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"THE BUSHWALKER"

A journal devoted to matters of interest to
members of the Sydney Bush Walkers,
Sydney, New South Wales,

No, 1. lst June, 1931,

Publishing Committee:

Misses Marjorie Hill (Editor), Dorothy Lawrie, Brenda
White, Rene Brown, and Mr. Myles Dunphy.

ed oe ee

The aim of "The Bushwalker" is meither ambitious
nor comprehensive; the main endeavour being to place
before members accounts of trips which otherwise
would not be so readily accessible to them. Such
accounts will be more or less detailed and contain
more of the personal element than can be the case with
the Club's official records,

This first publication is brought. forward with
the hope of future continuous help and patronage of
our members; and in this respect the Publishing
Committee invites them to consider their various ex-
periences in the light of common interest to fellow
members, and to hand in clearly written accounts, in
serious or humourous vein, together with personal
items or jokes concerning members or walking, Constant
features of future issues will be reports of sacial
events and equipment section,


A BALLAD OF THE BUSHWALTaRS. 2.

Tune: The. Darkie Sunday School.

CHORUS -
Tall folks, short folks, everybody come -
Gather round the campfire and make yourselve6 at home.
Bring your rugs and ground-sheets, and laze upon the ground - 
7e'll tell you tales of Bush Walkers that surely will astound.

Oh Myles, he is the leader of the Mountain Trailer lads, 
Who stagger through the bush loaded down like ironclads. 
And Myles he thcught girls couldn't walk but fcund that wasn't
They and Myles now walk for miles. Myles carries Hilo too.true - 
Oh Dorman is a walker unique and known to fame.
The way he puts his tent up is a lifework; not a game. 
And the rattle of his food-tins is borne upon the breeze.
But he'll go down in history for his rendering of 'Louise'.
Oh Winifred and Harold are a most devoted pair.
Where Win is seen, her Harold is just as surely there.
When Harold leads the walkers they're never lost for long - 
He once turned up next morning - but that's another song.
Our Ernie Austen has a mcst aggressive chin.
You'd better not annoy him or he'll knock your front teethin. 
When out upon the trail he carries 'normou's packs
And always takes the longest and the roughest of tile tracks.
Now Plimmy is a handsome youth, so they put him in the choir; 
They had to throttle down his voice; t'was a danger to the spire. 
Then he reached the top note the people gave a shout.
And tried to get their money baqk before they all rushed out.
You know of Anice Duncan and her henpecked husband, Prank. 
He is just'' the same as she - a vegetarian crank.
They tried to, keep a boarder, but he got so very thin,
That when they gave him "noot meat", he tried to eat the tin.
Harold was a beach inspector who thought it very rude, 
That men when on the beach should go bathing in the -- 
Lazo then said to Harold "Than this there's nothing surer, 
You may think you're pure, but there's no doubt I'm Pura".
Jacky was a traveller on a most extensive scale. 
He also was a salesman and sometimes made a sale. 
Although he is a Pommy he speaks Australian well, 
And listens to the dickybirds in many a bosky dell.
Now Gwennie as a diver was not a great success,
She dived into the Duckhole and made a nasty mess;
She hit her head upon a rock and how the stars did fly;
She stayed in bed next morning with a b'eef steak on her eye.


Any further contributicns tc the Bushwalkers' Chanty will be 
welcomed.

TEL WILDERNESS OF THE SOUTHERN BORDER LANDS. 3

A Remarkable Trip.

The 16 days tr.i.p.carried out by the .Misses. M. Hill and 
B. White and Messrs. R. Hewitt, A.Hellyer,.J.'Pettit and M. 
Dunphy in the summer of1931, can be recorded as being of un-
common interest and educational value, a pioneering expedition, 
and altogether a great experience. Under tlie navigation of 
the last named bushwalker and trailer, the party made a grand 
round tour of about 110 miles, arranged to include the maximum 
variety and most cf the points cf interest in this region. The 
weather, 'patently approving the idea of variety, rang the
changes in an amazing manner and presented the party with a com- 
plete record of its possibilities. All told, realization 
beggared anticipation; the tour proved an epic one.

