Differences

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

--- 198104 [2016/03/21 12:46] – tyreless
+++ 198104 [2016/03/21 17:29] – tyreless
@@ Line 103: / Line 103: @@
 * In coming magazines it is proposed to publish in instalments a slightly abridged version of the campfire presentation of "Background to Bushwalking."
-THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE COIN.
+=====The Reverse Side Of The Coin.=====
 by Jim Brown.
-Almost a year ago, having finally got around to visiting the northern end of Axe Heqd Mountain, near Yerranderie, I gave my blessing (for what that may be worth) to the often repeated claims of other Blue BreP.ks aficionados that it commands the most impressive views in the area. However,
-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't have a dramatic eastern skyline: instead you would be confined to -
-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, and beyond them, blue and gold in afternoon sun-- light, the depths of the Kowmung ravine and the humps around Kanangra. In away it would be the reverse side of the coin.
- 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's day when there was very little shadow relief,- and the whole landscape had been hazy olive-green. The cliff line towards the southern end of the Tableland should, give a much more imposing view in late afternoon, especially if there were a few nice fluffy white clouds tinged with rosy westering light. There was only one way to find out how it compared with Axe Head - go there arid see.
-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
-,40
-In the morning my path continued up the Cedar Road to Scott's Main Range, and perhaps a kilometre south along that to the Big Stringybark Range, which took re down to Butcher's Creek. Or rather, it would have taken me down to Butcher's Creek if I had not got on to a stubby spur which deposited me, in a side creek. It didn't make much odds - the side creek had a couple of small cascades, but they were easily, negotiated, and by 9.30 am I was on Butcher's Creek. -
-The next leg was over the low divide called Green Wattle Break between Butcher's Creek (which had a modest flow, by the way) and Green Wattle Creek, I'd dane this once before and even at my crawling pace it had taken only a shade over two hours: I promised myself lunch on Green Wattle Creek. Well, that's where my planned schedule went down the drain. The ridge up to Green Wattle Break went all right, but when I started down the quite short descent on the eastern side, I once again picked a stubby ridge which dumped m6 unceremoniously into an almost dry side creek. Thinking of Spiro and
-his recent home-buying capers I said "gazumped twice in one day", and started down the creek.
-Page 7	THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER	April, 1981.
-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)". And I remember answering myself sternly, "Walking in the Blue Breaks isn't meant to be easy".
-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-1:31680 3209809 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 :71awn assault On the ridge#
-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's a lush growth of nettles amongst the grasses. Kangaroos were grazing on the verdure as I reached . the plateau, at about 2200 ft, and nearly three hours from the creek. I was now almost half a day behind my timetable, but I was on Lacy 's land.
-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, and the height above sea level varies only -between 2200 and 2600 ft. Most of the way the navigation is not difficult, as one can see the blue gulf of Green tattle Creek not far away to the right (north-west). A little care is needed in places where the true crown of the plateau bends southward around the top of side creeks draining off towards Green Wattle. In one of these places I found I had swung northwest and lost perhaps half an hour getting back on the dominantly south-
-west bearing. All told, the rate of progress was below 2 kilametres per hOur.
-Page 8	THE SYDNEY BUSHUALKER	April, 1981.
-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.
--	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 "gazumping" myself. About 2.30 pm I decided I must be almost due north of Lacy's Gap - my way of leaving the tableland. I eased over towards the cliff edge, but could see nothing of the viry.obvious semi-
-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,
-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" route via Byrnes Gap and Scott's Main Range until I came to the ridge near Denis Range where I proposed to drop into the Kowmung. Even.at this stage, when it seemed impossible,
-I managed to get off my int'aded route: oh, yes, the ridge todk me'down to
-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'
-.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:lbeyond it. I knew, too, where I was - on Brumlyy Mountain Tithe 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, a4 ridges lead on to Gingra Range. I made just one good resolution, however -
-FEVER, no NEVER to try to descend Brumby Ridge. As someone once said, not
-altogether truthfully, about Compagnonils Pass of	"You're not
-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  Larails- Folding Furniture.
-DISTRIBUTORS OF:
-Paddymade  Karrimor  Berghaus  Hallmark  Bergans  Caribee  Fairydown  Silva  us  Companion  and all leading brands.
-BUSHWALKERS
-Lightvveight Tents  Sleeping Bags  Rucksacks  Climbing &Caving Gear  Maps  Clothing  &acts  Food.
-Proprietors: Jack Et Nancy Fox Sales Manager: David Fox
-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, 1981.
