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The Sydney Bushwalker.

Amonthly bulletin of matters of interest to the Sydney Bushwalker, The N.S.W. Nurses' Association Rooms “Northcoe Building”, Reiby Place, Sydney.

Box. No. 4476, G.P.O. Sydney. 'Phone 843985.

EditorBill Gillan, Old Bush Rd, Engadine. 5208423.
Business ManagerBill Burke, Coral Tree Rd., Carlingford.

373. January, 1966. Price 1/-

Contents.

Page
December General MeetingJ. Brown 2
Social Notes For Januray 4
The Kosciusko State ParkM. Dunphy 5
Day Walks 10
Paddy's Ad. 11
Prospecting the Japanese AlpsM. Byles12
Running Away to ShoreC. Putt16

THE DEMMER GENERAL 1 L.MTING. January, 1966 J. Brown.

which began with a welcome to six -- yes, six, new members, fruits of the last walking season, and in view of the dearth of test walks during the summer, likely to be the last for a while, started peaceably ana finished garrulously. However the six were, Mike Blaha, Bob Dampf, Roger Lockwood, Harry Miller, Goof rood and Jean Jordan, while John Marane and the elusive Philip Nicol were called in vain.

No business out of Minutes, and little from correspondence, except the pleasant news that Rae and Peter Page are now Honorary Members. There was also a circular from the Australian Conservation Foundation, advising that this organisation, the first of its kind with a nation wide character, had held its first meeting. We proposed to seek affiliation as a Member Body. Financial report showed an excess of expenditure over income of 23, mostly due to purchase of a stock of new badges, and a concluding total of 282 in the 'current funds. Bob Godfrey reported on November walkabouts, including Ron Knightley's Blue Gum trip of 6-7 Nov (party of 21) while his own Grose trip, of the following weekend brought out 10. Betty Farquh,r's Instructional at Burning Palms on Nov. 20 had a total attendance of 29 including members of a Churdb of England Boy's Club, and some visitors. But hold it mo:e than 40 went gold prospecting with Bob Godfrey on the last weekend of the month. At the close of the Talks Report David Ingram drew attention to activities of the NoisesOff Club, and people going in and out of the meeting without socking the Chairman's permission. Federation Report had already boon published, but it may do no harm to repeat the warning of the Department of the Army that increasing use is being made of the Tianjara Proof Range near Sassafras, and any walking party not desirous of unintentional bombardment may be advised to check on dates when it mould be used. In succession to Bill O'Neill as Federation Delegate, Kerry Here was elected (also to sit on Committee) and Judith Simpson took over the vacancy of Substitute Delegate. Now the President announced that prospective members Who maybe hampered by the lack of test walks would have a time extension to April. However if leaders believed that their walk was of test standard, they may write to Committee seeking its acceptance for prospectives in their party. et 3. The Sydney Bushwalker January, 1966. ,111 .1…=!..w………! - The Presidont also pointed out that the magazine was having a lean time for contributors and appealed for stronger support. In relation to Federations Insurance proposals, he said that there was not yet concrete scheme for consideration by Clubs. Ron Knightley pointed to a pair of ice axes and 2 sets of crampons donated by a retired mountaineer, Phil Humphreys, and then proposed a series of motions covering use of the equipment. Broadly it provided that gear would be available to members of the Aust. Section of the N.Z.A.C. as well as all Club members, that the maximum period of hire be 8 weeks, and that hiring charges be 10/ for an ice axe or crampons used overseas and 5/ in Australia. A deposit of 10/ should be sought on gear hired, and S.B.m. members could bock 8 weeks ahead, members of N.Z.A.C. six weeks ahead, The last motion1, that hirers be not required to make good loss or damage in reasonable circumstances, brought quite a deal of debate, but was carried, as was a separate proposal that the Club obtain suitable straps for the crampons. A-Ann Rigby proposed sending a letter of appreciation to the donor. Snow Brown referred to a 1.r:lphlet received the previous month, “Save the South West” from a body seeking to retain unspoiled the wilderness area surrounding Lake Pedder in Tasmania, which was threatened. by hydroelectric Planning. We agreed to write supporting the campaign to arrest such development. Kath Brown proposed that wewrite the Minister for Lculds commending the nature and parkland conservation features of the Bill under dealing in State Pexli ment. John Vhite quoted The Minister as saying that, it was a piece of legislation which should be given general approval by conservation minded people, who should not split into different camps over minor aspects of the overall proposal. Ron Knightly supported the spirit of the motion and suggested we might send a copy of our view on bush parklands published previously. Gordon Redmond said that when the Bill was presented we should be in P. better position to assess its value for a walker's viewpoint. After the main motion was carried, Gordon went further and proposed that, during the passage of the Bill, the Club should consider it carefully and submit our view to Federation also carried. Kath Brown pointed out several conservation items had arisen, and the Secretary would be involved in writing some letters on such questions. It seemed time to revive the position of Conservation Secretary which was still listed in the Constitution, but had not been actually filled for a while. The President said it would be listed for the Annual Meeting in March. Alan Rigby referred to schemes bwgis put forward for coal mining beneath the Rcyal National Park; he said the assurances that tunnels would be outside park boundaries was not good enough. The coal measures were near sea level and the mining could lead to subsidences, access roads, air vents January, 1965 The Sydney Dushwaiker 4. and a gradual infiltration. He moved that We protest strongly to the Minister for Lands and Mines, pointing out that there was no shortage of coal and other mineral deposits outside reserves. Bog Godfrey felt such action may persuade some people that we were only fanatics, and a doubt was expressed whether it was in keeping with our compliment to the Lands Department on the projected Bill. Ron Knightly said if the motion were lost, he would put forward a resolution protesting against permission to construct access roads, vents etc, in the Park. New member Dob Dampf saw nr,thing incongruous in the letters of commendation and protest they wore in line with our overall view of protection and conservation of parklands. Jack Wren supported the motion, adding his agreement that the coal level wnuld tend to cause subsidence of the surface, David Ingram mentioned that the President of the National Park Trust had indicated his disapproval of the mining scheme. After Alan Rigby's address in reply, the matter went to tho vote and we will add our voice to the pretests. All this had taken quite a while. In fact by the time the usual announcements had been made and the President had voiced Christmas wishes to all members, it was 9.35 when the meeting closed. 01…I. HAPPY NEW YEA RS

