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- | HEI SYDNEY | + | ====== THE SYDNEY |
- | BU NvvALKE R | + | |
- | Established June 1931 | + | ==== Established June 1931 ==== |
- | 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 | + | 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 Cahill Community |
- | evening from 7.30 pm at the Cahill Community. Cen (Upper Hall), | + | |
- | * * * * * * *,* | + | |EDITOR: |
- | PRODUCTION MANAGER: Helen Gray | + | |BUSINESS MANAGER: |
- | EDITOR: Ainslie Morris, 45 Austin | + | |PRODUCTION MANAGER: |
- | Bill Burke, 3 Coral Tree Drive, Carlingford, | + | |TYPIST: |
- | BUSINESS MANAbER:, | + | |PRINTERS: |
- | TYPIST: | + | |
- | Kath Brown | + | ==== NOVEMBER, 1984. ==== |
- | Phil Butt and Barbara Evans | + | |
- | * * * * * * * * | + | | | | |
- | NOVEMBER, 1984. | + | |The Mini Mini Revisited |
- | The Mini Mini Revisited | + | |The Flower People |
- | The Flower People | + | |Lots Better Than We'd Planned |
- | Lots Better Than We'd Planned | + | |New Members & Addresses |
- | New Members & Addresses | + | |Advertisement - Eastwood |
- | Advertisement - Eastwood | + | |The Changing Sole of Ski Touring |
- | Page by Ben Esgate 2 | + | |Obituary - Peter Price | | |
- | Jim Brown 6 | + | |Social Notes for December |
- | Barbara Evans 8 | + | |Reminder from Committee |
- | 9 | + | |
- | 10 | + | ===== THE MINI MINI REVISITED. |
- | The Changing Sole of Ski Touring Tom Wenman 11 | + | |
- | Obituary - Peter Price 11 | + | |
- | Social Notes for December Roger Browne 12 | + | |
- | Reminder from Committee 12 | + | |
- | Page 2 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER November, 1984. | + | |
- | THE MINI MINI REVISITED. | + | |
by Ben Esgate. | by Ben Esgate. | ||
- | (An account of the walk of 14,15,16 September - As told to Dot Butler.) | ||
- | Steak or Chicken? | ||
- | The party, consisting of Dot Butler, Bill Hall, Ainslie Morris, Mike Reynolds and myself as leader, arrived at Blackheath station at 9.52 pm. A taxi took us to the camping site on the western side of the | ||
- | Divide at its junction with Black Range at 3,600 ft. We emerged to a | ||
- | rather cool atmosphere, including low cloud and drizzle. Three of us | ||
- | elected to camp on the concrete floor of an old shelter shed, which was rather stable, to say the least. After Dot had manufactured a bed out of an old armchair we all settled down to spasmodic sleep. | ||
- | We were greeted at daylight, not by the noise of young birds, but by a very hoary frost. Without too much difficulty a fire was finally lit and breakfast disposed of. I, at this stage, decided to extend the walk by 1 km to avoid pine trees. The route involved following the main spur of the Black Range for 4 km, thence on an old fire trail in a NE direction, skirting the perimeter of Beefsteak Creek, thence | ||
- | into the rather deep chasm of the creek. In the early days Beefsteak | ||
- | Creek was known as the White Leghorn. It is believed an old fossicker | ||
- | had a camp at the head of this creek and had some white leghorn fowls which used to run wild in the bush and were occasionally seen by timber cutters. | ||
- | We crossed Beefsteak Creek and replenished our water supply, then climbed out on to the main spur leading east, which leads to the junction of Beefsteak Creek and the upper reaches of Little River. The descent into this region was rather tortuous, down a very narrow, interesting quartzite rock spur. An abrupt halt was called from the rear as Mike had driven a rather large piece of wood into his finger, which necessitated surgical attention. However, after 20 minutes of fingers, thumbs and knives, the pressure was removed but not the splinter. Eventually the junction was reached through a canopy of southern rainforest deep in the gully. We then followed the base of Little River for another 2 km to the lowest crossingof a fire trail. We were now 10 km from our start. Now up the firetrail, over another small range (name unknown), and eventually reached Waterfall Creek. We had lunch at a rather majestic spot overlooking the main chasm of Little River and a huge face of granite rock over which the waterfall poured. At this stage we were roughly half an hour behind because of Mike's operation. | ||
- | On the Table. | ||
- | Lunch over, we proceeded to climb to Table Rock (or, as it is now known, South Gibralter Rock) overlooking Kanimbla Valley. With some difficulty we climbed to the top of a small cliff face of conglomerate sandstone, and from this we obtained a wonderful panoramic view, from a different angle, from Katoomba to Kanangra Walls. The cameras were busy clicking. We had climbed since breakfast approximately 1,600 ft. | ||
- | We continued along a spur on the firetrail to the junction of the Mini Mini firetrail, which we followed for 2 km in an easterly direction to its termination. We were then on the sandstone escarpment of Gibralter Rocks and for about 3 km continued across an isthmus onto the main plateau through low Banksia scrub, very difficult in places. We | ||
