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 Established 1931 Established 1931
  
-A monthly bulletin of natters of interest to the Sydney Bush Walkers, Box 4476, G.P.O. Sydney, N.S.W. 2001. Club meetings are held every Wednesday evening from 7.45 p.m. at Ella Community Centre, 58a Dalhousie Street, Haberfield (next to the Post Office). +A monthly bulletin of matters of interest to the Sydney Bush Walkers, Box 4476, G.P.O. Sydney, N.S.W. 2001. Club meetings are held every Wednesday evening from 7.45 p.m. at Ella Community Centre, 58a Dalhousie Street, Haberfield (next to the Post Office).
  
 |**Editor**|Patrick James, P.O. Box 170, Kogarah, 2217. Telephone 588 2614.| |**Editor**|Patrick James, P.O. Box 170, Kogarah, 2217. Telephone 588 2614.|
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 Our "professionals" were there, of course. Don Matthews brought us a mini-opera "Red Riding Hood", in which he also starred. Dare we hope for a block-buster for our 60th Anniversary year? Our other "pro", Jim Brown, gave us "Where Our Caravan Has Rested", the history of our many clubrooms in poetry, prose and song - a real delight. Thanks, Jim. Our "professionals" were there, of course. Don Matthews brought us a mini-opera "Red Riding Hood", in which he also starred. Dare we hope for a block-buster for our 60th Anniversary year? Our other "pro", Jim Brown, gave us "Where Our Caravan Has Rested", the history of our many clubrooms in poetry, prose and song - a real delight. Thanks, Jim.
  
-During all this, Jdhn Redfern and Spiro Hajinaketas were keeping the cooking fire going and laying the table with cakes made by Spiro and Christine Austin and other contributors. The smells reminded us that it was nearly supper time and therefore time to wind up the official entertainment with a welcome to our new President. Barry Murdoch was hauled out of the shadows and seven past-Presidents handed him the symbols of office, wished him luck, and applauded his short speech.+During all this, John Redfern and Spiro Hajinaketas were keeping the cooking fire going and laying the table with cakes made by Spiro and Christine Austin and other contributors. The smells reminded us that it was nearly supper time and therefore time to wind up the official entertainment with a welcome to our new President. Barry Murdoch was hauled out of the shadows and seven past-Presidents handed him the symbols of office, wished him luck, and applauded his short speech.
  
 Supper over and small children off in their tents, the after-hours singers settled down to some fine performances, all accompanied by Bob and his mouth organ, with Bob playing non-stop till 2 am. The full moon lit the landscape and the temperature remained warm, even into Sunday's early hours. Supper over and small children off in their tents, the after-hours singers settled down to some fine performances, all accompanied by Bob and his mouth organ, with Bob playing non-stop till 2 am. The full moon lit the landscape and the temperature remained warm, even into Sunday's early hours.
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 I got a taxi out to Newman's bus depot with minutes to spare, then came the long trip up the coast, first through farming country, then after Aoro and Goose Bay we followed along the sea, with the moon shining on a bright gleaming ocean and the seaward Kaikouras as a dark mountain backdrop inland. I got a taxi out to Newman's bus depot with minutes to spare, then came the long trip up the coast, first through farming country, then after Aoro and Goose Bay we followed along the sea, with the moon shining on a bright gleaming ocean and the seaward Kaikouras as a dark mountain backdrop inland.
  
-A night at the Blenheim motor camp, then off early next day in beautiful shunshine, through farming country to Pelorus Bridge for another night's camp, then on to Moutere through the orchards around Nelson to the Moutere nudist camp. This is beautifully situated on what appeared to be a secluded spit of land planted out with pines reminiscent of the Sierras of California. Great swimming and sunbaking - plenty of sunburnt bottoms, nice looking young people, lobster-like older gents, but all enjoying the sun and fresh air. A pity to leave, but our next destination is Golden Bay, so off we go.+A night at the Blenheim motor camp, then off early next day in beautiful sunshine, through farming country to Pelorus Bridge for another night's camp, then on to Moutere through the orchards around Nelson to the Moutere nudist camp. This is beautifully situated on what appeared to be a secluded spit of land planted out with pines reminiscent of the Sierras of California. Great swimming and sunbaking - plenty of sunburnt bottoms, nice looking young people, lobster-like older gents, but all enjoying the sun and fresh air. A pity to leave, but our next destination is Golden Bay, so off we go.
  
