A monthly bulletin of matters of interest to the Sydney Bush Walkers, 5 Hamilton Street, Sydney.

Visitors to Era and Bushwalkers generally who have known him on the beach and at re-unions will be grieved to learn of the death of Ross Duncan, son of Anice and Frank.

After a long illness following an accident last year, he died on Sunday 17th October, at Castlecrag.

Alice and Frank will know how we all sympathise with them in their tragic loss.

Bert Whillier.

We had been toying with the idea of doing a winter trip out Kanangra way, so when the firm requested I take my holidays earlier, we found ourselves in next to no time aboard the Jenolan Caves bus on Saturday afternoon lst August. We arvived at the Caves House about 2.45 where we were closely questioned by numerous people and last but not least the Manager, none of whom seemed to grasp the fact that a male, woman and a small child of 2 years 4 months, were going to camp out in winter weather for a week in the rough country that lies between Jenolan Caves and Katoomba via Kanangra. Anyway although the Manager was sympathetic he couldn't let us light a fire on the reserve, which extended 5 miles on the Mt. Victoria side and 2 miles towards Oberon. There being no point in camping without a fire we pushed on up the mile hill, which as everyone knows, rises 1,800 ft. in the 2 miles.

Eve had the baby in my “patent not applied for” carrier, which had gunny sacks attached. These contained 2 tins of full cream milk in each sack. The baby weighs about 36 lbs so my wife had all together about 45 lbs. I had 2 1/2 sleeping bags, tent and other gear as well as food for 2 3/4 persons, the whole weight being 75 lbs.

We battled on over the brow of the hill, myself a few hundred yards in the lead, having gone on to look for a camp spot. I passed a house but by the time Eve got there the occupants, the Payne Brothers, had come out and offered us the use of the empty house next door, for which we were very grateful, as it was nearly dark.

Next morning, leaving my pack, we walked back down down the hill, in the light snow, to the caves, where we inspected the Orient Cave. Lynette insisted on walking through herself, and in places where the cave was about 5ft. high, most people had to duck, and to see our hopeful who is no taller than 34“ ducking too, had to be seen to be appreciated. The inspection over, we again climbed the mountain to find snow covering almost everything around.

After lunch we said good-bye to the Payne Brothers and their little grandson, who made us promise to let them know when we got to safety. We had heard that the men working on the Kanangra Road, had left or 3 huts behind them but we had no idea where or how far out these were. However we found the first one about 1 1/2 miles from the turn off and as the time was about 3.45 we decided to stay the night. We busied ourselves getting wood in, Lynnette of course carrying in her little bits of firewood.

Next morning putting our heads out of the door, what a sight, everything was covered under about 9” snow.

“Sand” said Lynnette and out she rushed to play, only to discover that the “sand” hurt her hands.

We were ready to move off at 8 a.m. the road ahead of us a beautiful white carpet and snow still falling. I thought longingly of my skis lying at home, as I trudged heavily along. About every three or four steps I had to give a gigantic kick to knock a ball of snow 3 or 4 inches thick off my heel. My wife at least didn't have that worry but she must have felt very uncomfortable because all Eve wore on the trip was a pair of leather shoes with rubber soles.

The baby presented a queer sight sitting in the pack with the double headed groundsheet covering both her and the wife. We rugged Lynnette up well on these occasions; finding it a good plan to put her in her sleeping bag, up to the armpits and letting her wear two thick sweaters. As we hadn't reckoned on snow, we couldn't let Lynnette walk as much as we intended, as she only had a pair of sandals.

As we trudged on we often surprised a herd of wallabies and saw a few wombat tracks. We came abreast of a hill and looking to the South West along the Hollander's River Valley we could see miles of beautiful snow covered tops. Passing through Cunningham's about 11 a.m. it was too bleak to stop at the old bark hut so we kept on and about 600 yds further on we found another road maker's hut in a nice sheltered position. “This will do” we said, so gladly I dropped my pack and lifted Lynette out of her seat. Lunch over I looked around for a piece of tin to make a sledge but I couldn't find a suitable piece. We pushed on and after hours of hard walking and feeling about all in, we were relieved to see a hut at Morong Creek. This hut is the best on the road, having a wooden floor, four bunks, table and stools.

