A monthly bulletin devoted to matters of interest to The Sydney Bushwalkers, 5 Hamilton Street, Sydney

No.124
APRIL, 1945
Price 6d.

Editor: Ray Kirkby
Assist: Grace Jolly
Bus. Man: John Johnson
Production: Yvonne Rolfe
Assist: Alice Wyborn
Sales & Subs: Betty Dickenson.

A New Chumrs Misadventures on Page Mt. Egmont … ., Dorothy Hasluck 2 Letter from State Conmis.Tdoner of Forests 0.0 3 Why Bash :Vireo do Wt, do the Bush good-Marie B. Byles 4 5 6 6 7 7 10 Here f There and in the Club The Swimming Carnival 466 Now M,Ilos 0 4 L GoodmanTs Advertisement … Letters from the Lads 400 Paddy Speaks … .,. .61 0.4 4** .00 t., ,.. .,. 410 00. aW4 .60 DROUGHT. The burning skies are steel, The parched earth is dry, And we die, The little children die. The mealies cannot grow, The grass is burnt away, And grim death Is haunting us alway. The God who livs on high Is no Father to us now, For we diel In agony we die. The cattle all are gone, The children reel and faint, And they die 0 Father God, they die. David John Barlow. A NiE CHUM 1S MISADVLITITURE ON YT EGMONT by Dorothy Hasluck. Being the midde of ter asa unable to get a car to the mountain, I decided to walk (plus eolt case) the ten miles from the little village where the bus dropped me, As the last four miles ascended 3,000 ft., I was ready to sing a hymn sf bath to saiCT, case, but on the appearance of a lorry changed to 0 a hail of delight emd unblushingly rode the last mile, 0 Having made up my mind to go to Bells Falls, on arrival at the Hostel I persuaded the manager to allow me to go alone as there was no one to accompany me. So,together with the guide's dog, I set forth clad as for town in frock and rose-coloured coat and ordinary walking shoes, such things as matches, torch and maps being quite beyond my ken; the only concession to bush and mountain being an alpinstock!!! How my pre Lent walking friends would have looked aghast at such a Se)ectaclel We had to climb up to the 5,000 ftlevel and then the track led round the mountain. All went well till we reached the signpost where the track divided - one to the Falls, the other to the ranges. hy four-footed friend trotted off, on seeing which direction I was taking, across two miles of boggy moss into which you sank up to your knees. I thought it strange that this had not been mentioned in the directions given me but, seeing the river some distance below, concluded it was all right. However, to my confusion, the track led across the river and, worse still, commenced rising steeply. I thought it might cut across a ridge and descend higher up the river, but no, it still went on aspiring. By this time I was beginning to rebel against its ascending tendencies. The weather was deteriorating and I had been five hours covering (supposedly) five miles, so I came to the bright - or should I say “brilliant” - conclusion that there was something wrong. Calling to the dog7 who did not,return, I started back across the bog, lost my direction and landed into a lot of heavy scrub, treking round for three hours trying to find the track. Master dog, on his return, was no help whatever as he just dashed about in circles, thinking it all fun and games for his special benefit. By this time my temper was rather agitate as to spend the night out there was not a very enviable prospect. However, rather belatedly, my head came to the rescue and I sat down to oFalmly think out the position, which thought resulted in my finding the track in twenty minutes. In spite of clothes being somewhat the worse for wear and both legs streaming with blood, life presented a much more cheerful aspect. On the return trip a snow slope ending in a precipice had frozen hard so I had to cut some steps and balance across in nail-less shoes, a very ticklish enterprise, but worse was to follow, A steep shingle slide with a narrow track across collapsed beneath my not so light tread, precipitating me ten feet, and only by the grace of the gods was further progress down five hundred more feet prevented, As I was surveying the possibilities of getting up again, I saw a hairy face looking over the edge with a surprised expression which said plainly; “Well, what on earth are you doing down there?” But this was no tine for answering doggy enquiris. I had to get up, so, by dint of getting my foot on a small rock in the shingle bank and springing up I was able to throw myself on to the tracko emerging triumphant from the depths which almost claimed me. ? Alas for the town garb: Not only had it lost its pristine freshness, but it now looked ready to be relegated to the ragbag. However, nothing daunted, I plodded along the snow-clad track, measuring my length once or twice 