Endangered moth at Belconnen Picnic at Mount Dromedary NPA BULLETIN Volume 27 number 2 June 1990

Contents A disillusioned forester 4 National Capital Plan 5 Fast trains and real estate 7 Hedda Morrison exhibition 8 Mount Dromedary 10 Forest subsidies in the USA 12 Parkwatch 13 Canoeing the Upper Murray 14 Cover Endangered moth in Belconnen 16 5hoJo: ^ ^den

TT ., T . . T ~« Heritage week walkers at Mt Clear campground Heritage listing procedures 20 Sunday 29th April 1990

National Parks Association (ACT) Subscription rates (1 July - 30 June) Incorporated Household members $20 Single members $15 Inaugurated 1960 Corporate members $10 Bulletin only $10 Concession: half above rates Aims and objects of the Association For new subscriptions joining between: • Promotion of national parks and of measures for the 1 January and 31 March - half specified rate protection of fauna and flora, scenery and natural features 1 April and 30 June - annual subscription in the Australian Capital Territory and elsewhere, and the Membership enquiries welcome reservation of specific areas. Please phone Laraine Frawley at the NPA office. • Interest in the provision of appropriate outdoor recreation areas. The NPA (ACT) office is located in Kingsley Street, • Stimulation of interest in, and appreciation and enjoyment Acton. Office hours are: of, such natural phenomena by organisedfield outings , 10am to 2pm Mondays meetings or any other means. • Co-operation with organisations and persons having 9am to 2pm Tuesdays and Thursdays similar interests and objectives. Telephone: (06) 257 1063 • Promotion of, and education for, nature conservation, and Address: GPO Box 457 Canberra 2601. the planning of land-use to achieve conservation. Contribute to your Bulletin Office-bearers and Committee Contributions of articles (news, description or fiction), President black-and-white photographs and line drawings are Syd Comfort 286 2578(h) keenly sought for the Bulletin. Please label photo­ Vice President graphs with the name of the subject, the name of the Beverley Hammond 288 6577 (h) 258 1877 (w) photographer and the date. Leave contributions at the Immediate Past President office or phone the editor, Roger Green, on Kevin Frawley 282 3080 (h) 268 8309 (w) (06)247 0059. Secretary Judith Webster 2414646(h) 248 4141 (w) Articles by contributors may not necessarily reflect Treasurer Association opinion or objectives. Les Pyke 281 2982 (h) Environment subcommittee convenors Deadline for September issue: 1 August, 1990. Jacqui Rees 295 8567 (h) Tim Walsh 285 1112 (h) 274 1465 (w) NPA Bulletin is produced by Green Words for the Namadgi subcommitte convenor National Parks Association (ACT) Incorporated. It is Dugald Monro 231 8776 (h) produced with the assistance of an ACT Community Publicity and education subcommittee convenor Development Fund grant. Jill Roberts 249 1390 (h) 272 4192 (w) Walks convenor Printed on recycled paper by Union Offset Co Pty Ltd, Steven Forst 251 6817 (h) 274 8426 (w) Fyshwick, ACT. Other committee members Mike Smith 286 2984 (h) 281 9565 (w) ISSN 0727-8837 Glyn Lewis 295 2720(h) Phil Bubb 281 4929 (h) 246 6128 (w) Subcommittees are open to all members. Anyone interested in their work should contact the convenor. IN COMMITTEE

President's foreword Canberra Alive staged during members and provide a way by Canberra Week was a field event which they can influence and in which well over 100 ACT or­ help project our views. Support of ganisations mounted displays to these groups is vital to the show the public what each group effectiveness of our voice in the Syd and Barbara Comfort at is about. The event reinforced a community. Johnsons Beach, Myall Lakes, on view long held that voluntary or­ the central coast of NSW. ganisations occupy a very impor­ Photo: Judith Webster tant place in Australian society Syd Comfort in general, and in the ACT in particular. As well as bringing people together for pursuing charitable and welfare causes and taking up sporting, hobby and artistic pursuits, voluntary organisations provide the oppor­ tunity for the community to ex­ press a position on public policy issues. As ACT society finds its way in the new field opened up by self government, the capacity for the community to take a stand on issues and for the gov­ ernment to respond becomes even more important. Our Association has a contribu­ tion to make in this process, a contribution only possible with the continuing involvement of members. Association subcommittees are open to all Space for NPA and other groups

Tucked away in the Childers/ mittee activities. Thus the office in the ethos of the precinct. Writing Kingsley Streets complex, the NPA its current location makes a con­ to ROCKS after the meeting Mr office has an importance out of pro­ siderable contribution to the Jensen said that 'The ROCKS area portion to its somewhat modest di­ smooth running of the Association. has been recognised as a communi­ mensions. The Association's Office Recently, control of some of the ty precinct for some time and this Secretary, Laraine Frawley, main­ Childers Street buildings, includ­ use has been recorded in the Civic tains from the office an efficient ing the NPA office, passed from Policy Plan. There are no current continuity of operation which the Australian National plans to vary the use of the area would not be possible without this University to the ACT and the community use will be re­ accommodation. The effectiveness Government. Following this, rep­ flected in the Territory Plan when of the office is greatly enhanced by resentatives of tenant groups con­ it is finalised. Any proposal to vary its being adjacent to both the stituting ROCKS - Residents of use of the area would be subject to Environment Centre and the Childers and Kingsley Streets - extensive public consultation and Conservation Council office, facili­ met with Mr Norm Jensen MLA, could not happen 'overnight'. tating ready communication with Executive Deputy for Planning, The retention of the area as a these organisations. The central lo­ Environment and Heritage, and community precinct remains the cation of the office makes it access­ Leasehold Management, to discuss long term goal for which ROCKS ible to members from all parts of the future of community group ac­ will continue to seek widely based Canberra and enables it to be used commodation in the area. Mr support. The NPA has indicated its as a meeting place and clearing Jensen indicated that in the long strong backing of this position. house, particularly for committee term the area would require rede­ members and those involved in velopment but that he favoured re­ Bulletin preparation and subcom­ development which would retain Syd Comfort MEETINGS