Leaving Sydney cn the night of Friday, Dec. 19th, 1931, 
Cocma was reached by train, and a special car transferred-the 
party and its heavy "right through" packs tc heat-smitten 
Belcka, about 40 miles nearer the Paupong Snowy, via Dalgety. 
Weights cf packs varied from 70 to 58 pounds for the men, and 
were 36 and 38 pounds for the girls, all correctly weighed. 
From Belcka the land rose steadily to the highlands of Paupong 
at about 3800 feet altitude. From here a fai flung view ex- 
tended to the scuth-west along the overlapping mountain ranges 
'sheering into the Snowy River gorge, backed up in the distance 
by The Ccbberas and The :ilct, two alpine tops, the half way 
and apparently unattainable objectives.

By a steep and little known pass the broad-Snowy River was 
reached, and its western bank followed for several days Without 
much difficulty except for the Sahara-like drought condition 
prevailing. This greatest of Australia's mountain streams 
flowed evenly and 200 yards wide,. for miles,.fringed by ranks of 
willow-like acacia, tea-bush and'.51arge- sandy beaches. Like the
.Nile, the latter showed the .daily difference in its .levels. All 
around stood up the characteristi.c rock-capped and peaked ranges; 
clothed from base to summit with,-the .dark foliaged, straight- 
masted southern pine, this being the dominant forest growth of 
great areas of the Black Jack and Big Byadbc massifs, For. 20 
miles this beautiful river wilderness was travelled, mainly in 
brilliant sunlight, but uncannily still and intensely hct, es- 
pecially on the sandy beaches and flood spills of enormous area 
belcw the mouths of dry side gulches. An impending something
was in the air, and beyond the Jaccb's,River (the first of the 
alpine streams of this section) the drought broke in roaring 
wind and following heavy rain, the party being caught between 
the Jacob's and Pinch Rivers in heavy flood. The latter being.
a particularly steep river, racing along at an astonishing speed, 
quickly rid itself .of the worst cf its load, so that after a. 
wait of only 36 hours the party was enabled tc make a risky 
crossing successfully. This was followed by the steady ascent 
of the terrific Pinch Mountain or "Nine Mile", a rough track

pass up into the elevated Ingee-goodbee country. From the humid 4.
heat of the Snowy gorge they rose to the chilly height of 5200 
feet in strong: wind Land rolling banks of mist; and were greeted 
at the summit by gusts of icy sleet. There followed an easy and 
short.descent into the lush Ingeegoodbee.clearings, where the 
flooded river and adjacent flats under water spoke eloquently of
recent heavy rains. Here were stock-yards and huts, but the 
absence of dogs, smoke and horses indicated that the Freebodys, 
who run this big cattle holding, were away for the holidays. All 
was loneliness; only cattle and rabbits relieved the remoteand 
melancholy aspect of this green hollow surrounded by ranges all
shrouded in mist. A day was well spent exploring the praries 
and parkland mazes of the upper Ingeegoodbee. Once the ice- 
faced Pilot loomed out of the tantalizing mist but as quickly 
withdrew itself, this being their first glimpse of it since leav- 
ing Paupong.

Next, the intricacies of the route towards The Cobberas were 
tackled, at first in pouring rain. This stage across the heav- 
ily forested and lonely maze of uncharted streams and big ranges 
was a problem of great tracking interest (too quickly done, 
perhaps) accentuated by the heavy fog which shut down over the 
land, but luckily allowed of fair visibility in the immediate
surroundings. Travel was only possible by feeling and judgment. 
Watercourses were crossed and ferny soaks ascended, until near 
the close of day the party ascended a high, unknown mountain 
(which turned out to be Forest. Hill) and dropped down beyond it
into a system of beautifully grassed little flats, hemmed in by in-. 
visible,' high mountains. Here were running streams, brumbies and 
half-wild Hereford cattle, together with the ancient ruins of
several huts and fences. Blinded by the fog, the fact that they 
had driven' straighter and farther than' anticipated and that Pilot 
Creek, the extreme head of the Murray, had been reached, was not 
discovered until the fog lifted136 hours later, disclosing Camp 
right between The Cobberas and The Pilot.

