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+               THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER
+A monthly bulletin of matters of interest to the Sydney
+Bushwalkers„ 0/- Ingersoll Hall, 256 Crown St., Sydney.
+   Box No.4476 G.P.O., Sydney. 'Phone: JW 1462.
+No.263               OCTOBER, 1956.             Price 9d.
+Editor: Dot Butler, Boundary Rd.,  Sales & Subs.: Jess Martin
+        Wahroonga, (JW 2208)       Typed by: Dot Butler
+Business Manager: Jack Gentle      Reproduction: Jess Martin
+                      CONTENTS                 Page
+  At Our September, Half-Yearly Meeting - A.G.Colley .2
+  The Sanitarium Health Food Shop (Advt.)        3
+  The Frontier Traverse - Colin. Putt            4
+  Leica Photo Service (Advt.)                    5
+  Siedlecky's Taxi & Tourist Service (Advt.)     7
+  Walks Report for August - Malcolm McGregor     F
+  Hattswell's Taxi & Tourist Service (Advt.)     9
+  Letter from Dave Ingram                       10
+  Walking for Profit - Alex Colley              12
+  Night Ascent of the Pons Portus - "Liar Bird" 13
+  What a Leaden or What, a Leader? - Goof Wagg  17
+  "BushwaarUF: Mugs, etc,' (Paddy's advt.)      20
+                       • • • • •
+       Who walks with beauty never feels alone,
+       His constant comrades are the moon and sun.
+       Shared bushland walks recall the friend now gone
+       Invisible hands restore the absent one.
+       One camp still holds the footprints of the moon
+       That came and went a hushed and secret hour;
+       A glowing campfire yields the lasting boon -
+       Remembered friendship's white immortal flower.
+       Who takes of beauty wine and daily bread
+       Will know no lack when empty years are lean;
+       The brimming .cup is by, the feast is spread,
+       The sun, the moon, the stars his eyes have seen
+       Shall still his hunger, and his thirst he stays
+       With wine of friendship from remembered days.
+                                      - Mostly David Morton.
+.
+            AT OUR SEPTEMBER HALF-YEARLY MEETING.
+    The Meeting commenced at 8,20 with the President in the Chair
+and about 35 members present. First business was a welcome to our
+newest member - Margaret Innes.
+    Next Joan Walker, although not present, was elected to the
+Committee vacancy. As nobody wanted' to be Federation delegate the
+election of a successor to Tom Kenny-Royal was deferred to the next
+meeting.
+    A motion was pUt by Heather Joyce and carried by the meeting,
+that we should write to the Sydney Morning Herald pointing out that
+a suggestion made by a correspondent for the formation of volunteer
+fire fighting squads to protect the park lands had already been
+carried out.
+    The President conveyed the good, though unofficial, news that
+a large part of the survey work for the Blue Mountains National
+Park had been done, and that land north of the Western line and
+between Kings Tableland end the Cox might be declared as part of the
+park.
+    The proposed Constitutional amendment, designed to make the
+Literary Editor's membership of the Committee conditional on the
+wish of the Editor and of the general meeting, was not approved by
+the Committee and failed to obtain the required three quarters
+majority of the meeting.
+    The sub-committee appointed to report on the celebration of the
+Club's 30th anniversary - in October next year - recommended,
+that no action be taken.
+     General business started with a discussion of the printing of
+a new songbook. Frank Young pointed out that it was a big job and
+a typiste was esselatial on the proposed song-book committee.
+Alan Wilson thought the song-book was a waste of time so far as camp
+fire entertainment was concerned. It was seldom seen at camp fires
+and added nothing to their enjoyment. Renee Brown, speaking from
+long experience, said that 50% or more people didn't know the words
+of songs but liked to sing and the book was for their benefit.
+Jane Putt's opinion was that the best way to.learn,the songs was to
+listen while they were being sung. In reply to a question Jim Brown,
+who was on the last Committee, said that the book had been designed
+to prevent the singers from getting on to "la-la-la-la" after the
+first few lines. About 300 song-books had been sold, and many songs
+were included because some people liked them and they might well
+become popular. Jack Wren councilled more care in. selection of
+songs as about a third.of the songs in the book were never sung.
+A sub-committee consisting of Malcolm McGregor, Frank Young, Grace
+Aird, Colin Putt, Margaret Innes and Yvonne Renwick was appointed.
+to produce a new book. Next it was debated whether or not the
+sub-committee should submit a list of proposed songs before the book
+was typed. Frank Barlow thought we should trust the Committee -
+the title didn't tell you anything about the song and many doubtful .
+.
+  THE SANITARIUM HEALTH FOOD SHOP
+                     OFFERS
+          QUALITY DRIED FRUITS, NUTS and BISCUITS
+          DELICIOUS FRUIT SWEETS
+          WHOLSOME, LIGHT RY-KING CRISP BREAD
+          AMAZING, LOW ECONOMY PRICES
+   COME TO OUR STORE,      13 HUNTER STREET, SYDNEY
+     AND SEE OUR WONDERFUL RANGE. OF HEiLTH-FOODS
+      -  FOR WALKING TRIPS AND HOME USE
+songs had the most innocuous titles - and this seemed to be the
+general view.
+    By this time nearly everybody at the meeting had had their say
+and the next motion provided an opportunity for the remainder.
+Frank Ashdown moved that the library be disbanded, the books sold by
+auction and the money added to Club funds. The President immediately
+declared the motion, in the form proposed, to be unconstitutional,
+because a motion to sell the Club's assets required fourteen days
+notice to all members. The motion was altered to read that a notice
+of intention to move should be sent to members, and the debate
+proceeded. Jack Wren supported thn alotion in this form. He said the
+library had served its purpose and ow only harboured silverfish.
+Other speakers pointed out that this was just another attempt to
+whittle away yet another of the features which had made the Club hat
+it is now, and instanced the discontinuance of the Club 's Annua?
