Volume 36 Issue 2 Autumn 2011 - The Bushwalker magazine quartelys/bushwalker362.pdf · Michael Keats has been at it, ... goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ... Volume

Volume 36Volume 36Issue 2Issue 2

Autumn 2011Autumn 2011A wet day below Conservation Hut,A wet day below Conservation Hut,Blue Mountains NPBlue Mountains NP

Wouldn’t you like to be here?

Carne Creek Valley, looking towards Wolgan River, Gardens of Stone NP. Photo by Hugh Spiers

The Bushwalker | 3

Walk Safely—Walk with a Club

Bushwalker T he

The Official Publication of theConfederation of Bushwalking Clubs NSW

Volume 36, Issue 2, Autumn 2011


ISSN 0313 2684

Editor: Roger Caffin [email protected] Design & Assembly: Barry HanlonConfederation Officers:President: Dodie GreenAdministration Officer:

[email protected]: www.bushwalking.org.auAddress all correspondence to:PO Box 119, Newtown, NSW 2042

The Confederation of BushwalkingClubs NSW Inc representsapproximately 66 Clubs with a totalmembership of about 8,700bushwalkers.

Formed in 1932, the Confederationprovides a united voice on behalf of allbushwalkers on conservation, accessand other issues.

People interested in joining a bush-walking club may write to theConfederation [email protected] a list of Clubs, but a far moreuseful on-line list is available at theConfederation websitewww.bushwalking.org.au,broken up into areas. There’s lots ofother good stuff there too, includingthe bushwalking FAQ.

Subscribe to The Bushwalker

Keep up with all the news and developmentshappening in the NSW bushwalking scene foronly $10 per year. This is to cover posting andhandling: the magazine itself is free.

Send your name and address and cheque ormoney order to the Confederation of Bush-walking Clubs NSW Inc, PO Box 119, New-town NSW 2042. The new phone number is9565 4005. Make the cheque or money orderpayable to the Confederation of Bushwalk-ing Clubs NSW Inc as well: please do not ab-breviate the name!

Please indicate which issue you want your sub-scription to start with. We don’t want to dupli-cate copies you already have.

Front Cover: A wet day below ConservationHut, Blue Mountains NP. Photo: Roger Caffin.

From theeditor’s desk. . .

IndexWouldn’t you like to be here? 2From the Editor’s Desk 3Hecates Cauldron 4BWRS Nav Shield 2011 5Henry Gold’s Images of the Wild 6Rubber Duckies on the Cole 7Over the Next Hill 8Rove Beatle Health Hazard 9Getting High on New Year’s Eve 10Letter to the Editor - Re’ Cairns 11Walls of Jerusalem 12Mogo State Forest 14Lower Grose River from the Vale of Avoca Lookout 14Book Reviews 15

Day Walks Sydney 15Best River and Alpine Walks Around Mt Kosciuszko 15

Attack! 15Advance Notice - Gardens of Stone National Reserve 15

Well, what a summer. For some of the time we stayed home incase of fires, then we piked out and stayed home (sometimes)because it was raining non-stop. Is Climate Change

responsible for at least some of this? It would seem likely according tothe latest research.The front cover? That was taken below the Conservation ‘Hut’ atWentworth Falls one rather wet day (OK, it was a total white-out)when we decided to visit Vera Falls, Wentworth Pass, National Pass andUndercliff/Overcliff despite the weather. And you know what? It was agreat day!

Articles for Publication

I would like to thank the people who have been sending in articles for publicationrecently. I can’t get all of them into a single issue, so I have had to hold some inreserve for another issue. But rest assured that every one of them will get serious

attention. Actually, I don’t have much in reserve right now.We had an article in a previous issue about Volleys and footwear, which spurred

some writing activity. Michael Keats has been at it, with friends. We have lots of otherarticles as well, not all of which will make this edition. But they are still in the queue!

Anyhow, please keep those articles rolling in. We need them. Plain text please, andoriginal unedited photos direct from the camera. If you want to include a DOC file or aPDF (in addition to the plain text) to illustrate the sort of layout you have in mind,please do so as well.

Please note that opinions expressed by authors may not represent the officialopinions of the Confederation or any Club. The Editor’s opinions are his own, if he canfind them.

4 | The Bushwalker Volume 36, Issue 2, Autumn 2011


Hecates Cauldron is a particularlybeautiful and sensitive pagodaarea around Baal Bone Gap and

Mt McLean. It is one of many gloriousdissected localities currently unprotectedfrom the ravages of indiscriminate abuseby unregistered vehicles. The land area ispart of a State Forest. Part of my aim is toencourage bushwalkers to discover thisplace and to bring pressure to bear onState Forests and the NP&WS to acturgently to protect this environmentalheritage.

During the course of the walk lots ofquestions were asked concerning Hecate:whether Hecate was a male or female(witch or warlock) etc. What follows isenough for you, the reader to decide.Shakespeare added to Hecate’s persona byhis use of her as a senior, but verystandoffish witch in Macbeth. In onerespect the weather frustrated our day, onthe other it created atmospherics thatwere in keeping with the witchcrafttheme.

