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THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER A monthly Bulletin devoted to matters of interest tl The Sydney Bushwalkere, 5 Hamilton street, sZydney 'io lfl MARCH, 1944 Price 4d. Editor C, Kinsella Production: Y. Rolfe Assiatant?G, J0117 Ass4.stant A. Wyborn Bus. Manager: J. Johnson Subs & Sales. B. Dickinson, C ONTENTS Kosciusko, Xmas 1943 Anice Duncan 2 - Collai?sable Canoeing FranL Leyden Boy Scouts SpLtre that Tree Marie Byles 7 Letters from Lads 8 Gossip .000 10 A Car - less Future - 4.0 11 Notices 40' SOO 12 Our Own Meeting 00 41180 12 DUSK J4T:..72S D.T.NANEY. How beautiful over the Eastern Hills, Over thc, twilight-gentled sea She craes at cool dewfall stealing So quietly. It is the 2pirtt-healing hour Between the sunset and the stars, Like Beneaiotion in a world-wide fame There no stir mars Silence and peace come down upon a world Haunted with beauty at the end of 'day; The river is dimmed silver under darkening skies, And the wind's away. Now vainly my old whisperer: “Beauty is comforting but truth is stark” After so graciouo sign I pass unfearing To the kind dark, From the Meanjin Papers. ON…11… icOSCIUSIC.0_ XMAS 19/3, Anice Duncan. 0 Six of re set forth on the so-called Kosciusko exprese on December 17th3 What a crew( leut as we had boehed our seats all w es well, The ni;ht passed faia'ly well and Franks and Johno's witty remarks received aTereciation far above their worth from two cr three of the eccupants of the carriage, Arrri-pin at Coca?, abreat twc. hcurs latp ap earently ga7e the hotel people the intpresion we die rdt want any breakfast altheu# it had been ordered, Anyway they managed to t:ind a rather email meal and we tried to stifle our hunger pangs 'by freeednt reeuectL for “mere toast -please,” We toured Cooma for an hour or '63 IJefore we wee finally whisked off in two cars; nfter an argument d,..deu'c the price., and arrived at Charlotte/s Pass about 3 o'clock. In Cooma we had been told that Lord Gewrie and staff were staying at the Chalet eved our drivers seemed quite determined that we should be deposited there. We had to soy quite firm:J.7. that we did not belong to his loarty and did not intend visiting him, It was very mjeety and the drivers deposited us and our gear at the foot of a snow drift just on Charlottes pass and appeared thankful to get away, I suppeeie they thought we were a bit mad camping mid snow and drizzling mist, Foremans Hut was incmected and the presence of a dead cow in front did not impress us favourably so we retraced our steps and made calidD among the trees and rocks under Guthrie overlooking the Snowy;, Sunday, During the night there was a heavy frost, and voices, were heard and mutterings such as 'Never been so cold! My feet are frozen“ etc. Duch wds 1110 at 5 making a fire and we had some hot cocoa to thaw us, Our tents were iced inside and ort and the ground was heavy with frost. The dawn was glorious - blue sky and the mountains tiipped with pink, The sunshine gradually crept down the valley and the large patches of snow greatly added to the beauty of the scenery, After the mist and rain of the night before we were all delighted Before us lay the three peaks of CarrUthers, Lee and Clarke, Ten minutes away down a fairly steep slope sparkled the fndwy River. Beyond the Snowy; looking like a small seuare box was Fore..man's hut not a tree anywhere near it, We decided we had a much better cameing spot - trees, shelter from wind and sun and a snowdrift to sup ly our water, After an early breakfest we vflnt tue Guthrie just behind the tents and looked down on the Cheat noting ets occupants were not edrly risers as no smoke curled from its chimneys, It was decided to do e. tour of the lakes and we started off by crecsing the Snowy - alw ye icy cole of course, By the way we. noticed an interestjnc thing about the river, During the night the level of the vWL.er went down and it was easier to cross eerly in the morning, As the day were on the sun melted the scow and the river rese. We passed Heiley Tarn and cdpie to the Blue Lake which was living up to its name and lodked glerieus in th- oun We all had a din and swam about with the minietere :1!efebei wleidh were floating around, all except Johno who apparently dielikeo cold water, Skirting the B1.6.e; Lake we climbed up and