff which marks the Gap. However I could descry some cliffs to | ||
- | the west, jumped to the conclusion I'd overshot the pass, and doubled back. | ||
- | Half an hour later at the cliff edge I could see that I had been almost at Lacy's Gap when I turned back. During my third passage through that scrub | ||
- | I was becoming very aggravated about Lacy's Tableland, and it was after 4.0 pm when I started down the thread of eroded track which winds down steeply to | ||
- | the west of the projecting crag. I camped on the Tonalli about 5.30 pm, | ||
- | 7 or 8 hours behind timetable. | ||
- | Originally I'd had some idea of looking at the eastern face of Axe Head, but time had run out, and in the morning I made my way up the ridge | ||
- | into Yerranderie and out Along my "quick escape" | ||
- | I managed to get off my int' | ||
- | the Kowmung all right, at a point which I believed to-be just down river from Root's Ridge, so I turned upstream for about a kilometre. It was onli' | ||
- | 3.30 pm but I was weary, my rations were low, an: large mushrooms were grow#g there, so I made an early camp promising a dawn start up Roots Ridge next d4; | ||
- | I was away at 5.25 am and gradually began to doubt I was on Root's Ridge. It didn't seem to rise in that steady grade I remembered. After almost two hours I was convinced when I came to a prominent hump with a. decided saddle: | ||
- | FEVER, no NEVER to try to descend Brumby Ridge. As someone once said, not | ||
- | altogether truthfully, about Compagnonils Pass of " | ||
- | supposed to come DOWN etc.". | ||
- | Well, there it is. I can't claim Lacy's Tableland to be as spectacular | ||
- | as Axe Head, but if ever you've got a few days with nothing much to do, keep it in mind AS perhaps the second-best view in the Blue Breaks. | ||
- | * * * * * * * * * * | ||
- | ' | ||
- | eastvvood | ||
- | camoing | ||
- | centre | ||
- | ICAMPING EQUIPMENT Large Tents Stoves | ||
- | DISTRIBUTORS OF: | ||
- | Paddymade | ||
- | BUSHWALKERS | ||
- | Lightvveight Tents Sleeping Bags Rucksacks | ||
- | Proprietors: | ||
- | EASTWOOD CANVAS GOODS & CAMPING SUPPLIES -3 Tr elawney St E:astvvood NSW 2122 Phone: 858 2775 | ||
- | Rowe Street | ||
- | R tit ledge Street | ||
- | Page 10 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER April, | ||
- | WHERE TO WINMAIEE or HOW TO SPRINGWOGD: | ||
- | Patht 'the Sedon.d. | ||
- | by On Lee. | ||
- | SYNOPSIS: | ||
- | You may or not recall the events of the previous .episode, so to | ||
- | refresh-your memory and otherwise bore you here is our story so ' | ||
- | return fit and well, refreshed in body and mind, | ||
- | physical and mental being.,, | ||
- | We dropped down a firetrail somewher, | ||
- | that clear burbling 1:Iaid which 4 sy.ch a fillip to our senses, pleasing | ||
- | to the eye, and captivating tothe niind when the luxe of refreshing our bodies in its balm rises' in_aur thaughts. | ||
- | And as we made our way down, every now and then there appeared for our | + | Almost a year ago, having finally got around to visiting the northern end of Axe Head Mountain, near Yerranderie, |
- | appreciation a pool of reasonable proportions which,gaggested | + | |
- | As the creek entered into the gorge phase and got away from the lawyer vine and gerieral scrubbiness it became, as is usual for this area, ? | + | |
- | ing". Waterfall drops interposed themselves, impeding our progress. | + | |
- | There were cutaways,and oirerhangs,:rock formations displaying | + | |
- | artistry | + | |
- | Naturally therw:were the normal accompaniments | + | |
- | walk - plenty of morAing teas, exchanges | + | |
- | and enjoyable conversation on a multiplicity | + | |
- | ' Some time later, because the necessity of getting back became important, we had to turn out qf. Lynch' | + | I had once before trodden a short section of Lacy's Tableland, but that was further north. What's more, the old enemy Time meant that I had walked it in the middle of a summer' |
- | some 600' (those metric purists may have fun converting this) to a ridgetop which we had to crog# in order to make a descent and second lift to bring us back to the fireti' | + | |
