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--- 198401 [2014/12/07 12:09] – old revision restored (2014/11/29 05:05) price to pay in the climb out. We regrouped at the campsite. Roger's car had been giving trouble and had been pushed for much of the way down on Friday night. It needed considerable attention from the bush mechani kclacher
+++ 198401 [2016/03/17 15:16] (current) – [Established June 1931] kclacher
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 A monthly bUlletin of matters of interest to The Sydney Bush Walkers, Box 4476 G.P.O. Sydney, 2001. Club meetings are held every Wednesday evening from 7.30 'pm at the Cahill Community Centre (Upper Hall), 34 Falcon Street, Crow's Nest
-Editor: Evelyn Walker, 158 Evans Street, Rozelle, 2039. Telephone 827-3695.\\
+|Editor:| Evelyn Walker, 158 Evans Street, Rozelle, 2039. Telephone 827-3695.\\  |
-Business manager: Bill Burke, 3 Coral Tree Drive, Carlingford, 2118.Telephone 871-1207.\\
+|Business Manager:| Bill Burke, 3 Coral Tree Drive, Carlingford, 2118.Telephone 871-1207.\\  |
-Production Manager: Helen Gray.\\
+|Production Manager:| Helen Gray\\  |
-Typist: Kath Brown.\\
+|Typist:| Kath Brown\\  |
-Duplicator Operator:  Phil Butt.\\
+|Duplicator Operator:|Phil Butt\\  |
 ==== January 1984 ====
+| | |Page  |
+|Wallowing at Wyanbene  |by Roger Browne and Michelle de Vries Robbe  |  2|
+|Poem - Reproduced by permission from "The Quiet Land"  |Peter Dombrovskis and Ellen Miller   |  4|
+|Tigers Not Extinct  |Alex Colley  |  5|
+|It Turned Out Fine Again  |Tom Wenman  |  6|
+|Yalwal Instructional  |Diedre Schofield  |  8|
+|The Coolana Pyramid  |A Nonny Mouse  |  9|
+|Eastwood Camping Centre Advertisement  |  |  10|
+|Meeting Notes - November General Meeting  |Barry Wallace   |  11|
+|Head Due South - Reprint from August 1960  |Carl Doherty  |  12|
+|"Of Ships and Shoes and Sealing Wax...."  |Jim Brown  |  15|
+|Walking's a Pleasure - It's New - It's 0fficial  |  |  16|
+|Social Notes for February  |Jo Van Sommers  |  16|
-Wallowing at Wyanbene by Roger Browne and Michelle de Vries Robbe  2\\
+===== WALLOWING AT WYANBENE =====
-Poem - Reproduced by permission from "The Quiet Land" by Peter Dombrovskis and Ellen Miller  4\\
+By Roger Browne and Michelle de Vries Robbe
-Tigers Not Extinct  by Alex Colley  5\\
-It Turned Out Fine Again  Tom Wenman  6\\
-Yalwal Instructional Diedre Schofield 8\\
-The Coolana Pyramid  A Nonny Mouse  9\\
-Eastwood. Camping Centre Advertisement 10\\
-Meeting Notes - November General Meeting Barry Wallace  11\\
-Head Due South - Reprint from August 1960  Carl Doherty 12\\
-"Of Ships and Shoes and Sealing Wax...." Jim Brown  15\\
-Walking's a Pleasure - It's New - It's 0fficial 16\\
-Social Notes for February  Jo Van Sommers  16
-===== WALLOWING AT WYANBENE. =====
+Friday 16th December saw 16 people discovering the Deua National Park. Heavy rain had fallen recently, and we squelched along the track from the car park to our campsite on the Upper Shoalhaven River. "Camping within walking distance of the cars" may mean many things (since by definition it applies to every walk), but in this case it involved nothing more than a two-minute walk. The campsite was flat and grassy, marred only by some marauding bull-ants.
-By Roger Browne and Michelle de Vries Robbe.
-Friday 16th December saw 16 people discovering the Deua National "Park. Heavy rain had fallen recently, and we squelched along the track from the car park to our campsite on the Upper Shoalhaven River. "Camping within walking distance of the cars" may mean many things (since by definition it applies to every walk), but in this case it involved nothing more than a two-minute walk. The campsite was flat and grassy, marred only by some marauding bull-ants.