lunched on Tryneare, 17:eom 1:d7yreham we we skdrted Club Lake and waJhed along - cliff trak: overleing Ldke Albino, The scenery was very fine and was ledildniEvnt of parts of thc, EngIieh Di strict, :Rudy and Hanna mentions:0, how they had skied over the lake in the winter, and how different it looked mlnuo the snew, – Rudy, Frank and Johno climbed Townsend while we meandered lock to the camp along the Sncl,e7 Valley after a glorious day, I forget how long they saJd it took the te climb Townsend but I know they said they shot down the snow slopes in tan rinutes, A large tea was consuwed all our sare clothes were put on and a comfortable night was enjoyed by all We were up later this morning5 all of us groanin a little from sunburn packed up our spare food and deposited it at the wcrImens hut near Charlottels Pass, and followed the Koscisuko Road We turned off south onto the Rans Head range Rudy said he climbed THZ Ram's Head but as there were several, very, similar knobs, oninions differed, After nroepecting we fo und a good track leadinT, down to the Thredbo and had lunch on the way down in a wooded glade, We camped in a pleasant open valley at the junction of the Begone creek and the Thredbo or Crackenback River, The home-dried - vegetable le were :Toted a great success and we retired to bed early annointing our sunburn, Tuesdays We left at 7,45 and climbed over Dead Horse Gap, had a look at the, stockman's hut which was unoccupied, followed down the creek, where Rudy'at one crossing measured his length in the mud. The height here by Rudy”s altemeter was, about 5,500 feet, We climbed over a cpur of Sauth Ramts Head, and had morning tea between Big Mich and Little Mick on Leather Barrel . Creek. Here there were tall gums and luxuriant undergrowth, quite a change from the bare rocky tops we had left behind us. Arriving at the Murray River hot and thirsty we had a glorious swim over to Victoria (without a permit) and then lunch. We walked along the Murray banks through fertile- looking paddocks until we came to Tom OGrogants where crossed on the swinging bridge, but there was nobody at home at the huts. Two miles further on we. camped amid tall timber and here we made our first damper.. Wednesday: There was a heavy mist in the morning which gradually cleared and we broke camp at 9 a m, Leaving the Murray we climbed over several shoulders, through tall trees until we reached the junction of Geehi Creek and Swampy Plains River. Duch had blistered heels and we were all suffering a little from sunburn so we decided to camp here and have a free day on the morrow. Here Rudy saw a large black kangaroo swim across both rivers. 7e had our usual damper-making ceremony and so to bed. Thursday: Duch and I spent the day in the Geehi Valley which was very picture– esque and well wooded and from which we had glorious views of rocky craggy- looking mountains, completely tr_eless with here and there eatches of snow which gave the appearance of genuine Alpine country. Hanna and Rudy were thrilled and I think there was a nostalgia too for their own Swiss and Australian Alps, Johno and Frank decided to climb the Pinnacle and explore and Hanna aild Rudy thought they would do a spot of ex?loring too. About three in the afternoon the first arrived beck exhausted and hungry having struggled through the heavy bracken and undergrowth and lost their lunch11 Rudy then arrived back with a bad gash in his leg which was cut to the bone. This was strapped up and we hoped for the best. It was decided to start up Hannells Spur no later than six next morning. Friday: We were up early and left at6,30 before the sun reached the spur. It was very pleasant in the shade climbing up through the tall timber of the lower slop3s.. As the treck rose the trees became more stunted and many seemed to have been killed either by fire or snow. On eiher side of us were low bushes profusely covered with a small white daisy - Olearia, I think. And a Goodenia covered with deep yellow flowers carpeted the ground. There was a delicate scent from a broom-like tree-probably a Dillwynia. We had lunch above Byattis camp with a magnificent view before us looking down into Geehi Valloy Duch walked all day in stockings as her heels were still sore and by the time we reached the Wilkineon Valley her feet went on strike: Johno3 the only one who had not