+Concerts, Christmas treat for children, the publication of the
+Eashwalker Annual etc. as cases in point. The motion was put and
+lost.  (At the close of the meeting a crowd assembled outside the
+library cabinet and at least one member was seen to leave with fonr
+borrowed books in his hand.)
+    Finally a motion was put, rather tentatively, by Jim Brown Cat
+Prospectives be allowed to attend Re-unions. Wal Rootes spoke aalnat
+the motion saying it was, as its name implied, a re-union of me ml,
+But people were getting tired of debating, the hour was
+motion was put and (much to Jimrs secret surprise, I'm sure) was
+carried;   with which the meeting terminated.
+                                                 - A.G. Colloy.
+.
+                THE FRONTIERTRAVERSE   AUGUST 1956.  Cmlin Putt,
+  Signal Koppe  Lyskamm East Lyskamm West  Castor   Pollux
+,980 ft.    14,850 ft.    11,680 ft.  13,850 ft. 13,400 ft.
+     "Tempo bruto," roared the but guardian, shining a powerful tortth
+in our faces. I prised an eye open and looked at my watch 3.20 ail
+What on earth did 'tempo brutof mean? BQtter get up anyway.
+     The stars shone cold and bright, but the but shook and the guy
+wires strummed and twanged in the grip of a vicious'wind. With some
+misgivings about the weather we forced down some black bread, cheese
+and coffee, then put on storm clothing, crampons and rope inside the
+hut. As we stepped into the dark outside the wind enveloped us, it
+smote and cut at us, it tried even to invade that corner of conscious-
+ness which is reserved to control the placing of cramponed feet and the
+handling of the rope. We nearly ran. down the broad ice ridge from
+the Signalkuppe in our eagerness to escape the wind, and in the lee
+of the Parrotspitze we were rewarded by an excruciating return of
+circulation to fingers and toes, As we stepped into the Lys jock saddle
+the sun was already touching the top of the long steep ridge before us
+and the wind seemed less determined.
+     In two ropes of two we worked steadily up our ridge which was
+very steep, very narrow, but not complicated by rock steps or ice
+overhangs. Wind crusted snow and blue ice alternated with bewilder-
+ing frequency, some large cornices required care, and sudden gusts
+of wind tried to catch us off balance, but crampons overcame all these
+things and an hour and a half later we found ourselves rather unexpec-
+tedly on the main summit of Lyskamm, a little sloping ice hummock
+with sheer depths of rock and ice cliff all around it except to the
+west where a mile or so of narrow winding ridge led to the other peak.
+The wind had dropped right away,, the sky was cloudless and the sun
+unusually hot. With thoughts of soft snow later in the day we tight-
+rope walked the ridge at top speed, one foot in Switzerland, the other
+in Italy, and the ice-axe. for a balancing pole. We were feeling fine
+in spite of the altitude, and we raced over: the rock steps in the
+ridge non-stop, crampons and all. On the West summit we found a party
+which had just come up the other side, with a guide who seemed to be
+something of a leg-puller. "Voila le Cervint" he shouted to his
+patrons, pointing to the bulky unmistakable mass of Monte Rosa across
+the way.
+    At a good pace we cramponed down the west ridge ofe Lyskamm on
+to the Felikjoch, a broad snow plateau feeding two glaciers. Here
+we began to strike soft snow and really hot sun. We took off our
+crampons and ploughed on, The ridge up Castor is broad, gentle and
+long; under conditions of slushy snow and extreme heat it is best
+not remembered. The west side of the mountain, however, is not a
+ridge but a steep ice face, complete with bulges of hard blue ice, ice-.
+cliffs and threatening seracs,. It was advisable to move one at a
+time over part of this, and when we had reached the saddle between
+Castor and Pollux and moved out from below the seracs, it was time
+for lunch. The meal was shortened by the reappearance of our old
+                           PHOTOGRAPHY I 1? I                  t
+       You press the button, we' 11 do the rest !
+   Finegrain                                                   Your
+        Developing                                                 Rollfilms
+  Sparkling                                                    or
+        Prints                                                     Lei ca. films
+  Perfect                                                       deserve the
+        Enlargements                                               best SERVICE
+                         LEI CA PHOTO SERVICE
+Macquarie Place
+                                    SYDNEY N.S.W.
+  enemy the wind, only as a chilly breeze this time, but enough to call
+  for a sweater and parka again. At the same time "hogsback" clouds
+  suddenly appeared, very, high .pp, over some of the distant peaks, We
+  took the hint and hurried on to the next climb, Pollux. After a short
+  uphill wallow over deep wet snow and a conventional bergschrund, we
+  were at the foot of the east face, our first rock climb of the day,
+  and never have I teen such rotten, broken, unstable rock. Although
+  the _face is steep, there is literally nothing sound on it; if you
+  pulled out one fair-sized luzp at the bottom,' the whole mountain
+  would fall down on top of you. Winding its way up the face of
+  shattered, contorted stone, is the culprit - a band of jet-black
+ -porphyritic rock of obviously igneous origin.. We picked our way
+. carefully upward, close together to avoid the dangers of displaced
+  rocks, and hardly daring to speak above a. whisper. When , near the
+  top of the mountain, we at last got on to snow, it was no better for
+  it was only a thin layer of slush on top of steep ice. A piece which
+  broke away, from under my foot started a fair-sized avalanche with the
+  greatest of ease.
+        At last we reached the top, a short curved piece of snow ridge,
+  and considered what to do next. The huge mass of the Breithorn was
+.
