Table of Contents
Honorary Members
Through SBW's history, there have been several categories of Honorary Membership. Currently there is one category: Honorary Life Membership.
This page attempts to capture the history of Sydney Bush Walkers' Honorary Members, primarily by identifying references in the old magazines.
The page itself is unwieldy and needs a bit of cleanup, but at least the information is online and editable.
Background
Current (Jan 2025)
Per the last Constitution approved by members in March 2023:
5. HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP Honorary Life membership may be conferred by the committee on any active member of the association and on any non member in special circumstances. Honorary Life members shall: a. not be required to pay any annual subscription, after the date of the conferring of Honorary Life membership, b. enjoy all the privileges of the association.
From https://sbw.org.au/Honorary-Life-Members
Many people have contributed to the success of the Club.
Some who have contributed above and beyond the call of duty have been granted Honorary Life Membership. The criteria for Honorary Life Membership includes:
being a trip Leader who has organised and run multiple trips of all types to different areas having served on the Committee in a range of roles across many years worked to advance the operations of the Club in non-Committee volunteer roles trained Prospectives and trained/mentored new leaders contributed to Coolana other areas of service and contribution as deemed appropriate (this can include people from outside the Club who have rendered exemplary service to the Club across some noteworthy field of contribution)
These were guidelines set by previous Committees, but are not part of the Constitution.
History
Initially
From April 1940:
Under the Club's Constitution Honorary Members can only be elected for a period of one year at a time, which explains why the Hon. Secretary announced the re-election for a further twelve months of Messrs. D.G. Stead, R.F. Bennett and L. Plimmer.
From early constitutions:
Honorary Membership may be conferred by the Committee in special circumstances for a period of twelve months and such honorary members shall enjoy all the privileges of the Club except those of debating and voting at the business meetings of the Club
1940-1981
It is likely that at some stage between 1940 and 1981, Honorary Membership was changed to be for life rather than 12 months. I have not been able to ascertain this, and if so, when. However, the 1973 constitution still appears to only confer 12 months of Honorary Membership.
It is possible that the club simply decided to roll over Honorary Memberships from year to year, as they were normally granted to either non-members who had contributed to the club over many years, or to former members who had also contributed over many years, but no longer walked with the club.
1981
Prior to 1981, Honorary Membership did not confer the rights to speak and vote at club meetings, and thus was only bestowed upon non-members, or former members who had retired from walking. In September 1981, a new class of membership was created, Honorary Active Membership, which allowed the benefits of life membership to be granted to current active members. The first two such memberships granted were to Dot Butler and Alex Colley.
2011
Finally in 2011, these two membership types were merged into a new category of Honorary Life Membership.
References on the old SBW web site included: http://sbw.org.au/sbw-honorary-life-members From History - http://sbw.org.au/images/Documents/Past%20Honorary%20Members%20081012.pdf
Analysis
By May 1995, there were 13 Honorary Active Members. The list at that stage does not include Bill Hall (awarded in 1986, probably an oversight?), so at least 14 had been awarded over the 14 years from 1981 to 1995. 19 more were awarded from 1995 to 2011, so just over 1 a year.
Most of those awarded in the first 10 years after the creation of Honorary Active Members were long serving members of the club (30+ years).
Bill and Fran Holland had been members for 16 years(?) when they were awarded Honorary Active Membership in 1995. Bill had spent the previous 13 years on the committee in a variety of roles.
More recent awardees have probably in general had less time with the club, but I am not familiar with all of the names, not their history.
References
The following references from the SBW Club Magazines relate to either awarding of Honorary Memberships, or mentions that people had been awarded Honorary Memberships in the past.
From May 1963
One was a suggestion from Hon. Member Roy Bennett that some moves be initiated to secure a National Park or Faunal Reserve in the Upper Macdonald River area.
From October 1963
Then we romped through minutes (no business arising) and correspondence (nothing of consequence except an invitation to Mrs. Crisp of Tolwong to become an Hon. Member).
From March 1966
Others opined that was the very last card in the pack for a Reunion site and when it was mentioned that in the improbable event of the Nattai being in flood one could camp at Emmetts Flat on the near side, it was decided to disperse with an alternative. After David Ingram suggested that Hon. Member Mr. Coates, whose property is at the end of the road from Hill Top should be invited, Dot Butler came up with a non sequitur, and said that an ice axe and crampon hired from the newly acquired Club Alpine gear by a novice had proved faulty.
From August 1968
A suggestion was made that Kath McKay be asked to reconsider her resignation, and this was converted into a recommendation that Committee consider Honorary Membership.
From November 1971
… Dorothy Lawry had requested acceptance of her resignation, as she could no longer play an active part, but Jess Martin had written suggesting that Dorothy be offered Honorary Membership, and the Committee had eagerly adopted that line.
From November 1977
The Club's Hon. Solicitor, Colin Broad who has given us the value of his legal experience for so many years was there with Mrs. Broad, and our newest Honorary Member, George Davison, looking very strong and distinguished with his snowy hair and 90 years of bushland experience. Mr Davison has acted as Surveyor of our Kangaroo Valley land, and his help and knowledge of Lands Department affairs culminated in our acquiring occupancy of 22 acres of the beautiful escarpment necessary to adequately contain “Coolana”. The marking of the boundaries just the previous weekend saw the completion of his 7-year job - just in time for the 50th celebrations. How this year will go down in history!
From November 1977
Correspondence in included a letter from Brian Harvey suggesting that honorary membership be granted to certain foundation mentors. (As it turns out Committee had already decided to offer hon. membership A to all surviving foundation members.) There was a letter from the Paddy Pallin Foundation indicating that our application for a grant toward the cost of the anniversary issue of “The Sydney Bushwalker” had been unsuccessful. This letter also included a listing of grants awarded for the year. Federation have written asking our feelings about another outdoor recreation education workshop. If I remember rightly the la6t' one was called a Mountain Leadership workshop. I guess there is a dearth of mountains willing to be led. Anyway, we decided in general business that we are in favour of the general principle. Correspondence out consisted of letters to the new members, and offers of Hon. Membership to the following:
Anice and Frank Duncan Ernest and Jean Austen Harold and Winifred Chardon Owen Chowne Lyle Brown Charles Kilpatrick
From April 1980
John Holly (Keeper of Maps and Timetables) joined in January '63, and from that day on has worked ceaselessly for the S.B.W., especially in his opening and closing of the clubrooms every Wednesday. John, for almost as many years, has been in charge of maps and timetables and has assisted the Treasurer by collecting annual subs. The Club made John an Honorary Member in 1976.
Colin Broad (Hon. Solicitor) got “roped in” in the days of the Club's purchase of the lands at Era, although he was not an S.B.W. member. He has worked for us ever since and is an Honorary Member.
From August 1982
Our Second Honorary Active Member - Alex Colley
by Jim Brown
During 1981 the Club adopted a Constitutional Amendment creating a new category of membership - Honorary Active Member, and the Committee promptly elected Dot Butler to that status. The decision was applauded universally because Dot, in her fiftieth year of membership, and actively engaged in a range of Club activities, really seemed to represent the “spirit” of the Club.
Of course, some other long-standing members had already been invited to become “Honorary Members” under an earlier provision in the Constitution, but this class of member was not permitted to debate or vote at business meetings of the Club. Plainly such a limitation should not apply to people still playing an active and valuable role in Club affairs.
At the July meeting the Committee elected as Honorary Active Member Alex Colley - another of those people who have given long and supportive service to the Club, and one who is still enthusiastically filling a vital position in achieving the Club's objectives.
Alex first came to the Club in 1936, gaining full membership in the same year. By 1937 he was filling a position on the Committee and four years later was elected President for 1941-42. During a later tenure of the office of Magazine Editor he introduced the practice of publishing a report of the monthly General Meeting - a system followed to this day. Many of us who came later to the Club will gladly acknowledge that our thinking on Club affairs and the many conservation proposals put before our meetings was influenced by Alex's lucid and reasoned comment.
For about twenty years he has been the Club's Conservation Secretary, taking on that job at a time when S.B.W. was one of the few voices crying in the wilderness (because we believed some wilderness should be left unspoiled) and carrying through to the present when the conservation lobby is almost influential enough to make-or break governments.
In the conservation field he has been closely involved in the Colong Committee - originally established in the late 1960s to protect limestone deposits at Colong from the threat of cement miners - but continuing as a major force in other projects, notably the preservation of the Kanangra/Boyd Plateau and in more recent representations leading to the proclamation of the State's second-largest National Park … Wollemi - the Colo catchment.
Yet with all these other activities he has always remained a true walker. In a recent issue of the National Parks Association's journal he replied to a correspondent who had claimed bushwalkers were self-centred and intolerant. He wrote “I know of no other group of people with a wider range of interests and more friendly dispositions than the Club I belong to - the Sydney Bush Walkers”.
It was perhaps typical of Alex that, at the July General Meeting when his election as our second Honorary Active Member was announced, he told us that, while appreciating the honour, he felt the Club owed him nothing … rather that he owed the Club for the many good years it had given him.
From January 1983
Now my Quaker friend, Mr. George Davison (now 94) comes into the story. As a surveyor he gave us invaluable help surveying our property and helping us with his knowledge of Land Board procedures. He and I spent much time over a period of 10 years visiting Coolana. He loved the place and wished to have a tree dedicated as a memorial to his dead wife. You can see the plaque on the George & Mary Davison Tree at the Re-union site. In 1977 he donated $1,500 to set up the “George & Mary Davison Fund for Conservation”. He was invited, and became, an Hon. Member of the S.B.W. In 1981 Mr. Davison's donations, and interest from his Fund, amounting to $1,000 was put into a Telecom Loan at 14%.
From January 1983
Obituary - Kath McKay
To most present day Club members “Kath McKay” is just a name on the list of Honorary Members. Her bushwalking career ended…abruptly about 1939. She was out walking at Cowan with Marie Byles; and they were standing admiring a view, when the rock on which Kath was standing-suddenly fell into the ravine in front of them. Portion of the rock fell on Kath's ankle, severely: crushing it. Doctors at Hornsby Hospital wanted to amputate the foot but Marie obtained the services of a specialist who, after a number of operations and. periods in hospital, saved the foot but the ankle was never strong.
Kath always retained her love of the bush and her interest in The Sydney Bush Walkers. She was very intelligent and spoke (and read books) in several languages. She was a gentle person with a great reverence for all forms of life and would not knowingly injure an insect. She wrote delightfully and older members will recall her poems and articles in the magazine. “Burn, bash and bury”, which appeared on our earlier walks programmes was supplied by her and when this was decided inappropriate, she supplied the current:-
“The tins you carry in your pack Are lighter on the journey back. Though empties are a bore to hump, The bush is not a rubbish dump.”