- | - | ||
- | 0 -- | ||
- | r | ||
- | ::- | ||
- | MINI MINI < WALK '', | + | (An account of the walk of 14, 15, 16 September - As told to Dot Butler.) |
- | s | + | |
- | Page 4 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER | + | __Steak or Chicken? |
- | found a break-through on the west side of the cliffs and descended the main Mini Mini spur to the lower areas of Megalong Valley. On the Spur, | + | The party, consisting of Dot Butler, Bill Hall, Ainslie Morris, Mike Reynolds and myself as leader, arrived at Blackheath station at 9.52 pm. A taxi took us to the camping site on the western side of the Divide at its junction with Black Range at 3,600 ft. We emerged to a rather cool atmosphere, including low cloud and drizzle. Three of us elected to camp on the concrete floor of an old shelter shed, which was rather __stable__, to say the least. After Dot had manufactured a bed out of an old armchair we all settled down to spasmodic sleep. |
- | where the saddle crosses on to Old Man Mountain is the place where, about 100 years ago, a feud existed between Dysons on the Murdering Creek side and Dwyers on the Little River side where the sycamores grow. They fired spasmodic shots at one another' | + | |
- | carbines for many years, but no one ever got hit. It ended probably | + | We were greeted at daylight, not by the noise of young birds, but by a very hoary frost. Without too much difficulty a fire was finally lit and breakfast disposed of. I, at this stage, decided to extend the walk by one km to avoid pine trees. The route involved following the main spur of the Black Range for 4 km, thence on an old fire trail in a NE direction, skirting the perimeter of Beefsteak Creek, thence into the rather deep chasm of the creek. In the early days Beefsteak Creek was known as the White Leghorn. It is believed an old fossicker had a camp at the head of this creek and had some white leghorn fowls which used to run wild in the bush and were occasionally seen by timber cutters. |
- | when Butfields bought the Kiangatha | + | |
- | taining | + | We crossed Beefsteak Creek and replenished our water supply, then climbed out on to the main spur leading east, which leads to the junction of Beefsteak Creek and the upper reaches of Little River. The descent into this region was rather tortuous, down a very narrow, interesting quartzite rock spur. An abrupt halt was called from the rear as Mike had driven a rather large piece of wood into his finger, which necessitated surgical attention. However, after 20 minutes of fingers, thumbs and knives, the pressure was removed but not the splinter. Eventually the junction was reached through a canopy of southern rainforest deep in the gully. We then followed the base of Little River for another 2 km to the lowest crossing of a fire trail. We were now 10 km from our start. Now up the firetrail, over another small range (name unknown), and eventually reached Waterfall Creek. We had lunch at a rather majestic spot overlooking the main chasm of Little River and a huge face of granite rock over which the waterfall poured. At this stage we were roughly half an hour behind because of Mike's operation. |
- | feuding parties were too far away to see each other. As I knew both the Dwyers personally I can understand this, as old Ned was always likely to get somebody into trouble. | + | |
- | Murdering | + | __On the Table.__ \\ |
- | We now turned east from the main spur to look for a campsite in the fading light. We found a wonderful spot in Murdering Creek gully - lots of wood and a beautiful spring oozing out of the granite rock. Everyone gratefully came to rest. Dot busily converted herself into | + | Lunch over, we proceeded to climb to Table Rock (or, as it is now known, South Gibraltar Rock) overlooking Kanimbla Valley. With some difficulty we climbed to the top of a small cliff face of conglomerate sandstone, and from this we obtained a wonderful panoramic view, from a different angle, from Katoomba to Kanangra Walls. The cameras were busy clicking. We had climbed since breakfast approximately 1,600 ft. |
- | a scrub turkey. Having built a monstrous mound of bark and leaves she proceeded to erect her tent over it, leaving little room for the turkey. | + | |
- | We spent a very restful night and started in the morning about 7.30. A change of plan occurred through Bill wanting to travel some of the old existing Six Foot Track to bring back memories of days gone by. We followed Murdering Creek down where the Six Foot Track proceeds to the junction of the Cox. This river we crossed on a ready-made flood-drift | + | We continued along a spur on the firetrail to the junction of the Mini Mini firetrail, which we followed for two km in an easterly direction to its termination. We were then on the sandstone escarpment of Gibraltar Rocks and for about 3 km continued across an isthmus onto the main plateau through low Banksia scrub, very difficult in places. We found a break-through on the west side of the cliffs and descended the main Mini Mini spur to the lower areas of Megalong Valley. On the Spur, where the saddle crosses on to Old Man Mountain is the place where, about 100 years ago, a feud existed between Dysons on the Murdering Creek side and Dwyers on the Little River side where the sycamores grow. They fired spasmodic shots at one another' |