+temptingly close, but it was getting late and the snow was becoming
+dangerously soft, in fact the immediate problem was how to get off
+Pollux without being mixed up with an avalanche. We chose the north
+.face directly below us; in almost perpetual shadow, it had kept a
+thin layer of firm snow, well bonded to the ice. As we left the
+summit a few streaks of racing mist formed around us out of the clear
+sky; minutes later, as we prepared to leap the bergschrund, the air
+around us 'thickened into dense cloud. Once off the steep face we set
+off down a broad snow ridge atA jog-trot, with the bad weather right
+behind us. On and on for hours, as fast as we could go, wallowing
+through knee-deep snow. There was one brief pause to negotiate a
+steep and avalanchy slope, and another when I broke•throUgh a
+crevasse'bridge. At last, sf•aked in sweat and snow-melt, we reached
+the left lateral moraine of the Gorner Glacier while volloys of
+thunder sounded out of black clouds on our peaks of the morning.
+Two miles of slithering and jumping over the ice-hummocks of the •
+Gorner and we were safe on the track to Zermatt. I stopped to take
+off two sweaters and a pair of long trousers, and raced off to catch
+up the others. People of various nationalities all along the track
+greeted me in English, for who but an Englishman would run uphill
+with a heavy pack, clad in apparently nothing but a beard, ancient
+filthy parka and heavy boots.
+    At the rack railway a train stopped for us, its doors invitingly
+open, but knowing that the fare to Zermatt is some 15/-, we made
+rude signs at it until it moved off. Apparently the conductor was
+in league with the powers of darkness, for immediately there was a
+deafening thunderclap, and we were deluged with enormous hailstones.
+More surprised than pleased, we slithered and skidded down the five
+miles of steep hail-covered track in record time, and were in Zermatt
+in time for an excellent and fabulously cheap meal at the Hotel
+leisshorn. One of the party went to sleep at the table and dropped
+his head into his plate of food; I was asleep before I was properly
+in the tent, my feet were out in the rain all night and I never even
+noticed it. But what a day, what a terrific day it had beenl
+           COMING SOCIAL EVENTS for OCTOBER.
+   Oct. 17th. "WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT SLIDE".
+              Bring along your slides, both good and bad, and
+              have them expertly criticised.
+              There will also be a talk on the scope of colour film.
+              Keith Renwick would like to have your slides handed
+                in as soon as possible.
+                                   ••■1•=1.1.
+   Oct.24th. MEMBERS' SLIDE NIGHT. Bring along your slides and
+              let us see what you've been taking.
+                          aMINRIMa.ml.gwIMMIMM.
+   Oct.31.  SWITZERLAND. Slides and talk by Don Shepherd.
+,
+           IMPORTANT TRANSPORT NOTICE
+   B U S H W A L K E R S REQUIRING TRANSPORT FROM BLACKHEATH
+     ANY HOUR            RING, WRITE or CALL ...
+             SIEDLECKYIS TAXI 8c TOURIST SERVICE
+STATION STREET, BLACKHEATH
+HOUR SERVICE
+        BuSHWALKERS arriving late at night without transport
+        bookin can ring fOr car from Railway Station, or call
+        at above address   IT'S NEVER TOO LATE
+   'PHONE: B'HEATH.S1„ or SYDNEY No. 1E3563 after hours
+                          or MA3467
+   FARES: KLNANGRA WALLS 30/- per head (minimum 5 passengers)
+/ "   H     n u
+         PERRYAS LOOKDOWN
+         JENOLAN STATE FOREST 20/-' "  if  ft if
+         CARLON'S FARM   10/-    u     " n    n
+   LOOK FOR T.C.3210 or PAC}W4RD T.V.270
+            OFFICIAL WALK OCTOBER 19 20 21.
+        BOMATERRY-CAMBEWARRI,-BARREN-GROUNDS-KIAMA
+    This walk, with variations, at this timo of year was once a
+regular feature of the 'programme and :was well attendedi The leader
+hopes it wille againgi ' Thera- will. be about two miles-to walk the
+first night' a full moon has bean arranged'.
+    Next day is mostly walking on back roads with about an hour !s
+uphill scrub baShng thrOWn'in.
+    On Sunday we walk over the Barren Grounds which are just a garden
+of wild flowers at this time of year.
+    Most of the walk is on the coastal side of a 2000 ft. range
+with almost unobstructed views which extend from Cape Banks on ithe
+north to Mount Dromedary on the south.
+    It is fair/medium test walk standard, mostly on tracks.
+    For further details see leader:- - 'AleexColley.
+.
+               WALKS REPORT for AUGUST 1956.
+       The prcgramme for August opened with Yvonne Renwick's Field
+  Week-end at Euroka. Beautiful weather brought out 12 members and
+prospectives and 4 youngsters. Altogether a good week-end.
+       Snow Brown did not get enough starters for Kanangra, but Heather
+   Joyce, not to be done out of her week-end away, gathered up three
+   others and set off down Black Jerry's for Harry's River, Bees Nest
+   Creek, Little River, etc. However, with a little extra time ,in bed
+   on Saturday they didn't make Bees Nest and finally came home a bit
+   late on Slinday.
+       The Saturday trip with Jess Martin in charge, saw. some very fine
+   wild flowers in the Willawarra area of The Chase, and the participants,
+   six members and 1 prospective, enjoyed themselves.
+       The Blackheath-Bell trip with John White gave a typical white
+   welcome to 3 trippers (2 members and 1 prospective). Snow was
+   encountered on Saturday night, which continued through most of Sunday
+   on the walk into Bell.
+       On this same week-end the President led seven others, including
+prospectives, to South Trig for a Corroboree. Dull weather was
+   the order of the day but the flowers were good and a pleasant week-end
+   was the result.
+       For the last week-end in this report I am rearranging the trip
+   order to give full scope to the Friday night walk. On the Sunday
+   walk Joan Cordell had 5 members, 1 prospective and 1 visitor. She
+   reported that it was a little early for the flowers but all had a
+   good time.   Len Fall had only one offer of a starter and by mutual
+   consent the Saturday trip was called off.
+       Now for itl   Four members and 1 prospective began the Rigby
+miles.  The party camped in snow on Narrow Neck on Friday night
+   and after a brisk walk on Saturday morning the leader, at the foot
+   of Debert's knob, stated his legs were sore and he was going home.