Displays A disillusioned forester The Association has provided a Ray Hammond, one-time district sawn log industry. number of public displays this forester and now an active conser­ As described by Ray, these days year which have been well re­ vationist, spoke to the Association the timber industry is prepared to ceived. To improve our capacity to at the March meeting. Ray's theme use species and qualities not ac­ mount displays in the future, the was one of disillusionment with ceptable twenty years ago. This Publicity and Education Sub current forestry practices in NSW means that much of the timber Committee hopes to obtain some especially in the south east of the used for chips could not be used display panels and a banner bear­ State. He believes that the people for, say, housing. Instead the chip ing the Association's name and of Australia, the forests, and the industry's appetite for Australian logo. There is also a need for addi­ accompanying flora and fauna are native forests becomes greedier tional photographic material for being ill-served by the woodchip in­ and greedier. inclusion in the display particular­ dustry. Ray's view is that a timber Ray claimed that instead of an ly covering flora, including some industry does not require wood- adequate management plan for the close ups and photos involving chipping to be viable as is often State's timber resources, the children or family groups. Jill maintained by proponents of the present management plan was one Roberts, convenor (telephone 249 'integrated' forestry theory. As he of 'sustained disaster'. He prophe­ 1390 h), would like to hear from points out the Australian timber sied that in 15 to 20 years' time any member willing to make avail­ industry operated for decades the timber industry, because it has able suitable photos which could without a woodchip industry, and allowed so much timber to go to be used to produce display on the NSW north coast still does. the chipmill, would be pressing the material. The key to the present problems Forestry Commission and govern­ in the industry is, claimed Ray, the ments to allow logging in national complicated royalty system operat­ parks. Ray suggested that the ed by the Forestry Commission. Government needed to impose a This means that sawmillers are levy on the logging industry to subsidised by the taxpayer in that allow hardwood plantations and the forestry industry is not based adequate silviculture practices to on cost recovery principles. Ray be established. He believes that pointed out that for every ten logs such a levy would add about $500 cut in the south east of NSW nine to the cost of an average house. He go to the chipmill. As well, he also suggested that membership of claims that a large number of trees the Forestry Commission be ex­ felled and sent to the chipmill are panded to include representatives in fact perfectly suitable for sawn of the conservation movement. In log purposes. This comes about be­ this way the current industry dom­ cause an employee of the chipmill inated Commission could be influ­ selects which trees are to be sawn enced to work for the good of the and which are to be chipped after forests, the streams, the fauna and they have been felled. No one else flora and the taxpayer rather than has a say, not the sawmill, not the just for the benefit of the logging Forestry Commission, and certain­ and chip industries. ly not a conservationist. Ray be­ Towards the end of the talk lieves that the role of selecting logs Babette Scougall showed some for chipping must be taken out of slides she had taken at a recent the hands of the chipmill. protest near Eden. Slides of logged Ray explained that when the timber on trucks were analysed by woodchip industry was initiated in Ray who was able to point out the particular logs, destined for the The NPA stand at Canberra the sixties the proposal had been for milling of 50 000 super feet of chipmill that could have been used Alive in March. for sawn logs. Photo: Syd Comfort. timber per annum for 5-10 years. Originally the timber for chips was Charles Hill gave the vote of to come from timber salvaged from thanks to Ray on behalf of the sawn logs. However as the custom­ Association. He remarked that the er has demanded more and more devastation brought to the south chips so the life of the chip indus­ coast forests of NSW by woodchip- try has been extended by the ping could be seen dramatically Commonwealth and NSW from Mount Imlay. He thanked Governments. Chip production has Ray for his fascinating 'insiders' become an end in itself rather than view of the timber industry. a short term by-product of the Timothy Walsh IN COMMITTEE