KATE (or Hecate) was thegoddess of magic, witchcraft, thenight, moon, ghosts andnecromancy. She was the only childof the Titanes Perses and Asteriafrom whom she received her powerover heaven, earth, and sea.

Hekate was usually depicted inGreek vase painting as a womanholding twin torches. Sometimes shewas dressed in a knee-lengthmaiden’s skirt and hunting boots,much like Artemis. In statuaryHekate was often depicted in tripleform as a goddess of crossroads.

Her role and attributes are hardto sum up in a few words. She hasthe power of change, whether forgood or evil, and is the one invokedwhen spells are cast. A good lunarcalendar is essential as the powershe gives is related to the phases ofthe moon. That’s why it’s best tostart new projects when there’s a fullmoon. (If nothing else, at least you’llbe able to see what you’re doing.)

Over the centuries, her esotericnature has led to a lot ofmisunderstandings and bad press.The modern conception of a wickedcackling witch with broomstick andwarts is more or less the result ofearly Christian anti-Hecatepropaganda. (After all, any decentwitch could cure warts in a jiffy.)

A large, low pressure system ensured thatfrom the time we left Sydney, and for thewhole day it was wet. Most of the time wewalked in cloud, which every so oftendissolved into rain. While mist blockedout expected views, it added mystery andcolour intensity to the terrain close up.After parking we donned wet weathergear and stood in the rain for a very quickbriefing – we would now walk the crest ofthe Great Dividing Range following thepad as far as McLeans Pass, then headwest to commence exploring. Plans towalk the cliff line to enjoy the views wereabandoned.

At 0939 after climbing onto the crestan elevated rock platform was visited.Normally this would make an exceptionalspot for a group photo with themagnificent Wolgan Valley asbackground. We still did the photo shootthat portrayed us as a group of elevendesperate city escapees against a wall ofwhite…

After noting a particularly fine pagodawe continued pushing north until at 0953the first dissected, really big pagodasappeared through the mist. Now it wastime to start exploring in detail. Therewards were great. We climbed,discovered, viewed vast slots, toweringhigh pagodas, runnels of water and alsomany places where conditions meant onlya frustrating look rather than an excitingclimb – we have to return.

While exploring the numerousinterstitial slots, crevices and runnels ofthe pagoda complex our focus was verymuch on novelty and trying to determinewhat passages and climbs would take usfurther a field. Imagine our consternationand disappointment at coming across abike trail. The trouble is this area with all

its glory is not protected by National Parkstatus. It is a part of the Ben Bullen /Wolgan State Forest, and Forests NSWlack the resources and commitment toprosecute the use of unregistered vehiclesdesecrating this glorious place.

The bike track led up to the very top ofthe pagodas on the northern rim so wefollowed it wanting to reduce the impactof forming any more tracks. We made fastprogress, and it was not until we wereabout to descend into a truly stupendouscanyon and slot complex that I realisedwe were missing one of our number. Icalled an immediate halt and three of theparty went into reverse. Fortunately inless than 15 minutes we were all togetheronce more and I had a volunteer act asTail End Charlie. I should know better –with a group of 11 a tail is a must.

Given the time I said to the lead scoutsthat a dry cave for morning tea

within five minutes would be perfect.Presto! In less than 2 minutes we had theperfect cave. Not only was it dry, it had agreat view into a canyon complex and wastiered so we all could enjoy the canyonview. Better still, it was equipped withenough dry litter for a small, safe cheeryfire. What more could you ask? Fifteenminutes later, fire extinguished, refuelledand invigorated we were back intoexploring mode. This country is anotherworld – a world of soaring rocky pagodas,tens of metres high joined by fern filledchasms and slots and peppered with largeeucalypts. On the day this end of theHecate Cauldron it was ethereallybeautiful and distracting enough to forgethow wet and clammy we were. The onlydownside was that photography to recordthe magic was very challenging.

It was clear that the bike riders hadused the Bicentennial Trail from the BaalBone Gap area as the starting point. Wefollowed the track east and then north,and the rewards were instant and

A clear view up the pagodas

A clear view down between the pagodas

Michael Keats, The Bush Club

The Bushwalker | 5



fantastic. Again we were deep in pagodacountry with more options for exploringthan there was time to do. A huge chockstone of several hundred tonnes wasperched across a wide slot of about fivemetres width and about 10m above thefloor of the slot.

An approach from the low side wasfoiled by a tangled mass of deadvegetation, however climbing high and tothe east we found an easy walk in and theopportunity for great photos. Whilst in thearea we noticed a new rope attached to aboulder that would lead to the top of thechock stone. It was too wet and messy toattempt to climb and we puzzled aboutwhy it was there. Writing this report Ithink I have the answer. This rope hasbeen installed so that access to the top ofthe boss via the chock stone is possible-another item for the next visit agenda.

Gazing up towards the top of thepagodas we had one of those specialmoments. We were just in the rightposition to view an erosion residual thatlooked just like a wild witch’s head. Thelight made a photo impossible. The spiritof Hecate lives in this place.