- | our muscles and extending us physically, and gave us a chance, visually, of taking in part of the' | + | Because of the drought it was a year before I felt game to put it to the test, and even now I'm not sure that I chose the best approach route. This was done from Kanangra via Gingra Range and Hughes Ridge to the Kowmung River, and down the Kowmung to the Water Board road which follows the old Cedar Road formation. Leaving Kanangra shortly before noon, the first night camp was on the river just upstream of the Cedar Road, and quite late at 6.40 pm. |
- | Since I am nor expert | + | |
- | Page 1 3 THE SYDNEY BUSHULKER April, 1981. | + | In the morning my path continued up the Cedar Road to Scott' |
- | islands, something I hadn't seen before. . The small islands looked to be man-made because they were all in neat rows with one tree on each. I don' | + | |
- | Craig was really fascinated with the fact that _all the rice paddys | + | The next leg was over the low divide called Green Wattle Break between Butcher' |
- | as wishing | + | |
- | From Kotayam we took a train to Trivandrum, on the southern tip of India. It was almost dark when we reached Trivandrum, and we really hadn't eaten a proper meal all day. PJ, as usual, was starving and even Jenny said she was hungry. My friend in Bangalore said if we were ever in doubt as to where t. or eat, to choose something Brahman. Being the highest Hindu caste, it had to be clean. That was what we did now, and the food vas among the best we had in India. By this time we had became somewhat of expert " | + | Presently I came to a waterfall, which plainly offered no way to a solo walker with no confidence in exposed places. At least there was a rock pool, so I lunched in a small overhang, then began the scramble up out of the gully on to that same ridge I had been on before. Very steep, grown with a lot of rubbish, and obviously burnt out a few years before to judge from the dry sticks bent over at various heights between ankle and thigh. I took a pasting in that scrub, and it was 3.30 pm before I was on Green Wattle Creek. On the way I remember recalling a former work-fellow who used to sigh at the end of a trying day, "There must be an easier way (to make a living)" |
- | Our flight the next day to Columbo was to leave at 2 pm, which meant | + | |
- | we had to be at the airport two hours earlier. It took the whole two hours to go through customs and immigration. If the officials would have been slow and thorough, I could have understood it, but they were only slow. For a half-hour flight we had spent four times that waiting. | + | A short spell on arrival at Green Wattle Creek, and my way then led downstream about an hour and a half. The pass I intended to use to get through the cliff line and on to Lacy's Tableland is situated at map reference Burragorang 1:31680 320980, and although I could see there was now no prospect of being up on the plateau for the night, at least I could camp on the creek immediately below the gap, ready for a dawn assault on the ridge. |
- | It was times like this that we were grateful PJ and Jenny are avid | + | |
- | readers. PJ bought Enid Blyton books everywhere, and Jenny was into | + | As it turned out, the further I went down Green Wattle Creek the less water I found, and over the last kilometre I was reluctantly considering having to retreat upstream. I had actually passed the spot where intended to climb out when I found a single waterhole where a tree had been uprooted, and maybe thirty or forty litres of water with a brownish discolouration and an irridescent film over its surface. "I have drunk worse" I counselled and camped straightaway on a pleasant grassy flat just above it. |
- | crossword puzzles. Another favourite " | + | |
- | The .difference between Indian and Sri Lankan customs was unbelievablet; | + | Up before dawn and away in piccaninny daylight at 5.25 am, wearing long trousers as a concession to the scrub that I knew I'd have to get through on the ridge. Apart from that, it was not a bad ridge and took the right up to a projecting bluff which lies immediately west of the pass. Then it was simply a matter of skirting around just below the cliff and into the pass. It is a little beauty, this pass; the cliff breaks down altogether, and one walks up through a grassy, richly vegetated volcanic spill. It looks very pretty, too, but there' |
- | had decided we wanted to stay as ' | + | |
- | P-age 14 THE SYDNEY BUSHWAIKER April, 1981. | + | Once on top, I was back into typical sandstone country and vegetation. I fancy it must have been burned several years ago, perhaps in the savage 1977 fires, because there are places where there is hardly any small growth beneath the trees, and other sections where the way lies through a tangle of dead sticks. In one respect the plateau is easy going - there are only minor undulations, |