Next morning with snow still falling I looked for a piece of tin and finding a good piece, I set to work with a will and wired a wooden box to the tin and made a sledge. We put the babe in with just her head showing and she showed her approval by demanding to be dragged all around the hut. I put some of my gear out of the pack in with Lynnette and we set off both pulling the sledge, which slid very easily over the snow. However after about four miles the snow petered out on the road, having been blown off by the terrific wind.

Soon we arrived at Kanangra Walls where icicles 3 to 5ft. long wore hanging from ledges over the cave. We found it too cold and windy on the dancing platform side, so we retreated to the Western side of the small gully where we found quite a comfortable little cave. The baby was very interested in the small birds that constantly flittered into the cave.

Next morning we set off down to the Kowmung and on the narrow neck leading to Scrubby Top we had a severe struggle to keep on our feet and found that we had to hold on to each other. I found myself muttering into my five day old beard an saying some hard things about winds, narrow necks, heavy packs etc.“Anyhow it will be better on Scrubby Top and then we'll soon be down on the Kowmung” I said, “Man proposes and God disposes”. True works as we were to find out, for on getting a footing on Scrubby Top, we found the wind and snow just as bad if not worse. This was the time the baby picked to ask plaintively for Coc-Coc (chocolate) which we carry for her good conduct. I think Lynnette thought I was a cross between Mandrake and a Himalayan porter and that my pack had elastic sides, for the amount of chocolate she asked for even till the seventh day was amazing.

The Kowmung presented a very welcome sight and after walking a few miles downstream we camped near a big pile of driftwood. These piles of driftwood were numerous all the way down the Kowung making it hard going, the Cox was not nearly so bad.

Lynette was now in her glory with the multi-coloured stones that lined the river banks. “Look there is a blue one Daddy, I want that one”. She got a great deal of pleasure out of throwing them into the water to hear the plonking sound. The babe walked and climbed quite a few miles down the Kowmung and up the Cox and Breakfast Creek, always making for the hardest places and climbing like a mountain goat. We arrived at Carlons about 3 in the afternoon, and were fed and cared for in the usual Carlon manner. Carlon's was something quite new to Lynette, who had never seen so many turkeys, fowls and ducks. She crawled under a cow that Mrs. Carion was milking to see where the milk was coming from and why. On Sunday morning about 11 a.m. we regretfully said goodbye to the Carlons and pushed on up Megalong valley and up Devil's Hole arriving in Katoomba to catch the 4-5 train all well and happy, Lynette with apple cheeks and brimming over with good health.

We could see snow clouds still rolling over the mountains out Kanangra way as we left (Kook-a-tooma) (baby talk for Katoomba).

We have since had a letter from the Payne Brothers telling us that never in history has the snow been so heavy. In their own backyard it was 8 ft. deep and on the road down to the caves 2 and 3ft deep.