At these Quombat Flats the course was changed to north and 
the ramifications and intricacies of the Main Dividing Range be- 
tween The Cobberas (6030 feet) and Mt, Kosciusko (7328 feet), an 
airline distance of about 25 miles, were searched out. After a 
tricky and heavy bit of tracking The Pilot (6002 feet) was ascen-
ded about four o'clock one afternoon. From this conspicuous 
peak a magnificent and complete cyclorama along radii varying
from 40 to 8c miles depth spread out in every direction. This 
enormous area consisted of nothing else but tangled country, but 
what a tangle! On the west, from south to north, stretched the 
yawning blue-grey depths of the Great Indi Gorge (Murray head), 
stupendous and awe inspiring in its immensity and primitive wild-
ness. Undoubtedly this is one of the world's great gashes. In 
length about 40 miles, it is flanked on the Victorian side bytkthe 
great Gibbo Massif, nearly 6000 feet in altitude at its highest 
point (Mt. Gibbo, 5764 ft.),.and on the N.S.W. side by the Main 
Dividing Range and its high Alpine tops: Cobberas (6030 ft.)

and the Pilot (6002 ft.) at one end, Mt. Kosciusko (7328 ft.) and
Townsend (7260 ft) about the centre, and Big Bogong (5478 ft.) 
and the Dargals (5661 ft.).at the fa;rthest end Some-•dea of .the 
tremendous depths of _this great rift'can be.gauged fram the Vertic- 
al depth between theLriver level at Tom Grogg,in crossing (1800 ft.) 
and Mt. Kosciusko (73.28 ft.), which is 5528 feet - over a-mile. 
That between Geehi (1340.ft) and Kosciusko is still greater, being
not less than 5988 feet. No gorge or canyon in Australia is. of 
greater depth and few can compare with it for grandeur and extent.

The outlook from The Pilct takes the breath away. Here one
has the inestimable privilege of viewing an area of about 5000 
square miles of country as primitvely wild as it ever was. No- 
where can the handiwork of man be perceived, except for some grey 
and distant smudges which proclaim how cattlemen destroy wide 
belts of upland forest growth when burning off the tall and clumpy 
snow grass.

From the Pilot the route forward to the ice fields of the 
N.q.w. Alps was worked out, It could be seen that the first third 
of the journey consisted of a broad elevated shelf of country upon 
which the actual divide is problematical. To the east of it the 
Ingeegoodbee highlands slope easily away; but the heads of the 
Pinch and Jacob's Rivers beyond are gorges that cut into it nearly
at right angles. Peculiarly contrary to this system is the Murray 
River, which parallels the Divide; and at the same time the bench 
edge overlooking it is extremely precipitous and clothed in a con- 
tinuous mantle of thick forest growth, in which lie stands of
great sticks that may yet prove to be the highest trees in Austral- 
ia. The rippling foliage ;cascading down the terrific declivity 
into the great gorge resembles, a series of great green-waterfalls
and is a distinctive feature of the view from.The Pilot. o . The
middle third of the stretch consists of higher land, a great, 
stony, winding range sending off master ranges between the rivers 
flowing eastward. The farthest third of the 25 miles covers, the 
highest country of all -.the treOless, barren, ice-girt heights 
of the Australian Alps themselVes.

All through these wild and cold highlands wild.horses roam 
free in innumerable small mobs, matching their horse-sen-se against 
their deadly enemies the Freebody rifles. There is a scheme 
afoot and started, to wire fence the summit of the Great Divide; 
so soon the poor, harried beasts will be unable to change their 
grounds to accord with the seasons, and henceforth icy.winds,deep 
snow and that awful barbed fence will spell the doom of the 
thundering mobs. It ought not to be so; it does not seem right 
that the last of the Monaro trumbies be wiped out because of some
sheep and cattle.- Surely posterity would care to view them runn-
ing free in land which has been theirs for so long. The "Ilan 
from Snowy River" will never die, why, then, the horseS?