- | organized several of these for us. The first place we stayed in Columbo was huge. We had our _own area of the house, complete with coloured TV | + | |
- | ad a dryer, things we don't have back in Sydney. Sreyanie and her husband, Sadha, took us out for dinner that night while the servants looked after the children. | + | And the scenery is good. There are two particular vantage points where the highest ground lies right beside the cliff line and there are bare rocky shelves with nothing to block the line of sight. One of these is about reference Burragorang 302953, with an excellent outlook up and down Green Wattle Creek: the other near the knoll with a height reading of 2570 ft at reference 263926. This one would have been a real competitor with Axe Head if the light had been brighter and the hour later. As it was, I had lunched (a dry lunch) a short while before, but I hung around for a while hoping photographic conditions would improve. Instead it became more overcast, and I gave away any notion of dwelling overnight on the plateau rim. Apart from the fact that my time (and tucker) were running out, the tableland was extremely dry and I suspected one would have to descend a long way into the top of side creeks to find water. |
- | - At several places we stayed, we noticed that the fridge, TV, washer, dryer or any "mod cons" the family had were in the living | + | |
- | . We decided to go from Columba to Sigiriya, one of the three ancient | + | Presently the ridge curved away to the south east, and its rim now overlooked Yerranderie and the Tonalli River. It this point I did another capital job of " |
- | cities, then on to Anuradhapura, | + | |
- | in Wilpattu National Park before going to Kandy and Ratnapura. We'd have two weeks in Sri Lanka before going back to India for one more week. | + | Originally I'd had some idea of looking at the eastern face of Axe Head, but time had run out, and in the morning I made my way up the ridge into Yerranderie and out along my "quick escape" |
- | You may be wandering why we spent two weeks in India, then flew to Sri Lanka for two weeks and then back to India for one week. The cheapest fare we could find was to Madras, even though we had to fly through Bombay. So | + | |
- | we did the west coast of southern India, then flew to Sri Lanka from Trivandrum, and then back to Trivandrum and continued up the east side to Madras again. | + | I was away at 5.25 am and gradually began to doubt I was on Root's Ridge. It didn't seem to rise in that steady grade I remembered. After almost two hours I was convinced when I came to a prominent hump with a decided saddle beyond it. I knew, too, where I was - on Brumby Mountain on the ridge of the same name, the next one upriver from Root's Ridge. Oh, well, Brumby Ridge was a new route out of the Kowmung for me, and in that area, all ridges lead on to Gingra Range. I made just one good resolution, however - NEVER, no NEVER to try to __descend__ Brumby Ridge. As someone once said, not altogether truthfully, about Compagnoni' |
- | So it really wasn't as unorganised as it may seem. | + | |
- | TO BE CONTINUED. | + | Well, there it is. I can't claim Lacy's Tableland to be as spectacular as Axe Head, but if ever you've got a few days with nothing much to do, keep it in mind as perhaps the second-best view in the Blue Breaks. |
- | * * * * * * * * * * * | + | |
- | OUR HON. SOLICITOR. | + | =====Where To Winmalee or How To Springwood. |
+ | |||
+ | ====Part the Second.==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | by Gordon Lee. | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Synopsis__: | ||
+ | |||
+ | You may or not recall the events of the previous episode, so to refresh your memory and otherwise bore you here is our story so far. I had decided to " | ||
+ | |||
+ | We dropped down a firetrail somewher near the head of Lynch' | ||
+ | |||
+ | And as we made our way down, every now and then there appeared for our appreciation a pool of reasonable proportions which suggested to me the prospect of using this as a very enjqyable summer swimming walk. | ||
+ | |||