The NationLa i Capital IHa n At the February monthly meeting watch the 'overlaps' Tather than uncleaT just what the future of Dr Gary Scott, until recently at the the 'voids'. Such a situation could Canberra's open areas really is. National Capital Planning enable some planning matters to Dr Scott said that he agreed with Authority, generously spent his escape adequate public scrutiny the idea that Canberra Nature last night in Canberra giving a unless groups such as the NPA are Park should be a local ACT plan­ very stimulating and thought pro­ particularly vigilant. Dr Scott re­ ning issue under the control of the voking talk to the Association. turned to this theme a number of ACT Government. It was the local Dr Scott began by presenting a times. He pointed out that parkland that contained the short explanation of the history of Canberra was part of a world expe­ human perspective; areas that planning in the ACT. The NCDC, riencing a period of rapid change people can identify with and feel he said, had been atypical as a in political and public administra­ affinity for. This is where their planning authority as it had both tive 'ways and means'. children play, where dogs are planning and management func­ Planning 'voids' are apparent al­ walked and where damage could tions. With the demi se of th e ready, said Dr Scott, because al­ most easily be done. The NPA, Dr NCDC, the coming of self govern­ though the role of the NCPA in Scott explained, must take an 'ag­ ment and the creation of the regard to the protection of areas of gressive' interest in these areas National Capital Planning Canberra of national significance and ensure that planners and poli­ Authority and the Interim ACT was defined in the relevant legisla­ ticians are well aware of the wish Planning Authority, Canberra had tion, what is not so clear is the role of the community to preserve and moved to a planning, regime more of the Territory's planners. extend 'their' open areas. like the States. That is, planning The history of the Canberra Jacqui Rees moved the vote of and management will be carried Open Space system was dealt with thanks. She paid fulsome tribute to out by different authorities. For in­ by Dr Scott He explained the 1984 Dr Scott for his talk and the per­ stance, ACT Electricity and Water Metropolitan Policy Plans' lack of spective he had brought to plan­ now have an enhanced manage­ a cohesive policy covering the ning during his time in the ACT. ment role. This, warned Dr Scott, ACT's Open Spaces. Since then the Jacqui said his vision would be could lead to a number of'overlaps' Open Spaces have been placed missed. Jacqui stressed the need rather than the 'voids' in the firmly on the agenda of politicians for the Canberra community to Canberra planning process. This and bureaucrats. However the lack ensure that this vision was upheld. could lead to the public tending to of a Territory Plan makes it Timothy Walsh Environme nt subcomnaitte e ranges wid ely The environment subommittee Australia's Forest and Timber volved the National Aquarium, de­ now has about 15 active members Resources. velopment and recreational pres­ who meet for three hours one eve­ The Association has also ap­ sures in the Snowy Mountains, ning per month. Between meet­ peared before hearings into the working parties in the Budawangs, ings its members draft National Capital Plan. the impact of the Very Fast Train submissions to the increasing The subcommittee's interests on the ACT and activities associat­ number of environmental inquir­ are not bound by the ACT's bor­ ed with the Canberra Nature Park. ies taking place and lobby ders. It has lobbied the All NPA members are welcome to Government at all levels to adopt Shoalhaven Shire Council in rela­ attend environment subcommittee policies in line with National tion to the need to prevent unsym­ meetings. Details of time and place Parks Association principles. pathetic development in the are published in the Bulletin or Recently submissions have been Jervis Bay region and the can be obtained from the office. If forwarded to: Commonwealth and NSW an evening meeting does not suit • the NSW Legislative Council's Governments on the need for a you but you have a particular issue Inquiry into Coastal Jervis Bay Marine Park. A propo­ you feel the NPA should pursue Development in NSW sal by the Victorian Government get in touch with Jacqui Rees or • the ACT Government on their- to create a National Park in the Timothy Walsh. The NPA can have environment policy, draft plan­ Mallee Region led to the an impact on environmental issues ning and heritage legislation Association writing to the various but only with the assistance of its and Inquiry into the Very Fast political parties in the Victorian members. Train Parliament expressing support for Timothy Walsh • the Resource Assessment this proposal. Commission's Inquiry into Other areas of activity have in- ACT PARKS

Parkcare - a community initiative in Canberra Nature Park I note with interest Syd Comfort's collecting seed from local species Painter (FOMP) have organised a article 'Weeds in urban bushland' and propagating seedlings which number of weeding and planting ac­ in the March edition of NPA will be planted back in the areas. tivities in recent months and have Bulletin. Mr Comfort rightly states Groups will also maintain achieved strong community sup­ that weeds in Canberra Nature plantings. port. In an effort to raise the aware­ Park are a significant manage­ The term 'Parkcare' will cover a ness of politicians and the wider ment problem. The ACT Parks and range of activities suitable for com­ community about CNP and Conservation Service is currently munity involvement in open space Parkcare, FOMP hosted an event working with the community to es­ management. The Service believes on Mount Painter on Sunday 8 tablish a continuing program of that Parkcare is about nature con­ April. volunteer activities to rehabilitate servation through participative Despite the threatening weather areas within Canberra Nature land management, and environ­ this 'politicians' walk' was well at­ Park. mental education through field ex­ tended by politicians (both local and During 1989 the ACT Parks and perience. Other advantages are Federal) and community. FOMP Conservation Service began to that Parkcare activities provide provided guided tours on the day, plan for the management of active recreation opportunities and and participants were also treated Canberra Nature Park (CNP). a way for individuals in communi­ to afternoon tea. Displays at local events, informa­ ties to get to know their local envi­ The Minister for Finance and tion materials and a series of ronment and each other. Future Urban Services, Mr Craig Duby public meetings focussed interest activities proposed for Parkcare (the Minister responsible for the on CNP, and in particular on com­ groups in CNP are vegetation map­ local environment) was an invited munity participation in the man­ ping, fauna survey and habitat speaker. Mr Duby acknowledged agement of CNP. evaluation. the important role for the communi­ In July 1989 the Service was in­ ty in local environmental manage­ vited to a meeting organised by the A community in ment, and emphasised the Alliance Australian Institute of Government's policy of protecting Horticulture to discuss 'bush re­ action Canberra Nature Park and encour­ The residents of Cook and sur­ generation' on the hills and ridges aging regeneration programs. Mr rounding suburbs have joined to of urban Canberra. The result of Duby also announced that the form an action group for Mount that meeting was an expressed Government has allocated $15,000 Painter. The Friends of Mount desire that the ACT community be towards Parkcare activities. involved in the reestablishment of native vegetation and the mainte­ More about Parkcare nance of established areas on CNP. If you would like to find out more about the Parkcare volunteer groups With the cooperation of individu­ please contact one of the group coordinators below. If you would like to als and existing 'Friends of . . .' find out more about Parkcare generally, or would like to know how to groups the Service set up a volun­ start a group up for your area of CNP, please contact Tony Brownlie, teer pilot bush regeneration pro­ Manager of CNP (286 1346). gram in September 1989. The pilot program formally included groups Group Contact Phone No. on The Pinnacle, O'Connor Ridge, Mt Ainslie Weeders Ian Taylor 247 6315 Mount Ainslie, Red Hill, Farrer Friends of Mt Painter Geoff Clarke 251 1043 Ridge and Mount Taylor. Related Philip Bell 251 5837(h) activities are now also underway 273 3100