SOCIAL NOTES FOR JANUARY. Alai; Rigby's name on the social programme is always a welcome sight. Since many -club members have been to the Centre and many others anticipate a visit, “,Central Australia” on 19th January should see a largo crowd in the Club room. “Samoa” as presented by Alex and Jean Burton on 26th January, will bo another good reason for a night out at the Club. Their recent visit to the south seas will be unfolded by movie and slides. Already we have enjoyed their travels to distant isles and we now look forward to another pleasant interlude. Immilmm…. Congratulations to Sandra Bardwell and Phil Butt on their engagement. 5. The Sydney Bus hwalkor January, 1966.

THE KoscivaKo ST.LTE EARK. How did it begin? Myaes J. Dunphy. The recent rublication of the proposed plan for the management and development of The Kosciusko State Park prompts the question How did it all begin? The events lending to the creation of this largest of Australian parklands and the circumstances that invested that process were complicated; the story cannot be told a6equately in a few hundred words. In common with all worthwhile achievements the KBP did not just happen; its establishment was preceded by a great deal of hard work. It was not unique but merely one of a series of parkland schemes that evolved with the growth of the bushwalking-conservation movement which coMmenced about 1914. In time other camping-walking clubs wore formed in Sydney including the largest - the Sydney Bushwalkers in 1927. The object of nearly all these clubs included the preservation of scenic bushland wildlife and wildlife habitat; because of their regard for these things that constituted their own (4.nvironment. The trailers and bushwalkers eDt out On a campaign of park making to some extent caused by the onset:of motor tourism and the invasion of bush tracks by “pioneering” motorists. Their ideal was the primitive area. The Blue Mountains National Park Committee, formed in 1933 to prosecute the scheme of that name was changed to the National Parks and Primitive Area Council in 1934 to enable it to conduct a number of park projects. The functions of this self-supporting autonomous coterie of trailers and bushwalkers was to initiate, formulate and to submit to the authorities schemes for parklands; to spearhead the conservation efforts of budhwalkers and to conduct campaigns for moral support (the EPPAC continued to operate up to about 1960). The NSITT F6deration of Bushwalking clubs, established in 1930 to consolidate and regulate bushwalking formed its own Conservation Bureau in 1938. Thereafter it pursued a parallel path with the BPPA council and ,added weight to the conservation drive. The requirements of practical users of the scenic bushland were recognised by the authorities and several new park:rands wore established. In the period 1933-1946 the IIPPA Council worked with all speed most of the time in touch with Surveyor General H.B. Mathaws and his officers; the Department of Lands was well aware of the conservation efforts of this and other societies and gave a great deal of sympathetic help to what was recognised as a continuing campaign for the public good. However during the war years and the following period of rehabilitation the Department was unable to assist or entertain parkland projects as surveyors could not be spared to investigate them. The Snowy Indi scheme was an exception as it had important aspects for government. January, 1966 The Sydney Bushwalkor 6. Mien the situation eased the bushwoaking conservation movement was resumed on a 3reater scale than before, there being a narked increase in the number of Clubs and other conservation societies. In fact the feeling for the conservation of bushlana and wildlife had developed to an extracrdinary extent. The scientific bodies were taking notice of the park schemes being initiated awl formulated, and gave moral support to some of them. Some conservation societies had support NPPA Council schemes from the beginning notably the Wildlife Preservation Society, the Parks and Playground Movement and The Rangers League. Included in thc several projects of the NPP A Cnuncil was one entitled a “Snow-Inch i National Park or Primitive Area”, unique to the extent that it comprised about a million acres of Snow highland of both NSW and Victoria. The tract of country extended from Grey. Mare Bngong, Gungartan, Black Jack and Dig Byabo on the eastern side extending to a line joining Deddick, Mt. Lienster and Mt. Pinnabar. This scheme was initiated between 1930 and 1943 by Myles J. Dunphy of the TIountain Trails Club. Tours of inspection were made and information filed for the time When it could be formulated, but a tentative was laid down which designedly aid not include valuable grazing lands on its northern and eastern environs. with other parkland projects and studies of erosion ana bushfire damage in various parts of the State it was exhibited at two annual Bushland Tor:Abitions in the Blaxlanft Calories hold by the Rangers League - about 1935. These schemes for large parklands wore viewed by thousands of persons and created a great deal of interest, judged from questions asked on the spot. EPPA Council men and other bushwalkers continued to carry out numerous pack carrying expeditions of upwards of two weeks durtion to procure first hand knowledge about potential parklands. Somo of these were the Blue Mountains National Park, Snow Inch National Park, Beecroft Penin6ula (Jervis Day) reserves, -arrumbungles National Park. The only way to accomplish these objectives was to make the work a collaboration effort of the team internally and a community effort externally. The team needed freedom to act as it thought best. During its long existence this voluntary unhampered direction and conduct of work proved successful. By 1950 the number of major parklands had increassd substantially since the:MTC and Sri supporters began their initial Garrawarra Park campaign in 1933. In 1944 NPPII. Council decided it was time to straighten out Snowy Indi Scheme in preprzation for submission when the opportunity arose after the war but events were precipitated by action taken at a higher level. Statements in the Press and elsewhere made it plain that many activities concernin,,: the water riifats of three states were involved. - water catchment, irrigation, Murray and Snowy River flows, electric power generation, sheep and. cattle grazing, forestry and probably mining. Also reqions such as summer motoring, winter sports, recreational walking trail riding, fishing and nature study. Scientists also had their interests. The extent of the productive activities was alarming, it soemed that matters of recreation, scenic wilderness might be trampled 7. Th(. Syqney Dushiker January, 3,)66. underfoot. It was felt tho t.the time IT:s opportune to show there existed a strong body ;,f opinion in favour of reserving a large area of the Snowy Mountains in its wilderness state, Investigations continued. 