1992 A -Monthly. bulletin of matters of interest to the Sydney Bush Walkers Incorporated, Box 4476 GPO, Sydney 2001: Club meetings are held every Wednesday evening at 8 pm at Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre, 16 Fitzroy Street, Kinibilli (near Milson's Point Railway Station). Visitors and prospective members are welcome any Wednesday. To advertise in this magazine. please contact the Business Manager. 52 : ,(46-14qty1 RAN.y.; e , ---$: D--, - - 4 - 4-- , ' i -7.;,;., ,-. e , -:. / / /J.% .1.7.:s , -,- ../" 0,4 .- .- e - e- ,-C rei f."- - 7 14, Ea , ..--- - - <--. i...-. , I \ . , Established H44( <7467"- (eV-. June 1931 Deborah Shapira, 8/1 Blackwood Ave., Ashfield 2131 Telephone: 798 0309(h), 439 7555 (w), 439 3671 (fax). Joy Hynes, 36 Lewis St., Dee Why 2099 Telephone: 982 2615 (h), 888 3144 (w) George Gray, telephone: 876 6263 ICath Brown Morag Ryder Kenn Clacher, Kay Chan; Barrie Murdoch, Margaret Niven and Les Powell EDITOR BUSINESS MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGER TYPIST AND LAY-OUT ILLUSTRATOR. PRINTERS JULY 1992 Editorial Notes New-Members Blue Gum Forest 60th Anniversary Bike Ride - Wyong to Windsor Social Notes The -Bogey Hole Bleed Confederation Notes - June Meeting Conservation - Logs FirSt The June General Meeting Walks Reports "The Crocks Walk" Day Test Walk RNP Hints for Foodies - Dried Apples Advertisements Paddy Pallin - The Leaders in Adventure Eastwood Camping Centre Willis's Walkabouts Debbie Shapira -2 2 3 Stuart Corner 4 Belinda McKenzie 5 Alan Mewett 7 8. Alex Colley 9 Barry Wallace 10 Ian Debert 13 Errol Sheedy 14 Christine Floyd 16 6 12 15 . Page 2 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER July 1992 Firstly, I would like to thank. those walks leaders who have been sending in walks reports. Various members have commented that the magazine should cater to the membership activity, thus reports on its outdoor activities are very important. We will try to publish as many, as possible, however, we will sometimes need to shorten them for space reasons. Please keep them coming! Also please send contributions to the food section. The next Special Issue will be in September and will be a combined Spring Wildflowers and Bush Safety Issue. I have seen various members busily identifying items of shrubbery. - well some of us want to be let in on the 'secret too!! See you on the track, DEBBIE. NOTICE FROM COMMITTEE Members who do not request and receive a receipt for subscriptions paid but require evidence of membership when purchasing goods with a discount, then they should produce their magazine wrapper as evidence of membership. [-NEW MEMBERS sit, Please add the following names to your List of Members:- Telephone - Home Business ATKINSON Colin -.12 Yarrennau Ave, West Pymble 2073 498.1041 427 0288 DEAN Mrs lone "- 28 Saywell St. ChatSwood 2067 419 6130 259 5852 MCDONALD Bruce - 96 WakehUrst Parkway, Narrabeen 2101 913 8646 411 3355 PRQVAN Doreen - 3 Reuss St, Leichhardt-2040 560. 1408 250 3241 ********** July 1992 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER Page 3 'ROE GUM ,.FOREST* -160t. ANNIVERS Dear Club Secretary There are. now only just over two months to go to the Blue Gum Forest 60th Anniversary weekend, The Confederation committee has been working hard to make this event a success but we can't do it without your help, The weekend will start on Friday. night (4th September) with the Blue Gum Ball. The ball will be held once again at Petersham Town Hall from 8prn to 12 midnight. The cost will be $10 or $25 for family tickets. The theme for the night will be "Blue Gum Forest" and clubs can compete for "The Boot" by organising the best decorated table. All bushwalking clubs are invited to start gathering in Blue Gum at midday on Saturday 5th September,. Some things to remember are: * We will camp in "The Meadow" not at Blue Gum * Bring plenty of water containers - we swill have to carry water from clean creeks Bring.,garbage bags - we will do a cleanup of Blue Gum while we are there * Please avoid using Perry's lookdown as an access route if you are travelling by car. We want to keep the parking area at the top clear for Sunday * Anniversary t-shirts will be on sale at $15 each * It may be possible to organise buses from