 The Trip Info Sheet had asked everyone to bring some Christmas decorations, but most of those who read it though that the request was only a joke. So we selected a very small gum tree that was quietly minding its own business, and decorated it with the tinsel, baubles and inflatable Santa-with-backpack brought by those who knew the leaders well enough to take their strange requests seriously.
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 The park has been scarred by the construction of a large network of fire trails since the map was compiled (1975). The old foot and horse trails appear to have fallen into disuse and we were not able to locate them, even though we crossed their positions on the map-many times. However, one of the fire trails followed our general route for much of the way. The fire trail is 4 km shorter (at 18 km) than the old horse trail, but involved 100 in more climbing (for a total vertical of 900 m). Parts of the fire trail are extremely steep. The last 3 km follows Curmurlee Creek, a delightful mountain stream which feeds the Deua River. At the Deua we found an excellent swimming hole and stopped for a swim and a short (but not hurried) lunch.
-The downward trip had taken 3 hours, but the return trip took from 3 to 5 hours, depending on the walker. Fortunately,, the weather was with us - the glorious sun during our swim changed to an overcast sky and the temperature dropped rapidly as we started our walk back. The general opinion was that it was a lovely spot, but with agh and humour was not lacking, in fact Heather's remarks were rather astounding. Late in the evening Snow, from his sleeping bag, suggested a brew but the water buckets were empty. As usual the girls looked to the male members who to a man refused the task an the grounds that the women were lighter on their feet, thus more surefooted in the dark, and it would be safer for them to go. Even Heather's eloquence though ambiguous failed to inspire the men and finally Lola took up the challenge.
+The downward trip had taken 3 hours, but the return trip took from 3 to 5 hours, depending on the walker. Fortunately, the weather was with us - the glorious sun during our swim changed to an overcast sky and the temperature dropped rapidly as we started our walk back. The general opinion was that it was a lovely spot, but with a price to pay on the climb out.
-On Sunday morning Bob decided to curtail the walk somewhat by leading up the first likely creek downstream. On the assurance of Snow and another authority that "once above the cliff line the plateau beyond is as flat as a
+We regrouped at the campsite. Roger's car had been giving trouble and had been pushed for much of the way down on Friday night. It needed considerable attention from the bush mechanics in our group before it agreed to cough in to Braidwood, where it was repaired.
-table", Lyndsey was encouraged to continue. The creek turned into a chimney and the view from the top was spectacular both dawn the valley and over the "plateau". In fact the plateau was not quite as flat as had been described - as far as the eye could see it was dissected by deep ravines and canyons which seemed to follow no set drainage pattern. We walked along a dry and uninteresting ridge until we reached a swamp at an opportune time for lunch. Heather, Snow, George and myself took the rearguard that afternoon and soon dropped well
-behind owing to Snow and George insisting an leading off down side spurs, and their peculiar habit of stopping every now and again to eat waratah seeds. The Mount Cameron track was located after much meandering along the ridge and we overhauled the main party at dusk.
-The campsite was in a shallow saddle well sheltered and with no chance of anyone drowning as there was no water within a mile. Rona and Dot devoured their leg of mutton - I do not say devoured without justification. Their method, which is rather unique, consists of ramming a stake through a pre-cooked leg and throwing it in the fire until it gets hot or you get impatient. Having removed it from the fire it is held by the stake and the thin and of the leg and revolved until a section appears which looks hot enough, smells all right or can be torn apart without the nose obstructing the work of devouring it. It is passed from one to the other and heated as frequently as required. Another innovation was a Mellah-making competition which for coagulation was wan by Gwen Seach and for flavour by Heather. In order to get a flying start the following morning we rolled in rather early.
+The long climb out from the Deua, and the mechanical problems, meant that that it was almost midnight before the last participant was safety home, tired but happy.
