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The Sydney Bushwalker Page 1
JUNE 2006 Issue No. 859
THIS MONTH INCLUDES…..
REGULAR FEATURES Page Presidents Report - Jan Roberts 2,3 Editors Message - Pam Campbell 3 From the Committee Room - Bill Holland , 4 New Members Notes - Maurice Smith 4 Electronic Communications Sub-Committee Report 5
- Ron Watters
Mid-Week Walkers Report - Bill Holland 6 Treasurers Report - Anita Doherty 7 Walks Report - David Trinder 7 Social Notes - Kathy Gero 18
SPECIAL FEATURES
A tribute to Sue Fear 10, 11 Henry Gold (Order of Australia Medal) 20 CONSERVATION
Coolana Notes - Bill Holland 5 Conservation News & Notes - Bill Holland 8 Tracks and Access Report - Wilf Hilder 9
THE WALKS PAGES
The Story of the Great River Walk 12,13,14 - Roger Treagus
Gail Crichton, Leader Profile 15 Shuffology-the science of the pre-walk car shuffle 16,17 - Jan McLean
Walks Report - Barry Wallace 18,19
ADVERTISERS
Alpsport Inside front cover Wild Asia 3 Wilderness Transport 17 Williss Walkabouts 20 Paddy Pallin inside back cover
ey Bushwatker: First Edition July 1931 dlication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. | Page 2
The Sydney Bushwalker
June 2006
About Our Club
The Sydney Bush Walkers 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 Clubs main activity is bushwalking but includes other activities such as cycling, canoeing and social events.
Our Walks Program (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 the Warrumbungles, Snowy Mountains, etc as well as interstate.
Our meetings start at 8pm and are held on Wednesday evenings (see Social Programme) at Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre, 16 Fitzroy Street, Kirribilli (near Milsons Point Railway Station).
Visitors and prospective members are welcome. Website: www. sbw. Org. au
Office Bearers
Members are welcome to contact the following officers on Ciub matters: President: Jan Roberts 9411 5517 (h) janc.roberts@bigpond.com Vice President: Margaret Carey 9957 2137 (h) margaret_carey@bigpond.com Secretary: Greta James 9953 8384 (h) gjam6037 @bigpond.net.au Walks Secretary: David Trinder 9660 9945 (h) dt28@tpg.com.au Social Secretary: Kathy Gero 9130 7263 (h) social@sbw.org.au Treasurer: Anita Doherty 9456 5592 (h) alinta@bigpond.net.au Members Secretary: Fran Holland 9484 6636 (h) fernband@bigpond.com New Members Secretary: Maurice Smith 9587 6325 (h) newmembers@sbw.org.au Conservation Secretary: Bill Holland 9484 6636 (h) billholland@bigpond.com Magazine Editor: Pam Campbell 9570 2885 (h) editor@sbw.org.au Committee Members: Ron Watters wattersr@bigpond.net.au Caro Ryan 9909 1076 (h) justshootme@ozemail.com.au Delegates to Confederation:
Jim Callaway
(no email address)
Wilf Hilder walkingwilfgretel@bigpond.com
9419 2507 (h)
9520 7081 (h)
9587 8912 (h)
Presidents Report
With more rain in Sydney over the past 10 days than the last 6 months, it would be reasonable to expect some of the deluge to have had an impact on our creeks and rivers - and ultimately the dams. However, nothing much has changed in the national parks where we bushwalkers need it most it seems, with the total dam catchments for Sydney being reduced this week by 0.4%!
As a leader there are many challenges to consider when planning a walk, and ensuring there is adequate water on overnight walks looks like being a key concern again for the winter walks program. On this basis members and prospectives need to be prepared to carry more water than usual on weekend walks, and to expect changes to the walk planned to suit the conditions. it still beats staying home….
Plans for the SBW 80“ Anniversary are coming together with recruitment of the sub committee members soon to be confirmed. The republishing of The Sydney Bush Walkers - first 60 years to include the past 20 years is progressing while we seek out likely authors. All budding SBW historians please raise your hands.
The news of the death of Sue Fear while descending from the summit of Mount Manaslu last week has deeply saddened all of those who knew her, or knew of her. Much has been written in the past weeks about Sue's incredible life and the many ways she touched people. As a member of the Nanda Devi trip which Sue was asked to lead on behalf of SBW last year, I had the privilege of getting to know her in a way that only the intense time spent on an extended walk can provide.
Our trek in Nanda Devi presented a number of challenges to Sue: from injuries and altitude sickness, to stolen boots (hers amongst them) to missing porters with all our gear, and through all this and much more she calmly and expertly lead the group.
Sue was an inspiring individual who encouraged us all to reach our personal summit. Those of us who knew her will have our special memories, and one of those for me is a photo taken of me by Sue (with great enthusiasm) at the highest point of our glacier walk, on one of the last days of our trek. Sue was determined for me to have the moment captured on film in spite of frightening conditions (for me not her) and inadequate footwear for both of us.
With her deep love and respect for the mountains and people of the Himalaya, Sue will remain where she would truly want to be. A plaque in Sues memory will be placed at the base camp of the peak where she died, in the near future. At last nights meeting the SBW Committee voted to donate $100 to the Fred Holtows Foundation on behalf of the club as a tribute to Sue, who worked to raise money for the charity over many years.
And finally thank you to everyone for your kind cards, emails and calls of support as a result of the sobering news on my shoulder problem. Initial treatment has been effective, and I should hopefully be hoisting a full pack in the not too distant future. The wake up call to me which I'd like to pass on to you all is to seek a second opinion with any ongoing injury. As bushwalkers we tend to just tough it out thinking that physical discomfort is just another badge we all get out walking, and it will get better with more physiotherapy etc.
Sometimes it doesn't, so go see a specialist …….just in case.
Really hoping to walk with you soon.
Jan Roberts
mountain ; & Sitk Road
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Editors Message
The Leader Profile this month is of Gail Crichton who has been a member of the SBW for 12 Years and has completed the Kanangra to Katoomba walk in one day. Gail is an experienced leader of both day and weekend walks.
From the July edition I will be including articles written by prospective members who will be reporting on their experiences as they qualify for their day and weekend walks. It will be interesting to get a different perspective and I am sure there will be amusing tales to tell.
i completed a reconnaissance trip to The Castle in the Morton National Park on the 3-4 May for my trip on the 1-2 July. There was plenty of water which was evident when | had to cross the Yadboro River at the start. The water level was high on Saturday, but had receded on Sunday. The weather was fine and we climbed The Castle on Saturday afternoon. The views from the Cooyoyo Creek camping area are amazing with views of Pigeon House and Byangee Mountain.
This edition includes a tribute to Sue Fear (on pages 10 and 11) who | had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know on the SBW trip to Nanda Devi, India last October. Sue was a very inspirational person with a great sense of humour and heaps of character and will be missed greatly by everyone who came in contact with her.
Regards, Pam Campbell
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
I refer to Frank Rigbys letter in the May magazine enquiring as to why there are such few numbers who attend the reunion and he seeks a response.
I cant speak for others but I have no desire to sing songs around the campfire, or anywhere else for that matter, with or without the SBW songbook, to watch or participate in the homemade sketches or engage in making damper.
Lest you think that I do not know what I am talking about I have in fact attended two reunions.
I am sorry that Frank feels ashamed of his fellow members. I certainly don't feel any shame. It is outdated and I believe that it is time to move on.
Vale the reunion!
Rosemary MacDougal
3 bs eS
From The Committee Room
A report of proceedings at the Management Committee meeting on 7th June 2006.
it
Correspondence out included letters to four members expressing regret at their resignation from the club and to Confederation enquiring about insurance related to the construction of the Coolana toilet.
Inwards Correspondence included a letter querying the proposed Application for Prospective Membership form; another questioning the Coolana Committees decision to limit tracks at Coolana and one from YHA with a membership renewal reminder
The Conservation secretary had sent a letter to the Federal Minister for the Environment expressing concern about sand mining plans at Newnes Junction and one to the NSW Premier requesting increased water flows to limit damage to the Macquarie Marshes.
it was resolved that prospective members be required to come into the club to a new members meeting before their application for prospective membership is accepted, The New Members Secretary has the discretion to recommend to the committee acceptance of an application where the person is unable to come to a new members meeting.
The Presidents Report covered an update on the status of the 80th Anniversary Subcommittee and personal regret at the death of Sue Fear on Manaslu. Sue Fear had led an SBW group on a trip to India last year. Resolved that a donation of $100 be made to the Fred Hollows foundation in memory of Sue Fear.
The Vice President proposed that she should draft a Disability Discrimination Policy. David Trinder will also assist.