011'8.4.43 officers of the Department of Lr.,rlds verbally advised the VTPA to submit its Snow Indi Scheme in June, Intensive work was caried out on lettors, appendices and naps. Dated 14.6.43 tho scheme was lodged with the Department and. copies delivered to the Premier, 7.J. McKell, to the River Murray Commission and other statutory bodies as well as to the walking and parks bodies. The Government apYointed a committee to investigate certain matters doomed to have Imeeedonce over public recr:)iltion interests. The Departlint arranir5-ed a /nee-bine.; between M.J. Dunphy and Messrs Harnett and Barrie for 3:e,43. Theo..t Committee exy…lained aspects of the matter very clearly mac._ gave the NTPA siDc:cesman a good hearing. The discussion was continued on the followin6: day when several senior Lands Department officers joined in. The emergent facts and matters Wore a. The commit-b03 said at once they wore not interested in the proposed parkland across the border in Victoria, anq said that dual control could not be considered (thtn the two state unique feature was cast out without further comment. As a mattor of fact the riPPAC had never advocated dual control had rather envisaged the area in Victoria as a primitive area administered by the Dc;artment of Lands Victoria. b. Legislation would be brought down to crargfizetliC.; grazing leases, covering tractic2.1.1y the whole area to preserve the considerable revenue derived from lease rents or tenders. c. 77ater conservation. d. Forestry.- e. Soil erosion, pests etc. f. the development of a large national park was assured and would be 'established very soon. Following representations made at those meetings by H.J. Dunphy it was conceded that the park when approved could not be a “national park” because of grazing leases and permissive occupancies and that the public should have right of access through leaseholds and use of the whole area. He suggested that the term “State Park” would meet the case. Early in 1943 the Surveyor General sent a large party of surveyors into the fielq and the large twoshoot Snow lease map was produced primarily for the use of interested graziers. The region surveyed extended from Tumut and. Drindabella to Paupong and Forest Hill. On 8.9.43 the Premier, Er. 77.J.EcKel1 wrote EPTAC explaining the governments decision to set aside 1,400,000 acres of the Snowy Mountains as a national park. He noted the Councils suEgestion for the future creation January, 1966. The Sydney Dushwalker 8. of a separate State Parkland Authority Coincil, expressed surprise and thanks for the magnitude of the area, nna also expressed surprise that in all this area no area had been left free of grazing for undisturbed wildlife propogation. The Council maintained that the southern section was most suitable for a wildlife sanctuary. Signs of a coming conflict of interests were plain. 'Following on Press articles “Cattle in State Park” Mr. Tully, Minister for Lands, said there was a restrictive condition that stock must be off the snow leases between May 31 and December 1 each year, and that the extent of stocking would be limited in order to prevent exposure an l. erosion. The appropriate regulations when issued gave free access to the whole area to bona fide “pleasure seekers”. This was a promising beginning. The scientific societies objected to aspects of the proposals. The Royal Zoolo ical Society suggested that an area one tenth of the proposed park should be marked as “Strict Natural Reserve” and be completely exempted from tenures of any kind. They selected the Snowy Indi area as the best place for such a sanctuary. (At a later date they changed their mina and selected the problem “surnmit” area for desired treatment. The R.Z. said that any area designated park should be reserved from any sort of tenure. On 5.1.44 members of the various societies met at the Premiers office to discuss matters with the W.ect Committee appointed to meet them. The Committee'advissa the societies to wait and see what was stated in the act when it would. be assented to soon. The Act was assented to 19.4.44. Section 5, Clause 3 stated The Trust may retain as primitive area such part of the KSP (not exceeding one tenth of the area of the park) as it may think fit. Section 13 stated. Subject to the regulations, land within -the Park shall be available to the public for the purpose of riding, hiking, camping, snow sports and any form of recreation, and the public shoul& have free access to and over all reads andtioacks, and to all fishing streams within the park.“ There wore other activities affecting the beginning of the State Park. The operation of the Murray Waters Act from 19152 the use of controlling locks and weirs, the level of the Hume Reservoir and =Tension of irrigation areas a long way from the Snowy Mountains all depended on the Durrenjuck Reservoir watershol.. Totlits” end_ the NT? Soil Erosion Service played a major role in the prevention of erosion and the Commonwealth Forestry and Timber Bureau did the first erosion survey of the highland catchments of the two states. In the repatriation period blacre were schemes for the fringes of the highlands in both states. Under stimulation from the Soil Conservation Service the Premier and the Minister for Lands undetook an 8day horseback 9. The Sydney Dushwalker Januaryt, tour of the N617 highlands. Dy this time the public demand for a-large parkland for recreation and conservation was well known to the authorities. This demand was weighted considerably-by the scientific-societied interested in the preservation of geological features, Tarp plants, wild life and biotic communities. In time the Minister for Lands brnught down a bill which established the Kosciusko State Park and created a Trust to manage it. The next most important phase in the beginnings of the Park was the emergence of the Snowy Mountains Scheme in 1948; a vast project which involved the full development of the Snowy Highlands as a planned catchment. The SMA lost no time in getting doWn to work. Haring built access roads they set out to develop tourist interest in its huge works. Some service roads, noticeably the Alpine Way became tourist roads, and a steadily increasing influx of visitors was achieved. It least two other results were achieved. L great nuMber of interested perbons visited many parts of the Snowy who in other circumstances woulcl not have left the summit road and a lot of genuine interest in “national parks” due to genuine interest in the great national works averted a lot of criticism The early improved road access resultedin a greatly increased demand for winter sport facilities, and there was a great boost in the construction of snow sport villages. - Before long it appeared that only the members of the natural science bodies and those who value scenic wilderness scenery for their holidays had anything to grieve over. However there is no' room complacency, on the score cf the ultimate utilisation of scenic wilderness. Realisation of its real value has increased to a :marked extent due to the past efforts of the conservators. And more than any other parkland the KSP, by reason of the nature of. the region and the many overlapping activities connected with it has had a most educational value. Vhat has been recorded here deals with facts and circumstances bearing on the beginnings of a groat State Park which, because of inherent - 'Complications and diverse even conflicting interests will always be a compromise area no matter giiw wise its administration, it wuld be impossible to please everyone who has an interest in the place. In conclusion, as some adknowledgement of the excellence of the original two state scheme an earnest effort should be made to induce the authorities in Victoria to set up a primitive park on their side of the border, entirely separate from the proposed large national park on the highlands further ,Southwards. 22nd December, 1965. 10. The Sydney Dushwalker January, 1966'

