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 If Michele now writes about some lazy summer trip Bob King led there one Christmas -- I don't want to read it!!
+=====No Boots At All.=====
-NO BOOTS AT,ALL
 by Jim Brown
-The Boot - has it fallen upon evil times9 Is it the symbol it used to be? Well, what sort of a symbol was it, anyway?
-have vague recollections that, during my early years at Primary School, say about 1925-6-7, I was regarded by some of my school-fellows as something of a "sissy" or wimp, because my parents had provided Me with shoes which didn't come up over my ankles. Shoes may be all right for girls, but all true men and boys wore BOOTS. Maybe my recolleCtions are amiss, but that's how I remember it.
+The Boot - has it fallen upon evil times? Is it the symbol it used to be? Well, what sort of a symbol was it, anyway?
-Certainly, at the beginning of the bush walker movement in and around Sydney at much the same time, boots appear to have been the accepted and acceptable footwear. As evidence, I'm
-almost sure that the badge of one of the long-established Clubs is a boot. And of the symbols with which we invest our incoming Presidents, the first one is "The Boot" - indicating that we esteem walking.-
+have vague recollections that, during my early years at Primary School, say about 1925-6-7, I was regarded by some of my school-fellows as something of a "sissy" or wimp, because my parents had provided me with shoes which didn't come up over my ankles. Shoes may be all right for girls, but all true men and boys wore BOOTS. Maybe my recollections are amiss, but that's how I remember it.
-These symbols are hung, like the Ancient Mariner's Albatross, around the new President's neck. Fortunately The Boot is on a fairly long chain, but by the time you get through 41The Map" and "The Flannel Flower" to "The Clasped Hands" (to signify friendship and social ,activities), the chain is so short that Presidents wearing spectacles are best advised to remove them, and one wonders sametimes if the clasped hands might ever separate and 'try to strangle the wearer.
- There were also several songs commonly, sung -around camp fires and at Reunions which gave, favourable publicity for boots - indeed, treated them as a vital part of the bush walking scene.. more about that later.
+Certainly, at the beginning of the bush walker movement in and around Sydney at much the same time, boots appear to have been the accepted and acceptable footwear. As evidence, I'm almost sure that the badge of one of the long-established Clubs is a boot. And of the symbols with which we invest our incoming Presidents, the first one is "The Boot" - indicating that we esteem walking.
-This thinking originated with the reading of an advance copy of Dot Butler's biography "The Barefoot Bush Walker", and coincidentally an article by Errol Sheedy in the January magazine telling how he was lured away from his original boots into sandshoes. This reading in turn revived some old memories including Dot travelling on the "Fish Express" one Friday evening in 1955 (yes, it was 1st April - All Fools Day) and we were going to Katoomba to take part in Geof Wagg's "85 Miler - Katoomba to Picton". From my seat opposite Dot in the same compartment on the train I noticed one of her sandshoes had ,a decided split in the sole, displaying either a bit of sock or;some foot. In horror I drew her attention, and was rewarded with "Oh, dear!"
-Dot insits she.added "Oh, well, it will let the Water out," (on the many crossings of the Cox
+These symbols are hung, like the Ancient Mariner's Albatross, around the new President's neck. Fortunately The Boot is on a fairly long chain, but by the time you get through "The Map" and "The Flannel Flower" to "The Clasped Hands" (to signify friendship and social activities), the chain is so short that Presidents wearing spectacles are best advised to remove them, and one wonders sometimes if the clasped hands might ever separate and try to strangle the wearer.
-River). I was so worried about it, this sensible attitude didn't register properly at the
-time
+There were also several songs commonly sung around camp fires and at Reunions which gave favourable publicity for boots - indeed, treated them as a vital part of the bush walking scene... more about that later.