+   The party, minus leader, continued. On Sunday morning the party,
+   (still minus leader) steamed up past Bimlow and on arrival at
+   Sheehy.'s Creek they noticed an immaculately dressed "gentleman" near
+   a Renault. On closer inspection it proved to be the "leader" who
+   had nipped home on Saturday, slept at home, and had taken the
+  .opportunity for a pleasant run on Sunday in the car, no doubt to
+   jeer at any walkers who might come by. . However, I am pleased to
+   report that his white-anting was somewhat mitigated by his stowing
+   all 5 bodies and 4 packs into the Renault and driving them home.
+       So for August the programme trips drew 41 members and 8 pros-
+   pectives.
+                    PAGING TEE PAGES.
+       You will note on consulting the Walks Programme that on the week-
+   end of 3/4/5/ November the Friday night and Saturday afternoon walks
+.
+               FOR ALL YOUR TRANSPORT PROBLEMS
+                       CONTACT
+             HATTSWELL'S TaXI & TOURIST SERVICE
+                 RING, WRITE, WIRE or CALL
+                  LILEEILDIE_2EEIEE.
+      'Phone: Btheath 128 or 249        Booking Office -. 4 doors
+                                         from Gardner's Inn Hotel
+                                         (LOOK FOR THE NEON SIGN).
+              SPEEDY 5 OR 8 PASSENGER CARS AVAILABLE
+                LARGE OR SMALL PARTIES CATERED FOR
+   FARES: KLNANGRA WALLS      30/- per head (minimum 5 passengers)
+          PERRY'S LOOKDOWN          "            If II   Ie
+          JENOLAN STATE FOREST 20k- "    "          If   If
+          CARLON'S FARM       10/- "      11     II If   II
+   WE WILL BE PLEASED TO QUOTE OTHER TRIPS OR SPECIAL PARTIES
+                       ON APPLIGATION.
+both converge on Peter Page's homestead at Jamberoo, for the Saturday
+night camp. This has been cunningly arranged so that the S.B.W.
+Light Opera Company can do "Excerpts from' the Operas", in honour of
+Mr. and Mrs. Page of the Old Hands Division, and for the enjoyment of
+the many walkers who are expected. to .come by CAR - in fact, we know.
+of so many it going to be a minor Reunion. Roll upi Bring your
+Chronic Opera Books and join'in the fun!
+        Dorothy BriOden has just come back from a six-weeks' tour of
+the centre where she naturally visited Ayer's Rock, Mt. Olga,
+McDOnnel Ranges, Simpson's Gap and all the usual attractions. She
+says there is an organised service out to the Rock and Mt. Olga by
+Tuit's Motor Service operating from Alica Springs. The trip is of
+five days duration, and food and accommodation is provided, the cost
+being 2,40 per head. This gives a complete day at each of the two
+features, where one can either get around with the guide or jug 4.; do
+as one fancies.
+.
+             LETTER FROM DAVE INGRAM
+                                       T.S.S. "Southern Cross"
+                                          Atlantic Ocean.
+Dear S B.W1s,
+     I have delayed this letter till the sea voyage is nearly over.
+Now I can give you a.resum6 of my activities,
+     The ship is very comfortable, modern and convenient. The food
+is generally not up to standard although we occasionally get a really
+appetising dish. Some of the Belgium waiters are highly amused .at the
+way in which the English chefs on the ship ruin good food - and
+with some justification. Possibly becalms the ship doesn't carry
+cargo,. it has an unusual.pitching motion which upsets some of the
+.passengers. There was a patch of rough weather off the Southern
+Coast of Australia which laid about half the passengers low. I
+.missed breakfast and lost the next two meals, and then felt hungry
+again. All in all I didn't feel any the worse for the temporary
+indisposition.
+     As we approached Western Australia the sunny days were delight-
+ful. I went to the University to see Shirley Dean. It is a beautiful
+spot - Shirl took me over most of it - their open air theatres
+are really good. Then we drove' through King's Park to an open air
+tea house overlooking Perth, for lunch. Most of the passengers were
+sorry to leave Perth.
+     It was ton days' steaming to Durban, or 4,300 miles, mostly
+through warm sunny days and cool nights. Durban is very colourful.-
+rather reminiscent of Brisbane but more modern than B. I had a bus
+tour to the Valley of 1,000 Hills. and was impressed by the number of
+eucalypts and acacias being used as windbreaks and for beautification
+It was two'days, steaming to .Cape Town where we arrived on a.bright
+cool day - visibility marvellous. Table Mountain is really im-
+pressive and so is the trip by cableway from Kloof Nek to the summit,
+ OW- a go, but well worth it.) As it was Sunday we saw several
+walking and climbing parties. With my cabin mates we hired a gar
+and drove 200 miles through the neighbouring fruit and vinegrowing
+towns of Paarl, Transsh Hoek and Elgin, crossing and recrossing the
+Drakenstein Mts. Some of the mountaih passes are most interesting,
+one being lined by eucalypts instead .of a retaining fence. I hope
+to have a few nice transparencies of the area as I have met an old
+friend on board who is a great camera-enthusiast and has given me
+considerable advice on the'subject. We'have.already made plans to
+visit Spain together.
+     From Cape Town to Canary Is. at Las Palmas was another 4,000
+miles. We didn't see a thing other than ocean until a day out of
+Las Palmas when several ships passed, iLcluding the "Stirling Castle"
+bound for Cape Town, She was a fine sight.
+     Las Palmas is a free port, so that things are fairly cheap.
+If the colour in the gardens and the palatial hotels are a sample of
+what we'll meet in Spain, I'm already keen about it. A party of us
+.
+ had a car trip of about 30 miles to Monte in the hills amongst
+ citrus and vegetable gardens - the island is intensely cultivated;
+ most of the produce goes to Great Britain. Lunch at the Santa
+ Brigida Hotel was a treat, just slightly better than the "Taiping."