The weather continued to bedepressingly wet and all of us were wet aswell and cooling down fast. As Star GateTunnel was nearby I determined weshould make for it and enjoy another drydestination, this one for lunch. This short

water-worn canyon with towering ceilingis just north of Mount McLean. A logbookin old biscuit tin records that this cave isregularly visited. The very first entrydated Sunday 17th August 1975 reads,

“Gary named this Stargate Tunnel. Westayed overnight and watched sunset fromthe cliffs overlooking Capertee Valley.And then we got up at 6:30 to watch thesunrise. Very cold but we consider it wasworthwhile. John and Martin came tooand we sprang around like callow youths.Terry Moesker.”

We arrived there at 1210. It is uniqueand a wonderful refuge. We took

the opportunity to make a small fire andwarm up while enjoying our lunchwatching the rain outside and numeroussmall waterfalls all actively furthersculpting this masterpiece. At 1245, fireout, warm once more and with calories onboard we set out to return along the ridgetrack to the vehicles. It was just too wetand visibility too poor to do moreexploring.

The vehicles were reached at 1340.Changed and dry we headed back toLithgow for coffee and more whileplotting our return foray. There are manymore days of exploring to do in this verysmall area. It offers so much spectacularscenery for so little effort. You dohowever need to be a competentnavigator. t

In front of the Wolgan Valley, so to speak!

The chockstone bridge

BWRS

NavShield2011Walkers are reminded that the 22nd NavShield will be held on2-3 July 2011. For further details see the previous issue of TheBushwalker. Registrations for this year’s event will open verysoon and all information will be available on the BWRS website,www.bwrs.org.au.

For further details contact Caro Ryan, phone 0412 304 071or email [email protected]



Henry Gold has supported theenvironment movement for overforty years, as its honorary

photographer. Henry knows wildernessintimately as a photographer and throughhis many adventures with the SydneyBushwalkers, which he joined in 1956.His photographs are not just artisticallyappealing, they have been a majorinfluence in campaigns for thepreservation and World Heritage listingof, not only the Blue Mountains, but alsothe NSW rainforests.

In 1967, Henry’s images featured inthe classic campaign brochure “QuarryingValuable Scenery” that helped to save theColong Caves in the southern BlueMountains. Throughout the campaign toprotect the Colong area and Boyd Plateau,Henry Gold provided the photographicmaterial for pamphlets, press articles andspecial issues of conservation magazines,such as Habitat. Henry Gold’sphotographs have been used to publicisewilderness protection ever since.

Henry has been instrumental inbringing threatened wilderness areas tothe attention of decision-makers whocannot or will not visit these areas. Hehas photographed the Forbes River,Upper Hastings and Washpool forests,

provided illustrations for the formerAustralian Heritage Commissionpublications, and contributed to theAustralian Conservation Foundationbooks “Australian Natural Heritage” and“The Gift of the Forest”. There can be nodoubt that Henry Gold has won many tothe cause of nature conservation.

Henry has become one of Australia’sforemost landscape photographers. Hehas contributed countless images toconservation magazines particularly theJournal of the National Parks Associationof NSW, as well as producing images forthe “MacDonnell Ranges”, “Wild Places”,“The Colo Wilderness”, the “NSWWilderness Calendar”. He has undertakennumerous lengthy field trips, often alone,to obtain images for the protection ofwilderness and in 2006 was awarded theOrder of Australia Medal for his service towilderness preservation.

Major campaigns 1968–2000 in whichHenry Gold’s photographs played a keyrole:Colong campaign 1968-71Boyd Plateau 1972-75Greater Blue Mountains National Park1975Kakadu National Park 1976

Colo Wilderness 1978Rainforest campaign 1973-83Old Growth Forest campaign 1992-98Blue Mountains World Heritage campaign1986-2000 t

HENRY GOLD’S Images of the Wild

An exhibition ofwilderness

photographs

Bondi Pavilion Gallery,Queen Elizabeth Drive,

Bondi Beach

Tuesday May 31to

Sunday June 12,

open 10am – 5pm daily

On St. Mary Peak, Flinders Ranges National Park. Photo: Henry Gold

The Bushwalker | 7



John SharplesNewcastle Ramblers

Five Ramblers plus our trusty porters made our way downthe Canoe Creek track with boats, boat boots and packs fora projected six days down the Colo to Meroo Plantation.

After inflating the boats the river crew camped at Canoe Creekwhile the porters headed back up the track to the cars and home.We headed off on Monday morning in glorious sunshine andsoon had our somewhat coracle-like craft under a modicum ofcontrol, and by lunch time Monday we were quite adept atshooting the rapids, getting stuck in rock blocks and beachingthe craft to tip out the gallons of water that frequently poured inover the side, front, rear or other side. Each day we did around5 to 6 km of paddling then set up camp on a sandy shelf andrelaxed for the rest of the afternoon.