The following payments were approved;
bank account fees $102, DA fee for composting toilet $605, magazine postage $434, rent $960, magazine materials $418, Editors software $185 printing supplies $508; Total Environment Centre $50.
A proposed amendment to the guidelines for qualifying walks was discussed. It was agreed to put this up for discussion at the Leaders night on 26” July. The proposal will be circulated prior to the meeting.
The Committee voted to accept Jason Kennedy as an Active Member.
Other discussion included the timing of the new electronic data base (Stage 1 by Spring) and planned updates to the SBW web site; the location of dinner before social night to be included in the program, responsibilities for electronic distribution of the Walks Programme; results of the members survey of electronic communication (will be presented to the next meeting) and a review of the insurance policies in January 2007.
New Members Notes by Maurice Smith New Members Secretary
Joining us as Prospective Members in May were: Chris Speedy, Audrey Pocock, Linda Tarran, Nathan Dore, Marion Astoux, Theo Tsoukatos, Victoria Gouel, Joanne Cheng, Trevor Carr, Jennifer Curry, Tracey Bridgman, Sandy Logie, Helen Logie, Eamon Kelly, Joanna Knox, Jade Greenhalgh. Please make these folks really welcome. I know that at least several of these members have started bush walking with us as I was on a club trip recently with them.
In addition one of our Prospective Members has been accepted as a full member of the club. Please welcome Jason Kennedy to our ranks.
I give special thanks to member Susi Arnott, who has agreed to edit the extensively revised New Members booklet. Once that task is out of the way Susi has agreed in principle to further writing efforts for the New Members Team. Susi you are a gem!
The new Winter Walks Program has been released and is in your hands. Id suggest that Prospective Members spend a few minutes going through it and marking those walks that they are interested in walking. Start with the walks with the lower grade values to start with. Remember that it pays to book onto a walk early as some walks fill fast.
At the May Management Committee meeting we had a considerable discussion and it was agreed that we will modify our approach to applications received via application forms downloaded from the clubs website. In future, we will request all applicants come in to the club room for a New Members Information night. In the event that the applicant is unable to come in to a New Members night, for example, due to work commitments, the New Members Secretary will recommend to the Management Committee whether to accept the applicant.
At the date of writing this column we have 125 prospective members, nearly two thirds of that number are of the female variety.
See you on a walk soon, Maurice Smith newmembers@sbw.org.au
COOLANA NOTES
We have made arrangements for Conservation Volunteers Australia to be present at Coolana for two weeks in July. They will be working in the creek and on the eastern flat.
We still have 60 trees to plant and secure with plant guards etc. If you can help please phone Gretel Woodward on 9587 8912.
The Development Application (DA) for the composting toilet has been submitted and, with approval, expected within six to eight weeks. There is much work to be done.
The road from the car park to below the shed needs to be repaired to a standard suitable for delivery of the building supplies by truck and 4WD. Preparatory work is also required at the toilet site; first of all excavation, then construction of stone walls. This work can be started before we have a DA approval. Alan Doherty and David Trinder will be supervising the project. Before the stone walls can be built suitable stones will have to be collected and left in a pile beside the site of the new building. Sand, cement and lime will need to be delivered to the site and suitably stored. Assistance is urgently required. if you can lend a hand please contact David on 9660 9945 or Patrick on 9567 9998.
Maintenance Weekend The next scheduled maintenance weekend is cn 29%, 30“ July. No need to phone just come along and help.
Electronic Communications Sub-Committee Statement at 5 June 2006
Database Consolidation Project This project involves the integration of 3 databases and extraction of information. The databases are the Members Database, the Prospective Members Database and the Walks Reports Database.
The Consolidated Database provides for data:
Enquiry
Phase 1: involves combining the Members Database and the Prospective Members Database and providing for essential membership functions to be carried out with significantly enhanced security and assured back up routines. Underlying technical issues are currently being addressed
Phase 2: enhances the capacity of the Consolidated Database to provide information to meet reporting objectives. This includes, for example, automated emails to members
Phase 3: Add the Walks Record Database to the Consolidated Database and provide information to meet reporting objectives
Phase 4: Deal with miscellaneous issues relating to the Consolidated Database Phase 5: Administration of the Consolidated Database. The objective is to have a working model of Phase 1 ready in Spring 2006.
Ron Watters, Chairman, Electronic Communications Sub-Committee
The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. Page 6 The Sydney Bushwalker June 2006
The Midweek Walkers
The Mid-Week Walkers are an informal group of SBW members who have time to spare for mid-week activities, some of which are shown on the Walks Programme and some organised at short notice and advised by monthly newsletter. If you would like to receive our newsletter or join us on an activity please phone me on 9484 6636 or email billholland@bigpond.com.
Cycling at Robyns Farm 28 May - 2 June
There were eight of us at the start, by Wednesday numbers had grown to eleven. Not all were keen cyclists and in the very cold conditions around Bathurst not all cyclists were keen - at least not early in the morning when the mists hung over the valleys and the temperature hovered around minus 3 degrees. However, later each morning (after moming tea) we were able to get underway and start pedalling. Of course there were delays other than the very cold or misty morning and this takes the story back to the day of our arrival.
On Monday afternoon after we had settled in, three of us decided to take a short cycle to get our legs in working order and it seemed appropriate to show the others around Robyns farm and the extent of tree plantings over the years. So we cycled along the cattle track and footpads and across the paddocks. Next morning our tyres were flat. Punctures everywhere. The cat eyes or as | remember from my boyhood three corner jacks were embedded in the tyres and it took all week to remove the traces.
Our first outing was to Chifley Dam on (about 15 kms each way) with uphill in the morning and downhill in the afternoon after a picnic lunch. The next day was similar except this time to Jocelyns property near Evereton Mount. Yes, as the name implies it was uphill to get there and a magnificent continuous down hill cruise all the way back to Perthville then on to Georges Plains. Our final outing was to Bathurst with numbers down to two riders and the rest by car. 16 kms in to town to the Museum and Art gallery and thanks to another puncture a lonely ride alone back for yours truly.
Our evenings were very comfortable. Happy hours and food just pouring out of the kitchen. We celebrated my significant birthday many times and finally needed no excuse to raise another toast or two.
Looking ahead, here are our extended activities planned for the next few months:
Mon 21 - Fri 25 August: Kia Ora Organic Farm and Winery at Nana Glen (near Coffs Harbour) A cabin for up to 8 people. Total cost of $340 for 4 nights (say $45 per head). Opportunities for walking as well as property tours.
Mon 11 - Fri 15 September: Wombeyan Caves
Dormitory style accommodation. Cave inspections and walking.
Mon 9 - Fri 13 October: New Ensland National Park,
Staying at The Residence at Banksia Point. Lots of walking, animal and birdwatching in New England and nearby parks.
Here are the mid-week day walks during coming weeks. Please refer to the Winter walks programme for more details:
Wednesday 5-July: Blue Mountains NP - Dalpura and Jinki Gullies
Two very interesting gullies off the Bells Line of Road, near the Mt Wilson turnoff. Occasional views into the Grose, each gully has beauty of its own, with frightful scrub between.
Thursday 13 July: Mid week Bicycle Ride
Some very social mid-week bicycle riding long both banks of the Parramatta River with the length depending on the weather and the enthusiasm of those participating.
Tuesday 18 July: Bicentennial Coastal Walk
Interesting traverse of the peninsula from Aboriginal relics to a heritage Walter Burley Griffin house. (Medium) 14km
Bilt Holland
The Sydney Bushwatker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. [ June 2006
The Sydney Bushwalker
Page 7
Treasurers Report to end May 2006
SAA Se
Month Actual Cash Receipts
Members Subscriptions $ 3,540.51
Prospective Fees $ 150.00
Investment-Conservation $ 12.19
investment - Coolana $ 36.46
Investment - General $ 22.60 Magazine Advertising $ 215.00
Donations - Coolana $ 45.06 Total Receipts $ 4,021.76 Cash Payments
Magazine Postage S$ 435.81
Coolana Maintenance S$ 113.60
Coolana Toilet - Coolana $ 605.35
Administration $ 148.45
Total Payments $ 1,303.21 Cash Surplus/(Deficit) $ 2,718.55
Walks Report from the Walks Secretary
David Trinder
In the next few weeks there will be interesting weekend walks to Kanangra Boyd NP, Namadgi NP, Kakadu, the Budawangs and some cross country ski trips and bike rides. There are also many and varied day walks, some of them will be a build up and training to the Clubs two classic hard walks, the Six Foot Track in a day and Kanangra Walls to Katoomba inaday. Many people will be doing hard walks during the winter when it is cool to gain fitness for these two trips.