4 3, as I caught my feet on rocks and - when within a mile of the Hotel - met 1171 with a search party, equi7md with ropes, axes -3.nd all the doings for a rescuo, After due exp1anatic:n1:4, fie found that the sifn-post was the wrong 6 way round (how or why nobody se med to know), so I was exonerated - to my relief, Arriving back at about 10 p,m, I made an ignominious entry through the back regions, only to run into a party of gusts whose faces all had an “I told you so” expression, This was ton much, so I turned tail and fled - to the -cJAmour of shocked exclamations at my appearance. So endod a new chum's mountain trek, We are pleased to be able to publish the following letter bearing date 23rd February 1945 received from Mr, Swain, N.S:Ji. Commissioner for Forests:- “In your issue of 22nd February, I have read, with _considerable sptisft otion, Mr, Alex, Colleyls account of a visit to Kioloa State Forest, It had been difficult for the Forest Service of this generation to live down the liml,ted atlitudc of a previous generation, which say no more in our forests than the opportunity to “cash in and get out”, Mr. Colley, however, has been able to recount that he found a State Forest being managed for the multiple service to the community which foresUR alone nun supply - and within that multiple service the realirati6n of beauty and re Creation, It is our ambition that all our State Forests should be so managed, Unfortunately, there are still large areas of our buehland just as fire-ridden and just as despoiled as th-se which bushwalkers of this generation are too often com,'emned to walk in Someday, perhaT)s, when the Forestry Commission has its due share of men and money, we shall be able to present to bushwalkers forest pilgrimages in all quarters of the State in which they can find their heart's d2sire - and ours, For even foresters love their forests - But too often have to grieve for them,. 4, WHY BUSH FIR3 DO NOT DO THE BUSH GOOD, Marie B. Byles. It was at one of our monthly meetings that I was horrified to hear the whispered remark, “Oh, but bush fires do the bush good.” It made me realise how widespread is this appalling ignorance and how hopeless the task of eliminating bush fires as long as it persists. Bush fires - in moderation - do good to certain types of flora, those whose seeds generate as a result of heat and which can grow more rapidly and robustly. The others suffer often irreparably and the balance of nature is hopelessly upset. 0.1e e lovely thing which delights in bush fires - in moderation - is the flannel daisy. Another is the wattle. The foresters at Bateman's Bay showed us e:iTamples of the abnormal growth of hickory (a kind of wattle, I believe) following bush fires, It formed a dense jungle which allowed nothing else to grow. In one spot they had cut it down and at once the young gum trees had o come up of their own accord and were already six feet high. If the hickory is not cut its span of life is fortunately short and it will, if there are no further bush fires, automatically die in time, allowing the gum trees and other things to grow. But if there are periodic bush fires, hickory and not a single gum tree will be the result. We were also shown forests where there had been no fires for twenty years; in these the hickory had taken its natural place as simply one tree among many others. In other words, owing to the absence of fires something approaching the natural balance had been restored, In forests in which there have been no fires - and one must usually go to State Forests to find this rare phenomenon - there is a tendency to openness and absence of prolific undergrowth. And it is reasonable to sumprose that, if we did not have the periodic devastation of bush fires, the forests around Sydney would be far more open than they are. Further, given conditions of natural growth, gum trees do not as a rule grow gnarled, twisted and festooned with dead wood in the manner to which we are accustomed, They are tall and straight. In the outer suburban gardens one sometimes sees a gum tree that has grown naturally but in the bush practically never, because they are swept by bush fires so often. The eucalyptus is a tree of remarkable vitality and recovers after a bush fire as trees in Canada and New Zealand never do. But that is not to say it does not suffer and, even in the rare cases where no outward mark is left, it bears gum veins and other internal marks to the end of its day, while many years of growth have been taken from it, Bush fires upset the balance of nature, some times irretrievably; they injure the trees to such an extent that they are often unrecognisable as belonging to the same species as those that have grown naturally. So don't let us hear any more of this horrible heresy. Perhaps next nidntli&OMeone Will tell us of the injury to the fauna/caused by bush fires. 