- | log without getting our feet wet. I pointed out the site of the old | + | carbines for many years, but no one ever got hit. It ended probably when Butfields bought the Kiangatha |
- | homestead on the junction of the Cox and Gibralter Creek. Mike was delighted by the great variety of hornblends | + | |
- | We then proceeded up the Six Foot Track towards the Megalong Creek junction. The track was in its original state except for water erosion | + | __Murdering |
- | on it over probably a century of use. Everybody was very excited by the rugged splendour of that particular zone of the Cox, the water | + | We now turned east from the main spur to look for a campsite in the fading light. We found a wonderful spot in Murdering Creek gully - lots of wood and a beautiful spring oozing out of the granite rock. Everyone gratefully came to rest. Dot busily converted herself into a scrub turkey. Having built a monstrous mound of bark and leaves she proceeded to erect her tent over it, leaving little room for the turkey. |
- | cascading through the great granites, with campsites galore. This beautiful vista will cease to exist once the second dam gets built in Kanimbla Valley several miles upstream from this area. The dam will | + | |
- | reduce the main flow of the Cox. The bed of the river will be used as | + | We spent a very restful night and started in the morning about 7.30. A change of plan occurred through Bill wanting to travel some of the old existing Six Foot Track to bring back memories of days gone by. We followed Murdering Creek down where the Six Foot Track proceeds to the junction of the Cox. This river we crossed on a ready-made flood-drift log without getting our feet wet. I pointed out the site of the old homestead on the junction of the Cox and Gibralter Creek. Mike was delighted by the great variety of hornblendes |
- | a pipeline. | + | |
- | Shades | + | We then proceeded up the Six Foot Track towards the Megalong Creek junction. The track was in its original state except for water erosion on it over probably a century of use. Everybody was very excited by the rugged splendour of that particular zone of the Cox, the water cascading through the great granites, with campsites galore. This beautiful vista will cease to exist once the second dam gets built in Kanimbla Valley several miles upstream from this area. The dam will reduce the main flow of the Cox. The bed of the river will be used as a pipeline. |
- | I now decided to pick up the original route, which meant crossing some private territory for half a kilometre to Pulpit Hill Creek, and I prevailed on the party not to be too raucous so as not to attract the attention of the owners. We proceeded up to the Megalong Public School where Carley Brown used to teach, and the little Uniting Church which I built 43 years ago to replace the old mud building which had fallen to pieces (this building is mentioned in the Bi ackheath | + | |
- | to the Back Creek, a tributary of Megalong Creek, via Mary Ann's | + | __Shades |
- | Tableland. (Mary Ann was the great-grandmother of Mrs. Gordon Boyd, | + | I now decided to pick up the original route, which meant crossing some private territory for half a kilometre to Pulpit Hill Creek, and I prevailed on the party not to be too raucous so as not to attract the attention of the owners. We proceeded up to the Megalong Public School where Carley Brown used to teach, and the little Uniting Church which I built 43 years ago to replace the old mud building which had fallen to pieces (this building is mentioned in the Blackheath |
- | the present property owner of most of the country on the west side of the Cox towards Gibraltar Rocks. They are very wonderful people who do not frown upon sensiblentry | + | |
- | November, 1984, THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER Page 5 | + | We had lunch on the Back Creek and it was decided to continue up the spur as originally planned to climb the Sentinel, and so out of the valley on to the tableland west of the Explorers Tree, Katoomba. The rise was comfortable, |
- | We had lunch on the Back Creek and it was decided to continue up the spur as originally planned to climb the Sentinel, and so out of the valley on to the tableland west of the Explorers' | + | |
- | retraced his steps to go out via Nelly' | + | __Over |