Blackheath if there is enough demand - let us know On Saturday night we will have a campfire where members from different clubs can renew old friendships and make new ones. On Sunday morning we will clean up the area before the dignitaries arrive for the formal part of the weekend at llam. If your have any older members who would like to attend but are not confident of being able to manage the climb in (and out!) let us know, We may be able to help. If you want any more information or would like one of the committee to come and talk to your club please let us know by ringing: - ROBYN ARTKUR - 897 2270 SEE YOU THERE! Page 4 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER July 1992- BUMBLING ALONG... by Stuart Corner Bumble:' To act ineptly or floundering. Very apt. There we were all ten of us floundering up Bumble Hill- 20 kilometres west of Wyong pushing bicycles laden down with tents, sleeping bags and all the usual necessities for camping out overnight on one of the all-too-rare weekend bike rides on the SBW program, this one organised by George and Christine Floyd. Having to get off and push came as a shOck. Not the getting off. I expected that. We all had to do it. It was trying toepush. Hell, it was as hard as pedalling! don't remember it being like this last time, but then last time was 13 years ago. - I've come ba,k to serious cycling after an absence of some 13 years. I've done the Sydney-to-the-Gong, the Great NSW, Mulga Bill's and sundry other rides in the last 12 months, and I've never had to get off and hoof it, but then I've not tried riding the countryside laden with tent and trappings. Must be age. Ah no, I know what it is. 13 years ago we didn't have mountain bikes and granny gears: ten speeds was the ultimate in gearing. hike that explanation much better. Anyhow, it was worth the effort. -Bumble Hill is the one gut-busting ascent in what is otherwise an extremely pleasant ride through the.stud and hobby farms of the Yarramalong and Hawkesbury Valleys. By and large they're pretty flat and very pretty. Bumble Hill is the daunting barrier between the two. Never mind, what bumbles up must bumble down and the corresponding descent to the Hawkesbury was very exhilarating. - We'd set out from Wyong about 10 am on Saturday morning, the plan being to cycle ,80 kms to the Mill Creek campsite near. Wiseman's Ferry, spend the night there and then clock up another 65 kms into Windsor on the Sunday. "It's one of the rides from. 'the Hang Ten bicycling book," explained-George Floyd handing:out photocopies of the relevant pages. But we're doing it in reverse because the trains through Wyong.are very crowded on Sunday afternoons." "Station - radlway - the - into - left - then - right -'the - to - around - Road - Alison 7- follow - Wyong - at" intoned Maurie Bloom, duly reading the ride intructions backwards from the end. There were plenty more where that one came from during the weekend, but I'll spare you the rest. At this time of year it must be one of' the best bike rides in the Sydney environs. The valleys were green, unnaturally so, the sun shone and the roar of teh motor ear noticeably absent. This is a favourite water skiing area and in the summer the roads are full of people who get their kicks by being dragged up and down the Hawkesbury at high speed. Whatever turns you on, but not for me thanks. - We made.Mill Creek campsite with little daylight to spare after running the gauntlet of several aggressive-sounding dogs which seemed determined to defend their owner's property with all the canine ferocity at their disposal and with neither chain nor boundary, fence to constrain them. We were warned, A'party of locals supping beer outside the bottle shop in Spencer had told us. "There's a dog just down the road. He'll go for you, but just say 'piss off Bastard' and he'll stop 'cos that's his name." Very re-assuring. In the event these beasts showed an amazing ability to stay within the confines of their patch: All bark and no bother. Not so the kamikaze blue-heeler in the suburbs of Windsor. Yards before the station -July 1992 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER Page 5 it threatened to put a catastrophic end to an otherwise enjoyable ride by repgatedly: running across my. path. I:requested