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. TIM SYDNEY BUSHWALKER A monthly Bulletin devoted to matters of interest to The Sydney-Bushwalkers, 5 Hamilton Street, Sydney. No.109. JANUARY, 1944. Price 4d. Editor: Clare Kinsella Production: Yvonne Rolfe Asst, Grace Jolly Ast. -Alice Wyborn Bus. Manager: Alex Colley SUbscriptiens: 'Marie Kinsella CONTENTS
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The Ski Enthusiasts 4.1 By One of Them 2 Grey Day at Sea .00 “ M..Bacon 7 Our Own Meeting. 041, 0., 8 :Federation Notes . 0*.c. 9 'News and Views 10 Some Notes on North Sea By Alex Colley 11 Letters from Lads and Lassies 12 In this, the first issue of 1944,..we have-to announce further'changes for The Sydney Bushwalker.” ' In the last quarter of 1943, the Division of Import Procurement cut dOWn our paper ration. ' ,As, the result of an appeal, 17 lb. of the cut was restored but werare still below our old quota. In order to have as much si pace as possible for Walks Articles and Club Affairs we have appealed to our two regular advertisers, Paddy Pallin and Goodman Bros who have kindly consented to advertise every two months arid three months respectively,. instead of monthly. This will mean a considerable loss, of revenue apart from the fact that the advertisements are always read with interest. We thank both the advertisers for their support-in the past andqhope that the time is not too far away when their advertisements will once again al)pear regularly. Owing to an increasing demand for subscri-Dtions to the magazine, it is regretted that new one cannot be accepted from any but club membeins. Subscxibers now number 90 and have increaqed by 'sixteen ui the lz-,,st six months, Present subscribars however may renew their subscrirAions when they fall due. , “ 0 2. THE SKI ENTHUSIASTS .33y___ One of Them. To Ski enthusiasts the first keen wind of winter says “Ski Heil” and the end of April or early May, finds them facing up to their bosses (and tljeir bank aics) with a determined glint in the eye. Early May found me with the glint in my eye all right but being completely tied up, could do nothing about it until the nd of August, when the opportunity came suddenly and I surprised a friend into coming with me, giving her two days to get ready. And what days: Skis to be dug out, bindings re-waxed, boots waxed, minor repairs to stocks etc. and it wasn't until we actually sank into a welcome seat on the Cooma mail that we took anything like a relaxed breath. With a big day ahead, sleep was our greatest need, We quickly sized up the position in the carriage. Three scho,-,lboys - two women (us). Just a push-over. With a little straight out hinting at the perils to be faced on the ice bound alp, we soon had 3 small boys voluntarily cramped together on one side of the carriage, and two very tired young women tried to stretch (?) out on the other, No good. Couldn't get comfortable myself, so I took my pack and my sleeping bad onto the luggage rack, where I soon composed myself for sleep. And as for the bitter drafts straight from approaching snows playing about my ears, and the lurching and side slipping of the train, why I hardly noticad. them at all…..really I didn't. Sleep was mine until Bungendore, when the sudden glaring of the light announced an invasion. Very still I lay watching, through the cracks of my couch, the newcomer settle in, A sweet faced Nun on her way to Bega, I soon gathered. I also began to gather the life history of the Joey's boy she talle.::d to. Very trying. Tom Brown's Schooldays at two in the morning is a bit thick you know - so I raised myself precariously onto one elbow and intimated politely but firmly I'd like the light off. That poor Fun - luggage rack sleepers are not of her world I fear, for she looked as though the Palsy was upon her. However she was very swee, clicked off the light and lire settled down once more. You can't keep a small boy down though. No Sir: Six-thirty and still many miles to go, found the kid determined to get on with his life story, so Frances and I deciduc. to rise and shine, ready for the road. Sleepily we rubbed at the frosted windows and were 'thrilled to see that the train was actually running through snow covered