+ | As the creek entered into the gorge phase and got away from the lawyer vine and general scrubbiness it became, as is usual for this area, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Naturally there were the normal accompaniments to any good leader' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Some time later, because the necessity of getting back became important, we had to turn out of Lynch' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Since I am no expert | ||
+ | |||
+ | Regardless of my earlier frivolities in criticising a " | ||
+ | |||
+ | __Epilogue__: | ||
+ | |||
+ | For those frustrated readers who are still reading expectantly hoping to find out what happened to the various members of the party resulting from their various encounters: | ||
+ | |||
+ | Margaret emerged unscathed, virgo intacto, and in pristine condition - that is after the wounds healed. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Len's shorts (much to his relief) escaped from the foray usable and good for another 4 or 5 years. The thought of having to replace this item almost rendered Len non compos mentis. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | |||
+ | I have to admit that the unidentified black snake took one look and got the hell out of the way as fast as his/her legs would carry him/her. And that the blood trail left on the Chinese carpet was discovered to be a most foul and undetected leeching. | ||
+ | |||
+ | And to those motoring buffs who may have been expecting another extract from my article " | ||
+ | |||
+ | =====Dot' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The party for Dot Butler at Ashfield Town Hall is definitely " | ||
+ | |||
+ | I would appreciate if people could inform me of their intentions to attend so we have some idea of numbers. | ||
+ | |||
+ | We would like people to bring a plate of food and/or some drink. There is a charge of $1 to cover the cost of the hall. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Please come one and all to make the evening one to remember. Helen Gray. Phone 86,6263. | ||
+ | |||
+ | =====Travelling With Children In India - Part 2.===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | by Marcia Shappert. | ||
+ | |||
+ | From Cochin we took the bus to Alleppey, down the coast. The bus trip took 2 1/2 hours and PJ and Jenny fought all the way. It must have been a hot day or they were too tired, but I couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Alleppey was in the throws of a 42-day Hindu festival, this being the 31st day. The place was really crowded, so we ended up staying at a less-than-desirable place for $2.40 for two rooms. Jenny and I in one room and Craig and PJ in the other. In places like this I was always happy we had our sleeping sheets with us. I could crawl into the sleeping sheet, pull it up over my head and feel I wasn't touching anything dirty. (Of course, by this time my sleeping sheet was none too clean, but at least it was my own dirt.) | ||
+ | |||
+ | We had a quick tour of the town and met up with a fellow named Joseph who took us to a fireworks display in celebration of the festival. It was really spectacular, | ||
+ | |||
+ | The room was quite small and it was very warm, so we had to leave the window open. I was sure the loudspeakers were right outside my window, the music was so loud, but when I checked the next morning, they were at least two blocks away. The concept of noise pollution is an unknown thing in India. How Jenny ever managed to sleep through it all I'll never know, but I sure didn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The next morning we were up at 6 am to catch the 7.30 ferry to Quilan, a nine hour boat trip through the palm-studded canals for 30c each. We got to the boat deck and knew we must be in the right spot, because there were about eight other Europeans waiting for the same ferry. We all kept waiting. I heard a rumour that the ferry might not be running again that day (it didn't run the previous day), so Craig and another fellow went off to investigate. They came back with the news that the boat may leave at 12.30 that day, but that was the story that was told the day before too. So we made a quick decision to jump on the ferry that was at the dock and take the two hour trip to Kotaya. | ||
+ | |||
+ | This was the commuter ferry, so all the Indians spent the time chatting to one another or reading the paper, just as commuters here do. We were all fascinated with the country on either side of the canal. Mostly it was tall beautiful palm trees, but many of them were on little one-tree | ||