-Another memory is my own conversion from boots in the 1946-49 period. Earlier, during a number of freelance pre-war. walks I had used sneakers - with rubber sole and leather uppers - but after being required to wear boots for about five years (in the army during World War II)
-and on finding they were standard footwear for most SBW Members in 1947, I submitted to the mode. Not for long. , The jolt that went up the shin when walking in hobnailed boots along sealed roads on the last leg into Katoomba, Blackheath or Kiama soon persuaded me "there must be a better way". '
+This thinking originated with the reading of an advance copy of Dot Butler's biography "The Barefoot Bush Walker", and coincidentally an article by Errol Sheedy in the January magazine telling how he was lured away from his original boots into sandshoes. This reading in turn revived some old memories including Dot travelling on the "Fish Express" one Friday evening in 1955 (yes, it was 1st April - All Fools Day) and we were going to Katoomba to take part in Geof Wagg's "85 Miler - Katoomba to Picton". From my seat opposite Dot in the same compartment on the train I noticed one of her sandshoes had a decided split in the sole, displaying either a bit of sock or some foot. In horror I drew her attention, and was rewarded with "Oh, dear!" Dot insits she added "Oh, well, it will let the water out," (on the many crossings of the Cox River). I was so worried about it, this sensible attitude didn't register properly at the time.
-Since the sneakers 'I'd worn earlier were no longer available, I tried sandshoes and quickly became convinced they were adequate in the easy conditions encountered in our Sydney- side bushland. I even made a few converts, including some of the most active of the new members and - almost to my surprise - the sandshoe suddenly "took off".
-Sinful pride urges me to believe that I had something to do With the widespread adoption of sandshoes for bush walking. Ordinary common-sense persuades me that it is likely other members of our Club and the members of other Clubs were probably moving towards the same conclusion about that time. By 1950 I had finally discarded boots, after a Tasmanian trip,
+Another memory is my own conversion from boots in the 1946-49 period. Earlier, during a number of freelance pre-war walks I had used sneakers - with rubber sole and leather uppers - but after being required to wear boots for about five years (in the army during World War II) and on finding they were standard footwear for most SBW Members in 1947, I submitted to the mode. Not for long. The jolt that went up the shin when walking in hobnailed boots along sealed roads on the last leg into Katoomba, Blackheath or Kiama soon persuaded me "there must be a better way".
-and that wimpish school-boy who had been derided for wearing shoes was doing a bit of gloating
-over the downfall of the dominant boot. (Out was there something else? Did something in my sub-conscious say to me, "You don't have to behave like an Army tank and trample everything
+Since the sneakers I'd worn earlier were no longer available, I tried sandshoes and quickly became convinced they were adequate in the easy conditions encountered in our Sydney-side bushland. I even made a few converts, including some of the most active of the new members and - almost to my surprise - the sandshoe suddenly "took off".
-down. You can tread softly, go around that prickly hakea, avoid squashing that tiny baronies
-You can make the Bush your friend, not something to be beaten down". All I can answer is - yes, for years, walking in my wimpish sandshoes, I always thought the bush was a friendly place, an ally, not an adversary to be defeated.)
+Sinful pride urges me to believe that I had something to do with the widespread adoption of sandshoes for bush walking. Ordinary common-sense persuades me that it is likely other members of our Club and the members of other Clubs were probably moving towards the same conclusion about that time. By 1950 I had finally discarded boots, after a Tasmanian trip, and that wimpish school-boy who had been derided for wearing shoes was doing a bit of gloating over the downfall of the dominant boot. (But was there something else? Did something in my sub-conscious say to me, "You don't have to behave like an Army tank and trample everything down. You can tread softly, go around that prickly hakea, avoid squashing that tiny baronia. You can make the Bush your friend, not something to be beaten down". All I can answer is - yes, for years, walking in my wimpish sandshoes, I always thought the bush was a friendly place, an ally, not an adversary to be defeated.)
