194607
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We have de-bussed at Wallacia once more, and my! what a mix-up. There is one grand melee as a mob of Sunday hiking types, bound for a big, tough weekend at Norton' | We have de-bussed at Wallacia once more, and my! what a mix-up. There is one grand melee as a mob of Sunday hiking types, bound for a big, tough weekend at Norton' | ||
- | Of a audden, there is a wham! crash! and a roar, as a lorry comes bolting down the hill. From both sides of the road we thumb our way towards Silverdale, and as it rattles past we scream, "How 'bout a lift?" The lorry lurches to a dead stop, the crashing dies down, and a voice bellows, " | + | Of a sudden, there is a wham! crash! and a roar, as a lorry comes bolting down the hill. From both sides of the road we thumb our way towards Silverdale, and as it rattles past we scream, "How 'bout a lift?" The lorry lurches to a dead stop, the crashing dies down, and a voice bellows, " |
" | " | ||
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In the morning, we have to exert the full 45lbs breaking strain of the line to haul in a 4 lb perch. Grand beginning; nothing going wrong this weekend. At 7.45 we are away, and off for the upper Gamba to seek the elusive gold. Prior to this, all our enquiries about the area have been met with the answer that the going is rough and unpleasant, and not worth doing; even the Map gives it "Very Rough" in two places. Hence our surprise when we find that this is not so. Up to the Bend, which marks the end of the straight and narrow gorged course of the river, the sides are steep and rocky, with patches of scrub, yet nevertheless two miles an hour is quite possible. Towards the end, we do strike some rough stuff, but not enough to dampen our spirits. Apparently the really tough section of the 'Gamba gorge is that between Monkey Ck and the Nepean, the reputation having spread to the whole river. | In the morning, we have to exert the full 45lbs breaking strain of the line to haul in a 4 lb perch. Grand beginning; nothing going wrong this weekend. At 7.45 we are away, and off for the upper Gamba to seek the elusive gold. Prior to this, all our enquiries about the area have been met with the answer that the going is rough and unpleasant, and not worth doing; even the Map gives it "Very Rough" in two places. Hence our surprise when we find that this is not so. Up to the Bend, which marks the end of the straight and narrow gorged course of the river, the sides are steep and rocky, with patches of scrub, yet nevertheless two miles an hour is quite possible. Towards the end, we do strike some rough stuff, but not enough to dampen our spirits. Apparently the really tough section of the 'Gamba gorge is that between Monkey Ck and the Nepean, the reputation having spread to the whole river. | ||
- | Towards lunch, we emerge on greasy pastures, whore the river has freed itself of the influence of the dam, the water is clear, and there are rapids here and there. We stop for lunch on a flat, shady patch of grass: the first possible camp site since leaving Monkey Ck. When we start in the afternoon, the inner side of The Bend looks more negotiable than the outer, so we cross over at one of the rapids. Ron leads the way and suddenly goes waist deop in a hole. However, the tobacco is up in his shirt pocket, so there is no great cause for sorrow. The further we go, the more apparent it becomes that we are going to find no bars stocked with gold. Only bar of which we are sure is the pub at Upper Burragorang. | + | Towards lunch, we emerge on greasy pastures, whore the river has freed itself of the influence of the dam, the water is clear, and there are rapids here and there. We stop for lunch on a flat, shady patch of grass: the first possible camp site since leaving Monkey Ck. When we start in the afternoon, the inner side of The Bend looks more negotiable than the outer, so we cross over at one of the rapids. Ron leads the way and suddenly goes waist deep in a hole. However, the tobacco is up in his shirt pocket, so there is no great cause for sorrow. The further we go, the more apparent it becomes that we are going to find no bars stocked with gold. Only bar of which we are sure is the pub at Upper Burragorang. |
- | Now on the right hand bank, we leave the river for a while, choosing a track which climbs away from it. Here, we have excellent views of the cliffs ahead, framed by the trees along the path, and when we enter the last straight stretch of the ' | + | Now on the right hand bank, we leave the river for a while, choosing a track which climbs away from it. Here, we have excellent views of the cliffs ahead, framed by the trees along the path, and when we enter the last straight stretch of the ' |
By now all thoughts of gold have gone and we nurse our shattered illusions (??) in silence. We eventually realise that the reports I read were old ones, and the district then known as Upper Warragamba is that now known as the Upper Shoalhaven and Wollondilly, | By now all thoughts of gold have gone and we nurse our shattered illusions (??) in silence. We eventually realise that the reports I read were old ones, and the district then known as Upper Warragamba is that now known as the Upper Shoalhaven and Wollondilly, | ||
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We repeat. She gazes at us for another minute and then volunteers the information, | We repeat. She gazes at us for another minute and then volunteers the information, | ||
