FEBRUARY 2005 1045 Vietoria Ra West Ryde nswatta Ta 9BDE 5E44
2
Tents
Bushwaking Packs Travel Packs
Travel ware Sleeping Bags Rainweer icebreaker Merino Snow wear Bushwaking boots Sleeping mats Cimbing Equipment Cookware
Water fitters
GPS
Books & DVD's Family Tents
Tarps
Camping tables & chairs
Parking at rear ef shop
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7
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icebreaker.com PURE MERING
alpspurt@optusnet.com.an
THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER is the monthly bulletin of matters of interest to members of
The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc
PO Box 431 Milsons Point 1565. Editor: Bill Holland Production Manager: Frances Holland Printers: Kenn Clacher, Barrie Murdoch, Tom Wenman Don Brooks Fran Holland Opinions expressed in this magazine are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. All material in this magazine is copyright . Requests for reproduction should be directed to The Editor. billholland@bigpond.com
CONSERVATION
8 Gondwana Links - Restoring Eco Systems in Western Australia Valerie Joy tells us about a coalition group formed to establish this link
10 News from Coolana Don Finchs report on maintenance and other activities
ADVERTISERS
Alpsport Front cover Newnes Hotel Cabins 6 Paddy Pallin Back cover Scarpa Boots 8 Wilderness Transit 9 Williss Walkabouts 7
WANTED - Persons willing to attend, to entertain or be entertained at the Coolana 2005 Annual Reunion on 12, 13 March. |Page 2 The Sydney Bushwalker February 2005 | The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. From The Committee Room -
Our Club was formed in 1927 for the purpose of bringing bushwalkers together; enabling them to appreciate the great outdoors; establishing a regard for conservation and promoting social activities. The Club's main activity is bushwalking but includes other activities such as _ cycling, canoeing and social events.
Our Walks Programme (published quarterly) features day walks on most Saturdays and Sundays, some mid week walks and overnight weekend walks. Extended walks are organised in areas such as Lamington, Snowy Mountains etc as well as interstate.
Our meetings are held on Wednesday evenings (see Social Programme) at Kiurnbilli Neighbourhood Centre, 16 Fitzroy Street, Kirnibilli (near Milsons Point Railway Station). Visitors and prospective members are welcome. General Enquiries: Phone 0500 500 729 SBW Website www.sbw.org.au
Office Bearers
President: Maurice Smith Vice-President: Rosemary MacDougal Treasurer: Tony Marshall Secretary: Leigh McClintock Walks Secretary: Peter Love
Social Secretary Kathy Gero Membership Secretary Ron Watters
New Members Secretary: Grace Martinez
Conservation Secretary: Pamela Irving
Magazine Editor: Bul Holland
Committee Member: . Barry Wallace Gail Crichton
Delegate to Confederation: Jim Callaway
Contact The Committee:
Members are welcome to contact the following officers on Club matters:
President - Maurice Smith
9587 6325 (h) mauricethewalker@ihug.com.au
Vice President : Rosemary MacDougal
9428 5668 (bh) rmacdougal@bigpond.com Secretary: Leigh McClintock 8920 2388 (h) meclintock@pacific.net.au
Treasurer Tony Marshall
9713 6985 (h) tbhuilder@bigpond.net.au Members Secretary: Ron Watters 0419617491 wattersr@bigpond.net.au
New Members Secretary: Grace Martinez 0405 473 029 (m) gracie_mar@yahoo.com.au
a separate envelope
A report on proceedings at the Management Committee meeting on 19“ January and 2 February
January:
” The Committee appointed Kathy Gero, to fill the casual vacancy resulting from Caro Ryans resignation.
“James Swinton, Frank MHartigan, Craig Hannemann and Patricia Tiemey were accepted to full membership.
“the new members team will conduct special navigation training and testing sessions at the club rooms.
“The Committee will encourage leaders to specify distances estimated distances on the walks program
Committee received the Treasurers Report and approved payments including general postage $222, magazine and other expenses $445 magazine materials $311, permissive occupancy at Coolana $87, domain name renewal $110 and website hosting $264.
“The Treasurer reported Chris Sonter had agreed to audit the clubs financial statements one last time.
Gail had completed her survey of leaders attitudes to posting the walks program on the members only area of the website. The results had been made available to Committee members.
The Committee authorised expenditure up to $250 for section prizes in the Scarpa Boots magazine article competition.
February:
* Michael Chapman and Clyde Stuart Douglas were accepted as full members.
= The Committee received the Treasurers report and approved the draft budget for 2005; the investment $15,000 in the Colonial First States Multi-manager First Choice Conservative Fund, payments for Christmas Party expenses $225, magazine expenses $406., membership expenses $58 and first aid subsidy $50.
* The Autumn Walks and Social programmes were reviewed and approved
* A proposal to place the Walks programme on the Members only section of the Website was deferred until administrative and security measures have been determined.
“The 2004 Annual Report and _ financial statements were reviewed and approved for printing and mailing to members.
2005 Membership List and 2004 Annual Report have been mailed to all members in The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005 Page 3
Treasurers Report Year to Date Receipts and Payments
to January Receipts
Prospective Fees 278 Interest Conservation 81 Interest Coolana 239 Interest General 136 Magazine Advertising 105 Total 839 Payments
Magazine Production 311 Magazine Postage 397 Coolana Rates & Occupancy 187 Postage, Phone & Internet 628 Administration 158 Total 1,681 Closing Bank balance 10,761
As usual for January there have been few receipts and payments. I have been mainly concemed with the annual accounts which have been accepted by the committee and the Honorary Auditor. The most significant recent development is that the committee has approved my recommendation that the club invest in a managed fund, I will proceeding with this in due course and would appreciate comments from members. I have now pretty much moved to Leura and except continuing computer connection problems and the odd tiger snake at my lookout I am loving it; come to think of it I dont mind the tiger snake.
Tony Marshall
oe The Cookina Fund: Donations: t. the, Coolana. Fond. are: very welcome: and will-bs used to provide fieome to
property. . i : Many thanks to thiose viho have already donated or have -indicatedan. intention to include, the Coolana Furid. in. their - wills.. Please send: in your, donation, addressed. to, - hoo 7 i The Copland. Funid . The Sydney Bish Walkers, dna - . PO Bax. $3 AG leone: Paint i 565.
assist with the migintenatice, of. this wonderful :
Message from President Maurice: Following a great deal of consideration to impending changes to my _ personal circumstances and the best interests of this wonderful club I have come to the decision that it is appropriate that I not offer myself for re- election to the position of President at the 9 March 2005 Annual General Meeting.
At the Annual General Meeting all committee and non-committee, but elected, positions are declared vacant. Some officer bearers are offering themselves for re-election to their current position, while other office bearers will stand for re-election to their current role only if no other member offers themselves for that role.
So along with the position of President the following positions are really open to members willing and able to offer themselves to stand for the various offices: President, Vice-President, Conservation Secretary, Social Secretary, Walks Secretary, Magazine Editor, Treasurer, Committee Member without portfolio, and Web-master.
So whatever else you do please come along to the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 9” March 2005 starting at 8pm to elect the office bearers to hold management committee positions as well as the other elected but non-office bearer positions.
This is your opportunity to have your say in how the club will be managed over the next 12 months.