leadJ.o(*s. This was good news. Our skiing seamed assured. Not so good was our late arrival at Cooma. We'd lost an hour somewhere overnight and this meant less daylight at the other end. However we did not come away to worry and after a good breakfast in blithe and happy mood, we took ourselves onto the bus, and here our tranquil anticipation of the Perfect Holiday almost died within us, for we had The Encounter with the Pessimist No.1 of our age: (but a very learned gent mind you because didn't he impress on us that he knew everything?) who took it 0 upon himself to find out how little (he hoped) we knew about skiing, and on wor aw rwvw..O..wMe.I.,…waoNM.rprIP…………. Little or no evidence began to wax nasty on the Tourist Bureau allowing the inexperienceed and ill-equipped to wander alone on the snowfields! Sex him: Self control is a laudable thing you know and we ueed plenty, Vulgarly I wanted to brag of my friends prowess, gaine& ey a lifetime- of Continental ski-ing. (Do you think sub-consciously I Could have known the sight of Frances schussing the cornice at the Chalet was going to be an awful shock to him). Instead we. endured passively our frond 'e intentions (Proclaimed to the bus-load generally) of “flogging us through' to the Hut in one hop,” 0 We learned coming home he'd been nick named “The Flore”:0” by the Ieet of the passengers), As we had never intended to go further than 8mns the first night, by means of a lot of dark and dirty look e we mange to agleee that our best plan was to ignore Sourpuss and concentrate on tl;o blizzard we'd hoard was blowing on top, and this we did. The snow line this year extended for over two miles thdee side of the Hotel._ A-glorious sight, Plains of deep crystal snow stretc:hin41; for miles. Where the bele dropped us a colourful little sled, horse drawn, was waiting to pick up our packs, but we were delighted to find room aboard for us, We could have skied: but somehow you can't drive on a. ,iled every Saturday afternoon. Anyhow shadows Were lengthening and time was precious. At the Hotel we were given a light meal - soup, cream and honey on bread, lovely pudding (all of which I did not eat, more fool me). Refuelled we were ready for the Grand Push. It was two yee_rs since either of us had skied but we soon settled down to a comfortable lungeing pace which we kept up unceasingly through the white afternoon. As far as the eye could see snow and more snow. All the familiar landmarks of the previous summer were completely obliterated. None of the lovely tumbling creeks were showing, none of the bunchy heather, all were lost under feet of snow - and how we loved it. The blizzard, which had increased as we climbed, had almost hidden a sinking sun, when we pushed open the door of “Smii:;3e”. Desolation greeted us within. Four tiny pieces of firewood, seemed all the wood available and the taps were frozen, Why did we leave home? We were assessing the fors and against when Gent of Much Wisdom caue-ht up with us, but since he had nothing helpful to say (and did nothing helpful to get us any wood) we decided to make the most of it and go hungry to bed, not before encouraging him to push on to the Hut and get himself lost in the dark, Despite the cheerless beginning we enjoyed our night alone in Smiggins. We put on all the clothes we had With us, even gloves and head scarces, and climbed like two over-fed cocoons into sleeping bags, where we gossiped (confidentially of course) until a telephone on the wall of our boudoir ( have you been to Smiggs?) frightened the life out of us, Would we get up? if so which one of us? That was a tricky question to answer. So we let it ringI discussing what it could possibly be, Gent of much wisdom vac at the camp?,..,So what? Gent of Muoh Wisdom was not at the Camp - so whPi?. We waited to see if it really persisted and since it didn't, decided the Hut was the richer for a new soul and turned over and went to sleep. -.,……………r……………… ..e.