198609
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198609 [2016/03/14 12:53] – [The August General Meeting] kennettj | 198609 [2016/03/15 07:12] (current) – [Central Australia] kennettj | ||
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by Geoff Grace | by Geoff Grace | ||
- | The word ' | + | The word ' |
- | Everybody makes a mistake or two at times. Our crossing party was no exception. The biggest mistake was that after four days out from Kiandra, two of us proceeded up onto the main range from Consett Stephens Pass in changing weather conditions. The weather. that day started out O.K. but from the West, low cloud soon scudded in. We pressed on. We should have gone back. Between Mount Tate and Anderson the weather really closed in. | + | Everybody makes a mistake or two at times. Our crossing party was no exception. The biggest mistake was that after four days out from Kiandra, two of us proceeded up onto the main range from Consett Stephens Pass in changing weather conditions. The weather that day started out O.K. but from the West, low cloud soon scudded in. We pressed on. We should have gone back. Between Mount Tate and Anderson the weather really closed in. |
- | In a very short space of time the wind built to such a force that it was almost | + | In a very short space of time the wind built to such a force that it was almost |
We groped for the lee of the ridge - at times on hands and knees for fear of being blown over the edge. | We groped for the lee of the ridge - at times on hands and knees for fear of being blown over the edge. | ||
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My chance finally came when I was recently invited to join a group of ten bushwalkers from the S.B.W. to go on a ten day walk into the Macdonnell Ranges just west of 'The Alice' | My chance finally came when I was recently invited to join a group of ten bushwalkers from the S.B.W. to go on a ten day walk into the Macdonnell Ranges just west of 'The Alice' | ||
- | To most Australians, | + | To most Australians, |
- | **Day 1.** A bus met us there and drove us some seventy kilometres west along Namatjira Drive. We were let out in the cool June air in the middle of nowhere, just in the ' | + | **Day 1.** A bus met us there and drove us some seventy kilometres west along Namatjira Drive. We were let out in the cool June air in the middle of nowhere, just in the ' |
We set off. An hour or so later we crossed a little gap in the Heavitree Range and out into the dusty, flat valley between it and the Chewings Range. Well, not so flat, up close at least, as we crossed little dry rivulets and badly eroded water courses to reach the dry river bed of the Hugh River. Just before we camped we could see in the distance the cliffs of the Hugh Gorge, our destination tomorrow. | We set off. An hour or so later we crossed a little gap in the Heavitree Range and out into the dusty, flat valley between it and the Chewings Range. Well, not so flat, up close at least, as we crossed little dry rivulets and badly eroded water courses to reach the dry river bed of the Hugh River. Just before we camped we could see in the distance the cliffs of the Hugh Gorge, our destination tomorrow. | ||
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So we made the first of many riverbed camps. No sign of water and with the cloudless sky, not much chance of a flash flood, either! Soft sand to sleep on, and a mild night as we ate our first dinner, a real treat, half a stuffed chicken, carried all the way from Sydney and cooked by Spiro, who so endeared himself to the party that Shirley declared, later on, when his indispensibility was apparent, " | So we made the first of many riverbed camps. No sign of water and with the cloudless sky, not much chance of a flash flood, either! Soft sand to sleep on, and a mild night as we ate our first dinner, a real treat, half a stuffed chicken, carried all the way from Sydney and cooked by Spiro, who so endeared himself to the party that Shirley declared, later on, when his indispensibility was apparent, " | ||
- | **Day 2**. Morning was as nice as you could wish. We had been warned of the possibility of frost, but it was not to be this year - the nights were balmy, mild and comfortable. We packed our too heavy packs (mine was twenty plus kgs) and headed for Hugh Gorge, whose red cliffs beckoned us as soon as we topped the first rise behind camp. We were carrying a little water that we had carried in from ' | + | **Day 2**. Morning was as nice as you could wish. We had been warned of the possibility of frost, but it was not to be this year - the nights were balmy, mild and comfortable. We packed our too heavy packs (mine was twenty plus kgs) and headed for Hugh Gorge, whose red cliffs beckoned us as soon as we topped the first rise behind camp. We were carrying a little water that we had carried in from ' |
- | dry, very dry; it virtually had not rained since the visit the year before! | + | |
- | What a desiccated country we crossed to reach the mouth of that Gorge, it almost made you want to turn around and leave. Water - the thought of it was always on my mind. We saw tire tracks here and there as four-wheel-drive vehicles can easily get around in this country. Then we reached the Gorge, | + | What a desiccated country we crossed to reach the mouth of that Gorge, it almost made you want to turn around and leave. Water - the thought of it was always on my mind. We saw tire tracks here and there as four-wheel-drive vehicles can easily get around in this country. Then we reached the Gorge, the trees got bigger and things looked much nicer. Some hours later, after some easy walking, we found our first water - I took a photograph of it, poor pathetic little pool though it was. I noticed others did the same. We had seven cameras on the trip and they were actively used as the country is photogenic - the light, the rocks, the red, the Ghost Gums, the white - all really quite irresistable. |
