195610
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+ | ====THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | A monthly bulletin of matters of interest to the Sydney Bushwalkers C/O - Ingersoll Hall, 256 Crown St., Sydney. | ||
+ | Box No.4476 G.P.O., Sydney. Phone: JW 1462. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ^No.263^OCTOBER, | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |Editor: | ||
+ | |Sales & Subs.:|Jess Martin| | ||
+ | |Business Manager: | ||
+ | |Typed by:|Dot Butler| | ||
+ | |Reproduction: | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ^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' | ||
+ | |Walks Report for August - Malcolm McGregor|8| | ||
+ | |Hattswell' | ||
+ | |Letter from Dave Ingram|10| | ||
+ | |Walking for Profit - Alex Colley|12| | ||
+ | |Night Ascent of the Pons Portus - "Liar Bird" | ||
+ | |What a __Leader__! or __What__, a Leader? - Geof Wagg|17| | ||
+ | |" | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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=== | ||
+ | - A.G. Colley. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The sub-committee appointed to report on the celebration of the Club's 30th anniversary - in October next year - recommended, | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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 essential on the proposed song-book committee. | ||
+ | of songs but liked to sing and the book was for their benefit. | ||
+ | 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 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. | ||
+ | of intention to move should be sent to members, and the debate proceeded. Jack Wren supported the motion in this form. He said the library had served its purpose and now 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 what it is now, and instanced the discontinuance of the Club's Annual Concerts, Christmas treat for children, the publication of the Bushwalker 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 four borrowed books in his hand.) | ||
+ | |||
+ | Finally a motion was put, rather tentatively, | ||
+ | carried; with which the meeting terminated. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | === 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 | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | THE FRONTIERTRAVERSE | ||
+ | Signal Koppe Lyskamm East Lyskamm West Castor | ||
+ | 14,980 ft. 14,850 ft. 11,680 ft. 13,850 ft. 13,400 ft. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | 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 bewildering 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 unexpectedly 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, | ||
+ | which had just come up the other side, with a guide who seemed to be something of a leg-puller. "Voila le Cervint" | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | You press the button, we' 11 do the rest ! | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | Developing | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Sparkling | ||
+ | Prints | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Perfect | ||
+ | Enlargements | ||
+ | |||
+ | LEI CA PHOTO SERVICE | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | 31 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 " | ||
+ | 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, | ||
+ | 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,' | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | | ||
+ | . 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, | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | thunder sounded out of black clouds on our peaks of the morning. | ||
+ | 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, | ||
+ | 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.|" | ||
+ | |Oct.24th.|MEMBERS' | ||
+ | |Oct.31.|SWITZERLAND.|Slides and talk by Don Shepherd.| | ||
+ | |||
+ | 7, | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | B U S H W A L K E R S REQUIRING TRANSPORT FROM BLACKHEATH | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ANY HOUR RING, WRITE or CALL ... | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | 116 STATION STREET, BLACKHEATH | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | 24 HOUR SERVICE | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | BuSHWALKERS arriving late at night without transport | ||
+ | |||
+ | bookin can ring fOr car from Railway Station, or call | ||
+ | |||
+ | at above address | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | or MA3467 | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | 3/ " | ||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | LOOK FOR T.C.3210 or PAC}W4RD T.V.270 | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | OFFICIAL WALK OCTOBER 19 20 21 - BOMADERRY-CAMBEWARRA, | ||
+ | |||
+ | This walk, with variations, at this time of year was once a regular feature of the programme and was well attended. The leader hopes it will be again. There will be about two miles to walk the first night - a full moon has been arranged. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Next day is mostly walking on back roads with about an hour is uphill scrub bashing 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 the north to Mount Dromedary on the south. | ||
+ | |||
+ | It is fair/medium test walk standard, mostly on tracks. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === WALKS REPORT for AUGUST 1956. === | ||
+ | |||