it to depart by 'immediately employing, the native terMinology I had reeentlOparnt and this.so-ehocked the creature that it immediately prostrated itself under myjront.wheel. - My brakes saved us both. I digress, that was later. Back at camp We discovered that Mill Creek had but two drawbacks: its leeches and its distance from the pub at Wiseman's Ferry. To save weight the Floyds came equipped with only a fly-sheet George and Christine, the leeches of Mill Creek thank yo0 for your generous blood donation. The.campsite is about 6 kms from the. pub and that includes a ferry ride and 2 kms of dirt road. Would that it were 1 km or 20. At one we'd have gone for some booze. At ?Owe wouldn't have given it a thought. At six we were sorely tempted but decided-the dark and the distance were too much. Deb Shapira shared some pOrt. John drank the beer he'd had the foresight to.buy in Spencer and the fortitude to lug it into camp. The rest Of. us abstained. - Next morning it was on the ferry and across the Hawkesbury.to continue our journey, but not before...a quick detour for an inspection of the Great North Road. The plaque at the end tells how 500 convicts built this, the most-difficult stretch of the inland route to Newcastle, in a mere six months in 1829. They scaled the steep sides' ofthe Hawkesbury Valley 'by- drilling and blasting away the escarpment and hewing the stone into huge blocks to hoist their road high above the river,the marks. of their chisels still sharp in the rock. But how did they live t 'and how many died? The plaque is enigmatically silent. As I stride this piece of history, this national treasure, long unOsed, its career cut short by. bushrangers and the coastal steamers, Trecall that other Great North Read. which the Roman armies built up the spine of Britain. It can still be seen in parts 2000 'years after they left. It's hard to believe this antipodean great North Road Was 'travelled, neglected and passed into history in a mere two centuries. ( The rest of the day presented its own challenges. Riverside tea shops selling pies and cakes, the Ebenezer church (oldest in Australia still in use) and its nearby Devonshire tea house, All celled for Serious attention and to rejuvenate ourselveS we had to quaff an ale or two ih Windsor while we waited for the train. You don't have to suffer thee distractions bush bashing in the Blue Mountains, but to hell with the kilojoules, a great time was had by all and we resolved to do another one soon. Participants! , George and Chris--ftne Floyd (leaders), John Montague, Chris Nugent, Stuart Corner, Maurie Bloom, Peter Martin, Deborah Shapira, Brennie Niemeyer and John Carlson. SOCIAL NOTES by Belinda McKenzie Slides of exotic places, should not be missed! INDIA and NEPAL - by Bob Younger. - PHOTO COMPETITION - Bring prints for display (this is for prints only). We will have a competition for slides later on. THEME - Your favourite place and show us you favourite place. Judge is undecided at the moment but it promises to be a good night:' Don't forget your old prints for Nostalgia Night in October. 29th July - 19th August 26th August -. CLUB AUCTION Another night not to be missed! Your chance to clear away un-needed gear. Anything that can be sold, but please no rubbish. This is an opportunity to buy or sell - clothes, backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, ski gear,. Auctioneer is not decided as yet. THE LEADERS IN ADVENTURE or 60 years Australia's own Paddy Palli company has invested considerable time and energy seeking F n ways in which to enjoy great outdoor activities unencumbered by spoiling weather conditions. The result is Paddy Pallin's superior- integral Clothing range. And your reward is a range of garments layered for maximised performance and supreme comfort in all weather conditions. SIXTY YEARS OF ADVENTURE SLIPSTREAM $99 Slipstream is the ultralight solution to cool breezes and unexpected drizzle. The zippered shawl collar '.seals quickly and snugly in variable weather conditions. And opens up in warmer conditions for added ventilation. An adjustable draWcord hem offers similar comfort options around the waist. AIight-. weight 300 grams, the Slipstream is made of durable easy care Exodus cloth. Availablein colours Ebony/Sage and Ebony /Blueberry. Sizes: These lightWeight low cut boots combine the benefits of walking boots with running shoe technology. Popular as an all purpose shoe. Lady Lilt's offer more support than casual footwear. Sizes: 3-8 HIGH TEC LADY LITE $93.50 Steep slopes, wet - ground and long journeys are taken in stride by Italy's world famous :Scarpa Treks. Nothing less than the finest materials and craftsmanship have ever been /0S' accepted by this recognised -leader in quality / - fOOtwear. 