been lee Kosciusko before s id it was most important that he should be able to tell his children that he had climbpd the highest/ mountain in Australia, We all asreed with him so ha and Frank want via Kosciusko and the Sllmrqi read aIore; to the hut to pick up our spare food, while the rest of us :ent vra Worthoote Pass and alon, the Snowy Valley back to our old camp site under Guthrie. As Johno and Frank 171re walking down the road Lord Gowrie's car (rew up and despite several days growth of beards Johno's battered hat and holy pants, Fra-ek's Indian Army boots, the Gowries insisted on giving them a lift as far as the hut. They were suitably im- preseed on hearing of the trip down the Victorian side of the main range, and mentioned if there was a shortage of anything “Just call at The Chalet”, Of course Frank and Johnno assured them we had everything we needed, forgetting it was Xmas Eve and we could have done with a few extras, Well we had a plain but substantial Xmas Eve dinner and what we lacked in fare we made up for with hearty r-nderings of Xmas carelS. Here Hanna celebrated her first Xmas day damper. Saturday: The morning was spent washing clothes and selves in the icy Snowy. After lunch we packed up, having replenished our food from the cache at the workmen's hut and set off along the Charlotte's Pass road. Leaving the road we folloWed Spencer's Creek in the Snowy camping near Pound's Hut. Sunday: Breaking camp at 7,30 a m4 we crossed the Snowy up Tate with a terrific wind blowing, The country between here and White's River is rolling plateau with rocky outcrops, The White's River Hut is rather dilae,idated but beautifully situated and is much used by ski-era in winter. Snow daisies were everywhere and there were clumps of Testringia - a sweet-scented heath plant. We camped on the creek below the hut, Some of the party spent the afternoon climbing Dicky Cooper Bogong, The sum-ait was rocky an good views were had towards the direction of the Grey Mare Range. Monday; We left camp at 8,30 and made for the Alpine Hut over Gung rten leaving the Kerries on our left, Hanna and Rudy said this district was all good ski-ing country. All the time they were recalling their experiences in the winter - bliz eards, heavy mists den snow, difficulty in naming the various tops, glorious runs down heee, lon climbs up there. On Gung rten we all tried,elloeting a snow slope: Some of us cadi down very ungrocfully on our rear portions and had wet se ebs for our pains. Rudy, usinc, ski-ing technique? came down in fine style, We rech.)d the Braeeey Mountain and descended through thick scrub to the Aly.:ine Hut, v-e had lunch and then the rains came, so wc, decid d to sle-m inside, Some of us had hot showers, some made broad and cake, some playec3 chess and cards and Hanna knitted socks. Tuesday; Day dawned fine and clear and we decided to climb Jargungal without packs - the distance being about 8 miles e left the hut in a Northerly direction and then bore northwest aeross the Bogong Swamps and across the head of the Valentine River, All the way we had a good view of the mountain which towered above the surrounding country. The assent of Jargungal provided an interesting rocky scramble, and Rudy did a bit of rock climbing, From the 5. summit we had magnificent views. Kount 13uffelo and Feathertop could be seen to the South - The Dargles to the West. To the north was Tabletop Mountain and to the south the main alps we had climbed looked very interesting From here one could see that Koscisuko really was the highest mountain, We had about half an hour on the tep and after :a chocolate ration set off for “home” via Mawson's Hut. This hut was one of the best kept of all the huts and was beautifully situated and there were fewer old tins and rubbish than usual. This was where Sir Douglas Mawson stayed when he was exercising his dor for one of his polar trips, so it was of historioal interest too, Back to the hut - a hot shower - fresh scones - a heavy meal, and so to bed - listening to the rain pattering on the tent and feeling very snug. Wednesday: Our last day: We made our way east over Brassey Gap towards Snowy Plains Hut. Here we were picked up by Ces Constance and here horror of horrors he had forgotten to bring the Lambergs food parcel for the next week., Greet consternation reigned and then Ces said he would make another trip out from Berridale with the missing parcel We left on the car for Cooma and Sydney and we afterwards heard that he did return with the food parcel. .A glorious trip 11 If you are feeling jaded and tired go to the alps. If you merely want a change of scenery and something different go there and be revitalised by the mountains and air that is like wine, strong and heady 1J Recommendee for all ills in particular mental ones I! COLLAPSABLE CANOEING By Frank Leydon, Renrith - Nepean - Lower Gross River - Richmond. 