-The flying start wasn't even a flutter as it was seven before anyone stirred. According to Duncan's ten miles to the inch, 250' contoured, "Guess where you are" map it was a good fifteen miles walk and with no improvement in Lyndsey it showed promise of being quite a day. Lyndsey decided to leave early and asked Bob for directions. Bob looked at the map, looked to the heavens, looked at Lyndsey and said - "Follow the track till you reach the pine forest and then head due South". Away went Lyndsey and ten minutes later Helen received the same instructions and followed. She was soon pursued by Gwen and Lola, twenty minutes later Bob and the Butlers set off, and another twenty saw the rearguard under way. Along the track a few miles we came upon a recently vacated campsite which we assumed to be that of several stockmen we had net the previous day. We reached a road junction at the edge of the pine forest as Duncan's group were disappearing over a crest in a southerly direction. On the road was scratched the message "Party 3" and an arrow indicating the south road. There was' some doubt as to whether this meant Bob's party or the third party, Gwen and Lola,
+===== POEM =====
-but as all recent footprints had gone that way Snow was quick to take the opportunity' to make an original move so he immediately led off at right angles. Fifteen minutes later we reached the old railway. The lack of footprints was evidence that the rearguard was now the vanguard and this fact afforded Snow considerable amusement. Just then, limping around the railway loop, came Lyndsey, Gwen and Lola. A quick check indicated that Helen had strayed. (Note from J.B. - After a good deal of backing and filling, the party came
-up with the stockmen again, and it was realised that Helen was away ahead - "still traveling south at a fair turn of speed towards the Lithgow slag heap".)
-One of the stockmen and a couple of dogs took off to round up Helen, while the others were given correct directions to find Newnes. More barking from the dogs in the timber, more yelling from us and round the hill came Duncan and the Butlers so we waited a little longer. Helen came trotting around the hill. She stumbled up to the group and looking Duncan straight in the face said, "It just goes to prove that you cannot estimate a person's intelligence". Everyone laughed but upon inquiry I discovered that no one was quite sure whether she was referring to Duncan or herself. To the indignant questions as to why he had ordered a south route instead of a westerly one he replied: "With you girls wanting to go running off before bird chirp you can't
+by Ellen Miller
-expect a man to have full command of his faculties. At that hour a slight error was permissible".
-The order of march was now reversed - the idea being to reach Newnes, bring the cars up and so save Lyndsey the last four miles walk. On Dot's request a member of the Catholic Bushwalkers, who had his car at the tunnel, drove back and brought Lyndsey down to inspect the tunnel after which he drove her out to Bell. We lunched on the valley side of the tunnel and then walked down the railway line until we reached the road leading to the farm.  Dot demonstrated her maternal responsibility in an unusual way. From the time we
+From THE QUIET LAND by Peter Dombrovskis (photos) and Ellen Miller (poetry), published by Peter Dombrovskis, P.O. Box 245 Sandy Bay, Tasmania 7005.\\
-left the pine forest she clearly marked our way with large arrows, muttering as she drew them, "You can't trust Duncan, he'd go astray anywhere". Curiosity gaining the upper hand we asked why her interest in Bob. "Well," answered Dot, constructing a great timber arrow pointing towards the valley, "Rona is with him and I don't want her to miss school tomorrow".
+Reproduced by permission.
- A lift to the pub spared us the last four miles roadbash also and speeded up our move out. With the exception of my car taking a rest on the steepest part of the road out and holding up half a dozen cars, the run to
+Shadowy places.
-Katoomba was uneventful.
-*(Note: The "old railway" mentioned is the line built about 1907 to carry shale oil products from Newnes to the western line at Newnes Junction about 10 miles east of Lithgow. The railway ceased operating in the 1930s, but the formation, including the famous "Glow Worm Tunnel" still exists. J.B.)
+Mysterious places.
-===== "OF SHIPS AND SHOES AND SEALING WAX " =====
+Often full of misty rain.
-by Jim Brown.
+Light doesn't simply __light__ this rain forest.\\
+It slips into it like long, slanting fingers,\\
+or filters in a lacy pattern through the tree tops.
+Or glistens on patches of wet leaves.
+Sometimes, a green light.
+And it doesn't stay long,\\
+for darkness comes quickly in a rain forest.
+Days seem shorter here than on the open moorland.
+Camping places are difficult to find, for the forest floor\\
+is seldom flat and is littered with fallen trees\\
+and criss-crossed by streams. One sleeps around roots,\\
+or on a hill, or curled like a caterpillar.