+ Bargaining with the various hawkers was fun, but the beggars were
+ a nuisance.  Since leaving Las Palmas the weather has been mainly
+ dull and cool with a fair' swell. In fact, it looks like a shower
+ of rain at the moment.
+     Th.e'task of packing. up will be on today as I hear thatthere
+ will be a party pn tomorrow night in our cabin. Being Sunday night
+ there will be no farewell dance. We're due in Southampton on
+ MOnday.   My three cabin mates have been very pleasant company -
+ two are English and the. other a Swede with an American accent.
+     I don't know when I'll get a chance to write again, so don't
+ expect too much. I trust that the rain has eased at last (we read
+ of the recent floods on the South Coast), and that the Walks program-
+-MB is in full swing.
+                        With best wishes,
+                                                  DAVID.
+           IT WILL BE NEW COUNTRY FOR SOME.
+     Just a few words on what to expect on Jean Harvey's Official
+ Walk of Oct. 26/27/28. The train is the 6.33 p.m., tickets to
+ Glenbrook. There is a walk of about six miles on Friday night to
+ the Oaks, where the camp will be a fixed one until Sunday morning.
+ Good camp site - plenty of tent-poles waiting from last time.
+ Be sure your battery is fresh.
+     On Saturday morning, not TOO early, the way will be along an
+ easy ridge to Monkey Vines Creek and down on to Erskine Creek, which
+ just abounds in deep, smooth rock swimming pools, Following the
+ creek two or three miles, and after lunch the party will move off up
+ back to the tops and so back. to camp along a pleasant track to the
+ waiting camp.
+     On Sunday morning, again not TOO early, the route is down a
+ long gentle ridge to Euroka Clearing for lunch, thence into Glen-
+ brook, catching the 5.3 p.m, back to the Big Smoke.
+     Note: White-ants may remain ensconced safely in camp all day
+ Saturday if desired.         Enquiries to JW1462.
+ CORRECTION: In the report of our August General Meeting it was
+ stated that the Youth Hostels Assn. was planning to sell shares for
+ the building of aski but at'Kiandra, whereas it is the BUSHCRAFT
+ ,f .SSN. which is sponsoring the scheme. We trust no inconvenience
+ has been caused to the Youth Hostels Assn. by this error.
+.
+WALKING FOR PROFIT
+- Alex Colley
+"Beat the vultures
+walk;• exhorted the Harbour Bridge footway
+philosopher in his chalked message of July 1st. The fare rise must
+really have got under his skin becaube a little further on, in place
+of the usual "Repent", or a specific appeal directed just to the
+sinners f this extra wicked State in the form "Repent N.S.W.", he
+had written "Repent, or go to Hell!"
+Though doubtful whether any amount of repentance could affect my
+future, it seemed to me that he might be right abOut the vUltUres.
+Approaching the problem ,scientifically I have estimated how mach. can be
+saved in time and money by walking instead of catching a tram.
+The assumptions I have made are:
+. that the average wait for a tram is five minutes,
+. that trams do a mile in 10 minutes,
+. that a pair of shoes., three helf soles and four pairs.of
+socks, at a cost. of E,8 in all, will do about 1,000 miles,
+making cost per mile 2d.
+. that a bushwalker can do a mile "track and easy," without a
+pack, in 16 minutes.
+The profits of walking would then be as follows: (The lower
+profits are when you start at the beginning of the section, and the
+higher limit for journeys which involve an additional section.)
+Walking Time saved Fares Footwear Profit
+Time
+or lost
+Cost
+Minutes
+save
+
+rt
+lost
+
+
+rr
+
+ft
+rr
+Distance Travelling
+and wait-
+in  time
+miles
+Minutes Minutes
+
+BO
+s. d.
+d.
+d.
+d.-9d
+
+-1--8i-
+d.-9d
+
+-8
+d.-9d
+
+-7
+d.-y-
+
+-8
+/- 1 3
+V
+-9
+/3
+
+/3-1/6
+
+-8
+For distances over 5 miles the profit margin narrows, until it
+cuts out altogether at 13 miles.
+There are, I admit, some imperfections in this accounting. You may
+not have to wait 5 minutes for a tram, particularly in the city. But
+it
+not often than a city tram does a mile in 10 minutes. It may
+average better than a mile in 10 minutes when it gets outside the city
+approaches, but the odds are you will have to wait longer for.it if
+it is a long distance tram. If you catch a bus it will save more time]
+but the same amount of money will be lost. So, for distances up to one
+mile you will save no time by catching a tram and you will certainly
+lost financially. For distances between 1 and 13 miles, how far you
+walk will depend on how much you galue your time. Myself, I shall wan
+.
+             NIGHT ASCENT OF THE PONS PORTUS.
+                                                  - By "Liar Bird"
+     We were talking in the Club one evening, and the gist of the
+subject matter was that we wanted to get high.
+     "Stitt and Garth have already achieved that noble distinction,"
+said Colin, "But why the rest of you?"
+    "Bathing weakens you, doesn't it Garth:" cried Snow gaily. This
+seemed to law to be apropos of nothing in particular. I put it down
+wo just one of Snow's inscrutible witticisms.
+     "There's a limit to how high you can get before the President
+throws you out," said Geoffo.
+     We attributed these remarks on the part of Putt and company to
+sheer lack of soul and continued our discuss ion. Suddenly we. had it:
+"What about a night climb of the Pons.Portus?"
+     Agreedl And over our coffee and drinks we excitedly sketched
+our plan of attack. Beryl was a bit abashed at our audacity and
+some thought to deter us by hinting at likely hidden •ambushes and
+uttered grim warnings on the danger of trying to infiltrate this
+forbidden territory, but that only inflamed our desire the more;
+we would be particularly careful to respect the rights of the
+natives, and no act of vandalism or defacing of shrines or holy_
+relics wouldisully the splendour of our passage.
+     Garth and Peter organised the transporttiand our expedition set
+out. We journeyed ever towards  the north.