-… We were afoot early next day since them was no breakfast to cook area took to our skis Ln a morning, sunny for the moment, but we feared, in capricious mood. Chewing dates and loaf sugar for suetenance we mounted to the Perisher Plain where the blizzard really hit us. It was heavy going. Visibility was mostly two snow pies and the wind so strong I was actually pleased I had a pack to stop inc taking off, We were feeling b7 this very hungry, However every step brought us nearer FOOD and this thought spurred us on until in a surprising burst of watery sunshine, though Piers Gala, we spotted the Hut. Well, malnutrition or not, we made it. Taking off our skis we sterned down off the packed snow into our Holiday Home, interested, for the moment, only in Food, and here we took it on the chin. Slowly through bliezard soaked brains we began to understand that the Hut was almost out of food. They'd been blizzard bound for three days and George Day had been unable to make the run with his dog team, That was that! No us,; grumblins. Our fa:1_2_0w guests were sympathetic and fed us for the moment on tea and bread and honey. Very welcome mind you, but a poor substitute for a juicy beefsteak. The initial shock over, we bega: to settle in. Despite our trip up we took to the blizzard again in the sfternoen. On a well covered slope partly sheltered from the wind, we got down to some practice. This is, I did, while my friend yelled instructions to me …“Bend your knees more…, skis together….,.no don't fall over - it is not necestary.” (That's only what she thinks). It was only when the light began to fade that we decided to call it a day and get in, Dinner that night was a frugal one. Everyone could have eaten three times as much but the little food we had was carefully rationed. After talking a while with our fellow hut dwellers, we left the cosy warmth of the kitchen and wended out way along a corridor white in spots with driven snow (driven through the cracks and crevices in the walls and roof) and so to bed. Des-Ate the wind howling in ghoulish fashion round the sturdy little hut, getting to sleep was esy really. If we started up at the machine gun rattle of an icicle as it blew across the tin roof, we'd so-n forgotten it to wonder about the dull, unearthly thud under our window - just a drift settling down fgrthe night. And if course the laughilv gurcle of running water (the bane of all ski huts) and the hiss of the kitchen tap were just nothing at all. Morning came - three of them in fact - but why they bothered T don't know, They were all no murky we could easily have done without them. Since however we'd come to ski - ski we did. In a sheltered valley stemmed and christied (and fell). In the driven swirling mist we ran dooee the timbered slopes of the Paralyser. Visibility was very -poor certainly, but it added that element of risk, which makes all skiing exciting. P A daily trip to the Chalet wai:: eseential, for me eeuld obtain fresh milk from the caretaker, SO we'd all troolp over to cell on him, blizzard or no. On Sugarloaf the wind became so strong at times we actually had to pole downhill. Alwlys we arrived at the Chalet wibh eyebrows br-Istling with ice and our fronts frozen ard crackl.-ng. The sight of Jack piazza waiting by the oaken door of the ski room, smiling broadly in weIcome, was eaweys a great lift up, and the warmth of the kitchen range was scarcely warmer than his friendliness, Good old Jc'K! Full of fresh eiilk and renewed en er7 w2'd set off for home, this time with the blizzard behind (?): With :,rms -outetretched and by sitting a little into the wind we'd be blown alon,s at little cost to ourselves, On the third night the camp 0,-,terinT hit a now higa in epicurean delight., From the bones of chvs eaten several he.:ere (by others) 0 and since rescued from the do tin, our inenious cook ('tie said she's closely related to a S.P..) concocted a delectable stew, thick and wholesome-looking with PORRIDGE, and odd scree of valuable kitchen refuse(as if there'd be any,) On this, we and our indigestion went a-burping to bed, (no aspersions at the cook mind you) wondering -,hat the morrow would bring - death by starvation - or George Day in a dog team? Well it brought a complete breakdown of the cisterns (joys of skiing not mentioned in the handbook) first, then George Day and Food, and finally a breal:_ in the weiether. Never mind the weather for the monent. Let's talk of food. Tinned soup, fruit, milk, tongue were other delicacies. The