Moving onward, the party engineered a course along beauti;u1 
praries and wooded park lands, all smiling now in genial sunlight..

								 6.

The old tin-mine workings on Tin Mine Creek were investigated and 
the amount of work done marvelled at Along the next section a 
trail of a sort allowed. of better spe'ed through flat, green swamps 
with lagoons and bogs, and belts of fair timber, a deal of the 
footing being wet. 'N'ext,. the gorge heads of the Pinch River were 
taken switchback fashion, untilthe party arrived out on the summit 
of the twisted length of the Great Rocky Range (or The Cascades 
Range), an inhospitable wilderness of rocky summits, sparse and 
twisted vegetation and steep declivities. Bad weather roaring up 
forced a camp, eagles' eyrie fashion, in the lee of a great stony 
cone, high up in a double gap of the range above the head of 
Jacob's River.

Half way through next day, when the half blizzard had moder- 
ated somewhat, the summit of the here well defined Divide was 
followed up and down for some miles, until the party gazed astound- 
ed into the 1000 feet deep Grogansl or Crackenback Gap right
across the course, completely severing the Divide. A descent in- 
to this geological freak was imperative, followed next day by the 
3000 feet ascent up to the Ram's Head, Lake Cootapatamba and Mount 
7:_osciusko, monarchs of a;txeeleSs, shrubless waste of rocks, water
and ice. Some time was spent about Australia's highest peak, 
disporting on the steeply inclined slabs of old crystalline snow 
or soft ice, the later snowy-white fall having almost disappeared.

11..essrs. Pettit and Hellyer, due to resume work at a certain 
date, set off at full speed for the.Hotel Kosciusko, 17 miles away, 
the mail car and home. ,The others hit an easy pa'e along the 
wonderfully graded and surfaced alpine road, but because the snow- 
grass going and watery bog-hopping of the main route had softened 
and limbered all feet, the roadwalking lamed the party in one act
and thoroughly. Camps were made at Charlotte Pass (6000 feet). 
and Saw Pit Creek, and the walking concluded at Thredbo, after a
journey of 16 days. So ended a wonderfully interesting trip.
through magnificent scenery. T.,12e route must ever remain one of 
the finest possible on this continent, and is recommended to all 
who have some skill in tracking and trailing and ability to rely 
upon themselves for awhile, but 'should not be attempted in winter 
or spring.

We have it on good authority that the ladies of the party are 
the first to carry packs into the Middle Snowy and the first women 
to traverse the Main Divide between The Ccbberas and Ram's Head. 
In addition this is the first attempt by recreational walkers on 
the complete round route Beloka to Thredbo via Snowy River and
The Pilot.

	 MYLES J. DUNPHY, 

	Vice Pres. S. D. W. 

		 May, 1931.

A MORSEL PRESENTED TO THE RECORDING ANGEL. 7

by Walter Tarr.

Official Trip - Ieumeah to Sutherland - 18th., 19th.April, 1931.

Leader, as per programme, Mr. F. Duncan, who succeeded in passing 
it on tc deputies.


The walk was very efficiently and very occasionally led by 
Messrs. Wif and Taro, and thus with youth and beauty at the 
wheel,- all went merry as a wedding peal.

Leaving Leumeah at 3.5, eastward sailed the noble nine. 
About a mile on came a crossroad at a very peculiar angle and 
some memories broke into words. The three roads in sight all
appear possible for the_ river some river - BUT - for posterity 
and the rapidly increasing swarm cf Junior S.B,W's, the middle 
one is the 0.17.

The road wound a bit right, and a bit left, passing a few 
cottages and a vineyard or two, and let posterity again note: 
when the.very last and solitary fence post is reached, strike 
off to the right. Two. wheel tracks will be found merging into 
a single track, which leads unerringly to the little bluff over-
locking The Basin. The track down is well worn and good.