DAY MUM. JANUARY 30. Engadine Toronora River Lake Eckersley Heathcote. 7 miles. A visit to the Northern portion of the Heathcote Primitive Area. This section of the 7oronora River is rocky and could involve a rock scramble. Excellent swimming at 1409 Eckersley. Train: Ring leader at D0961 Extension 3077 for departure time. Tickets: Heathcote return @ 5/6. Map: Heathcote Primitive Area or Port Hacking Tourist. Leader: Jim Calloway. FEBRUARY 6. Waterfall Heathcote Creek Heathcote. 8 miles. Another excursion into the Heathcote Primitive Area. There are several mod swimming holes along Heathcote Creek. An ideal walk for new members. Train: 8.50 a m. Cronulla train Central Electric Station to Sutherland CHANGE AT SUTHERLAND for rail motor to Waterfall. Tickets: 7aterfall return @ Map: Heathcote Primitive Area or Port Hacking Tourist. LerLder: Ern Farquhar FEBRUARY 13. Waterfall bus to Governor Game Lookout Thelma Ridge Era Beach Mt. Dulgo Baia Hill Otford. 10 miles. After a short sharp descent to Era Beach, there should be -ample time for surfing. Then right through the Garrawarra Primitive Area to the panorama at Bald Hill. Suitable for new members. Train: 8.20 a m. Cronulla Train Central Electric Station to Sutherland. CHANGE AT SUTHERLAND for rail motor to Waterfall. Tickets: Otford return @ slaus 2/ bus fare Waterfall Governor Game Lookout. Map: Port Hacking Tourist. Leader: David Ingram. IMM.1 Congratulations to the organisers of theChristmas Party and to those who attended 85 people and numerous offspring enjoyed a balmy night at the Grey's residence. 70 are amazed at '.justIlhere-PaddYMade Equip- ment was mountaincerIng types,- glacier gaMbollers, expeditions and various out of doors people during the past twelve months.' From skin divers camping by their chosen spot to alpinists at their mruntain top, from the walker, 'canoeist and cyclist to the car camper and rnund the world traveller more people than ever before took Paddy Made camping equipment on their adventures and travels. Perhaps someone told the -Paddy Made gear is best, it has been used\by more ponrle longer than_any other and is really reliable. Paddy Pallin Pty.Ltd., 1st Floor, Cnr. George and Bathurst Sts., -Sydney. 262685. 13M2685 anuary, 1966 The Sydney Dushvra,117.er 12. PilOSPECTING THE ,3A.P.LNESE ALPS Marie.Dylos. (INTRODUCTION'bY'D'ot Butler; - “Once a.Clitaber', 'alwaYs a. climber”. even though the years roll by and the body becomes frail and stdoped. Marie, now a little groy-hairea whisp of a woman, was a contemporary of MT.. Eric Dark, the “Father of Rock-climbing” in N.S.7. One might alinost say that . Marie was the Mother because, although she claims never to have been a good rock-climber., (she was a world-travelled. mountaineer),: neVertheleSs it was her enthusiasm which egged the young Tigers on to form the DushWalkers e.- , Rock Climbing groups.. (Surely a Mother's role to encourage her adventurous children) . Marie was always ready to 1.en d climbing books from her copious priVate library to keen beginners. She readily lent or donated her :climbing equipment to the impecunious young, - and. even helped them financially some larger expeditions. - I am thinking specifically of an expeditiOn into 7'estern ,China, organised by 21arie in the 1930.'s . that part of China was literally the end. of the -world. ,so, like Dr. bark, accepting that there comes a tiriae when the body must slow up, nevertheless the mind re-lives those kingly days of climbing.) r. “I think he ;should not have charged yoU from 'Matsumoto. I think…..” - I rudely interrupted,. the Japanese friend who accompanied. me. “Please don't talk of that kind of thing now.. Itm enjoying every minute of this glorious 'scenery; please don't spoil it. Suppose at the next bend. the rear of the bus got two feet closer to the edge, what a glorious-death amid all this grandeur!” “If ii' s only mountains you want;” he spoke peevishly, “you II get them all over Japan.” “Ahrbut not as good as these at Kamikochi. These are 12,000 ft.!” As he made his calculations in metres my remark was lost. I jaMbed carrying bag more firmly into the middle of my back to ease the swings at the turns and., the jumps at the ruts, and rested 'hack utterly