-Page 8 00 0y0m0y,mwomway.4mv, Maroh 1991
-I think the final seal of approval - the apotheothis - came several years ago, when several young people were overdue on a Colo River walk, and Federation's Search and Rescue organisation took part in the search. Actually the young people walked out under their own steam a couple of days late, but in the meantime some worried parents had managed to reach the Rescue Headquarters organised by the Police out on the Culoul Range, and one mother sent a large donation to S &R, accompanied by a letter praising the devotion,
+I think the final seal of approval - the apotheothis - came several years ago, when several young people were overdue on a Colo River walk, and Federation's Search and Rescue organisation took part in the search. Actually the young people walked out under their own steam a couple of days late, but in the meantime some worried parents had managed to reach the Rescue Headquarters organised by the Police out on the Culoul Range, and one mother sent a large donation to S & R, accompanied by a letter praising the devotion, expertise and kindness of the people "wearing the dirty sandshoes" (the bush walkers). So, the sandshoe had become the mark of the bush walker!
-expertise and kindness Of the people "wearing the dirty sandshoes" (the bush walkers). So,
-the sandshoe had become the mark of the bush walker!
+Now, I'm well aware some walkers still prefer boots (but not the hob-nailed variety these days), and like Errol Sheedy, I can see they may have merits in some areas. The essential fact remains that in our fairly kindly local environment the sandshoe in its various forms is good footwear and is widely worn.
-Now, I'm well aware some walkers still prefer boots (but not the hob-nailed variety these
--mdays), and like Errol Sheedy, I can see they may have merits in some areas. The essential
+This has, of course, put paid to those old campfire songs - "For They Were Large Boots" and "No Boots At All". You just can't sing the same words and substitute "Volleys" or "Reeboks" or even "Sandshoes", because all of those words are of two syllables, where "boots" is only one syllable, so it just won't scan.
-fact remains that in our-fairly kindly local environment the sandshoe in its various forms is good footwear and is widely worn.
-This has, of course, put paid to those old campfire songs - "For They Were Large Boots"
+Is this a good thing? After all, I've discovered that the two "boots" songs I've mentioned both have rather smutty alternative words. One version of "No Boots" was sung by R.A.F. airmen operating in the Western Desert of North Africa in the 1940s, where pilots forced down sometimes fell into the hands of nomadic tribes who had a rather unpleasant way of showing their disapproval of the warring Europeans (whether British, Italian or German). It's to be hoped this isn't the practice in __all__ Desert Wars.
-and "No BOots At All". You just can't sing the same words and substitute "Volleys" or "Reeboks"
-or even "Sandshoes", because all of those words are of two syllables, where "boots" is only one
--
-syllable, so it just won't scan.
-Is this a good thing? After all, I've discovered that the two "boots" songs I've mentioned both have rather smutty alternative words. One version of "No Boots" was sung by R.A.F.. airmen operating in the Western Desert of North Africa in the 1940s, where pilots forced down sometimes fell into the hands of nomadic tribes who had a rather unpleasant way of showing their disapproval of the warring Europeans (whether British, Italian or German). It's to, be hoped this 'isn't the' practice in all Desert Wars.
 Meanwhile, if anyone can come up with a tolerable "one syllable" word for sandshoes in lieu of "boots", we should be able to sing those songs again.
-- it * St * -It
- 1111110.10.MP,
+=====Visiting California?=====
-VISITING CALIFORNIA?
-,7,,, (r,,, I *--, f \ , \
+====Why not climb Whitney?====
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-WHY NOT  CLIMB WHITNEY?.
 Situated in the John Muir Wilderness Area is Mt. Whitney. At 14,495ft (approx 4,830 M), it is one of the highest peaks in the USA.