During her life Kath faced many disabilities with great courage and good humour. She died in a nursing home on the 19th December. We do not mourn her passing, which was a release for her, but those of us who were fortunate enough to be her friends will always remember her with admiration and affection.
From April 1984
Obituary - Maurice Lonsdale Berry
On 28th August in his 82nd year
by Brian Harvey
Maurie, as he was known, commenced his bushwalking career as a young man when he was invited to join the venerable Mountains Trails Club in the early 1920's, at the period when swags and not rucksacks were the order of the day for those who traversed the bushlands. Inspired by Myles Dunphy's conservation ideals he sat on the National Parks and Primitive Areas Council from which stemmed a lifelong interest.
The Mountain Trails Club was a male only organisation and when the desirability of a mixed sexes walking club was mooted, he attended that historical meeting of October 1927 held at the N.S.W. Sports Club in Hunter Street, when it was decided that such a club should be formed. It was Maurie who moved “That the club be known as 'The Sydney Bush Walkers'” and thus was coined the long-accepted expression “bushwalking” for our dictionaries - a recreation hitherto referred to under a variety of other terminologies.
It came about in the early 1930's that Maurie was a member of the walking party travelling down the Grose River which came upon two cattlemen who were about to fell the tall blue gums on their Crown Lease to provide a grassy pasture for their cattle. It is now well-documented history that these men were prevailed upon not to fell the timber but sold the Lease to The Sydney Bush Walkers, a transaction in which our late member was very much involved. He was later appointed to the Blue Gum Forest Trust under the auspices of the Department of Lands.
From 1936 to 1939 he was President of our Club and upon the occasion of the Club's 50th Anniversary, as a Foundation Member, was created an Honorary Member in recognition thereof. In conservation matters, he was also associated with the Wild Life Preservation Society and the National Parks Association.
During World War II, Maurie was very active in the Bushwalkers Services Committee which was instrumental in the despatch of a great volume of material and spiritual comforts to those members of all affiliated clubs on Active Service and which were very much appreciated by the recipients.
For the greater part of his working life he was with the Western Electric Company and when that firm was acquired and staff dispersed, he foresaw the need for social contact to be maintained between the many workmates of long-standing employment, and so he formed the Westrex Club which still holds annual reunions and other activities. It was in a similar context he realised the desirability of forming a purely social club, somewhat ancilliary to the S.B.W., to bring together those earlier members of our Club whose walking days were over and now enjoyed passive activities. And so he was a Foundation Member and Foundation President of The Dungalla Club which nearly 200 of our more mature members and past members joined to carry on that mateship which is a prominent feature of bushwalking. On retirement to the Central Coast he was active in local conservation projects, became an enthusiastic member of the local photographic club, and played a little bowls.
We should be very proud that Maurie's name will live on for posterity in the official maps for we have “Mount Berry” in the Gangerang Range and “Morrieberrie Pass” leading up on to the Kanangra Plateau, names bestowed by Myles Dunphy as a mark of respect to a walking mate and a conservationist.
Throughout his life Maurie was always thinking of others, and indeed Australia is a better place because of such a man. Our Club extends its sincere sympathies to his wife Doreen, and to son John and family, who rejoice in our high regard for him.
From October 1984
At The October Committee Meeting
Doreen Berry, widow of the late Maurie Berry, and herself a member of S.B.W. over many years, was elected as Honorary Member of the Club at the October Committee Meeting.
From February 1986
Report on the Committee Meeting of 5/2/86
BILL HALL will be offered Honorary Active Membership, as he has been a member since 1936 and is still leading test walks and is on walks regularly.
From November 1987
Kath and Jim Brown
by an Observer
My association with Kath [Kath Brown, Kath Hardy] and Jim goes back more than half a lifetime to the late 1940's when they became members of the Sydney Bush Walkers. Jim had been in the wartime Army, where he had been thoroughly indoctrinated in the use of the prismatic compass for military purposes. Soon after joining the S.B.W. Jim began to employ this expertise to directing fellow walkers with uncertain capabilities in this regard over various types of terrain and through our wonderful bush.
Kath walked with the Youth Hostel Association before joining the S.B.W. My earliest memory of her is at Burning Palms, where she was living it up with some of the S.B.W. “Shackite Tribe”. We were not sure whether we were entitled to a degree of sanctimony in our little tents, or whether we should envy her her superior social status as associate of the property owning class. They had a permanent shelter at this favourite haunt of ours. Kath also did some hitchhiking with friends in those innocent days.
With the passage of time Jim and Kath came together and Jim managed to wean Kath away from the hedonistic life beside the sea. They became a twosome on numerous weekend bushwalks with us and eventually came to a more permanent arrangement and married each other. I remember Kath (nee Hardy) then saying, “People always said 'how Hardy you are' and will now say 'how Brown you are'.”
For whatever reason, there was a lot of marrying going on within the S.B.W. at this time, and I think it was Jim and Kath who started the rot. After this, young families and a modest degree of affluence seemed to arrive. Such a changed state allowed us to buy our first motor cars. Jim and Kath bought an Austin A40 sedan. It had a good ground clearance, was very reliable and would go almost anywhere. It was not long before Kath and Jim organised our belated post war baby boom out on numerous family camping weekends together. These camps took place on secluded river flats and beaches which Jim had noted on his earlier and more adventurous travels. S.B.W. reunions were other occasions which gave us opportunities for further family get togethers. Through the years we were able to watch each other's children grow to maturity and, in some cases, maternity.
Kath and Jim have always loved the campfire sing songs and sketches performed on these occasions. (As far as I know they have not missed attending a reunion since they became members forty years ago.) Jim discovered a hidden talent for composing, directing, producing, collaborating and performing in many topical sketches and “Chronic Operas”. He still does, and I am sure Jim could tell you the date of his first thespian activities. I don't possess Jim's retentive memory but I can still recite some of his more noteworthy parodies of popular songs and musical comedies. Such compositions and his articles in the magazine extend over his long association with the Club. I have long suspected that Jim must be a secret diary scribbler, for he can recall what people said, to whom and under what circumstances during any of our many trips together.
During their association with the S.B.W. Kath and Jim have been amongst the most avid supporters of numerous office bearers in the management of various activities and constitutional matters. They have rarely missed a general meeting and Jim served as President, Secretary and Editor of the magazine. He was also an excellent Walks Secretary and his knowledge of the nooks and crannies of the bush is of great assistance to budding walks leaders.
For most of the S.B.W.'s existence one of the membership requirements was that prospective members should attend what was once known as a “Field Weekend” and later as an “Instructional Weekend” in the bush. Mini lectures on first aid, navigation, camp etiquette and the objectives of the walking fraternity were given by members during these rather pleasant and relaxing camps. For many years Kath and Jim arranged and participated in this form of instruction. In addition to this work, Kath made a habit of taking an interest in the more inexperienced prospective members. She would advise them on the best type of lightweight food and equipment to take along. Where necessary she would also advise them on the type of lightweight walks they should tackle, until they felt sufficiently proficient to participate in one of our dreaded “test” walks.
Statistics are notoriously unreliable but a researcher for the 60th Anniversary Book told me that, over the period of the years following Kath's decision to become a walks leader she has set a record of having led more day walks than any other. She sometimes had three or four walks on a single programme. Without any benefit of statistics I would say that Jim must also hold some kind of record for the number of walks he has led. For most of the years since he became a member each walks programme issued included at least one walk with Jim Brown as leader.
Kath is also the typist for the monthly magazine and has been for the last 15 years or more. THAT is a lot of typing. Kath is more than a typist, however, because when there is a dearth of copy she chases people up to ensure that authors, printers and business managers toe the line so that no production holdups occur. During these years the magazine collating and assembly took place for quite some time at Kath and Jim's home in Drummoyne. These evenings became quite a social event, as after the magazines had all been assembled and ready for the post, supper appeared and lots of gossip took place. Sometimes we listened to some of Jim's records or watched a special programme on the television.
Congratulations to our friends Kath and Jim on having the distinction of becoming Honorary Active Members in this Jubilee year of The Sydney Bush Walkers.
From June 1988
Sheila Binns, Honorary Member SBW
The Committee has invited Sheila Binns to become an honorary member of the Club. I am happy to report that Sheila has accepted the invitation. The letter from Helen Gray below outlines Sheila's career with the Club and gives some idea, the tip of the iceberg, of the work Sheila has done for SBW. On behalf of all in SBW, congratulations Sheila.
209 Melton Road, Epping, 2121 27.4.88
The President & Committee Sydney Bush Walkers
Dear Barry & Friends,
As a member of last year's 60th Anniversary Committee, I'm proud of being part of the group which nominated Kath and Jim Brown to Honorary Active Membership. However it has been on my mind for some time that an equally deserving member was overlooked (probably because she has been away from Sydney for a couple of years and did not spring readily to mind). I refer to Sheila Binns, a tireless worker for our Club throughout all her years as an active member.
Sheila was a regular leader of walks for about 20 years. She took on her first official job in the fifties on the very night she became a member - that of Treasurer. Following that, Sheila was Secretary for four separate terms, serving in this position for a total of ten years and one month, and Minutes Secretary at least twice (a further four years). Another job she took on was that of keeping the membership list up-to-date and printing the address labels for the magazine. This she did every month from 1968, when we first started mailing the magazine to members, until well into the 1980s. (It was not until Sheila retired and moved from Sydney and the job was taken over by Steve Brown, then Patrick James and now Barry Wallace, that the importance and size of this job was appreciated.)
As Sheila is now well settled in Moss Vale and unlikely to return to active walking with SBW, I think it a fitting time to show that she is remembered and her past work still appreciated by making her an Honorary Member. We would be setting no precedent; on looking through our list of members I can see no other so deserving of our thanks.
Thus I would like to recommend that the committee consider making Sheila Binns an Honorary Member of the Sydney Bush Walkers.
Yours sincerely,
Helen Gray
Following the above letter it was resolved at the Committee Meeting on 4th May 1988 that Sheila be invited to become an Honorary. Member. Our secretary wrote to Sheila to this effect. Sheila replied that she would be delighted to become an Honorary Member. On further questioning Sheila said she was pleased, delighted, honored, thrilled and tickled pink. Good thinking, Helen.