In my role as a member of the Web-site sub- committee along with two other committee members and the web-master I have been endeavouring to convince other committee members of the desirability of making available on the Members Only Area section of the clubs web-site [www.sbw.org.au] the Clubs walk: program. Thus far we have not been successful despite a high level of demand for such data to be made available as evidenced by the electronic survey conducted in the latter half of last year. This Committee has decided to hold over further discussion of this matter until after the new Management Committee has been elected.
Cheers for now and see you on the track again soon.
Maurice Smith
SOCIAL PROGRAMME - MARCH
1213” March
2 March Committee Meeting 9” March Annual General Meeting 9” March New Members Night.
Club Annual Get-together and Reunion at Coolana
16” March Africa Unveiled!! [Page 4
The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005
Vale - Bill Caskey
31 August 1937 - 22 January 2005 I was introduced to Bill over 30 years ago by SBW member Peter Stitt. Bill was a local real estate agent who lived at Killarney Heights. He had started work in the forestry field and always had a keen interest in the environment.
Bill was one of nature's gentlemen. He always greeted everyone with a smile and had something positive to say. He had that unique ability to make someone feel special.
In 1984 I was planning an 11 day trip to the McDonnell Ranges in N.T. I mentioned it to Bill and he expressed an interest in coming . He had not been overnight walking before so after some extensive power walking around the hills at Killarney with a 1Skg pack he was accepted as a starter. The terrain was rougher than expected and there were a few hair raising moments for Bill. After a few days he took to it like a duck to water. This was his introduction to bushwalking and SBW. In time he participated in canyoning, abseiling and X- country skiing. Bill was on most of my long trips to all parts of the Continent.
Bul had always been a _ skier. He accompanied our group on many trips to North America and was one of the members of Ian Wolfe's trip to the Alps in 1997 when we attempted an 11 day ski traverse of The Haute Route from Chamonix to beyond Zermatt.
Bill would try anything and there were a few spectacular incidents. We were descending a steep slope at Breckenridge ,Colorado. I turned around and saw Bill hurtling down feet first, -minus skis stocks goggles glasses & beanie. He bounced past me & eventually stopped when the slope eased . He had fallen at least 400 feet and I thought this could be serious. When we reached him Bill gave us his usual inimitable smile and said “I'm all nght guys.”
Bill was a great raconteur. His stories & companionship will be sorely missed by all those who had the pleasure of walking and skiing with him.
Bill was fighting cancer for the last 7 months He had been married to Elizabeth for 42 years They had two wonderful daughters ,Suzie and Belinda. There are three grand children whom he adored.
David Rostron
Please Note: The Autumn 2005 Walks Programme is enclosed with this magazine
Editors Note:
is underway and I sit here 4 awaiting your entries.
We have now decided to extend the prize list and award prizes in each of three sections as well as the first prize of a pair of boots.
The threes sections are:
e Short Story/Article
e Poem or Limerick
Joke By the way, Scarpa are willing to replace the first prize (a pair of boots) with other Scarpa products if the winner is a non-boot wearer or already has a satisfactory pair. And this reminds me, so far we have an entry extolling the advantage of boots over Volleys - but none in support of Volleys.
Remember your entry can be short or long, a story, poem , limerick etc.
Of course as a judge I cannot enter the competition but heres my unofficial attempt at a limerick:
There once was a fellow named Steve
Who gave his old Volleys the heave
Bought a new pair of boots
Very good for his foots
Now he walks like you wouldnt believe.
I must admit it sets a pretty low standard and it should not be too difficult for you to do better. Remember, get your entry in as soon as possible and you may send more than one entry. Why not enter all three sections ? Bill Holland
* Letter to the Editor:
i It was a good turnout the other night *
une and the feedback was positive. A few
of the members suggested that I send you some info on the two tours we are doing this year for inclusion in the next SBW Bulletin.
Macquaries Kingdom - a tour of the colony with Governor Macquarie. 5 days 28 Feb- 4 Mar, $948 includes accommodation, many meals, transport, guided walks and evening talks by local historians
= The Way of St. James - an 18 day pilgrimage (13 actual walking days) from the medieval city of Le puy to the pilgrim towns of Congues and Rocamadour in Southern France. Price has not been finalised, but possibly between $5-6000.
If members need further info, they can check
my website which will link them to the
Continuing Education web pages.
www. goodwalkingbooks.com
Regards Almis Simankevicius
* Almis gave a presentation to a large audience at
the Clubrooms on 19th January
|Page 5 The Sydney Bushwalker February 2005 |
Gunns Sues the Wilderness Society !
Gunns Limited has sued The Wilderness Society, five of its staff
- Alec Marr (National Campaign Director), $280,000 - Geoff Law (Tas Campaign Coordinator), $180,000 - Russell Hanson (CEO), $110,000
- Leanne Minshull (former employee), , $310,000
~ Heidi Douglas (audio-visual producer), $95,000
- The Wilderness Society Inc., $2,525,000
and 14 other groups and people (including Senator Bob Brown) for what it alleges are a series of wrongful acts. Gunns claims that The Wilderness Society and the other defendants engaged in a campaign against Gunns which constituted a conspiracy to injure Gunns by unlawful means, and that The Wilderness Society and the other defendants illegally interfered with their trade and business, thus causing economic loss. Gunns are claiming a total of $6.4 million in damages from all claims including claims of over $3.5m against The Wilderness Society and its officers. The Wilderness Society faces enormous costs in money, time, stress and worry. We need your help right now.
This situation will place increased pressure on already limited resources. The continued support of our donors,
members and new supporters is vital at this time, as we continue to fight for the future of our forests and Australia's wilderness and the future of The Wilderness Society.
Please make a tax deductible donation to The Wilderness Society today Donate online - Phone 1800 030 641 or send cheques or money orders made out to The Wilderness Society to GPO Box 716, Hobart, Tas 7001, or at your closest Wilderness Society Shop or Campaign Centre.
|Page 6 The Sydney Bushwalker February 2005 |
The Annual General Meeting,
The 77th Annual General Meeting of SBW will be held in the Clubrooms on Wednesday March 9“ 2005 commencing 8 pm. All members, prospective members, non-active members and visitors are welcome to attand.
Elections to SBW Committee:
Why not nominate for the Management Committee or become an
\ <8 office bearer? All positions become vacant at the Annual General
= | Meeting. This could be your opportunity to take an active part in the 44 management of SBW. The Committee positions involve attendance at
Committee Meetings on the first Wednesday of most months; the other
positions usually entail a working role outside of our meetings.
Management Committee: Other Office Bearers: President Confederation Delegates - Non-Committee (2) Vice President Magazine Production Manager Secretary Printers Treasurer and Public Officer Business Manager Walks Secretary SBW Webmaster Social Secretary Archivist Membership Secretary Hon Solicitor New Members Secretary Hon Auditor vonservation Secretary Sub Committees:
agazine Editor . . General Committee Member (2) Coolana Maintenance Committee Confederation Delegates (2) Website and Telephone Contacts
NEWNES HOTEL CABINS
Wollemi Nationai Park
This is the ideal base fer numerous bushwalks in the area.
Our cabin can accommodate up to 6 people and is equipped with a modern kitchen, bathroom, | bedroom with a queen sized ded, and four single beds that double as comfortable seats during the day. Buiit with ecologically sustainable goais tx mind, this spacious cabin also suits the requirements of disabled guests.