+At one of the native encampment            Jr AA.
+we surprised some animals of              fLA.4
+the genus Felis scavenging
+amongst the native middens.
+We marvelled at their          C14--Njj
+apparent tameness but did
+not disturb them. Small
+rodent-like animals were
+also in evidence.
+     As our party proceeded, sudden rain sheeted down, but excep
+that it made us slightly uneasy about our prospects, it failed to
+dampen our determination.
+     Leaving behind at last the mundane traffic and somewhat squalid
+dwellings of the natives, we wound through the foothills and estab-
+lished base camp in a grassy area among trees. To the west, between
+us and a great drop-away into space, was a rounded hill supporting
+some magnificent specimens of giant Ficus, their broad, glossy green
+leaves making a dense canopy over the thick branches, contoured
+strangely like human limbs and torsos.    On the east we were shel-
+tered by a great white wall, practically vertical but curiously free
+from avalanches. To the north soared our objective flanked by two
+.
+ great symmetrical bastions of granite.
+     Canada may.have its Rockies; Switzerland may have its AlPs;
+ these mountains, cold, remote and antiseptic, are all inland, far
+ removed from the wild tang of the ocean whose salt is TRV7 very •
+ blood of all Sydneysiders. As we gazed on our Heart's Desire we
+ felt that here,for us, was the answer to the mountaineer's dream
+ a magnificent challenge, its feet actually.bathed, by the bottle..
+ green waters of the Pacific while its summit soared above us into
+ the night - mysterious depths of ocean below and equally mysteriau
+ heights of sky above - not to mention great chunks of mysterious
+ mystery all the way up to the summit, and the same again, no doubt,
+ down the other side. As Snow, I think it was, so aptly put it on a
+ previous occasion, "the mysteriousness of it sorta gets. you in."
+     Almost always, when mountaineering, before the climbing
+ actually begins, you find yourself obliged to plug for miles up a
+ glacier flanked with rather monotonous grey mounds of lateral moraine
+ The moist air beaded our hair and eyebrows with tiny white droplets
+ as we plugged along the curved sweep, the walls on either side
+ shining with a grey metallic gleam. And so tb the base of the climb
+     "Forward, Onward and Upward!" cried Colin. "When danger
+ threatens and adventure calls only the pedestrian fool would fail
+ to heed. Excellsiorl "rt's all yours;     wait for you down here."
+     So Pete and Garth and Nobby and I hi-tolled up our pants and
+ tucked our whatnots into our underbelows respectively and prepared
+ to climb over the first obstacle. Suddenly, with the thunderous
+ roar of an avalanche, a hissing, screaming death from the darkness
+ bore down towards us. A great blast of wind engulfed us, our ears
+ were filled with a deafening clatter, then the noise gradually
+ diminished as this harbinger of death disappeared into some dark
+ crevasse or underground cave.
+     We peered into the murk of night, as black as the back side of
+ the moon, listening intently for any further hint of danger, then
+ took our courage in both hands and made swift individual dashes over
+ the avalanche chute to relative safety.
+     Now the climbing really began. We surmounteA the first ob-
+ stacle with some difficulty - real toe and_ finger work of a spiky
+unpleasant nature, but once surmounted we found Ourselves on a
+ veritable stairway, wet and slippery, but nevertheless a stairway.
+ This led us to the first terrace, so to speak.
+     I recalled the two other occasions I had been on this climb.
+ Once with Geof and Ross, the latter unsuitably clad in dancing
+pumps - Geof and I had waylaid him for a brief workout to improve
+his dancing steps. He was at great pains to keep his footwear free
+ of scratches, but didn't succeed. "Serves him right!" said Colin,
+ "I have no patience with Mountaineers who go round masquerading as
+ Citizens,'" - with which sentiments all, including Rosso, concurred
+     On this.occasion we had found ourselves trapped at the beginning
+.
+of the summit sweep by an impassible obstacle which would have
+necessitated an unjustifiably risky traverse over a great space
+filled with nothingness, or, alternately, a return to the base of
+the climb and the choosing of another route, which time did not permit
+if Rosso's social life was to remain unsh4tered, so we called it a
+glorious failure and postponed our attempt to the sweet future.
+    On the other occasion our party had done a.cqmplete traverse
+and come down the northern arrete. Snow was Optatic. "Gee,
+Colin would like this," he cried, "No filthy vegetation. This is
+about the first climb I've been on where there's been no waste
+rabbit-food to clutter up the prospect:"
+   And now here we were again. The lie of the terrain now
+necessitated a bit -'of extremely steep upward progression, dark and
+windy and exposed, then the long sweep to the main BUrfillit began.
+   How. can one best describe that glorious ascent? The sense of
+depth and space all around us, accentuated by the moonless night,
+so that we felt ithat if we stepped either to right or left of the
+narrow arr'dte we were on, we would surely be walking on air.
+   At one place a dark rectangular obstacle caused us some concern.
+We thought it wisest to avoid it altogether and were forced to make
+a risky detour out on to the grey slabs, fingers scribbling over a
+scattering of nobbly handholds, feet scratting desperately for 'holds.
+It is strange how the mind, in times of stress, turns to extraneous
+subjects, as if unwilling'to acknowledge the existance of the
+obstacle confronting it - I distinctly remember that at this
+stage Pete and Nobby were engrossed in a discussion on electronic
+eyes, to which Garth lent an attentive ear.
+   There were no further obstacles as we followed the beautiful
+curve and sweep to the summit. "Gee, this is crack-on t" cried
+Garth enthusiastically. Although thebe was no moon, there was
+sufficient light from the stars to give visibility. "Gee, this is
+collossal," said Garth. "This is mighty:" Away to the east the
+ocean stretched, dark and mysterious. Below us the flat area
+gleamed and shone with an unearthly radiance. "Gees this is bang-onr
+said Garth. How some people do burble when they're happy -
+can't hold their beans.