Hut, (and its inmates) smiled again, and, since the food problem was under control, turned to the weather. Thursday dawned ideal for the Main Range. We were afoot early. Remarkable the amount of dithering around there is to get a crowd out for the day. Eventually the route decided on and our 1.eader (self selected variet7) settled, off we went. Aftel, the blizzard the very stillness was a joy. Add to to-is, golden sunlight and perfect snow and you have the setting for oUr day. We climbed the Buck Paralyser (there seems to be some doubt if this is the correct name) and prepared for the run down the back to Pounds Hut. Dirty big and little trees seemed to be forever in the way, but Whet fun. The sight of my dark haired friend in a blue windjacket, white gloves, swinging into graceful christies was worth coming for. At Pounds we sto,-ed only for a breather and to remove a few clothes, re7,.dy for the ea:1.mb on to Twynam. It was a long 7o id arduous climb (ee.,ecially for me as Strettococci had me by the throat) but worth it foc fhe unbelievele be.:uty of thc! Lain Range, unfolding ice white areund us, the hijner we climbed. Visibility from the top was perf ct. Geehi, deceo, secret, could be loeeed into. Back off the range the of Yunyang Vellel:y beckoned and Townsend - what is it about te,tt Mountain? Its lovely scePg;ey tons glistening white and majestic against an iris blue sky could never be forgotten. Its neighbour Koeciuski, although im-oreseivEil loses auch a lot by comparison, Te stood absorbine; all this until a small patch of cloud in the north began to froth into something bigger. Time to go. The run down over dean ice waves - skava I think you call it - demanded steadier skiing than mine, but I schuss-boomed (mostly boomed!) with what 6. ……..- enjoyment a terrific thirst -L,nd a red-hot reeiratory system woul allow. I took time off from my troubls to thrill ove a echues, hang onto a frozen flat of the Blue Lake,. ,,here onlv. a few m.(71q1 ago I'd been swimming. The country here w,:'s familiar, des-eite its winter's coat, and I felt very friendly to. ards it. On the descent to the Snowy I have nothing to report, except out of sheer weariness I began to turn better than ever before. Once to the left, heavens: again to the right, and kept it up till I was down to the River, This run made the day for Inc. After the river which we s],.ied across, we still had Guthrie to climb and Charlottes Pass to run down and it was a very worn litle party w to straggled into (Lek's kitchen to soak themselves in 0-)ed honest tea. The trok home was made in darknese. Six pairs of skis slipping along in a world of sound. Nearing the hut, a crescent moon came up, giving a faint sparkle to the snow. All very lovely but we had had it for one day, and were i;lad to tale our exhaustion off to bed. My holiday really ended there. Septic Tonsilitis had set in and any strength I had stored did the right thing by me and got me down to the Hotel on Satur. ay. Another ride in the sled, a drink amongst friends at andabyne, dinner at Cooma, a slow train trip and I was home, and in bed - for a week. What a fool. to spend a holiday skiing wl,n 1 could've been in bed all the time. Yet when a solicitous nurse stood over inc with a thermometer and a bottle of Dream Juice, all I could croak for war' a calendar. Let me see, this is September, now if I go in early July next time, I won't have to wait the full yeelr before I can do it d.,;.ain! Although a nice big husband laden with sue r baRs of food might be an idea for next tine. A woman wrot.. to the cceretary of the London Zoo, Professor Julian Huxley, dc.11orin the situation at Monkey Island. The bare roliks, ehe said, were baked so hot by the sun that the baboona could not sit down without being singed. For their relief, the woman offered to knit drawers. 