- | ledge had deteriorated through weathering and was uncomfortably dangerous. I returned down and we decided to skirt the Sentinal | + | By now we were on top of the main cliff line. We ascended a small spur of about 200 ft. Dot, on arrival, decided to weed out some seedling pines that were growing in the sand. I pointed out that she may have to stop here for some time as we were on the edge of a pine forest consisting of about a million trees) which had failed completely. |
- | us 20 minutes delay. Then, under my direction, Dot went round a narrow | + | |
- | Ledge and pronounced it " | + | We then proceeded to Katoomba, travelling along the old single track railway line. An effort was being made to catch the earlier train. There was only one successful finisher. |
- | meaning just too easy). So we climbed up through a narrow vertical channel to arrive at the spikes placed in the cliff face by me about | + | |
- | 1937. It was possible to climb the cliff without spikes, but one would | + | Ainslie, Mike and I went for a snack at Papadino' |
- | need no encumberances. I threw a 35 ft cord down after I had climbed up, snigged the packs up, and all climbed up with safety. Mike and Ainslie found a small notebook planted under some stones which had a couple of entries dated 1981 and 1983. | + | |
- | Over the Top to Katoomba. | + | __MANY THANKS__ |
- | By now we were on top of the main cliff line. We ascended a small spur of about 200 ft. Dot, on arrival, decided to weed out some | + | |
- | seedling pines that were growing in the sand. I pointed out that she | + | ===== THE FLOWER PEOPLE. |
- | may have to stop here for some time as we were on the edge of a pine forest consisting of about a million trees) which had failed completely. | + | |
- | onslaughts of man and fire. Fire destroys them very easily. | + | by Jim Brown. |
- | We then proceeded to Katoomba, travelling along the old single | + | |
- | track railway line. An effort was being made to catch the earlier train. There was only one successful finisher. | + | No, this has nothing to do with Hippies or Alternative |
- | as it was about to move out, and promptly went to sleep and didn't see | + | |
- | him. The train had gone through Central and out into Pitt Street before | + | Instead it has to do with pillars of the Establishment who managed to get their names immortalised in the numerous Genera of Australian bush flowers. People like George, Marquis of Blandford |
- | she woke up. | + | Hakeas recorded in Eastern Australia have thorny vegetation (many of them have common names including the words " |
- | Ainslie, Mike and I went for a snack at Papadino' | + | |
- | joined the next train and parted at Central with me en route to Dot's place to pick up my MIghty | + | |
- | * * * * * * * * * | + | |
- | MANY THANKS | + | |
- | ********* | + | |
- | Page 6 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER November, 1984. | + | |
- | THE FLOWER PEOPLE. | + | |
- | No, this has nothing to do with Hippies or Alternative | + | |
- | Instead it has to do with pillars of the Establishment who managed to get their names immortalised in the numerous Genera of Australian bush flowers. People like George, Marquis of B1andford | + | |
- | enthusiast, who is remembered in the Hakeas. Since about 16 out of the 25 | + | |
- | Hakeas recorded in Eastern Australia have thorny vegetation (many of them have common names including the words " | + | |
- | patron to be a prickly customer. One may also speculate whether botanist Stearn, who named the Hardenbergia with its wealth of purple pea blossoms for his sister, the Countess of Hardfihnn ih Saxony - whether he considered her a clinging vine. | + | |
It does appear, however, that between about 1800 and 1850 there were three main ways in which to have a newly found Genus of Australian wild flowers named after you:- | It does appear, however, that between about 1800 and 1850 there were three main ways in which to have a newly found Genus of Australian wild flowers named after you:- | ||
- | 1. The Easy Way. | + | |
- | To be an aristocrat, and an amateur botanist, like George of Blandford, Baron Hake or the Countess of Hardenberg. You then financed, sponsored or | + | __1. The Easy Way.__\\ |
- | supported a tame botanist who went out to Australia and did some of the first bush walking. Most of these enthusiastic amateurs themselves took care to stay in Europe, but one notable exception was Colonel William | + | To be an aristocrat, and an amateur botanist, like George of Blandford, Baron Hake or the Countess of Hardenberg. You then financed, sponsored or supported a tame botanist who went out to Australia and did some of the first bush walking. Most of these enthusiastic amateurs themselves took care to stay in Europe, but one notable exception was Colonel William Paterson, for whom the Purple Flag Iris (Patersonia) was named. This is almost certainly the same Colonel Paterson who was the senior military officer in the fledgling colony of N.S.W. at the time Governor Bligh was deposed, and who then became the de facto Lieutenant Governor until Lachlan Macquarie was appointed. Since Paterson was commandant of the N.S.W. Corps (The Rum Corps), perhaps his deepest regret was that the various native plants he examined were quite unsuitable for distillation into fermented liquor. |