content. About an hour later the driver stopped. to rest his white-cotton-gloved hands arid take his eyes off the narrow rutted road, a road. only wide enough for one way traffic but on which cars often met each other and. one waited very courteously as near to the edge as possible while the ether squeezed past with about two inches between them. As twilight fell we passed the Imperial Hotel, the only inn which takes' non-Japanese guests and which closes clown immediately summer ends at the end of August. It was now the middle of September and three months of correspond,- ence had. failed. to -persuade any other inn -to accept a foreign guest - they all claimed “to' be The only' thingtrhe.Japanese Travel -Bureau had been able to find was the Godenjaku Lodge,. a kind. 'of hostel for hikers with dinner, bed and breakfast for two and a half:dollars a day and a bunk in, a six-bunk cabin. The proprietor Of -the Lodge had' relented. only when he was told. that one Japanese would bring me and. another would take me away at the end of. the 13. -Thr5 Syaney Bushwelker . . Jemuary, 1566.. week._ But after he and his assistants had looked at me very dubietisly it was explained. I was a voeeitarian and ate neither meat nor fish, they reconciled themselves to entertaining one of the lessor IYeeed of humanity and became-kindness personified except on that shocking occasionwhen I went out for the day with the key of the cabin in my pocket. It needed no common language to make known to me the awfulness of my offence. t!Su rrel rma son:” washes away Trur sins -hotter than the Blood of the LaMb, I had been told. The receptionis was placated. I never offended again. Of course we removed our shoes at the entrance, as in all inns, but they provided lockers in which to place your outdoor shoes, and you could put that key in your pocket: It also provided slipyors to walk over the polished boards. You might think this avoided all sweeping and susting, but every day every board was WiT2Ga over till it shone better than any polisher could shine it. Each bus brougrIt loads of tourists, mainly hikers and climbers with mainly red or yellow hats and rod or yellow xucksacks, the larger ones about three feet across and containing far more than the kitchen sink - I often saw heavy folding umbrellas in the side pockets. A few enthusiasts sported ice-axes, but for what purpose I did not - discpVer, for though in the same latitude as Auckland, New Zealand, these mountains carry neither snow nor ice. This was said to be due to the low winterrai-and-snow-fall. By the time'summer arrives there is no water on the tots eXcept at the huts and most of the climbers carried flasks - as well ad-folding umbrellas and ice-axes: I did not see much evidence of ropes except on the souvenir ice-axe brooches. But the mountains would provide magnificent rock-climbing, and I saw pictures to show that at least. some Japanese-people cultivate the art. The first day I walked further than I had walked for twenty years. The track-through the lovely forest was ccvered with pebbles and not very pleasant walking. I ao not know if the pebbles wore especially laid to protect the sulface for maintenance trucks, but I soon found that the forest is -groWing on deep mulch overlaying river gravels, and that every track become- if it is much used, even by walkers, let alone cars. These tracks are scarcely Ado enough to take one car ana the hikers sometimes have to cling to tree roots over the brink of the swirling river to let that one car pass. All the i oung men and women climbers and walkers were friendly. Occasionally I would meet one studying English at the University, glad of the 4 opportunity of 'conversing' with a foreigner, and when I had lost my soap and could see none in the shops an ex-soldier who had been stationed in Singapore for two years came and saved me from what must be little short of a criminal offence, viz., going intn the communal bathroom without soaps Twice I climbed up about two thousand feet until I could look out over the bare rocky tops Which rose perhaps five thousand feet higher. One of the climbers lent me his walking stick or I should not have managed it. January, 1966 The Sy lney Lushwe,Ther 14.