We also offer accommodation in our on-site caravan and campgrennd.
Visit us at our website at www.lisp.com.au/~newnes or give us aringon Ph.: (02) 63 551 247 The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005 Page 7
Finally - Why Women Can't Read Maps
MEN frequently despair at women's map-reading skills - or rather their lack of them. Now scientists believe they have pinpointed the reason for this conflict between the sexes.
Researchers say it is all down to differences in the reliance of the sexes on either grey matter or white matter in their brains to solve problems.
They found that in intelligence tests men use 6.5 times as much grey matter as women, but women use nine times as much white matter.
Grey matter is brain tissue crucial to processing information and plays a vital role in aiding skills such as mathematics, map-reading and intellectual thought.
White matter connects the brain's processing centres and is central to emotional thinking, use of language and the ability to do more than one thing at once.
Professor Rex Jung, a co-author of the study at the University of New Mexico, said: “This may help expla why men tend to excel in tasks requiring more local processing, like mathematics and map-reading, while women tend to excel at integrating information from various brain regions, such as is required for language skills.
“These two very different pathways and activity centres, however, result in equivalent overall
performance on broad measures of cognitive ability, such as those found on intelligence tests.”
Previous studies have shown that women have weaker spatial awareness than men, making it harder for them to read maps.
Research has also found that in childhood, girls' vocabulary develops more quickly and that in later life women can speak 20,000 to 25,000 words a day compared to a man's 7000 to 10,000.
For the study, published in the online edition of the journal Neurolmage, researchers performed a series of brain scans on 26 female and 22 male volunteers using magnetic resonance imaging equipment.
All the volunteers were in good health, had no history of brain injury and the average IQ scores of the two sexes were similar.
Their brams were scanned while they carried out tests designed to assess their general intelligence.
Researchers then created a map of a brain showing the varying levels of activity in the brains of men and women. About 40 per cent of the human brain is grey matter and 60 per cent white matter.
* Extract from The Daily Telegraph - correspondents in New Mexico 2005
from January 24h
Arnhem Land
Take your pick ofd or new
The Jawoyn Explorer is our third trip to the upper Kathenne River and the *other” Katherine Gorge. There are no tourists here.
In Leichhardts Footsteps is new, folowing part
of Ludwig Leichhardt epic 1844-45 journey
across Australia.
These trips are special!
You enter restricted areas, beautiful campsites
and great scenery you cannot visit without a focal quide.
Australias traditional Aboriginal culture is at its
strangest in the Top Ead. This allows our guides to give you an unparalleled insight inte their culture.
Helicopter food drops, prohibited in Kakadu,
rainimise your pack weight.
with Aboriginal Guides
Too feng? Both trips are in two sections, either of which can be done on its own. See the Kakadu and Top End izip list 2
on aur website or ask us for more za information.
Walkabouts 12 Carringto St Miliner . 8 The Sydney Bushwalker February 2005
THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES, CHAPTER IVa
NATURAL SELECTION;
OR THE SURVIVAL OF THE PERFECTLY EVOLVED.
a AUSTRALYS
seRFP
eee =: Fig. 3: The highly evolved Trek Pro, circa 2005.
HYDROPHOBIC HS-12 SILICONE TREATED LEATHER
NEW, MORE COMFORTABLE CUT
ONE-PIECE LEATHER UPPER
VIBRAM GRINTA SOLE
-.-& MORE!
ADAPT & SURVIVE. Inthe mid eighties, Scarpa set anew standard for bushwalking boots with the Scarpa Trek. Comforrable,
supportive and practically indestructible, each handmade Trek combined the highest-quality Italian construction with a design that was completely focused on the needs of Australian bushwalkers. REVOLUTIONARY EVOLUTION. Now20 years larer its time for a few changes. The new Trek Pro has been engineered from the ground up to take advantage of modern design techniques and materialslike incredibly grippy Vibram Grinta soles, a hydrophobic one-piece leather upper, and completely redesigned inners
& cushioning. The end result is a boot chars more rugged, more comfortable and more durably
water resistant than ever beforea boot thar's perfectly evolved to survive Australian conditions. 7)
e Proudly diftributed by OvTDOOR AGENCIES Ty LTD call (uz) 943$ 2266 for your meareft Hockish. sales@outdvoragencies.com.au SCARPA
The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005 Paged |
Gondwana Link- Restoring Ecosystems in Southern Western Australia
Travelling in the South West of W.A. for the
first time, I noticed frequent signage of the
Bibbulmun Track, which stretches 1,000 km
from Perth to Albany. No bushwalkers were in
sight, but I reasoned that January would be a hot month for such a venture. However, I went to
the launch of some beautiful photographs of a
walk of 113 kms which took place in November
2004, which aims to draw attention to the fragile
ecosystems and natural habitats, between
Kalgoorlie and the southern karri forests.
The organisers arrange many walks of this kind to draw attention to a particular issue, and in every case report success in drawing both political attention and that of neighbouring farmers to restoring habitats and ecosystems. I spoke with Michael Farquhar * the organiser of the walks, and asked if it would be possible for interested bushwalkers from other States to participate. Most certainly was the reply, so I have mentally filed this as one walk I can do sometime. SBW members may be interested in further background:
South-western Australia is one of the worlds top 25 biodiversity hotspots where exceptional concentrations of endemic species are undergoing exceptional loss of habitat.
In order to achieve Gondwana Link, a coalition of groups are:
e Purchasing and managing properties with exceptional conservation values, with over 3,200 hectares secured so far
e Revegetating land to form critical ecological links, with over 250 hectares planted to date
e Using conservation covenants to protect important bush areas
e Working to protect a 5-6 million hectare wilderness of mallee, heath and woodland east of the wheatbelt
e Investing in native based commercial opportunities such as sandalwood and broom brush (for brush fencing)
e Undertaking high level scientific research
Supporting local landholders and community groups wherever possible
e Working to enhance economic, social and cultural life as well as ecological connectivity. Gondwana Link has a co-ordination unit based
in Albany, comprising Keith Bradby and Amana
Keesing.at 146 Aberdeen St, Albany, ph 08)
nnn 2754, fax 08) 9842 3775, email
amanda@gondwanalink.org. The website is www.gondwanalink. org
For lovers of wilderness walking in the north and centre of Australia, some research of Australias south-west could result in additional walks on our SBW program, or for us joining in with existing planned walks in this area. I think Gondwana Link has _national/international significance. Valerie Joy.
* Michaels contact telephone numbers are
:08) 9331 5770, or 0416 088 024
Lost or Strayed Has any one seen my children's pusher which I keep at Coolana? It was there in December. I use it to carry some things down the road to the camping flat. It is also useful for me to be able to carry mesh, star pickets and the heavy containers full of water for the tree plantings. If you know where it is or if you saw it over the Christmas break please ring me on 9810-4268 or email shirley.colongwildes@bigpond.com. Shirley Deane
Nsw WILDERNESS TRANSIT
JENOLAN CAvES. KANANGRA Was. YERRANDERIE Guost TOWN Sranicats Track. Bexconsa Caves, Woa Woe. NeRRica
Via Penith, Kaloomnba & Blackheath for
Kanangra Walls Mon & Wed at 11am. Frid at Tam Retums 4pm Mon, Wed, Frid.