+   The photographers wished and mourned for their cameras. They
+would not mind waiting round for a lengthy time exposure either -
+the resulting picture would offset frostbitten ears and fingers
+caused by loitering around in the rarefied atmosphere at that height
+However they had no cameras, and after admiring the view for a while
+longer we commenced the descent, noting below us at least four
+avalanche troughts, two of:which we would have to cross on the
+return route.
+   Eventually we dropped down to the avalanche chutes and dashed
+swiftly across without being overwhelmed with black ruin. Then the
+long plug back along the glacier bed. We had a wash and a drink
+at a spring bubbling up under a rocky overhang, and sighted one lone
+.
+ native who might have been hostile. Then back to our base camp
+ and a great welcome by Colin and the waiting others.
+      "So you weren't copped:" said Putt°.
+     "It wasn't an electronic eye," explained Pete, "It was a hot
+ water system,"
+      What a curious thing for him to say. Now what the Hell are
+ they talking about?
+            FEDERATION REPORT SEPTEMBER
+                                                   - Allen A. Strom
+     Two important matters arose from the discussion on the Committee
+Report on The Decline in Membership of Bushwalking Clubs:-
+. A Committee has been set up to organise "Junior Walks" for boys
+        and girls 14 to 16 years. It will meet with Paddy Pallin as
+        convenor, wo work out a working plan.
+. It was decided to proceed with Trail Blazing, in oushlands near
+        Sydney. By the November meeting, Clubs are asked to submit
+        personelle for a Committee to be set up to handle this work.
+     Other points raised by the Report are being followed up by
+further contacts and enquiries.
+     A new Publi21I7 Officer is required and Clubs have been asked
+to advertise the vacancy.
+     The Assistant Information Officer complains that new Walks
+Programmes and Walks ReportS are not being forwarded —to him with
+regularity. This is defeating the purpose of the Officer's work
+and bushwalkers are asked to give greater co-operation.
+     Assistance with repairs to the Main Entrance Track at The
+Bouddi Natural Park is required on week-end Out.2V27/28,
+Phone: UA2983,
+     The Member for Bulli, The Minister for Lands and The Premder
+have all promised attention to protests against alienating portion
+of The Royal National Park for housing.
+     The Dept. of Lands reports that information for a National
+Parks Act is being collected.
+     Now that The Barren Grounds has been declared Faunal Reserve
+No.3, bushwalkers are asked to impress upon their friends its
+true significance. A party will visit the area on Oct.12/13/14.
+'Phone: UA2983.
+.
+      WHAT A LEADER or WHAT, A LEADER?
+                                              Geof Wagg.
+     The miles, the miles, the miles, the weary miles. Once more
+walkers fling themselves against the barrier of miles and time,
+with little hope of auccess.
+     The programme stated: Katoomba-Black-Dog-Cox R.-Wollondilli R.-
+Fattai R,-Hilltop;. distance 72 miles.  How often and hov/ fruit-
+lessly has this appeared on a programme, and how often must rnrro and
+Miles have laughed up their sleeves at the hollow bravado of the Idoa,
+So why should four walkers, conscious of all this, pit their puny
+strength against the impossible? I'll tell you°   It was the name
+in the last column but one - the column marked "Leaders" This name,
+this man, whose calm detached thinking and quiet unanswerable logic
+has landed so many tough trips at Blue Gum, and so many Blue Gum
+trips at the Hydro Majestic "from the highest point of which," so he
+says, "you can obtain a splendid view of Kanangra Walls."
+     I scarcely remember the memorable night at the meeting when our
+leader sprang to his feet and in his ringing voice cried, "Who will
+venture forth to Hilltop with me, to glory in his manhood with toil
+and sweat, to feel the heat that blisters and the stinging snows?"
+     John Scott, John Manning and Snow all shouted "I".
+     Hadn't been listening myself so only caught the last bit and
+murmured "Aye" from force of habit then found it too late to retract.
+     Our leader is a man of democratic character, and 'although he
+owns a blue Renault car he travelled up with his party by train,
+leading. them successfully on to the train at Central and off again
+at Katoomba. But at Katoomba] We stepped out of our steam-heated
+compartment•just as the first fluttering silver snowflake. landed on
+the pavement like a speck of dandruff on a navy blue coat. That was
+only the first. More came - and more and-mare and mpre.
+twirled and twizzled and did a little dance .round our logs and •
+settled on our cold noses.   Over the frosted pavements o' leader
+led us, past the Carrington, past, the Homeadale and the Belvedere,
+out into the teeth of the blizzard on Narrow Neck. Snow uttered a
+small wail as we passed within sight of his warm bed at home in
+Lurline .Street.
+     It was only masterful leadership that got the party past the
+warm dry cave at Coral Swamp, but on the second neck, as we received
+the full unchecked force of the biting south-west wind, he finally
+realised that he could drive us no further and gratefully we sank
+into oblivion in the 'meagre shelter of the overhang beside the track.
+We had been oblivious for scarcely 15-minutes when along came John
+Manning who had caught a train an hour later than ours, so must have
+accomplished the distance in approximately half the time it had taken
+us, This seemed a phenomenal feat, particularly for an unled party.
+     We spent an extremely cold and uncomfortable night, and at
+times could not help making the perhaps. rather unfair comparison
+.
+between this shelter and the luxurious cave at Coral Swamp. However
+the wisdom of the leader's decision was obvious when he roused us
+shortly before dawn next morning, because every one of the party with-
+out exception was almost pleased to be moving again. After driving
+the prospective out to light the fire we ate a dark breakfast and
+thawed our boots.- Our wet long trousers which.had frozen in the
+night we folded, being careful not to snap off the legs, and stowed
+in our packs.