On Wednesday morning we were preparing to break campwhen a police helicopter appeared overhead. Having previouslyentered our trip details, against the appropriate PLB number onthe AMSA website we knew they weren’t looking for us. Thechopper circled and came up river quite low and checked thatwe were OK anyhow. It then headed further upstream andlanded some three or four hundred metres away. Shortlythereafter the chopper took off and then four young men in twoCanadian type canoes appeared. Through discussion with themwe learned they had walked some 10 km from the Putty roadwith the canoes on trolleys, one of which broke. Their suppliesand preparation for the trip were totally inadequate and theywere already overdue before they even reached the Colo.

We continued down stream, occasionally sighting the dragmarks of their canoes, for the rest of Wednesday and Thursdayuntil we made camp. About 5.00 pm another chopper appearedoverhead and continued upstream. This one also returned andlanded on a nearby sandbank. They were still looking for two ofthe four canoeists and we gave them what small information wehad they continued their search downstream.

Early Friday morning we spotted one of their canoes wedgedbetween rocks and held by the full force of a rapid. We sooncame on some abandoned gear and at Bob Turners Track wesaw evidence of a canoe being dragged out of the water. Wecontinued on and arrived at Meroo, in high spirits, just beforelunch on Saturday.

Apart from the obvious, our trip had been exciting, hard workand uneventful. The scenery in that part of the Colo isbreathtaking and we enjoyed fine weather for the whole trip.On arrival at Meroo, however, things changed for the worse.The rain set in and with our largish support team we spent thenext two days confined to the shelter shed. Visits from membersof Kuringai and Sydney Bushwalking clubs, as well as variousothers, kept our spirits up and Robyn’s birthday party onSaturday night shook the rafters.

PS: If any of you have been awakened, in the dead of nightand in a lonely bush setting by the mating call of a koala youwill understand our reticence to spend the rest of the night intents. t

Ready to Start Under total control. . . Of course!

The remains of one of their canoes How we spent the afternoons



I think we should call ourselves ‘We ofthe Never Never’ (like, never, neverwill we climb these mountains again),

I gasped after ascending Mt Despair. ‘Iwas thinking more Picnic at HangingRock’ replied Gay. Such confidence in theleader!

In early April 2011, our group of fourwomen ranging in ages from 62 to 71years and all members of The Bush Clubin Sydney completed another stage of theAustralian Alpine Walking Track whichruns between Walhalla 180km east ofMelbourne and Tharwa 30km south ofCanberra. The whole walk is over 650 kmlong, with climbs totalling 24,400 m. Thissection, from King Billy 1 to Mt StBernard (9 km SW of Hotham) is 70 kmlong and has climbs totalling 5000 m.For me it was to be the final stage, havingblithely followed in the footsteps of BushClub leaders/organisers Tony and Ianwho have lead or assisted with the otherstages. This section was reputedly eitherthe best or the worst part, depending onsuch vagaries as the weather andavailability of water.

I made ‘the girls’ an offer they simplycould not refuse. After all, how couldthey say no to visiting places such as The

Terrible Hollow, Mt Buggery, HorribleGap, Hells Window and Mt Despair?

Armed with the Chapman ‘bible’ on thetrack, our chauffeur Peter dropped us offat King Billy 1 in brilliant sunshine on day1. Such weather was to continue for alarge part of our trip. We ascended MtMagdala then Mt Howitt, viewing layer

upon layer of distant blue mountains,eventually arriving at the only hut on thissection - Vallejo Ganther Hut, which isaccessible from other roads and thereforepopular. A group of four men soonarrived with folding chairs on their backs -we concluded that they were doing amore laid-back trip than ours.

Early on the second day we weretraversing the Crosscut Saw, so named forobvious reasons, with wonderful views inall directions. This was a section I hadheard so much about, and I was notdisappointed. Past Mt Buggery towardsMt Speculation our walk was ‘enlivened’by several small cliffs to be scrambled up.At our camp site, Catherine Saddle, wecollected water from a nearby soak for thenight and the next day. Our timing wasgood - there had been considerable rain inthe area in recent times, so water wasavailable where it isn’t often found.

So it was with very heavy packs wedeparted on day 3 for Viking Saddle.

One pack - not mine - weighed a mere 29kg. Fortunately it was a short day - somegroups combine days 2 & 3, but for us itwould have been too long a day, allowingno margin for error. And we were thereto have fun! We resisted the temptationto take the side-trip out to The Razor,satisfying ourselves by looking towards it.

Some of the worst post 2006 fireregrowth was on the section headingdown to camp.

The next day, our fourth, encompassedthe big climb up to The Viking, the piece-de-resistance. We were glad that we hadbeen advised to take a rope for haulingour packs up a chute before gaining the

summit in rather gustyconditions. The viewsfrom the summit werebreathtaking. Thetrack from there headsacross the base of thecliff-line requiredvigilance so as not toend up too far south,and the scrambledown the rocky chuteto the valley floor was‘interesting’. Againsome heavy regrowthslowed our progress tothat evening’s camp atthe water-tank nearEast Riley Rd. It wasearly to bed,encouraged as wewere by the day’s bigclimb and a cold andstrong wind.