- | Eventually, by patient questioning we elicit the information that it's a mile and a half and only a rough track, but we move off undaunted. She shuffles after ut as far as the fence - whether she is suspicious of our motives, or concerned for our safety, we cannot say, but her frail voice trails after us with oft-repeated injunctions to cross the river and go along the other bank. We heed her not, but follow the cattle pad on the near side. | + | Eventually, by patient questioning we elicit the information that it's a mile and a half and only a rough track, but we move off undaunted. She shuffles after up as far as the fence - whether she is suspicious of our motives, or concerned for our safety, we cannot say, but her frail voice trails after us with oft-repeated injunctions to cross the river and go along the other bank. We heed her not, but follow the cattle pad on the near side. |
We cross over at the Junction, and pitch our tent on the grasses by the three rivers. Tea is the next item on the agenda. Blackberries - delicious. But what are blackberries without cream? At a farmhouse just across the Wollondilly, | We cross over at the Junction, and pitch our tent on the grasses by the three rivers. Tea is the next item on the agenda. Blackberries - delicious. But what are blackberries without cream? At a farmhouse just across the Wollondilly, | ||
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Three lines of exit face us: firstly along the road to Wentworth Falls; secondly, back along the ' | Three lines of exit face us: firstly along the road to Wentworth Falls; secondly, back along the ' | ||
- | Paradise - paradise unbounded. | + | Paradise - paradise unbounded. |
- | The persimmon tree is quite a delicacy, after the figs, and when its bee-farmer owner presses upon us some pounds of honeycomb - my, my! for lunch! Mushrooms we gather still, but can find safe custody for about only 3lbs each - tough luck. And so we come to Maxwell' | + | The persimmon tree is quite a delicacy, after the figs, and when its bee-farmer owner presses upon us some pounds of honeycomb - my, my! for lunch! Mushrooms we gather still, but can find safe custody for about only 3lbs each - tough luck. And so we come to Maxwell' |
14" across (the mushroom has now stopped growing - Ed). | 14" across (the mushroom has now stopped growing - Ed). | ||
- | After we get going we enquire of the driver if there is another bus in the afternonn. There is, so we pile out and start walking again. For two hours, we laze on the grassy banks of the river; we swim, we eat blackberries, | + | After we get going we enquire of the driver if there is another bus in the afternoon. There is, so we pile out and start walking again. For two hours, we laze on the grassy banks of the river; we swim, we eat blackberries, |
Then we hit the road again. We don't walk far before a car picks us up, and what a beauty! It rattles, it shakes, it wheezes and it chugs; but it goes, and as it is afternoon, now, and jolly hot, we welcome the ride. The driver is thin, effeminite individual with glasses and a girlish voice. He is about 30, and a Bible rests by his side. We ask no questions of his profession. | Then we hit the road again. We don't walk far before a car picks us up, and what a beauty! It rattles, it shakes, it wheezes and it chugs; but it goes, and as it is afternoon, now, and jolly hot, we welcome the ride. The driver is thin, effeminite individual with glasses and a girlish voice. He is about 30, and a Bible rests by his side. We ask no questions of his profession. | ||
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Whilst walking around the buildings, we come across a miner bloke, gorging himself something awful on a wopping water-melon. Being a gentleman, he promptly offers us half of it. An being gentlemen, we accept. As he walks back towards the road with us, we ask our friend where we can get a drink. He insists that we come to the store to have one on him. Naturally we cannot hurt his feelings by refusing! | Whilst walking around the buildings, we come across a miner bloke, gorging himself something awful on a wopping water-melon. Being a gentleman, he promptly offers us half of it. An being gentlemen, we accept. As he walks back towards the road with us, we ask our friend where we can get a drink. He insists that we come to the store to have one on him. Naturally we cannot hurt his feelings by refusing! | ||
- | Once more on the road, for the sake of our health, we disdainfully refuse all further lifts. This is all for the best, for the views of the Wollondilly and Nattai, even from the road, are marvellous. The Burragorang, | + | Once more on the road, for the sake of our health, we disdainfully refuse all further lifts. This is all for the best, for the views of the Wollondilly and Nattai, even from the road, are marvellous. The Burragorang, |
Yes, it has to end. Our weekend in paradise draws to the eternal close; a jolting ride in a crowded bus and a sooty journey in a packed-out train! And on the morrow - work. Yes, we are paupers still, Ah me! | Yes, it has to end. Our weekend in paradise draws to the eternal close; a jolting ride in a crowded bus and a sooty journey in a packed-out train! And on the morrow - work. Yes, we are paupers still, Ah me! | ||
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- | __Note:__ The author has since organised two exploratory walks in the Burragorang, | + | __Note:__ The author has since organised two exploratory walks in the Burragorang, |
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=====Busy As Bees At Bluegum.===== | =====Busy As Bees At Bluegum.===== | ||
- | "Will the Federation pay us overtime?" | + | "Will the Federation pay us overtime?" |