 Cape Farewell is the northernmost point of the South Island. A spit of sand extends in an arc for 35 km across the entrance to Golden Bay. The Spit is 800 m wide and is made up of shifting sand dunes, quicksands, patches of low scrub, marram grass and sand and mud flats. It is one of New Zealand's most important wading-bird habitats - over 100 species have been recorded. Towards the end of March great flocks begin their long journey to their northern summer breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra of Siberia and Alaska. The Spit is a Nature Reserve and has been designated a Wetland of International Importance. Cape Farewell is the northernmost point of the South Island. A spit of sand extends in an arc for 35 km across the entrance to Golden Bay. The Spit is 800 m wide and is made up of shifting sand dunes, quicksands, patches of low scrub, marram grass and sand and mud flats. It is one of New Zealand's most important wading-bird habitats - over 100 species have been recorded. Towards the end of March great flocks begin their long journey to their northern summer breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra of Siberia and Alaska. The Spit is a Nature Reserve and has been designated a Wetland of International Importance.
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 There is a wide range of scenery, dense native forest, home of innumerable birds from the big black and white pigeons down to the smallest of New Zealand forest denisons, the tiny rifle bird. Calls of bellbirds and tuis came from inside the forest, and as we got higher up kea calls in the air awoke nostalgia for past mountaineering days. A dense cover of fallen beech leaves made a soft track, up past waterfalls cascading down ferny mossy gullies, groves of Nikau Palms and secluded river valleys. There are lovely arched wooden bridges over the streams, which can rise a matter of two metres suddenly after heavy rain, and fall just as quickly. There is a wide range of scenery, dense native forest, home of innumerable birds from the big black and white pigeons down to the smallest of New Zealand forest denisons, the tiny rifle bird. Calls of bellbirds and tuis came from inside the forest, and as we got higher up kea calls in the air awoke nostalgia for past mountaineering days. A dense cover of fallen beech leaves made a soft track, up past waterfalls cascading down ferny mossy gullies, groves of Nikau Palms and secluded river valleys. There are lovely arched wooden bridges over the streams, which can rise a matter of two metres suddenly after heavy rain, and fall just as quickly.
  
-The dense blue black rainclouds had disappeared as quickly as they had come, and in bright sunshine we stopped for lunch, then on again to Perry Saddle Hut. But first a side track to a lookout which gave a panorama of all the surrounding mountains, and a view of the hut on a sheltered grassed plateau below. We reached the hut at 4 o'clock, to find only four other occupants, one of them an Americal girl with the typical American pack about a metre and a half high. She was heading for Australia, so I warned her that that pack would not do for our type of bushwalking. She was a great walker, though.+The dense blue black rainclouds had disappeared as quickly as they had come, and in bright sunshine we stopped for lunch, then on again to Perry Saddle Hut. But first a side track to a lookout which gave a panorama of all the surrounding mountains, and a view of the hut on a sheltered grassed plateau below. We reached the hut at 4 o'clock, to find only four other occupants, one of them an American girl with the typical American pack about a metre and a half high. She was heading for Australia, so I warned her that that pack would not do for our type of bushwalking. She was a great walker, though.
  
 The hut had all the comforts that N.Z. trampers hope for in their bad weather trips - a slow-combustion stove and firewood provided, gas cookers and billies, benches and sinks and running water, table and seats, and bunks - 25 of them fitted with mattresses! So all we carried was sleeping bag, parka and food. I found a small day pack adequate. The hut had all the comforts that N.Z. trampers hope for in their bad weather trips - a slow-combustion stove and firewood provided, gas cookers and billies, benches and sinks and running water, table and seats, and bunks - 25 of them fitted with mattresses! So all we carried was sleeping bag, parka and food. I found a small day pack adequate.
  