- | Paterson, for whom the Purple Flag Iris (Patersonia) was named. This is almost certainly the same Colonel Paterson who was the senior military | + | |
- | Macquarie was appointed. Since Paterson was commandant of the N.S.W. Corps (The Rum Corps), perhaps his deepest regret was thatithe | + | __2. The Middle Path.__\\ |
- | 2. The Middle Path. | + | |
Be a keen practising botanist or a well-known writer on the subject - someone that the field botanist would either respect or wish to cultivate. The following catalogue takes account of just a few of the species that borrowed the names of people in this category: | Be a keen practising botanist or a well-known writer on the subject - someone that the field botanist would either respect or wish to cultivate. The following catalogue takes account of just a few of the species that borrowed the names of people in this category: | ||
- | Persoonia (The Geebungs) | + | |
- | Lambertia (" | + | |Persoonia (The Geebungs) |
- | Sprengelia (The Swamp Heaths) | + | |Lambertia (" |
- | Hibbertia (The Guinea Flowers) | + | |Sprengelia (The Swamp Heaths) |
- | Pultenea (Various yellow or red-and-yellow pea flowers | + | |Hibbertia (The Guinea Flowers) |
- | Kennedya (The Coral Peas - fairly large red or pink flowers, something like those of the Coral Tree, but growing on creepers with leaves of three lobes) | + | |Pultenea (Various yellow or red-and-yellow pea flowers |
- | November, 1984. THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER Page 7. | + | |Daviesia |
- | Darwinia (The Scent Myrtles) | + | |Dilwynnia |
- | 3. The Hard Way (Do it Yourself). | + | |Kennedya (The Coral Peas - fairly large red or pink flowers, something like those of the Coral Tree, but growing on creepers with leaves of three lobes) |
- | The most distinguished of this group was unquestionably Sir Joseph Banks, who accompanied James Cook on the voyage of the Endeavour, visiting the East Coast of Australia in 1770, and took back to Europe specimens of a wholly new range of plants. It is perhaps worth noting that they came | + | |Darwinia (The Scent Myrtles) |
- | to " | + | |
+ | __3. The Hard Way (Do it Yourself).__ | ||
+ | The most distinguished of this group was unquestionably Sir Joseph Banks, who accompanied James Cook on the voyage of the Endeavour, visiting the East Coast of Australia in 1770, and took back to Europe specimens of a wholly new range of plants. It is perhaps worth noting that they came to " | ||
Banks had the satisfaction of having the genus named for him by the Great Maestro C. von Linne (Linnaeus), the Swedish botanist who devised the whole of the modern system of classifying plants. | Banks had the satisfaction of having the genus named for him by the Great Maestro C. von Linne (Linnaeus), the Swedish botanist who devised the whole of the modern system of classifying plants. | ||
+ | |||
Strangely, Banks' colleague on the voyage, the Swedish botanist Solander, does not have any Australian genus named for him, although one of the headlands near Botany Bay is Cape Solander. | Strangely, Banks' colleague on the voyage, the Swedish botanist Solander, does not have any Australian genus named for him, although one of the headlands near Botany Bay is Cape Solander. | ||
- | Apart from having to spend a couple of years on the Endeavour Bark, Banks probably didn't have it all that hard compared with the Bauer brothers, Franz and Ferdinand, who were German | + | |
- | Saddest of all of the " | + | Apart from having to spend a couple of years on the Endeavour Bark, Banks probably didn't have it all that hard compared with the Bauer brothers, Franz and Ferdinand, who were German |
- | Of cOurse, there are always some scandalous stories, too. I would | + | |
- | not wish to be held accountable for the accuracy of the following - but our glorious Boranias are named for Francisco Borone, an Italian botanist who died " | + | Saddest of all of the " |
- | Then there is the Hon. C. F, Greville, an English gentleman and botannical | + | |
- | better chance, married the uncle, Sir William Hamilton. Later a British naval squadron visited Naples in pursuit of the French fleet which had gone to Egypt, and Emma transferred her affections to the commodore, one | + | Of course, there are always some scandalous stories, too. I would not wish to be held accountable for the accuracy of the following - but our glorious Boranias are named for Francisco Borone, an Italian botanist who died " |
- | Admiral Horatio Nelson. If this outrageous tale be true, the Hon. C. F. | + | |
- | Greville has-two claims to historical fame. Since our marvellous " | + | Then there is the Hon. C. F. Greville, an English gentleman and botanical |
- | (FOOTNOTE: In case any purist or perfectionist may happen to read this. | + | |
