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- | ====== LETTER TO THE EDITOR - | + | ====== LETTER TO THE EDITOR -WILDERNESS VISIONS ====== |
- | WILDERNESS VISIONS ====== | + | |
**Maurice Smith** | **Maurice Smith** | ||
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====== The Cross Cut Saw ====== | ====== The Cross Cut Saw ====== | ||
- | Pat Harrison | + | **Pat Harrison** |
- | . (Reprinted from May 1969 Sydney Bushwalker.) | + | (Reprinted from May 1969 Sydney Bushwalker) |
" | " | ||
Of which my fancy cherished, | Of which my fancy cherished, | ||
So faithfully, a waking dream?" | So faithfully, a waking dream?" | ||
- | The poet Wordsworth wrote these lines after he had first:seen Yarrow. in Scotland; but there had been other times when he had failed to get to that beautiful place, and on one of these occasions he wrote the following lines:- | + | |
- | "If care with freezing years should come, And, | + | The poet Wordsworth wrote these lines after he had first seen Yarrow in Scotland; but there had been other times when he had failed to get to that beautiful place, and on one of these occasions he wrote the following lines:- |
+ | "If care with freezing years should come, | ||
+ | And, | ||
Should we be loath to stir from home, | Should we be loath to stir from home, | ||
And yet be melancholy; | And yet be melancholy; | ||
- | | + | |
- | That earth has something yet to show, The bonny holms of Yarrow." | + | 'Twill soothe us in our sorrow, |
- | The Cross cut Saw is one of a couple of places that have stood in the same relation to me. Once upon a timer invited a chap to go there on a walking tour but he mucked the proposal up before it got started and I abandoned it However, the Sydney Bushwalkers are a different proposition and can be relied on to stick fast to a plan; consequently seven of us (Ray Hookway, | + | That earth has something yet to show, |
- | After a couple of hours in our bags we drove as far as Table Top near Albury where we pulled off the road and 'boiled the billies for breakfast. The morningwas | + | The bonny holms of Yarrow." |
- | The next landfalls were to be Banana | + | |
- | We spent two hours in the sun at Mirimbah, | + | The Cross cut Saw is one of a couple of places that have stood in the same relation to me. Once upon a time I invited a chap to go there on a walking tour but he mucked the proposal up before it got started and I abandoned it. However, the Sydney Bushwalkers are a different proposition and can be relied on to stick fast to a plan; consequently seven of us (Ray Hookway, |
- | We had driven about 525 miles since we left Sydney, all of it on very good roads. The 25 miles from Mirimbah to the Howqua were dirt and were up and over a mountain range, but it is as good a road as you would wish for, being wider and with far better grades (for example) than the road in and out of Jenolan Caves. There are Bushfire dugouts at the Howqua Gap (or Wooly Butt saddle as it is called on the map), which is on the Divide between the Delatite and Howqua river, and there are also dugouts 19 miles from Nfirimbah | + | |
- | MARCH 1996 THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER PAGE 17 | + | After a couple of hours in our bags we drove as far as Table Top near Albury where we pulled off the road and boiled the billies for breakfast. The morning was clear and sunny, everyone was in good spirits, and other car loads of bushwalkers tooted us as they headed north. There was also a gorging of fruit and tomatoes - far better for these things to be inside your tummy than inside the Fruit Inspector' |
- | | + | |
- | | + | The next landfalls were to be Benalla |
- | On the morrow we left maps and a note with | + | |
- | detailed descriptions of our route,then we set off with | + | We spent two hours in the sun at Mirimbah, having lunch and waiting for Bill, and then learnt from some campers that a white Toyota station waggon with a NSW plate had been there hours ago and had asked directions to "The Springs" |
- | - Barry up Howitt Spur on a very good track from which gradually unfolded | + | |
- | a jagged and spectacular series of bare alpine peaks about 5 miles long which connects Mt Speculation with the Mt Hewitt | + | We had driven about 525 miles since we left Sydney, all of it on very good roads. The 25 miles from Mirimbah to the Howqua were dirt and were up and over a mountain range, but it is as good a road as you would wish for, being wider and with far better grades (for example) than the road in and out of Jenolan Caves. There are Bushfire dugouts at the Howqua Gap (or Wooly Butt saddle as it is called on the map), which is on the Divide between the Delatite and Howqua river, and there are also dugouts 19 miles from Mirimbah |
- | A few hundred feet below the summit the Snow Gums ceased and the track zig-zagged up the rocks past odd bushes of flowering Boronia and finally emerged on the grassyplateau | + | |