It was good to breathe the hie h mountain air once again. I sat for a long wbile looking Over the long white scree slopes and dreamed of what I would — have done twenty, thirty, forty years ago. The climb up was exhilarating but the climb down was rather exhausting. One kind young man came back to keep an eye on me until I reached the bottom again. I wonder did he belong to the Search and Rescue Sectieni Most of the walkers and climbers wore heavy, rubber-soled canvas bects which probably slipped less on the rolling__ pebbles than my own steut rubleer-soled sandals.. Over the forest of aecidueuo trees and conifers rose net only the rockyjaountains, but also aa active volcane which smoked realistically from time to time remirdine: one of when it had erupted, formed a large lake and left the trees to drown in it. It is hard to compare the beauties of mountains I have seen in so many countries. The Jaranese AIes rise Seven thousand feet above the inns and hostels along the rivers and would provide strenuous enough scrambles to suit the toughest,.mhile the camera can find pictures wherever it looks, whether in the creeper-entwined forests or on the open white stony banks of the rivers. The Japanese 'Alps are not for the young.Australianwho-thirsts for: snow - and ice for there is neither in summer, and in minter they are inaccessible for Skiing. But they do call to the middle-aged Dushwalker whose search is mainly for beauty.. Anf.L they are a ouperb example of how an over-.populated country can none the. less afford to have wilderness areas untouched by,:the. - axe. 'The fOrests'are of mited evergreen and deciduous trees, and. among:,the latter'-is]ethelovely Silver birch which loses its bark in rings soethat you :e think some Vandal musthave tried to rina-bark it. The floor of the lower. forest CensiSts predominantly of a dwarf bamboo which would make impossibly, slow-going without 'a track. But tracks abound, and likewise excellent maps (in 'Japanese, of course) :At. least I suppose they were excellent if one judged by the seriousness with which the trampers would.. pour over them - just as we used to do. If you are thinking of going to Kamikochi I should recommend Ootober when the trees flame with orange red and gold. You could avoid the language difficulty if you took your tont and camped bide the rushing river, either taking food with you or buying it at the shopsattadhed to the rest houses and inns. But it would be a. little cold to bathe in the river in October, and you mould miss the joy of the Japanese communal bath, steaming 'hot,- which is '' all on its own. On the whole I should recommend. Gosenjaku Lodge. I think they were as sorry as I when the time came to say goodbye, and I don't think they would be so afraid of the next foreigner especially, if I lett you my little two-way dictionary which I bought just before I left Japan: Later on I visited the mountain resort of Koya San, the headquarters of the Shingon Buddhist Sect, It abounds in lovely temples around which alw ays grow the tall dark crytpameria and cyprus trees. It was exactly the right time to see the deciduous -Groes in all their autumn glory, and it was i5 Th; Syaney 13usirralk er January, 19(76., exactly thc right ,lay to see them at their best, for it was very dull and rainy. The tall dark trees rose above the sombre grey-rnofed temples, and from the ground beneath leapt up the silent flames of orange gold and red:' It was uncanny. The little Olympus Pon F Japaness camera (for which rIciilingly rive a free advertisement) took the best pictures I have over taken,but even it could not portray that weird fantastic fairyland. You must see it to believe it possible. The mountains of Japan have left bohincl the memory of people with - , .hearts of cold to match their golden gingko trees. I should like to visit them again but I should prefer to wait for another life so that I could scramble among their rocky peaks. 4 “PHE17: For a moment I thought weld had. it.” )1 ttk,( -“\:3))” )