-It can be done as a three-day or two-day trip. Two days would entail walking 64 miles (climbing 3645ft), from car park to base camp. Very early next morning, take a day pack with lunch for the final 44 miles and 2,500ft climb. Then back to camp to pack and return to the car park by dusk. If you're really feeling 'tigerish', do the whole thing as a one-day gallop! Interested? ' for full details write to:
-Eastern Sierra Visitor Centre, P.O. Box R Lone Pine, California 93545. (Ph. 619.876.4252)
+It can be done as a three-day or two-day trip. Two days would entail walking 6 1/2 miles (climbing 3645ft), from car park to base camp. Very early next morning, take a day pack with lunch for the final 4 1/2 miles and 2,500ft climb. Then back to camp to pack and return to the car park by dusk. If you're really feeling 'tigerish', do the whole thing as a one-day gallop! Interested?... for full details write to:
-March 1991' The Sydney'Bushwalker Page 9
-WITHER-ED CONSERVATION? by MOrag Ryder
+Eastern Sierra Visitor Centre, P.O. Box 'R', Lone Pine, California 93545. (Ph. 619.876.4252)
-You can tell that an election is coming, can't you? Pollies are polishing up their V smiles and their platitudes, everywhere signs are telling us What The State Government is Doing for You.
-Even the tattered remains of the State school system has been given a temporary reprieve, with several of the threatened 'reforms' being recinded. But before'we all start cheering, it behoves the wiley bushwalker to consider what the State pollies have done for our little patch in nearly three years, namely-- National Parks.
+=====Wither-ed Conservation?=====
+by Morag Ryder
+You can tell that an election is coming, can't you? Pollies are polishing up their smiles and their platitudes, everywhere signs are telling us What The State Government is Doing for You. Even the tattered remains of the State school system has been given a temporary reprieve, with several of the threatened 'reforms' being recinded. But before we all start cheering, it behoves the wiley bushwalker to consider what the State pollies have done for our little patch in nearly three years, namely - National Parks.
 For a start: - NO new N.P.s, only a few minor additions.
-The promised legislation to ban mining in all new Parks was passed, except that mining exploration will be allowed.
-The Land & Environment Court V5 to be abolished. It has frequently upheld the requirements of Environmental Protection Legislation, V so it is to  be replaced with a new council' to manage our natural resources.
+The promised legislation to ban mining in all new Parks was passed, __except__ that mining exploration __will__ be allowed.
+The Land & Environment Court is to be abolished. It has frequently upheld the requirements of Environmental Protection Legislation, so it is to  be replaced with a 'new council' to manage our natural resources.
 The proposed Wildlife Protection Act still has not been passed.
-Local Councils are V being given every encouragment to sell of public land to businesses.
+Local Councils are being given every encouragment to sell off public land to businesses.
 If all this can happen in less than three years, just imagine what could happen in the next three! But don't bother to try and vote them out of office. After the recent re-alignment of certain critical electoral boundaries, this will be almost impossible.
-KAKADU S GREEN ANTS
-Even our nasties are nice.
-/1/- e have no leeches, no 'wait-awhile',
-no stinging trees. Mosquitoes rarely occur in large numbers in the good bushwalldng areas. You seldom see snakes.,
-Our greatest worry is the green ant. If you brush against a nest, they bite. When you brush them off, the pain is gone. There is no after-effect.
-Better still, you can bite back. The green abdomen has a lemony flavour and is an excellent source of vitamin C. The Aboriginals would crush a nest and inhale the vapours to cleartheir sinuses when they had a cold. Where else are the nasties good for you?
-Write for full details of our bushwalking program in Kakad.u, the a %VAL*. Kimberley and central Australia.
-A
-Willis's Walkabouts
-A
-Carrington Street Milln.er - NT 0810
-Tel: (089) 85 2134 Fax: (089) 85 2355
-PART THREE - THE MACLEAY
-Sunday, 1st January 1989
-Guess what - it's raining. I woke up early, packed, lit the fire (eucalyptus leaves
-smell really nice when they burn) and sat on a log hear the fire, drinking a cuppa and writing my diary,. sheltered from the rain by my inflated lilo, standing on end over, me.
-Today liloing was pretty mellow - the water was moving, and quite a few fast shallow rapids kept us going. We were on the water. by 9.30 am and whenever anyone asked, I refused to tell them the time. We passed morning tea time, we passed midday. David asked if it wasn't perhaps..time for morning tea as his tummy was rumbling. David took off his volleys
-and Janet told us that this gave him a much greater sense of freedom. Whatever the reason, Dave was leading the way, forging on up ahead.