- | The view from the trig was panoramic - Buller, Stirling, Speculation, | + | On the morrow we left maps and a note with detailed descriptions of our route,then we set off with |
+ | Barry up Howitt Spur on a very good track from which gradually unfolded | ||
+ | |||
+ | A few hundred feet below the summit the Snow Gums ceased and the track zig-zagged up the rocks past odd bushes of flowering Boronia and finally emerged on the grassy plateau | ||
+ | |||
+ | The view from the trig was panoramic - Buller, Stirling, Speculation, | ||
We followed the cairns and snow poles across the flowery top of Hewitt through masses of golden Everlastings splashed with purple daisies,to the edge of the plateau overlooking the Terrible Hollow. On the far side of the hollow The Razor and The Viking stood up in the tilted pose characteristic of the area. | We followed the cairns and snow poles across the flowery top of Hewitt through masses of golden Everlastings splashed with purple daisies,to the edge of the plateau overlooking the Terrible Hollow. On the far side of the hollow The Razor and The Viking stood up in the tilted pose characteristic of the area. | ||
- | While Frank was- busy with his camera the rest of us lolled about having an early, lunch and finally at | + | |
- | 1 lam set out for the traverse of the Croscut | + | While Frank was busy with his camera the rest of us lolled about having an early, lunch and finally at |
+ | 11am set out for the traverse of the Crosscut | ||
Having been consigned to this well known locality on numerous occasions I was keen to see it. We arrived there about 90 minutes later to find it occupied by members of the Melbourne Women' | Having been consigned to this well known locality on numerous occasions I was keen to see it. We arrived there about 90 minutes later to find it occupied by members of the Melbourne Women' | ||
+ | |||
On the way out near the turn-off to Stanley' | On the way out near the turn-off to Stanley' | ||
+ | |||
On the way back along the narrow crest there was a most effective scene with The Terrible Hollow in bright sunshine while the Howqua side was gloomy with cloud looming up from Buller. For half an hour it seemed as if it would snow but it quickly passed away and bright sunshine returned. | On the way back along the narrow crest there was a most effective scene with The Terrible Hollow in bright sunshine while the Howqua side was gloomy with cloud looming up from Buller. For half an hour it seemed as if it would snow but it quickly passed away and bright sunshine returned. | ||
- | It was about 3.30pm when we got back to Hewitt, and whom do you think we saw emerging from that horrible-looking gully between | + | |
+ | It was about 3.30pm when we got back to Howitt, and whom do you think we saw emerging from that horrible-looking gully between | ||
Ross was still shaking from an encounter with a snake met on a narrow ledge at face height. | Ross was still shaking from an encounter with a snake met on a narrow ledge at face height. | ||
- | Anyway we were all together in a good campsite at McAlister Springs, which is about 1%. miles east of Howitt and connected to it by a narrow saddle. A spring gushes out of the mountainside here and forms the beginning of the McAlister River. The water must be boiled because of the chance of becoming infected with parasitic worms which t> | + | |
- | PAGE 18 'THE SYDNEY BUSHWALKER MARCH 1996 | + | Anyway we were all together in a good campsite at McAlister Springs, which is about 1 1/2. miles east of Howitt and connected to it by a narrow saddle. A spring gushes out of the mountainside here and forms the beginning of the McAlister River. The water must be boiled because of the chance of becoming infected with parasitic worms which emanate from the cattle which are brought up to the high plains in summer. To a New South Welshman, used to pure water and unchurned |
- | 4 FROM P15 the cross cut saw | + | |
- | emanate from the cattle which are brought up to the high plains in summer. To a New South Welshman, used to pure water and unchumed | + | Sunday' |
- | . Sunday' | + | |
- | From Magdala we dropped down about 800 feet on a narrow ridge and up about 600 feet to the jeep _track | + | From Magdala we dropped down about 800 feet on a narrow ridge and up about 600 feet to the jeep track near No.1 Divide, where we left the Great Dividing Range and walked south-westward to a good hut under Mt Lovick where we used the tank water to make fizz. A nearby dam was filled with a murky liquid. |
- | A steep climb over Mt Lovick and we were at The Bluff Hut at 4pm (another good one with bunks and a tank and another murky dam). - | + | |
