194908
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194908 [2016/02/19 13:34] – [New Country] kennettj | 194908 [2016/02/19 15:37] (current) – [At Our July Meeting] kennettj | ||
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A monthly Bulletin of matters of interest to the Sydney Bushwalkers, | A monthly Bulletin of matters of interest to the Sydney Bushwalkers, | ||
- | No. 177 AUGUST, 1949 Price 6d. | + | **No. 177 AUGUST 1949 Price 6d.** |
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Most members took a dim view of the July General Meeting held by the light of three hurricane lamps and sundry intermittent flashlight beams. No doubt this accounted for the tendency to deal briefly with all but the most vital matters, which was perhaps as well, since it was past nine o' | Most members took a dim view of the July General Meeting held by the light of three hurricane lamps and sundry intermittent flashlight beams. No doubt this accounted for the tendency to deal briefly with all but the most vital matters, which was perhaps as well, since it was past nine o' | ||
- | Barbara Boman was welcomed to the Club, the handclaps of the fifty-odd members present echoing about the & | + | Barbara Boman was welcomed to the Club, the handclaps of the fifty-odd members present echoing about the & |
- | To take the simplest | + | To take the simplest |
- | 2nd September. There were letters from the Chief Secretary' | + | |
- | Local Government had been in touch with " | + | |
- | Stemming from the same subject, a letter from Dick Graves of the Bushcraft Association was read: Yr. Graves was distressed at the strong views expressed in Brian Harvey' | + | Stemming from the same subject, a letter from Dick Graves of the Bushcraft Association was read: Mr. Graves was distressed at the strong views expressed in Brian Harvey' |
- | We were informed that Allen Strom had been appointed to the newly created Fauna Protection Panel, but on the debit side our nominee to the Garawarra Trust had not been accepted, the two vacancies (caused by the retirement of the National | + | We were informed that Allen Strom had been appointed to the newly created Fauna Protection Panel, but on the debit side our nominee to the Garawarra Trust had not been accepted, the two vacancies (caused by the retirement of the National |
- | Now came the piece de resistance, and what should it be but the dear old chestnut - resumption of Era lands. A report by the President outlined the course of a meeting of the Recreational Areas Committee of the National Fitness ,, | + | |
- | (1) Era should be a prhalitive area for preservation of flora and fauna and for use by walkers and campers. | + | |
- | (2) No roads. | + | |
- | (3) No objection to hostel if not at Burning Palms or North Era, | + | |
- | (4) No objection to shacks remaining for a limited period, | + | Now came the piece de resistance, and what should it be but the dear old chestnut - resumption of Era lands. A report by the President outlined the course of a meeting of the Recreational Areas Committee of the National Fitness Association held on June 30th. S.B.W. delegates had expressed as our views: |
+ | |||
+ | (1) Era should be a primitive area for preservation of flora and fauna and for use by walkers and campers.\\ | ||
+ | (2) No roads.\\ | ||
+ | (3) No objection to hostel if not at Burning Palms or North Era,\\ | ||
+ | (4) No objection to shacks remaining for a limited period,\\ | ||
(5) Best way of preserving area is to add to Garawarra park. | (5) Best way of preserving area is to add to Garawarra park. | ||
- | The Cumberland County Council representative stated that the Council was interested in reservation of the area and, if and when the County Plan was approved by Parliament, large sums of money would be voted for reservations. S.B.W. was the only body represented at the | + | |
- | meeting which had any objection to resumption by National Fitness, | + | The Cumberland County Council representative stated that the Council was interested in reservation of the area and, if and when the County Plan was approved by Parliament, large sums of money would be voted for reservations. S.B.W. was the only body represented at the meeting which had any objection to resumption by National Fitness, and that was only on the score of our preference for addition to Garawarra. Mr. Gordon Young had informed the meeting that he would not go ahead with resumption of Era without the full approval of S.B.W., and asked that the Club investigate the possibility of the Lands Department resuming and adding to Garawarra, and advise him within approximately a month. |
- | and that was only on the score of our preference for addition to Garawarra. Mr. Gordon Young had informed the meeting that he would | + | |
- | not go ahep d with resumption of Era without the full approval of S.B.W., and asked that the Club investigate the possibility of the | + | Discussing the report, it was questioned |
- | Lands Department resuming and adding to Garawarra, and advise him within approximately a month. | + | |
- | Discussing the report, it was questioned | + | Marie Byles urged that we make up our minds as soon as possible on our course of action, as National Fitness was keen to acquire lands at Narrabeen, and may proceed with that plan in lieu of Era if we hesitated unduly. Mr. Young would only take action to acquire Era if the whole of Era, including Portion 7, was to be embraced by the resumption. |
- | County Council' | + | |
- | indicating our views on preservation of Era. | + | Myles Dunphy expressed a less convinced attitude. He contended that addition to Garawarra was the most desirable course, as resumption |
- | Marie Byles urged that we make up our minds as soon as possible on our course of action, as National Fitness was keen to acquire lands at Narrabeen, and may proceed with that plan in lieu of Era | + | |
- | if we hesitated unduly. Mr. Zoung would only take action to acquire Era if the whole of Era, including Portion 7, was to be embraced by the resumption. | + | Allen Strom was inclined to agree with Marie Byles: whilst |
- | Myles Dunphy expressed a less convinced attitude. He contended | + | Wal Roots insisted that the area must be resumed, and would be resumed if we made sufficient fuss, but the main thing was to save Era for public recreation, and it would be a tragedy if it were alienated by National Fitness. To which Dormie |
- | that addition to Garawarra was the most desirable course, as resump- | + | When we had the Lands Department's reply, we should know whet action to take. |