-The day probressed from a light spattering rain at brekky to dryish when we entered the water, then progressed back to quite heavy rain - we were getting wet! David wore a woollen jumper and his raincoat. Down a rapid with many overhanging trees, David headed for a log
-and his lilo went sideways. Dave and his lila parted - Dave was swimming up to his neck,
-wearing his entire wardrobe - WET! He passed the obstruction, regained his lilo and
-paddled on. King Gee Tuff!
-At 12.55 pm Bob said we would stop for morning tea after the next rapid. None but me
-knew the time and I wasn' saying. We stopped, David got out his watch and couldn't believe
-his eyes. Bob changed his mind and said, "This is lunch". It was now hot and sunny, so
-once again I broke out the orange and black fluro sunning attire and we all plastered on the
-sun cream.
-Everyone put stuff out to dry - including my tent, which shrank! We drank tea from the boiled billy and, Janet patched yet another pair of pinprick-sized holes in her lilo "(must be from sleepin6 on it at night - prickles in the grass etc.). Everyone contemplated on how
-much excess food we would have at the end of the trip. If Bob didn't have his annual 'not
-to be Missed and eagerly anticipated' dental appointment on the Tuesday, we would all stay an extra day or two
-More interesing memories from the trip.... Edith's panic-stricken face down every rapid, just before she falls in. Bob's 'ballet leg' that always kicks up high whenever faced by an
-unbalancing raPid - was it the right or the left leg?
-Bob decided to take a short cut overland here, as the river does a massive 2 kilometre hairpin bend. So, covered in sun cream and beach attire, carrying our inflated lilos, we
+=====A Tale Of Three Rivers - A Christmas Lilo Adventure.=====
-headed into the bush to go up, over and down. NOT SO!
+by Michele Morgan
+====Part Three - the Macleay.====
+===Sunday, 1st January 1989 ===
+Guess what - it's raining. I woke up early, packed, lit the fire (eucalyptus leaves smell really nice when they burn) and sat on a log near the fire, drinking a cuppa and writing my diary, sheltered from the rain by my inflated lilo, standing on end over, me.
+Today liloing was pretty mellow - the water was moving, and quite a few fast shallow rapids kept us going. We were on the water by 9.30 am and whenever anyone asked, I refused to tell them the time. We passed morning tea time, we passed midday. David asked if it wasn't perhaps time for morning tea as his tummy was rumbling. David took off his volleys and Janet told us that this gave him a much greater sense of freedom. Whatever the reason, Dave was leading the way, forging on up ahead.
+The day progressed from a light spattering rain at brekky to dryish when we entered the water, then progressed back to quite heavy rain - we were getting wet! David wore a woollen jumper __and__ his raincoat. Down a rapid with many overhanging trees, David headed for a log and his lilo went sideways. Dave and his lilo parted - Dave was swimming up to his neck, wearing his entire wardrobe - WET! He passed the obstruction, regained his lilo and paddled on. King Gee Tuff!
+At 12.55 pm Bob said we would stop for morning tea after the next rapid. None but me knew the time and I wasn't saying. We stopped, David got out his watch and couldn't believe his eyes. Bob changed his mind and said, "This is lunch". It was now hot and sunny, so once again I broke out the orange and black fluro sunning attire and we all plastered on the sun cream.
+Everyone put stuff out to dry - including my tent, which shrank! We drank tea from the boiled billy and Janet patched yet another pair of pinprick-sized holes in her lilo (must be from sleeping on it at night - prickles in the grass etc.). Everyone contemplated on how much excess food we would have at the end of the trip. If Bob didn't have his annual 'not to be missed and eagerly anticipated' dental appointment on the Tuesday, we would all stay an extra day or two...