Fast trains and real estate The Sydney to Melbourne very fast the 1910s. If the state rail au­ When the strategy has been for­ train proposal has more to do with thorities improved the efficiency mulated, the VFT should be real-estate speculation than effi­ of their operations, passenger judged against alternatives — ex­ cient land transport, two oppo­ and freight trains could move isting rail, other new rail, road, nents of the train told the cheaply between the cities in half air, ship — with all their costs and Association's April general meet­ the time it takes at present. benefits. There was a need for an ing. The director of the While this would not compete energy-efficient, safe freight and Conservation Council of Canberra with aircraft, nor will a VFT trip people mover from Sydney to and the South East Region, of three hours at airline-ticket Mebourne. The pros and cons of Rodney Falconer, and a town plan­ prices. the VFT should not be judged in ner, Colin Handley, explained isolation. some of the environmental, eco­ The speakers urged the audi­ nomic and political aspects of the The existing rail line ence to write to th e ACT proposed railway. Government emphasising the im­ The most apparent environmen­ from Sydney to portance of a national transport tal problems are its route through Melbourne, for about strategy and insisting on public environmentally sensitive areas participation in discussions and the noise that the train would $1 billion, could be before the government decides its make. As is well known the consor­ gradually realigned position on the project. tium behind the VFT would like to and grades reduced Roger Green follow a coastal route from Canberra to Melbourne through so that it could take the tall forests of East Gippsland. high speed trains. This country can easily be sampled by a drive down the Bonang Highway from Bombala to Orbost. Environment The opponents said that the Less well known is that, whatever reason the consortium was pro­ Centre inventory route the train takes from posing a new route was because The Environment Centre resource Canberra to Melbourne, on the it wished to profit from land de­ inventory for 1990, now available way from Sydney to Canberra it velopment along the way. This from the centre, contains informa­ will pass through the proposed would depend on governments tion on the centre's extensive col­ Nattai National Park west of and citizens subsidising the VFT lection. Established in 1971, the Mittagong and south of the Blue through taxes on land, compulso­ Environment Centre is a signifi­ Mountains. This is an area of ry acquisition and the sequester­ cant public resource centre devot­ rugged eucalypt country admired ing of capital gains. The financial ed to environmental issues. by bushwalkers since the days of details and legal mechanisms Myles Dunphy. It dedication as a The centre holds over 6000 remain sketchy. national park has only been held books and reports, 7 filing cabi­ up by miners not wanting to relin­ The economics of the train as a nets of newspaper clippings as quish coal prospects. means of transport do not appear well as educational kits, project viable. The Japanese bullet train materials, pamphlets, video and As well there would be a lot of has 24 million passengers a year audio tapes and copies of environ­ noise as the frequent trains over a shorter route. The mental impact statements and screamed along the 780-kilometre Australian train would need at management and planning propo­ route. If the noise did not scare off least 6 million passengers to sals. The centre also currently re­ the wildlife, the 200-metre-wide coveT construction costs. At ceives 90 environmental rail corridor would. Underpasses present there are only 250 000 magazines and journals. would be too long for most ani­ passengers between Sydney and Books, reports and magazines mals. During construction the rail Melbourne, many at concession are available for reference and work would erode soil and pollute fares. Even if half those who other educational material is streams. travel by aeroplane (faster), bus available for loan. Located behind Of course many have asked why (cheaper) and car (more flexible) the Fortune Theatre building be­ there needs to be another rail converted to the train, they tween Childers and Kingsley route at all. Colin Handley pointed would still be short of 6 million. Streets, the centre is open on out that the existing rail line from So the land profits are essential. weekdays from 9 am. Sydney to Melbourne, for about $1 The speakers said that billion, could be gradually rea­ Australia needs a national trans­ ligned and grades reduced so that port strategy. The ACT it could take high speed trains. Government, which has already The existing route was laid out in voiced support for the VFT, the 1870s with minor upgrading in should be part of that strategy. GALLERY GALLERY

Hedda Morrison exhibition

Readers will be aware of the fine ph otograph s taken by NPA member Hedda Morrison which have been reproduced in many issues of this Bulletin. A retro­ spective display of her photogra­ phy - titled Travels of an Extraordinary Photographer - was held in the Link Gallery of the Canberra Theatre Centre in March and contained a fascinat­ ing collection, spanning more than 50 years in time and from China to Canberra in space. Each work was a masterpiece - the por­ traits full of character and the landscapes evocative. As a young photographer in Germany, Hedda set out for China in 1933. Hartungs Photo Studio in Beijing had advertised for a woman to manage the studio. Even though the Sino- Japanese war was going on, Hedda visited and photographed a number of areas of China. Being unhappy with developments in Germany she decided not to return and spent the second world war in China. In 1946 she married Alastair Morrison and together they trav­ elled through Asia. Following his army service, Alastair took up a position with the British adminis­ tration in Sarawak. This provided a base for Hedda's travel and pho­ tography in Asia and the Pacific until 1967.

Alastair and Hedda Morrison on Castle Hill, ACT. Photo Reg Alder. A girl from Rajahstan in India