Tents and tucker kept the firm busy until dark - cant fire 
for an hour or two - some yarns - many stars - and sc to bed,

The morning broke.dull; but ideal for walks, cool and
Some mighty breakfasts, no names given. Off at 9.15 The road 
we were to fall on easily eluded the nimble nine, so a halt was
called - strangely enough by a half leader scouts were sent out,. 
and the lost dirt was discover4. So on again. ' A pleasant 
break was meeting two S.B.W's, male and female of the species,
Buster and;his winning friend. They reported little water, and 
they were right.

At 12.30 we were still marching with an eye far a fr.iendly 
gully. Ncne came - that'way, anyhcw, with water. Shortly 
after we had plenty, but it was all in drops and. we did not wait
tc catch it. The country was not ravishing thereabouts, just
a road, with the bridge sometimes showing up. Then it began to
rain really. Nearly everyone had equipment, so on we plugged. 
Came a spot where Engadine was sighted, and a bee line was to
have been taken to it. We thought it no bee good in such rain, 
sc stuck to the road, not knowing where.it led.

Somewhere about 1.45, everyone a bit cold, bit wet, and a 
it (very big) hungry, we came onto a good road at 'right angle's, 
the Liverpocl-Sutherland road. So, with noble disdain for
tucker, Sutherland, about 8 miles for us. Passing an allotment

						 8.
we espied a rough iron shed that seemed to promise a bit. Scouts 
into it, and their wave drew us in.

It was small - half filled by a cart; it was windowless; 
dark; dirty; doggy; but it had a rough fireplace and, meant a 
home, sweet home, for us, till either the owner or the smoke. 
chucked us out. It was then well after 2 p.m. We roosted 
(actually) en posts, sticks, brinks, tins, nails, got a fire 
going, boiled all the billies, dried nearly all the clothes, 
sampled a variety ^f sock-drying cdcurs, had a royal feed, a big 
rest, and then knccked off the remaining 7 miles with a toss of 
the foot.

And to the lasttearful parting at Central it rained - 
rained - RAINED.

The names of the Ncble Nine

a r e 

Brenda White

Marjorie Hill

Wif Knight

Taro

Jim Gunning

Frank Mort

Victor Thorsen

a n d

Two others.

ABORIGINAL HAND MARNINGS. • 9.

A very interesting talk was given by Mr. Thorpe from the Museum to members who attended the Red Hand Cave walk on Sunday, 10th May. The handmarks found in caves were really stencilled on by the blacks. Filling the mouth with a mix- ture of red ochre or white pipeclay, they placed the hand flat  against the wall of a cave. The mixture was then violently blown from the mouth onto the hand, so that when the hand was removed, its pattern was left in the colour of the native rock, but surrounded by red or white.  These markings were made in caves used either as permanent or temporary camps. The stencil of a hand in red prevented the camper in the cave from being given the "evil eye" by any cf his enemies, while a white stencil warded off death.  The cave at Glenbrook contains both red and white hands. That a haven of refuge it must have been for the harassed   										 M.H.black





Austin's "Appy Annual" was as 'appy as ever last Boat Race Day. 
Forty-five members were attracted to the fast and furious fun. 
Interesting competitions were held, the masculine game cf 
"Moriaty" indulged in, and an excellenttea and supper eaten.
. Mr. and Mrs. Austin have installed themselves more firmly than
ever in the warm spots of members' hearts, and to them are due 
the thanks of all. - Editor.

							 10.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD.


The number record for any walk which olub members have attend- 
ed, was made on Sunday, 10th May. After anenjoyable evening at 
Mrs. Austin's, 33 members still had sufficient energy to get-the 
9.5 train the next morning. Such a crowd must needs go down in 
the annals of the Bushwalkers, but more were yet to come. Alight- 
ing at Glenbrock, the platform groaned beneath the crowd (it was
a stone one luckily, the platform I, mean) for on it stood 85 of
the intellectual species of the world (we include the Bushwalkers). 
The University Newman Society had descended upon us, and their
leader appeared to be missing. Thus it was arranged that they
should accompany us. Tom Herbert was with the Newman Society.