+More interesing memories from the trip.... Edith's panic-stricken face down every rapid, just before she falls in. Bob's 'ballet leg' that always kicks up high whenever faced by an unbalancing rapid - was it the right or the left leg?
+Bob decided to take a short cut overland here, as the river does a massive 2 1/2 kilometre hairpin bend. So, covered in sun cream and beach attire, carrying our inflated lilos, we headed into the bush to go up, over and down. __NOT SO!__
 Up, along, up, along, up along.... We were temporarily 'but never truly' misplaced. We
 stopped to take photos - everyone dressed for the beach, with our lilos blown up, bashing
-through the bush - ha ha ha. And then we started going down, up, down, up, down, into a thickly bushed gully surrounded by several steepish uphills and no river iy sight. Out came
+through the bush - ha ha ha. And then we started going down, up, down, up, down, into a thickly bushed gully surrounded by several steepish uphills and no river in sight. Out came maps and compasses. Where were we.... it all seemed so simple and easy. Just a quick ten minute hop over the hill and more absorbing of sunshine while drifting downstream aboard floating crafts. Eventually, after an extremely steep, bushy, dusty, dirty descent, we were found; but maybe it was not the same river. The water was deep, dark and cold, the sun has gone, there's a breeze blowing and we had a particularly difficult, muddy time breaking through the bush to reach the river and proceed on our way.
-maps and compasses. Where were we.... it all seemed so simple and easy. Just a quick ten minute hop over the hill and more absorbing of sunshine while drifting downstream aboard
-The Sydney. liuehwalker
+We started heading through cow properties, the water became very sluggish and was cow patty coloured. We must have been getting towards the end of the day's paddling, but where to camp away from all those cows?, We passed some (EEK!)... PEOPLE.... playing around in a motor boat. (So no one had dropped The Bomb while we had been away and there were still people out there inhabiting the planet.) We were now more worried about where to camp, so that we didn't have to share with other people.
-March 1991
-Page 10
+We beached ourselves near a cattle crossing and struggled uphill to find a really cosy camp spot, just big enough for four small tents and a fire, hidden among some dense bushes which protected us from marauding cows and well away from those OTHER PEOPLE. Others had partied here before, so we collected their many rusty tinnies and threw them into a large pile, well away from our cosy spot. Eventually we managed to collect enough old, dampish, rotten wood for an OK fire which didn't really catch well until the rain started to pour. So we all retired to sit under Janet and Dave's large fly, drinking tea and port, shivering and watching from afar our raging bonfire. Even the rain couldn't put it out.
- "wormenummumnimailmis ispmmormof
-TALE. THREE-,.
+===Monday, 2 January 1989===
-Th
-fr
+It was a sad awakening, the end was near. We paddled across a large pool, around the bend and in the distance was the wonderful, large, overstocked grapefruit tree that Bob had told us about, next to the old shack. We didn't go near the tree though, because there were heaps of people, tents, 4WDs all around it, like a carnival. We landed and deflated the lilos. Bob and Dave skoled the last litre of port and we headed up a monstrous fire trail. Weaving and winding, the trail generally kept going fairly steeply uphill.
-A:
+There was dense, rainforesty type bush on both sides, but no cover on the track, and we experienced extremes of humid sunshine alternating with freezing, windy rain as we slogged forever upwards. Finally, after our fearless leader had rejected on our behalf many lifts in the back of 4WDs, we made it to the car, which was parked near a derelict hut with a fresh water tank next to it. The water was really clear and sweet. Bob and Dave decided that it wasn't poisoned (taste test method), so we all drank from the tank, mmmmm... changed and departed - almost the end.
+We reached Janet's car, unloaded and farewelled Dave and Janet. Then Edith, Bob and myself headed off to spend a wonderful evening at Bob's parent's property on the Gwydir River. They welcomed us with a feast, champagne to welcome 1989, home grown vegies and roast, Bob's Mum's famous pudding, talk and stories. A wonderful end to the trip.