22 miles, 13 easy rapids. O.K. we'll give it a go. So on saturday morning Colin Lloyd and I were to be found just below the weir at Penrith surveying a very healthy flow of water. Whet with dams overflowing and rivers welling up, the Nepean was carryin:, a lu,re volume of water. The rapids In front of the weir were wild and frothy, with white spouts of water sometimes still, sometimes making furtive darts backwards or forwards on the surface on the tumult,. With a rip a– and a heave we opened the two big white bags and extracted the body from one and the members from the other. Placing the members in the body, we hauled and pushed the protesting canvas into shape, tied up all the pieces of string and slapped the boat in the water. All other commodities were then consigned to rucksacks which were wrapped in grob ndsheets and placed one in each of the big white canvas bags. Thus fortifying our chattels against immersion, we boarded ship at a discreet distance below the weir rapids and proceeded on our cruise to face the 12 easy rapids. After discovering that the chip did not capsize, in the calmer water we settled dor,Ta to enjoy the aesthetics of being wafted along on the current. Occasional di;27 ot the padOle, wee7ing willows lazing Past, r:?.flections in the w-Its rgv,En tanks and the b7ue mountain ridges rising up through the gum tree and vedar. Here at last was beauty and enjoyment without charge, without coupons and neither illegal, immoral nor fattening Various small rapids condescended to pass beneath our keep thus imparting 6. N.M.N.. .t1 UD name meanure of rrAng; frof0, An occasional warning, however, was sounded by a well placed rock or _treel,: One sotilooketl. a nice easy rapid so with Wildly waving paddles we ('.1.a'rgea Too _late we realized it was a big drop into a steep wave and wouldprobab17. not have been considered ha_d we got out and had a look at it So w7:..ff]..cip-ped through an protda to got zlah2med on the . rocks in the next 'reT….. ,, I. bl g.napid. on t.1..c I)erid. belot the priFoAf-arm, Where the wai:er Was thth-Ellf wy v p the loTH ball becauPe it we in L-uch a hurry to got arolmd L. Ccid..d _Irruld,17.'c 7 TJI. y to' portag9d Lre.- Just 1.71ow,the rapid vle wer-tors6 .):-)ut by th o1ir1.12o-ls and co.' ,:: ftolA;:;h ::16 20f: :: frit3ky -,,:hcf:-E, Sc-(Na–plaoid watrs, were reachecl. 7i.'_2/1 t,riveT.oe,as& oui: into a lahe' of gr,.tt extent anti. beuty. Aftr? lantth v sho'T; ,7.-:Ime more rapi6c, inc.:ludi wM.ch was agreed tr.) be . . the “best t.- th,::: now r'Dad (7.31ie&: down the ridgeo from Sringwood the -0ivur =_: :t77c)agh a s z-Yrr; of iiery'faLA y:n…i ds, Wo Dlotted olub course through the-1;a]noll -frIll various trage tic -pc siticnn; alTz13 thr r.)AnIr., Tho first rapid i:.1 _on. the sharp heni to the ri ght. AlmeLIL:7:mmdt tr y.: ri_ver sweeps sharply to the left thfosh a narrc.7w channel at Iligh ope,2i. About 30 yard down were..two 1:1..17ge sLanding walp?s about four feet hih followed by a mass of white conical shaped waves and then a ra ce ,o wn 'into more open water., Tre S overhanglng into the water and half- -submergad logs-Cow?licated matters. We ha_ to plan for some “near” misE-es, Heading into the first bend the water vt,,I,.s crystal'clear and the rocks on the river bed could b- ' se.3n clerly. The speT:d at which they were moving beneath the boat reminded me of looking from a moving trat at a rocky road. We rounded th?. first and -secnc3. -bend like experts, missing everything and folio ing the course we had planned. Grazing some overhanging trees we made contact with the two big waves. Fly1n7. into the air on the first wave the boat then smacked the second, half filling, Immediately it charged into the broken vv-Aor, “Paddle 1 PadEle 1 I yelled. One might as well have dangled from one of the overhanging