+ | |||
+ | Craig was really fascinated with the fact that all the rice paddys | ||
+ | |||
+ | From Kotayam we took a train to Trivandrum, on the southern tip of India. It was almost dark when we reached Trivandrum, and we really hadn't eaten a proper meal all day. PJ, as usual, was starving and even Jenny said she was hungry. My friend in Bangalore said if we were ever in doubt as to where to stay or eat, to choose something Brahman. Being the highest Hindu caste, it had to be clean. That was what we did now, and the food vas among the best we had in India. By this time we had became somewhat of expert " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Our flight the next day to Columbo was to leave at 2 pm, which meant we had to be at the airport two hours earlier. It took the whole two hours to go through customs and immigration. If the officials would have been slow and thorough, I could have understood it, but they were only slow. For a half-hour flight we had spent four times that waiting. | ||
+ | |||
+ | It was times like this that we were grateful PJ and Jenny are avid readers. PJ bought Enid Blyton books everywhere, and Jenny was into crossword puzzles. Another favourite " | ||
+ | |||
+ | The difference between Indian and Sri Lankan customs was unbelievable!! | ||
+ | |||
+ | At several places we stayed, we noticed that the fridge, TV, washer, dryer or any "mod cons" the family had were in the living | ||
+ | |||
+ | We decided to go from Columba to Sigiriya, one of the three ancient cities, then on to Anuradhapura, | ||
+ | |||
+ | You may be wandering why we spent two weeks in India, then flew to Sri Lanka for two weeks and then back to India for one week. The cheapest fare we could find was to Madras, even though we had to fly through Bombay. So we did the west coast of southern India, then flew to Sri Lanka from Trivandrum, and then back to Trivandrum and continued up the east side to Madras again. So it really wasn't as unorganised as it may seem. | ||
+ | |||
+ | To be continued... | ||
+ | |||
+ | =====Our Hon. Solicitor.===== | ||
+ | |||
The Club's Hon. Solicitor, Colin Broad, has just celebrated his 50 years as a solicitor. | The Club's Hon. Solicitor, Colin Broad, has just celebrated his 50 years as a solicitor. | ||
- | At Tom MopTett's invitation in the early 1950s he became our Hon.Solicitor at the time we were transfering our holding at North North Era to the Royal - National Park, and he has given his legal assistance in our acquiring Coolana | + | |
- | lands. Although he has worked so consistantly for the Club he has never | + | At Tom Moppett's invitation in the early 1950s he became our Hon. Solicitor at the time we were transfering our holding at North Era to the Royal National Park, and he has given his legal assistance in our acquiring Coolana lands. Although he has worked so consistantly for the Club he has never became an active member, but several years ago he was given Honorary |
- | became an active member, but several years ago he was given Honorary | + | |
- | ship. However he did many skiing trips with early members, especially Tom | + | |
- | Moppett and Paddy Pallin. | + | |
He recalls exciting ski trips to the Chalet from the old Kosciusko Hotel, when guests were driven up by horse and waggon and the mail to the Chalet was delivered by dog team. There were no bridges over the creeks and crossing on verglassed (i.e. iced up) rocks with skis on was always an excitement. | He recalls exciting ski trips to the Chalet from the old Kosciusko Hotel, when guests were driven up by horse and waggon and the mail to the Chalet was delivered by dog team. There were no bridges over the creeks and crossing on verglassed (i.e. iced up) rocks with skis on was always an excitement. | ||
+ | |||
Congratulations, | Congratulations, | ||
- | Page 11 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALICER April, | + | |
- | enough of the native bits- ant-pi6ceb-ti57eXcite our curiosity and engender | + | |
- | our appreciation of what we refer to as " | + | |
- | ' Regardless of my earlier frivolities in criticising a " | + | |
- | Epilogue: | + | |
- | '' | + | |
- | Margaret emerged unscathed, virgo intact, and in pristine condition - that is after the wounds healed. | + | |
- | Len's shorts (much to his relief) escaped from the foray us' | + | |
- | after the ceremonious cremation of the offending leech, to which he attended with the utmost glee and much gloating, was found. not to be,in need of a transfusion. | + | |