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…ow”- January, 1966 The Sylney miammwwwl, 1111 Reminiscences of a Climberg - Colin Putt RUNNING AWAY TO SHORE Myer intended., for a start, to ga in for climbing as a sport, and that's.Why; perhaps, I'm still not vary good at it. I was brought up in a family atmosphere of boats and sailing; sea chanties were sung

over my cradle and thy earliest clear memory is of my father steeping planks and timbers in a steambax. Before I went to school I had learned about the vast superiority of gaff rig, fiddle bows and tarred hemp standing rigging. , This theoretical grounding was followed by a solid course in Umnts, bends and splices, rowing steering and so on. Later I acquired and rigged by own sailing dinghy and spent all my spare time at sea, taking special care to be out in the middle of winter and in particularly violent storms, which were alw ays more interesting and could offer faster sailing. By this time I had learned that one of my uncles, although a good sailor, used to go to snowy places and indulge in a mysterious sport called “step-cutting”, (This was in the early 1930's when the general use of crampons had not yet been adopted in New Zealand): but this was not much talked of in the family. The dinghy, with her rigging and on a wheeled cradle, weighed about 250 lbs. and had to be pulled home up a mile of extremely steep hill from the water after each day's sailing. A* the age of 16 I got a job as a truck driver with a survey team *c were mapping some unmapped bits of New Zealand; the job involved little driving and a lot of carrying heavy loads, of foot, through row3L country. HeaVy packing was dead easy after. years of practice dragging -che boat up bill and I began to enjoy the bush at once. At the University I naturally joined the tramping clubs and. began to go to the ice mountains for climbing. Shifton points out that mountain,. eering and sailing are very similar while his climbing companion, Tilman, although saying little, currently spends about half of every year sailing the Arctic seas. The transfer from one of these sports tn the other is easy and barely noticeable. In the 1940's much of New Zealand's mountain country was virtually unexplored and many major peaks were still unclimbed. With Bob Cawley's climbing parties I went into this country with the climbing gear of the day; spiky stiff hemp rope, clinkered_ boots, waist-high axe, EdkOstein crampons, oilskin, parka. No,slings,.karabiners or pitons had been 'heard of and our loads wOre adcordingly lighter. Our first virgin summit was reached afto-.. a week's travel on snow and ice, with 90 lb. packs, in country where only two parties had ever been before, camping in the new6-fangled snow6-caves0 TTe were stopped half way up our peak by a horrific bergs chrund. with a narrow shaky bridge and a 15 ft. overhanging ice-wall above it. Self-levitation with two axes got us up this and soon afterwards we were faced. with some 300 ft. of rock. Our technique on rock, at this stage, was to scramble up as best we could' winding the rope around outcrops whore available; fortunately on this occasion we ' 17 The Syaney :ustrp aker Jnnunry, 1966 were able to cut fstops up a steep cnuloir of rotten ice, bombarded by stones, and avoid the 300 ft. of mod diff grade rock interspersed by broad ledges. On the way down, we cut an ice-bollard at the bergscbrund and roped down it. I was last man down an-1. on arriving at the lower lip gave the rope a tug to free it on the bollard. The bollard flew off and hit me square on the head! TO were involved in a small harmless avalanche on the way down - in those days there seamed to be more avalanches than now and the summer climbing season was colder, snowier and later. Or could it be that our equipment and techniques have improved? By 1949 I had joined one of the small groups which had acquired pre-war English books on rock-climbing and were trying to use the techniques described in them. The next year I came to Australia and found that climbing was looked on in the 1-ushwaiking clubs as a criminal activity. Although the local sandstone frightened me, and utill does, I naturally got involved in-the early efforts to popularise the sport among bushwalkers, and to teach people how to use simple belaying techniques and to abseil. Some memorable early climbs followed - the first rock-climbing Instructional of the Sydney Bushwalkers, which included