We were bound for Red Hand Cave, in company with 11±. Thorpe 
from the Museum, and Mr.' Bunyan, the discoverer of the cave. As 
the Bushwalkers know, this walk includes crossing Glenbrook Creek, 
which was not dry. Here an ama2ing incident took place. It was 
indubitably proved that chivalry is nct yet dead among us, albeit
she often wears a disguise. On this occasion the disguise was 
suddenly cast off, and one of our members suddenly became the
very flower of chivalry. The Bushwalkers, arriving first at the
creek, crossed in their usual manner. Then came dainty damsels 
in long frocks, who hesitated, and looked inquiringly at the
water-covered, slippery rocks. Then appeared our chivalrous one. 
Taking firmly into his mighty arms one maiden at a time, he nobly 
bore her aeNross the rushing torrent, even disdaining to doff his 
own pack while he did it. But alas: during one passage, was 
heard a mighty splash. All shuddered, fearing for the chivalrous 
one. We breathed again, for it was not he who had caused the 
splash, but one who aspired tcpnulate him. Hastily dumping the 
fair one who occupied his arms.at the moment, our hero dashed 
back, grasped the dis.tressed other fair one, and bore her to the 
opposite shore, leaving the emulative 'one to struggle in the
same rushing and raging torrent: His (the emulative one's) pants 
were considerably moistened by this time. I must add that even 
he eventually reached the opposite shore.

At that moment appeared a gentleman bearing a copper covered 
by a lid. We were at once startled into the belief that the 
Newman Society intended tc have long-pig boiled in that copper 
for lunch. We wondered which tender fair one was tc be the vic- 
tim, as packs were very small, and very few among our visitors. 
However, to relieve our awful apprehension, the bearer of the 
copper, who turned out to be the mislaid Newman leader, declared 
it only to be the largest billy can obtainable in Sydney. It was 
destined to contain tea (liquid) for,the assembled company, and 
took only ONE hour to boil.

Without further mishap, except an occasional fall in a .pass- 
ing creek, resulting in many wet skirts, the party arrived at
Red Hand Cave. Here a substantial meal was eaten, by the

								11.
Bushwalkers at least, and Mr. Thorpe gave a short talk on aborig- 
inal hand stencils. The eating and the talk finished, in one 
never-ending line we proceeded down Red Hand Cave Creek to Glen- 
brook Creek where we again ate, some in the true Bushwalker fash- 
ion, and others otherwise. It was noticed that the chivalrous 
one and his emulator were neither of them conspicuous for chiv- 
alry while eating.

Having climbed to Glenbrook Station we again discovered that 
chivalry is not dead, but walketh among us. For there appeared 
on the train several engaged'carriages, for Newmanites and Bush- 
walkers only. The chivalrous one.had once more exerted his 
chivalry.

But who is this mighty man? Would you not like to know.
I greatly fear to disclose his identity, least he be overwhelmed 
with requests for further chivalrous deeds. He once earned a 
title other than Sir Galahad, or should I have said Sir Launcelot, 
on account of the many articles he carried slung upon his person. 
If you would very much like to know his name ask Tom Herbert, but 
be ready to duck, and remember, Tom has a long arm.

				 Marjorie Hill.


Do you know the hefty maiden in our midst who holds the club 
championship for falling over? If you have walked with her you 
will remember her.



SOCIA L.

A most enjoyable dance was held on Thursday, 30th April, at 
Miss Bishop's New Ballroom in Bathurst Street. Altogether 85 
members and their friends attended. Although the floor was a
little heavy, the dance was not. The "light fantastic toe"
worked overtime. Our S.B.W. pennants looked very well in the 
new room.

Thanks to the hard work and unfailing energy of our Social 
Secretary a profit of £210.0 was made, a very acceptable amount 
considering the state of the G.S.B. which involves our finances.

						 Editor.

----000----



Published by Sydney.Bushwalkers Publishing Committee. 
Marjorie Hill, Editor, 15 Banksia Avenue, Banksia, N.S.W.