7. “GRE1 DAY AT ERA” by M. Bacon. In mid November, three of us camped at Eta Bes ch. Sunday dawned, but only just. It was cool and grey with prospects of showers, so instead of spending the day languidly lying on the sands, we three decided to walk over to Audley, and what a reward we had for our trip! The Era Valley was a rich green after the recent rains. The Junel:,, Tr-.c1( was nearly a tunnel. The yellow Godenias were very prolific. In the open park-like spaces above', the evil smelling, but deliriously beutiful, evening Primrose lay with its chrome yellow blossoms nearly 3“ acress, the dark red stalks twining snake-like under the glossy green leeves. On the track from Maynard's, the small golden flowering broom fell in cascases from 8-ft. high, almost to the road level, An occ sional pool mirrored the falling -bellow and the tiny bloseoms floated on the surface. The gum tips in some parts ranged from rose pink to madder, bronze cox.,s3r, mecoon, with occasional jabs of scarlet where tlaey el;re ssainot the lis;eht. The long oval and sickle shaped leevos with the bluish silver :ewder on thim w,re tisped by almost crimson now shoots. It really was a be_utiful sight and w011 worth the 900-ft. climb. From the Garie Rood we followed the l'Ittamola Rod elore: the Ridge. First the park-like treJs with Grevillias in grey, scarlet or pink, were still showing the last blooms of the season, A little further on we came uDon a small clump of Eriottomon Daphnoides, Its Star-like flowers were touched with rich pink. Dsphnoides when growing, nearly always looks like a bridal bouquet just waiting to be picked up and carrisd to the Altar. Ray decided that we must branch off on to the left for South West Arm Creek. Soon we were through battle scarred ground, or should I rather say, practice for battle scarring. Here and there were small craters where exploded shells had spattered the country with mud - the small flowers blasted from the perimeter - pieces blown off some of the rocks, furrows dug by missiles. An occasional limb torn from the trees was further evidence of battle practice. Soon this gave way to a foam of creamy lace thrown over the tops of plants, herbs, grasses and the early seed pods of the Pultinias, Dilwinnias and Com13holobium. This Comasperms lace was from lit to 2' high and covered several acres - Its lovelinese increasing by accentuating the other plants beneath it. Even the brown grasses took on an added joy. Edna discovered a patch of native roses smothered in bloom, the bushes about 3ft. high. She urged that we should take a long deep breath of its keen, fresh scent, perhaps the last for the year. These were perfect, spcimens the full clusters of bright pink nodding quietly from their beautiful stems. Both the stems and the leaves gave the strongly serrated effect from which Boronia Surrulata takes its name. Climbinc down some rocks we found clumps of ionidiun. This is s close relation to the Violet but it has lost all its petals oxceot one which is abo8t7-3on long, oval, and light blue. Ionidiun always looks like a fowl who has been through a strong. wind storm and all the petals h.).ve eeen blown off except this one, more hardy than he rest. We crossed over the creek wh,re a slid in sil .rolds 15ft into the clear pool below, Tr,.)1:1 7aov(31 the 21:t noole Ia th s-ndotone mirrored the richly coloured ',anks with th_if I)roft,oior of and H-re the Comasperma reminded 'as of tiric! at th,, h2-d of1Dyilio Hole when we otood and admired the no it n-.11on snow Eu27-Jnded ahoy. th., p;round, c9ught in the meshes of the bird cesse ferns. On South West Arm Creek, giant Gyme-Ls with their heads of rich crison flowers 10 and 12ft, above their clump of green swords, welcomed usliseeminly like so many torches already lit for a festival. Here also, the Borbnia Frazerii was growing 8-ft high and cov red in a haze of soft pink. Edna discovered a flannel flower plant growing on an embankment. Perhaps in was the good soil, or sunlight, or the good drainage, but we stopped and counted - it had 70 blossoms each tipped with its pale green point, and its grey foliage giving no sign of ageing decay, but rather the vigor of its snow white bloseoms - A lovely bush. Further along the banks of the road, were more of the I, roet-me-not-like Dampierias and here and there the purplish heads Sowber. Golden Isoeoson, its round drum sticks not yet formed but in thAr 3lace th. ,lden stamens protected by their ring of tough green leoves, The golden gravel, the gum ti-os, the wet rocles, the blue Dar:looieri,48 and the ever present songs of the hire, the driing of the rain, the greyness