There has been a problem with the winter walks program mail out but all members should have a hard copy and a soft copy now. We apologise for this delay.
CONSERVATION AWARDS
This World Environment Day, Monday 5 June, the Nature Conservation Council acknowledged the efforts and triumphs of conservation groups across NSW with an inaugural Conservation Awards Night.
The winners across the four award categories were:
e THE MARIE BYLES AWARD
For the most outstanding new environmental campaign. This Award commemorates Marie Byles. Marie was a passionate bushwalker, conservationist, explorer, mountaineer and feminist. The winning group received a cash prize of $250 to go towards future campaigning work and 3 years free Nature Conservation Council membership.
The Winner: Rivers SOS Campaign
e THE DUNPHY AWARD
For the best environmental effort of an individual. This award is given to an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment and success in the conservation of the NSW Environment. This Award honours the work of Myles and Milo Dunphy. The winning individual received a $250 voucher from Paddy Pallin. Thanks to Paddy Pallin for sponsoring this award.
The Winner: Bev Smiles (Central West Environment Council, Mudgee District Environment Group)
e THE NATURE CONSERVATION COUNCIL MEMBER GROUP AWARD
For the most outstanding Environmental Group. This award is given to a Member Group of NCC which has demonstrated an outstanding commitment and success in the conservation of the NSW Environment. The winning group received a cash prize of $500 to go towards future campaigning work.
The Winner: North Coast Environment Council
e ALLEN STROM HALL OF FAME
The NSW conservation Hall of Fame was established in memory of the late Alien Strom, in memory of Altens untiring devotion over 40 years to conservation and education. The recipient needs to have been actively involved in the conservation movement for a number of years, have made a constant and invaluable contribution to their group and have displayed qualities of integrity, reliability and commitment.
The Winner: Alex Colley (Colong Foundation for Wilderness)
World Environment Day Conservation Awards celebrates our past achievements and inspires our future campaigns. This will be an annual event so get your thinking caps on for nominations for Worid Environment Day Conservation Awards 2007.
The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. | Page 8 The Sydney Bushwalker June 2006
CONSERVATION NOTES Bill Holland
Congratulations to SBW member Vivien Dunne who was elected last month to the position of President - National Parks Association (NPA) Sydney Branch. Vivien continues the fine tradition of SBW involvement in this conservation body. Many of our newer members may not be aware that the Sydney Bush Walkers Club was instrumental in founding NPA nearly fifty years ago (February 1957) through the efforts of Allen Strom, Tom Moppett, Paul Barnes, Paddy Pallin and others. Today, our members names appear in the national, branch and committee structures of NPA.
Every two months NPA have a meeting with Bob Conroy - Director Central Branch of The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and discuss items of mutual interest and developments in NPWS. | am invited to attend these meetings as a representative of SBW but unfortunately was away and missed the last one in April. However, here are some extracts from Bob Conroys report to the meeting that will be of interest to SBW members.
Bargo Revocation and Additions
On the 5” April, Parliament passed a Bill which revoked part of Bargo SCA currently used as a shooting range, to enable the establishment of a regional shooting facility and the resulting rationalisation of land set aside for shooting clubs in other important areas such as adjacent to Yengo NP and the proposed Yengo wilderness area at Mellong Swamp and adjacent to Dharawal SCA.
Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve Trust (JKCRT) Lands
The Act Amendment - The National Parks and Wildlife Amendment (Jenolan Caves Reserves) Bill 2005 passed through Parliament in November 2005 and was gazetted in March 2006, enabling the transfer of the reserves from the Trust to DEC on the 1 July 2006. The Jenolan Visitor Use and Services Zone will not be transferred until a Plan of Management is in place and commercial arrangements at Jenolan Caves are resolved.
Arevised plan of management has been prepared for the Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve in consultation with the National Parks Association and the Australian Speleologist Federation. The plan should be placed on exhibition in the near future.
Proposed Emirates Land Exchange
Discussions have been held with peak conservation groups regarding a proposed land exchange in the Wolgan Vatley between the Minister and Emirates.
Emirates have proposed a boundary adjustment and land exchange in the Wolgan Valley. It is proposed to exchange 39ha of highly disturbed national park (ie former leasehold land) for 114ha of good quality bushland currently in freehold title. The exchange appears to be very advantageous to Government from both a conservation perspective and an economic perspective and is being considered.
The Minister for Planning has now determined the development application submitted by Emirates for the development of an eco-resort on the freehold land on the southern side of Donkey Mountain within the Wolgan Valley (see www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/ndetermination.asp).
Upgrade of the Timbergetters Track, Garigal National Park
The Harbour to Hawkesbury Walking track was conceived over ten years ago by Manly Council. The Harbour to Hawkesbury track is actually a series of tracks - many pre-existing - that link Manly Wharf to Berowra. The walk is approximately 47kms in length and ultimately joins the historic Great North walk. This beautiful walk follows existing walking tracks in Garigal, Ku-ring-gai Chase and Sydney Harbour National Parks, and Berowra Valley Regional Park. But a number of the track links are also through existing walking tracks in bushland reserves and urban streets managed by Manly, Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby Councils. The tracks provide links to other regional trails in Sydneys northern suburbs such as the Taronga to Balmoral Track and the Great North Walk. For bushwalkers wanting to experience more of Sydneys natural beauty the walk has been clearly signposted using a distinctive red logo. To cover the entire track, it will take the average walker about 2-3 days. But for those bushwalkers just iooking for a day or even half a days walk, there are a number of transport links dotted along the track that will promptly bring you back to the city.
Before finishing my notes this month | would like to make it clear that my remarks (some may say intemperate remarks) about shooters in the April and May magazines should be directed at those who shoot at living animals and birds and not at the many shooters who use fixed targets and other non-animate objects. The fundamental objection to handing over park reserves to private organisations remains.
Bill Holland
TRACKS & ACCESS REPORT May/June 2006
THE BIG DRY. The drought continues to tighten its grip on central NSW. On the Kangaroo and Shoathaven Rivers the stored water level above the TALLOWA DAM wall is just below the 40 metre contour line. Rachael Melrose (SUBW) reports that Ettrema Creek is not flowing above Jones Creek junction. This means that you cannot rely on getting water in the side creeks above Jones Creek junction. Michael Keats (Bush Club) - doyen of the Wild Dog Ranges - reports that the Kowmung River is not running at Hatchers Hollow locality. Surely his GPS needs recalibrating as Hatchers Hollow is in the Upper Kowmung, a long way from the Wild Dog Ranges. It is normally accessed by Irrae Gower Ridge (map reference for Hatchers Hollow is, Yerranderie map 276 257). Jim Smith (Warragamba Walking Club) reports that the Kowmung can be crossed about 100 metres below the dry Christys Creek junction by rock hopping and barely getting the soles of you footwear wet. Jim also reports that the roadside dams aiong Scotts Main Range have reasonable amounts of water left in them except for the important dam at the top of the Cedar Road on the Kowmung side of Scotts Main Range. This tiny dam appears to have been as dry as a dead dingos donger for years. It should be noted that the topographic maps (all editions) do not show ail the dams along Scotts Main Range.
WARRAGAMBA DAM. A confidential leak from the Recidivists Club states that the level of the stored water is now only 90 metres above mean sea level and this means that the last rapid on the Cox River is some 2 km downstream from Kedumba River junction and below Policeman Point in ( 11 ) Grand Country. The Reedy Creek crossing on the main Kedumba Valley Road is now dry, but the adjacent waterhole - a feature of the Gundungurra tribal legend of Garrangatch and Mirrigan still has plenty of water in it. 1 would expect that there is no water available at Mt. Solitary. The dam east of Medlow Gap - Lake Birrell - near Session Hut in Grand Country is reported to be low and undrinkable. Mobbs Soak is reported as almost dry, but water is still available in pools in Breakfast Creek near the fire road crossing. Robert Sloss, well known bushwalking guidebook author (NPA) reports that the Nattai River is not running at MacArthurs Flat. The moral of these reports is clear - carry plenty of water in areas away from major rivers.
SYDNEY CATCHMENT AUTHORITY and its predecessors Sydney Water and the Water Board have for many years run ranger 4WD patrols from Megalong Valley to Kedumba Valley on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. They also run ranger 4WD patrols on the southern side of the catchment area. In the early 1960s three of us were caught by a ranger on White Dog Ridge. Next day | negotiated the now well known walking corridors of Mt. Cookem and Beloon Pass with Dr. Flynn, Chief Medical Officer of the Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board ( MWSDB or just the Water Board). The corridors then only applied to all bushwalking clubs and club badges had to be worn by all club members on the walk. it was a gentlemens agreement and not to be publicized outside the Federation of Bushwalking Clubs at that time.