-We had dinner, then tied our bag of food up to the rafters, much to the astonishment of the Americal girl who apparently was not educated in respect to bush rats. The hut had its avian humorist, the kea, who tramped around on the tin roof and rattled on its claws down the corrugations and squawked for food scraps.+We had dinner, then tied our bag of food up to the rafters, much to the astonishment of the American girl who apparently was not educated in respect to bush rats. The hut had its avian humorist, the kea, who tramped around on the tin roof and rattled on its claws down the corrugations and squawked for food scraps.
  
 A night of deep sleep, then off early next morning with just our lunch, as the idea was to walk 8 km to the Gouland Downs Hut and then on 5 km to the next hut (Saxon) where we would have lunch, then return the way we had come in order to get back to the car. Walkers wishing to do the whole track can arrange for an Air Taxi to pick them up at the far end of the track and return them to their starting point, but this costs money. A night of deep sleep, then off early next morning with just our lunch, as the idea was to walk 8 km to the Gouland Downs Hut and then on 5 km to the next hut (Saxon) where we would have lunch, then return the way we had come in order to get back to the car. Walkers wishing to do the whole track can arrange for an Air Taxi to pick them up at the far end of the track and return them to their starting point, but this costs money.
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 The track led over grassy downs rather like the button grass plains of Tasmania and in places just as muddy. Two swing walkways span Sheep Creek and Cave Stream and would provide a bit of excitement to a heavily laden walker - a couple of wire cables with slats and a nice muddy fall if you missed your footing. The track led over grassy downs rather like the button grass plains of Tasmania and in places just as muddy. Two swing walkways span Sheep Creek and Cave Stream and would provide a bit of excitement to a heavily laden walker - a couple of wire cables with slats and a nice muddy fall if you missed your footing.
  
-We met up with other trampers who had come in from the opposite end to ours, all heading for Perry Saddle Hut, so that when we got back there after our 26 km round trip it was to find about 20 people in occupation. There were Germans and Swiss, Americans and Poles, a couple of Australians as well as New Zealanders, and a pleasant young Norwegian boy, a civil engineering student, heading for our Snmowy Mountains to have a look at our marvellous hydro-electric and irrigation scheme. Many of his countrymen had helped build it. It becomes as good as a world trip when they are all swopping experiences.+We met up with other trampers who had come in from the opposite end to ours, all heading for Perry Saddle Hut, so that when we got back there after our 26 km round trip it was to find about 20 people in occupation. There were Germans and Swiss, Americans and Poles, a couple of Australians as well as New Zealanders, and a pleasant young Norwegian boy, a civil engineering student, heading for our Snowy Mountains to have a look at our marvellous hydro-electric and irrigation scheme. Many of his countrymen had helped build it. It becomes as good as a world trip when they are all swopping experiences.
  
 Next morning we left early for the 16 km return to Brown Hut. The scenery naturally looked different seeing it in reverse, so we were not sad that we had to return the way we had come. One of the Polish men sang a Hymn of Praise at the top of his voice and when we met up he told me of his experiences as a little boy in a German Internment Camp during World War II. There was a great number of Polish orphans, many of whom died. Those who survived lived by stealing food and anything else they could sell. This went on for years. When he was 8 years old the British were able to ship out many of the young Polish children to New Zealand, where he has lived for the past 42 years, and wouldn't swop this country for any other. Next morning we left early for the 16 km return to Brown Hut. The scenery naturally looked different seeing it in reverse, so we were not sad that we had to return the way we had come. One of the Polish men sang a Hymn of Praise at the top of his voice and when we met up he told me of his experiences as a little boy in a German Internment Camp during World War II. There was a great number of Polish orphans, many of whom died. Those who survived lived by stealing food and anything else they could sell. This went on for years. When he was 8 years old the British were able to ship out many of the young Polish children to New Zealand, where he has lived for the past 42 years, and wouldn't swop this country for any other.
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 Well, be of good heart. There are evidences of the big camp-site, but if anything it is somewhat cleaner than it has been in the past when sundry untidy campers have made large fires on the hill-top and managed to leave more than their share of tins and bottles and plastic. Clearly the sculptors have "done the right thing". Even the rough road coming in from the Kariong area, and with a locked gate at the rifle range, has not undergone much in the way of up-grading to supply the sculptors' camp. Well, be of good heart. There are evidences of the big camp-site, but if anything it is somewhat cleaner than it has been in the past when sundry untidy campers have made large fires on the hill-top and managed to leave more than their share of tins and bottles and plastic. Clearly the sculptors have "done the right thing". Even the rough road coming in from the Kariong area, and with a locked gate at the rifle range, has not undergone much in the way of up-grading to supply the sculptors' camp.
  