Via Starlights, Mittagong & Marutan for
Wog Wog-Nerriga Tues.& Thurs & Sun at fam
month, refums Sun at 1 pm (any Friday min 6) Group booking discounts or charter servis
Tel 0246 832 344 Mob 0428 832 344 www.wildernesstransit.com.au
[Page 10 The Sydney Bushwalker February 2005
News from Coolana Don Finch
During January the maintenance team have been successful in keeping most of the weeds on the flat under control. A major effort on Bills maintenance weekend saw the team gain the upper hand over the flowering cobblers pegs. The party of six also found time to open up the pathways on the eastern flat and clear around the guarded trees. It was noted that with just a couple of extra people good results are possible, thank you Jodie and Andy. Barry took down a new filter for the brush cutter and Glen solved the problem of keeping the cover in place so as it would not get lost again. Gretel tended to the trees watering and weeding as required.
Shirley and Hiliary have also been down tending the SCA trees, which are generally growing very well. The constant care that people have shown in looking after the trees through the year is evident in the rapid and successful progress of the trees. Some trees are now approaching three meters in height!
Patrick has been beavering away at the composting toilet project and as a result the Coolana Committee will be in a position this month to make recommendations. The type of toilet, the site and an indication of the total cost will be given. The cost is in the order of seven thousand dollars of which three thousand has already been donated specifically for the toilet project. The remaining four thousand dollars will need to be met from general club funds. Remembering of course that the Coolana Fund principal has been specifically donated to produce an interest income which can then be used to help cover Coolana expenses
Maintenance and Bush Regeneration:
Its a wonderful property but needs some gentle care and maintenance. The trees are doing fine but need some supporting attention. Weeds keep growing and there are other tasks to be done. Its not all work - ample to time to socialise and enjoy the evening campfire. Ifyou can assist please phone Don Finch 0418 417 593
geunion 7005 - SBW Annual Weekend Get Togethe,
Join Us At Coolana on 12”, 13“ March (See the insert with this months magazine). Come at any time for a great time = all the time. Join the extended happy hour in the open or under the large ao tarpaulin, Celebrate the traditional bon-fire
Enjoy the entertainment stretching well into the night. Damper competition on Sunday moming New members welcome - your opportunity to see Coolana at its best
More Details:
Bill Holland 9484 6636 0418 210 290 Patrick James: 95679998 0409 041 515
The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005 Page 11 |
THE WALKS PAGES
Walks Notes: Barry Wallace 11th November to 10 December.
The weekend of 13, 14 November saw Ian Thorpe leading a party of 8 on his trip out from Bell into the headwaters of the Wollongambe River. Although the weather looked dodgy at first, it cleared to a fine but windy weekend. Even the wind had a purpose in the grand scheme of things; it served to keep the flies at bay. The party reported great exploring around Goochs Crater and Billabong Canyon, with pagodas, caves and underground creeks. Patrick McNaught was also out that weekend, with a party of 9 on his walk out from The Golden Stairs at Narrowneck to the Five Narrowneck Passes. It was a good, tough, longish walk, with the party putting in two 10 hour days including some exposure and challenging sections. Chris Dowlings Saturday Walk, scheduled for that weekend, was cancelled due to a combination of circumstances, including a dearth of starters. Rosemary MacDougals Sunday Qualifying walk from Heathcote to Bundeena attracted a party of 15 with 9 of those being prospectives. The party was entertained along the way, with a pair of currawongs staging a spirited/desperate defense of their nest site against the depredations of an invading goanna during lunch, and whale watching from Marley Head later in the day.
Richard Darkes week- long expedition to the walking territories of Hong Kong set off from the Sydney base camp that weekend, and has been covered in some detail in a previous magazine article.
Bill Holland led the mid-week walk on Tuesday 19 November with a trip from Palm Beach to West Head that attracted a party of 9 walkers. The day was pleasant, with magnificent views from the road due in part to the reduction in foliage caused by bush-fires a couple of years ago.
The weekend of 20, 21 November saw Patrick McNaught and the party of 8 on his Lane Cove National Park Saturday walk punishing themselves with an easy, surprisingly attractive 3 hour walk that concluded with a barbecue. There was also a Sunday walk, with Ron Watters and a party of 19 out in fine and overcast conditions with some drizzle on his walk out into the Grose River from Victoria Falls. The party remarked on the profusion of wildflowers and the interesting rock formations encountered around the base of Ikara Head..
There was also mention of the Grose flowing strongly and adding to the interest of waist deep wading by accident and, at times, design. The track back to Victoria Falls provided a welcome respite with the deepening blue shadows contrasting nicely with the sandstone cliffs of the Victoria Falls lookout to bring the walk to an enjoyable conclusion.
Saturday 4 December was a grey, overcast day with cool conditions suited to walking but perhaps not swimming; or so Tony Manes described it for his walk from Waterfall to Sutherland with a party of 8 that day. He also remarked that there has still not been enough Train to give the creeks and rivers a good flush. Local wildlife spotted included a goanna and an echidna. The party traveled well, and concluded the walk with dinner in Sutherland. There was a report for an overnight walk that weekend as well, with Alison Shames/Ninio leading a party of 11 on her walk in Wollemi National Park. This party also covered the ground well, arriving at camp by noon Saturday and finding the Crowbar Cave in there somewhere. The rain showers that arrived on Sunday afternoon simply refreshed the walkers for the climb out of the Colo River.
Caro Ryan deferred her walk to Rennies Tunnel, scheduled for 4 December to the following weekend, so this will be covered in the next installment. The midweek walk that week went on a Tuesday, the 9” of December, with Bill Holland as leader and a party of 5. It is unclear whether the partys decision to extend the walk from the intended St Ives to Roseville Bridge to end up at Lindfield was due to their desire to become fitter for the coming Christmas/New Year extended walks or some other reason. The leader, carrying a problem knee, hobbled on to the extended end, re- invigorated by frequent rest stops and revived at the end by a milkshake at the station shop.
All of which brings the walks reports for this period to an end.
Barry Wallace
Soe 1
ue? Carry Water!
(Sess Leaders and walk
eS | sparticipants should take oe care to carry adequate
water for the day. Many areas are still
experiencing dry conditions and normal water
bearing creeks may be dry. | Page 12
The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005 |
DAY WALK REPORTS
Canoe Creek Capers - Saturday 5“ February
The Colo wilderness is a rugged beauty of towering cliffs, wind blasted sandstone, and cool flowing rivers. A delicacy of visual delight and a walker's savoury. So it is only proper that this is complemented with a gastronomic delight of a Gourmet Walk, so led by Zol Bodlay, ten of the Sydney Bush Walkers finest set off down the Grassy Hill Fire Trail into the depths of the valleys of the Colo.
The gourmet nature of the walk belies the nature of the walk itself, at the heart is the beckoning of a sumptuous spread of exotic foods, chicken tikka, salmon canapes, roll-mops, succulent anti-pasta, and of course cold,. cold champagne. So how far can you walk before the champagne gets warm? So the walk was a simple affair out and then down, straight down the 300 metres to the cool waters of the Colo River.
With the river high from recent rain, and flowing strongly, swimming was a stationary affair, but the cooling water was welcomed by overheated knees. Once refreshed the gourmet spread was laid out before our eyes, the formalities of grace were performed, champagne was dispensed, and a toast to the spread and the participants, we gorged ourselves on the rich food and drink.