For your information, | For your information, | ||
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By Trouper. | By Trouper. | ||
- | Yeola - nearly all of us know this haven, but most of us give scarcely more than a glance to the rocks from which we dive into the swimming pools. | + | Yeola - nearly all of us know this haven, but most of us give scarcely more than a glance to the rocks from which we dive into the swimming pools. |
This time, as I took my plunge in the pool below the tent, something about the rocks arrested my attention. Previously, they had caused no mental comment. "Hm - slate", | This time, as I took my plunge in the pool below the tent, something about the rocks arrested my attention. Previously, they had caused no mental comment. "Hm - slate", | ||
- | The common forms of slate are a fine, uniformly-grey powder compacted into a rock which breaks into flakes. Far from being uniform, the grey in this slate was full of long, narrow streaks, in an aggregate of intermingled lines running more or less along the direction of tho river; a pattern not unlike that of the fine, green, slimy tendrils of the water weeds. I wondered if the pattern represented the remains of some such weed which had been growing amongst the muddy ooze from which this rock was formed in ages past. I stooped to examine them more closely, and as I did so, a pebble caught my eyes. | + | The common forms of slate are a fine, uniformly-grey powder compacted into a rock which breaks into flakes. Far from being uniform, the grey in this slate was full of long, narrow streaks, in an aggregate of intermingled lines running more or less along the direction of the river; a pattern not unlike that of the fine, green, slimy tendrils of the water weeds. I wondered if the pattern represented the remains of some such weed which had been growing amongst the muddy ooze from which this rock was formed in ages past. I stooped to examine them more closely, and as I did so, a pebble caught my eyes. |
Normally, there is nothing unusual in a pebble - but this one should not have been there, for it was firmly embedded in the slate. Pebbles just don't occur in slate, as a rule; slate begins its existence as a fine mud on the floor of a lake or sea. Rivers flowing into the lake sort their sediments well. First, where the flow is fast, they drop their stones and pebbles, later to form conglomerate; | Normally, there is nothing unusual in a pebble - but this one should not have been there, for it was firmly embedded in the slate. Pebbles just don't occur in slate, as a rule; slate begins its existence as a fine mud on the floor of a lake or sea. Rivers flowing into the lake sort their sediments well. First, where the flow is fast, they drop their stones and pebbles, later to form conglomerate; | ||
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Eagerly, I lent to examine them anew, and found dozens of the relics! Yes, in those rock platforms, the fossils simply abound. There are two types of fossils in common occurrence, and both types were found here. In the first, the organism drops into the mud and begins to decay. Fraction by fraction, each decaying cell is replaced by minute particles of the mud, and as this process continues, taking years to complete, the mud retains part or all of the pattern of the animal, fish or plant which it is replacing. These were the " | Eagerly, I lent to examine them anew, and found dozens of the relics! Yes, in those rock platforms, the fossils simply abound. There are two types of fossils in common occurrence, and both types were found here. In the first, the organism drops into the mud and begins to decay. Fraction by fraction, each decaying cell is replaced by minute particles of the mud, and as this process continues, taking years to complete, the mud retains part or all of the pattern of the animal, fish or plant which it is replacing. These were the " | ||
- | It does not need a geologist to find these fossils, for they are easily seen in the rock platform above the pool in front of the camp site. They represent the remains of ancient shellfish, termed " | + | It does not need a geologist to find these fossils, for they are easily seen in the rock platform above the pool in front of the camp site. They represent the remains of ancient shellfish, termed " |
Spirifera wore brachiopods - i.e. shellfish of a structure similar to cockles or muscles - which grew somewhat as shown in the drawing. The outer (limestone) shell remains in many places, and in one instance - about half way across the top of the rock step some six foot above the pool - is a specimen, some 3" across with almost the whole of the shell preserved, and a clear cast of the internal organs. The spiral shown in the diagram represents the secondary muscle used ,in opening and closing the turn shells; and in this particular specimen, there appears a clearly defined cross-section of this muscle, etched in slate. | Spirifera wore brachiopods - i.e. shellfish of a structure similar to cockles or muscles - which grew somewhat as shown in the drawing. The outer (limestone) shell remains in many places, and in one instance - about half way across the top of the rock step some six foot above the pool - is a specimen, some 3" across with almost the whole of the shell preserved, and a clear cast of the internal organs. The spiral shown in the diagram represents the secondary muscle used ,in opening and closing the turn shells; and in this particular specimen, there appears a clearly defined cross-section of this muscle, etched in slate. | ||