Editor
From October 1988
Correspondence brought a letter from FBW requesting updated S & R lists, also from FBW asking if we wished to sell chocolates (caries for a good cause?) to provide funds for S & R. We took this one on the fly and voted to send them $45.00 and keep our pearly whites intact. There was also a letter advising that the audit, required as a result of the change of Treasurer, had been successfully completed. A letter from the Ella Community Centre advised that the Centre will be closed on certain dates. There was a letter from Jean Kirkby resigning from Club membership and there were outgoing letters to Gordon Redmond, offering Honorary Membership, and to Bob and Christa Younger offering Honorary Active Membership.
From November 1988
Club Members Honoured
This month we report on the elevation to honorary membership of three of the Club members, Gordon Redmond to Honorary Non-active Member and Christa [Christa Younger] and Bob Younger to Honorary Active Members. Such honours are not lightly bestowed and represent many years of working for the Club. Such work is usually seen as a reward in itself. To confer honorary membership gives present members an opportunity to show their appreciation to members of past years for building the Club into the strong structure that it now is.
At recent meetings motions were proposed and carried that these members were to be offered honorary membership; Gordon (who no longer walks with SBW): Honorary Non-Active Membership and Christa and Bob Younger (who are still walking with the Club): Honorary Active Membership.
On behalf of all members, the Sydney Bushwalker congratulates Christa, Bob and Gordon.
A Very Honourable Member
by Alex Colley
The Committee's decision to confer Honorary Membership (non-active) on Gordon Redmond is a timely recognition of his many years of service to the Club. He held the view that the Club's best interest was served by its officers remaining in their jobs for a long period and set an example few can equal. He joined the club in 1961, became Treasurer in 1962, and with a break of two years held office continuously thereafter - quite likely a Club record. He was Treasurer for 7 years and two years later became Auditor and then later a Trustee. He brought a wealth of accounting and business experience to the task and simplified and clarified our accounts, ensuring that they soundly reflected our financial position.
Gordon is a good walker. He led many program walks, and in parties with Frank Leyden, Bill Cosgrove and others active a few years back, covered a good deal of country that was new or little known to the SBW. This included much of the Upper Wolgan and Capertee, little visited parts of the southern Blue Mountains, and several ten day walks on the upper tributaries of the Macleay, such as the Apsley, Kunderang Brook and the Muddy and Styx Rivers. We both have nostalgic recollections of the time when together we followed the Mitchell or Mann River from Glen Innes to Jackadgery. I don't think this has been done since.
Gordon brought the same dedication to his job as he did to his recreation. For a time he worked for a firm which was dead keen to increase sales irrespective of the credit worthiness of buyers. The firm appointed him to the tough position of credit manager. On one of our northern trips we passed through Walcha. Gordon - height 6 feet, weight 14 stone, in fine condition and wearing his shorts, looked every inch a heavyweight boxer on a training run. He decided to collect a two years overdue debt from a recalcitrant debtor. It took him less than 5 minutes to appear again, cheque in hand. Being uncertain of our fate in the gorges beyond, he posted it to his firm before we went on.
Gordon believes that participation in Club affairs brings its own reward, and it is to be hoped that others will follow his fine example.
Christa and Bob Younger
Both Christa (nee Calnan) and Bob came to SBW in the middle 1940s, and have been doing a lot of things - including much bush walking - with and for the Club ever since. Amongst these sundry activities, Christa typed the Walks Program on to stencils for some years when our printing system was a Gestetner Duplicator; and apart from his term as President (1972-74) Bob has been leading walks for over 42 years, is involved with Search & Rescue, and has been prominent as compere at many Reunion campfires.
Betty Hall (member 1947-67) remembers: “Christa Younger was one of the first people I walked with on joining the SBW in 1947. Norma Rowen was her usual 'offsider' but I think Bob was somewhere in the background, although as a Tech student he had little time for bush walking or anything else! Over the years we shared many happy weekends at Era and attended Reunions with our respective families.
“My most vivid memory of Christa was on one of Max Gentle's trips down the Colo. Max navigated with an aircraft compass like a large crystal ball so we were never 'lost'. We were, however, somewhat behind timetable as we struck some unexpectedly rough country. Christa was one of those people who always looked neat in the bush but on this occasion, what with several rimer crossings and near exhaustion, she was almost unrecognisable and the other females were about the same. We finished the trip close to tears, but still carrying our own packs and Max's muttered accolade was 'If I'd known what it was going to be like, I wouldn't have taken any women with me!' - sexist but appreciated. “My chief memory of Bob is as a photographer. The Club was a thriving matrimonial agency in those days and Phil and I were married just after Christa and Bob. Bob took a most interesting photograph of my being carried over the threshold of our new home. He is an excellent photographer but on this occasion he focussed on my legs and completely cut off everything else. I have always wondered if it was intentional!
“Bob and Christa have changed very little over the years. Christa still wears a slightly embarrassed look during Bob's less inhibited moments and Bob still hails his friends with his old bush call - a cross between a coo-ee and a wolf howl which causes a minor disturbance in suburban streets. They are a perfect union of opposites and long may they both continue exactly as they are.”
Jim Brown says: “Christa and Bob? Oh, yes, known 'em since my first walk with the Club in December '46 - Bob led it. They were - are - the sort of Club people who made you realise you just had to join 'em, or you were likely to miss out on the best thing you'd ever found. Now a couple of flash-backs from 1947….
1. Groping through belts of mist the party reaches the top of Gentles Pass in the Lower Gangerang. After a couple of days of searching rain, the boulders are damp and slippery and dribbles of water are oozing through the crevice that forms the easy way down. Some of the party elect to sit down and lower themselves over the dripping rocks and as they do so the robust baritone of Bob Younger - waiting at the bottom to arrest any glissading bodies - declaims to the tune of a pop song of the time - “Slippery slip, slide and slide First on your back, then on your side….”
2. A tired, dirty, dishevelled party huddles in the back of a truck returning from a walk on the Colo - the trip mentioned by Betty Hall, organised by Raley Cotter and navigated (with crystal ball) by the legendary figure Max Gentle. Note that name - it's significant. Colo trips were pretty rare in 1947 and this one, including two descents into the Colo Valley and two climbs out of it, had been rugged enough.
As clouds of dust swirl in under the canvas canopy of the truck the weary walkers discuss their plans for the Labour Day Holiday - three weeks away. Bob Younger asks “What are you doing, Jim?” and I answer “I've an invite to go from Putty to Gospers Mountain - another Roley and Max epic”. “Ah,” says Christa, ever so sweetly, “another Gentle trip?”
Meryl Watman (member 1949-87) tells in the magazine of March 1962 of the Youngers organising and leading a six-day summer walk in the Australian Alps, accompanied by Bill Hall and herself. Day 5, from White's River to Tin Hut along Disappointment Spur and around the shoulders of Gungartan proved reasonably strenuous, but as Meryl has it “Given good leadership, fine weather plus early starts, even medium walkers can cover a fair bit of ground at an easy pace and, most important of all, enjoy it … a great trip, Bob.”
And Bill Capon has his two bobs worth: -
“Easter 1988. Jammed into a slot on Hamlets Crown high above Ettrema Creek, rope around tree waiting for the party. First to appear through the mist at the top of the 500 metre climb was Bob. Not bad for 65 I thought. Always cheerful when the going gets tough. Last year we tried to climb out of Holland Gorge to Mount Elliott but ended up on Kirkpatrick Creek camping with leeches. Bob got the fire going and then cheered everyone up with his stories of yesteryear.
Bob began walking with the Club in the 1940s. As far as I know he is the only member of the old guard still regularly going on solid Club walks and has been on quite a few walks I have led in recent years. Like many others I'm looking forward to Bob's company in the coming years.”
And Barbara Bruce has the last word:-
“I have known Bob and Christa now for many years so I have had lots of opportunities to experience and observe Bob is quick to assist anyone in need, physically or otherwise. He also possesses a wicked sense of humour. Christa is a very caring person who prefers to stay out of the limelight. She is a very strong and capable lady but it is easy to tell from her demeanour that she is also very warm and gentle. While Bob has been more in front in activities with the club, Christa has still been there in the background: Bob may have been President but Christa was the reliable typist of our Walks Program (on stencils) for quite a long time.”
From August 1989
Bill Burke - Honorary Active
by Bob Younger
Congratulations to Bill Burke on his award as an Honorary Active member of our fraternity.
Bill was one of the trustees of our property “Coolana” from its purchase in 1969 until we became a corporation and the rules changed. Bill also served as Business Manager for the Sydney Bushwalker magazine for many years. In addition to these official tasks Bill is one of the most reliable and experienced members of our organisation. He joined in 1938, just prior to the Second World War. Some of his early trips were with Bill Hall and Alex Colley, and Alex remembers Mrs Carlon saying in a horrified tone, “You are not taking that young lad on your tiger walks, are you?” Mr. and Mrs. Carlon ran a farm “Tyrol” on Galong Creek in the Megalong Valley and encouraged any bushwalker passing by to call in and let them know about their exploits and the activities of other bushwalkers they knew.
Alex also remembers Bill's early trepidation about joining a 33-mile walk along the Cox River and Cedar Creek with the legendary Gordon Smith and others of similar ilk. Bill acquitted himself with style and then undertook a more severe 45-miler. This type of activity suited him very well and he soon acquired a reputation in his own right despite being affectionately known as “Little Billy Burke” by the lady tigers. Bill Hall remembers an interlude on the Cox River during which Bill Burke announced that he would be joining the A.I.F. as soon as possible. Some members of the party tried to dissuade him from such a rash and perilous decision, pointing out the hazards of such an occupation. Bill disregarded this well-meant advice and joined up anyway.
This decision resulted in his involvement in quite a few of the major campaigns in the Middle East, the combat on Crete and eventually in New Guinea when Australian troops were recalled to defend Australia against invasion by the Japanese. Miraculously Bill survived all this mayhem and his letters home to the SBW Comforts Committee were published in the magazine and are a valued part of our archives.
My earliest recollections of Bill began in the late 1940 to early 1950s when he and his family attended reunions and regularly joined the clan at SBW campsites at Era on summer weekends. Since then Bill has 'led a lot of bushwalks in different and interesting areas in New South Wales and has participated in extended trips in Tasmania and New Zealand. Bill is renowned for his concern for new members and the effect of occasional hardships on his walking companions. This concern is exemplified by his willingness to join the Federation of Bushwalkers Search and Rescue team when called upon to lend a hand.
The challenge of navigating and exploring new country appeals to Bill and he has quite a few “firsts” to his credit. Another of his “firsts” ls the introduction of “Happy Hour” before the evening meal on bushwalks. The serving of hot lemon barley water with a dash of rum is now almost obligatory on winter walks. This practice is consistent with Bill's interest in good catering which results in good meals and his advice in the production of interesting food lists is much in demand.