In 1967 the Morrisons moved to tant parts of our region's recent Canberra and, soon after, joined history. the National Parks Association. In 1989 the Canberra They have since travelled right Photographic Society viewed some around Australia, most intensively of Hedda's photographs and real­ in the southeast. ised that much of her work outside Hedda has two books of photo­ China remained relatively little graphs, A Photographer in Old known. This prompted the society Peking (Oxford University Press, to organise the recent retrospec­ 1985) and Travels of a tive exhibition of Hedda's work. Photographer in China, 1933-46 Even so, the exhibition displayed (Oxford, 1987). Both provide fasci­ only a fraction of Hedda's meticu­ nating insights into a life of adven­ lously indexed and annotated ture, combined with illustrations collection. of places that have played impor­ Climbing Mount Dromedary On the Canberra Day weekend 36 NPA members, families and friends took over the Beauty Point Caravan Park at Wallaga Lake, a truly delightful spot. A few lucky people were able to arrive on the Friday afternoon with the rest arriving on Saturday. Both Saturday morning and afternoon saw members walk­ ing along the lake foreshore then a short walk across to the ocean beach with Camel Rock as senti­ nel on the northern end and Bermagui at the southern ex­ treme. Saturday evening people sat around the fire and enjoyed their friends' company. Rain during the night kept the temperature down for the climb of Mount Dromedary (806 metres) on the Sunday. The party split in two, some tackling the mountain from Tilba Tilba whilst others ap­ proached the summit from Central Tilba. Cars were left at Pam's Store for the climb from Tilba Tilba. The track, built in 1894 as a pack horse track for the gold miners who mined from 1852-1919, leads through farming country at first. Soon after entering the Flora Reserve you pass 'Chinaman's Grave' roughly the spot where a Chinese miner is buried. From Half Way Rock the steep hillsides are covered with tree ferns, low scrub and eucalypt regrowth. They were once covered with cool temperate rainforest but were Ian Currie catching dinner from Wallaga Lake, with Mount cleared during the mining boom to Dromedary in the background. Photo Syd Comfort. provide fuel for the steam pow­ Over 50 miners lived and people were able to go out on ered stamping battery, remains of worked on the mountain between Wallaga Lake bird watching. This which may still be seen on the 1880 and the turn of the century proved very popular but unfortu­ Engine Track. At the Dromedary and the population of men, nately we were only able to hire Saddle we met up with members women and children is thought to two boats. Most people made their of the party who had tackled the have peaked at 400 in 1902-1903. way home to Canberra after lunch mountain from Central Tilba, and A school was set up for a short with a few lucky ones able to stay the majority then climbed to the period, otherwise the children on an extra day. One member was summit through a magnificent walked to Central Tilba School clever/lucky enough to catch his patch of rain forest and were re­ and attended on alternate days, evening meal from the lake - some warded with views to Narooma in the long rugged journey being so lovely flathead. the north and Bermagui in the tiring. Between 1877 and 1910 south. Lunch was eaten on the This is an excellent car campsite 335 kilograms of gold were won summit before starting on the and the small caravan park, well from the reefs, but total produc­ return walk back to the cars, some run and with on-site vans and tion was far greater as much allu­ participating in refreshments at flats to hire, is highly vial gold was not recorded. Pam's Store before returning to recommended. Beauty Point and afternoon tea. Monday was a delightful day Barbara Comfort and during the morning some Book review Bogong is tops! 'At 6 o'clock we were abreast of a gentians have disappeared from pretty high mountain laying near T will lift up mine eyes unto the 1 the Mt Nelse, Kelly and Fitzgerald the shore which on account of its hills from whence cometh my help hut areas due to over a century of figure I named Mt Dromedary*. says the psalmist in the old Jewish grazing Obut the fly population is So wrote Lieutenant James Cook writings and certainly hills and unbelievable!) The snow daisy car­ RN on 31 April 1770 as he sailed mountains have an age-old attrac­ pets the land along with kunzea as northwards along the south coast tiveness. It is most satisfying to the cattle leave them alone, but of New South "Wales. climb and then reach the summit and enjoy a bird's eye view of the the cattle do trample down Rising to an altitude of 806 countryside below and beyond. swampy areas and commence ero­ metres Mt Dromedary lies 13 kilo­ So it is that groups of NPA mem­ sion in gullies. Fortunately they metres southwest of Narooma and have been removed from Bogong is a dominant feature of the south bers have travelled for the past 5 years to Falls Creek in Victoria to summit, some of the flowers are NSW coast. The mountain was returning and cattle pads are fill­ formed by a volcanic eruption in climb Mt Bogong, the highest mountain in that state. ing in with vegetation. However the Cretaceous period about 95 the cattle have now been joined by We have always taken 4 or 5 million years ago and at its zenith horse camps in the trees below the days to approach the mountain via rose two kilometres above the sur­ summit. It is so incongruous when Mt Nelse, descending into Big rounding area with lava-clad walkers are urged to 'tread softly' River and then climbing either T slopes extending beyond in a local tourist newsheet article, Junction Spur or Quartz Ridge to Bermagui to the south and per­ but the same newspaper promotes the summit. We spend 2 nights haps to Tuross in the north. It oc­ the incompatible destructive horse and 1 day on the mountain top, en­ cupied a significant place treks and camps. amongst the Aborigines being joying the views, the vegetation known to them as Gulaga and and moods of this alpine region Nor has the region escaped the today remains a very important before we return down to Big logging. Long Ridge, leading off landmark to the Aborigines of River, up Tim's Spur or Douane Bogong to Mt Wills, has a steep nearby Wallaga Lake. Spur back to Rocky Pondage where face now almost devoid of trees. the cars are and from where there All this in an area which is a na­ It was the discovery of gold and is a variety of day walks possible. tional asset, part of the Alpine its mining fronrthe 1850s on that National Park system and part of focussed European attention on However the High Plains area is much abused. The emotional the Alpine track. It is still being the mountain. Subsequently it used for the private financial gain became part of a state forest and image of the 'Man from Snowy River reigns supreme and the of a few stock owners and commer­ a Flora Reserve of some 1255 hec­ cial enterprises. tares. This is now listed in the herds of cattle, the cattlemen's Register of the National Estate by horses and now horse riding treks This alpine area is a unique part the Australian Heritage Com­ right onto Mt Bogong summit are of Australia and the world and is mission and is part of the NSW destroying this fragile environ­ not receiving the care it deserves. temperate rain forest area includ­ ment. Flowers like euphrasia, Fiona Brand ed in the World Heritage List. snow aciphyll (native celery) and This publication sets as its aim 'to tell you a bit about this fasci­ nating area' and to my mind, succeeds admirably. The booklet covers the geology, topography, vegetation, Aboriginal and European history of the area and gives general guidance to the visi­ tor to the area including walking routes. Considerable detail is given about the plants of the area and the days when gold mining dominated the mountains. There are a selection of clear maps, a number of botanical illustrations and a good collection of photos from the turn of the century. Syd Comfort Forestry Commission of NSW: Mount Dromedary, A Pretty High R.OCKX VJ=*»_tf< OfS ^ Mountain. Sydney 1987 44pp Price approximately $5.50. SUBSIDIES