5. HERE, THERE AND IN THE CLUB ROOM The Annual Meeting was held in the club rooms on the 9th March. There was not the large number attending this meeting as at previous meetings unless it was that the noisy onec had lost their “pep” and, in spite of the President's impassioned appeal to those preeent, the positions to be filled on the committee etc v just didn't seem to attract any one, The hard working Secretary fell for it again but to Walks Secretary painted a beautiful picture of hie job and was able to hand it over. The new President is Edna Garraa9 our second Lady President? who we know will continue the good work she has been doing for the club on the committee, The Reunion was as good as ever, Fine weather and beautiful surroundings, the night just cold enough to make thcecamp fire a necessity. There was plenty of variety in the items put on for our amusement and everyone aeemed in good voice. And the supper was excellent and plentiful. Sunday was spent visiting and swimming, admir#g the hats worn by the new President and the ex President, toying with dampers and sitting around. Dave Stead, the ex President, was made very happy by the capture of a black snake (a lovely snake; Dave says) and the snake was made a little less haploy by sudden death by drowning, Really not quite so sudden, the process tool some time. . OO Mr. and Mrs. Tim Coffey were in the club recently, after spending a honeymoon at Forster. We congratulate Lieut. and Mrs,Dasil Dickinson on the birth of a daughter. Betty and the baby are doing quite well, In the last magazine we congratulated Wal,Roots on his engaeiement to Miriam Lennox, This time we report their marriage and congratulate them on this event also, Jack Rose and Betty Brewer also chose Easter time to get married, Still another “Club” wedding was that of Ron Baker to Betty Noble. The well known Stangfanger Bullproonza Stangaranga (Ted) Fitzpatrick is reported to have been best man. Our old friend “Mouldy” Harrison has just skipped off to England and America, We can understand his visit to the latter on account of the improved food situation but England? No. While on the subject of food did you hear that Grace Noble presented some friends with delightfully and tastefully (?) decorated Easter Eggs from a hen? Much to her surprise, of course, they were discovered to be bad. It is a hit thick, anyway, expecting to receive good eggs as presents these days. John has officially denied the report that Gracels housekeeping is so bad that she is unable to tell fresh from rotten eggs, NWIONMENIMI, THE SWIMMING CARNIVAL .After a. lapse of 2,years this -vont was held again on llthFebruary 1945 at The Bend, O'Hare /c Crit. The atterdence of only 17 from s'Ach a large club as ours was to b%) x-Frott-id, but did not prevent an enjoyable ay. Aftpr doing what wcs almosu a tt vn-Jk looY,I.rg for the site one large party arrived, and evolyoqc usc,Hlrdt for the events, which were organised by Bill Henley. Thu pool prwi a:t,c,1: as oven Bill aOmitted, and the clear water at a time of droughtsrrove3 that OlHare's Ck. is a good spot, RESULTS: “MANDELBURG CUPPELAY (Betty B.r'ewor (Laurie Raynor MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP… 1, Kcvin Bradley 2, Jack Rose, PROSPECTIVE'S CHAMPIONSHIP -1, Cle,udc 1.70Mes 2, Douglas Johnston RREASTSTROKE (OPEN). hc,vin BradLcy 2, Laurie Raynor BACKSTROKE(OpEN) 1, Eric Pm 2. Kevin Bradley DIVING 1, Clr:tm H;alstrom 2, Claude Haynes. LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP - 1, Betty Erewer 2, Edna Garrad LADIES BREA;STSTROKE 1. Alice Wyborn 2, Betty Brewer TIME JUDGING SWIM - 1. Mirian Steinbohm 2, Douglas Johnston. N. MAPS . The Convenor of the Topographical Section of the River Canoe Club of N.S.W. Ted Phillips writes as follows:- “Please note that the following map has now been completed by thiS Section:-. - COX'S RIVER (BlackJerry's Ridge) (Little River) to Burragorang Valley (Nollondilly River Jctn) This is now displayed at Paddy's and, should be of interest to walkers as well as canoeists, due`to the fact that such Is popular. walking country. Many thanks for notifications of our productions frlm time to time, 7. 44k, gc_iggl.