Following my complaints early last year to Andy MacQueen (Springwood Bushwalkers and Blue Mountains N.P. Advisory Committee) regarding the no walking signs on the Cookem Highway, | was recently delighted to see a new Warragama Walking Corridors map on a huge costly sign at the junction of the Cookem Highway and the Cedar Road (Old Kowmung House locality). | have not yet seen a similar sign at Medlow Gap - over to you Andy.
Following an anonymous phone call from the Recidivists Club | learned that the Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA) is now running low altitude helicopter patrols over Lake Burragerang on Saturdays and Sundays at lunchtime and again late in the afternoon. | understand these patrols include a surveillance of the Cox River as far upstream as Black Dog Ridge. Robert Sloss (NPA) well known bushwalking author rang me a week later to inform me that the SCA had advertised their inner catchment area helicopter surveiliance patrols in Southern Highlands newspapers. Well you cant say | havent warned you of the dangers of getting caught walking in that (11) Grand Country, tempting as it is to bushwalkers, especially bushwalking historians.
KANANGRA WALLS. It is nice to see the NPWS have installed new composting toilets at the Kanangra vehicle park and have cut back some of the overhanging scrub on the plateau track to Gingra Ridge. It was disappointing however to see walkers making a new pad down the nose of Cambridge Spire - a very exposed route - when some 15 metres from the top of the nose - on the Arabanoo Creek side is a steep - but safe - gully through the top cliff line, which has been used by bushwalkers for over 50 years.
BLUE MOUNTAINS NP. The NPWS have closed the ancient wooden Lillians Bridge on the cliff top walk between Leura Golf Course and Wentworth Falls, over the canyon section of the Valley of the Waters Creek. Fortunately the NPWS are planning to replace Lillians Bridge. As work is still proceeding on National Pass , intending walkers should ring the NPWS Heritage Centre, Blue Mountains Region on (02) 4787 8877 (7 days,0900 to1630) for the latest track closures etc. | note that Lillians Bridge was named after Elizabeth Lila Murray in 1898, see Brian Foxs Upper Blue Mountains Geographical Encyclopedia (24 edition) page 102. Wilf Hilder
The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. | Page 10 The Sydney Bushwalker June 2006
i
Sue on the summit of Mount Everest, May 2002
A Tribute to Sue Fear ~ 31 May 2006 ~
We are all deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and mountain guide Sue Fear.
Sue died on Sunday, 28th May whilst descending from the summit of Mount Manasiu in Nepal. Mount Manaslu was Sue's fifth climb of a mountain over 8000 metres - others being Gasherbrum II in 2004, Everest in 2003, Shishapangma in 2002 and Cho Oyu in 1998.
Sue plunged deep into a crevasse at 7600 metres when crossing a large plateau on Mount Manaslu. Her climbing partner, Bishnu Gurung tried desperately to retrieve her but to no avail. It was an immense relief to us and Sue's family, to learn that Bishnu had made the long and perilous journey back to Advanced Base Camp safely. This also meant that he was able to provide us with a detailed account of the accident. Following this debrief with Bishnu, it was concluded by a group of highly experienced mountaineers that Sue could not have survived the accident and that deploying resources back up the mountain would put other lives at serious risk. It was Sue's wish that if she died on a mountain that her body remain there.
Sue was an inspiring individual. Her energy, courage and innate sense of purpose were recognizable in every aspect of how she conducted her life. She was also a sincere, kind and immensely generous person. As a climber, Sue was considered and cautious and felt great respect for the environments in which she climbed and for the local people whom she worked with side by side. She had a particular love for the Sherpa people of Nepal. Sue lived life to the fullest and operated with the motto that we should always challenge ourselves and live out our dreams. Self actualisation was a term she used frequently and is an apt description of her incredible life journey. She was an advocate of pushing personal boundaries and in self belief. Sue dedicated an enormous amount of her time to talking to young people about these philosophies that were so important to her, working closely with the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Sue was selfless in her resolve to raise money for charity. She was closely associated with The Fred Hollows Foundation as more than just a vigorous fundraiser. Sue was duly appointed as an official ambassador for the Foundation in 2003. The Australian Himalayan Foundation was another charity that Sue felt a strong connection with, being its first honorary member.
Sue has made an incredible contribution to Australian mountaineering and paved the way for females in this sport which is otherwise traditionally male dominated. Many a time, travellers would return from a trip which Sue had led, in awe of her ardent interest in helping others to achieve their outdoor pursuits. This quote from Metissa Butcher, who participated on the Kwangde Peak Expedition in 2002, conveys this very clearly.
“In between a client and a mountain is the guide's passion. Sue didn't juggle or sing songs, but she got people to the top and opened up a whole new world for them. Respect each others skills and ability, the porters and crew, and the guide's knowledge was one of her favourite mantras. Success for Sue was getting people to get themselves to a summit”.
The Sydney Bushwatker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. June 2006 The Sydney Bushwailker Page 11
Sue had a deep affinity with Nepal. She was open about her fondness of the people and the beauty of the mountains and it is a blessing that she is now at peace in a place that she loved so dearly.
World Expeditions will be placing a memorial plaque at the Base Camp of Mount Manaslu to commemorate Sue's life. There will be a memorial service held for Sue in Sydney next week.
It would have been Sue's wish that in lieu of flowers for the family, donations of a commensurate value be made to the Fred Hollows Foundation - call 1800 352 352 / websitewww.hollows. org or the Australian Himalayan Foundation - call 02 9438 1822 / websitewww.australianhimalayanfoundation.org.au
Her family has asked that any mail be directed to World Expeditions which we will forward (Level 5, 71 York Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000) to the family. During this difficult period we would like to express our deepest appreciation to the many people who have assisted us in particular Tim Macartney-Snape, Soren Ledet and Ringi Sherpa (Sea to Summit Expeditions).
Our heartfelt condolences go to Sue's brothers Graham and John and their families.
We have been inundated with an enormous number of phone calls, emails and visits to our offices following this tragedy. This is testimony to the enormous impact that Sue has had on the many people whom she came in contact with.
While Sue's extraordinary journey in this world has come to an end, her contribution to mountaineering and philanthropy, as well as the inspiring life lessons she taught many of us will ensure that her spirit will be with us always.
Her friends and colleagues at World Expeditions.
~ SUE FEAR: A TOUCH OF GREATNESS -
When | received word that Sue had died while descending Mount Manaslu in Nepal on 28“ May | simply could not believe it. | thought that surely she would pull through her terrible ordeal and live to provide her own account of falling headlong into a deep, snow-covered crevasse. After a few days had passed her death was confirmed, as all hope of a rescue attempt had been abandoned.
Himaiayas. During that time she proved to be not only highly responsible, but positive and encouraging as well. | can recall teetering on a wobbly rock with her while crossing a raging stream. She nearly lost her own balance trying to help, and it occurred to me that she could easily have been swept away herself on that occasion. She marveled at my age (sixty-two), and thought it was bloody great that | was willing to have a go at such an expedition! | didnt get to know her well, as we were basically very different, but she took an interest in my writing, which is one reason Ive decided to offer this tribute. I noticed that she had her prickly, no-nonsense moments, too, but by reading her life story Fear No Boundary | came to understand what focus and determination she clearly possessed against very difficult odds during her mountaineering career. In the book she stated that the highpoints of her life were achieved when she stood atop yet another hard-won peak. This was her second attempt at Manaslu, and | take comfort in thinking of the joy she must have experienced in summitting it successfully, only hours before her untimely accident. Also, her wish was granted: she would not have wanted to be taken from the mountains she so cherished.
Sue has continued to be an inspiration to me. Its true she feared no boundary and she would have continued to forever test her own limits, on many levels. At age forty-three she had scaled Everest, had been granted an OA, had proved to be a tireless fund-raiser and supporter of a respected charitable organisation, and had published an autobiography. Very few people twice her age have made one such achievement. She demonstrated to so many people - particularly the young the importance of setting goals, and finding the pathway to attain them.
Through knowing Sue just a little, | am motivated all the more to do what | can, while | can. Sue, you will be sadly missed. If you were with us now you would sit and have a beer and a joke with us. You can bet that the Sydney Bushies who have been privileged meet and know you will do just that, in your honour.
Jeanne Klovdahl 6 June 2006
The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. Page 12 The Sydney Bushwalker June 2006
The Story of the Great River Walk October 2000 to February 2005
Roger Treagus
Rogers story will be published in the June, July & August Editions of The Sydney Bushwalker
This walk series was on the SBW program for over 4 years and covered 20 separate stages and almost 500 kilometres which involved walking, canoeing and flying. Roger is writing a book on
this walk and hopes to publish it next year.