- | ' I have to admit that the unidentified black snake took one look and got the hell out of the way as fast as his/her legs would carry him/her. And | + | |
- | that the blood trail left on the Chinese carpet was discovered to be a most foul and undetected leeching. | + | |
- | And to those motoring buffs who may have been expecting another extract from my article " | + | |
- | * * * * * * * * * * * * | + | |
- | DOT'S PARTY - Friday, 29th MAY. | + | |
- | The "party for Dot Butler at ASEYIELD TOWN HALL is definitely " | + | |
- | Starting time is 8 pm. Some people are coming in disguise (Dot says she' | + | |
- | coming in a dress and wearing lipstick, and Owen is wearing his dinner suit). | + | |
- | I would appreciate if people could inform me of their intentions to attend so we have some idea of numbers. | + | |
- | We would like people to bring a plate of food and/or some drink. There is a charge of $1 to cover the cost of the hall. | + | |
- | Please come one and all to make the evening one to remember. HELEN GRAY. Phone 86,6263. | + | |
- | Page 1 2 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER April, | + | |
- | . _ | + | |
- | .... | + | |
- | TWELLING WITH CHILDREN-IN-INDIL- | + | |
- | PART 2. | + | |
- | .. . by Marcia Shappert. | + | |
- | From Cochin we took the bus to Alleppey, down the coast. The bus trip took 21- hours and PJ and Jenny fought all the way. It must have been a hot day or they were too tired, but I couldn' | + | |
- | dirty looks, though, the way people do here, so either the Indians are used | + | |
- | to seeing their children acting that way, or they figured "What do you expect of Western children?" | + | |
- | . Alleppey was in the throws of a 42-day Hindu festival, this being the | + | |
- | 31st day. The place was really crowded, so we ended up staying at a less- | + | |
- | than-desirable place for $2.40 for two rooms. Jenny and I in one room and Craig and PJ in the other. In places like this I was always happy we had | + | |
- | our sleeping sees with us. I could crawl into the sleeping sheet, pull it up over my/feel I wasn't touching anything dirty. (Of course, by | + | |
- | this time my sleeping sheet was none too clean, but at least it was my own | + | |
- | We had a quick tour of the town and met up with a fellow named Joseph who took us to a fireworks display in celebration of the festival.. It was | + | |
- | really spectacular, | + | |
- | the big celebrations in 1970. Joseph showed us all around the temple complex and we watched a group of musicians play lovely Indian music. Quite loud, | + | |
- | but interesting. Little did I realize that the music mould not stop until alter daylight. | + | |
- | The room was quite small and it was very warm, so we had to leave the window open. I was sure the loudspeakers were right autSide my window, the music was so laud, but when I checked ' the next morning, they were at least two blocks away. The concept of noise Peliution is an unknown thing in India. How Jenny ever managed to sleep through it all I'll never know, but Lsure didn' | + | |
- | The next morning we.-were up-at-6-am-to catch the 7.30 ferry to Quilan, a nine hour boat trip through the palm-studded canals for 30 c each. We got to-the boat deck and knew we must be in the right spot, because there were about eight other EUropeans waiting for the same ferry. We all kept waiting. I heard a rumour that the ferry might not be running again that day (it didn't run the previous day), so Craig and another fellow went off to investigate. They came back with the news that the boat may leave at | + | |
- | 12.30 that day, but that was the story. that was told the day before too. Sc we made a quick decision to jump on the ferry that was at the dock and take the two hour trip to Kotaya. | + | |
- | This was the commuter ferry, so all the Indians spent the time chatting to' one another or reading the paper, just as commuters here do. We were all fascinated with the country on either side of the canal. Mostly it was tall beautiful palm trees i but many of them were on little one-tree | + | |
Page 15 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER April, | Page 15 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER April, | ||
THE ANNUAL GENERAL IVIEETING. | THE ANNUAL GENERAL IVIEETING. |
198104.txt · Last modified: 2016/04/13 13:54 by richard_pattison