-WHERE TO WINMAIEE or HOW TO SPRINGWOGD:- J
-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 'far'. I had decided to "do" a Newland, and had, as is often my wont, fronted to the leader on Saturday night. We left on Sunday morning and drove to our rendezvous where we were met by the other two peop.lre -v06 were to accompany Len on his exploratory. Part one ended as I backed. carefully into position, pulled the handbrake into the on positioy/ apA-O.OMpieted the parking...of the car, where it would be left till the enclZdtthe	when we\hopedlwe would
-return fit and well, refreshed in body and mind,-endbled once again to rejoin the inevitable rat race to Which we must go back in order to earn the wherewithal so that we are capabler'617Cothing back once more to furbish the
-physical and mental being.,,-prebaring us-to take up our 4iisr chores, giving us the opportunity to _aammulate the "ready" which makEis' it possible to
-We dropped down a firetrail somewher,Aear the head of Lynch' a, Creek and began to follow the creek downstreacIt was downstream for We were delighted to find that partly due to' t1fe. reoent rain the creek was ',flowing
-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, I gave my blessing (for what that may be worth) to the often repeated claims of other Blue Breaks aficionados that it commands the most impressive views in the area. However, 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 form the western edge of Lacy's Tableland and wondered whether the outlook from them would be almost as spectacular. Sure, to judge from the map, you wouldn't have a dramatic eastern skyline: instead you would be confined to 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, and beyond them, blue and gold in afternoon sunlight, the depths of the Kowmung ravine and the humps around Kanangra. In a way it would be the reverse side of the coin.
-appreciation a pool of reasonable proportions which,gaggested 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 gerieral scrubbiness it became, as is usual for this area, ?!interest...
-ing". Waterfall drops interposed themselves, impeding our progress.
-There were cutaways,and oirerhangs,:rock formations displaying the cangumate
-artistry of nature's sculpturing. The changes in the vegetation added a decorative effect wliich enhangmd-the tapestry which unfolded as we Walked.
-Naturally therw:were the normal accompaniments to any good leader's
-walk - plenty of morAing teas, exchanges of jelly babies and dried apricots
-and enjoyable conversation on a multiplicity of subjects.
-'	Some time later, because the necessity of getting back became important, we had to turn out qf. Lynch's Creek (so typical of the area) and lift up
+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's day when there was very little shadow relief, and the whole landscape had been hazy olive-green. The cliff line towards the southern end of the Tableland should give a much more imposing view in late afternoon, especially if there were a few nice fluffy white clouds tinged with rosy westering light. There was only one way to find out how it compared with Axe Head - go there and see.
-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'ail. The second lift was not quite so demanding as the first, but the wh.61e operation offeeed_uss the opportunity g flexing
-our muscles and extending us physically, and gave us a chance, visually, of taking in part of the' panorama of the area which we had covered.
+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 an flora and fauna I cannot expound knowledgably on what we saw, nevertheless even at this time of the year there were
-Page 1 3	THE SYDNEY BUSHULKER	April, 1981.
+In the morning my path continued up the Cedar Road to Scott's Main Range, and perhaps a kilometre south along that to the Big Stringybark Range, which took me down to Butcher's Creek. Or rather, it would have taken me down to Butcher's Creek if I had not got on to a stubby spur which deposited me in a side creek. It didn't make much odds - the side creek had a couple of small cascades, but they were easily negotiated, and by 9.30 am I was on Butcher's Creek.
-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't underutand the reason why it was done like this, but it was interesting. tndians came along selling the very sweet coffee the kids really had taken 4 liking to, so we had a few glasses of that (the theory is: if the glass is too hot to hold, it's too hot to drink). PJ saw one deck hand whose dab it was to jump overboard every once in a while, swim back to where the totor was and. clear all the weeds off, then jump back on board again. He - also noticed that the passengers were nice enough not to use the open- . bottomed toilets which were poised over the motors at the time. Leave it to PJLI
-Craig was really fascinated with the fact that _all the rice paddys Were below the level of the canal. The canal was a couple of hundred feet' wide with cement walls all along. Very interesting engineering feat. I
+The next leg was over the low divide called Green Wattle Break between Butcher's Creek (which had a modest flow, by the way) and Green Wattle Creek. I'd done this once before and even at my crawling pace it had taken only a shade over two hours. I promised myself lunch on Green Wattle Creek. Well, that's where my planned schedule went down the drain. The ridge up to Green Wattle Break went all right, but when I started down the quite short descent on the eastern side, I once again picked a stubby ridge which dumped me unceremoniously into an almost dry side creek. Thinking of Spiro and his recent home-buying capers I said "gazumped twice in one day", and started down the creek.
-as wishing Geerge Gray was there to explain how something like that would work. The commutors got off at stops along the way- dressed very nicely with nothing in view but these one-tree islands, so I never figured out what heir job was.
-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 "poori" tastors. Pooris are the flat bread chapati which have been deep fried for a minute until they puff up like balloons. The pooris, and everything else we had at thiS-i'ebtiiaiani-was wonderful. The kids were Sb impressed with the huge size of the pnaris they kept orderingEmore. Our bill for this lovely "feed-up" was $1.20 for the four of us.