Ski-ing is probably another first for Bill as many members have been introduced to this activity during holidays at his Kandahar Ski Lodge in the Perisher Valley. Bill has acted as “Mine Host” at this most comfortable lodge for at least 25 years. That's a lot of ski-ing.
Someone reminded me of Bill's great adage that “The Lord will provide” and this has been vindicated on more than one occasion. The most revered occurred when a party was assessing the difficulty of crossing a swiftly flowing and flooded river. Bill had no sooner restated his well-known faith in divine providence when a large truck appeared from nowhere and delivered the party safely through the torrent.
Good on you Bill! Congratulations once again on your Honorary Active Membership.
From October 1989
Jess Martin
by Edna Gentle
Jessie Martin passed away on 14th September 1989.
Jess became a member of the Sydney Bush Walkers in the early 1930's. She was an active walker for many years and counted, amongst her great number of friends, the “Tigers” with whom she was closely associated. Jess was a very efficient Assistant Secretary of the S.B.W. for a long period of time and kept in touch with our “Boys” who were in the armed forces during World War II. She also did a great deal of work in connection with producing the magazine. Later, her services to the Club were rewarded when she had bestowed upon her Honorary Membership of the S.B.W.
Jess will be remembered by the young and no so young as a keen conservationist and by her sincere, friendly nature and her witty quips.
On ridge, creek, crag or leafy pad, her spirit will remain with us.
Gordon Redmond
by Alex Colley
Gordon Redmond, who died recently, joined the Club in 1961, became Treasurer in 1962, and with a break of two years held office continuously. He was Treasurer for 7 years and two years later became Auditor and then a Trustee. He brought a wealth of accounting and business experience to the task and simplified and clarified our accounts, ensuring that they soundly reflected our financial position.
Gordon was a good walker. He led many program walks, and in parties with other Club members a few years back, covered a good deal of country that was new or little known to the S.B.W.
In 1988 Gordon was made an Honorary Member in recognition of his many years of service to the Club. Gordon believed that participation in Club affairs brings its own reward.
From January 1991
Vale - Paddy Pallin
For over 50 years he was mentor, friend and guide. He joined us in the 1930's, when bushwalking was still in its infancy. He supplied whole armies of aspiring walkers with the equipment they really needed, the sort he used himself. From his wide experience in the bush, he gave us wise counsel, writing on bushwalking subjects from cookery to survival tactics.
His generous donations not only promoted rucksack sports, but helped to conserve the unspoilt wild country we love so much.
On Thursday the 3rd of January he left us, but his presence remains. Not only in the equipment he designed and the associations he supported, but most importantly, in the lives of those whom he helped to enjoy the bush.
The Editor
Paddy Pallin was an Honorary Member of SBW, and had been an active member from 1930. There were many SBW representatives at the funeral, held at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium. A floral tribute of native flowers was sent from the Club.
From January 1991
The Club Xmas Party
The last Club meeting at the hall in Haberfield was the Club Xmas party. It was attended by about 80 people, including several not seen for some time, and, judging by the volume of conversation a good time was had by all and many old friendships renewed.
The surprise announcement of the evening was that three new Honorary Active Members have been appointed from 1991. These are HELEN GRAY, GEORGE GRAY and SPIRO HAGINAKITAS, who have all been members of long standing and who have worked continuously for the Club in one position or another. The appointments were greeted with applause, cheers and great pleasure shown by all present. Their certificates will be given to them at the Annual General Meeting in March at the Kirribilli Hall.
From February 1991
More Names for our Honour Roll
Last November Jim and Kath Brown wrote to Committee suggesting that Helen Gray, George Gray and Spiro Hajinakitas be added to our list of Honorary Active Members. At the December Committee Meeting the motion was unanimously passed to cries of “What a good idea!”, and “We should have done it sooner!” The announcement was made at the Christmas Party and the certificates will be presented at the Annual General Meeting on 13th March.
Such laurels are not easily won, but are given by the Club in sincere appretiation for years of service and support - as you will see by the following:-
Helen Gray
Admitted to membership (Helen Barrett) October 1959 Committee Member 1960-61 Membership (New Members) Secretary 1961-62 Secretary 1974-76 President 1978-78 Editor 1978-82 Magazine Production Manager since 1979 to present time Wrote chapter of Club's 60th Anniversary History, covering the years 1967-77 Assisted in organisation of various social events and concerts Assisted in sorting and arranging Club Archives 1987 - 88
George Gray
Admitted to membership (about) October 1952 Committee Member 1955-56 (Winner Colour Slide Competition Annual Photo Exhibition 1958, and subseq6ently assisted with organisation and judging of Exhibitions) Treasurer 1961-62 Involved with Coolana Management since 1970 Architect, Works Foreman and Chief Builder of the Coolana Hut (No doubt gave extensive support for Helen as Secretary, President, Editor, and in the monthly task of magazine production)
Spiro Hajinakitas
Admitted to membership (“Bill Ketas”) October 1959 President (as “Spiro Ketas”) 1970-72 Auctioneer at Club Auctions for several years in 1970s Editor 1972-76 Secretary 1976-78 Represented SBW at Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs for almost 10 years, including the offices of Secretary and Minutes Secretary, during this time was on SBW Committee as Federation delegate Treasurer 1989-90 (In addition, who was it that provided and carried so much edible fare to SBW Reunions? Who operated a cut-rate sale of Volley sandshoes for Club members for many years? Oh, I think his initials were S.H. For myself, I can only admire the Greeks when they bear gifts - Jim Brown)
From August 1991
Our Newest Honorary Active Member
Barry Wallace
At the June Committee Meeting it was decided to offer Honorary Active Membership to Barry Wallace, a member of 25 years with the Club, and who has worked actively for SBW in various ways during all that time, as well as leading many walking trips.
On receipt of the Secretary's letter, Barry gladly accepted the offer and is now our newest Honorary Active Member. This is his record during those 25 years:
Admitted to membership June 1966 Federation Delegate 1967/1968 Committee Member 1968 and again in 1973, 1982 and 1985 President 1974/1975 Vice-President 1980/1981 and in 1983/1984 Coolana Management Committee 1976 - until Coolana Committee was disbanded in 1984 Membership Secretary 1991 “Political Roundsman” (General Meeting notes for the magazine) from 1977 to present Partnered Phil Butt in using the printing equipment (a rather temperamental machine) in 1984/1985 Produced the address labels each month for the magazine, also the membership list for the annual report, for the last 5 years to the present
From May 1995
Bill and Fran Holland
At the Annual General Meeting in March 1995 the President announced that the committee had offered Honorary Active Membership to Bill [Bill Holland] and Fran Holland which they have accepted with pleasure. There was great applause at the meeting, as Club members seemed quite gratified that this honour had been given to Bill and Fran who have worked so hard for the Club during their 16 years of membership.
Honorary Active Membership is held by only a few members, and is similar to life membership in some other clubs. The total number of Honorary Active Members (including Bill and Fran) is now thirteen. Bill has worked consistently for the Club since he joined. Most of the work he has undertaken has been very time consuming. The following are positions that he has filled:
- New Members Secretary
- Social Secretary
- Treasurer
- Vice President
- Public Officer
- President
- Walks Secretary
- New Members Secretary (at present)
In addition he has answered phone questions about the Club, has led many walks on every program, and has conducted Instructional Weekends which are a great help to prospective members.
The latest big job that both Fran and Bill have undertaken is to collate the magazine, walks program, annual reports etc. Unless you have attended one of these evenings you would have no idea of how much work is involved. Fran has also had to post the magazines etc.
Fran has also worked hard for the Club in many ways. Early on she gave us professional advice when we bought our first printer.
After she and Bill were married she helped him with all his many jobs, especially answering phone questions about the Club. And of course being hostess to many members who finish a walk at the Holland's place, as well as on the magazine nights. In addition she has been on committee as Social Secretary and Public Officer (at present). She has also led many walks on the Walks Program.
Honorary Active Membership is a way for the Club to say “ThankYou” to some of the people who have worked for the Club over many years, as has been done by Bill and Fran. The Honorary Active Members are:-
- Dot Butler
- Alex Colley
- Jim Brown
- Kath Brown
- Bob Younger
- Christa Younger
- Bill Burke
- George Gray
- Helen Gray
- Spiro Hajinakitas
- Barry Wallace
- Bill Holland
- Fran Holland
From February 1996
Kath Brown
Last month, SBW lost one of its hardest working members, and a dear friend. After a short illness, and a long healthy life, Kath Brown died on January 16th 1996.
Kathleen Hardy was a prospective in 1947. Her first walks were those that started on Saturday afternoons. (Kath, a bank employee, worked Saturday mornings- as many people did then). Prior to one of these walks, it was suggested that Kath ring one of the party, Jim Brown, to ask if she and a friend could share his tent. Kath and Jim found that they shared similar goals and were soon organising SBW one and a half day walks to areas they wished to see. In March 1949 they married, and continued bushwalking until the birth of their daughter Christine five years later.
Kath's walking activities were limited for the next few years, but not her interest in SBW. The family was seen at every reunion. (At age 20 Chris boasted that she'd been to 21 reunions!) When Chris was eight, Kath was doing one day walks with Chris in tow. Kath walked regularly and for well over a decade went on numerous Sunday walks as well as leading two walks every program, always test walks. The help she gave to hundreds of prospectives was invaluable, to them and to SBW.
Kath's interest in, and work for, the Club is well known. She attended all general meetings, firmly steering business in the right direction (often needed when emotional issues arose). Behind the scenes she was a tower of strength. To those of us who were secretaries she gave much appreciated help and advice, and the many magazine editors were even more grateful. For 22 years she not only typed the magazine on difficult stencils, she also inserted notices when due, arranged the layouts, researched background material, and for some years organised the collating in her home.
Kath always modestly dismissed her contributions to the Club, but at the same time noticed the work of others. She, with Jim, was responsible for nominating a number of Honorary members and promoted the category of Honorary Active. When two members were given this honour in 1987, NEVER were two members more deserving.
In her last weeks, Kath said to me how lucky she was to have had such a healthy and happy life, how fortunate she was to have Jim and Chris, and how she was pleased that her end was to be quick. Her positive outlook, facing death, was inspiring. At her own request, Kath's funeral was private, with old friends Christa and Bob Younger representing SBW.
Kath - apart from all your work, you were a dear friend to many of us. We shall miss you very much. To Jim, Christine and Geoff, and their children Alex, Ross and Sian, Sydney Bushwalkers extends its deepest sympathy.