At the start of day 5 it was a short walkto meet chauffeur Peter with a food re-supply. We enjoyed some chocolate cakeand coffee and a change of clothes, beforebidding him farewell. The sunshine wasgone this morning, and during our shortwalk to camp at the top of Selwyn Southwhere a water tank has just beeninstalled, it sprinkled. Of course as soonas we started to set up our tents, it rainedin earnest. But our chief fire lighter, withhelp from the rest of the team, eventuallymanaged to get a welcome fire blazing.

Kaye Birch, The Bush Club The Crosscut Saw

Descending to the saddle below Hells Window

Looking towards the Viking

More of the Crosscut Saw

The Bushwalker | 9



Day 6 was another day with big upsand downs. By now we were welcomingthe climbs (how I exaggerate) - but wewere gaining in fitness. Our campsitenear Murrays Hut site was the only onewhere finding water was doubtful. In factit was a very steep scramble down ablackberry & nettle infested gully - but I’msure that the water tasted better than themuddy stuff in the tyre-ruts near ourtents. The sunset that night made up forour scratched limbs.

The next morning was a very earlystart in a pea-soup fog. The decision wasquickly made to take the bad-weatherroute past Mt St Bernard to the GreatAlpine Road. The temperature continuedto drop the nearer we got to our exitpoint. Little did we know that at nearbyMt Hotham it had been snowing heavilyfor over a day. Spurred on by the 0 Ctemperature we sped to the exit, coveringthe 13.5 km by mid-morning & climbedinto our hired Landcruiser for a hotshower and some fresh pub food inHotham.

It was at this point that I could tell thatenthusiasm for the last days’ walking, a

mere 9 km to Mt Loch carpark, wasdefinitely waning. My once easy-goingfriends were rebelling. (Thank goodness,I thought, now I don’t feel compelled towalk in the freezing snow and fog).

So, only 9 kilometres separates mefrom the finishing line - completion of theentire AAWT. But I’m sure that Mt LittleBlowhard & Mt Blowhard will still bethere in spring, awaiting our return. t

Rove BeetleHealth HazardThe rove beetle is small: around 7-8mmlong. It has a black head with anorange/red thorax (immediately behindthe head). The body is mostly black, witha shiny metallic black area that concealsits folded wings. It has a distinct broadorange/red band towards the tapered tail.During daytime, rove beetles can looksimilar to ants, crawling around theground swiftly with hidden wings. Atnight, they are attracted to light sourcesand will fly and land on objects nearlights. The rove beetle is widelydistributed in the eastern states ofAustralia. It usually lives near drainagelines and watercourses. During heavyrains and floods, the beetle may migrateto drier areas. Favourable conditions canlead to localised population explosions forshort periods.Risk to public healthThe body fluids in the rove beetle are apoisonous animal contact toxin. Contactwith the beetle can cause a severe skinreaction. If you crush the beetle the toxinis released and absorbed by your skin.The beetle can be crushed if you swat itlike a fly or mosquito, or if it collides withyou at speed (such as bare skin on amotorbike). The toxin causes reddeningof the skin, and a ‘burning’ sensation. Thisis followed by painful irritation anditching, with extensive pustules andblistering of the skin after four days. The

affected areas remain irritated, blisteredand sore for 10 days. Toxin on the hands,or near body joints, can spread the toxinto other areas of the body and to others.Personal protectionTo help protect yourself and others fromthe effects of rove beetle toxin:� Avoid any contact with rove beetles at

all times;� Minimise lighting in infested areas at

night;� Wear long-sleeved and long-legged

clothing to minimise exposed skin;� Keep insect screens closed on tents to

keep the beetles out of bedding.First aidThere is no specific first aid available forexposure to rove beetle toxin. If exposedto Rove Beetle toxin, wash the affectedarea immediately with soapy water. Youcan then use cold compresses,antihistamines or Aloe vera to alleviatethe symptoms on exposed areas. Avoidsecondary infections in blistered areas.Seek medical attention for severe skinreactions to the toxin. Info from DECC.t



Near Eagles nest, at the start

Getting High onNew Years Eve

The boardwalk - stroller-friendlyPlaytime on the snowbank at Kosci

They came with poles, they camewith backpacks, they mostly camewith hats, they came with beanies,

they came with scarves, they wore parkas,they wore board shots, the older andwiser ones wore long sleeves and theybrought their lunch. Some made it, some

Ian Smith

didn’t; some were to be foundlaying on the side of the trail; itwas like a pilgrimage route tothe mount; who would beanointed, who would miss out?What miracles might occurbefore the small pile of stones onthe summit?

For me, the miracle was thatso many people were trying toget there. From the sleepingbabies (did they really care?) inprams, to the elderly (heavens,were we numbered amongthem?), to the loving couples, tothe foreign travellers, they camein all shapes and sizes.

We chose the easy route; firstriding up the chairlift toCrackenback and thencommencing the walk. It stillleft us 6.5 km to the summit,

invisible over the horizon for the next fewkm.