By uMumbedah“. SnroL3go and I lurched ncrose the road to Harrington's Corner from Katomba Station, and deositilg our groaning rucksacks on the weighing-machine to be found there, fon the e:e)enditure of the sum of 2d. that our respective loads wore 59 and 60 oands. ot deigen to walk out un ,n the road to the Exiorer'c Tree, we w,re comfortably and speedily conveyed thereto by a taxi, and then commenced the lonz. descent to Old Lian Cox via Nellie's Glen and the Six Foot. It ves growing dark when we reached the old hotel cite, and although we understood Harold Chardon's :.e rt: had cone tti on that morning's “Caves”, we could see no sign of them nor any fresh footr-;_nts, so camped forthwith on the firewood on the “far” side of: the creek. Ne:t day, with 43 meals still in our Paddymades, we wended our way slowly downstream resting at frequent intervals as we had tons of time on our h nds (and feet). Late in the afternoon, just below be big bend whore Gibraltar Creek comas in we were overtaken by the worthy Harold, with whom we naturally joined forces, and camned that night at the junction of Little River. It was upon this occasion that I heard Dorothy Lawry first recite her now-famous “hipnonotomus” poem for the first time. Early on the following forenoon, we all climbed the step hills which rise up from Jack Kirby's homestead, and were rewarded with a new and magnificent view of the Dogs. I afterwards learned that this was Bald Hill and that wild goats abound on top thereof, which undoubtedly accounted for our irresistible urge to climb the particular hill. Sproggo and I said goodbye to Harold and his caravan and proceeded once more down the Cox i onle to find, that due to an amaming burst offlergy we-were again overtaken whilst enjoying a late lunch. They waited for Us to finish, and shortly afterwlrds, we came upon a large eagle sit+ing on the grasey bank for no aennent purose. Investigation revealed it was taught in a rabbit-trap, and throwing a ground-sheet over its head, released it, whereupon it just stood and looked at us. A7;,. arently it had been there some time and was about all-in from pain and hunger, Some weeks afterwards I was derided for not having ldaled the bird, and had e, difficult task to convince my friend of the princln3les of the walkers, Once more we had the pleasure of the congenial com-eany of the previous night on the triengelar flat at Harry's River. We had arrived there early and attemnted to find a canp site up through the Canyon, but the winter sun left likely spots damp and chilly. For late May, it was a beautiful night, and the- flat resounded to the harmony of our voices in choir. Here our trails parted, Harold going on down to return to T.;atoomba via the White Dog, whilst Snroggo and I were going up the Jenolan, so on breaking camp the following day we said 4 goodbye and s id we'd sea them in the Club the following Friday fortnight. “S.A.DLY MIST” aaaa a ..a.” It was the first occacion eihr of us had been up the Jenolan and weL e-n/.&d. breakin country thell new to us. We turned up what we rightly judged to 7-!_ro'heh Creek, taking our cue from the blaze on the big casure-le. e.17 e' -w-rion of that watercourse. 7Te he,d been following a very L–o7e t parts of the creek-bed, and just as we topped the 171pil-):1 of beullwes le e the way a few miles up, we received a rude shock to sec a 7iee t beine hu, t.::_aring at us a few yards distant. 7luc1-sac1:s were s1i212cd .eeeera tl,Ite: and jumping aside, we directed a few small rocks at the Le,,:e e: ee r3 rede off u the mountc.:n $1Cl3. Desite his thick neck, buffalo ilern an 11c- ,g%es e-!:trereely nimble -of foot and we were not at e.11 diseleased he 7as a b*t Ir oC.(yer company,,an d t stay foI4 lunch. 14)xbert Ce rlen Lerterw_rds related t(.) IT,') that this szme steer '_ved strayed awzey from hir mob years a:;.os and hed not en ;een Zor a lons time. He creatd a mu:isance by attracting tarea cattle away from,the Cox.' There Was, quite a flow in the stl-eaell and ie kept going until tho rides cloced'in and the. way lay over e nd round moss-covered rocks, very sli,eeeery underfoot, particularly with our7 reeals still loeded up. Into the bargain l light rra iu basan to fall, the m st ol)literatiro-the unl:er parts of tho ridges, so we bLek-treci,:ed to a be-ut-%ful oval-sha-eed flat which opened uee on the crook, bracken-covered, with toerin-g blue gums on the lower slcepes, and a tranquil peacefulness about it. I consf,_der it iF 7(1 suc'l sots as the one described, deer in the mountains, that We ce-el really aj.:-,r,ciate the peace and quietnecs which can only obtain in so child country far from the main trucks, and vihere we seldom tread, except at odd intervals. These are vho –)laces which we ara fiL:htins to preserve for all time, and our keowledge of nam should make u8 we rk harder to have the Greater 7:1u5 Mounta-Ins 1,Tatiol Park a reality, , Originally we intended to make e. dir..,ct assault on Gouougang,. cnd in the club room Myles had talked us. out of doilig so on the grounds of the going being too steep, so we had decided tC make the ascent en the oleosite side of 1-umbedah Ce'4.