- | tion by National Fitness may lead to Era becoming entirely a Notional | + | |
- | Allen Strom was inclined to agree with Marie Byles: whilst | + | Marie Byles, urging rapid action, said that Era would be an expensive resumption, whereas Garawarra being Crown land, had cost nothing. Three times the Lands Department had included Era in its estimates, and each time there had been no finance allotted. We shouldn' |
- | enthusiastic on the subject of hostels at Ern, he felt that it was the best deal possible, and in this Ruby Payne-Scott supported him. | + | |
- | Wal Roots insisted that the area must be resumed, and would be resumed if we made sufficient fuss, but the main thing was to save Era for public recreation, and it would be a tragedy if it were alienated by National Fitness. To which Dormie | + | Having disposed of thorny Era, the meeting rapidly elected " |
- | concern which might filch our camping areas from us. We must get | + | |
- | the land resumed somehow, and unless we had some early information from the Lands Department, we should contact the Minister again. | + | |
- | When we had the LandsDepartment's reply, we should know whet action to take. | + | |
- | Marie Byles, urging rapid action, said that Era would be an expensive resumption, whereas Garawarra being Crown land, had cost nothing. Three times the Lands Department had included Era in its | + | |
- | 5. | + | |
- | estimates, and each time there had been no finance allotted. We shouldn7t | + | |
- | Having disposed of thorny Era, the meeting rapidly elected" | + | |
====== Social Notes for August ====== | ====== Social Notes for August ====== | ||
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The little township whose neighbouring rocks you were to investigate was left behind; by nightfall you were camped miles away, in a lonely little gorge, beside a clear, cold stream, oddly aloof in its sound. Ironbark shadowed the camping place; there were among them a few dead trees, with fantastically twisted limbs, stabbing sharply into the silver-blue of a winter sky, and creaking unexpectedly in the still air. | The little township whose neighbouring rocks you were to investigate was left behind; by nightfall you were camped miles away, in a lonely little gorge, beside a clear, cold stream, oddly aloof in its sound. Ironbark shadowed the camping place; there were among them a few dead trees, with fantastically twisted limbs, stabbing sharply into the silver-blue of a winter sky, and creaking unexpectedly in the still air. | ||
- | |||
The little white tent - a symbol of independence and isolation - was dwarfed more than ever when | The little white tent - a symbol of independence and isolation - was dwarfed more than ever when | ||
- | that first warming five of your own was lit. It was oneself against - | + | that first warming five of your own was lit. It was oneself against - or held within - a boundless universe. |
- | or held within - a boundless universe. | + | |
- | A mood of high elation lighted your steps the next morning. | + | A mood of high elation lighted your steps the next morning. The crisp yellowed grasses crackled with frost; you set out with a wild and ancient chant - I am the overlord of the hills and the high places, |
- | The crisp yellowed grasses crackled with frost; you set out with a wild and ancient chant - | + | |
- | HI am the overlord of the hills and the high places, | + | |
And it is the frozen breath of the mountains that I seize and make into words. | And it is the frozen breath of the mountains that I seize and make into words. | ||
- | verything | + | |
- | schists, the silken blue-grey sheen or phyllites, the brilliant | + | Everything |
- | green of watercress against vermilion walls of granite. There was a glorious wall-like mass of reddish-purple porphyry, studded with squarish creamy-white crystals; a most comical, ridiculous, gargantuan pudding of a rock, which you followed up hill and down dale for miles. It led across a rai]way | + | |
- | steep fifty-foot slope of gravel, you tackled gaily, and slid to | + | You went up again and scrambled through the railway fence, in no way cast down by the incident. In this mood, even fences were endurable; after all, they were useful in checking directions, since most of them ran either north-south or east-west. |
- | the bottom in a cloud of dust, specimens, maps and instruments - to be picked up and dusted off by a crowd of highly amused workmen on a trolley. | + | |
- | You went up again and scrambled through the railway fence, in no waycast | + | The cold was so exhilarating, |
- | endurable; after- all, they were useful in checking directions, | + | |
- | since most of them ran either | + | The light imperceptibly lessened, until at last you realised, with a slight |
- | The cold was so exhilarating, | + | |
- | the winter day, to explore the next bend. The twisting creek seemed | + | The panic grew, and befuddled your mind so completely that all sense of direction was lost; you gave up and simply let your feet, sensitive to every conformation of the ground in their soft soled, |
- | to hold a mocking spirit which was age-old; a part of the place itself. You felt that something wild and secret must have happened there, and : | + | |
- | As the sun went down thre was an unearthly gleam of twice-reflected light from the grey and purple walls; these were now of massive limestone, with the contours and texture of an elephants hide. The spirit of the place continued to beckon you - and laughed when you stumbled into clear icy pool, fringed with brilliant red-brown and glowing green plants. | + | |
- | The light imperceptibly lessened, until at last you realised, with aslight | + | |
- | fall down the cutting was useless. It would be suicidal to retrace your steps down that gorge in the dark. It must be at least five miles in a direct line across country bock to camp: you hoped it would be over merely undulating ground with no unexpected creeks to cross. That didn't sound too bad; but you were already tired and cold, with forty pounds of laboriously-gathered specimens on your back; and as you tried to keep a constant direction, stumbling over boulder-strewn ground, a growing fear was mounting at the base of your brain. Useless to try ,Ird argue yourself out of it (that a night out doesntt | + | |
- | The panic grew, and befuddled your mind so completely that all sense of direction was lost; you gave up and simply let your feet, sensitive to every conformation of the ground in their soft- | + | |
- | _ soled, | + | |
194908.txt · Last modified: 2016/02/19 15:37 by kennettj