trees and paddled. At every wave gallons poured in each side,, “Itm going, I'm going” yelled Colin, “Drnp the paddle! Grab your bag” The gallant ship went down, Colin stepped off the back and I slid off the front, - Nemesis had a-',.last over taken us Now we wore paying for our pleasures/ Stirely nothing' could be Sa.7cd in that violent current. Alas! The gallant ship the gear the ciothes;. Overhanging tree branches claimed me as a skewer clr:di= a bit of meat ' 1 grabbed a branch and submerged with the violence of the sucaen stop, Climbing up the branch out of the 7 or 8 M.P.H. current Lcme6 to require great physical effort. Colin swam ashore' further upstream with his larg white bag and with his cigarette still in his mouth. My bag was fioatirg down st7ceam like a-graceful white swan, but ship was floatirr3 124-.):sj-d: o own:anfl i.).r:-,uing opposite bank, An hour later all intact, we were. hitting up a bow wave again with our tw:nt:y stoka a sid paddle rhythm, 'Soon came the Grose and what a contrast after the turbelent Nepe-m, Still placid water;3 like a sheet of glass. insects olaying about on th::, curface, sandy bottom thick wooded banks and reflections of the large gum tre.:s. Ideal for swimming and canoeing, 7. We -e-rvoed near the gorge and explored upstream next morning. But this was the of n%-cigatdori so after lunch we headed for Richmond_ Just below the Ci GroFc, the Nepan p(7.2t green :loping banks with lush undergrowth and bue;o w=ek4e eit ter bnk for a mile, A scene r,miniscent of a Tasnanian Idyll, prev-:J*ez e;.Jo:Aaneous. aezraratior, Then the river widned to a 3 large lake, the Rtch,-i:,nd reflecteirc a graceful bridge, green -orchards and the blue hills of hurrj-mg in the sunset, BOY SCOUT SPARE THAT TREE by Marie Byls, “They came, they cut away my tallest pines, My tall dafk pies that plumed the cragy ledge High over the blue gorgel and all b2tween The snowy peak and snow white cataract Never, never more Shall lone Oenons se the mor eine: mist Swe2P thro-,;.J;h them never see them overlaid With narrow mo2nlit slips of silver cloud, Between the loud stream and the trembling stprs,” (Tennyson's “Oenone”). When a tron-p of boy scouts has come into your favourite beauty spot and cut down your lovely graceful saplings for tene-oolos, you will have felt all the dull aching misery of Oenone and felt, too that having the heart of her beloved, Paris, stolen from her by Aphrodide, was a minor catastrophe compared with the destruction of the pine trees on the edge of the cliff. But there is no podnt in abusing boy scouts They are neither better nOr worse than their training, The question is what can we do about it? That boyscout training has started to improve is shown by the unsolicited testimov offe s'od to me by one of them some months ago when he informed me rhat one did not cut gran things because it destroyed the scenery, That there is still a vast fielci for impro vement is evidenced by the stumps of five or six lovely young capplings beside the clear crystal brook and in the loveliest beauty spot of Cheltenham, and also by the fact that when I protested I was informed that it wr:.s “imperative” that the trees should be cut because it was “imperative” they. should have tent poles, Well, what can we do about it? I have three suggestions; perhaps you can add ;-3M.0 more Cl) Virite to the local council of the district in which there is a reserve you are particularly fond of, and ask if they can let you heve some of their calico notices indicating a recreational reserve and that trees cmd lewers must not be removed, penalty E10, Then approech the boy scouts troop in 2pup own, district preferably through the scout master, if there is one, and ash it -Lhe boys could spare an hour one Saturday afternoea to help you put up some uoticeo boy scout “good turn” ides If poesible secure a 1Leht ladder so that they can out them u7e well out of reach. Of cours you will make sure they read the notices.! ! (2),OffeI. a prize to the grou-2 of boys i the local scout troop, who can make the best earn-0 without the use of an axe; (3) Jrsk Pady Fallen to let you have some advertis.,.,me]).ts about the advantages of usilile m Ite-o ts for cdmping,and tha such tents don't require strong tenh relesEend a few to the local scout trop, Those are three sngp4cstions for persuading the boy scouts to