of the skies and the intensity of all the colours, m-lce our “zrey day at Era” a day we will often recall, AT OUR OWN METING Three new members, Jock Whitford, Gordon Ballard and Roger Temperley were w loomed. A letter was received from the Red cross saying that Bill Cawood, who was a P.O.W. in Germany is being repatriated and is now in Germany. It has been decided that the proposed sanitary depot site at Warrah will not be constructed, the present depot to be enlarged instead. In answer to a request from the Club, the Police Dept. said that police could pateol the streets only and could not attend to the inside of the building in which the Club Rooms are situated. The Presidnt had informed Jack Debert of the need for provosts and two had appeared in the building the following week. A petition is being made up to the Premier to enact legislation to erohibit the sale of wildflowers. Ray Birt is organising the collection of signatures. The Era Subcommittee reported that the owners of lot 7 hove acre d to sell subject to the Treasurer's consent and with a reservation tht they hove the right to depamture cattke for a period of twelve months from the date of completion of the sle. The purchase money is 350 and a deposit of Z50 has been paid. The Subcommittee recommended that: A subcommittee be appointed to administer the area. T2h-,t the property be vested in the S.B.W. Club trustees and that a constitutional amendment be passed enablir the trusts to deal with real or personal property in their names as directed by the Club in General Me:tintL by a resolution passed by ci three- quarters majority of IE.embrs 'prz,,s nt lnd That if th land iL sold at th, wish of the Club the proceeds shall :To to the Club for conv,:rs,-.tion pur)oses, but that any donor may have his prolortion of the proc,:ds of th,J s le returned if claimed within, three months of final p?.y/vnt by the purchaser. That money be collected to cover both the cost price and improvements to the land. 9. Edna Garrad is receiving gifts to. ards the purchase of the land and paying it to the Treasurer, including the C100 of Club funds voted towards the purchase, gifts had been promised or received to the value of ,Z306. These included at least two donations from members away in the Services. Over 100 in addition had, been promi,oed as loans. The recommendations of the Sub committee were endorsed. It was suggested that should the land be resumed or sold the money should be paid into the Club funds, to be used for any purpose the Club thought fit. Marie Byles advised that thiwould not be legal, as under the trust the o oneev would have to be devoted to a purpose as close as possible to t.:eAt for IT.)hich it was originally donated. The President drew attention to the teed for 4) policing the area It was decided to request the Federation to w:eite to the Water Board, pointing out the urgent need for conservation measure2 to prevent soil erosion in the Warragamba:cateleent, if it was iiitnde to construct a dam. The Walks Secretary0asked members to come forward az2d offer to lead walks in the next prcefratile period. Myles Dunphy told us that the land along Heathclte Creek. is to be reserved, but that we may still be 11,1e to retain Morella Karong. He told us quite a lot about the Al'oine.Reserve, but does not want to be “reported.'1. FED=ION NOTES The water Board has'advised that access to the Warragamba Dam will probably not be stopped. Correspondence with the Military and the T-Jands Department, bac resulted in the release for sale of the South Eastern Tourist District and the. Blue Mountains and Burra5;orang Maps. It was resolved to write to the Department of Post-War Reconstruction in Housing Committee drawing attention to the no,Jd for adequate parks and mens of access to Bushland for all towns and settlements. It was resolved to write to Bulli Shire Council asking for a uniford policeman to patr61, the North Era as indeoent conduct by a group of youths has been reported. Jean Harvey has boe g., elected advertising manager for 1944. T A roster of bushwalkers willing to spend one week-end a month har- vesting is being made. Payment is on a piece”-work basis. The L.S.O. is rc.:- -ceiving a minimum of 2/- in the Tuggie and Morrie Berry are taking names of volunteer. The secrat of bein tiresome to, tell elrrything V7,1taire,