-c:i to reach the table-laid. - Rolling up the wet tent next a m, we toek a :.long draught of ;,iaterf and reci,oned on our next drink at CunninghLt mis at tea- . tirile, Up, we went, 'LID and t, the very short, steep and not so sweet ride le ,.ding up to oorara Heigl:ts,,whieh axe nothins los- than e. ride-caIwuntain, mearly 'as high as C.keuouge ng, enclos d by the triangle famed by Jenolan River, Lumbedah Creel:, and hacked by the /.flan plateau. We.. came upon a couple of sh=ow sad-Iles a parently winter cattle-camps from the orna.,,.entation, and ;..L.5 we rested th,reon, obtained srand views of the lower Jee:olan, wit:, the Gollougang,Range on the riht.. High up ilumbedah Creek w, coUid make out several Irvtu=Ealls, which we mentally noted to visit - FOM day. The :.;-oieig had boon extremel:ci'steep pert, although Don til l.ber, and to r6cord the 4e de, I took a 1,:hoto'of Sproe;,30 coming u- towards me on all fours. The printed result afterwards made it appear he Was aloeu to tan off on a hundred yards o:)rint at an eelpoTts carnive.11 eeLld I had -co discard the photo in my atemots to iml)ress :z1:1 walking friends of' our e6t. Rain again set in and Yith it crept down a mist weaving-in and out 'the gullies and valleys, nd soon we were envelepo d in its soft LtlC whieh deprived us of furt:eer scenery, and dulled our se2e se of heiht, We haDted for “lun'en'i and lthough we had no we,ter,, lit a fire f(ex. ,company andeenjoyeci c ir S c o preduced from his ca-ece cioUs pack. C,Lery Is to be reco'le,n,Ifef: for “dry” incalc as it contains a feir af,lount of molFture and may be soa c.,..dbefore' lco vine-'6, Then up agein, .'.nd in fifteen minutes. we were ,Ft-ndin's oe. a stony top aad gave vent to a hearty cheer to signify our cOnouust of the M.ount. The mist was now in the pea-souia category .A.. . and visibility was limited to about 30.fet. According to the map, the ridge ran a few points west of seuth-west, about 230, and was connected with the tableland by, aPParently a se ddle-back. There was abundant rocky-outcrcep, r111 on the fault, and ,./h :r it w.- sn't stoney, saplings grew in profusion a recent bush-fire, so that when we PncYLed through them our rucks c]es co_u;ht, end we were sinew red with dri-,ps of the leaves. ;j-ter going a vieLle, we found ourselves losing height without sign of a saddle, so we steyoed and cogitated, peerin eay. and t'.at into the smlid white deathly silonoei 72,7en the rush of the w-ter in Cams Creak had died away and the whole world.6.ee2 to stand ntill, Th re were several likely leads-off which might take us across the elixeiee saddle so we tried them in turn, each time losing height rieeidly and ending ue in the be,dne_ings of groves of tree-ferns, SO WO back-tracked thee and aain only to find it was the seme everywhere. We halted on a little flat with the firewood laid oe, and decided to call it a day, and made camp where, I am certain, no one had coped before, nor since. As the reader is aware, we had no weter, n,r was there any ,possibility of drawing any from the nearest creek, about 10001 below, so in true bush-walking maneer arrane:.ed the Abdul'T” to drain into the bucket. The trees on17 dripped occasionally pith condensed mist, but by half past four we had a bucket a yellowish fluid with a variety of objects floatin:3 therein; mainly from our cam,e-site df the previous ni,:fht, However, nothing loth, we soon knocked tr.) a ne=ican stew (yes, it was obtainable then) and a brew of golden tea and were as happy as sand-boys, After a short debate, unanimous agreement was reached that this would not be a likely popular camping spot, and therefore did not hesitate to have a man-sized after- tea fire without thought of leaving a few logs for the fellow to folloW us, which of course is -art of our code (1). Te w)re forced to the most remote corners of the tent to escape the heat, and had a most comfortable night despite the altitude and time of the year. :le went to sleep wondering what the morrow would bring forth. Peering out in the grey dawn, I beheld a sight which did credit to our navigation of the Previoud day$ insofar that we were ac%ually vazned ON the saddle. I drew Slproggots yawning attention to the matter, and we LID and doing forthwith. Well, we were on the IT= end of the saddle, and observed that it DD dip quite a bit in the centre and therefore it COULD have been mistaken for the beginnings of a ridge leading down to the Jenolan, particularly as we had been unable to SET the further end. We consoled ourselves with the uesument and recorded that we had only been delayed by the inclmency of the weather. There was evidence that this was an old ea le route by the weathered blazes on the trees which continuea almost to Cuntlinghamts; where we stopeed for Tunch. After paSeing men engaged in pulling down trees to “improve” access to the 78_14, we sent the night at T.