+ | The programme for August opened with Yvonne Renwick' | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The Saturday trip with Jess Martin in charge, saw. some very fine wild flowers in the Willawarra area of The Chase, and the participants, | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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 2 prospectives, | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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 70 miles. | ||
+ | |||
+ | So for August the programme trips drew 41 members and 8 prospectives. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 9. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | FOR ALL YOUR TRANSPORT PROBLEMS | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | RING, WRITE, WIRE or CALL | ||
+ | |||
+ | LILEEILDIE_2EEIEE. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ' | ||
+ | from Gardner' | ||
+ | (LOOK FOR THE NEON SIGN). | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | SPEEDY 5 OR 8 PASSENGER CARS AVAILABLE | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | LARGE OR SMALL PARTIES CATERED FOR | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | PERRY' | ||
+ | JENOLAN STATE FOREST 20k- " | ||
+ | CARLON' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | 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 " | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Dorothy BriOden has just come back from a six-weeks' | ||
+ | the centre where she naturally visited Ayer's Rock, Mt. Olga, | ||
+ | McDOnnel Ranges, Simpson' | ||
+ | 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. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 10. | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | 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, | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | 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 " | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 11. | ||
+ | |||
+ | had a car trip of about 30 miles to Monte in the hills amongst | ||
+ | | ||
+ | most of the produce goes to Great Britain. Lunch at the Santa | ||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | a nuisance. | ||
+ | dull and cool with a fair' swell. In fact, it looks like a shower | ||
+ | of rain at the moment. | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | Walk of Oct. 26/27/28. The train is the 6.33 p.m., tickets 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 | ||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | On Sunday morning, again not TOO early, the route is down a | ||
+ | long gentle ridge to Euroka Clearing for lunch, thence into Glen- | ||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | Note: White-ants may remain ensconced safely in camp all day | ||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | the building of aski but at' | ||
+ | ,f .SSN. which is sponsoring the scheme. We trust no inconvenience | ||
+ | has been caused to the Youth Hostels Assn. by this error. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 12. | ||
+ | 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 " | ||
+ | sinners f this extra wicked State in the form " | ||
+ | had written " | ||
+ | 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 , | ||
+ | saved in time and money by walking instead of catching a tram. | ||
+ | The assumptions I have made are: | ||
+ | 1. that the average wait for a tram is five minutes, | ||
+ | 2. that trams do a mile in 10 minutes, | ||
+ | 3. 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. | ||
+ | 4. 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 | ||
+ | 32 save | ||
+ | |||
+ | 2 | ||
+ | rt | ||
+ | lost | ||
+ | |||
+ | 7 | ||
+ | 2 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 13 | ||
+ | rr | ||
+ | |||
+ | 19 | ||
+ | ft | ||
+ | rr | ||
+ | 25 | ||
+ | Distance Travelling | ||
+ | and wait- | ||
+ | in time | ||
+ | miles | ||
+ | Minutes Minutes | ||
+ | 2 | ||
+ | 4 | ||
+ | 2 | ||
+ | 10 | ||
+ | 8 | ||
+ | 1 | ||
+ | 15 | ||
+ | 16 | ||
+ | 2 | ||
+ | 25 | ||
+ | 32 | ||
+ | 3 | ||
+ | 35 | ||
+ | 48 | ||
+ | 4 | ||
+ | 45 | ||
+ | 64 | ||
+ | 5 | ||
+ | 55 | ||
+ | BO | ||
+ | s. d. | ||
+ | d. | ||
+ | d. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 6d.-9d | ||
+ | 1 | ||
+ | 2 | ||
+ | 5-1--8i- | ||
+ | |||
+ | 6d.-9d | ||
+ | 1 | ||
+ | 5-8 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 6d.-9d | ||
+ | 2 | ||
+ | 4-7 | ||
+ | 9d.-y- | ||
+ | 4 | ||
+ | 5-8 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 1/- 1 3 | ||
+ | 6 | ||
+ | V | ||
+ | 6-9 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 1/3 | ||
+ | 8 | ||
+ | 7 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 1/3-1/6 | ||
+ | 10 | ||
+ | 5-8 | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 13. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | said Colin, "But why the rest of you?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | seemed to law to be apropos of nothing in particular. I put it down | ||
+ | wo just one of Snow's inscrutible witticisms. | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | 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?" | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | At one of the native encampment | ||
+ | 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. | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | 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. | ||
+ | tered by a great white wall, practically vertical but curiously free | ||
+ | from avalanches. To the north soared our objective flanked by two | ||
+ | |||
+ | 14. | ||
+ | |||
+ | great symmetrical bastions of granite. | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | these mountains, cold, remote and antiseptic, are all inland, far | ||