00.-7.0 NEWS AND VIES ..1..RIN -MY YMM,-.1MOIN SPECIAL ANNOUNCCMRNT. The Butler Production Company announce the early release of ONA lst:-1944 Model. Ira Butler, Chief Engineer. Dot English, Production Engineer Dr.Burnett, Technical Advtser. Special features include- Short wheel base, 18” Frame 6;: lbs. Super chassis. 2 lung -power Free wheel and squealing. Features covering present Model will b9 constantly im'proved and. refined, but another 1,1edel cannot be 7roTises until this year's 'Product has been thoroughly tested on the home mrket. The Annual Christmas party was held in the C]ub r-,oms on Friday the 17th December and everybody was tbere. The Social committee put their best feet forward with good effect and so the party wr ul everything one could wish for. There was an excellent selection of -paper caps, which in some manner most suitably became the wearers. The music provided by our usual Murdcians, who by this time must be quite used to our madness was bri9;ht and plentiful. So was the supper. Keeping an eye on the super to see that it didn't start without us didn't leave much time for anything else, but we did notice that several members whot we don't see very often had come along to the party. The Christmas party is becoming another re-union. Amongst others we saw, Fred and Dorothy Svenson, Dave Stead, Thel Hillyer, Olive Greenacre, on Matthews from Nth 0,1d. Norman Hellyer from New Guinea Cedric Barnes and Doris Christian. Mary Stoddart looked us up on the Friday. Saturday, the next day, going to be her big day. Both Mary Lnd her fiancee were lookir2,3 We would like to know however what Bushwalkor Parents do with thJir children on occasions like this as most of them come along. The Crokers, The Savages and the Iredales. Well here's wi,shing you all a good New Year, good walking an canu,ing. ow. It irJ so rara a tning: a. ieerson who :3.poY..:s Christian, and yet likes to walk.“ Albert ,Franklin in “Ecuaor,. Portrait of a People.' SOME 140TS ON LOT 7 NORTH 1R1 by Alex Colley For the benefit of the many members in far away parts here are a few facts about what we expect to be Our block of lard. - It was surveyed 10 years ago but survey Llerks h,ve lon beer.. ob- literated, In 1937 I went down there with irank Freel_erd, wo i. a eurvr)r, and made a sketch map. from the Parish e cep we found elet eee corner was et the foot of the sun dune at the point ,h,Te L:;%ocKy,erd cre k ti_oL on to the beach. There is no other holding betwe o t,,re end the sea, so elreume. ly we cannot be dohied access to the beach, Cen the ma- th corz_er ie to co-incide with the c -1stline. From this eint the belene 12 rune chains Test, about two to four chains South of Stockyard Cree'.. It runs from the same point, about 7 chains P,ast of the Northern branch of Stockyard Crock, for 18 chains, The North Western corner lc within about 4 chains of the cliffs. The area includes the Stockyard Creek cempinE place (up the crock from the old yards) and Peter Page's camp spot near the North Era Jungle, It probably includes the spring above this. If it does not we will have no difficulty with water as it is obvious from the spring above and the swamp below that there is water near the surface in this part, and a well could easily be sunk. Cattle, and the big bush-fire about three years ago, have kept down the trees and shrubs, but there are a lot of young gum seedlings, palms and shrub struggling to grow The they get above the grass cattle chow them, Once the cattle go the-se will have a chance to grow. We cannot keep the cattle off till the land is fenced and as no fencing material is available this will not be till after the war; but other cattle owners may follow Mr. Ziems example and remove their stock, and we might get enough wire to ;protect small areas in the near future. Some day we may have the bush growing again and perhaps entice back the animals and birds which must have abounded there before the 1an was cleared, A Sub committee is to be formed to look after. the land, and no doubt will be only too glad to receive suggestions from absent members. No special, efforts have been made