- | It is intended as an " | + | (FOOTNOTE: In case any purist or perfectionist may happen to read this. It is intended as an " |
- | NOT be taken too seriously. The names of the various Genera of plants, | + | and the names of the people who are remembered by them are correct as given by books in my possession. The rest of the essay contains a good deal of conjecture, hearsay and plain old-fashioned garbage.) |
- | and the names of the people who are remembered by them are correct as given | + | |
- | by books in my possession. The rest of the essay contains a good deal of | + | ===== LOTS BETTER THAN WE'D PLANNED. |
- | conjecture, hearsay and plain old-fashioned garbage.) | + | |
- | * * * * * * * * * * | + | |
- | Page .8 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER November, 1984. | + | |
- | LOTS BETTER THAN WE'D PLANNED. | + | |
by Barbara Evans. | by Barbara Evans. | ||
- | " | + | |
- | a smiling Roger Browne stepped into view. "We can have our fire at the rocky end and at the other there' | + | " |
- | seven. Big enough. The alternatives were a very small spit of sand, | + | |
- | by the creek, and a few scattered stony spots. | + | |
We filled waterbags and scrambled a hundred feet or so up through thick scrub. Wood was plentiful and in minutes flames were illuminating the golden honeycomb roof. There were cups of tea and nibbles all round; then Roger went out to climb the ridge above, while the rest of us lazed and chatted and chuckled (and sometimes winced) at Simon Parkin' | We filled waterbags and scrambled a hundred feet or so up through thick scrub. Wood was plentiful and in minutes flames were illuminating the golden honeycomb roof. There were cups of tea and nibbles all round; then Roger went out to climb the ridge above, while the rest of us lazed and chatted and chuckled (and sometimes winced) at Simon Parkin' | ||
- | You see, we were in the WRONG PLACE. My original idea had been to saunter along St. Helena Ridge from the Duckhole and camp in the volcanic neck. However, St. Helena has been spoiled by frequent pony camps, and when Brian Bolton (in the clubroom) had mentioned a beautiful camp spot in Kanuka Brook, I happily altered our proposed route. Brian pointed on the map to the junction of Kanuka Brook and Goonaroi Rill. He had described a cave, a beach and a grassy flat for the tents. The | + | |
- | next day, he'd explained, we would climb the ridge, go a bit to the | + | You see, we were in the WRONG PLACE. My original idea had been to saunter along St. Helena Ridge from the Duckhole and camp in the volcanic neck. However, St. Helena has been spoiled by frequent pony camps, and when Brian Bolton (in the clubroom) had mentioned a beautiful camp spot in Kanuka Brook, I happily altered our proposed route. Brian pointed on the map to the junction of Kanuka Brook and Goonaroi Rill. He had described a cave, a beach and a grassy flat for the tents. The next day, he'd explained, we would climb the ridge, go a bit to the left and find an exit slot in the cliffs. It sounded pretty |
- | left and find an exit slot in the cliffs. It sounded pretty | + | |
- | forward. | + | All confidence, we set out from the Duckhole, enjoying the walk past the deep clear pools and pale beaches of Kanuka Brook. Shortly after lunch we came to a looping north/south bend. At the top of the bend sat a party of Mt. Druitt walkers. They were in a cave by a beach, on the opposite bank their tents stood on a grassy flat. It was exactly as Brian had described - except that there was no creek junction. Could there be two such perfect campsites? You guessed! The country grew more precipitous, |
- | All confidence, we set out from the Duckhole, enjoying the walk past the deep clear pools and pale beaches of Kanuka Brook. Shortly after lunch we came to a looping north/south bend. At the top of the bend sat a party of Mt. Druitt walkers. They were in a cave by a beach, on the opposite bank their tents stood on a grassy flat. It was exactly as Brian had described - except that there was no creek junction. | + | |
- | Could there be two such perfect campsites? You guessed! The country | + | Next morning Bill Hall pored over the map with me. In his nearly fifty years with S.B.W. Bill has acquired an immense knowledge of the bush which is almost intuitive. Together we worked out what seemed to be our only chance, and shortly after breakfast our party pushed through a thicket into Goonaroi Rill. Great boulders and fallen trees slowed our progress and in half an hour we had gone half a kilometre. A tributary came in from the north. To reach it we wriggled through a spinney of vine-tangled casuarina and gum. Here the going was steep. Mossy rocks filled the dim, green gully. We climbed higher past sparkling little cascades until confronted by a smooth rock wall. Bill headed into the thicket on the steep west bank, stamping down a track with his big boots, pushing aside fallen branches. Between cliff and waterfall our feet slipped and slithered on the treacherously narrow ledge. As soon as was possible we returned to the relative safety of the creek bed. We climbed up into sunshine, and gradually the rocks became smaller and the slope less steep. |