+And if a fire has to be lit in this rain-sodden\\
+part of the wilderness, and the flames begin to flicker,\\
+the darkness is black, and thick,\\
+and filled with small sounds…
+and it is so easy to imagine things.
+===== TIGERS NOT EXTINCT =====
+by Alex Colley
+As Gordon Lee has pointed out, the Tigers did some notable walks. The original (1937) Tigers accomplished this, not by walking fast but by starting early and walking steadily all day. There was time to enjoy the bush, take photographs, have swims and camp before dark. They were accompanied by lesser walkers known as “rabbits”, a term which originated when David Stead said, as he and I left before the rest of the party after lunch on the second day of our Katoomba to Picton walk, “The rabbits check out.” Female rabbits ware able to keep up because the real tigers carried the tents and most of the food. I was able to catch up at meal times because I carried a light pack.
+In the early days of the Club very few walks were cancelled and nearly all were completed according to programme, despite the fact that many walks were in little known country and maps often crude. One reason why walks were completed as per schedule was that, in those days, we relied almost exclusively on public transport. Trains and buses had to be caught on time, and having been conveyed to the start by public transport, we had to get back to it. It was difficult to cancel walks and almost impossible to chicken out by short-circuiting a walk, because there were no parked cars to return to.
+Gordon's quotation, “This Club has became sedentary,” echoes Jack Debert's ringing and oft-repeated cry that “The Club is dying on its feet”. Endurance walking is a pleasure for the fit and I sympathise with Gordon if he can't find companions with whom to enjoy it. I also agree with Jim Brown's view that it is only one of the many pleasures of walking. Even the original Tigers spent lazy days, week-ends and even longer camps by the surf and the good swimming holes.
+Gordon is wrong an one point. Some of the Tigers have gone- beyond, but many have not. Despite their astronomical age they are neither toothless nor decrepit. They are still bushwalking; in fact they may well be the only ones of their age who are. They lead programme walks and often do four and five day mid-week walks. The average age of five who recently climbed Mounts Gudgenby and Kelly is inscribed in the book on the top of Mount Kelly as 68 years, with a rider “is it a record?” The aggregate age of seven who visited Mount Jagungal this month was 493 years. Two of them have been made honorary active members, an honour which they prize beyond anything Bob Hawke could bestow.
+===== IT TURNED OUT FINE AGAIN (OR DON'T TRUST THE WEATHER) =====
+Being a record of Gordon Lee's walk 2, 3, 4 December\\
+by Tom Wenman
+Walk out to Coal Seam Cave on a Friday night? What ever for? However on this occasion it proved to be worthwhile. Mind you, as I stumbled along a slippery muddy path in the darkness, with a fast-fading torch, I did wonder if my journey was really necessary.
+The trip by car to Kanangra had been wet for most of the way and generally a wet weekend had been indicated. It was therefore with some relief to note that it was not raining when we eventually climbed out of our vehicle and began the walk. For the most part the weather held (which was why it seemed a good idea the next morning) and the cave welcomed us with a dry floor and space to remove our wet parkas after the encounters with wet scrub.
+Gordon had led us unerringly through the dark, misty, and moonless night. At the foot of the 'short cut' descent to the cave however, obviously feeling suitably elated he attempted a sort of 'pas de soil' and disappeared with a shout into the darkness. We peered anxiously down as it appeared that Gordon had mistaken the location for his display of exuberance. All was well, however, and his descent had been brief and a four-point landing effected an the path leading to the cave.
+Morning revealed, beneath the overhang of the cave, a wet green panorama of gum trees and shrubs with a mist drifting amongst them. This, with the sound of rain and the dripping water from the overhang suitably dampened ou she drew them, “You can't trust Duncan, he'd go astray anywhere”. Curiosity gaining the upper hand we asked why her interest in Bob. “Well,” answered Dot, constructing a great timber arrow pointing towards the valley, “Rona is with him and I don't want her to miss school tomorrow”.
+A lift to the pub spared us the last four miles roadbash also and speeded up our move out. With the exception of my car taking a rest on the steepest part of the road out and holding up half a dozen cars, the run to Katoomba was uneventful.