This walk started in October 2000 and finished in February 2005 and was one of the longest running staged walks in the SBW program. It consisted of 20 stages made up of 6 weekend walks, 2 stages of 3 day walks, 2 stages done by a day canoe trip, 1 stage done by a day bicycle trip and 9 one day walks. As well as this at the end of stage 7 we exited from Yerranderie via a Sydney Catchment Authority firetruck and we started Stage 8 by arriving in aircraft. Extensive use of ferries or water taxis was made on stages 18 to 20. This made a total of 30 days on the move for a total distance of 460km. It started at the source of the Wollondilly on the Lachlan/Wollondilly divide near Crookwell and finished in the shadow of Barrenjoey lighthouse. It took a long time because we tended to space each stage about 2 months apart. | became a father in the middle of this project which also tended to delay proceedings a bit.
Plateau not unlike the Rhine Gorge so Anthony Trollope, the 19” century writer wrote on his visit out from his native England. Then there is its main tributary the Wollondilly which runs through little known bushwalking territory and the 40km long Canyonleigh gorge. It definitely has a mystique about it.
They are constantly surprising; flowing through their own little quiet world when only a short distance beyond their banks can lie a built up jungle of roads, suburbs and people.
Another reason for walking the river was that a plan was afoot (pardon the pun) to develop a long distance walking track near its banks. This was being developed by a Committee from a sort of mini qango entity (quasi- autonomous non government organisation). The concept was good, but the problem was that there was no bushwalker on the committee. This was rather like forecasting the weather without looking out the window. No one on the committee could say whether it could actually be walked, where a track might go and where all the existing tracks went that just possibly could link up. In short whether it was practical. So was born the SBW series of watks to show it could be walked. This is a rough guide then on where we walked and what we saw.
The first thing was to find an actual source. There were 3 schools of thought. You either started at the source of the Nepean (because the Nepean is often considered the natural continuation of the Hawkesbury upstream). You could start at the furthest point away from the mouth - this would be the source of Mulwaree ponds at Lake Bathurst, or you could start at the source of the biggest tributary which also happens to be the highest significant source in the catchment. Choosing the first option meant a much shorter trip starting near Robertson but impractical as most of the upper reaches were through the forbidden land of schedule 1 catchment for the upper Nepean dams. Woe betide those who are caught here (unless they are good talkers). The second option took you through flat boring country of no walking potential along a series of ponds south of Goulburn. The third was in interesting rolling granite country with historical homesteads and railway lines. | chose the third, the source of the Wollondilly.
So we started at a spot near the town of Laggan on top of the GDR (great dividing range) which separated the Wollondilly water from the Abercrombie, a tributary of the Lachlan. A tin shed and a small dam with a little seep marked the unimpressive start of the river, (Laggan sheet 360872). After a roadside breakfast with the locals (including most of the landowners whose properties we were walking through that day) we set off down the hilt with the disused Crookwell to Goulburn railway line marking the rivers first bridge. It was great walking through the fields down to where the valleys steepened and the dribble became a flow past place names like Tennis Raquet Waterhole and Betherwetherloo. This was all private property and barbed wire fences with not a single public reserve apart from the odd TSR (travelling stock reserves) for 20 kilometres.
The Sydney Bushwatker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. June 2006 The Sydney Bushwalker Page 13
In fact we were on practically continuous private property for the first 150km of the walk. To make this part of the walk possible we negotiated with over 80 property owners for access taking in all many weeks of negotiation. 78 of them gave us the thumbs up and in fact became supporters of the grand concept, 1 asked us to sign an insurance waiver (he worked for an insurance company), 1 refused us entry (he ran a paintball skirmish operation), but was talked around by his dad. There was much more to this contact. One landowner provided us with a devonshire tea in china cups in one of his paddocks as we passed, 1 gave us unlimited beer at the end of a hot day, 1 gave us accommodation in his tin shed after an ebultient pig on a spit BBQ the previous night ,1 gave us accommodation in his nudist colony complete with pool and signs promoting nude volieyball competitions and 1 allowed 20 tired walkers to bed down in his house and put on a gourmet BBQ. with beer, wine and music. It was one of the joys of the walk that we met such fabulous characters. Their stories added immeasurable depth to the walk experience, more later. Bush characters are out there and closer to the big smoke than you might think.
So we followed this little creek which turned to the south and then the south west through properties owned by eminent people. QCs, members of boards, CEOs of organisations, heads of government departments and just plain farmers whose forebears came here around 1830 not long after Throsby, Sturt, Hume and Hovell past this way on their various expeditions. On just our first night out our plans to camp were overtaken by the sheer force of hospitality. Were we to sleep in the sheep pen? No it was the homestead for us and all the bush talk around the fire with the landowners about the productive country we were passing. Day 2 saw us pass an ancient abandoned mill ( Kingsdale 311612) and on to Goulburn through flatish plain country.
The next stage was considered an official start because we were leaving from Goulburn and this is where the politicians cut the ribbon and made speeches. We were bestowed an honour by the local aboriginal land council people formally allowing us the freedom of their lands. The pollies then even walked with us a short way, a gesture much appreciated. Sticking on the left band of the river, we made our way through to the abandoned railway siding of Towrang where we encountered our first true bush shed toilet. Camping was memorable for the shaking of the ground as the night freight trains thundered by on the nearby main line. Three 81 class locos pulling a kilometre of coal can not pass through the night quietly.
Following the river was easy in these parts as we were in a broad cleared and flat upland basin. It was never boring with the passing mountains and a river rapidly assuming a more noble character. We lunched on the second day on the front lawns of a graceful Gone-With-The-Wind style Victorian homestead, Longreach named after a long reach of the Wollondilly at this point, (Towrang 708627). The Queensland outback town was named after this homestead and not a long reach of the Barcoo as might be thought - the founding fathers of the town had a family connection back here.
Stage 3 (the third weekend walk) started off at a prominent local feature, Gibralter Rocks (Chatsbury 743651) marking the beginning of the Sydney basin geology. These rocks were like a mini Budawangs and held a picnic at hanging rock air about them. Steeped in aboriginal history as a gathering place we walked amongst abundant evidence of their occupation. The top rocks gave us great views of the upper valley back to Goulburn and the flat topped Cook bundoons.
The going got tough as we entered the 40km Wollondilly gorge (starting at the Paddys River confluence (Canyonleigh 322693) with the river now cutting deep into the southern highlands plateau from Marulan to the Warragamba on its way to the coast - through Canyonleigh, past Tugalong homestead, over the Goodmans Ford and through to Lake Burragorrang.
The gorge was platypus central with some times 3 sightings at once suggesting that the river was still reasonably healthy even if it was downstream of the Goulburn STP. Walking along the river bank was no problem with only light timber and often good goat tracks near the river but with frequent wombat hotles. Walking the gorge was magic. It was getting deeper and rocky with occasional difficult sections with sheer cliff banks where the river had cut through a band of harder rock. The country was generally made up of highty eroded metamorphic rock with some sections of intrusive younger granite.
On stage 4 we had planned to walk through a particularly spectacular gorge section (Canyonleigh 325767). The Great River Walk Committee had arranged Australian Geographic Magazine to commission a story on the river with a focus to be our walk. The Australian Geographic photographer showed up on the morning of the walk with an impressive array of heavy and fragile pro photographic gear. It was not waterproofed. Our passage throughgorge necessitated some scrambling and then a swim across a pool, there being no way around.
The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. Page 14 The Sydney Bushwalker June 2006
The Story of the Great River Walk (continued)
Although the photographer was a true pro with outdoor and nature work this type of a bushwalk was some shock to her. Keeping her gear dry was the important thing and we were able to stuff all of her gear in our waterproof bags. The photographic gear had a safe passage but its owner fell in the river and did not take kindly to this new aspect of the track. After all that, the pictures that came out of the exercise were remarkable and very publishable, including one showing the bushwalkers hats floating in line on the pool, their owners being temporary sub-mariners.
In walking though all of this country we were strongly supported by the Goulburn Bushwalking Club whose members stayed with the walk right to the end in spite of each stages lengthening distance from Goulburn. in a central part of the gorge we had arranged a remote rendezvous. The President of Goulburn Bushwalkers was to walk down the Tarlo River while we progressed down the Wollondilly. We planned to arrive at the remote Tarlo/Wollondilly junction at an appointed time. Sure enough as we hopped to the rock strewn junction a lone figure appeared from the side canyon and a Dr Livingstone | Presume style meeting ensued.