+     It must have snowed heavily during-the night, because all the
+ridges towards Jenolan, were carrying quite a mantle of white, and
+so indeed was the Neck itself, which made the bush-brushing even
+more than usually painful.' • Going down to Glenraphael an unfortun-
+ate accident occurred which caused the party some discomfort. It
+was just one of those little things for which, no one can be blamed
+suddenly we noticed that the prospective, John Manning, had been
+allowed to slip into the lead, and from then on the pace began to
+blister. But we didn't notice the cold any more.
+     Snow Brown'aecured the premier position in the skither down
+Tarots Ladder and we looked forward eagerly to a reduction in pace.
+Instead he broke into a run. The impetut of this carried us over
+Debert's where we re-assembled. Somehow„.(probably to assure a
+moderation of pace) I was thrust into the lead. But what was wrong
+this morning? I found that Black Dog was all down hill, that it was
+a beautiful morning and the wattle was out, and suddenly the ground
+started racing backwards under my foot. Next thing I knew I was on
+the Cox and the. others were tumbling down the hill like apples out
+of a barrel. John Scott found that the pace wasn't the only thing
+that had been blistering.
+     But where was our leader?  Whipping in stragglers? go, he
+alone was missing. We decided, however, that some leaderly task must
+be delaying him and made the rather rash decision to push on knowing
+that he would soon overtake us. In this forbidding country we felt
+very much the lack of leadership and were quite relieved to find
+ourselves at Harry's Humpy by lunchtime, especially as' the oranges
+were on. We waited here for an hour and a half, expecting at any
+moment to see our leader's countenance come into view,. but as neither
+his nor John Scott's did we assumed that they were either having lunch
+at Kill's Defile or they knew a better orchard elsewhere. (As regards
+our Leader, this may easily have been the case.) When we tried to
+move on after lunch we again felt the lack of wise counsel as some-
+thing told us we might have been somewhat immoderate with the oranges..
+     By the time we reached the McMahon's crossing we knew most of the
+fire was out of us and we barely had the energy to drive the prospect-
+ive accross so we could see how deep it was. As it appeared to be
+quite safe Snow and I made the attempt and received our first of
+several clues that finally led us to deduce the fact theitJohn's legs
+are about 12" longer than ours. Now we found the once beautiful. Cox
+Valley a desolation of blackberry and erosion. Also, with no leader
+we mistook our route and,taking the new road for a timber track, We
+tried to pick our way 'along the remains of . the old one which got us
+into all sorts of trouble because there are now no bridges. Each
+.
+ successive crossing was deeper and colder, and sometimes even John
+had trouble. We felt great sympathy for our absent leader, whose
+legs are shorter than ours.
+                These troubles had cost us time, and although we walked for more
+than an hour after dark, we made our miserable camp only a few hund-
+red yards short of Bimlow. As we cooked on a fire of fence posts
+we tried to comfort ourselves but it was useless. Here we were,
+three lonely bods in a strange and alien landscape with no shelter
+for the night, but worst of all, no leader.                                                                                                            No one woke us shOrtly
+before dawn next morning, no one had us striding gaily ahead by 6
+o'clock, no one was alwaysvready with a cheery confidence to assure
+us we were on the right track. Is it any wonder our stride became a
+stroll, or our stroll became a struggle? At the Nattai Bridge our
+struggle became a fullstop while we talked things over. It was
+clear by now that with the loss of our expert guidance we had lost
+our chance of reaching Hilltop. So what did it matter? It was just
+a pleasant stroll up the Nattai to Sheehy's Creek, then an easy .climb
+to the road. Perhaps it was rather a long way to Picton, but certain-
+ly no worse than Narrow Neck.                                                                            Lots of worse ways of spending a
+Sunday.
+                                                                                         • • • • • •
+               John and I were just stepping out of the scrub on to the Picton
+Road as a blue Renault drove past. Much to our surprise it slowed
+down - stopped - the door opened and out climbed the last person
+we expected to see.                                                     Hair combed, clean face, an ironed shirt and
+knife-edge creases in his trousers, shined shoes. It was our leaders
+               "G/day fellers' Just thought I'd drive out to see how you were
+getting 'on."
+               Oh, the relief with which we punched him to make sure he was
+real. How we pounded and pummelled him, swung him round and tossed
+him in the air. Snow coming up just then struck him with a large
+piece of wood while passing motorists stared. Yes, he was real all
+right.                              John Scott was there too (he'd been picked up .at Bimlow),
+so we were all together again.                                                                              Packs were stowed aboard, walkers
+likewise, and the prospective in the back seat with his head between
+his knees found a disadvantage in long legs. The leader climbed in
+and away we went.
+               And so it ended. Once more our leader was leading us, assuring
+us about the route, passing the hours with cheerful anecdote - the
+old immaculate Digby• Everything was right.
+                                                                                    . • • • • •
+Footnote: The story of how and why he met us where he did is Digby/s„
+                                          and he appears to be sticking to itl
+WANTED TO BUY:                                                A sleeping bag.                                                If anyone has one they wish
+to dispose of please contact Tom Moppott (Phone: JA8873)
+       ??'
+                          I
+       WALKERS, MUGS, ETC.
+    Paddy doesn't suggest that walkers
+have any connection with mugs except when .";rte
+they are drinking. However, on a recent    ;SS
+trip with the Brisbane Bushwalkers it..
+transpired that one of the most remark-
+able things about the Sydney walkers, in
+the eyes of the B.Bts,' was that they
+didn't use plastic bowls. .
+    With the B.B's the flexible plastic
+bowl (about 1 pint capacity) is the
+maid-of-all-work. It acts as drinking
+cup, plate, mixing bowl and (with a
+pressed in lid) a food container.
+    The B.B's like them so much that
+they seem to carry 3 each, and to avoid
+confusion each person has his own device
+or initials painted thereon.
+    It certainly is an idea.
+    Paddy has prepared himself for the
+rush and has bowls complete with lids -
+for 8/9.
+           or
+/- each.
+       ■■••••■■•■■■
+                      'Phone: BM2685
+      PADD PAWN
+       Lighttleight Camp Gear
+CASTURFACH St SYDNEY   r",