(4-.1. ar e @GCa@cCak… ,?:1–Ci c (,-. ( I, @ @ @ YOUR OPTOMETRIST @ @ @ F, GOODMAN,_ M.I,O, @ @ Optremetisi; and Optician @ @ 20 Hunter Street, Sydney @ @ Tel. B3438 @ @ @ @ Modern methods of Eye Examination and Eye Training @ @ Careful Spectacle Fitting. @ @ @ ,@ @ @ Fixing an appointment will facilitate the reservation @ @ of time for giving you proper attention, but should you ,_') @ be unable to ring us beforehand, your visit will be @ @ welcome at any time you may chose to call. ,. \.e (a L) - ttC4gELC@tgi@al #.ai@gaa&k)akaL4.7,ti. LETTERS FROM THE LADS & LASSES Letters were received during March from:- Les Douglas Gilbert Taylor (S..) Rob Morrison (S.1).VV.) Bob Savage (S.B W. & Harry Black (Y.L.C.e.) Jack Adams Bill Burke (S.B.W.) Bob Savage - 1.5.L-3-45 - New Guinea, Will you please note my new address which as some of you know is off the mainland. The country is most interesting but far too up and down for a gentleman of my advanced years and extending girth. I find that the best way of apreo l.ating the scenery is from an airplane, preferably a slow one. I have been doing a fair amount of flying in a Piper Cub or an Auster which are small two seater machines - high wing monoplanes standing about six feet from the ground to the top of the wing - weighing about 245 ibs, I am a total load for the plane and getting in and out is as bad as moving around inside a tank. The planes are very 610w which makes them ideal for my work for they can cruise along about 20 feet above the jungle whilst one has a good look at telegraph lines etc. I 'nacre also had to do a bit of w,aking in the jungle but not too much. They say that in New Guinea one is always illagining that something is crawling on you and in 90% of the cases this is right, Ninian Melville is also on this Heaeivaarters as D.A.D,W,G.S, which means Deputy Assietant Director War Graves Ser714e.. Actually his show is doing an exoellc/It job and the War Cemeteries are a credit to them - probably the m'pst important ide of their work is the tracing of missing soldiers, sailors and airmen and in this thir deductions would do credit to Sherlock Holmes or the Thin Man. The Bushwalker continues to arrive per the kind attentions of the Services Committee and the Army Postal Service for which a-gain many thanks. K11. Burke - 18-3-35 - Northern Australia A typical Sunday in not so canny Queensland - nothing to do and all day to'do it in - and on looking over the records I find an anawsr to your last news bulletin is long overdue. Here goes, The new unit continues to meet with my approval, even though I have had to forsake my “gentleman of leisure” existence. Now possess a license, and a truck of my own in which to career round the countryside, sabj ct to the Army's approval of course. Haven't named the bus yet as it is only an old three ton Ford flat top and 0 censored been carting wood to keep the kitchen fires going all 0 this week, much to my sorrow, The roads never much good at the best of times, haven't been helped any by the sun hiding his face for the past fortnight. To date have only been bogged five times. This getting bogged business is quite an interesting and intricate experience. With a bit more exnerience will be able to write a book on the subject. The best and surest method is to go off the roads and/or beaten tracks, This never fails. The first time I was assured by my wood cutting friends that the ground was sandy and quite firm enough to take the truck. My only consolation was that they bad to spend the next half hour cutting bushes to build a road out. Anoth,er (lay the C.S,M, came out for a run and being a C.S,M, and knowing al] Cit. such 1,1)7:gs, I didn't argue with him. Down we went again. Getting wise to T7yEl by this time, but nevertheless fell again. The road was impasvable, I tnted, got bogged, backed out again and afger a lot of argument agreed to try and go round, Agreed more to stop the abuse I received after my atter,Ipt to get through than anything else.. Another hour and I sent to camp for the breakdown, Thought I had given the foot slogging away when I joined this crowd. Alas for all my hopes, was sent out on a five day bivouac, Howeverit turned out to be quite an enjoyable turnout - to me that is, the rest regarded the stunt as concrete proof that the C,O, hated the platoon. Second day and a flooded river barred our progress. Wrapping your pack in a groundsheet may work when floating down the Kowmung, but it doesn't up here when the rivers are in flood, as one of the party discovered after all his gear had gone to the bottom. Eventually crossed with the aid of a line of fencing wire. Our three non-swimmers didn't enjoy the party especially after they had seen the line break twice when we were getting the gear across, A tree saved the first lot and the second time I clung to the line and was washed ashore. The rivers rise up to fifty feet at tims. Continued on our way all greatly coneerned over the pedigrees of those responsible for the