With full stomachs and light heads most settled down to relax, to swim, to prepare for the strenuous climb out. And so we commenced the
return, a relentless climb, monotonous step after step, and once at the top, the climb quickly forgotten and relegated to another bush walking conquest. The gourmet spread will however be remembered, and will be a tantalising lure to the next 'Gourmet Walk, and all thanks to Zol who made this such an enjoyable day. Mike Chapman
St Ives to Lindfield - Tuesday 9 December This walk started at St Ives and followed Middle Harbour Creek on the northern bank . It should have ended at the Roseville Bridge but the leader rather foolishly ignored his chronic knee problem and extended the walk around the other side of the creek and back to Lindfield. After all, the other five party members were anxious to increase their fitness levels in preparation for Christmas /New Year extended walks.
So for the second half of the walk the leader hobbled on, re-invigorated by frequent rests and revived at the end by a milkshake at the station shop.
Im not sure how this walk assisted the partys fitness levels but at least they had plenty of opportunities to admire the views
Bill Holland GPS Instructional - Sunday 12” December Six of us, all experienced leaders started and ended the day crowded around the computer.
First of all we used Oziexplorer software to place calibrated maps on the computer screen. Then we plotted the tracks we intended to walk, downloaded these tracks to our GPS, walked and recorded our tracks then uploaded again to the computer.
By this means we were able to use the GPS as a planning and recording navigational tool and the computer as an aid to bushwalking. This was an educational experience for all.
The day was hot so the walking in the morning and afternoon alternated to the shady side of the valleys. Bill Holland
Bondi to Coogee - Tuesday 18“ January This was a mid-week evening walk. The evening was pleasant and the party of nine enjoyed the beachside walk to Coogee.
As usual, when we arrived the call was for fish and chips and some liquid refreshment. After about an hour some of the party walked back to Bondi in the dark. Bill Holland
EPIRB Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon SBW has purchased an EPIRB for use by club members, in particular walks leaders. If you would like to take the EPIRB for a walk give Leigh McClintoch a ring on 8920 2386 and arrange to collect it The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005 Page 13 |
Christmas New Year 2004 Walk in Victoria
Kenn Clacher
Participants: Edith Baker, Kenn Clacher (leader), Melanie Freer, John Hogan, Tony Holgate, Peter Kaye, Mary Liu, Jan Roberts, Margaret Rozea, Ian Thorpe and Alan Wells.
This was a walk of considerable variety in terrain, scenery and weather. A feature of this walk, as for the Snowy Bluff Moroka Mt Wellington Lake Tali Karng walk the previous year, was the variety of the condition of the tracks we walked on. The plan this time was to walk on marked roads or tracks virtually the whole way from Mt St Barnard to Dinner Plain via Mt Murray, Wongungurra River, Blue Rag Range, Dargo High Plains and the Dargo River to Dinner Plain. But the tracks and 4WD roads marked on the map varied from the sublime to the non-existent. A couple of alleged 4WD tracks were overgrown to such an extent that it was easier to walk off the road rather than on it, while others seemed to attract fallen trees.
Nearly all of the country we walked over had been burnt in the 2003 bushfire. In most cases it affected the crowns as well as the understory, but there was a little unburnt country and in some parts only the understory was burnt. Sadly at higher elevations most of the burnt trees appeared not to be regrowing.
The party of 11 (10 full members, one not-quite- full member) left Mt St Bernard at around 11 oclock on the day after Boxing Day after a car swap to leave cars at Dinner Plain. The weather was fine, but the forecast for the next few days was for scattered showers with the possibility of snow. We made a steep 300m climb to the top of the Twins (about 1700m) to take advantage of the clear sky and views while having lunch, only for clouds and a little sago snow to arrive at the same time and destroy the view.
For the rest of the afternoon there were intermittent light snow showers which necessitated donning and removing parkas about a dozen times. We eventually arrived at the campsite in a saddle a little short of Mt Murray at around 4:30. Water was fetched from a nearly gully which required a descent of about 200m, followed of course by a matching ascent with water. While the water party was absent a heavy snow shower plastered the tents with snow.
Next day we climbed over Mt Murray and made a descent of around 1,000m down to the Wongungurra River. A feature of Mt Murray was the rime on the trees on top. We were accompanied again by occasional snow showers. The good news was that we arrived at our campsite on the river at around 2:00pm and had a
welcome swim. Considerable landscape gardening was necessary to remove the blackberries and thistle, as well as demolish the campfire masonry, to make the site a little more habitable. Having done that however the campsite was quite cosy and it was much warmer than the previous night.
The third day required an 1,100m climb to the top of the Blue Rag Range. The steady rain that fell overnight was clearing and we had fine cool weather for the climb. Our campsite was just to the east of the highest point of the Blue Rag Range and we were there in time for lunch. The bad news was that the campsite was right next to a road which was used by lots of 4WDs. More bad news was that we were again camped on a ridge and had to go about 300m (in elevation) down a very steep and slippery gully to get water. The strong wind that had been blowing all day abated during the evening and the clouds cleared to produce a clear cold night.
Our route next day took us to Basalt Knob and then down to Whisky Bottle Flat, requiring descent of around 1,000m. Views from Basalt Knob were super, as they had been for all the walk so far (except when obscured by whiteout). We arrived at the campsite at around 4:30pm and had a refreshing swim.
Day five was the one that we had been dreading. It required a climb of 600m, a descent of 800m and a total distance of around 22km. All that and we had to be in a fit state to party that night. The route took in tracks, roads, ridges and the Dargo High Plains. We started at 7:00am and arrived in camp at Mayford, on the. Dargo River, just after 4:00pm. This gave us plenty of time for a swim and decorating the campsite with balloons. New Years Eve was appropriately celebrated, first on Tongan time, then Kiwi time, then Fiji time and the stayers managed to greet the New Year on Eastem Australian Summer Time.
We made another early start the next morning to beat the heat on our 750m climb from the Dargo River to the ridge leading to Dinner Plain and the cars. As for the whole trip Ian Thorpe led the way up the steep ridge aided by his twin underhand spring-loaded wind-up GT walking poles. We arrived at Dinner Plain in time for a smorgasbord lunch at the village caf to round off a very enjoyable walk.
Leaders ! Please complete and mail your Walks Report as soon as possible after completing your walk.
[Page 14
The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005 |
To Bear or not to Bear, this is indeed the Question !
Ian Wolfe
(or, A Walk in the Woods with a Wolf)
Walking in the USA Glacier, Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Parks Jul Sept 2004
Cold and deep ran the river over rounded stones. Being somewhat shorter, Margaret fully appreciated the 40 m wade and had leant heavily on her extendable Walking Stick as a third leg. I was looking back across the river and using hand signals to guide a subsequent Party across the best route at the Ford. Then, from the comer of my eye, my mind registered that there was a large shiny black mink coat on the other bank. You may think that this was a strange thing to perceive and I certainly thought so at the time. Upon introspection I realise that this was a harkening back to when I was a whee small boy and seeing my Mother dressed up to go out to formal functions (she now assures me that it wasnt real mink).