+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)". And I remember answering myself sternly, "Walking in the Blue Breaks isn't meant to be easy".
-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 "waiting game" was "I spy", and in India you can really come up with some interesting things.
-The .difference between Indian and Sri Lankan customs was unbelievablet; We were through in no time at all. A Sydney friend had asked me to get ift touch with a friend of hers in Columbo and give her, $250 for work that she is doing in slum clearance. That amount of money equals 5,185 Rs and is really a big wad of cash. Needless to say, this Sri Lankan couple welcomed us with open arms, and really went out of their way for us. Wa
+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's a lush growth of nettles amongst the grasses. Kangaroos were grazing on the verdure as I reached the plateau, at about 2200 ft, and nearly three hours from the creek. I was now almost half a day behind my timetable, but I was on Lacy's Tableland.
-had decided we wanted to stay as 'paying guests' while in Sri Lanka. This is where you stay in private homes but pay to stay there. We felt this was a good way to get to know the people better. Our friend, Sreyanie
-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, and the height above sea level varies only between 2200 and 2600 ft. Most of the way the navigation is not difficult, as one can see the blue gulf of Green Wattle Creek not far away to the right (north-west). A little care is needed in places where the true crown of the plateau bends southward around the top of side creeks draining off towards Green Wattle. In one of these places I found I had swung north-west and lost perhaps half an hour getting back on the dominantly south-west bearing. All told, the rate of progress was below 2 kilametres per hour.
-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 roan. We put this down to the very small kitchens, until we got back here and were told by friends who used to live in Sri Lanka that they are all "status symbols" so if you have them you show them off.
-. 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 "gazumping" myself. About 2.30 pm I decided I must be almost due north of Lacy's Gap - my way of leaving the tableland. I eased over towards the cliff edge, but could see nothing of the very obvious semi-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, still 7 or 8 hours behind timetable.
-cities, then on to Anuradhapura, another ancient city, then spend Christmas
-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" route via Byrnes Gap and Scott's Main Range until I came to the ridge near Denis Range where I proposed to drop into the Kowmung. Even at this stage, when it seemed impossible, I managed to get off my intended route: oh, yes, the ridge took me down to 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 only 3.30 pm but I was weary, my rations were low, and large mushrooms were growing there, so I made an early camp promising a dawn start up Roots Ridge next day.
-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's Pass of Ti-Willa, "You're not supposed to come DOWN etc.".
-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 "do" a Newland, and had, as is often my wont, fronted to the leader on Saturday night. We left on Sunday morning and drove to our rendezvous where we were met by the other two people who were to accompany Len on his exploratory. Part one ended as I backed carefully into position, pulled the handbrake into the on position and completed the parking of the car, where it would be left till the end of the walk, when we hoped we would return fit and well, refreshed in body and mind, endbled once again to rejoin the inevitable rat race to which we must go back in order to earn the wherewithal so that we are capable of coming back once more to furbish the physical and mental being, preparing us to take up our daily chores, giving us the opportunity to accumulate the "ready" which makes it possible to...
+We dropped down a firetrail somewher near the head of Lynch's Creek and began to follow the creek downstream. It __was__ downstream for we were delighted to find that partly due to the recent rain the creek was flowing that clear burbling liquid which is such a fillip to our senses, pleasing to the eye, and captivating to the mind when the lure of refreshing our bodies in its balm rises in our thoughts.
+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, "interesting". Waterfall drops interposed themselves, impeding our progress. There were cutaways,and overhangs, rock formations displaying the consumate artistry of nature's sculpturing. The changes in the vegetation added a decorative effect which enhanced the tapestry which unfolded as we walked.
+Naturally there were the normal accompaniments to any good leader's walk - plenty of morning teas, exchanges of jelly babies and dried apricots and enjoyable conversation on a multiplicity of subjects.
+Some time later, because the necessity of getting back became important, we had to turn out of Lynch's Creek (so typical of the area) and lift up some 600' (those metric purists may have fun converting this) to a ridgetop which we had to cross in order to make a descent and second lift to bring us back to the firetrail. The second lift was not quite so demanding as the first, but the whole operation offered us the opportunity of flexing our muscles and extending us physically, and gave us a chance, visually, of taking in part of the panorama of the area which we had covered.
+Since I am no expert on flora and fauna I cannot expound knowledgably on what we saw, nevertheless even at this time of the year there were enough of the native bits and pieces to excite our curiosity and engender our appreciation of what we refer to as "ours".
+Regardless of my earlier frivolities in criticising a "Newland", let the faint hearted take courage, for Len's walks are for enjoyment and enlightenment with sufficient physical demand to placate the purist and as such are always a pleasure.
+__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.