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There is yet a third type of fossil, or rather, strictly speaking, not a fossil - and that is a cast. Instead of replacing the animal, etc. the muds might make a cast of them, just as a dentist might make a cast of a jaw before fitting false teeth. These shell casts - numbers of them - may be found here, along with the fossils, some casts being in the grey slates, and some in the chocolate-coloured cliffs on the far side, One such cast is depicted in the drawing, which is approximately life-size. | There is yet a third type of fossil, or rather, strictly speaking, not a fossil - and that is a cast. Instead of replacing the animal, etc. the muds might make a cast of them, just as a dentist might make a cast of a jaw before fitting false teeth. These shell casts - numbers of them - may be found here, along with the fossils, some casts being in the grey slates, and some in the chocolate-coloured cliffs on the far side, One such cast is depicted in the drawing, which is approximately life-size. | ||
- | Thus, when next you go to Yeola, with its buffalo grass on which to camp, blckberries | + | Thus, when next you go to Yeola, with its buffalo grass on which to camp, blackberries |
- | =====Ponts For Prospetives.===== | + | =====Points |
by " | by " | ||
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One of the highlights of the trip is the halt called at Barretts. Mr. Barrett is noted for his prowess at palm reading and our Prospect duly lines up for inspection. Apart from a slight error, at the beginning, when he is mistaken for a miner; the interview goes smoothly. He has brains but doesn' | One of the highlights of the trip is the halt called at Barretts. Mr. Barrett is noted for his prowess at palm reading and our Prospect duly lines up for inspection. Apart from a slight error, at the beginning, when he is mistaken for a miner; the interview goes smoothly. He has brains but doesn' | ||
- | Next lesson is ccnducted | + | Next lesson is conducted |
On Sunday afternoon the party headed off in different directions. Some spoke of a milk wagon, the rest were just as determined on going to Kiama. After receiving the news that his horse had run last, our Prospect didn't care where he went, so they led him up on to a mountain and showed him the promised land, but being dead beat he didn't see a thing. In the morning he was lead down to Berry, muttering about resignations etc. After two milk shakes | On Sunday afternoon the party headed off in different directions. Some spoke of a milk wagon, the rest were just as determined on going to Kiama. After receiving the news that his horse had run last, our Prospect didn't care where he went, so they led him up on to a mountain and showed him the promised land, but being dead beat he didn't see a thing. In the morning he was lead down to Berry, muttering about resignations etc. After two milk shakes | ||
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====Super-Dude Hitch Hiker.==== | ====Super-Dude Hitch Hiker.==== | ||
- | Well, maybe not a hitch-hiker, | + | Well, maybe not a hitch-hiker, |
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On Katoomba station, we found Hilma Ruby and others as the vanguard of Roley' | On Katoomba station, we found Hilma Ruby and others as the vanguard of Roley' | ||
- | King's Birthday found Roley again off the beaten track, with 12 others rambling along the Colo. Jenny tried some artificial erosion by rolling down a hiliside, whilst the boys had a most successful session at Armstrong' | + | King's Birthday found Roley again off the beaten track, with 12 others rambling along the Colo. Jenny tried some artificial erosion by rolling down a hillside, whilst the boys had a most successful session at Armstrong' |
====Wingecarribie: | ====Wingecarribie: | ||
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- | BARREN LANDS BEWILDERMENT, | + | ====Barren |
- | Per medium of many tongues, we heard of the Official Walk across the Barren | + | |
- | ... | + | |
- | 1 | + | |
- | All the way from Hay, where the plaihs are vast and mountains | + | |
- | not, a reader sent this response to the article, " | + | |
- | The Official Party on the Nattai yarn:d awhile to the Park Ranjc.. He wat gunning for a couple of blokes laying waste to the countryside. poisoning rabbits in thousands, and -committing untold outrages against fauna and flora alike. Verily, we agro;d that such low specimens should t)c. brouFht to heel for their disregard for cionservation. Whyl one of them wart an ex-gaol-14rd, | + | |
- | Coming home, a kindly truck driver offered a lift to,the weary walkers - you know with what eagerness such offers are acceptedl Yes, so great was our gratitude, that never a word of reproach did we speak on discovering the identity of our benefactors; | + | |
+ | Per medium of many tongues, we heard of the Official Walk across the Barren lands to Kiama. The party was " | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | All the way from Hay, where the plains are vast and mountains not, a reader sent this response to the article, " | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Official Party on the Nattai yarned awhile to the Park Ranger. He was gunning for a couple of blokes laying waste to the countryside, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Coming home, a kindly truck driver offered a lift to,the weary walkers - you know with what eagerness such offers are accepted! Yes, so great was our gratitude, that never a word of reproach did we speak on discovering the identity of our benefactors; |
194607.txt · Last modified: 2016/05/04 13:10 by tyreless