+----
+=====Special Extra Walk For Anzac Weekend - 24,25,26,27 April.=====
-. oNs
+KANANGRA - Hughes Ridge - Butchers Creek - Bull Island Gap - Yerranderie - Mount Colong - Kowmung River - Kanangra. 80 km Medium. Leader: Kenn Klacher. 449 4853 (H) - 968 0059 (B). Maps: Kananqra & Yerranderie.
-RIVERS p.e 7
- - '.-
-N N -----, I I , ri , './.  t;
-CHRISTMAS LILO .!--  ADVENTURE
-\ /,
- ,- `-/
-,
-.  f , ,- /f
-i rt. , , !.,  ,r
-- t
-BY Michele Morgan
-March 1991
-The Sydney SUehwelker Page 11
-floating crafts. Eventuallyiafter an extremelYsteep, bushy, dusty, difty descent,
-we were found,. but maybe it was not the same river.; - The water wasdarkand cold,
-, , -
-*te sun has gone, there's s, breeze blowing and ',We had,43:particularly4ifficalt,..MuddyiiMe 13reaking,thrOUgh the bush tO'reach the river and proceed On Our-:Way.
-We started heading through cow properties, the water became very sluggish and was cow patty coloured. We must have been getting towards the end of the day's paddling, but where to camp away from all those cows?, We passed some (EEK!) PEOPLEA,.... playing around in a motor boat. (So no one had dropped The Bomb while we had been away and there were still people out there inhabiting the planet.) We were now more worried about where to camp, so that.we didn't have to share with other people.
-. We beached ourselves near a cattle crossing and struggled uphill to find a really cosy camp spot, just big enough for four small tents and a fire, hidden among some dense bushes which protected us from marauding cows and well away-from those OTHER PEOPLE. Others had partied here before, so we collected their many rusty tinnies and threw them'into a large pile, well away from oUr cosy spot. Eventually we managed to collect enough old, dampish, rotten wood for an OK fire which didn't really catch' well until the rain started to pour.
-.So we all retired to sit under Janet and Dave's large fly, drinking tea and port, shivering and watching from afar our raging bonfire. Even the rain couldn't put it out.
-Monday, 2 January 1989
-It was a sad awakening, the end was near. We paddled across a large pool, around the bend and in the distance was the wonderful, large, overstocked grapefruit tree that Bob had told us about, next to the old shack. We didn't go near the tree though, because there were
-heaps of people, tents, 4WDs all around it, like a carnival. ,  We landed and deflated the
-lilos. Bob and Dave skoled the last litre of port and we headed up a montrousfire.trail.
-Weaving and winding, the trail generally kept going fairly steeply Uphill.
-There was dense, rainforesty type bush on both sides, but no cover on the track, and
-we experienced extremes of humid sunshine alternating with freezing, windy rain as we slogged forever upwards. Finally, after our fearless leader had rejected on our behalf many lifts in the back of 4WDs, we made it to the car, which was parked near a derelia hut with a fresh water tank next to it. The water was really clear and sweet. Bob and Dave decided that it
-wasn't poisoned (taste test method), so we all drank!rom the tank, mmmmm   changed and departed - almost the end.
-We reached Janet's car, unloaded and farewelled Dave and Janet. Then Edith, Bob and
-myself headed off to spend a wonderful evening at Bob's parent's property on the Gwydir River. They welcomed us with a feast, champagne to welcome 1989, home grown vegies and roast, Bob's
-Mum's famous pudding, talk and stories. A wonderful end to the trip.
-* * * * *
-SPECIAL ' EXTRA WALK FOR ANZAC -WEEKEND 2.4i2S12;61...27 APRIL.
-KANANGRA - Hughes Ridge - Butchers Creek - B011 Island Gai - l'eTr,anderie Mount Koriung River -:Kanangra. 80 km MEDIUM..
-LEADER : 6nn:Olacher., 449 4853 (0 - 960059 '
-f
-Maps: '1(&nanqra & Ye'franderie.
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 FROM EVERY STATE,