+".....", 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 "Diamonds are for ever", please accept my apologies. Due to unexpected litigation instigated by my publishers it was not possible to oblige.
+=====Dot's Party - Friday, 29th May.=====
+The party for Dot Butler at Ashfield Town Hall is definitely "ON". Starting time is 8 pm. Some people are coming in disguise (Dot says she's 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.
+=====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't pretend they didn't belong to me, as I sometimes do in Australia when they act up. No one gave me 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 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, better than anything I had ever seen here - including 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 would 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 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't. However, it did give me the opportunity to catch up on my diary, write some letters, cut my fingernails, sort my pack out, play some solitare, etc. It was loud and long. Actually, if I hadn't been so tired I really would have enjoyed the music, because it was very nice, but twelve hours of it at one stretch was a bit much.
+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 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't understand the reason why it was done like this, but it was interesting. Indians came along selling the very sweet coffee the kids really had taken a liking to, so we had a few glasses of that (the theory is: if the glass is too hot to hold, it's too hot to drink). PJ saw one deck hand whose job it was to jump overboard every once in a while, swim back to where the motor was and clear all the weeds off, then jump back on board again. He also noticed that the passengers were nice enough not to use the open-bottomed toilets which were poised over the motors at the time. Leave it to PJ!!
+Craig was really fascinated with the fact that all the rice paddys were below the level of the canal. The canal was a couple of hundred feet wide with cement walls all along. Very interesting engineering feat. I was wishing George Gray was there to explain how something like that would work. The commutors got off at stops along the way dressed very nicely with nothing in view but these one-tree islands, so I never figured out what their job was.
+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 "poori" tasters. Pooris are the flat bread chapati which have been deep fried for a minute until they puff up like balloons. The pooris, and everything else we had at this restaurant was wonderful. The kids were so impressed with the huge size of the pooris they kept ordering more. Our bill for this lovely "feed-up" was $1.20 for the four of us.
+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 "waiting game" was "I spy", and in India you can really come up with some interesting things.
+The difference between Indian and Sri Lankan customs was unbelievable!! We were through in no time at all. A Sydney friend had asked me to get in touch with a friend of hers in Columbo and give her $250 for work that she is doing in slum clearance. That amount of money equals 5,185 Rs and is really a big wad of cash. Needless to say, this Sri Lankan couple welcomed us with open arms, and really went out of their way for us. We had decided we wanted to stay as 'paying guests' while in Sri Lanka. This is where you stay in private homes but pay to stay there. We felt this was a good way to get to know the people better. Our friend, Sreyanie, 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 and 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.
+At several places we stayed, we noticed that the fridge, TV, washer, dryer or any "mod cons" the family had were in the living room. We put this down to the very small kitchens, until we got back here and were told by friends who used to live in Sri Lanka that they are all "status symbols" so if you have them you show them off.
+We decided to go from Columba to Sigiriya, one of the three ancient cities, then on to Anuradhapura, another ancient city, then spend Christmas 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.
+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.
-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 Membership. However he did many skiing trips with early members, especially Tom Moppett and Paddy Pallin.
-became an active member, but several years ago he was given Honorary Member-
-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.
 Congratulations, Colin!
-Page 11	THE SYDNEY BUSHWALICER	April, 1981.
-enough of the native bits- ant-pi6ceb-ti57eXcite our curiosity and engender
-our appreciation of what we refer to as "ours".
-' Regardless of my earlier frivolities in criticising a "Newland", let the faint hearted take .courage, for Len's walks are for enjoyment and enlightenment with sufficient physical demand to placate the purist and as such are always a pleasure.
-Epilogue:
-'' '' Pelt 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 intact, and in pristine condition - that is after the wounds healed.
-Len's shorts (much to his relief) escaped from the foray us'ableuand good for another 4 or 5 years. The thought of having to replace this item almost rendered Len non compos mentis.
-	 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 "Diamonds are for. ever", please accept my apologies. Due to unexpected litigation instigated by my publishers it was not poisible to oblige.
-* * * * * * * * * * * *
-DOT'S PARTY - Friday, 29th MAY.
-The "party for Dot Butler at ASEYIELD TOWN HALL is definitely "ON".
-Starting time is 8 pm. Some people are coming in disguise (Dot says she's
-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, 1981.
-.			_
-....
-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't pretend they didn't belong to me, as I sometimes do in Australia when they act up. . NO one gave me
-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
-st 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, better than anything I had ever seen here - including
-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't. However, it did give me the opportunity to catch up on my diary, write some letters, cut my fingernails, sort my pack out, play some solitare, etc. It was loud and lang. Actually, if I hadn't been so tired I'really would have enjoyed the music, because it was very nice, but twelve hours of it at one stretch was a bit much.
-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
-.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, 1981.
 THE ANNUAL GENERAL IVIEETING.