Helen Gray
From November 1997
Honorary Memberships
On this the 70th Anniversary of the SBW it is right and fitting to honour those members who have made a significant contribution to the Club over the last few decades. The beatification process of recognising those deserving few who did much more than their fair share is a slow process that can take a couple of decades, and involves the Club elders, however no white or black smoke signals are used.
The Committee of the Sydney Bush Walkers, at the meeting of Wednesday 1 October 1997, resolved to invite 8 members and ex-members to become an Honorary Active Member or Honorary Member of the Sydney Bush Walkers in recognition of the significant contribution they have made to the Sydney Bush Walkers for an extended period, over and above what could be considered normal. If the details given here are sketchy please remember that some of our honoured few have well documented_ pasts, while others have been beavering away in the background doing the jobs which must be done.
Paul Barnes OAM
Honorary Active Member
Paul joined the SBW in 1941 and was an active member until the late 1980s. In 1950 Paul became the SBW delegate to the then Federation of Bushwalking Clubs. This apparently was just the catalyst needed for he remained with Federation management for over 15 years. During this time her became active in the NPA and was Sydney Branch President and State President. Paul's time with SBW, NPA and Federation was actively devoted to conservation issues. The Morella Karong: Heathcote Primitive Area (was Trustee Secretary) and the Blue Mountains National Parks are two such issues.
Paul's contribution to conservation was recognised when he was made an honorary life member of NPA in 1957. Later the people of Australia also recognised his services to conservation by awarding him the medal of the Order of Australia. Now SBW is making the same recognition.
Shirley Dean
Honorary Active Member
Shirley joined the Club as a very young lady in 1944, just out of school, and has been with us for the 53 years since. Besides being an active walker and walks leader Shirley has been a tireless worker for the SBW. For many years she was magazine production manager, printer and de facto editor (very similar to Kath Brown who took up the baton when Shirley eventually passed it on). Shirley typed the magazine, and the walks program. Shirley's kitchen table was the magazine power house with collating and stapling at one end and a Roneo machine being hand cranked at the other end. Besides this Shirley was very active in Club conservation issues and campaigns and was a voracious letter writer to all politicians, red, blue, purple and green on matters of concern to bushwalkers and bushwalking.
Ian Debert
Honorary Active Member
Ian joined the Club in 1977 and has been an active walker and walks leader for 20 years. In 1986 Ian was elected Delegate to the Federation of Bushwalking Clubs. In 1987 Ian was chairman of 60th Anniversary Committee. Then in 1988 he was Social Secretary. He took over the top job as President in 1992-1994. In between this Ian was archivist from 1990 - 1997.
Besides these stints in the limelight, Ian is the type of person who works away in the background, doing what is necessary and required. Bringing lights and tables and barbeque gear to where it was needed, to the Clubroom or to a car camp walk or lugging it up a creek. For many years he was in charge of Coolana maintenance: manager, supervisor, foreman and worker all in one.
Frank Rigby
Honorary Active Member
Frank or Digby as he was usually known joined the Club in 1951, that's 46 years ago, has been an active walker and walks leader in the Club for many years. Frank has taken part in Club management as President and twice as Editor (1957 and 1966). Frank has made many contributions to The Sydney Bushwalker as well as writing Chapter 4 (1957 to 1967) of the book SBW the First Sixty Years. Has written and published on exploratory walks. Frank has been working away in the background doing the things that have to be done.
Marjorie Hill
Honorary Member
Marjorie joined the SBW in 1928. At the age of 25. Marjorie became. the first editor of The Bushwalker published on 1 June 1931 and which became The Sydney Bushwalker, with the 8th issue on 1 August 1932. In the first issue, Marjorie said the aim of the magazine “is neither ambitious nor comprehensive; the main endeavour being to place before members accounts of trips which otherwise would not be so readily, accessible to them. Such accounts will be more or less detailed and contain more of the personal element than can be the case with the Club's official records”. Now 66 years later the Sydney Bushwalker is still going as strong as ever. The Bushwalker when it started was not an official SBW publication just something that Marjorie and her friends put together because it was a good idea. Seven issues and 1 year later the Club agreed that it was a good idea and thus The Sydney Bushwalker, was started. Marjorie is now 90, and lives with her husband, Norman Rodd, who she met in the Club.
Malcolm McGregor
Honorary Member
Malcolm joined the Club in the late 1940s and was a very active walker and walks leader in the 1950s and 1960s and less active up to the 1980s. Malcolm was president 1952 - 1954. Malcolm is a person with wit, charm, imagination, a thespian of the first order. Malcolm was instigator and founding member of the Crown Street Composers who wrote the Chronic Operas. Malcolm was the one who kick-started Jim Brown on the playwright's road to fame and fortune. Malcolm's fertile imagination formulated activities which bonded the membership together: things like walking trials and corroborees. With Malcolm's direction a SBW club film Murder in the Clubroom, was made. (Where is the film now?)
Grace Noble
Honorary Member
Some may know this lady as Grace Noble others as the Grace Edgecombe who joined the Club in 1935, that's 62 years ago. Grace was an active walker and walks leader up to the 1980s and has slowed down over the last few years. If you read back through the magazine archive you'll come across many articles and poems that Grace has written. Her poem Hymn of Hate of 1938 was republished this month. Grace actively campaigned for National Parks and conservation issues of direct interest to the Club.
John Noble
Honorary Member
John joined in 1941 and rather early in his time with the Club had a serious fall which affected the rest of his life: he fell in love with Miss Grace Edgecombe. John was an active walker with the Club from 1941 through to the 1980s, thus for over 40 years. John also actively campaigned for National Parks and conservation issues of direct interest to the Club. John has worked and still works on bush regeneration and the use of Australian native plants in Council revegetation works. He and his co-protesters actively campaigned and won, for the preservation of the stand of blue gums at the intersection of Beecroft Road and Pennent Hills Road. John is an authority on spiders and recently gave a Spiders presentation to the Club.
(It has not escaped the Editor's attention, having tripped, stumbled and fallen in the same manner, that bushwalkers falling in love with, and subsequently marrying bushwalkers continues to be an occupational risk associated with bushwalking. The Honoraries above with honourable intentions include Shirley, Frank, Marjorie, Grace and John; and now Jennifer and Eddy. It must be something in the billy water, or a reaction to leeches.)
From April 2005
In Appreciation
I would like to take this opportunity to expand on President Maurice’s note of thanks to Barry Wallace last month, and having ready access to our club’s archives, I thought members would like to know of Barry’s extensive contribution.
Barry joined SBW in June, 1966, and our records show he has worked for the club in many and various positions since 1967.
Not in order, Barry has been President, Vice President, Membership Secretary (10 years) Members Committee Representative (7 years) Confederation Delegate, Printer (during the years we wrestled the monster machine) and member of Coolana Maintenance Committee (1976 to present). For over 35 years he has given a lot of time and energy to the club as a valued Committee member. As well as this he has been a very active walks leader
Barry received Honorary Membership in June 1991
Each month, since 1977, he has contributed to our magazine an informative and entertaining review of our meetings and walks reports, a very valued part of our magazine.
Thank you Barry.
Fran Holland.
From November 2002
Honorary Membership
It was fitting that at the time of celebrating its 75th anniversary we should honour members who have made significant contribution to the Club over many years. Therefore, the 75th Anniversary Dinner was the setting for President Rosemary MacDougal to present the following with their Honorary Membership certificates.
Heather White
Heather Joyce joined the SBW in 1953 and quickly established a reputation as a strong walker. To quote a verse of Jim Brown's about the 85 Miler…….
“Now Heather Joyce was out in front, a pint-sized little dame, We'd all have thought the Devil's Hole would leave her halt and lame, But she's done it this time, she's done it now” - and so on.
Throughout the Fifties Heather served as Social Secretary and as a Committee member before becoming President in 1964.
Heather was involved in Search and Rescue for twenty years and played an important part in liaising with the Police Rescue Squad which led to an harmonious relationship between walkers and police after some difficult times.
When the search was being made for a suitable parcel of land for the Club to purchase with the “Era Funds” Heather, with others, devoted a lot of time to the quest and when Coolana was chosen she became one of the first trustees. In 1967 Heather married fellow SBW, John White and together they farmed flowers on Mount Tomah for many years, moving eventually to Bridport in Tasmania where they were hosts to a steady stream of their SBW friends.
Jim Callaway
It seems that Jim Callaway has been a bushwalker since time began, not only with our club but with another club as well (where he met his wife many years ago).
He joined SBW in 1964 and almost immediately began leading walks. Even in those early years he attracted the title “Gallop-away Callaway” a description which so aptly described his walking style and which has persisted until today. Jim has served on the Management Committee for many years. In more recent times he has been the Club’s Confederation Delegate (over 12 years in total) and was President of the Confederation in 1998/99.
He has a great love for the Royal National Park and lives very close to its border at Heathcote. His interest in the park management and conservation is reflected in his role on the Royal National Park Advisory Committee for several years and his participation in local bush regeneration and land care.
Jim Callaway has been an active walks leader for over 40 years and has contributed so much to this club and to the bush walking movement.
Patrick James
Patrick joined the club in 1985 and almost immediately took on the post of Acting Social Secretary while the Social Secretary was away. Since this time he has been active in Club affairs despite the demands of developing his own business as Environmental Consultant and studying for post-graduate degrees. His contribution to the Club has covered many areas and he has served several years on the Management Committee as Social Secretary, Secretary and Magazine Editor (four years)
Patrick has played a significant role in the SBW Anniversary celebrations over the past 15 years and was instrumental in salvaging the celebration activities after other members have resigned. His positions on these Committees have been:
- Secretary 60th Anniversary Sub-Committee 1986/7
- Chairman 70th Anniversary Sub-Committee 1997
- Chairman 75th Anniversary Sub Committee 2001
He has been active in other areas and on other sub-committees, such as New Member Training (where he has given a weekend away every three months for over eight years) the Club Management Review Sub- Committee and an very active Coordinator of the Coolana Management Committee.
From October 2002
Looking Back at the 60th Anniversary Dinner - 23rd October 1987
The evening had two highlights, the conferring of Honorary Active Membership on Kath Brown (nee Hardy) and Jim Brown. This charming couple were raised to this grade of membership in recognition of many, many years of service to the Club. Membership certificates were presented by the President, Barrie Murdoch, and Jim responded for them both.
From June 2000
DEATH OF RON KNIGHTLEY
Members will be saddened to learn that Ron Knightley, a long term member of the SBW who was made an honorary member at the April 2000 general meeting, died on Tuesday May 15th.
Several club members were able to join the large gathering at his memorial service at the Revesby Congregational church, on Friday May 18th.