I always used to have a bit of a spitabout the National Park entry fee but Iwhinge no longer. This walk has beenlaid for most of its length with steel meshboardwalk which is superb to walk on.Drifting over the alpine flora in the coolwinds of the mountains surrounded by analmost cloudless sky meant we wereprobably in one of the best places inAustralia on New Years Eve. We were

walking to Mount Kosciuszko, theofficial spelling of which Microsofthasn’t caught up with yet (it waschanged in 1997). [Not that all of usaccept the change yet - Ed.]

We were passed or passed otherscontinually; one of our party kepttaking photos which slowed us down alittle. The undulating trail meant thedrink bottles came in handy but wepassed the 2 km point where thelookout was situated and didn’t evenpause.

For novices it’s hard to tell justwhich overgrown hill is Kosciuszko.It’s only the trail that gives it awayafter you reach Rawsons Pass, where it

The summit track at Rawsons Pass

The Bushwalker | 11



ü Comfortable, family friendly, lodge openall year with resident caretaker.

üPrivate bedrooms with 2, 3 or 4 beds andvanities.

ü Self-catering kitchen .

ü Magnificent views of Dargo Valley.

ü Individual or group bookings welcome.

For summer bookings 2011/2012 contact:Caretaker Phone: 03 5759 3283

or Caretaker email: [email protected]

For further information view our website or email: [email protected]

intersects with the Charlotte PassRoad, a 9 km easy gradient walkalong the 4WD road from the resortof the same name.

From Rawsons Pass you can seethe Main Range Trail and the oneleading to the summit, readilyidentified by the number of bodieswalking there.

I once read a story of amountain climber who set out tobag the highest peaks on the fivecontinents. He attemptedKosciuszko first but never made it.Foul weather ate up all his timeand he had to return years later tocomplete the task. It’s just areminder that not all days are asbenign as the one we were having.Skiers who’ve experienced Thredboon windy days can attest to that!

We used the excellent toiletblock at the intersection. It was asurprise to us that there was onethere. Then we moved on, past theMain Range Trail and up the last800 metres to the top. Judging bythe number of people already hereon this day, we must have beensome of the last Australians toperform this feat this day.

It’s a wonderful feeling to sitatop and know that there’s nothingfor a few thousand kilometresthat’s any higher. We shoutedourselves our pre-packed lunch andchilled out for 20 minutes, soakingup the atmosphere and sipping ourcordial.

On the way back we took morenote of the delicate flowers,pondering how hardy a plantwould have to be to survive uphere. The summer meadows are awindblown treat for the eye and alltoo soon we found ourselves backat the chairlift where we paused forafternoon tea in the Eagle’s Nest, afavourite haunt for skiers in season.

We were distracted from itsexpansive views from time to timeby mountain bikers alighting fromthe lift. What a great was to spenda day but, sadly, ours was nearlyfinished but, at least I’d tickedanother box. t

Obligatory summit photo - fantastic weather

From little springs come very big rivers

Re’ Cairns

Some traditional cairns or markers arelike old friends. You know where they

are and why they are there. A turn, the"right" ridge, the access gully etc etc.They are like the huts in Kosciuszko.They are a landmark that makes you feelsafe and you know exactly where you are.But you still have to navigate to that"marker". They are small helpful hintsfrom bushwalkers past. True, we don’tneed large piles of rocks in well knownareas but the traditional single or tworock cairns are part of bushwalkingfolklore. They were often initially placedby the early bushwalkers exploring newareas which has benefited us all.

I would like to highlight one inparticular. It took a lot of people a longtime to find Watson Pass off Folly Pointin the Budawangs. Using your compasstogether with the latest photogrammetrictopo, Budawangs sketch and GPScombined wouldn’t help you find thispass. Navigational ability through thisarea only helps to a minor degree. It isthe small rock cairns strategically placedthat direct walkers safely through, aroundand over the rocks and gullies of bothsections of the pass. It would take almostas long as the original discoverers to findthe pass without the cairns.

There is no argument the ability tonavigate is essential and that minimalimpact bushwalking is a principle to besupported but I would rather enjoy mywalk knowing I was navigating to aknown traditional marker than becounting paces and constantly referringto a map or GPS checking my position.

Mike RobinsonBankstown

BushwalkingClub

Letter to the Editor:



In keeping with tradition, our meetingat Mascot did not go as planned butwe all arrived in time. After a pleasant

but uneventful flight we landed andtaxied to Launceston. Next a quick tour tofind the camping store for fuel and othersundries, then we returned to await PaulGrigg to take us to the start. Paul is abushwalker who runs a very useful shuttleservice and is a wealth of knowledge forbushwalkers.

Arriving at the WOJ car park we founda bus & about 30 cars parked around. So

much for wilderness walking! We foundout that most were day walkers to whathas become a very popular walk. The busappeared to have hundreds of schoolkids

who camped and did local walks.Off up the climb to Trappers Hut, a

walk I was not looking forward to as Iremembered the climb from a previousday trip. Surprisingly I handled it OK witha 20 kg pack. After photos at the hut wetook a lesser used path to the left towardsWild Dog Ck. Marion displayed her skill infinding a perfect campsite just on dark.Not a lot of chatter as we’d had a long dayand were soon to bed.