-.erong Creek, and was it cold'? We expected to wake up to see snow–covered e,..rth in the morn but were only rewarded with rain, We hit the big caTe for a late lunch, very wet and miserable, and after eating, as the rain had sot in good and proper; scoured the neighbourhood for that scarce 0 commodity known as firewood (To be continued) / L1 L. ——–i..,-,—— \\, ( .1' : - 7_ r ef. la AT UUR CITE 1.1EZZI77_17 Three new members were welcomed - Peter Jones, who was admitted last month, Hazel Firth and lob Iouner. It was announced that David McGoffin had ben admitted, but wa.: away in DriOeane. A vote of thanks to Dorothy Lawry was passed, in recognition of all the trouble she has gone to to Prevent the establishment of a sanitary de-,ot on the Warrah swamp. Dorothy, in reply told us the present ;Position, She has, at the re:luest of the Woy Way Council, found an alternative site and is going 12.-D there to show it to the.Council. She said that in any case the Council couldn't go ahead at VTarrah without the consent of the Park Trustees, one of whom was Miss Crommelin. It was poinouncod that Lolilehody had broken the padlocks on our map drawers, though no maps had gone, Bill Hall offered to rePair the damage. Renee Drown said that du torationing and other difficulties arising from th- war, the children's Christmas treat might have to be abandoned this year. It was decided to attempt to or,:anise it and to aop,ply to the Rationing -Commissi,on for the necessary sup lies. Members were asked to save some iPot- r The Bushwalkers1 Services Committee has been very -ctive. The Committee has post d a copy of “Australia 0f2icia1 Handbook and a collection of scenes entitled “Australia” to the lads overseas, so as to help them “to answer some of ]:.1Laggeri1g questions which they are asked by folks on the other side”. Tho Rovor Ramblers' barbecue yielded KL for the Committee, and the S.33.117. Dutch Auction In adCition to the above publications 116 Yo gr-zine s, 116 “Wildlife” magazines c.,.nd 15 letters each cIntaining a photo wore posted in September. FEDERATION' NOTES At the Annual Conference it was recommended that the Federation should wholeheartedly sup-port the Youth Hostels Movement in such matters as active instruction, help and advice; and not limit support to the conservation aspect, as was moved at the Conference by Mr. -1=enyon. The Hon.Secretoxy was instructed to write to the Premier, Mr. congratulating him on his decision to have over a- million acres of Southern F,ITI. dedicated as a Show National Park. At the same time the suggestion was to be made that Trustes to manage the park should be appointed as representatives of interested bodies for short terms instead of an individuals for life. In connection with the -oroposed Tlue Mountains National Park the Conservation Bureau suggestes that throe Wilderness Areas should be advocated as follows: 1.-Cox's River country from F.Teakfast Creak to Cedar Creek or - Ko:duml5a. Creek. 2. The Taue Labyrinth betwon the 17arragamba River and Bedford and Glenbrook Creeks, from the Kings Tableland Road to Lmu Plains, 3, The Wentworth Creek country from Linden Creek to the 1,1t flay ridges. G These recommendations Were endorsed ad the Hon.Secretcl r- was instructed to write conveying them to the flue 1.:ountains Shire Council as sonsors of the proposed park. _ THE LIDD.ARY Many members rrobably don't realise that we have in the Club one of the c'h—..apest libraries in town and one in which you will, probably be able to read ,Y-c d new books long before' you would stand a chance of getting them out of an ulliary library. Here aro the rules. ,”The Librarian may purchase any book when nine Devole sign a petition for its purchase and /Day a fortnightly gubscription in advance. It shall be th, duty f the ,,proDosor of the book to collect the subscrilDtiOns and,hand,them to the librarian, Non-fiction boks of interest to walkers are to be 1Yurchased by the librarian whe4 five pponle sign a petition and pay a f ortnightly subscription and the Committee votes the balance of the purchase price. The Committee shall :ziot, in any period of six months, vote more than E2.10.0 for the purchase of-such bor:iss, The charge for new books shall be ld. per fortnight (or' part thereof). per 2/6 (or p rt thereof) of the book's purChaso price.. The charge for books at pres,nt in th,.library '(that ,is at 'tho time of the formulation of these regulations) shall be ld. for the first fortnight and 2d. per wk thereafter,“ This means that if you want to read anz ho 1r all you have to do is to colloct a fortnight's subscription from 13- others and band'their names 'and subscriDtionsi together with your own, to the Librarian. If th, bonk is popular it will take about 10 minutes to do this. If the book is non-fiction and of interest to walkers (e g. Elyne Mitchell's “The Australj, n ;Al'Ds” you need only collect four other naals and subscriptions) If you do this you will be the first to have the books. I have done this for a couple of books I wanted to read and had no difficulty whatever in getting the necessary subscribers. And when the bo,k is bought it is there for good for You, or any other member, to read.