I am sure that I speak for his many fellow walkers when I extend our condolences to Dorothy and all of the family. Ray Hookway
VALE RON KNIGHTLEY
by Stuart Brooks, May 2000
Ron’s first bushwalk was completed on a pushbike.
In 1941, he started University as an engineering cadet of the PMG (now Telstra) along with Bill Carter. At Uni I met Ron and Bill and we three were soon off for weekends camping and surfing at Burning Palms. For Easter 1941, we decided to walk from Katoomba to Tarana via Jenolan Caves. At High School in Adelaide Ron's passion had been gymnastics. He was strong and fit but he was worried that the constant pounding on the bare boards in the gym had weakened his feet and that a long walk was beyond him but there was no way that he was going to miss out on this outing, he decided that he would ride his bike and meet the others at The Caves.
Jenolan to Tarana is along a country road, albeit a very pretty one, so the scheme was devised that one would ride the bike for a mile, leave it by the side of the road and walk on. When the two walkers came across the bike, one would ride it on for a mile, and repeat the exercise, so that at the end of three miles they should all be together again. This worked very well and Ron found to his surprise that walking along the road for a couple of miles at a steady clip presented no problem.
Soon after this he joined the Sydney Bushwalkers and started to do more and more walking, to tread all those valleys and mountains he had seen from vantage spots like Echo Point, and had longed to visit.
The three planned a walk for the next Easter to the Shoalhaven area near Tallong. Maps were very sketchy and there was not much information available. The walk was a circle from Long Point, down the River, up onto the plateau on the other side, across the plateau and Tim’s Gully back to the River and downstream to Long Point. It was a fascinating area, rich in geology, a classic example of ‘river capture’ and many places to explore. It was decided that they would spend future walks finding out more about it Ron was a keen photographer and kept a meticulous record of details of each photo. From these he was able to make a sketch map of where they had walked with a lot of details of interest to walkers. He suggested that they should expand this sketch into a more detailed map, so a week’s ‘holiday’ was planned riding on bikes around to all the vantage points from Badgerys to Bungonia, taking compass bearings of all of the features and doing further exploratory walks where no details were available at that time.
From all the data collected during that week, Ron was able to produce ‘The Map’ a fine example of his penmanship and attention to detail. (The map was featured in 'Fitzroy Falls and Beyond“) About this time Ron took up skiing. A garage owner in Riley St Sydney who was a keen skier, had set up a long slope, covered in coir matting, in the loft of his workshops and ran skiing classes on Friday nights. In the winter, he hired the disused town hall at Kiandra and ran a ski lodge, with the help of a couple of local identities, George Day and Jimmy Patterson (Australian downhill champ at the time). Each day would start with a tramp out to Mt Selwyn where lessons would begin. There were no tows or lifts and one long downhill slope, so learning to ski involved a lot of effort. The next step was to Alpine Hut (since burnt down) in the middle of the Brassy Mountains. Still no tows, but a lot of wonderful cross country tours at hand.
“This slide is a bit blurry and the big black mark at the top is my thumb on the lens, but I had to include it as it really shows what it was all like.” Heard that before at a long, tedious slide show? Not with Ron, you wouldn’t. He presented a number of slide shows at a variety of places and spent a lot of time beforehand selecting the slides he would show and preparing what he would say. Anyone who has had the pleasure of attending such an evening will know that Ron had the gift of presentation and delivery. Each slide was perfect, the commentary succinct and pithy, and most of all he knew how much material was enough for the evening, (a rare gift).
After Uni Ron went to work at the PMG, based in Sydney, planning telephone networks in the country areas of New South Wales. He had some great experiences like a week in a pub in Broken Hill with a mob of shearers who had landed in town with their cheques burning a hole in their pocket. Not a lot of sleep in the pub that week, and probably not too much ‘Country Planning’ either. Ron's urge to travel caused him to leave the PMG to serve stints as a cook on Macquarie Island and as a Quality Control Engineer at Lake Pukaki, NZ where a large concrete dam was being built. Ron made good use of his time there and was able to join up with local skiers, walkers and climbers to explore the wonderful alps of the South Island. It was here that he wrote to Dorothy inviting her to come over and join him as his wife. To his great relief, she agreed. Returning to Sydney Ron took up a job with the Overseas Telecommunications Commission and the newly-weds set up home at Wahroonga, neighbours of their great SBW friends, the Harveys. There were some hearty SBW reunions at their houses over the years that many bushies will remember fondly.
Continuing as an active walker and club member Ron eventually became, deservedly, President, and a good President he was, managing meetings with a firm hand though that ever-ready quip was always lurking just below the surface. Christmas holidays were spent with the family, now including Stephen and Sharon, in their caravan at Merry Beach, where a large group of SBW types gathered each year. Aided an abetted by one Mal McGregor, Ron took up fishing, with his usual zeal. His enthusiasm in hooking into 'a big one' was legendary and the pride he took in preparing his catch for the pan earned him the title of the ‘best damned filletter in Merry’.
Ron carried on with his many adventures in the bush, on foot and in the van, well into his sixties, his passion for all things outdoors unabated.
The SBW has lost a great stalwart. He will be much missed by his many friends and his loving family, now extended by three grandchildren, Troy, Yasmin and Reece.
From April 2000
THE MARCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
reported by Barry Wallace
New Honorary Active members Don Finch and Wilf Hilder were presented with a certificate to prove the fact. New Honorary member Ron Knightley had allowed discretion to prevail in view of what turned out to be one of Sydney’s wildest and wettest days for some time.
From February 2003
Letters to the Editor:
S.B.W. Veterans In Tasmania
I didn’t see Honorary Member Heather White, who lives in northern Tasmania but is considering a move to the south.
Alex Colley
From May 2002
FROM OUT OF THE PAST ( 75 Years of SBW History)
BRIAN HARVEY, S.B.W. PRESIDENT 1956-58, TURNS 90.
On Friday March 15th, 2002 Brian Harvey celebrated his 90th birthday with a lunch at his home, the RSL War Veterans Home, Collaroy Plateau. Celebrating with him were his wife of nearly 60 years, Jean, walking friend Shirley Dean, and the daughters of his old SBW friends – Kate Moppett and Nancy Pallin (daughter of Jean & Tom Moppett) and Christine Austin (daughter of Jean & Ray Kirkby).
Brian has had a lengthy and interesting career in the club. He joined SBW with his brother Perce, the Friday after Easter in 1936.
Prior to being mobilised for the Navy, Brian was on the General Committee, was a Federation Delegate and magazine producer, using an old hand operated machine. After six and a half years in the Navy, Brian built his home in Wahroonga, clearing the site for the house and creating a beautiful garden – masses of azaleas amongst the tall eucalypts where we children roamed happily and safely. Brian had married Jean in April 1942 and their home in Wahroonga was the venue for many an SBW gathering.
In 1947 Brian had the idea that a plaque be installed at Splendour Rock in the Wild Dog Mountains to commemorate the bushwalkers who died in the war. He was chairman of the committee to organize this, and the dedication by Paddy Pallin took place on Anzac Day 1948.
At the end of the war Brian resumed SBW activities, again as magazine producer and Federation Delegate 1949 – 1950 and leading test and other walks. He organised the annual SBW swimming carnival at Lake Eckerslie for some years. Brian said that his most memorable “sprint “ was leaving Carlons Farm on Galong Creek on a Monday afternoon and arriving at Richmond on a Wednesday afternoon via Blackheath and the Grose River.
In 1960 an injured nerve in his shoulder precluded Brian from carrying a pack and so active bushwalking ceased, but not his interest in club affairs. As there were many walkers who were not able to take part in active bushwalking, Brian formed the Dungalla Club on the 31st July 1968. Its aims were to provide social contact for older members. About 5 years ago Brian was elected an Honorary Member of the SBW and continues as such.
In 1984 he and Jean moved to his present home with its glorious views of bushland and Narrabeen Lagoon.
From November 2001
Vale Malcolm McGregor
The sad news has reached us of the passing of Malcolm McGregor, an Honorary Member and Past President. He will be fondly remembered as a very active member during the 1950/60's.
From August 2001
Fifty Years of Walking - Frank Rigby
Frank celebrated 50 years as an active member of SBW on 15th August this year. Frank was made an Honorary Active Member in 1997.
Margery Rodd
Norman Rodd
Until her death on 26th May this year at the age of 94, Marjorie Rodd was among the last survivors of those who joined SBW in the late 1920s. Although her membership was relatively brief, from 1928 to about 1935, the then Marjorie Hill was one of the most active walkers and in 1931 was first Editor of ‘The Bushwalker’ (shortly after changed to ‘The Sydney Bushwalker’).
Marjorie was a primary-school teacher in 1928 but in that same year began attending evening lectures at Sydney University; leading to a B.A. in 1932 and a career as a high-school Mathematics and English teacher. In 1933 she began a relationship with Norman Rodd who had joined SBW three years earlier, leading to marriage in 1936.
In her earlier SBW years and despite her studies, Marjorie was off on walks almost every weekend and school vacation. She soon acquired a reputation for her fearlessness, endurance and bush skills. In January 1930 she was one of six young women who accompanied Myles Dunphy and one younger man on an 11-day walk along the Kowmung. The recent book “Myles and Milo” extracts from Myles’s diary his rather prim disapproval of the women's continuous and noisy high spirits. However, he was impressed when they made an impetuous side-excursion to Kanangra Tops and effortlessly managed the long, steep climb and return descent in the one day. It is possible that Marjorie incurred his specific disapproval, as she was the only member of the group not to have a geographical feature named for her! Be that as it may, she and friend Brenda White rejoined him and three other male members at the end of that year on a 16-day walk of 110 miles through the southern Snowy Mountains. From Beloka, near Dalgety, they dropped into the Snowy and downstream for 20 miles. Before the intended ascent to Cobberas they were caught by floods on the Snowy’s west bank between the Jacobs and Pinch Rivers and had to wait for the latter to subside. Heading north via The Pilot they followed the main range all the way to Mt Kosciusko, thence to Charlottes Pass and Thredbo. Myles believed that Marjorie and Brenda were the first women to carry packs into the Middle Snowy and traverse the Main Divide from Cobberas to Rams Head. At the end of 1931 Marjorie and Brenda did another Snowy Mountains walk, from Yarrangobilly Caves to Kosciusko and Thredbo via Jagungal, with a different party of three men and one other woman, Win Ashton.