- | grew more precipitous, | + | |
- | Next morning Bill Hall pored over the map with me. In his nearly fifty years with S.B.W. Bill has acquired an immense knowledge of the bush which is almost intuitive. Together we worked out what seemed to be our only chance, and shortly after breakfast our party pushed through a thicket into Goonaroi Rill. Great boulders and fallen trees slowed our progress and in half an hour we had gone half a kilometre. A tributary came in from the north. To reach it we wriggled through | + | Bill crunched a path to the top of a flowery ridge, leaving about a kilometre to go before we would reach the St. Helena trail almost at the junction of the spur. Suddenly Bill paused. " |
- | a spinney of vine-tangled casuarina and gum. Here the going was steep. Mossy rocks filled the dim, green gully. We climbed higher past sparkling little cascades until confronted by a smooth rock wall. Bill headed into the thicket on the steep west bank, stamping down a track with his big boots, pushing aside fallen branches. Between cliff and | + | |
- | waterfall our feet slipped and slithered on the treacherously narrow | + | The remainder of the walk went according to programme: lunch in St. Helena; magnificent views at Bunyan Lookout; a scratchy slither through mountain holly down to Glenbrook Creek and the rock of the twenty third psalm. A pleasant track took us to Western Creek for afternoon tea. Roger and Simon swam here, but Bill, Vicky and I were content to join Cathy and Judy Longfoot |
- | ledge. As soon as was possible we returned to the relative safety of | + | |
- | the creek bed. We climbed up into sunshine, and gradually the rocks | + | Had the walk gone as planned we would have enjoyed one of those heavenly weekends, so lazy that they are a bit embarrassing to talk about. As it was we Altered the schedule, went to the wrong place, and providentially had an excellent walk - in fact it was LOTS BETTER THAN WE' |
- | Page 9. | + | |
- | November, 1984. | + | ===== NEW MEMBERS & ADDRESSES. |
- | THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER | + | |
- | became smaller and the slope es' | + | |
- | floor was now smooth and we stayed with it until there was no dry rock left to walk on. | + | |
- | Bill crunched a path to the top of a flowery ridge, leaving about a kilometre to go before we would reach the St. Helena trail almost at the junction of the spur. Suddenly Bill paused. " | + | |
- | waiting here." he said. He was standing very still. "Is it an S-N-A-eek?" | + | |
- | flickering. After a long minute it decided that it was too early for | + | |
- | lunch and slipped out of sight into the bushes. (Such is the mystique | + | |
- | of snakes that, even though it had gone away, each of us stepped carefully around the place it had lain.) | + | |
- | The remainder of the walk went according to programme: lunch in St. Helena; magnificent views at Bunyan Lookout; a scratchy slither through mountain holly down to Glenbrook Creek and the rock of the twentythird | + | |
- | continued along the track, branching right at the Perch Ponds for a brisk walk up the gentle incline of Magdala Creek to Springwood. | + | |
- | Had the walk gone as planned we would have enjoyed one of those heavenly weekends, so lazy that they are a bit embarrassing to talk about. As it was we Altered the schedule, went to the wrong place, | + | |
- | and providentially had an excellent walk - in fact it was LOTS BETTER THAN WE' | + | |
- | * * * * * * * * * * * * * | + | |
- | NEW MEMBERS & ADDRESSES. | + | |
Please add the following names to your Membership List:- | Please add the following names to your Membership List:- | ||
- | Phone DAVIS, Greta, 4A/8 Bligh Place, Randwick, 2631 398,735- | + | |DAVIS, Greta, |
- | MAXWELL, Stuart, 8/8 Munro Street, Berry' | + | |MAXWELL, Stuart, |
- | PAYNE, Carol, Bush House, 21B Baldwin Street, East Gordon 2072 | + | |PAYNE, Carol, |
- | 498,8995 | + | |SCHEMBRI, John, |8 Hamel Crescent, Earlwood, 2206 55, |
- | SCHEMBRI, John, 8 Hamel Crescent, Earlwood,, 2206 55,3611 | + | |SIMANKEVICIUS, |
- | SIMANKEVICIUS, | + | |SOMMER, Libby, |
- | SOMMER, Libby, 2/63 Muston Street, | + | |VERSCHUER, Anne, |243 Norton Street, Leichhardt, 2040 560, |
- | VERSCHUER, Anne, 243 Norton Street, Leichhardt, 2040 560,1773 | + | |
- | -----********** | + | ===== THE CHANGING SOLE OF SKI TOURING. |
- | BUSH WALKERS | + | |
- | T, Lightweight Tents Sleeping Bags Rucksacks | + | |
- | e Food. | + | |
- | CAMPING EQUIPMENT Lame Tents Stoves | + | |
- | DISTRIBUTORS OF: | + | |
- | Paddymede | + | |
- | A Companion | + | |
- | Proprietors: | + | |
- | Rutledge Street | + | |
- | Rowe Street | + | |