Despite the remoteness we did not rough it in this country by camping on the stony riverbank. In this Canyonleigh country one of the GRW Committee members who was also as it turned out an excellent walker had a riverside house with an outside campfire and the throne room down the hill with view of the river. The BBQ, the chilled chardonnay and a starry night made for supremely relaxing evenings.
Stage 5 continued the push though the gorge. Accessing the river to start the walk was becoming a problem. The river was now in a 300m steep sided gorge with few access tracks and none showing on maps. We needed lots of local knowledge to find the best way down. The owner of Coowong Station showed us a new track that he had engineered just months before down the ridge at Hanworth 324859. Much of this part of the gorge had been grazed so the going was over grass. We passed the Tugalong access track at lunch time of day 1 and the Wingercarribee by afternoon tea time. Then towards sunset we happened on the much anticipated naturalist resort near Archies Island (Barrallier 340934). And for naturalist read nudist. But fear not dear reader as the month was August in the year 2002 and the cold weather had ensured a scarcity of nudists. We had, in fact, the place to ourselves. We ate at the restaurant, swam in the heated pool and spa and marveled at the clich poster advertising nude volleyball competitions. There were cabins, there were hot showers. This was now 10 walking days out from the start and we had camped but once. From here to Goodmans Ford, the only place where a main road crosses the lower river, was an easy walk. On the way we ascended Toms Island (Canyonleigh 315955) with a magnificent lookout, the river almost surrounding us with its meander. It had been a place | had seen as a boy on,a school holiday big bike ride many many years earlier. At that time in the earty 1960s | was ascending the big hill on the road to Mittagong from the river and looked down on this almost cutoff island and marveled. One day | thought | will go there. And | did.
….to be continued in the July issue
Celebrating Wilderness THE FIFTH NATIONAL WILDERNESS CONFERENCE
Wilderness and an environmentally sustainable future 8 -10 September, 2006 Main Campus, University of Technology, Sydney
Celebrating Wilderness is the conference theme and its aim is to help ensure wilderness makes an even bigger contribution to human happiness and environmental conservation as we move towards a more environmentally aware and sustainable society. Cost for three days is $90.00.
Guest Speakers include: Bob Brown, Helen Gee, Keith Muir, John Sinclair & Alec Marr
Further copies of the conference brochure can be downloaded from the website: www.colongwilderness.org.au Enquiries to Keith at the Colong Foundation on (02) 9299 7341 or keith@colongwilderness.org.au
The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc.
June 2006 The Sydney Bushwalker Page 15
Gail Crichton Leader Profile
| have been a member of Sydney Bush Walkers for 12 years, though |
starting my bushwalking career with a smaller club before joining Sydney Bush Walkers. I dont think anyone could have been more of a greenhorn than me when | first started bushwalking. The closest my family and friends came to doing a bushwalk was having a barbeque in the backyard!
1 soon realised that | would enjoy my bushwalking more if | improved my fitness so | booked myself on as many walks as I could, to gain fitness and valuable experience. | started leading walks for Sydney Bush Walkers about six years ago. The best advice | was given in my early days was not to rush out and buy new equipment, just look at what works for other people on walks.
Walk Locations
Kanangra Boyd National Park. | particularly enjoy the Kanangra Boyd area as it has such spectacular views and terrain.
Walking Style
| enjoy early starts no earlier than 7:30 am. That may be considered late by some other leaders standards. |
like to keep a steady pace throughout the day but as always you have to walk to the conditions and the various levels of fitness of the group. It is very true that you only walk as fast as the slowest walker. It is important to re-group regularly so everyone stays together as much as possible.
hard days walk.
Memorable Walks e Walking in New Zealand; completing the Routeburn, Kepler and Milford Tracks e Kanangra to Katoomba in one day Mt. Paralyser via Dex Creek and Kanangra Wails. The previous night there had been a heavy snowfall so we finished the walk in a winter wonderland of snow…
Walks Philosophy
friends catching up or prospectives who are new to the club. Gail Crichton WANTED TO BUY - FOR SALE - Light weight tent, 1.8kg or less, Scarpa ladies walking boots light-weight, full-sized backpack. Size 39, good condition, Please contact Jeanne Klovdahl: only worn once Ph: 0427 017 780 or $70.00 Email: jeanneklovdah|@hotmail.com Contact: Pam Campbell 9570 2885
The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. [ Page 16
The Sydney Bushwalker
June 2006
Shufflology - The Science of the pre-walk car shuffle
Jan McLean
Cast your mind back to the last car shuffle you participated on. Can you remember what happened? Can you recall any 2 shuffles being the same? Of course it doesnt apply to walks that end up where they started. But many walks dont so its the leaders responsibility to work out how car transport can be made available at both ends (assuming no public transport as with Bundeena to Otford).
Canoe clubs do it all the time. Its called going with the flow. | did it for 4 years on 19 successive walks down the Hawkesbury system because each stage kept going down the same river just like canoeists do. And
are and each one is different. They may tax the mind of the leader more than the walk itself. They are critical to the success of the day for if they are stuffed up precious time is wasted and the grand plans of the walk itself may have to be modified. Walk leaders are meant to have acquired car shuffle skills automatically, a sort of mandatory computer program always loaded in the walk leaders brain.
There is nothing automatic about it. It is a skill shrouded in mystery and very underrated. For years | have been scanning the SBW mag for some learned dissertation but not a great deal of bytes to be found so | am now putting my toes in hot water and enunciating some car shuffle principles and guidance from my skewed experience that may help others.
Car shuffles come in 3 basic models most cars at the beginning most cars at the end
cars at an intermediate overnight spot on an overnight walk with a car camp.
You would do (1) when you drive past the end of the walk in the morning to get to the beginning.
(Example: Narrow Neck to Kings Tableland and everyone is driving up from Sydney - and not taking the train to save on greenhouse gases). Say you dont have enough cars to leave there at Kings Tableland that would accommodate everyone at the end of the day as well as still conveying everyone to the start. So its best just to leave sufficient cars at the end for the drivers to collect the others cars after the walk. If you wanted to leave most cars at the end in this scenario time would be wasted by doubling back (i.e., depositing everyone at the start, take all vehicles to the end, then come back with a few vehicles for the drivers only.
(2) is the most common situation.
Say you are walking to West Head from Elvina Bay trackhead. Everyone meets at the trackhead. Then its a simple matter to take most cars to the end of the road at West Head (10 minutes) and for the drivers then to drive back to the start in another car(s} where everyone else is waiting. This works best when the shuffle is short as its boring waiting for drivers to return especially when you are itching to get going on the track,
(3) can be horrendously complex best illustrated by my own example.
The walk is a weekend affair from Canyonleigh to Goodmans Ford walking down the Wollondilly River and with a Saturday night camp at River Island Nature Resort (Im not making this up) accessible by road (marginal 2WD in dry weather only). Canyonleigh to Goodmans Ford is 80km because there is no road down the river. But we want enough cars to go to the camp to operate a secondary car shuffle on the Sunday plus to ferry out a few walkers who cant do Sunday. We also want to only select cars to go to the resort whose owners are happy for their vehicles to attempt the steep access road. Placing most cars at the camp is out of the question because of the distance and the consequent waste of time but sufficient cars need to be there that will convey enough cars to Goodmans on the Sunday that will then ferry all the drivers back to the cars left at the beginning.
Have | lost you yet??. We need to get walking really early as its winter and the days are short. So arrivals on the Saturday morning are planned in 2 stages at an intermediate meeting spot on the Wombeyan Caves Road.
First arrivals are the ones who take their cars down to the camp 40km away. Enough cars have to go there for the Sunday shuffle to work plus additional cars to convey the drivers back to the intermediate meeting point now. The 80km round trip is timed to be completed by the time the main group arrives and we then all drive to the beginning. So at end of day 1 we all walk into the camp. The next morning there are enough cars there to take the Saturday walkers home plus ferry sufficient cars to the end at Goodmans Ford plus a vehicle or two extra to bring back the drivers to the camp to start the Sunday walk. On top of this we have departing cars from the camp and arriving cars to the camp as a few people are walking just on the Sunday.
The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. June 2006
The Sydney Bushwalker
Page 17
We arrive at Goodmans Ford on Sunday arvo and what do we find there. Enough cars to ferry the drivers of all the cars that are parked at the beginning of the walk (who then have to drive 80km to collect the whole group at Goodmans) plus have enough capacity to ferry the drivers of the cars left at the camp. The temptation is for everyone to pile into what cars are there sardine like rather than wait and drive illegally back.