Woes of the US Forest Service The US Forest Service is a nation­ Service became the timber indus­ bureaucracy, demoralised by the alised industry encouraged by fed­ try's barely unofficial partner. It service's changing reputation. eral budget habits to lose money mapped out timber sales, organ­ There are signs of internal revolt. by clear cutting forests that almost ised the bidding then cut the roads One forestry professor says his everybody would prefer to leave that let the big log trucks roar in. former students call up to say standing for owls to live in. An entire generation of Forest 'we're raping the woods'. The spark Change is imminent. Service employees was trained to plug is Mr Jeff Debonis, who until For 85 years the United States regard stands of ancient trees as a this year was a forester in the vast Forest Service has been charged rotting obstacle to the brave new Willamette national forest in with overseeing the nation's vast forest promulgated under hopeful Oregon. Mr Debonis's conversion wealth in timber and wildlife. The sounding policies of 'sustained came after his transfer from the agency had heroic beginnings, yield' and 'multiple use'. smaller Nez Perce national forest founded by Gifford Pinchot, a fo­ From the late 1980s Forest in Idaho. He was appalled at poli­ rester, to save wild lands from the Service critics relentlessly laid cies in the Willamette; clear cuts, depredations of the robber barons. bare its close ties with the timber silted streams and a labyrinth of It remains the second biggest land­ industry. Agency allies in the logging roads led him to reconsider owner in America with nearly 10% timber business raised an embar­ policies learned during 13 years of the country in its care. But rassing clamour for increased with the Forest Service. today the service finds itself as­ cutting on federal land because of Trying to bring about change, Mr sailed from all sides and losing its the 'timber gap' caused by overcut- Debonis formed the Association of leadership role in the 191m acres ting in nearly all private forests. Forest Service Employees for of forests it professes to know best. Caught between extremes the Environmental Ethics, which now The visible symptoms of the agency now stands transfixed like claims 2 500 members among the agency's impotence are numerous. a deer in the headlights. 39 000 employees. The group has In the Rocky Mountain states the The National Forest given voice to complaints long left timber industry has reacted with Management Act decreed in 1976 politely unspoken in the fraternity­ rage to President Bush's proposal, that the Forest Service would draw like service. Nettling questions are contained in his fiscal 1991 budget, up fair and impartial management now being asked of Mr Dale to end unprofitable timber sales plans for each national forest. This Robertson, the Forest Service's from national forests. For Alaska, has become a ponderous process chief since 1987. the House and Senate are likely to that now eats up more of the Mr Robertson initially tried to work out a compromise on a bill Forest Service budget than road ignore Mr Debonis then sought to that would largely wrest from building or recreation - upwards of placate him with soothing assu­ Forest Service control of the $200m annually by some esti­ rances that he wanted to work Tongass national forest where mates. Yet only three quarters of with the rebels. Mr Robertson may sweetheart deals made years ago the plans have been completed; not be the man to enact change have fuelled the ire of environmen­ 98% of those are under appeal. however. 'The Forest Service needs talists dismayed by the subsidised Typical is a report on the Coconino a suicidal leader', says one observ­ destruction of the majestic National Forest in Arizona; 1 352 er. His mission: admit that the ser­ Tongass to make toilet paper. And pages long, it weighs eight pounds. vice has seriously mismanaged the in the Pacific North West, the The plans even come complete national forests and lived too long Forest Service is all but paralysed with Soviet-like timber production in industry's pocket. The frenzy by a one year 'compromise' de­ goals. Calculated in Washington, over such a confession would signed to save both timber indus­ they are then thrust down the surely lead to this kamikaze's dis­ try jobs and the Northern spotted throats of the 156 individual na­ missal, leaving the way open for a owl. tional forests. Forest managers are successor to launch a new, progres­ sive agenda. The Forest Service is to blame given proportionately more money for its own woes. After the second for cutting logging roads, thus The Forest Service has always world war the booming housing making it easier to reach their had chiefs promoted through the market and economy led the ser­ timber goals, than roads for camp­ ranks unlike the National Park vice to give its conservation ethic ers. In many cases the money Service which has borne the other second place to a policy that called raised from selling the timber is cross of political appointees. For a for more logging. It came to view far exceeded by the cost of building Forest Service professional to say the forest as an agricultural crop. the roads to get the timber out, candidly what many of them now The annual timber yield grew from but, as with all good bureaucrats, believe might open the door for an 3.5 billion board feet to 8.3 billion this only encourages the managers outsider. That prospect terrifies board feet during the 1950s, peak­ to make unprofitable sales so as to the agency's hierarchy. ing at 12.7 billion board feet in increase their budgets. 1987. Compounding the problem, is a The Economist During those years the Forest stultifying, almost Stalinesque 10 March 1990 PARKWATCH