- | On the last morning we set out packless for The Bluff at 7.30am, that is all except Frank who was dawdling along in his own inimitable way, compiling a pictorial record of odd botanical and zoological specimens. At the Bluff we had completed a most magnificent ridge walk since reaching Howitt, even better than The Razorback between Feathertop and Hotharrt, but from the Bluff we could see other interesting routes such as the one along the Great Divide from No.1 Divide over Mt Clear, The Nobs and Mt McDonald, the last looking most enticing with its barish slopes and its three peaks somewhat reminiscent of Mt Cloudmaker in the Gangerangs. Further away to the east across the Mcalister River the skyline was dominated by Mt Reynard athwart the Snowy Plains. | + | A steep climb over Mt Lovick and we were at The Bluff Hut at 4pm (another good one with bunks and a tank and another murky dam). |
+ | |||
+ | On the last morning we set out packless for The Bluff at 7.30am, that is all except Frank who was dawdling along in his own inimitable way, compiling a pictorial record of odd botanical and zoological specimens. At the Bluff we had completed a most magnificent ridge walk since reaching Howitt, even better than The Razorback between Feathertop and Hotham, but from the Bluff we could see other interesting routes such as the one along the Great Divide from No.1 Divide over Mt Clear, The Nobs and Mt McDonald, the last looking most enticing with its barish slopes and its three peaks somewhat reminiscent of Mt Cloudmaker in the Gangerangs. Further away to the east across the Mcalister River the skyline was dominated by Mt Reynard athwart the Snowy Plains. | ||
Most of the rock in the area we traversed is sandstone with a decided tilt, said to have been caused by the movement of the granite mass of Mt Buffalo. | Most of the rock in the area we traversed is sandstone with a decided tilt, said to have been caused by the movement of the granite mass of Mt Buffalo. | ||
- | Back to Bluff Hut by 10am to spend an hour lying in the sun before Frank sauntered back, then off to the jeep track down the 16 mile spur which for steepnesswould | + | |
- | your toes as a couple of our party did. The track goes down for a couple of thousand feet without any levelling. It is almost as steep as the Gasper Buttress on Mt knolan, with a road thrown in for good measure. There were half a dozen cows ahead of us for some of the way and everyone was amazed at the strength of the cows' legs in relation to their small size and the great weight they carry. Bushwalkers, | + | Back to Bluff Hut by 10am to spend an hour lying in the sun before Frank sauntered back, then off to the jeep track down the 16 mile spur which for steepness would be hard to beat. Lace your footwear up tightly coming down here otherwise you will wear the ends off your toes as a couple of our party did. The track goes down for a couple of thousand feet without any levelling. It is almost as steep as the Gasper Buttress on Mt Jennolan, with a road thrown in for good measure. There were half a dozen cows ahead of us for some of the way and everyone was amazed at the strength of the cows' legs in relation to their small size and the great weight they carry. Bushwalkers, |
The 16 mile creek near its junction with the Howqua runs over smooth granite bars and you should have seen the fisherman' | The 16 mile creek near its junction with the Howqua runs over smooth granite bars and you should have seen the fisherman' | ||
- | It was a beautiful afternoon at Binclaree, just as all of the other days had been, and four of us set out at once without packs on the 31/2. mile bash to bring the cars back from the foot of the Howitt Spur. Back at Bindaree for a wash in the icy Howqua then Bill's Toyota set out for home and we, followed soon after. Bill's car blew a head gasket near Holbrook and he finally got home at 7pm next day. | + | |
+ | It was a beautiful afternoon at Bindaree, just as all of the other days had been, and four of us set out at once without packs on the 3 1/2 mile bash to bring the cars back from the foot of the Howitt Spur. Back at Bindaree for a wash in the icy Howqua then Bill's Toyota set out for home and we followed soon after. Bill's car blew a head gasket near Holbrook and he finally got home at 7pm next day. | ||
Our car group only intended to get out of the Howqua this night and we therefore camped on the Delatite at Mirimbah where the trees were undergoing a most glorious colour change. | Our car group only intended to get out of the Howqua this night and we therefore camped on the Delatite at Mirimbah where the trees were undergoing a most glorious colour change. | ||
- | After sleeping like a top all other nights I lay awake all this night because of the noisy river and the whine of the timber jinkers which were apparently | + | |
- | We had a scenic drive home via Mansfield, Power' | + | After sleeping like a top all other nights I lay awake all this night because of the noisy river and the whine of the timber jinkers which were apparently |
+ | |||
+ | We had a scenic drive home via Mansfield, Power' | ||
199603.1587026133.txt.gz · Last modified: 2020/04/16 18:35 by ljclarke6