spare the trees..What others have you? 8, LETTERS FROM THE LADS AND LASSES 0 Letters were received during January from the following:- Bott;; Tsaooa Jock KaLikc Geoff igclon John Green David MartJea Bill Cawood Jack Spain Arthur Austin Gordon Moilveen Elli Mullires 1-1.on Poa less Metohell Jaok Watson Alma DIrehmoro Hiliry J:ckson Lee Williams D4ll Burke Ted Paterson Pus.. ell Kelly Rob Morrison Les Douglas Jean Pay Bruce Sim]eson G,Thorniey Jack Aaams Frank Gentle Peter Allen Frank Freeguard Doug,Lintern Ros. Easdown Cheila Hayes Put I: LcLaren Bede Hingerty H.Freman Jock Adams. Bill Burke - 22,1A, Receivd the Club's card after my rturn to the battalion. From the ahiv yci l knov that I'm soldiering on once nore, lla72-e been for the past fortnight, as a matter of fact, I got my marching orderE from the con-depot the day after Christmas, Only had time for a brief ufeernecn in Moresby before I hopleod aboard the plahe to cross the range, NothinF:7 Tory startling about the piaee: two loe bs that were and foal conoretepeerreoents, nor was it knocked about very muoh My luck was out and instead of goang direct to Finsch fen by air; hacl to complete the latter part of the trip by beat. Only a 150 tons and pre-war was on the Bass Strait run, You can imagine what it was like when two hundred of us ware crammed aboard her. Quite a few had to sit UID all nisht but I wasn't amongst them, Have been in this game too long to miss out on little things like that To add to our sorrows a rain squall hit us firot night out, All my e4erience couldn't help me to didge that issue. The ship looked a s de;Ilt next morning with clothes, blankets, groundsheets and mosquito nets all :el f!tting gaily in the breze. Finschefea had changed be ond all recognitidn from the day on which I stood on a nearby hill and surveyed the place, Took me a long time to complete that last mile. Roads and camps were everywherci electric light had been installed and the pictures shoi7 every night. The Yanks even had a band. There was an alert every night while I was there but no= planes appeared, Just another “has been” like Bura and Moresby now One is as safe th?re as in Sydney, If ever anyone tries to tell you about the tough time the chaps in New Guinea are having just laugh at them. Next stage was by barge, The very sight of both their and the ships make ma feel greasy. If I. h-ve to live in filth let it be in a good clean hole in the ground, Apart from the grease and dirt I had a hell of a trip the time I was evacuated from ScarTett Beach, Had to-sit crouched up in a corner right ne::t to the engine and with odd waves slopping in over the top, Couldn't move, for fear of hurting some poor devil, in the dark, Eventually a crowd of us were dumped off on a sn dy stretch of coast; given a couple of days r,etions ,?,nd told to kee-o pluggio along until we found our respective units. My old section leader and myself decided it was a case of no ride no travel, It work d. to until we were dumloed out in scrub and hzd the option of tramping a couple of miles to the nearest w ter or else spending the night without. We tramped, Ror,ds were in a filthy state at the time., Dust inches dc.?.p and anyone travelling could be seen for miles. We put the “boomgs” to c2heme, cover-d as we were with a mixture of dust and sweat and with only the whites of our eyes and teeth shining through. I guess it seems strange to hear of dAst in New Guinea, Believe me there's plenty of it, The Yanks at Oro Bay have a water sprinkling cart permanently in operation to keep it down and travelling on the roads in the Dobodura and Moresby areas is no picnic either. …1.-..1Im………………..4..–m……..- Pack to the old platoon, a swim in the river, a new set of clothing and I was a w man again, They didn't look too bad after their tramp up the coast, qete a ff-w old faees-misc,ing, but mostly dui. to sickness. Rceied a royal welceme home, a shefflee of rain, but didn't 'bother to build a shelter, just cuied up under the old groun3sheet ead let it rip. Since then, however, have got back to my old form and a shelter is sleelped ue each ni ht. Every night cur weather expert Smithy; rpckons it won't rain and every third nieht he gets soakes through. He never gets disheartened and nothing under three inch ,s will even disturb his sleep now, Since rejoining it has been a case of “tramp, tramp, tramp, the boys are marching.” Tojo is very fleet of foot and seems to have gone through in a big way. Can't see myself tallying one this trip, Great country we are in now. Open kuni grass with bands of timber along the numerous streams and the whole rising in terraces to the jungle clad Finisterres far inland. The weather is hot enough but a permanent cool breeze from the mountains makes life bearable. I'm so used to sun by now however that it doesn't worry me unduly. I just about thrive on this life up here. Apart from the food- a steady diet of bully beef and bi cuits - it's no worse than our tramps through the bush back home and you get the same cheerful spirit amongst the crowd, The November issue of the magazine came to light a couple of days ago. Keep them up to me and there's no need to worry about anything else. I hope,to be able to thank you personally for all your good work before long, Cheerio and best wishes to all in the Club. Bill, G21rdon McIlveen - 12,1444, Have to acknowl dge receipt of a very welcome parcel which contained just the right articles. Thank you very much. It's blowing strongly for this place and tried to rain this morning. It's better if it does for its hot and muggy otherwise and after about four days it constitutes a drought, Yesterday was hot and warm and several of us having some time off went for a swim, It was cool in the water but it remained close till e=rly this morning when it turned cold for us, Had a good trip to a rest camp some way from here, journeying by ketch. The quarters were native huts and the beds high off the floor and made of cane so that care had to be taken on retiring, Swiming was one sport with a lakatoi and Jap skiff to row about in. There was a coral reef with different kinds of coral and coloured fish and starfish of a deep blue cblour. Several of us walked to Selamau but we were glad to get back, Two native villages were paseed and the women were working away cu'cting up taro rooto, jams and plaiting suk, suk leaf. Some of the - icaninnies were being washed in the sea end we stopped and admired them which pleased everybody, We scored some paw paws but every day the natives get their wood, tucker and leaves so it doesn't leave much around. Another day we went by a well worn path up along a creek. Thee are mostly sandy, shallow creeks crossed by a rickety worn pole. Noticed two toucans, big yeliow bills, bl:ck wings tipped white also a smaller bird with yellow bill with white circles on the wings, Two brown and white fantailo at loest they had a fan spread and were on the style of our ow a 'Ards, The native gardens and pawpaws and bananas but both were green and is n done to touch them anyhow, Later we came to a granite bouldered creek of clear water and further on a large waterfall, Here we had the cool spray and an icy cold dip which freshened us up fo the steamy trip back, after a feed of green but sweet (“ranged, - - - - 10. 0 Where 0 First of all, cheers for Mr. and Mrs… Pay Bean. They have announeed the bi-fth of a daughter. We very much hope that she proves 1,klotogenic. You mht note that this news item of ours (or the Beets) he been deliberately filched from us and reported in the monthly General Meeting notes, lir)wever, we repeat it here. Not many people have so much notice taken of them. We welcome back to the fold, one, Geoff Higson of the A.I.F. Geoff, ceebrated his return to us by becoming engaged to our Beverley Druce. Congratulations to both of them. Heaby whirlwind accompanied by some slight commotion hit the club the other Friday night. It was Jack Debert, “looking us up.3. After cencleT remarh:s about the tardiness of the starting of the Gener71 Meeting Lnd cD,ap-oing most of us on the back he breezed out and coelparitive calm settled on the meeting, alna and Reg. are back from their canoingcumwalking holiday, NtAsccuD_d read “sancing come walking holiday” as that is what it turned 1..n5o owing to some accident with the canee. Hilma is bitterly ccm7lei loinr; (again) about Rog, being thin. To us he has never loek:ed rebilet hilmal not that we wish to frighten you. But the remedy lies with you Last Fridey nisht we were told exactly what goes on in a well ccnduc=ced search and r:scue party. It was a practical case as one of our members had the extreme audacity to become lost at St.Helena. Des-oio the