13ecause comfort and durability/ `-, 0 - are Searpa Trek's reason for being. This /60 / - legendary comfort can be attributed to the fine selection of leathers." / 4"' natural curring soles and soft ankle cuffs that make up /-0 4$* every Searpa Trek shoe. Sizes: 35-48 / -V' N., / /4C /v /4,SS, ,C) r VAGABOND $159 SCARPA TREK $229 e',41)0544..' "It, qkt;; , 407*/* sex: ' .14 t' V$5'11-11fIllairie" \\ The Vagabond is If true rain jacket. Manufactured from tough ripstop. Stormtech fabric on the outside and a fine -- tricot mesh inside (for excess condensation ,dispersment). few jackets compare on performance. Other Vagabond design features include-a- unique hood. that turns with your head and chest pockets that remain accessible whilst wearing packs and harnesses. Sizes: XS. XL 507 Kent St 527 Kingsway KoSciuslto Rd It Lonsdale St SYDNEY NSW 2000 MIRANDA NSW 2228. J1NDABYNE NSW 2627 BRADDON ACT 2601 j Phone:.(02) 264 2140 Phone: (02) 525 6829 Phone: (064) 562 922 Phone: (06) 257 3883 .9 July 1992 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER Page 7 Sunday,. March B, 1992. It is warm and sunny with a pleasant sea breeze. Twenty-four Sydney walkers have been enticed to the Catherine Hill Bay - Caves Beach coastline by Frank Wopdgate's description in the SOW Walks Program': a beautiful coaStal walk - beaches, headlands, sea canyons, pools, swimming, sea caves. After a car swap delay, we assemble at caves Beach, south of Swansea, introduce ourselves, and listen to lone Dean's short talk about the history of the area. As we prepare to move off, a Ranger approaches and warns us of death adders in the gullies. The alder, experienced club 'members hang back. as Frank leads. off through bitou-bushin a sand dune reclamation area. - , We are soOth-bound fOr sea, aurft, sand, swimming and Soul satisfaction. We pause on Quarries Head to.admire.the,view north towards Port Stephens and wonder at the colour, the azure of the deep water turning to aqua as the crested waves curl towards the shore We look' down on energetic seas dashing:against the rocky inlets and through Frank's Sea canyons. Weadrop. ourepacks and daks for a pre-lunch swim at the Bogey Hole, -a large rock. pea' Shelteredjrom the pounding surf by an expanse of conglomerate rock. It appears Safe with submerged rock platforms. to the:north and south, constantly fed with fresh sea water from the platforms and from the 'washof ueves. that break on the seaward rock. It is an idyllic setting and twenty walkers are up to tHeir necks in it. A few swimmers, including the writer, are tempted ta leave the water end sit against the seaward rock, enjoying the "spa" of the wash and watching the other swimmers cavorting in the pool, our backs to the sea. Without warning, we are enveloped, by.the white water and noise of a big wave hurtling over the rock, and four of U8 are lifted and dumped, skidding along the -conglomerate towards the pool. ' Naked figuiPsleave the rock hurriedly. 'Across the pool, the four' are helped from the water, our thighs and legs bloodied. The writer looks.down at his left thigh and imagines a shark has bitten his bum. In fact, the conglomerate rock has been like a cheese shredder on naked Skin. Members, prospective S and visitors move around the injured, essiSting. Sterile pads, adhesive strips, tape and bandages have erupted from packs and there are olouds of antiseptic surgical powder puffed on - to raw buttocks, elbows, knees and feet. Willing and caring hands carefully patch up all abraded and bruised areas of naked skin. There are reassuring words from mates and strangers alike. Now dressed, we lunch quietly on the shore side of the Bogey Hole. a After the sight of - so much blood it is a wonder that few appetites appear to be affected. Frank is cheerfa in spite