+ | | ||
+ | blood of all Sydneysiders. As we gazed on our Heart' | ||
+ | felt that here,for us, was the answer to the mountaineer' | ||
+ | a magnificent challenge, its feet actually.bathed, | ||
+ | green waters of the Pacific while its summit soared above us into | ||
+ | the night - mysterious depths of ocean below and equally mysteriau | ||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | down the other side. As Snow, I think it was, so aptly put it on a | ||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | The moist air beaded our hair and eyebrows with tiny white droplets | ||
+ | as we plugged along the curved sweep, the walls on either side | ||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | | ||
+ | to heed. Excellsiorl " | ||
+ | |||
+ | So Pete and Garth and Nobby and I hi-tolled up our pants and | ||
+ | | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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- | ||
+ | | ||
+ | unpleasant nature, but once surmounted we found Ourselves on a | ||
+ | | ||
+ | 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. " | ||
+ | " | ||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | On this.occasion we had found ourselves trapped at the beginning | ||
+ | |||
+ | 15. | ||
+ | |||
+ | of the summit sweep by an impassible obstacle which would have | ||
+ | necessitated an unjustifiably risky traverse over a great space | ||
+ | filled with nothingness, | ||
+ | the climb and the choosing of another route, which time did not permit | ||
+ | if Rosso' | ||
+ | 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. " | ||
+ | Colin would like this," he cried, "No filthy vegetation. This is | ||
+ | about the first climb I've been on where there' | ||
+ | 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, | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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 ' | ||
+ | It is strange how the mind, in times of stress, turns to extraneous | ||
+ | subjects, as if unwilling' | ||
+ | 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," | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | 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. | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 16. | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | and a great welcome by Colin and the waiting others. | ||
+ | |||
+ | "So you weren' | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | 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:- | ||
+ | |||
+ | 1. A Committee has been set up to organise " | ||
+ | and girls 14 to 16 years. It will meet with Paddy Pallin as | ||
+ | convenor, wo work out a working plan. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 2. 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' | ||
+ | and bushwalkers are asked to give greater co-operation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | Bouddi Natural Park is required on week-end Out.2V27/ | ||
+ | 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/ | ||
+ | ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | 17. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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, | ||
+ | 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 " | ||
+ | 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," | ||
+ | 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 " | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | murmured " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Our leader is a man of democratic character, and ' | ||
+ | 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. | ||
+ | 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 ' | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 18. | ||
+ | |||
+ | between this shelter and the luxurious cave at Coral Swamp. However | ||
+ | the wisdom of the leader' | ||
+ | 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.' | ||
+ | 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, | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | 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? | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | were on. We waited here for an hour and a half, expecting at any | ||
+ | moment to see our leader' | ||
+ | his nor John Scott' | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | |||
+ | 19. | ||
+ | | ||
+ | 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. | ||
+ | before dawn next morning, no one had us striding gaily ahead by 6 | ||
+ | o' | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | |||
+ | " | ||
+ | getting ' | ||
+ | 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. | ||
+ | so we were all together again. | ||
+ | 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/ | ||
+ | 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 | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Paddy doesn' | ||
+ | have any connection with mugs except when .";rte | ||
+ | they are drinking. However, on a recent | ||
+ | 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,' | ||
+ | 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 - | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | 3 for 8/9. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | or | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | 3/- each. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | PADD PAWN | ||
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | 201 CASTURFACH St SYDNEY | ||
+ | |||
195610.txt · Last modified: 2020/04/17 20:13 by vievems