An early start and up the creek to themain track just below thecamping platforms belowHerods’ Gate. Here the viewof the Walls first appears,with the West Walls on ourright hand side. The Wallsare a row of cliffs about a150 m high starting at KingDavids Peak and runningabout 1.5 km to SolomonsThrone. On our left was LakeSalome. Tasmania has hadreduced rainfall for the past8 years and most of the lakeswe encountered were fairlylow: this was evident in LakeSalome as when I saw it 12years ago the lake was up tothe track. Now there was afair amount of marsh at theedge. We passed the lake andsaw the first of many cushionplants. These look likerounded rocks with mosscovering them. They areactually groups of tiny plants

growing on a peat-like base.A side trip to the Pool of Bethesda, a

lovely little pool below the Temple andZion Hill, then back to the track and off to

a campsite below some ancient King BillyPines. Another great campsite on softspongy grass with a stream nearby. Aftera bit of tucker we headed off to the top ofSolomons Throne, a fairly easy climbaround dolerite rocks and through a slotto the top. Here we had a great viewsouth to our destination, west to themountains of the Overland Track and allthe rest of the features of the area. Asthere was a cool breeze blowing wedecided not to wander north to KingDavids Peak but to drop down toKingdom Dixons hut.

Back down to Damascus Gate androughly east about 2 km to the hut, arough slab timber hut with shingle roofbuilt in the 50s for use by Reg Dixonwhilst grazing cattle. The hut is on theedge of a grove of Pencil Pines. Manyphotos were taken, then on a compassbearing we headed back to the tents formore dried food and to bed, (nocampfires on this trip) after a pretty easy5 km day.

Another beautiful day gave us areasonably early start. The sun on thewestern Walls was a picture to delight.

Heading south we found the track toLake Ball and another hut. This one

and a few others in the area were built byan ex-Changi prisoner who couldn’t settledown to ‘city’ life and spent his timetrapping, fishing and living off the land.They were also built of rough hewn KingBilly and Pencil Pine. At the hut we met acouple of other walkers trying their handfishing, apparently to no avail.

We continued skirting Lake Ball,crossed a fairly flat area to Lake Adelaide

Wallsof Jerusalem

Doug SlatterBrisbane Water Outdoor Club

Lake Meston

Junction Lake

The Bushwalker | 13



Tasair Drop-off or pick-upMelaleuca (Bathurst Harbour) and Moores ValleyCall (03) 62485088 to book

For moreinformation visit

www.tasair.com.au

joining the alternative track back toTrappers Hut. Turning south we nowskirted Lake Adelaide for about 4 kmalong a slightly scrubby path on theeastern side till we came to a fairly flatsection. Bypassing a pond we came over ahill to Lake Meston - another very prettylake. We now continued on the westernside for about 1.5 km to the Lake Mestonhut. Here we set up camp on the flat areaaround the hut. Today’s total was around14 km easy walking. Fishing was tried tono avail so we had tea - then our visitors(hungry possums) arrived. It’s amazinghow fast these tree dwelling marsupialscan move when missiles start flying.

An early start next day, and wefollowed above Lake Meston to the endacross flattish grassland to Junction Lake,paused for a while then back to JunctionLake Hut. We found the track over thecreek that becomes the Mersey River atthe other end of Junction Lake. This trackclimbs steeply through a saddle along ascrubby path to Lake Artemis, thence Lake

Eros where we were climbing onto theTraveller Range. We wandered betweenscrub and rock outcrops till we found asmall lake. The day had been overcast andlight rain, it was getting dim so wecamped around the lake. The days walkwas around 12 km, mostly easy with a bitof scrub to contend with.

Another early start was made as weneeded to be at Narcissus Hut by 3.30

pm for the ferry. We headed throughspiky scrub up to the rock outcrops androughly west along the Traveller Range,past many little tarns till a spot above apretty valley (roughly MR260570). Herewe decided that we should follow thevalley north to a spot where we woulddrop down to Du Cane Gap where wewould meet the Overland Track. Thiswould have been great but for the trees,scrub, steep incline and anything else youcould think of. Going was tough and Ken,who had had a bit of trouble with hisshoulder, came to grief and needed a bitof assistance but we all made it down by

about 2 pm, leaving 19 km to the ferry.Steve raced ahead and got to the ferry

before it departed at 4.15, but stayedbehind after cancelling our booking andrebooking for 9 am next day. We passedWindy Ridge Hut and proceeded along apretty unexciting walk partly onboardwalks catching up with Steve atNarcissus Hut. Back along the track about150 m Pete took us to a fantastic campsiteby the river where we relaxed for the restof the day, again having an early night.