to raise money, as it was flt that the land was worth acquiring only if members showed a real and eponteneous interest in it. The response has been wonderful, and th Sub comr itt..,e now has no hesitation in asking members who ho-:ee to enjoy caIping there, or are interested in the cause of conservation, to contribute wht t'iey can afford towards the balance of the purchase money and, if :00iblial something towards improveltz;. By “improvements' is mo-nt the ncoUree7nent of natural flora ar)i fauna. This miht -mean a dog-proof ftnc:3 sc,m-Aime - at least a Cattle-proof fence. A re-survey would be necoEsary befor-: fencing, It is considered that, by getting this block, the pick of the land between South Era and National Park, we will keen tl-eie area, one of the last undeveloped seaside areas near Sydney, from ever being subdividied or “developed”. It is not so long ago that a. prospectus was issued for an ''Era Development Co.” But now we can have bush instead of bricks and fibre-cement, gloeing campfires instead af incandescent street lightS, the call of the whip-bird rather than the honk of the Chevrolet. LETTES FR011 THE LADS AND LASSES Letters were received during December from:- Betty Pryde (Qs1d) Frank Gentle (Torres Strait) Bill Burke (N.G.). Harold Buckland (Egypt) Peter Allen(2)(England) Ruseell Huntley'Tucker ,Bruce Simpson(7.2,.) Norm Spedding (Australia. Brian Harvey (Darwin) Bob Savage (Australia) Sel.Norden (1\1:.G.) Arthur Austin (New Guinea) Jock Hake' (Canada) Tom MoiJpett (England) Betty -ttryde: 19/12A:3. This is to send my Christmas greeti'ngs to my friends of the Club an to wish them all good camping and happy holidays (if people still have holidays and to say “thank you” for the numerous odds and ends of literature, sweet meats, photographic art and Such that keep turning up to gladden my melancholy soul and to assure me I'th not forgotten. I find, to my surprise,' every time I read that excellent little pa,er “Tee Bush Walker” that I have., been posted somewhere else.- It a-e)ears I ael in 4edelaide at the moment - such is fame - all the ca)ital cities of the Co=oneealth claelouring for me! Alas and 1..-a.4lay, I :iei languishing in thie city of sin and iniquity, madly striking b1oE for George. I had m_ervellous months at Caloundra, one of the bust beaches on the ce,eet and did more than my 1-ir&ro od beach-bashing and combing, fishing, ri(ain:: and general fun ele,frolic, and then as the ee?,,ks crept by on sandy feet a certain little aircraft woman began to think that she had et last struch it rich and that the Mid- Summer's Night Dream would last forever. Then one sad day they caught up with me and realised that I wasn't striking nearly enoeE.;h blows for George and sent me back to base where I languish in a dungeon away from the sunlight and fret over my fading sun-tan, just when I'd acouired a new set of sun- tat make up too! Living in barracks with swarms of maidens is a uniclue experience. I occupy a balcony. with 5 other hags and God bless my soul T was here nearly 4 weeks before I ever, saw the girl in the next bed get up, or go to bed, she was always either out altogether or else right in bed with her head covered up. It got me so strung up I used to hurry back to barracks to see if the miracle had occurred and if I ever woke up in the night I would immediately peer over in the darkness to try to detect any movement. I've found two very welcome spots within half an hour's trip from the city whore I can have' a lazy day in the bush and a sun bath, where there is relief from'tiresome women and crowded streets. Both spots have rather forbidding entrances - one is labelled 'U.S. ARMY KEEP OUT and the other “TRESPACLERS WILL BE PROSECUTED”, but one can always clipbthe high wire fences further down where one couldn't possibly see the notices, can't one? This poor little town is struggling hard to cope with the hordes of extra people who are about. Every place is ho:,elessly overcrowded and shop-oing is a struggle - I wish they would let me go back to Calundra to resist the King's Enemies and keep the King's Peace - it was so much pleasanter. Thank you for all the happy thoughts in the form of books etc. Good Camping to you all in the Now Year. 4