- | the trees got bigger and things looked much nicer. Some hours later, after | + | |
- | some easy walking, we found our first water - I took a photograph of it, poor | + | |
- | pathetic little pool though it was. I noticed others did the same. We had seven cameras on the trip and they were actively used as the country is photogenic - the light, the rocks, the red, the Ghost Gums, the white - all really quite irresistable. | + | |
- | We pushed on up the Canyon, still quite open, and saw a little more water, then found a place to camp on a shelf under some fine massive Red River Gums. The party had actually used this site the year before, but then is was next to a big pool of water - not now, it was bone dry. Still, there | + | We pushed on up the Canyon, still quite open, and saw a little more water, then found a place to camp on a shelf under some fine massive Red River Gums. The party had actually used this site the year before, but then is was next to a big pool of water - not now, it was bone dry. Still, there was water just below, so we stopped and spent the rest of the afternoon on a day walk up the canyon which ran away to the west just opposite the camp. |
- | was water just below, so we stopped and spent the rest of the afternoon on a day walk up the canyon which ran away to the west just opposite the camp. | + | |
We gathered day packs and put up our lunches, and I wished I had brought a good day pack, because we were to go on many day walks in the ensuing days. The side creek was larger than it seemed at first appearance - its branches were quite large and complicated on their own. We found a good source of water just a few minutes up this creek, better than what was in Hugh Gorge itself, and found the first of several dead Wedgetail Eagles. The wealth of plants in this environment has to be seen to be believed. We explored the first side canyon and found a waterfall, without the water of course, but impressive none the less. Heather made the best approach and sidled around the ridge while the rest of us approached the bottom and contemplated a direct attack which proved impossible. Soon she was on top. Heather stood some twenty metres above us and reported that the top canyon was also dry. Water was vital, we had to have it to live and continue the walk, so we retreated to the creek and lunch. It was strange but lovely weather, | We gathered day packs and put up our lunches, and I wished I had brought a good day pack, because we were to go on many day walks in the ensuing days. The side creek was larger than it seemed at first appearance - its branches were quite large and complicated on their own. We found a good source of water just a few minutes up this creek, better than what was in Hugh Gorge itself, and found the first of several dead Wedgetail Eagles. The wealth of plants in this environment has to be seen to be believed. We explored the first side canyon and found a waterfall, without the water of course, but impressive none the less. Heather made the best approach and sidled around the ridge while the rest of us approached the bottom and contemplated a direct attack which proved impossible. Soon she was on top. Heather stood some twenty metres above us and reported that the top canyon was also dry. Water was vital, we had to have it to live and continue the walk, so we retreated to the creek and lunch. It was strange but lovely weather, | ||
warm while walking but cool in the shade. We nibbled and had water from our wine skins - who would have thought the bags from the inside of wine casks would take over amongst walkers as water bags? | warm while walking but cool in the shade. We nibbled and had water from our wine skins - who would have thought the bags from the inside of wine casks would take over amongst walkers as water bags? | ||
- | The second canyon we entered was more fruitful. We went up and found signs of animal trails and shortly after found a lovely pool of water at the foot of a waterfall! Actually some of the group had gone ahead and the rest sat to have a rest from climbing over the rocks, when we heard a Cooee, and I went forward to investigate. Soon I yelled for the others. In this dry wilderness water was the most beautiful sight, clean potable water. We found a way around the pool, a beautifully intricate and sculpted canyon, but dry above. We decided to follow this canyon to the ridge tops and we did. The vegetation changed to small gums, then to pure spinifex, and eventually you reach a saddle | + | The second canyon we entered was more fruitful. We went up and found signs of animal trails and shortly after found a lovely pool of water at the foot of a waterfall! Actually some of the group had gone ahead and the rest sat to have a rest from climbing over the rocks, when we heard a Cooee, and I went forward to investigate. Soon I yelled for the others. In this dry wilderness water was the most beautiful sight, clean potable water. We found a way around the pool, a beautifully intricate and sculpted canyon, but dry above. We decided to follow this canyon to the ridge tops and we did. The vegetation changed to small gums, then to pure spinifex, and eventually you reach a saddle |