Anyway, this disjunct spurned me to focus on this object especially when I realised that the light was rippling across the shiny black mink coat as it undulated in precisely the way that mink coats shouldnt. At this point I reached for my copy of the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (hereafter the HHGG) and reflected on the large letters on the cover, which very comfortingly say DONT PANIC. My scrutiny provided additional data to my brain and helped to make sense of the object I was looking at which was partially obscured by foliage and shade. Thus with an emotion of pleasurable surprise I realised that it was A Bear!.
My very next thought was Whats that Bear doing out of his cage? …… Oh,… its a WILD BEAR!. Fortunately this process of orientation, analysis and deduction took less than half a second and thereafter I rapidly warned the Party on the other bank that there was a large Black Bear 30 yards downstream. To which they replied Thanks, we were watching him as you guys crossed earlier, as he was watching you…..hmm thinks I, this is another one of these curious American customs that one needs to ponder on.
I excuse myself for not spotting the Bear earlier as this was a very unusual spot for a Bear to be (or so I thought). Glacier National Park is basically a large rectangle whose northern boundary abuts the Canadian border. The southern end of the rectangle abuts the Great Bear Wilderness and the Bob Marshal Wilderness (in US parlance a Wilderness is pretty close to a National Park except that it has no infrastructure and hunting is allowed in season). These three areas make up a parcel of land about a quarter the size of Tasmania and the border between them is a narrow corridor comprised of an Inter State Highway, a Railway and then the Flathead River all three running side by side in the forest.
As such I felt as though Bears would be elsewhere as the Highway has a car whizzing past every 30 seconds and we had to wait beside the railway as an
80 carriage train passed by, before we could cross and descend to the River. The problem is that Bears are the biggest creature in the forest and they fear no evil. This gives them a high degree of confidence, arrogance and curiosity. This proved to be the case with our Bear who had been quietly sitting in the shade looking at the train as it passed. Realising that he was one of those very curious creatures known as a Trainspotter, everything suddenly made sense! (see why I carry the HHGG).
It also gave me a sense of comfort to realise that there were actually some wild Bears. Before leaving Oz I had read everything available on Bears and on arrival I had gone to the Ranger Station and undergone the mandatory Bear training for backcountry walkers. This had entailed receiving a sheaf of paper to read, sitting through quite a good 20 min Video and then having the required confirmatory chat with a pleasant Ranger. Trouble was that I then spent 4 weeks rafting, canoeing and walking in some of the remotest parts of Glacier without seeing a Bear!
Thus I was coming round to the belief that Grizzlies are a myth propagated by Anglers in order to keep their best trout streams to themselves! Part of this was that I had been on a multi day wilderness rafting trip with some avid Anglers. Whenever we had gone for a walk in the woods, two of the Guides had reached into their Packs and extracted HUGE Revolvers (they would have made Dirty Harry envious) which they then buckled around their hips. Despite going to mountain lakes where the Guides assured us they had always seen Grizzlies we missed out and I was beginning to think this was a tall tale as they regularly took the Mickey out of each other and the clients.
However, finding the occasional Bear footprint in the mud of the track and large piles of Bear scat kept my hopes alive (the scat was quite curious as it was a bright purple in colour due to the Bears feasting on ripe Huckleberries). There was also a Newspaper account of a Hiker who was sleeping in a Bivvy Bag in one of Glaciers Road side Camp Grounds being awakened by a Bear snuffling around at night. The Hiker sat up suddenly and this frightened the Bear who then gave the Hiker a cuff for being so inappropriate (only four stiches were needed to repair the Hikers scalp).
But this was unusual. For Bears are very sensitive and generally avoid humans. In particular they really do not appreciate the subtle qualities of melodious human singing (or so it proved for my singing). The recommended practising being to sing lustily whilst walking and thus I did so. Problem is that you rapidly run through your repertoire and then have to delve deep into ones sub conscious. In my case I must confess to a misspent youth and a time when I frequented the company of Engineers and Shearers. This meant that, in extremis, I had to sing some dirty ditties. So there I was, high on a hill, miles from anywhere, walking home after a great day in the mountains as I finish the chorus of a particularly The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005 Page 15 |
explicit drinking song, when 30 yards ahead, around the corner of the track, come two sun bronzed sophomores with big smiles on their faces. We had a brief chat and they congratulated me on my awesome song and reported that they had recently encountered a small Black Bear running down the track at great speed towards them (and thus away from my singing).
Now singing works fine when on the flat or going downhill but not so well on the uphill as you are busy panting. Glaciers trails are nearly all made so as to be traversable by Mules and Horses (although they are rarely encountered either in the flesh or by their leavings). This means the trails generally climb at a Steady grade via long climbing traverses and switchbacks on the sides of hill in order to attain a Pass through the mountains to the next valley. There is some walking on valley floors and a small amount of ridge walking although the rocky spines generally preclude the latter. This makes for splendid walking with regular expansive views but the climbing traverses and the significant heights to be attained, mean that you are walking uphill for extended periods without a break. The concer being that this effort leads to you switching out of Bear Alert mode which can be a problem as the Bears like using the trails (beats the hell out of struggling through the underbrush, and after all, it is their forest). Thus, the recommended technique when walking uphill and approaching a blind bend is to shout Yoh Bear!. The Bear will then generally run away, hide in the bushes (and look at you as you walk past) or shout back with something completely unprintable.
After the hundredth time of Yoh-ing this becomes a trifle ridiculous and so we started using Australian calls such as Dayoo & Cooee etc. Trouble is when you meet other Hikers (Americans) coming the other way they look really confused. So instead we substituted by shouting out names of females and then males going from A to Z. This actually takes a couple of days to run through from A to Z as there are a Massive amount of names once you go through in the English literature and old Norse names (the pleasant side affect is that the Americans you meet are completely dumfounded).
All this means that actual close range encounters with Bears are very infrequent. I met a man who was a trips Leader in one of the Hiking Clubs there, and with over 40 years of intensive walking in Glacier, he had only had 15 Bear encounters. In my 8 weeks of walking I only had one encounter and thus the prevalence is very low. In my case it was at the end of a long day trip (18 miles and up and down a few thousand feet) and I was walking uphill on soft ground with the wind in my face. The trail was climbing across the side of a hill in fairly open forest up to a small knoll about 30 yards away.
In seeming slow motion, she came over the crest directly towards me so that initially I was only able to see her head. Now Bears are big, and when they are standing on their hind legs they are very impressive. Problem is that they spend most of the time on four legs and then they are short (i.e. less than hip high). They are also very quiet and they do not carry a sign
say I am a Bear and it can initially be confusing as to what type of animal you are encountering. In such circumstances the mind works by referencing back to prior associations i.e. the mink coat.
In this case it was similar in that she was a Black Bear and thus had pointy ears (Grizzlies ears are rounded), a long snout, had her mouth open so that I could distinctly see her tongue and teeth and she had a white blaze on her chest. Whiz, whir, clunk went my brain and came up with the answer that I was looking at a large Tasmanian Devil. ….. Hang on a tick…. This is the northern hemisphere…… this is no Tassie Devil, its a Bear!
Fortunately she was looking the other way and by the time she glanced back I was going into the Bear Protocol: Begin backing away, saying in a firm clear voice Oh What a Beautiful Bear you are, Please g0 another way Mrs Bear (as by this time I could see the head of her first cub over the rise and the approaching ears of the second cub). One hand was held above me to make me look taller and the other hand was reaching down to extract & ready my can of Bear Spray (supper strength Capsicum spray). Finally, I made sure that I looked her with a bowed head and did not establish direct eye contact as they find this confronting (1 get this reaction a lot).