.41 il BIRTH H. M. Green 1. heard. a voice in the night, the green night, the warm ni,ht; “Take, for the earth wake's; hear its birth.”, I listendd,an4 hark, through' the thick, dark, the quick dark, I heard the green sprouts sprouting all over the earth. AS I crept, soft-step,)ed, while the world slept. Lo, from her grey dream., heavy and cold Earth broke, and the hills wolp and the plains woke., And out of the swelling seas in the east, light rolled Then like a child the day smiled and the year smiled, and my heart smiled, For over the tomb of buried gloom 0 Spring ran wild, AS I 1.7AS SAYETG Mr. and Mrs. Charles FL:afe have been promoted to PAREITTS. Reason for such promotion being the arrival of a son. to their establishment. We would U'Le to take this op-?ortunity while congratul-eting them on this hae:e2y event thanking them and Alice Wyborn for the hard work the- do for the magazine behind the scenes. These hard working people have the unenviable job of Roneo-ing the pages ever: month on an old and crank. machine. We have men the machine and are convinced it is a conecientious objector. Further additions to the junior section of the Bushwalkers. A daughter to the Iredales, Ken and 1:,erle, and to Jr,2: Mrs. Edgar Yardley also a daughter. The buf:h is reeing to be pretty crowded in about twenty years time. We hadn't seen L:ay 13oyd in the club for some months so were pleased to renew our acuaintance with her whet she came in the other night. She has married lately and is no- Mrs. Jack Simpson, Now this is off her mind we hope to see her more often. Another lass to join the mareied women's union is Joyce Henhedy WeJ., havenit soon Joyce lately to extract any informi ltion from her so we can't tell you his name. Was it malice aforetheureht that prompted the Social Committee to stage a “Back to Childhood” party the other night. (77e had better be precise, Friday the 22nd) or hadn't they thought. The resUlts were quite starling, Some people thought, ae;arently that the addition of a bow, or shall it be beau, was sufficient to trans,eort them back to those so called happy days. Some leaped back and others crawled back to childhood. For instance, there was one costume that simply shrieked for attention but we took the :Lind view that it was meant for camouflage, So 11 Rapunzel certainly let down her hair, gorgeous ,laits they were too, Mit as we left rather early in the evening we don't know if anyone took advantage of the offer. Jean West was a bewitching child with an enticing view of gingham bloomers, or bloomer, as the trouble seemed to be confined to one leg. The men found it harder to get back to childhood. They couldn't kid us or themselves, and we were almost sure that the exponents of the “Jitterbugging” is that right? would be thrown into the press seats but no luck. There seemed to be a lot of energy going to waste there, Haven't they heard of Bushwalking? We are now looking forward to the Back to second childhood party, w1.411. we hoe to be well to the front. 9 12. a a a a . a _a a a aa a a 0 ao a a am. ma… a. a a a a a a um. a a r..-+ b. later editions of that “tooic magazine” The Sydney Bushwalkeo. rot 'heing a Shakespeare, I'm afraid that it is be ond my power to adequately put my feelings into writing. All I can say is, that it is wonderful to feel th,ot I have not bean forgotten my “civi street adventurers” and that Pm onl_y looking forward to the do- when we will be able to go on those walks tcgenes again. It brings back. many sweet memories when I read the earlier edi'elens of theS.1.3.W, and sets no “adreaminl of the days when this ruddy war is ovo2, At present we are came)ed in a Ver7 pretty spot, surrounded by bush which looks very beautiful all dressed for sering. All is very quiet and life is a weo bit slow and quiet but we are luckY in that we have plont of work to do and the time flies almost unnoticed. Ahl there goes Light s Out”, so I guess it's time to see; che-rio- for the. preoent and thank you ogain for all the magazines etc. Happy Bushwolking to all, I'll be seeing you. R.H.Smith 19th October 1943. Adv. L.H.W.Sigs. It is with regret that I cannot find sufficient time to suitably reply to yout frequent parcels and reading matter. I can only say that I a: reciate your work immensely, and I must admit that the most eejoyable reading matter that I get, are the magazines from you and an occasional ” Into the 13lue“ from my Sister. S. Mail just in. Another-S.2).a. Thanks again. Bill Burke 7th October 1943. You can consider yourself exceptionally lucky in getting this latter. Was rieht out of paper with prospects of further supplies exee otionally bleak when a couple of War Correspondents strolled through the ward. This is part of one of their notebo No doubt by this time my name will have occupied a line in the leading dailies. Nothing to it actually, mv little guardian angel got lost in the jungleThmd while he was absent the Jai took the oportunit- of landing a mortar a bit close 'cc:5 me. Heard it fired; but my hole wasn't up to its