interjEctions we kept our mind on the main theme and cane to the conclusion that if lost one should, as instructed, le,ve certain signs ond portents end lee ve a deep im-lres:ion on one's shoe w,1?erover peeeible. Of course if you get interested end stanp efton ana had en,eugle it Stends to reason, they (the searchers) will hear yoa ccreiDE: ond :1.1is will nakc things a lot easier all round… Joist Better E-571, don't go to StcHeloua, incid3atal1y tee eni:i ve viere leet ne17)e::4 missed us2 not even at lunch telc. when wo are usually quite preedinent, We Mire always resented thie, is Tin C-o?fey, NoboLay seems to ha7e seen him lately, 11. A CAR - LESS FTUR27,. Tn7L-1-ys th=re are the 6.isabi1ities of motorin2 fc-r the motorist, 17r the many that offer themselves, I select two - atroPhy of the limba J?.olation cf th spirLt One e-.!* the main feat urer of tw-ntieth c ntury ciTilisation is its 1=denoy to delegate to machines the atjivitie2 of huzimn limbs nnd the 1-,erformance of human functions. Ve lie a p7.oss-t1ae-button Ezistence; cranes and lifts do the work of a::i e -preserving tins and can& usurp the art of the cook; we no longer play “or sing, we put a record on the gramophone; we no longer p2actice the art of conversation, we t urn on the radio,Of all these substitutions of mechanised for human activity the motor car is the most insidious, for, to all intents and purposes, we have delegated to it the use of our legs. The motorist does not walk, Fe intends to walk, of course - at least, he intends to in the early stages of his complaint. How often have I heard my walking friends, blazing for the first time into the lustre and glory of a car, explaining tat they intend to use it only to take them quickly to places from which good walking country is easily available, We shall, they have said, park the car and walk. That, they have intimated, is the proper use to make of the car. The programme is admirable, but it is r7:rely carried out There is something about car-driving which inhibits the mo::,d in which walking is thought desirable or found possible. After driving for an hour or so, one sinks into a c,ma in which on is incapable of walking, reading, thinking or pursuing any humane activity. When presently, you descend stiffly from your car, all liver and no legs, you subside ignominiously into your motoring hotel for lunch or tea, only to surrender yourself once more to your mechanism when th., meal is over. Thus you gradually lose the more extended use of your legs. CE.M. Joad - New Statesmn and Nation; June 19th, 1943, NOTIC S 40, 9 OMISSION FROM T:1ALKS PROGRAMME, Pisaee ad to rurrent programme, 24,55 June, King's Eirthda7, Dl-ckheaeh–Bluegum–Grose River–Richmond. Ten t. Track and Rough,: 44 miles .p,m. train Central Tickets Blackheath Leader, Max Nathan. F.W. 2.558 COOLAMINE PLAINS Mre. Stoddart writes to say that she has been in touch with Mrs. Fred. Bridle The lives at Coolamine Plains, Adaminaby, Yarrancobilly via Tumub (her postal address) Mrs Bridle would be glad to helo walkers either by having them to stay or by bringing parcels out to them. She runs the mail from Rules Point twice weekly to Coolamine Plains (on horseback of course) and could take a pack horse for heavy stuff. Mrs. Stoddart has sent this information along in case any walkers who are contemplating a stay in these parts might wish to get in touch with Mrs. Bridlet OUR OWN MEETING. Two new members were welcomed Frank Adams and Martin L.anning. Several old members on leave from the Services were preeent and noisy interjections by Jack Debert reminded us of the lisordorly meetings of the earlier years of the club. Lieutenant Basil and Mre. Betty Dickinson have donated a beauti- fully illustrated book on Vest Australian Tild Flowers which wil' now be available in the Library, The report of th activities of the Services Committee made impreceive reading and one item showed that they had received 114 letters from service Inmbersi Dunk also says that a further 48 have been received since Christneas. Privits fur Pr5ei,.acy or the President's Proposal,, Dorothy suggested a circular hedge at the changing spot near the beach at Era, This led to much discussion on the virtues of many alternatives but all without any agreement, It wac announced that the Reunion will be held at Marley this year, record roll up is epected.