-Someone has taken a mattock to the old track that walkers used to climb the hill, and cut out some steps in places where the slope is steep and used to be slippery after rain. There is also one place where a length of wire rope has been installed as a sort of hand-rail, but be careful if you use it - there are bits of broken wire protuding.+Someone has taken a mattock to the old track that walkers used to climb the hill, and cut out some steps in places where the slope is steep and used to be slippery after rain. There is also one place where a length of wire rope has been installed as a sort of hand-rail, but be careful if you use it - there are bits of broken wire protruding.
  
 As to the sculptures themselves - they are mostly "modern", although most have some intimation of human faces or bodies, and only three or four are, to my unpractised eye, totally abstract in concept. But I found them interesting and fairly pleasing to look at, and when grasses and shrubs grow back on the much-trampled headland jutting into Mullet Creek, I feel that the overall effect will be agreeable. There are nine or ten blocks of carved sandstone, standing from about 1.5 metres to 2.5 metres tall, and appearing pale against the backdrop of quiet waters and wooded hills. At least the notion of a little park with some artistic items sitting in a narrow strip between the busy Northern railway and part of the Hawkesbury estuary is a novel one. As to the sculptures themselves - they are mostly "modern", although most have some intimation of human faces or bodies, and only three or four are, to my unpractised eye, totally abstract in concept. But I found them interesting and fairly pleasing to look at, and when grasses and shrubs grow back on the much-trampled headland jutting into Mullet Creek, I feel that the overall effect will be agreeable. There are nine or ten blocks of carved sandstone, standing from about 1.5 metres to 2.5 metres tall, and appearing pale against the backdrop of quiet waters and wooded hills. At least the notion of a little park with some artistic items sitting in a narrow strip between the busy Northern railway and part of the Hawkesbury estuary is a novel one.
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 Soon the sun had set but the night was one of full moon and we were able to use the long twilight to negotiate the creek. We continued rock-hopping or walking through tall forest on creekside flats, getting snagged occasionally by unseen wait-a-whiles. We passed broad flats so ravaged by wet season flood levels and the forest so damaged that they were inextricably smothered with the lawyer cane. Soon the sun had set but the night was one of full moon and we were able to use the long twilight to negotiate the creek. We continued rock-hopping or walking through tall forest on creekside flats, getting snagged occasionally by unseen wait-a-whiles. We passed broad flats so ravaged by wet season flood levels and the forest so damaged that they were inextricably smothered with the lawyer cane.
  
-It was proving to be a surprisingly long creek, the darkness deepening, our stomachs empty and Paul's feet rather blistered. Rykers was more of a rill than a creek. We persevered; now staggering over stones and getting caught on the blind sides of deep pools wherever directional changes occured in the creek.+It was proving to be a surprisingly long creek, the darkness deepening, our stomachs empty and Paul's feet rather blistered. Rykers was more of a rill than a creek. We persevered; now staggering over stones and getting caught on the blind sides of deep pools wherever directional changes occurred in the creek.
  