usual high class standard - was :out down rather hastily - and me- long legs would insist on sticking out the end. Just far enough to catch a bit of mortar shrap at the back of the knee. To quote the medical word “D.Wel left knee, track ae)pears to be superficoal”. We were in a bit of a hot snot at the time; he got five out of the six in the section. killed my best :al with M.G. fire, but only slightly wounded the other thr e. The: are already back with the lads. My only regret is that I didn't put my brand on enough of them; however, the company attended to that the following day; just tore straight into them, killed over sixty and would have ijot the rest only they were too fleet of foot. Getting the wounded out u-.) this wao,' is a pretty filthy show. I was in the battalion R.A.P. for 23 hours before I could be evacuated as the-: had to wait for a jeep track to be cut through to us. At that we were lucky; the majority of us expected to s-.2and at least another day there. Can't say I enjoyed the stay as he was still dro7Ding mortars around the area - one landed in the middle of the R.A.2, which,meo nt that we all had to lie in holes in the ground with the dirt falling in:at the slightest movement. It's a funny thing that, one can lie in all the filth in the world for weeks and not notice it; get wounded and you develop a passion for cloanliness. T saw one chap so badly wounded he died within the hOur and 7et the filth on him was all that worried him. The e. eat moment dawned at last, how over, * one of the orderlies just slung inc over his shoulder and the first stage of my trip commenced. L:TTRSPECEIV..iD FROT:j. TEE LADS AND LASLIS Letters were received this month from:- Arthur Austin..,. S,B.W. Ted R.H.Selith ,Rucksack Bill Burke….. ……………. …S.B.W. Jean Ray 4 .. 4 .. 4 ne e7- Gentle writes frm an island “somewhere in. the Pacific”. “There are mountains on this island more than twice the height of “Key”, In my locality I have been,on a hike in off duty hours. By followino a Dr:W road up a range higher than Guouogang I reached the present ternination and then continued the climb u-o a ridge along a real jungle trail. It was illeemparably gloomy, even on the naroow ridge, and the unfamiliar timbers were interolingled with Eandanus Palms entwined with giant creepers, Strqnge ferms formed a. background to brilliantly coloured butterflies. I haven't yet seen the world- bico..est butterfly (troides Alexandrae). which inhabits the island, but those alreody seenewould rival those of Brzil. As for re-)tiles I h even't seen a crocodile yet, nor have I seen the gree] tree snake or the brown tree snake, the death adder or the taipan, the latter being the second largest venemous snake on earth. I don't want to see or feel any reptiles and as for the fauna, the bush rats are most troublesome We have tried ingenious ways of traoing them and when the right method was found we caught 35 in our tent in three nights. Rats are considered dangerou; here because they carry a buthh mite known as “Trombicula Minor” res:eo:Isible for scrub typhus. - The mosquitoes are not really had here because the swamps are frecluently sprayed with Lalariol. However we keep our bodies well covered at niht, as a precaution. Arthur Austin 15th October 1943. _Today I received a copy of the July _ _ . _ _ , is uo of the 23ushwolker for which I am truly grateful. It cheers one up to read of the news from the members. You will notice by the above address I am in New Guinea once again. This time ex,eeriencing a much nicer climate than be-ore. Strange eo say the scenery is really magnificent, At present where I am stationed remind,:, one of our tr2ical Blue Mountain country. You ca': rest assured I do as much walking as,possible and really enjoy it. >T.hope to be able to contact Les Douglas before retuTitin,g to the mainland also a few more of the lads whilst moving about. I hear regularly from George ircher and Bil: Cawood who have not had such a fortunate time as I, but true to the real Ause ie spirit are bearing up well as -P.C).';]. We are all looking forward to those happy days which were so enjoyable in the past and perhaps it will not be long before we are enjoying all those happy times again. Many thanks for the publication s_nt in the past and my sincere regards to all melebers of the Services Committee for their great efforts. Words can hardly express appr-ciation for their untiring work in keeping reading matter up to the lads awaY. Regards to all my friends in the club. 4 Ted Paterson - 16th October 1943. Todao- I received another magazine from you I'm afraid I don't write to you very often to express my sincere aeopreciation of the way in which you have constantly kent me sup-)lied with the earlier and YOUR SOCIAL CALENDAR for NOVENDER and DECEMBER 13, 4 J 7ovember 26tda z:ovember Mr. Leelio Ho,ynee will lecture on “Western RaLiblings. Several Ongit plays are being produced in'the Club Room and you are invitc;d to enjoy them. 21st December Xmas Party (Tull details will be given in next icue.