VNPA proposes aged expectations of relaxed na­ Moore reacts linear parks tional park rules, we would like to A few weeks later, on 19 April, the know. NSW Minister for the With 8 per cent of Victoria now Environment, Tim Moore, an­ . protected in national parks, the nounced the creation of two Victorian National Parks Wet tropics marine parks at Lord Howe Island Association has decided that the development and Jervis Bay. He said the gov­ well-being of the state's environ­ In the 1987 federal election the ernment would amend national ment requires a comprehensive Labor Party won the green vote parks legislation to allow for the system of links between national with a promise to nominate the creation of marine parks. He also parks. At the same time the state wet tropics of north Queensland promised to cooperate with the government has been selling off for world heritage listing. The list­ Commonwealth. The management old railway lines. This has led to ing was duly achieved, but man­ model would be the Great Barrier the association's proposal - for agement of the area is becoming a Reef Marine Park. Other details linear parks, formed from old rail­ problem. There is no management are awaited. way reserves. authority or management plan Earlier the NSW Premier, Nick Though narrow, these reserves and more than 20 proposals for de­ Greiner, announced a plan for occupy a considerable area of land. velopment, ranging from cable state world heritage legislation. And, despite embankments, clear­ cars to crocodile farms. One devel­ Conservationists criticised the ing and other abuses over the opment, the Tully-Mill stream hy­ plan, saying it would give loggers, years, these reserves are often droelectric scheme, would have a miners and farmers an effective sanctuaries for plant species that devastating effect on the area. It is veto over the nomination of new have been wiped out on neighbour­ the first major development pro­ world heritage sites and en­ ing farmlands. When expressions posed for a world heritage area in trenched National Party control of interest are called for the dispo­ Australia. What will the federal over the disappearing natural en­ sal of the old lines, the VNPA government do? vironment. The director of the plans to make submissions on National Parks Association of their conservation value as linear Wilderness' News, The Wilderness Society, March 1990 NSW, Grahame Wells, said that parks. the National Parks and Wildlife Park Watch, Victorian National Service should not be made respon­ Parks Association, March 1990 Cousteau visits sible for assessing the economic impact of world heritage listing. Jervis Bay This proposal signalled that areas Conserving The 82-year-old marine explorer of interest to loggers or miners caravans in and filmmaker, Jacques Cousteau, would not be nominated. visited Jervis Bay in February, in national parks the company of the then Do they know something we don't? Commonwealth Minister for the Big mallee park Environment, Senator Graham On 23 February the Australian About one million hectares of semi- Richardson, and the then Minister Financial Review carried a full- arid mallee land in northwest for Science, Barry Jones. He was page advertisement for investment Victoria will be protected in the shown CSIRO research into salt- in Viscount caravans. With the new Murray Sunset National Park marshes, mangroves and sea proliferation of imported truck-like and existing Wyperfield National grasses. four-wheel-drives and fully fitted Park when legislation passes the out vans one would have expected Senator Richardson expressed Victorian parliament. The legisla­ the dowdy home-grown caravan support for the idea of a marine tion is opposed by the National business to be a little slow. But park for the bay and its catch­ Party and so will need Liberal the ad boosts the potential of vans ment. The Australian Party support to pass the state's ( as a home of your own'. Times are Conservation Foundation, with upper house. The decision follows tough. But not all these homes of support from the National Parks exhaustive study by the state's your own are going to be in subur­ Association of the ACT, has pre­ land conservation council and an bia. The ad says that the appeal of pared a proposal for such a park. extended campaign by conserva­ caravans 'will grow when the ex­ Senator Richardson called for sup­ tion groups including the Victorian pected relaxing of National Park port from the NSW Government. National Parks Association. The rules becomes effective'. Caravan Jacques Cousteau said, There park's creation will end cattle and parks already threaten are no half ways with conserva­ sheep grazing and broom-bush Murramarang National Park on tion; either you protect them or harvesting which was having a the south coast of New South you don't. Development is never dramatic effect on the mallee. Wales; perhaps they could be good. I am not in favour of small The Age, Melbourne, parked on top of some of the peaks parks.* of Namadgi for the best views in 21 March 1990 The New Bush Telegraph, the ACT. If anyone knows which Nowra, March 1990 official in which state has encour­ Upper Murray canoe trip Paddling past shady redgums, as well as showers for $1 a head of the National Parks Association coming round a bend to see the for campers. Tintaldra also offers of the ACT. Our arrival coincided majestic western face of the simple pub style accommodation. with the end of the annual Walwa Australian Alps, often snowcapped Both are small friendly country canoe trek. Ever the politician, Mr in the cooler months, looking out pubs and the visiting paddler soon Fischer made very approving for the odd platypus, azure king­ feels at home. Walwa has a river­ noises in favour of national parks. fishers et al, cooling off with the side caravan park as well. His electorate stretches from odd watertight with the nearest Tintaldra also has a small shop Khancoban to Wentworth on the boat, boiling the billy at lunch, a selling some food, including pies, South Australian border. refreshing swim, paddling in to a sandwiches etc. Walwa and To get there one can either drive riverside pub at the day's end, and Jingelic both have large general via Cooma, Adaminaby, camping on a grassy bank are all stores as well as petrol stations. Cabramurra and Khancoban over part of the delights of a summer weekend on the Upper Murray in north eastern Victoria, four hours drive from Canberra. TlNTfLDRA This trip could appeal to begin­ ners and experienced paddlers HOTEL alike. Beginners can get a taste for river touring under ideal condi­ tions whilst more experienced pad­ dlers can bring the family along in one of the larger hire canoes and enjoy a relaxing fun weekend. The river is almost all grade 1 with a few grade 2 (easy) rapids to make it extra enjoyable. You just need to be fitan d able to swim. You don't even need your own canoe which can be hired from Walwa. Canoes can be hired from Boris of Upper Murray Canoe Hire at Walwa for $50 a weekend. He has canoes in two sizes and also kayaks. He can even cope with NPA members and other bushwalkers quenching their thirsts at Tintaldra three day or one hour trips if re­ on their way down the Murry River in January. Photo Chris Bellamy. quired. Boris' canoes come with barrels, paddles, lifejockets, de­ On the weekend 19-21 January the Snowies. Alternatively use the tailed maps etc. Boris uses a 10- nine Canadians (canoes) paddled Hume and turn left at Holbrook for seater bus and a large trailer to all by bush walkers, mostly NPA Jingelic. Either way is all on arrange pickups and dropoffs. members, did the firsttw o days sealed roads. Total distances are With good water a three day trip using Boris' boats and staying at similar, about 300 kilometres. sees you put in at Bringenbrong Tintaldra on Friday and Saturday Either way it is a lovely place to Bridge, near Khancoban, paddling nights. On that trip only the early visit and it boasts several nature 42 kilometres to Tintaldra then birds saw the platypus foraging for reserves (the Victorian version of a next day 35 kilometres to Jingelic, food in the middle of the river at national park?) in which one can pulling out at Dora Dora another dawn. The grand finale was pull­ camp along the way if you wish. 40 kilometres down river. A two ing into Jingelic at the end and Boris can advise on that too. day weekend might finish at being greeted by the local federal Jingelic. Lower water might mean member (now leader of the a start from Towong shortening National Party), Tim Fischer who Chris Bellamy day one to 29 kilometres. shook hands as we clambered up At both Tintaldra and Jingelic a the boat ramp and having the local lovely green shaded public camp­ Lions Club pushing steak sand­ ing reserve separates the pub from wiches and cold cans into our the river, just made for canoeists. hands. One of our party made the Both pubs serve lunch and dinner. most of the opportunity to press If you forget the muesli, the Mr Fischer for more national Tintaldra one does a nice brekky parks, most of us being members Getting immersed in Warrabah national parks National