Finally we packed up and head for theferry. There were lots of OverlandTrackers waiting, most put their packs onthe ferry and walked the rest. Wereckoned that we’d done the hard andpretty bits and the last 15 km would be adrag so we opted for an early breakfast atCynthia Bay Resort. A feed, a shower (thebest $3 investment around) and afterlunch Ken, Michael and I left the otherson their further adventures to French-man’s Cap while we went back with PaulGrigg to Launceston. t

Tarns on the Traveller Range On the way to Lake Meston

In the slot to Solomon’s Throne

Banner photograph at the head of the story:South From King David’s Throne



Individual walkersSmall walking groupsLarge walking groups

1 to 7 day walksGuided and self guided

walksIn house shuttle service

Self or fully catered

5 day walking packageIncludes: 5 nights accommodation,5 shuttles, Linen, Self catered, Selfguided, Standard cabin, off peak.

Cost twin share:$395.00 p/p ($780.00 total)

Cost triple share:$290.00 p/p ($870.00 total)

and BIMBIPARK

www.bimbipark.com.au - ph (03) 5237 9246

Do the whole walk from 1 central pointor just drop in.

The multitude of tracks and trails, twists and turns heldno mystery for our leader. Betty had us wending our

way up and down hills on old forgotten timber trails,along steep creek beds, and, clambering over and aroundfallen trees. Past interestingly shaped boulders, spikyBurrawangs, a profusion of pink flowering Croweaexelata and the occasional shy deep purple of a Scaevola.

She guided us to a monolithic granite boulder withroom for us all to perch on, admire the view and takephotographs while having our morning tea. The next hourhad us stepping out till we reached her chosen lunch spotwhich was excellent, with our pick of a rocky seat in sunor shade and all around us a lovely sclerophyll forest withSpotted gums and Iron barks. Lots of other varieties oftrees and shrubs, all lush and green after the wonderfulrain we have had over the last few months.

More stepping out and ups and down till finally weturned yet one more corner to be greeted by our cars.Betty had led us back safely and another great club walkwas over. t

Lyn BrownBatemans Bay Bushwalkers

Morning Tea on a granite boulder

Coming up the track

The lowerGrose RiverFrom theVale ofAvocaLookout

The lower gorge. Patterson’s Hill is on the right.Looking across to Springwood Ridgeand Grose Head South.

Photos: Barry Hanlon

The Bushwalker | 15



Day Walks SydneyJohn Chapman and Monica ChapmanISBN 978-1-920995-08-9

Yet another book of day walks aroundSydney, but done in the excellent style

we expect of the Chapmans. Yes, they areall fairly easy walks, ranging from 5 to 19km in length, and yes, we all know aboutthem. But sometimes you need that jog torevisit old friends, and this book made usdo just that - with very nice results.

The descriptions of the walks aregenerally clear, with just a few changessince John and Monica walked them, butoverall they are very usable and keyed tothe maps. The photos are nice, the mapsand profiles are very useful, and theoptional plastic cover you can get if youorder direct from the Chapmans was veryworth while in poor weather.

204 pages, 144 colour photographs, 40colour topographic maps.

Available from some bookshops with arecommended retail price of $34.95. orfrom the Chapman web site at:http://www.john.chapman.name/, for $32including GST and postage withinAustralia.

Roger Caffin

Matt McClelland and the Wildwalks TeamISBN 978-1-9921606-04-5

A range of easy walks around MtKosciusko, ranging from 3 km to 20

km, and all ones which can be done in aday. There’s an unexpected extra at theback of the book: a small selection ofsnow shoe walks.

Lots of photos of that beautiful alpineregion of course. There are simple sketchmaps for the walks: whether those mapswould be sufficient in every case isdoubtful. In some cases where the walk isa standard NPWs track you couldprobably go without a map. The routedescriptions are keyed to the sketch maps,although not to the fine detail you get in aChapman book. In good weather thekeying would still be fine. Each walk alsohas the expected short summary and a bitof history as well.

You can get the book from thewww.wildwalks.com web site at $30including P&P.

Roger Caffin

Gardens of StoneNational ReserveMichael Keats and Brian Fox are workingon a major, 8 book, 4,000 page, fullcolour work on the Gardens of StoneNational Park. The newly declared MugiiMurum-ban State Conservation Area iscentral to the content of book 1 that isplanned for release later this year. Thisis the first time that a book covering the

most magical sandstone-featuredNational Park has ever been written.

The eight informative volumes willinclude over 150 new walks as well ascomprehensive insight on the Geology,Geomorphology, Climate, Aboriginalhistory, Historical Maps, the majorRivers and Water Pollution, RegionalHistory and the Origin of Local PlaceNames, Flora and Fauna, the Last ThreeCenturies of European Settlement,together with information on threatenedspecies and environments.

Book 1 detailing 24 walks, theregional geology and geomorphologyand Book 2 detailing 22 walks centredon Newnes including regional climateshould be released during 2011. Books 3to 8 will be progressively released during2012 and 2013.

Prepurchase of these books at a pre-publication price is available: contactMichael at: [email protected] orBrian at: [email protected].

Book Reviews

Advance Notice

Best River and Alpine Walks aroundMt Kosciuszko

Attack! "We tried to shepherd him to safety offthe track, but he turned and attacked us!"

Baby blue-tongue lizard

Documents

Volume 36 Issue 2 Autumn 2011 - The Bushwalker magazine quartelys/bushwalker362.pdf · Michael Keats has been at it, ... goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ... Volume