Her response was to pause momentarily and look confused as the light was low, I was sporting a full black beard and was wearing a dark jumper. Thus I think she thought I was male Bear and that she fancied me for a second or two. Then I received a very strong body language message from her along the lines of Oh …(in a bored tone) its another one of these funny creatures where upon she veered off down hill with the cubs in tow.
My mental reaction was initially disappointment that she was going, and then relief as my elevated pulse and breathing rate indicated that the physical reaction of my body was to be in stress mode. Anyway, I kept backing off to get beyond the 100 yard safety zone. The research suggest that Bears have a social distance of about 60-70 yards which you need to keep out of, as within this range there is a 50% chance they will either run/move away or a 50% chance they will charge you. However, most charges veer off or stop short and few result in actual physical contact. The Bear Spray is used in extremis against a charging Bear about 15-20 feet away and you give them a couple of good squirts.
Since its introduction some years ago there have been no maulings of people who have correctly used the Spray. Problem being that Bears can charge at 30mph and thus short range encounters may not provide sufficient time to deploy the spray (thus the need to shout & sing). This is why you carry the Spray in a quick draw Velcro holster on your front, take it with you 24hrs a day and practise the Bear Protocol every day. Even if you stuff up using the spray the stats are comforting in that most Bears, who make direct contact, will knock you to the ground, bat you about a bit with their paws and maybe have an exploratory mouthing bite before realising that you are not a forest animal, before departing. Whilst this is going on you ideally drop to the ground, Page 16 The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005
spread your legs and put your hands over your neck. If the Bear flips you over, you keep rolling till your stomach is on the ground. No one has been killed in Glacier for 14 yrs by Bears and this stands up well against the road toll of 14 people killed each year. In the remote case that a Bear does start to eat you, the advice is to go berserk scream, scratch, fight and generally give the Bear a bad time.
But back to my Bear! Having steadied my heartbeat I dropped my pack and then climbed up the hill way from her with spray in one hand and camera in the other. I attained a small rocky outcrop, which over looked a small dale to the ridge 120 yards away from where the Bear family was moseying along. The Cubs were playing chasings and climbing trees and then dropping on each other whilst Mother wandered about. I did get some photos before they disappeared but David Attenborough I am not.
AS our campsite was only a km away I made doubly sure that our camp procedure was all correct that night. This can be a bit of bore especially in bad weather but it has dramatically reduced the incidence of Bears inferring with packs, tents and the associated people. As you approach a designated campsite there is a sign leading of from the main trail. This leads, after some distance, to a Board with a diagram of the campsite. First port of call is the Food Prep area which is usually a rectangle of large logs for sitting on. Here you unload all food, toiletries and anything with smell from your pack and this all goes into a sack. Nearby there will either be a Bear Pole (looks like a large Hills Hoist or a Bear Wire to suspend your food sack from. One gets fairly proficient at throwing the cord you have carried over the high wire (I always tied a stick or rock to the thrown end first). Sometimes, at the more frequented camps, there is a Bear Box, which is, a fridge sized metal box within which food is secured. ;
Once the food is secure you than go and pick one of the vacant tent sites (you know one of them is for you as you will have reserved these in advance when you registered the trip at the Ranger Office). The tent sites are generally 100 m from the food prep area and 20-30m from the other tent sites. The whole object being to avoid any food smell ever being associated with a tent site. Once you have erected you tent its back to the Food Prep area to cook dinner.
Food needs to avoid strong flavours like Garlic & Curry which will seep through your pores (and thus attract Bears) so herbs and coconut milk flavours were my solution. Food scraps get packed out and grey water distributed well away from the campsite. You also need to be careful not to spill food on your clothes and if you do then it into washing mode and then into new clothes with the old ones kept with the food sack. I know this sounds like a lot of rigmarole but you do quickly fall into the routine and it becomes second nature. Besides not attracting Bears, this procedures also minimise the gnawing attentions of the myriad small furry creatures that inhabit these forests.
The final bit of rigmarole is going to the toilet. Generally there is a Pit Toilet with a little house. It is lockable and has chicken wire armour to prevent the Bears from digging it up (or getting inside! I heard
of an instance where a girl went to the loo and found that it was already occupied by a female Black Bear!). Urinating also needs io occur in the pit toilet as if you do it elsewhere it attracts Deer who are after the salts left on the surface and where Deer habituate, well then you have Cougars (Mountain Lions). And yes, I did see a Cougar for all of 2 seconds, but well away from a campsite!
We did see a Grizzly and her two cubs but they were 350m away on a high shelf grazing on the grass (they are 80% vegetarian). The cubs were careering around like crazy and having a wonderful time. I am sure we also got close to other Bears as we met people at rest stops on the track who were in front or behind us who reported seeming Bears thus our singing and name calling worked!
Other animals encountered were Mountain Goats, Elk, Deer, Hoary Marmots, normal Marmots, Squirrels, Chipmunks, two non venomous snakes, lots of little furry things generically called Gofers which say EEK! and a Moose. The Moose looked just like Bullwinkle and after parading back and forth he decided that we were on his trail to his lake and began grunting at us in a high pitched tone. Having interpreted this as Bugger Off Quick, we did. I also heard wolves howling and we saw two Coyotes in Yellowstone after negotiating a Buffalo Jam. These occur when a Buffalo Herd crosses a road which cars are using. Its a rather an intriguing sight to look in your rear vision mirror and see three Buffalo right behind you and then a Buffalo in both wing Mirrors!
Thus the wood are full of animal life but it is mostly benign. Being on Bear Alert all the time is a bit draining and I would advise against walking in April or May when they have just come out of hibernation and are ravenously hungry. June through September is fine as the Bears are more placid. Certainly sensible precautions and orientation can allow you to enjoy this fantastic scenery in a pleasant manner. Just keep the HHGG close by and you remember to sing ………
Todays the Day the Teddy Bears Have Their Picnic… lan Wolfe
Pictures of the Parks can be found at:
Yellowstone: www.nps.gov/yell/tours/livecams/index htr
Glacier : http://www.nps.gov/glac/photos htm Grand Tetons: www.nps.gov/grte/pphtml/activities.
Mid - Week Walkers
The Autumn Walks programme is quiet for mid-
week walks but we have two activities coming up
Berrara Beach Holiday Cottage - South Coast . Monday 11th - Friday 15 April
Currawong Holiday Cottages Monday 6” - Friday 10 June
: If you are interested in joining in any of our activities, or just wish to receive the monthly newsletter please give me a call. Bill Holland 9484 6636
Email: billholland@bigpond.com | The Sydney Bushwalker February 2005 Page 17 | NEW MEMBERS NEWS
Welcome New Prospective members for Nattai Valley/Coolana Training Experience
January: . oa: . 16“, 17” April Map: Mittagong
Neil Hoimes Rosie Richards (+family ) . . 4:
Paul Myers Anne Milson Specially designed for new members to facilitate
Welcome New Full Members The following prospectives members were accepted as full members in our last Committee meeting on 19 January:
James Swinton Francis Bernanrd
Frank Hartigan Craig Hannemann Patricia Tierney
New Initiatives: Basic Navigation Training nights On Monday 18 April 2005 a basic navigation training night for Prospective members will be held in the club rooms Kirribili Neighbourhood Centre at 7.00pm. This is the first of a series of training nights (at least one in each walks programme) where Prospective members will have a 2 hour training in basic navigation with an optional navigation test. This test will count as your Navigation test for your full membership.