Earlier walks were less well documented (there being no club magazine), but in 1935 the then ‘old-timer’ Walter Roots when asked for reminiscences of the club’s early days, recalled ”… a ten days’ trip with Marj Hill and Phil Chamberlain, over Clear Hill, the elusive Black Dog, Kowmung, Roots’ Route, Kanangra and thereabouts, the Boyd and Colong Caves. A wonderful trip with good companions. Was there ever a better ‘bushman’ than Marj?“
From about 1932 to 1935 Marjorie and Norman walked mainly with an informal group of SBW members nicknamed ‘the bargers’, the others being Jean Trimble (later Moppet), Brenda White, Richard Croker, Eric Moroney, Win Ashton and Bill Purnell. During this period there had developed tensions in the club over the issues of ‘co-tenting’ and nude bathing, the bargers being among those who demanded that these be tolerated, even encouraged.
By late 1935 Marjorie and Norman had drifted away from club activities though keeping in touch with old SBW friends for many years. After raising 3 children they retired in 1974 to a large property at Mount Tomah and became good friends with neighbours John and Heather White, prominent SBW members of the 50s and 60s and both past-presidents. In 1997 Norman happened to learn of the SBW 70th Anniversary reunion. He phoned the Editor, Patrick James and explained that his wife, then 90, was formerly Marjorie Hill. Patrick exclaimed “Not the Marjorie Hill!”, apparently surprised to discover she was still living. In October 1997 Marjorie was granted the status of Honorary Member.
From October 2007
THE QUESTING SPIRIT LIVES ON
by Tom Wenman
THE GOLDEN DINNER
Distinguished people present included foundation members Win Chardon, Frank and Anice Duncan, Maurice Berry (the Club’s then Hon. Solicitor ) and the newest Honorary Member, George Davidson, together with 24 Past Presidents. The Fiftieth Anniversary Reunions were, as they should have been, wonder fully nostalgic meetings of friends young and old, and the celebrations of friendships new and sustained.
References - New Magazines (2010+)
From April 2010
The re-swearing of the President took place under the watchful eyes of seven ex-presidents; for the record there have been 49 presidencies since 1927. Ron and his fuzzy beard were asked the standard set of leading questions by four of the seven; he answered with a clear I am and a matrimonial I do. With that bit of traditional formality finished, over and done with and out of the way Ron then announced the Committee’s decision to bestow Honorary Active Membership on David Trinder for his services to SBW. Now the music could begin! The full program of the music played is tabulated below.
From May 2010
David Trinder made Honorary Active Member
David joined Sydney Bush Walkers on 15 April 1993.
He has been an enthusiastic member who has contributed time and effort to the club across all fields of the Club’s activities.
David has served on the committee as President, Vice President, Walks Secretary and Conservation Secretary.
As President he introduced successfully the electronic magazine and newsletter.
A professional architect he designed the composting toilet at Coolana and ensured the development application process was successfully completed. He spent many weekends at Coolana managing the construction and bringing it to a successful completion
He has been a prolific leader of numerous bush walks in the national parks of NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand bringing delight to large numbers of our members
He has completed all of the iconic walks, and conquered the three peaks in less than 48 hours for his seventieth birthday.
He gives great encouragement to new walkers and regularly sets aside trips to facilitate their introduction and enjoyment of overnight walking.
He actively encourages the identification and development of new leaders.
His regular sessions on training in navigation, first aid and bushcraft provide our new members with knowledge to enjoy the bush safely.
In recognition of his service to the Club David was made an Honorary Active Member and this honour was conferred on him at the 2010 Annual Reunion at Coolana.
Ron Watters
From April 2011
“Honorary” Membership of SBW conferred on Ros Kerrigan
In addition to the standard categories of Prospective and full Member, the club has two special categories of Membership. The first of these is “Honorary Active” Member, and this is for full Members who have contributed to the Club in multiple areas over many years and ways, in an exemplary manner (leading walks, enhancing the skills of Leaders, Members & Prospectives, serving on Committee, contributing to Coolana and other areas of contribution). Awarding “Honorary Active” status to a Member is signal honor, and a mark of the Club‟s respect for the person‟s and the high quality of their sustained contribution.
In addition, we have a category called “Honorary” Member, and this is for people who are not Members of SBW, yet have contributed to the benefit of the Club in a sustained, significant and enduring manner. This is a very rare honor, and until the conferring of this award, there were only two current Honorary Members.
The Committee of SBW wishes to announce that, following a nomination supported by many Members, it has conferred Honorary Membership of the Sydney Bush Walkers on Ros Kerrigan, in recognition of her exemplary services to the Club in the field of Conservation of the Club's Flora and Fauna Reserve at Coolana.
Over many, many years she has cheerfully worked for a number of weeks each year, often in trying environmental conditions, to apply her extensive expertise and knowledge of plant species to good effect. The testament to her endeavors is the large number of flourishing trees that now cover both river flats at Coolana. With every season that passes, the current and future Members of SBW will “stand in the shade” that she has helped nurture. Many Members have had the pleasure of her company at Coolana, and also on many walks to the remote and wild places of Australia. They have paid testament to her companionship and to her capacity to be a very positive and empathetic member of the Party.
On behalf of the Committee and the Club
Congratulations Ros!
Welcome to SBW
From October 2010
Goodbye, Sheila Binns
Sheila Binns 16/10/1924 – 31/8/2010
Another of our longstanding members, Sheila Binns, recently departed this earth.
In her heyday Sheila was very active as a walker, a leader and especially as Honorary Secretary. She first served as Hon. Treasurer in 1953, followed by several stints as Hon. Secretary, at which she excelled. To many of us it seems that she was there ‘forever’ in that role. Both Sheila and Kath Brown typed all essential SBW documents – walks program, magazine, annual reports and membership lists – on the old Gestetner stencils. This required great accuracy and was quite fiddly, both the typing and the printing! There are many of us who remember Sheila as a real brick – she would love that expression.
Sheila was born in the UK and migrated to Australia in the very early 1950’s, if my memory serves me correctly, and I believe she joined the SBW not long after her arrival. Over the years she returned to her native Austwick many times, especially after her retirement from the Geology Department at Sydney University in 1989. Following her retirement Sheila moved to Moss Vale where she joined the Country Women’s Association, becoming a stalwart with them and developing new friendships in the process. When living at Moss Vale she loved to visit Fitzroy Falls, where she became well known among the National Parks rangers.
Sheila and I became good friends, no doubt helped by the fact that I worked in another department at Sydney University in the late 1960s and early ‘70s. I am grateful to her in many ways, not least of which is for being the person who introduced me to ballet performance, at the old Elizabethan Theatre in Newtown. After her retirement I occasionally visited Sheila at Moss Vale for weekends or would call in for a cup of tea if I knew I would be ‘passing’. She would be found ensconced in her comfortable lounge chair listening to her favorite classical music and quite often knitting a woolen jumper for someone or other, as this was another area of her expertise.
Sheila was recognized for her work for SBW by being made an Honorary Member in 1988.
I understand from some of her friends that an occasion to remember Sheila is to be organized in coming months, possibly December 2010 or January 2011.
From August 2011
Vale Frank Rigby
Members, Helen Gray has passed on the sad news that Frank Rigby died last Friday 22nd July, on his eighty fourth birthday. Frank joined SBW in 1951, and was subsequently made an Honorary Active Member for his immense contribution to Bushwalking and the Club.
He was one of the great Leaders of the Club and he actively participated in the “great expansion” of walking into the Budawangs, Ettrema and other areas where he led many multi day walks. He also pioneered many new areas, and especially walking in the McDonald Rangers, south of Alice Springs.
He provided the text for the signature book “The MacDonnell Ranges”, with photography by Henry Gold, published in 1973.
He served as President for the period of 1967-68 and held many other roles. This included writing Chapter 4 (1957-67) of the Club‟s History. (“Looking Back, From Seven to Seventy years” Copyright@ Frank Rigby 1997. ISBN 0 646 34697 0)
Although very frail, he regularly attended the Club‟s Reunions at Coolana, and last March we spread the ashes of Joan, his wife and partner in many adventures, beneath the towering Blue Gum on the Western Flat. He had a lovely demeanour, and was universally regarded as a true gentleman.
Helen advises that it is s unlikely that a funeral will be held. However, if one eventuates it will probably be in Canberra, where he lived. We will pass on any details that come to hand (as I leave on Friday for a 9 day traverse of the Flinders Ranges, updates thereafter will come from our Vice President, Margaret Carey).
When commencing / finishing a Walk at Carlon's Farm (“Green Gully”) in the Megalong Valley
SBW's association with the Carlons, the owners of “Green Gully” property in the Megalong Valley (also known as “Packsaddlers”) commenced in the 1930 when Norbert Carlon regularly gave advice and assistance to our exploration of the Wild Dog Mountains. His daughter Norma has continued this tradition. In recognition of her considerable contribution to SBW she was made an Honorary Member many years ago. We recently received an email from Norma, with the relevant extract as follows:
Dear Ian,
I miss very much the contact with the members these days as I am now up the top of the hill and don't see anyone unless I happen to be down in the gully at Linda's place. However, there is an open invitation for any members to hop in at my place at any time for a chat and a cuppa. I look forward to my first copy of the electronic magazine as I always scour it thoroughly for familiar names and to catch up on what you are all doing.
My regards to all
Norma Carlon.
So, please take up her kind invitation and drop in to say “Hello”.
From September 2011
It is with deep regret that we announce that John Noble died last week. John was an Honorary Active Member and well regarded by all who knew him. Details of his funeral will be passed on to members when they become available.
From January 2013
At the Xmas Party we conferred Honorary Life Membership on Tony Holgate and Warwick Deacock
Honorary Life Membership of SBW was conferred upon:
- Warwick Deacock – for his life time of service to outdoor recreation and education, as well as to SBW in assisting the conservation of Coolana
- Tony Holgate – for his very extended service on the Committee in multiple roles, being an extremely active and proficient leader, and for his assistance to Members to enhance their skills
From February 2015
SBW Honours Rosemary MacDougal
From time to time we interrupt our normal activities, to celebrate the people who have gone above and beyond the normal course of duty to make SBW the great club it is. We have many members giving their time, expertise, muscle and sweat so that the rest of us can enjoy our bushwalking. On your behalf, I try to let them know that they are appreciated. They are all wonderful, but some more than others!
There is a special form of recognition for the small number of members whose contributions have been truly outstanding, in terms of breadth, duration and impact. I am talking about Honorary Life Membership. We have twenty-nine Honorary Life Members now. From 18 February, there will be thirty.
The newest member of this very select group is Rosemary MacDougal. Rosemary served as club President in the early noughties, and was a frequent leader of interesting trips during the years either side of that period. She has always been a willing and helpful source of no-nonsense advice, especially but not only on matters of a legal nature. I could go on, but it’s not necessary. Rosemary is still active in the club, and you all know her.