(:-, @ (.-) U .. YOUR OPT OKETRIST C C C d F. G 0 0 D-M A N, hi I ,, 0 (0 . . . OP:i.'ONETYZIST ATD OPTICIAN Q _-.. ,,L) 0 @ 20 Hunter Streets 22y s1.11.27. -. , -..)

C Tel. B3438. - Q 6 @ - , 1 Modern Methods of Eye Ex=in-ation and Eye :Training 0 :;. ., Co,roful Spectacle Fitting. 0 @ 0 @ f,..2 , L! C Fixing an a7-)c ntmet will facilitate the reservation of ,,,, .._, C: 0 time for givin2;.you -))ro-:?er attention, but should you be ,(1) unable to ring us beforehand, your visit will be we2come at anytime you may choose to call. fl C.L.W(.:.'1.`c,:. .30,-,..a,c1.::,…_ ,, iL ;_,L…-., , ::'. ___…(…2.'-a._':-AT.', :::r.::_:.,…cj:-L-…_ _.. Q ,:”.–,' _:. ;:.:-.-g:' _?..1;:.1,'.a d2 Ih:t177.ers Want Weights Weduced. At least cone do a-ad some iralhers (like sailors) don't care. Th:: ones don't care are usually big hefty fellows with hairy chests and lumpy Ls and strangely eough the littliest frailest slips of girls who Laily disa-,1pear beneath a bulging pack. Lost walkers however make atteupts of varying degrees intensity to Jr-duce weight. There are various methods. One is the “bludging” way. The “bludgers” take practically nothing or even less on a trip. If it rains, some kind soul has a spare groundsheet and room in a tent. Zeals are a problem and it in as well for these people to have at least subsistance rations on the princi7le of the blind beggar who, puts a penny in his tin to act as “burley”. Of course no real bushwalker would act thus. Or would he? The other extreme is one who encourages “blidgers” the “just in case” type who totes along an entrenching toca, an axe, a saw and a coil of rope just in case. Weight is an insidious thing. It won't stay put. As with Peace, the ,):ice of a light pack is eternal vigilance. In the first place a light pack is the result of a good deal of experiment and elimination by the tedious method of trial and error. It is not much use saying to Paddy “Listen Paddy, I'm sold on this lightweight racket, make up a lightweight outfit for rae”. Of course you might get a fairly lightweight set of gear that way, but the really truly lightweight outfit must be tailor made round an individual, For instance, some folks are so kee:-., on saving avoirdupois that they will put up with a tent that is such a tight fit that they've got to be poured into it; whereas others suffer from a sort of tentophpbia and must have lots of head and elbow room, Again a person will' have everything super-ooper exce-)t the Rucksack which must be “good and strong.” Dut having Lchievs=d a lightweir:ht outfit our camper must still be on his guard against such items as heavyweight towels, super sandshoes, and other gadgets. And even Paddy has been known to put a heavyweight patch on a lightweight rucks,-_ck. PADDY PALLIN, 327 George Street tPhone B3101. SYDNEY CAN.? G.-.1.LR FOR WALKERS.