As booking are essential, please check your Autumn programme for details or ring Grace on 9948 6238
Become a Full Member! There are a number of prospective members that have completed their Qualifying walks and are ready to become full members. Don't delay your full membership application. The full membership form will be available shortly on our web-site www.sbw.org.au. In the meantime email Grace at newmembers@sbw.org.au to have a form sent out to you Complete the form and send it to:
New Members Secretary,
Sydney Bush Walkers Inc,
PO Box 431, Milsons Point. NSW 1565.
If you have not completed your 'Q' walks the
following training experiences will help you get there. Mon 18“ April Navigation Training
16” -17“ April Nattai Valley / Coolana Training Experience No.3
14”, 15 th May Coolana Training Weekend Thank You _ Grace
transition from day walking to overnight walking by providing experience in preparing, packing and carrying an overnight pack in conditions that can be expected on a weekend walk. Successful completion provides a good basis for the New Members Overnight Qualifying Walk on 14th - 15th May.
Saturday: Nattai Valley Walk incorporating the historic Box Vale track and incline. After lunch choose easier or more challenging option to rejoin for drive to club's property at Coolana.
Sunday: Interactive training at Coolana. Track and off track walking, testing ascents and descents, river crossings, great scenery, camp fire camaraderie at Coolana on Saturday night. Estimated 6 hours walking excluding breaks Good fitness level required attained through recent day walks requiring a sustained effort over varied terrain or from outdoor activities like cycling, kayaking.
Expressions of interest to, coordinator, to obtain walker's kit with more information on the walk, the training activities, menus and gear. Coordinator: Ron Watters 9419 2507 or 0419617491 or email
wattersr@bigpond.net.au
Weekend Walking Gear for Hire The club now has a small pool of weekend walking equipment available for hire. The rates for weekly hire are:
Weekend pack: $15 Sleeping bag: $15 Sleeping mat: $5 Ground sheet: $2 Tent: $20 Complete kit $50
(For hygiene reasons you must provide and use your own sleeping bag liner)
Equivalent refundable deposit required. Contact: Geoff McIntosh 9419 4619
First Aid Certificates To encourage leaders and members to get their St Johns First Aid Certificate, the Club will subsidise the cost of gaining an accredited Senior First Aid Certificate up to $50
Please do not forget to record your walks.
It is very important that you keep a record of all walks that you participate in as you need to complete the full membership form with all the details. Also, if you are ringing to book on a walk, the leader will ask you what walks you have participated in and the name of the leaders that you have walked with. Please
contact me if you have any questions www.sbw.org
Cheers: Grace Martinez New Members Secretary Page 18
The Sydney Bushwalker
February 2005
SOCIAL NOTES AND OTHER ITEMS
Greetings from Social Secretary Kathy
Hi Everyone!
On 19“ January we had our first and very successful event for 2005 - the talk by Almis Simankevicious. For this occasion Almis dressed in period costume and gave an extremely informative and entertaining expos of Governor Macquaries time and his huge influence on Sydney - especially architecturally. If you missed this talk you can visit his website www. goodwalkingbooks.com or buy his book Macquaries Journeys.
The annual beach picnic at Balmoral Beach on 5 January was extremely successful with over 40 people having a great time.
For this months social night on 20” January we have an evening based on Kimberley trips done by SBW groups. If you have never been to this awesome place in Australia, this evening is a must.
The Scarpa Boots and All competition is still on so put pen to paper, add your own inspiration and you might just win a new pair of boots. There will also be a prize in each section - see Page 6. This should be an incentive to be creative.
Next month, March, has three dates for your diary; the SBW AGM on 9“ March, the social night on the 16” March covering walking in some unusual/different areas in Africa (not Kilimanjaro, Mt Kenya or safaris). We also have the Clubs annual Get-Together at Coolana on the weekend of 12,13“ March.
A reminder! if you have any thoughts for social night activities please send them to me at Kathygero@aol.com .
So now that all the wonderful tennis is finished it frees eveyone to come to the Club, to socialise and to put boots/volleys on and walk.
Bye fornow Kathy
Are You All Right?
Toward the end of our senior year in high school, we were required to take a CPR course. The classes used the well-known mannequin victim, Resuscitate-Annie, to practice.
Typical of most models, this Resuscitate- Annie was only a torso, to allow for storage in a carrying case.
The class went off in groups to practice. As instructed, one of my classmates gently shook the doll and asked, “Are you all right?” He then put his ear over the mannequin's mouth to listen for breathing.
Suddenly he turned to the instructor and exclaimed, “She said she can't feel her legs!”
And God Created Man !
God created the donkey and told him: you will work tireless from sun up to sun down, carrying heavy bags on your back, you'll eat grass, you will not have intelligence and you will live 50 years. You will bea DONKEY!
The donkey answered: I'll be a donkey, but living 50 years is too much, give me only 20 years. And God gave him 20 years.
God created the dog and told him: You will look after the man's house, you will be his best friend, you will eat whatever they give you and you will live 25 years. You will be a DOG!
The dog answered: God, living 25 years is too much, give only 10. God gave him 10 years.
God created the monkey and told him: You will jump from branch to branch, you will do silly things, you will be amusing and you will live 20 years.
The monkey answered: God, living 20 years is too much, give me only 10 years. And God agreed.
Finally, God created man, and told him: You will be MAN, the only rational being on this earth, you will use your intelligence to control other animals, you will dominate the world and you will live for 20 years.
The man answered: God, I'll be man, but living 20 years is not enough, why don't you give me the 30 years that the donkey refused, the 20 years that the dog did not want and the 10 years that the monkey refused.
That was what God did, and since then, Men live 20 years like a man, _ then he enters adulthood and spends 30 years like a donkey, working and carrying the load on his back, then when his children leave home, spends 15 years like a dog, looking after the house and eating whatever is given to him, then he gets into retirement, and spends 10 years like a monkey, Jumping from house to house or from children to children, doing silly things to amuse the grandchildren.
Contact The Editor:
each month.
Letters stating your viewpoint on matters of interest are most welcome. Please send your submission in by mail (preferably typed), on floppy disc, or by email addressed to The Editor .
Telephone: 9484 6636 Fax; - 9484 6009 , (please phone 9484 6636 Jirst)
Email: _ biltholland@bigpond.com
We have to use with skill what simple equipment we can carry on our backs to achieve shelter,
If you really want to get the best prepare food and have a night's rest? out of what you carry with you, Paddy Palin, 1900-1991
then move up to Black Diamond, exclusive to Paddy Pallin.
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Black Diamond Betamid Tent: When you want to go ultra-light or you
need extra storage space, the Betamid has you covered. This compact,
floorless tent will go anywhere and pitches using a pair of trekking poles!
_ Weighing in at a fraction over 1kg, it sleeps two and stands strong bal
against the elements. (Optional, detachable iub floor is also available.)
Store locations: Sydney: 507 Kent Street Miranda: 527 Kingsway * Parramatta: 74 Macquarie Street Katoomba: 166 Katoomba Street Also in Canberra and Jindabyne Website: www.paddypailin.com.au
Mail order: 1800 805 398