I will formally welcome Rosemary to the ranks of Honorary Life Members at the social night on 18 February. It’s going to be a great night anyway, so I expect that many of us will have already decided to come. I hope that our ranks will be swelled even more by Rosemary’s friends, taking the opportunity to congratulate and thank her.
Remembering Paul Barnes
We have just heard that Paul Barnes died on 30 January. His funeral service was on 6 February. Paul was an Honorary Life Member (or Honorary Active Member, as we used to call them). I did not know Paul. Could any member who did know him, please contact me. We should honour him by telling his story.
From June 2015
On other membership issues it is my sad duty to report since the last newsletter the passing of two of our long standing honorary life members. You may have already seen the notification in the short notice program that Paul Barnes and Gretel Woodward had passed away. SBW sends our heartfelt condolences to the family and remember them as outstanding club members.
From Dec 2015
Thirdly, I announced our newest Honorary Life Member. Caro Ryan. I have received much positive feedback so I know how many of you also think the appointment was well deserved. The achievements and contribution of Caro over the years have been many and varied and there would not been a person in the club that has not benefitted in some way from her efforts.
From Feb 2016
I was very pleased to announce at the Christmas party Caro Ryan was to be bestowed Honorary Life Membership of Sydney Bush Walkers by the committee. Caro was nominated by David Trinder. Caro may indeed be the youngest member of that exclusive club but certainly not the most junior in the list of achievements and contribution to the club. Caro has been involved in almost every area of volunteering with the club. She has been on the committee, lead walks over many years, participated in training days, rebuilt the website leading to a revitalisation of the club in the first decade of 2000, started the tiggers youth group, and participated outside the club with the BWRS and online social media promoting bushwalking. Congratulations to Caro, it is well deserved.
From Oct 2017
Gordon Lee
Honorary Life Member Gordon Lee died in Queensland in September. Gordon was a President of the Confederation (now known as Bushwalking NSW), and a very active and strong walker especially in the 1980s. He was renowned for his ability to liven up parties, reunions and other gatherings with his fiddle. Please send me any other biographical details if you have them.
Nov 2017
Honorary Life Members
Leigh McClintock was awarded his Honorary Life Membership at the BBQ in recognition of his very lengthy service on the Committee and role as a trip leader. He was seen very carefully reading his award - either very proud or just checking that McClintock was spelled correctly. The other new Honorary Life Member was a bit slack and arrived at the presentation ceremony 10 minutes after it concluded. Richard Brading, honorary club solicitor for 20 years, will have to wait until the Xmas Party!
From Feb 2018
Jim Callaway
Honorary Life Member Jim Callaway died in January. Jim was a member of SBW from the early 1960s and a member of the Catholic Bushwalkers since the early 1950s. He was renowned for his knowledge of, and contribution to the Royal National Park. A walk lead by Jim was a high pace affair; his nicknames were Gallopaway or Tearaway Callaway. Slow walkers would be urged forward with his cry: “come on you billy goats”.
Family and bushwalkers dominated the attendance at his Requiem Mass at Engadine. They also presumably dominated the material supplied to the priest who gave Jim’s eulogy. We were told that Jim was now on “his final hike into eternity”. The funeral notice likewise listed his family and the short statement: “Keen Bushwalker”.
The wake was held at a local bowling club. I wasn’t sure if I was in the right function room until I heard a group of men near the door discussing the merits of volleys. Yep, I thought, this must be the place.
From Jan 2020
Isabelle Moss
On a note of better news, it was with great pleasure that the committee conferred honorary life membership on Isabelle Moss at the 2019 SBW Xmas Party.
Isabelle joined the club as a full member in 2007, and has been a regular walker and canyoner, and occasional trip leader.
Isabelle joined the committee in 2014, and was Secretary of the club from 2014 to Jun 2016, and again in 2017 and 2018. No one who knows Isabelle will be surprised that all the core secretarial duties like agendas and minutes were efficiently done with a minimum of fuss.
While on the committee, Isabelle reinvigorated the loan gear scheme from start to finish, organising new sets of gear for prospective members to borrow for overnight walks, and instituting the process for borrowing them.
Isabelle has been also been a helper at numerous Basic Skills Workshops, and a Day Leader Workshop.
The period she was on the committee was a troubled time for the club. It was marred by a longrunning dispute with a member that disrupted the committee for many years, and in fact threatened the existence of the club. I won’t go into detail, as it was a painful period, but suffice to say that Isabelle as Secretary was on the receiving end of much of the correspondence. Amongst many things, Isabelle was instrumental in meticulously documenting the dispute, such that when it finally went to court, we were able to brief the lawyers effectively. The eventual outcome was in favour of the club.
Isabelle has definitely gone above and beyond for Sydney Bush Walkers, and is a very deserving recipient of honorary membership.
From July 2022
Three new life members were named at the Christmas in July social night on 20 July. Congratulations to all.
Tom Brennan
Tom was SBW President from 2019 to 2021, a committee member for six years to 2021 and a Convenor of the Canyon Committee for five years to 2022. He is also a canyon leader trainer, an abseiling skills trainer and the architect of significant improvements to SBW IT systems. He frequently leads walks and canyoning trips. He also prepared much of the documentation, and took responsibility for implementing, the long-delayed new club constitution in 2020. He is also a regular contributor to the club magazine.
Thuy Ho
Thuy has been on the SBW committee for six years and has applied her project management skills to transform the highly flawed annual membership rollover into a reliable, robust process. She configured the new membership database in 2019, significantly reducing administrative workloads. With John Kennett, and guided by a professional consultant, she designed the new club website in 2019 and for three years, provided all the administrative functions necessary to run the Basic Skills Workshops. She also assisted with preparing documentation for the 2018 Supreme Court case.
John Kennett
John is in his tenth year on the committee. He has served as Secretary, New Members Secretary, Vice President and Technology Secretary and was President from 2017 to 2019. He was heavily involved with preparing documentation for the 2018 expulsion appeal and Supreme Court cases. With Isabelle Moss he was the prime point of consultation with the club’s legal team in 2018. He investigated and prepared a prototype in late 2018 for the new club website. With Thuy Ho, and guided by a professional consultant, he designed the new club website in 2019. He is a regular contributor to the magazine, has assisted at numerous Basic Skills Workshops and social and information nights. He has led more than 200 walks over 10 years.
From May 2024
Gemma Gagne
The Committee recently agreed to bestow Honorary Life Membership on Gemma Gagne. On migrating from Canada, Gemma joined SBW in the late 60s or early 70s. She was a good strong walker and went on many trips. She didn’t lead many walks but was ‘the power behind the throne’ to her then very active boyfriend (a familiar story for many women in our club!). Gemma was a carer, visiting very disabled people in their homes—many quadriplegics.
Attending and lifting them certainly made her strong! Gemma would work for 10 consecutive days, then have four off. Those days off she spent at Coolana by herself, weeding and cutting and stacking firewood. When she finally retired from her job, she spent half her life at Coolana, camping in the shelter shed, still working.
Without getting into the past, the Committee feels that, given different circumstances Gemma should have been acknowledged for her contributions closer to the time. In bestowing life membership we used the bar that would have been applied contemporarily rather than the one we would use currently. Congratulations to Gemma and we hope you have a chance to return to Australia and see Coolana again as some point in the future.
Magazines referenced
- April 1940
- May 1963
- October 1963
- March 1966
- August 1968
- November 1971
- November 1977
- April 1980
- August 1982
- Jan 1983
- April 1984
- October 1984
- February 1986
- November 1987
- June 1988
- November 1988
- August 1989
- October 1989
- January 1991
- February 1991
- August 1991
- May 1995
- November 1997
SBW Website (22 Jan 2025)
- Richard Brading - awarded Oct 2017
- Tom Brennan - awarded Jul 2022
- Norma Carlon - awarded < 2011 ?
- Kenn Clacher - awarded Oct 2007
- Greta Davis - awarded Oct 2007
- Shirley Dean - awarded Oct 1997
- Ian Debert - awarded Oct 1997
- Don Finch - awarded ~Mar 2000?
- Gemma Gagne - awarded May 2024
- Helen Gray - awarded Dec 1990
- Spiro Haginikitas - awarded Dec 1990
- Brian Harding - awarded < 2011 ?
- Thuy Ho - awarded Jul 2022
- Tony Holgate - awarded Dec 2012
- Bill Holland - awarded Mar 1995
- Frances Holland - awarded Mar 1995
- John Kennett - awarded Jul 2022
- Rosslyn Kerrigan - awarded Apr 2011, died Dec 2024
- Rosemary MacDougal - awarded Feb 2015
- Tony Marshall - awarded Oct 2007
- Don Matthews (Mathews?) - awarded Oct 2007, died ?
- George Mawer - awarded Oct 2007
- Leigh McClintock - awarded Oct 2017
- Isabelle Moss - awarded Dec 2019
- Barrie Murdoch - awarded Oct 2007
- Caro Ryan - awarded Dec 2015
- David Trinder - awarded Mar 2010
- Grace Wagg - awarded Oct 2007
- Geoff Wagg - awarded Oct 2007
- Barry Wallace - awarded Jun 1991, died May 2022
- Heather White - awarded Oct 2002
Missing
- Phil Butt - awarded Oct 2020
Former Honorary Life Members
- Dot Butler - awarded Sep? 1981, died February 2008
- Alex Colley - awarded Jul 1982, died February 2014
- Jim Brown - awarded Oct 1987, died 13 June 1996
- Kath Brown - awarded Oct 1987, died 16 January 1996
- Bob Younger - awarded Nov? 1988, died ?
- Christa Younger - awarded Nov? 1988, died 4 December 2020? (age 95?)
- Gordon Lee - awarded ?, died Sep 2017
- Bill Burke - awarded Aug 1989, died Apr 2017
- George Gray - awarded Dec 1990, died Sep 2022
- Paul Barnes - awarded Oct 1997, died Jan 2015
- Gretel Woodward - awarded ?, died June 2015
- John Noble - awarded Oct 1997, died Sep 2011
- Frank Rigby - awarded Oct 1997, died Jul 2011
- Grace Noble (Grace Edgecombe) - awarded Oct 1997, died 20 March 2005 (age 95)
- Malcolm McGregor - awarded Oct 1997, died ~Nov 2001
- Marjorie Hill - awarded Oct 1997, died ?
- Jim Callaway - awarded Oct 2002, died Jan 2018
- Patrick James - awarded Oct 2002, died June 2024
- Warwick Deacock - awarded Dec 2012, died April 2017