of a bloodied foot. I face my visitors and laugh nervously; they must think we are a , lunatic lot. After lunch we cross Middle Lamp Beach with the 'odd limp evident here and there. The walk pauses at Catherine Hill Bay and three of the injured depart to seek medical aid on their way home. Five other walkers.also leave, some of them to help the injured retrieve their cars. Frank's departure has left the writer, as co-leader, in charge of the afternoon walk. With Frank's sketchy, sketch map and GEoff'Bradley's knowledge of-the area to assure us, we set off around Deep Caves Bay, past Flat Island, to the caves on Timber Beach. As we pass' through a "hallway" Geoff recounts haw, at high tide, it is a-great thrill to stand there and have the Waves go over your head. Oh yeah! I've had enough adventure for one day, thank you all the same! We nibble afternoon tea in the shade of the cliff, and then bound back along the beaches to the pub at Catherine Hill Bay. A few of us dawdle taking in Flat Island, which is not an island, when two trail bikes race along the beach. Page 8 THE SYDNEY'BUSHWALKER July 1992, The bikies are confronted by one Of our visitors who lets them know in their own language what they can do with their machines. The riders are effectively stunned and so is Judy MacMillan. Oh, come on, Judy, you've heard worse on the school playground! Back at the pub, the passengers enjoy their drinks, as drivers retrieve their cars from Caves Beach. It has been an eventful day, mostly enjoyable, and Onforgettable-jor some of us. Thank you, Frank. FOOTNOTE: Two months later, the -scars on the writer's left arm, thigh and foot serve as a - constant reminder of the 9ogeY Hole-bleed, a time when he and othrs were caLight off-guard by a danger ever-present on our coast. - .*****44*k* MEETING HELD 16/6/92 Ron Muir from The Colong Foundation for Wilderness was guest speaker addressing the meeting on various Wilderness proposals now under consideration. Proposed plans for certain wilderness areas on display at present should be seen add people should submit their viewsto get wilderness legislation established quickly. It was agreed to pay the costs of repairing the S &.R radio equipment. The Upper Blue Mountains Walking Club has been admitted to membership. Appproval has been given by the Parks Service for the holding of the Blue Gum Forest 60th Anniversary celebrations. The.Tasmanian Dept of Sport & Recreation plans to set up a pilot scheme for accreditation of organisations and trip leaders. Confederation will pay travel and accommodation costs for a NSW representative to attend, Gordon Lee SBW was nominated as representative. Various local branches of NPA have been in touch about Insurance Schemes. Search & Riiscue: 26 people attended the last First Aid Course. The "Rock Squad" specialising in cliff rescue, held a practice in May. Contact is being made with State Emergency Service authorities in an effort to have a better understanding by them of the part walker. S & R is best equipped to play. Conservation: At least three bodies - the TotalEnvironment Centre, the Oolong Foundation for Wilderness and NPA are all planning campaigns to support the Wilderness Legislation measures. After discussion, it was resolved to make donations to each organisation, and as Confederation's allocated funds for this year are low, to provide for them from next year's budget. Annual Gilneral Meeting: Bookings have been made at the Burwood RSL Hall. Delegates and visitors to the AGM are asked to pay $5 tOwards cost. However this includes afternoon tea. * * * * * * * * * *. . THE ROGAINE which was runby the Confederation on 26/27 June 'attracted 57 teams and there were 215 participants.