an ascent of Kanangra Walls, some of the classical climbs at Glenbrook, various first ascents in the Castle area, Glen Davis, Ettrema and the Kowmung. None of these were of great difffivulty, but they were long climbs and enjoyed by large parties of bushwalkers who, a year or two earlier, would have been trotting along tracks with good clothes in their packs to wear home in the train. Vow they were headed for bigger and steeper country, in old cars or in the _one-arid–only Puttmobile, and from them perhaps have sprung some of the present generation of climbers. In 1956 I visited Zermatt with three English climbers and found-that the famous Swiss Alps were no more difficult or fearsome that Yew Zealand after all. Our best climb was a frontier traverse, from Monte Rosa over the Lyskamm, Castor and. Pollux. We mulci have gone on over the Breithorn but a sudden electrical storm forced us to reti eat-aown-th6 Nbrth Face of Pollux, so that my only Face Nor has been done downwards, not.-up. This was the sort of climbiOg I like - long distances covered fa'st a:t high altitudes,–on-icei a bit of exposurevand not much rock; a kind. of climbing that would be barely ,Ilossible. without crampons, and. in Which you are likely to spend the next night in a bivouac, or a but on the wrong side of the range. Here T reAchea the high point ofmy-cliMbing carear. When a Swiss guide who saw me cutting steps took me for an Austrian guide! On my retbrn to Australia I found that Australians had. been getting into trouble in New Zealand. Numb ors of them-had-gone over to climb, sathe had. been killed, thellocals felt they-mere unsafeand,wouldn't. climb with then, and so the Australians got little chance tO.learn snow and ice techniques and were unsafe, etc: . .Something had to be done about this. Dot Butler, Ian Wood and I set about forming the Australian Section of the New Zealand Alpine Club and starting the series of Instruction Courses for Australians which has run on every year since. These were very successful in cuttirg down the accident rate, though I don't thinkthey are the final answer - there are now enough expert mountaineers in Australia to give more personal attention to our .6 Jr nur try, 1966. The Sydney - Dush7.7.lker own novices. All this of course, involves a lot of organising, and I was soon to find that while climbers are dead easy to get for expeditions, and mountainetxs not hard, organisers are scarce. In 1960 I was cornered at Mascot Airport by Norman Hardie, who was on his way to Nepal, and asked, “roula you like to lead an expedition?” “Yes, where to?” (Never miss an opportunity, it will frighten 'other oppor tunities away.) It turiled out to be to the Carstensz mountains of Dutch New Guinea. It was a hard, unoorfortable ana sometimes dangerous trip, with very little climbing, but at least I got my partyall:baak alive, and we completed a useful reconnaissance to some-good scientific work. I learned; the hard way, that planning and organisation are' of prime importance; morale is next on the list, and that given these the ascent of the peak will probably follow unasked. Two years later, in En61and, at the end of a gcmd day s rockclimbing, I got a letter sfrom Varftok _Jeacock in Darwin; “re are going to Heard Island to climb Big Ben next year, will you come?” (Marginal note from my wife: 'O.K., you can go.“) 18 months later I sicoa at the wheel of the schooner Patanela, steering % by a star as she thrashed through the grey seas of the Southern Oceanunder closer9ef ed canvas..— -:. This I think', is about where I came in to this story. , ..-:_ C.,.' . EARLY:CLIMERS from N.V.A.C. … apparently there's nothing new under -the sun, even in the climbing. world. '2liere:Is an extract from 151utarch's “Lives”, A.D. 48 .(North's tratuatiti-on)

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“Now these barbaidus people had such a F;loiy in-themselves -and distained their enemies so much, that more to-show their force and boldnes than of any necessity that compelled them, or for any benefit'they got by itj'they suffered it to snow upon them…and did climb ti p to th6 tops of mountains through great heaps of ice and snow. o - And., when they were at the very top of all, they-laid thoir long targets under their bodies, and lay all along tron thimp'sliding down the' steep high rocks,' that had certain hangings over of an infinite height.

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