trip in the first place and later for the respective section leaders as they proceeded to lose themselves, That night the brain trust had practically a stand up fight as to whether we were in the right place or not. We weren't, but the O.C. said wa were, and so the map must have been wrong, The ration truck bogged; another six miles 'to get the . r onger” in. I love these Army shows; the oreanisation and brain work behind them is an inspiration to all. Heaven help the Bushwalkers if they didn't put a little more forethought into planning their trips, Tiring of a steady diet of bully beef an,d, biscuits - we were supposed to go five days on that alone just to see if we could do it - I wandered over 4 to a statj on in search of bread and some eggs. It was just like stepping back into a p2ge of the past. Dad, eighty eight and seven months, was the boss with one (fifty) who had to ask if I could have the eggs, and “Black Bess” in charge of the kitchen. It was like a circus; Bess telling Dad to shut up 0 as nhe wouldn't count out a dozen eggs while he was talking and Dad talking about new fangled things like telephones and trying to hit his spittoon between sentences. He used to crack the jackpot about once in a dozen trys. The house itself was a real “back blocks” show; low, with red clay floor? bits of harness and trophies scattered everywh-ire. Situated on the river bank above flood level and hidden by trees it had a charm all of its own, I liked Carlans, but I loved this place on si3ht, The river flats will grow anything as witness the watermelon I massacred, there ic quite a thriving little orchard and a ready market for fresh veetables rd fruit in the local towns; I believe I could settle down in a place like that. Would have liked to have spent morc time loaking over the place, but had too many miles to put behind me before darknecs set in, Took part in the sprint handicap I mentioned, but was more intent on keeping an eye on the other runners than on the course, with the result I 'sit the dirt in a dive, beautiful to behold so I was informed, Later I skidded about ten yards although judging by the skin I was missing it must have been at least twice that. I was red hot favourite for the heat so there were a lot of disappointed punters about, Bookmakers were barred this time and a tote operated instead, An improvement if anything, One outsider came home with a pay out of four fifteen for two bob. My thanks for the magazine and the papers which continue to roll in, Have you heard anything of Geoff Higson of late? He should know what war is all about by this time unless his luck is dead out. Must be rotten to be in the army so long and miss out on all the fun. You run true to form Dune in thinking this show is better than the infantry. Everyone dos. What is wrong with infantry? The risks are great certainly but one has the satisfaction of knowimg they are really doing something. Hope to have better news by next letter. -LCY …… EPOh\fAI-T BUSEWALKING caIe,Idar says) i Autumn, but the bush looks Ulu) splvingo ctt ly live to he'i'tradition of topsy-Gurvydom. We cli:Jab cloy/J. ou:c th…7,untr-iri-; and make our roads and railwayS aj_ong the mountaiTTos, This FHaFon of AutuRin (or “Fall” aq our Yani<t,a cousina season of the falling - leaf and plseparatica by ti A.d fc.:. the coming rigours of Winter, but since the 2:ec,.c 14FW 1av,,, are sprouting everywhere and bush plants arc takinE swift ,LIT,:tageoi good conditions. Boronias are in bud and the Queenslal-) 3n0 Cootamundra wattles are preparing for their annual show, fdy lay. Have you ever noticed how long' these wattles carry their flower buds. Within a few weeks of tha-seed pods opening the next ;,,oars f-JQwer ' uds appear and remain on the tree for nearly nin months before bursting into golden splendour. The Casuarinas art 13130:0 =;,,00 thEe usually drab trees are Clothed in gloriouP, sight of a well grown tree in the rays of the westering sL:n forgotten. This show is confined to the male tree tb- IL xci the female trees have to be looked for. The male ?rlacc-.!1 ulrer the end of practically every “needle”, though in th,: make such a rich feast of colour are indivdually not much tu look aLtil they are examined Under a” lens when a tiny spray' of d(ilicately tinted flowers is revealed. Returning home (as it were) we have a yellow everlasting just bursting into bloom. We 8ot, the seed from the roadside of Barrengarry Pass. Everything else io making good headway except alas l the woody near seedlings which have all died. More seeds have been planted and we are hoping for better luck this time. PADDY PALLIN 327 George Street, Phone B.3101, SYDNEY CAMP GER FOR WALKERS