+*(Note: The “old railway” mentioned is the line built about 1907 to carry shale oil products from Newnes to the western line at Newnes Junction about 10 miles east of Lithgow. The railway ceased operating in the 1930s, but the formation, including the famous “Glow Worm Tunnel” still exists. J.B.)
+===== "OF SHIPS AND SHOES AND SEALING WAX" =====
+by Jim Brown
 I don't know why I pay so much heed to what Don Matthews says, unless it's because he so often says the same thing I an thinking. Indeed, perhaps, he's the best argument I know for astrology, that notoriously unscientific cult. You see, he was born under the sign of Cancer (20 June - 20 July approx) which is designated by the sign of the Crab, and is presumably a lot better than being a Capricorn (sign of the Goat) or an Aries (the Ram). I mean, where else except in a Crab would you find a gentle, retiring and normally rather shy person who will still get up at a Reunion campfire and cheerfully play the Goat (though NOT a Capricorn)? I don't know the answer to that, because I, too, was born under the sign of the Crab.
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 Well, you may say, what's all this scribbling in aid of? I have to admit, nothing in particular. After all, I did call it, quoting the Alice in Wonderland nonsense "of ships and shoes and sealing wax.....and cabbages and kings.  But when Don Matthews said, "The buses went through Helensburgh town" I almost interrupted him to add,"And I bet you found that one of the most interesting parts of the day". Then he said just that.
-===== WALKING'S A PLEASURE - IT'S NEW - IT'S OFFICIAL. =====
+===== WALKING'S A PLEASURE - IT'S NEW - IT'S OFFICIAL =====
-News release from the Premier's Department, December 1983.\\ Supplied by Alex Colley.
+News release from the Premier's Department, December 1983.\\ Supplied by Alex Colley
 A new activity called "Walking for Pleasure" will be launched state-side during Senior Citizens' week 1984.
@@ Line 99: / Line 149: @@
 ===== SOCIAL NOTES FOR FEBRUARY 1984. =====
 by Jo Van Sommers.
-February 1 - Committee Meeting.\\
+|February  |1   |Committee Meeting.  |
- - General Meeting.\\
+| |8   |General Meeting.  |
- - Members Slide Night. "Christmas Trips". All members are invited to bring their slides and prints.\\
+| |15  |Members Slide Night. "Christmas Trips". All members are invited to bring their slides and prints.|
- - Magazine Wrapping Night. An experiment in doing the magazine at the Club night - join the hitherto secret
+| |22  |Magazine Wrapping Night. An experiment in doing the magazine at the Club night - join the hitherto secret rites - get stuck into the wrapping and labelling.  |
- rites - get stuck into the wrapping and labelling.\\
+| |29  |Double Header Slide Night:- Keith Docherty's bushwalking scenes, insects and flowers. Colin Barnes calls his similar subject "Walking With Your Eyes".|
- - Double Header Slide Night:- Keith Docherty's bushwalking scenes, insects and flowers. Colin Barnes calls his similar subject "Walking With Your Eyes".
-===== LETTER TO THE CLUB FROM THE LANE COVE CUB & SCOUT TROOP. =====
+===== LETTER TO THE CLUB FROM THE LANE COVE CUB & SCOUT TROOP =====
 I am writing as a concerned parent on behalf of the 1st Lane Cove Cub & Scout Troop to ask whether any of your members would be interested in becoming a Warranted Cub Leader. 1st Lane Cove, the oldest troop in Lane Cove, desperately needs more leaders (we have one but need three) and faces dissolution if none is forthcoming. What the Cubs are missing most at the moment are opportunities for bushwalking and camping.
 If any of your membership is interested, he/she can contact Club President, Joe Berry, 38 Cope Street, Lane Cove, 428-4820 for further information.\\
-Thank you. ANN P. NIXON.
+Thank you.\\
+Ann P. Nixon
-==== TRIP DATE CHANGE. ====
+==== TRIP DATE CHANGE ====
-Morong Deep trip programmed for 10,11,12 February has been changed to 17,18,19 February. LEADER: DAVID ROSTRON, 451-7943.
+Morong Deep trip programmed for 10,11,12 February has been changed to 17,18,19 February. Leader: David Rostron, 451-7943.