- | FASTWOOD CANVAS GOODS & CAMPING SUPPLIES 3 Tre:awney St Eastwood NSW 2122 Phone: 858 2775 | + | |
- | November, 1984. THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER Pagell. | + | |
- | THE CHANGING SOLE OF SKI TOURING. | + | |
by Tom Wenman. | by Tom Wenman. | ||
- | Alas, the language of the ski tourer will never be the same again. The question, "What wax are you using?" | + | |
- | Some, years ago when I first ventured into the mountain environment as a climber, the change from nailed boot to composition ' | + | Alas, the language of the ski tourer will never be the same again. The question, "What wax are you using?" |
- | choice. The ' | + | |
- | for all established a standard pattern for everyone - well all that is except those hardY tigers who from stocking feet drifted off into very | + | Some years ago when I first ventured into the mountain environment as a climber, the change from nailed boot to composition ' |
- | technical composition soles which relied entirely on friction. One beautiful day I remember watching and listening to the then Chief Guide | + | |
- | of England' | + | With the composition-sole boot, no longer do we have the discussion on the relative merits and placing of ring clinkers, tricounis and so on. Similarly with the advent of the waxless ski part of the mystique of the sport had gone. However, on turning back the pages of ski touring history even further, we find that skiers once made their own wax. Here is one such recipe: 13 ozs of Stockholm tar, 1 oz Beeswax, 2 oz Resin and (wait for it!) 1/2 oz of MELTED GRAMOPHONE RECORD! |
- | motion, as without a pause he selected each hand and foot hold, was matched by the steady click of nail on rock, and a more perfect combination for all the senses could not be imagined. | + | |
- | With the composition-sole boot, no longer do we have the discussion on the relative merits and placing of ring clinkers, tricounis and so on. Similarly with the advent of the waxless ski part of the mystique | + | Now theirs was a mystique indeed with an even more esoteric topic of conversation for those early devotees of the sport. I suppose they in their turn could also have looked somewhat critically at someone who purchased ready-made ski wax with instructions on its use! |
- | of the sport had gone. ,However, on turning back the pages of ski touring history even further, we find that skiers once made their own | + | |
- | wax. Here is one such recipe: 13 ozs of Stockholm tar, 1 oz Beeswax, | + | ===== OBITUARY. |
- | 2 ozs Resin and (wait for it!) oz of MELTED GRAMOPHONE RECORD! | + | |
- | Now theirs was a mystique indeed with an even more esoteric topic of conversation for those early devotees of the sport. I suppose they | + | |
- | in their turn could also have looked somewhat critically at someone who purchased ready-made ski wax with instructions on its use! | + | |
- | # | + | |
- | OBITUARY. | + | |
We have learned that Mr. Peter Price, an active member of this Club in the late 1940's and early 1950' | We have learned that Mr. Peter Price, an active member of this Club in the late 1940's and early 1950' | ||
- | Page 12 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER November, 1984. | + | |
- | SOCIAL NOTES FOR DECEMBER | + | ===== SOCIAL NOTES FOR DECEMBER |
by Roger Browne. | by Roger Browne. | ||
- | December 5 - Committee Meeting. | + | |
- | December 12 | + | |December 5 |Committee Meeting. |
- | December 19 | + | |December 12 |General Meeting. |
- | - General Meeting. | + | | |DINNER before this meeting at Cheezie' |
- | DINNER before this meeting at Cheezie' | + | |December 19 |CHRISTMAS PARTY. Bring a plate of party food. The Club supplies cask wine, beer and fruit juice. |
- | Meet outside at 6.30 pm sharp. Late arrivals ask | + | |December 26 |Clubroom closed. |
- | for the Sydney Bush Walkers. BYO. $6 fixed price includes roast and salads. | + | |January 2 |Clubroom closed. |
- | - CHRISTMAS PARTY. Bring a plate of party food. | + | |
- | The Club supplies cask wine, beer and fruit juice. | + | ===== REMINDER FROM COMMITTEE. |
- | - Clubroom closed. | + | |
- | - Clubroom closed. | + | The President brings to your attention that __IT IS ESSENTIAL__ |
- | December 26 | + | |
- | January 2 | + | Large numbers have turned up on some recent day walks without notification and this is __NOT TO OCCUR__. Please phone the leader as requested. |
- | REMINDER FROM COMMITTEE. | + | |
- | The President brings to your attention that IT IS ESSENTIAL | + | __CLUB |
- | Large numbers have turned up on some recent day walks without notification and this is NOT TO OCCUR. Please phone the leader as requested. | + | |
- | # | + | |
- | CLUB AUCTION. | + | |
The Club Auction, held on 10th October, raised $221 for Club funds. | The Club Auction, held on 10th October, raised $221 for Club funds. | ||
- | LOST BY KEN GOULD. | + | |
- | Lost 1 litre Al. " | + | __LOST |
+ | |||
+ | Lost: 1 litre Al. " | ||
198411.txt · Last modified: 2014/12/21 09:46 by kclacher