- See "The BushwaIker", July. July 1992 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER Page 9 LOGS FIRST by Alex Colley For more than six months wilderness conservation has occupied centre stage in State Parliament. The bone of contention has been the determination of the Forestry Commission to log old-growth forest regardless of the wilderness values of these forests or the endangered species dependent upon them. Following prolonged protests by some 200 conservationists over the logging of Chaelundi State Forest in the Guy Fawkes Wilderness, a blockade and many arrests, John Corkill, a co-ordinator of the North-East Forest Alliance took the Forestry. Commission to the Land. and Environment Court. The Court ruled that logging and roading would be a breach of the National Parks and Wildlife Act because it would spell the death knell of the 'truly exceptional' wildlife values. Subsequently John Corkill challenged the State Government under two more Acts - the Environmental Planning and Assessment At and the Heritage Act. In all he won seven challenges, after which he was movedto say, "If I don't enforce the State's laws, who will?" The Governemnt reacted by introducing a regulation exempting forestry and other agencies From sections.of the National Parks and Wildlife Act related to endangered and protected species. Then the Opposition, with the support of the Independents, succeeded in passing the Endangered Fauna (Interim Protection) Act; giving the National Parks and Wildlife Service power to approVe or refuse applications tp leg forests where logging: would kill or disturb wildlife. The Government responded ,with yet another Act, passed in March - The Timber lwdustry. (Interim Protection) Act. This Act precluded legging In a number of old-growth forests. Until an environmental impact statement was obtained and also imposed a moratorium on eight wilderness areas nominated Under the Wilderness Act In the rest. of the state forests the Commission was free to pursue its wilful way. The Act was pushed through under the Govern- ment slogan of "jobs, jobs.; jobs" which. also means that it doesn't matter what damage people do so.long as they get paid for doing it. Yet anotherBill. Was plaCed on the parliamentary agenda by Dr. Terry Metherell - the Wilderness (Declaration of New Areas) Bill - which had the object of having the wilderness -areas described in the Colong Foundation's.Red Index declared as wilderness. The Pill - covered 19 wilderness areas.- Although the Bill lapsed.followingOr. Metherell'e resignation, it did provoke action and may be taken up by anothermember. Tim. Moore gazetted 10 wilderness areas within national parks. This is important in that these areas now have statutory protection instead of depending on park management, which is often Unfavourable to wilderness. On April 9th he presented to Parliament. a schedule giving. the date by which the NPWS is to report on each wilderness, the display period during which it will be open for public comment, and the date of the final submission to. the Minister. Seeing that only one wilderness had been assessed before these announcements, this was a very positive step. Also on the parliamentary agenda is the Opposition's South-East Forests Protection which, if passed, would protect most of the major south-east old-growth forest areas. Page 10 The Sydney BuShwalket July 1992 Figure 1.2 Remaining forest that is unlogged, 1990 Source: AUSLIG (1990) and Resource Assessment Commission. (Australian Surveying and Land Information Group) On April 22nd the Club was fortunate to have a run down of all the,wilderness areas, illustrated with Henri' Gold's slides, presented by the Colony Foundation's Project Officer, Keith Muir. This talk helped greatly to elucidate. the present pOsition and the threats to which our wilderness areas, which are the last refuge of many endangered species, are subjected. * * * * * * S * * * * * * THE JUNE GENERAL MEETING by Barry Wallace There we were, with around 18 members present and the President in the chair, initially tinkling an upstart glass bell, such as might serve to call attention to the wants of patrons at a tea oufeci- for order. It didn't work, of course, so after a while Ian went and got the bone, the only true source of power for the chairman at an SBW General Meeting and got the shOw on the road so to speak at around 2011. There were apologies. from Bill and Fran Holland, Spiro Hajinakitas, Helen and George Gray and George Floyd. New members-Rodney Harroll and Len Heinke were called and welcomed in the usual way. Len became a member in May but was unable to attend that meeting due to other commitments. 20 30 40 50 ' hfiflion hectares .10 0 60 70 C3 1990 ri 1788 Ualoig:A ra.w.foresu COLISCP,VBAINSLPITS alayplforeal Ualessed ex...11)44 Nast Ual cue d eucaJypt lung lest-P. es 1