So do you think you are on top of this now? Well, so far Ive kept it simple by making some assumptions, Drop any of these and the level of complexity shifts up a gear.
There are the simplifying assumptions:
e All cars can take 5 passengers
Noone baulks at going through a National Park toll gates and paying
There are enough cars
e There are no 4WD roads or dirt roads that city car owners refuse to go on
e Noone gets tost following the leading car or they do get lost and the fall back plan works perfectly
e There is perfect mobile phone reception e Everyone has perfect knowledge of the shuffle plan and knows where they are going
Now the science of shufflography like ali good science has its own equations. These provide the number of cars you will need for a shuffle.
For your basic shuffle with most cars at the end (model 2) the equation for the number of cars you will need is x/5 + x/20 where x is the number of
people and we assume all cars take 5 passengers:
(Where the average pax seat capacity for the population of cars is different then use that value as the denominator in the first expression). Where each expression has a fraction you then take them to the next whole number. For example 21 people in a party equates to 21/5 + 21/20 which totals 7 (taking each to the next whole number). This is right because you need 5 cars at the end for 21 people. To take these 5 cars to the end you need 2 more cars to take back their drivers. Having only one car to take them back would not work as we have 6 people - 5 drivers plus the driver in the car to take them back. And 6 people need 2 cars. Have one person less in the party and we are down to 20/5 + 20/20 = 5 cars. See why we have gone from 7 cars to 5 with just 1 person less.
Now going back to our original model (1) where we either have most cars at the beginning or enough cars for everyone at both the end and the beginning. In this second case for model 1 the equation is 2x/5 as
I Tel 0246 832 344 iwww.wildernesstransit.com.au
we need twice the number of (5 seater) cars The first case in this model is really model 2 in reverse so should have the same equation. Right? Are you really confused now? Your mission should you choose to accept it is to work out an equation to cover the example given to model 3. Good luck Jim! This shuffle will self destruct in 5 seconds.
Now thats a brainbuster. If you have understood all this then congratulations. You are now a fully qualified Shufftologist, a rare academic achievement yet | have observed SBW leaders have the skill in abundance. So on your next one way walk with shuffle appreciate its finer workings and marvel at its science. And extend sympathy for the leader as something goes wrong.
Jan McLean
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The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Waikers Inc. Page 18 The Sydney Bushwalker June 2006
WALKS REPORT by Barry Wallace Walks notes covering the interval 4 January 2006 to 9 February 2006.
Over the period 2 - 9 January David Trinder led a series of walks and a couple of cycle trips out from a base at Windarra Lodge in Smiggin Holes. A total of 24 participants must have made an interesting organisational challenge, what with party sizes varying from 8 to 19.- The two constants were the hot weather and the flies. There was also a roll-call of debility; Denise hurt her knee, Steve twisted his ankle and Maurice had hay fever. All-in-all it was an enjoyable outing.
lan Woolfe had 2 canyoning day trips over the weekend of 7, 8 January to Midwinter and Green Up canyons near Glen Alice. Atotal of 5 people attended but this is all we know. lan Thorpe led a party of 7 on Saturday 7 January up the Wollongambe from Bell Creek. The weather was overcast, with drizzle at times; so much so that the entire party was dampened before they reached the river. They walked, they waded and they scrambled over rocks and logs of varying slipperiness. The wades came in various depths, ranging from ankle to chest. On one or two occasions the canyon walls closed overhead and were un-climbable so the partys route, apart from exit points where side creeks entered, was entirely constrained.
Jim Callaway led a party of 14 on Sunday 15 January in The Royal NP from Engadine to Heathcote. The party was intrigued to find cycle tyre tracks following the track out from Audley but nothing became of this. They paused for a catch-up at the top of Bottle Forest trail and then descended to Kangaroo Creek for lunch and a swim at the Olympic Pool. Another swim at Karloo Pool and then the trek to Heathcote railway station to catch the 3:15pm train back to the city.
On Tuesday, 10 January, Wilf led a party of 4 on his midweek walk in the lower Blue Mountains out from Glenbrook to something called the sunclock. After morning-tea the party headed off toward Kanuka Brook, noting as they went that the track from Red Hands cave car-park to Red Hand Creek junction had been closed off. Aminor proliferation of navigators resulted in the re-discovery of an old pass on the South side of the final cliff above Kanuka Brook.|t seems some members of the party were as unaware as | of the claimed sunclock, even after they arrived at it; sceptics and unbelievers Wilf calls them. They retraced their steps up Glenbrook Creek to the junction with Kanuka Brook for a final swim before slogging up to the ridge to a fire-trail.
lan Thorpe led a walk from Mount Wilson into the Wollongambe over the weekend of 14 & 15 January with a party of 3. They descended into Du Faur Creek, then pulled up the opposite side of the creek onto a ridge that provided fine views to the East and West. They continued in this roller-coaster mode until the leader declared an extended afternoon tea stop at one of the numerous side creeks to Wollongambe River due to encroaching dehydration. From there it was just one more up and over to the camp cave on the Wollongambe River for the usual (over?) indulgences. Next morning they explored some pagoda rocks north of Wollongambe Crater then headed out back to Mount Wilson and the milkshakes before the drive home.
Small group, warm day, civilised pace; says it all really. Thats how Carole Beales describes her 14 January walk from Taronga Zoo to Manly that weekend. The party of 4 swam and grazed their way via Chowder Bay, Balmoral Beach, Chinamans Beach, Clontarf and Dobroyd Head to Manly Wharf. Things looked ugly when they found the coffee shop at Clontarf was closed due to a recent fire, but the promise of an ice cream van at Dobroyd Head fended of the incipient mutiny that ever lurks in such a foraging party. 15 January saw Ron Watters and a party of 13 out on his qualifying walk from Heathcote to Loftus. The party swam in the various pools along the way. Lunch was taken on the Western branch of South West Arm Creek. Boulder Gorge on South West Arm proved slow going with the party covering just 100 metres in the space of 10 minutes. This was duly sorted by expedient climbing to the Marley Falls track at the top of the escarpment. They followed Winifred Falls track to the pool at the top of the falls and moved on to ice creams and cold drinks at Audley before the last leg to Sutherland for a convivial dinner.
Bill Hollands midweek evening walk from Bondi to Coogee on Tuesday 17 January was enjoyable. A couple of people who started from the Coogee end somehow failed to ever make contact but most of the others finished the walk with fish and chips washed down with a glass of wine in view of the beach.
Leigh McClintoch had a party of 7 on his Saturday walk from The Basin to Mackerell Beach on 21 January in hot but not too bad conditions. The scrub seems to have made a comeback in the area leading around to the gully at the North West corner of The Basin and this produced some heavy going. Slippery conditions in the creek itself led to a route change with the party moving to the South bank of the creek and reaching the top about 200 metres from the little dam. From there it was just a matter of picking their way across the rocks at
The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. June 2006 The Sydney Bushwalker Page 19
high tide with a heavy swell running. By the time it was all over there were a lot of wet feet and knees due in some cases to a serious lack of high ground. Leigh is unsure whether everyone enjoyed the rocks as much as the combination of bush, sand and sea.
On 21 January, Pam Campbell led a group of 8 on her Natural History tour of the Cooks River in hot conditions. Members on the walk had not seen Wolli Creek or parts of Cooks River previously and were suitably impressed. Pam is considering going back there, possibly for a bike ride. Watch this space. Pamela Irving was out on Sunday, 22 January with 9 starters for her Northern beaches walk from Narrabeen to Mona Vale. Conditions were hot, but swims at North Narrabeen and Mona Vale Rock baths and the views from Collaroy Plateau helped. It seems the staff at Jamies Place caf were also less than impressed by this scruffy mob moving tables and getting in the way. We are assured that the soft sand on Collaroy and Narrabeen beaches is as bad as ever.
Thursday 26 January saw Wilf patriotically leading a Bicentennial Coastal walk from Dee Why to Mona Vale with a party of 6. Conditions were relatively cool but the party enjoyed the walk and even some swimming along the way. They covered long stretches of beach at a steady pace but were disappointed that the views over Long Reef were obscured by low clouds. Lunch was taken at the large, shallow rock pool baths below Narrabeen Head but the expedition after lunch to Northern Beaches Environment Centre was all in vain; it was closed for Australia day. The route then took them along the Bicentennial Track to Warriewood Beach for afternoon tea and on across Mona Vale Beach and up the low cliff-face to Mona Vale hospital.