 By mid-evening we came to the road - but not the road we were expecting to meet. We stood there realising the fact that we had just followed Emmagen Creek from near its highest source down to the infamous Cape Tribulation to Bloomfield Road. We still had 4 kms of the road to walk back to The Blockade Site. By mid-evening we came to the road - but not the road we were expecting to meet. We stood there realising the fact that we had just followed Emmagen Creek from near its highest source down to the infamous Cape Tribulation to Bloomfield Road. We still had 4 kms of the road to walk back to The Blockade Site.
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 They eventually returned to the Kowmung River and made camp at the foot of Misery Ridge. Sorely tired after their wet exertions they had a meal and then fell into a heavy sleep. Myles awoke in the middle of the night with a start and an uneasy feeling. Suddenly "a banshee-like howling, now loud and strong, now quavering and lowering to an eerie moaning as of some sepulchral, wild lost spirit, now blending with the rolling sounds of the gale, carried away in the wind and tumult of the Dante-like wet hell". A dingo was prowling round their campsite. They eventually returned to the Kowmung River and made camp at the foot of Misery Ridge. Sorely tired after their wet exertions they had a meal and then fell into a heavy sleep. Myles awoke in the middle of the night with a start and an uneasy feeling. Suddenly "a banshee-like howling, now loud and strong, now quavering and lowering to an eerie moaning as of some sepulchral, wild lost spirit, now blending with the rolling sounds of the gale, carried away in the wind and tumult of the Dante-like wet hell". A dingo was prowling round their campsite.
  
-But Myles also realised "he was choking and that his heart was racing". Struggling into awareness he realised that there was an oxygen deficiency - the balloon silk tent had become hermetically sealed. The flapping of the wind and the moisture had adhered the doors together, and the air vents had drawn together depriving the inhabitants of sufficent air.+But Myles also realised "he was choking and that his heart was racing". Struggling into awareness he realised that there was an oxygen deficiency - the balloon silk tent had become hermetically sealed. The flapping of the wind and the moisture had adhered the doors together, and the air vents had drawn together depriving the inhabitants of sufficient air.
  
 Discussing the brush with death next morning with Bert, whom Myles could not awaken during the night's events, they made plans to alter the pitching of the tent. "Thus the points of bushwalking craft or mountain trailing as they knew it, were worked out by two who unwittingly pioneered a new kind of nature-loving recreation, in their search for wild scenery of unspoiled places". Discussing the brush with death next morning with Bert, whom Myles could not awaken during the night's events, they made plans to alter the pitching of the tent. "Thus the points of bushwalking craft or mountain trailing as they knew it, were worked out by two who unwittingly pioneered a new kind of nature-loving recreation, in their search for wild scenery of unspoiled places".
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 ====Social Notes For May.==== ====Social Notes For May.====
  
-by Wendy Aliard.+by Wendy Aliano.
  
-After the great successs of our last-minute substitute Kanangra Slide Night, I think that Budawangs is a good follow-up theme for the May 27th Slide Night. Bring along Budawangs slides, old ones are of as much interest as recent trips. If you haven't been to the Budawangs come and see what you have been missing.+After the great success of our last-minute substitute Kanangra Slide Night, I think that Budawangs is a good follow-up theme for the May 27th Slide Night. Bring along Budawangs slides, old ones are of as much interest as recent trips. If you haven't been to the Budawangs come and see what you have been missing.
  
 The other May Club nights need little comment. Please don't call me if you want to eat out, though, as my phone is often far too busy on Mon.-Tues. with walks calls. Just come and eat if you want to. The other May Club nights need little comment. Please don't call me if you want to eat out, though, as my phone is often far too busy on Mon.-Tues. with walks calls. Just come and eat if you want to.
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 ---- ----
  
-=====Theatre Prty Dates.=====+=====Theatre Party Dates.=====
  
  
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 The Hon. Treasurer, The Sydney Bush Walkers, Box 4476 G.P.O., Sydney, 2001. The Hon. Treasurer, The Sydney Bush Walkers, Box 4476 G.P.O., Sydney, 2001.
  
-Name/s: (For ALL membners in household) .........+Name/s: (For ALL members in household) .........
      
 Address: ......... Address: .........
198704.1473738258.txt.gz · Last modified: 2016/09/13 13:44 by tyreless
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