Spinifex is a grass that grows with protection in mind. It grows in clumps, from a fifth of a metre to a full metre in diameter and height. Usually there is room to walk between the clumps and when they are small it is easy to step over them but when they are big and growing close together it is so difficult. The reason is they are covered with needle-sharp thorns. Woe to those who fall on them with bare hands! On a steep slope with slippery underfoot it is almost impossible to avoid some intimate contact with spinifex!! We all had the tips of spinifex buried in our hands, knees, feet and even backsides after a few days! Campfire routine always involved needles, tweezers and torch-light operations. The guide books to Central Australia say that ' | Spinifex is a grass that grows with protection in mind. It grows in clumps, from a fifth of a metre to a full metre in diameter and height. Usually there is room to walk between the clumps and when they are small it is easy to step over them but when they are big and growing close together it is so difficult. The reason is they are covered with needle-sharp thorns. Woe to those who fall on them with bare hands! On a steep slope with slippery underfoot it is almost impossible to avoid some intimate contact with spinifex!! We all had the tips of spinifex buried in our hands, knees, feet and even backsides after a few days! Campfire routine always involved needles, tweezers and torch-light operations. The guide books to Central Australia say that ' | ||
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**Day 3.** In the morning, after the ritual porridge, we packed and moved up the Gorge. We only went for a few hours, enough with such heavy packs, to a beautiful campsite I immediately called ' | **Day 3.** In the morning, after the ritual porridge, we packed and moved up the Gorge. We only went for a few hours, enough with such heavy packs, to a beautiful campsite I immediately called ' | ||
- | First we all walked up to see the actual Gorge, a kilometre or two upstream. There was some hope of having a swim and a wash, but in the event the water was so cold that few of us availed ourselves of the opportunity - it was more comfortable to be dirty! The Gorge, one of the largest in the | + | First we all walked up to see the actual Gorge, a kilometre or two upstream. There was some hope of having a swim and a wash, but in the event the water was so cold that few of us availed ourselves of the opportunity - it was more comfortable to be dirty! The Gorge, one of the largest in the Macdonnells, |
- | Macdonnells, | + | |
- | were contained by mighty rock walls, not very colourful in the shade, but so big, and with such a profusion of plants, macrazamia palms, river and ghost gums, a veritable garden in the wilderness. We retreated to camp, the washers to the sunshine to warm up, and we made preparations for an afternoon walk. | + | |
- | The party divided. A few remained in camp while some went downstream and up a side canyon to the west. With the leader' | + | The party divided. A few remained in camp while some went downstream and up a side canyon to the west. With the leader' |
- | delightful rock toward the distant skyline. The rock is incredible; everywhere it looks fractured and shattered, yet when you take hand and footholds nothing, absolutely nothing, was loose! It must be the age. | + | |
- | The rock is so old that it has jiggled, settled, vibrated and shaken into stable positions. Cracks, splits and gaps everywhere but at the same time firm footing. It never ceased to amaze me. My rock ran out into spinifex, and I cursed as I crossed this patch to yet another rock ridge. At this point, in plain view of camp, I could just make out people at this distance. I realized that just to the south was a hanging valley. It was in fact the upper end of the canyon that the rest of the party had decided to explore. They would be stopped by a fifty metre cliff, which was now above, and would head back to camp, but I descended from my ridge into this beautiful little level watercourse. I decided to follow it to its head. Beautiful little cypress pines, up this tiny skyhigh | + | The rock is so old that it has jiggled, settled, vibrated and shaken into stable positions. Cracks, splits and gaps everywhere but at the same time firm footing. It never ceased to amaze me. My rock ran out into spinifex, and I cursed as I crossed this patch to yet another rock ridge. At this point, in plain view of camp, I could just make out people at this distance. I realized that just to the south was a hanging valley. It was in fact the upper end of the canyon that the rest of the party had decided to explore. They would be stopped by a fifty metre cliff, which was now above, and would head back to camp, but I descended from my ridge into this beautiful little level watercourse. I decided to follow it to its head. Beautiful little cypress pines, up this tiny sky high valley I proceeded. Soon it became a canyon, narrowed, solid sculpted red rock, and sure enough water! Moss, wetness, only enough for a cupful, but how good it tasted. This was probably the highest water found on the entire trip. |
Up I went. I noticed a few spots of white bird droppings on the rock near the water, always a sure sign that you were near precious water! In just a few minutes I climbed out of and above the canyon where the vegetation was reduced to just shrubs. In a few more minutes it had shrunk again, soon it was only ankle height. I was in a tiny valley with no view of the distant horizon and I could have been anywhere in the dry regions of the world. I felt lost. I pushed on towards the crest, astounded that in this ' | Up I went. I noticed a few spots of white bird droppings on the rock near the water, always a sure sign that you were near precious water! In just a few minutes I climbed out of and above the canyon where the vegetation was reduced to just shrubs. In a few more minutes it had shrunk again, soon it was only ankle height. I was in a tiny valley with no view of the distant horizon and I could have been anywhere in the dry regions of the world. I felt lost. I pushed on towards the crest, astounded that in this ' |
198609.txt · Last modified: 2016/03/15 07:12 by kennettj