The weekend of 28, 29 January lan Thorpe led a party of 5 on his canyon trip starting at Bell in doubtful weather that cleared to a sunny day and never looked back. Progress was made down the side creek into Wollongambe River with the party alternating between the banks and creek bed and also swapping over the lead so most of them got a fair share of depth checking and spider web clearing. They had a leisurely start on Sunday morning, setting off up the Wollongambe at arcund 8:30am. Arock shelf near a group of pools provided a lunch spot for the party and few mendicant skinks. As they climbed out of the river into much hotter airs they came to the realisation that it had really been a hot day out there. The party rounded off the day with dinner at the Lapstone hotel.
Bill Hope ied a walk out across Lake Yarunga from Jacks Corner Road on Saturday 28 January. Conditions were very hot as the party of 3 swam uneventfully across the lake in delightfully warm water. All finished the trip in good order. Sunday, 29 January was the day for Richard Darkes watk in Munmorah SRA. The party of 18 enjoyed a perfect 30 degree summer day with a noreaster blowing to take the edge of it all. The party had 5 swims in all ranging from the Shark Hole (no participants lost) to rock pools and ocean beach surfing on a nudist beach. Conditions at the Pirates Cave were gentle enough to permit easy entry, even to the point of body surfing in through one of the entrances. Alt present successfully negotiated the 4 cliff climbs with no recourse to the by-pass routes available. A few cleansing ales and pub grub at the idiosyncratic Catho Bay Pub.
There were 18 starters for Jan Roberts Northern Beaches Bash on Saturday 4 February. The high tide at the start assisted with the beach walking stages so that by 10:00am they were already at the Sunset Caf above the beach at Warriewood. Surf Carnivals and kite flying seemed to be the order of the as the party negotiated Narrabeen Peninsula and swam in Narrabeen Rock Baths. The party had lunch at Collaroy, where they were joined by a Good Samaritan member bearing dry socks for the leader and ice creams for the needy before the next leg to Dee Why beach and the gelato bar. They arrived at Manly around 5:30pm where most changed and re-convened at the Bavarian Beer Caf for happy hour, and afterwards for dinner at a nearby Thai restaurant.
Sunday 5 February saw lan Thorpe and a party of 16 out on his Harbour Circle Walk based on an alleged Harbour Circle Map of suspect provenance. The party had an enjoyable day visiting rarely visited bits of the Harbours northern foreshores, crossing bridges and walking through backstreets and main thoroughfares. They even managed a spot of shopping at the outdoors shops while lunching at Birkenhead Point, with one member even wearing his lunch time purchases. The party are pleased to report a lower than usual incidence of tick and leech bites for this particular walk.
Wilf Hilder led a midweek walk on Tuesday 7 February with small but undisclosed party numbers. The walk traversed the long axis of Rockdale council area, from Georges River to the Cooks River. The route up Bado Berong Creek provided the opportunity to inspect the re-built wetlands in Scott Park, Clareville Park, Noel Seiffert Reserve and Bone Park before following Ramsgate Road to Scarborough Park. It was with some sense of relief that they finished lunch and passed along the Muddy Creek cycleway to a Chinese market garden, considered endangered in heritage terms. A bridge made crossing Muddy Creek a doddle and then they just had to ease their way around the South Eastern boundary of Kogarah golf course before reaching Wolli Creek Railway station and journeys end.
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The Sydney Bushwalker June 2006
HENRY GOLD OAM
Received the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to wilderness preservation through the use of photographic documentation.
Henry Gold arrived from Austria in 1955 and has been a member of the Sydney Bushwalkers since 1956.
In 1967 he took over the task of providing photographs for use in the Colong dispute, the first major conservation battle in NSW, against the mining of limestone in the Colong Caves area of the Kanangra wilderness.
Since then he has worked with the Colong Foundation for Wilderness as their honorary photographer in their ongoing afford to save wilderness areas from destruction.
His work has been used to lobby Governments during campaigns such as the ten years long NSW rainforest campaign, the Greater Blue Mountains National Park proposal which resulted in the World
Heritage listing of our precious watking country.
He has covered Kakadu, the Snowy Mountains, and in 1973 together with Frank Rigby, who wrote the text, produced a book on the MacDonnell Ranges. It was submitted to the National Estate inquiry under the Whitlam Government. At the time it was recognised as a landmark publication and it had a strong influence in the establishment of the todays West MacDonnell Ranges National Park.
Over the years, Henrys powerful images have converted many members of the public as well as decision
makers to become wilderness supporters.
Henry says it all started half a century ago when Geoff Wagg convinced him to join the Sydney Bushwalkers and he began to appreciate and love the unique Australian bush.
ote
Williss
onian Perambulations
one else will offer you trips like these
Willis's Walkabouts first Patagonia trip was in 1990 We've been back almost every year since. This year, we are offering two trips, leng or short your choice.
Bruce Swain, whose first Patagonia trip with us was in 1995, will tead a 6-8 week beginning at the end of Novernber Russell Willis, whose first trip to Patagonia was in 1977, will lead a 4-5 week trip beginning in mid io late December. Both speak Spanisn They handle the hassles leaving you free to enjoy the trip. Both trips will include our latest find, the Condor Circuit no tourists, just sorne of the most spectacular scenery in South America.
Interested? A small ad like this has no space for details See our website or ask for the trip notes
www.bushwalkingholidays.com.au 12
The Sydney Bushwalker: First Edition July 1931 Official Publication of The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. June 2006 The Sydney Bushwalker Page 21
SOCIAL NOTES 12 July New Members Night 8 pm Introduction to SBW for intending
Hi Everyone! prospective members As you have all noticed, no doubt, there is a distinct 19 July Xmas in July/Mid Winter Feast nip in the air and whilst | am writing, it is pouring 8 pm Bring a plate of food to share ie outside. Winter has arrived early - or at least on time. Christmas treats. The Club will supply However this is no reason to hibernate at home on hot gluhwein and other liquid Wednesday evenings, especially when on 21 June you refreshments can listen to Trevor Kloeden recount his adventures to Mt. Ama Dablam (where it was many degreesbelow 26 July _ First Aid for Prospective Members freezing.) Trevor is a member of SBW with anascent 7pm A chance to learn First Aid in order on Everest already behind him, as well. Then on July _ (early to pass the test for full membership 19, your body and soul can be warmed by the goodies - Start) Note: this is not a First Aid Course
at our Xmas in July. Just bring a plate of nosh to share and the club provides beverages.
On a more serious note, | would like to pay a special tribute to Sue Fear - the female Australian mountaineer extraordinaire. | personally have known Sue for about 20 years - having met her on a trip to South America where we were both clients and even in those days her abilities were beyond the norm. | was utterly devestated when | heard news that she was missing and found myself continually thinking about her until definitive news came that she had perished. The club is donating $100 to the Fred Hollows Foundation in her honour - this was her wish.
presentation at the May sociai evening on the SBW trip to the Indian Himalaya - which was lead by Sue Fear.
On Saturday 24th June the Five Lands Walk is being opened by Gosford Council. Alan Doherty is leading a SBW contingent - if you would like to participate, please contact him (details in the walks program).
Thats it for now. Enjoy your walking and | shall see you soon.
Kathy
June/July Social Program
21 June The Challenge of Ama Dablam
8 pm Trevor Kloeden will give a presentation of his climb of Ama Dablam in Nepal to 6,856m
28 June - Preparing for your 1st Weekend Walk
8 pm Your backpack, what to pack, what to leave at home, what to leave in the car and how to do it comfortably
5 July Committee Meeting
7pm observers welcome
JOKES
Good Idea! One night some cops were manning a breathalyser station outside a particularly rowdy pub. At closing time, They watched a fellow stumble out of the bar, trip on the curb and try his keys on five different cars before he found his. The man then sat in the front seat fumbling around with his seatbelt for several minutes.
Meanwhile, all the other customers left the bar and drove off. Finally the man started his engine and began to pull away. The cops were waiting for him. As soon as he pulled onto the street, an officer stopped him and administered the breathalyser test to determine his blood-alcohol content.
The results showed a reading of 0.0.
The puzzled officer demanded to know how that could be. With a smile the driver replied , Tonight Im the designated decoy.
RAKKKKEK
An explosives factory in Western Australia put an ad in the paper itooking for workers. Wanted, explosives handlers to look after highly volatile and fragile explosives. Must be willing to travel.
Pk
A man went into a store to buy a pair of gumboots. He was trying a pair on and the sales clerk asked, How are they? The man said, Great, but can | geta pair with a longer piece of string between them?
RRKK AK
There was a man who entered his local newspapers pun contest. He sent in ten different puns in the hope that one of them would win. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did.
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Fai titucle Valley - Perth he mas
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IN THE BUSH, THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE ARE NO LONGER COMPLEX
Paddy Palin