National parks are a serious busi­ rescue and within seconds there ness but like all but the grimmest were two noisy, snowy heads bob­ Park situations in life, also provide the bing in the water. Warrabah National Park is in wild setting for light-hearted moments Mother soon emerged from the granite country surrounding 15 of enjoyable recollection. The inner depths of the houseboat but kilometres of the upper Namoi waters of Myall Lakes which form before she had time to act or River in northern New South the larger part of the national react, a rushing father dashed Wales. It is in the middle of the park of that name, recently saw past her, plunged over the side, triangle formed by Tamworth, us anchored in the scattered com­ and in a trice had a struggling Armidale and Barraba. pany of other boats including small body under each arm. In his The park, 3200 hectares set some hired houseboats. One of zeal for results he had however aside in 1984, is another case of these had a good sized runabout omitted the minor ritual of don­ land the farmers did not want. In tethered at its stern with its ning clothes, probably being dis­ the early 1970s a few friends canvas canopy in position and turbed from his morning bought land adjoining the national acting as a very effective water ablutions, a disgraceful luxury park with the hope of setting up a collector after a night of heavy available to houseboaters. In the small artists' cooperative. The rain. A couple of youngsters from urgency of the moment of jumping man who sold them the land was the houseboat, seeing the poten­ in, his exposed situation appeared delighted to receive cash for his tial of the situation, abandoned to phase him not at all, but in the remote acres of ironbark and their placid feeding of the ducks, calmer moments of regaining the native cypress broken by the occa­ scrambled onto the runabout and, houseboat mid the unwelcome in­ sional angophora. No commercial standing on the gunwales set terest of the occupants of adjacent crop could be grown there, or ani­ about rocking the boat vigorously, boats, his demeanour was some­ mals grazed. After a few years the each aiming to tip a goodly help­ what less cavalier, perhaps even track into the property was closed. ing of rain water on the other. Of demure. Though they built stone, timber course the inevitable happened and mud brick huts, the artists and one six year old boy was un­ A while later the children reap­ peared clad in life jackets and have never settled. But the area is ceremoniously dumped in the lake still worth a visit. The land is west and without delay set up a cater­ before long we witnessed the infla­ tion of a large tractor tyre with of the great divide and the soil is waul of surprise triggered by this poor so the vegetation is a change unplanned immersion. His sister, enough buoyancy for a family of six!. from that of the coast or the a little his senior, true to the tra­ Monaro. The Namoi cuts a deep dition of elder sisters, came to his Syd Comfort gorge as it flows down from the tablelands. Nerong Creek, Myall Lakes. Photo: Barbara Comfort The park has 50 species of birds and a variety of fish that can be pusued from the banks of quiet sh ady p o ols. Th ere are gen tie walks up hills for good views of the park. Some of the hills are topped by granite tors, others by basalt, offering richer vegetation. The park has a basic camping ground with pit toilets. Roger Green ENDANGERED

Belconnen naval station harbours endangered moth Synemon plana is a brown, orange and black moth, white or pale grey on the underside and about three and a half centimetres across. It is a day-flying moth active in the late mornings and the afternoons of sunny days. The males a have a rapid, energetic flight just above the grassland in which they live. In a warm dry spring adults fly from early November until the be­ ginning of December. In cooler or moister conditions they do not begin to fly until about 20 November and will fly until Christmas. In suitable habitat they are very common. The Synemon moths belong to the family Castniidae. This family contains about 120 species in Central and South America, about 40 species in Australia and two species in South East Asia. Most of The endangered moth, Synemon plana. these species live in rainforests. In Australia however they inhabit and behaviour. The females have increased greatly with widespread seasonally dry habitats where they bright orange hind wings unlike pasture improvement in the 1950s, feed on sedges or grasses. The the bronze-brown of the males. with the use of chemical fertilisers family is well distributed over the When a patrolling male flies over and the sowing of introduced pas­ mainland with tropical as well as an unmated female she flips the ture plants into native pastures. temperate species, and the moths fore wings forward exposing the Scientists and naturalists have are most diverse in southwestern hind wings to which the male re­ been unable to locate any Western Australia. With such a sponds by alighting beside her. Syne?non plana in New South wide distribution it is likely that The females have small wings. Wales or South Australia in the the Castniidae family had its While they can fly, and do so when last few years. There is a small origin on Gondwana. disturbed, they do not fly far. This population near Kiata near the Synemon plana only inhabits implies they once inhabited an ex­ Grampians in Victoria but the lo­ native grasslands dominated by tensive and continuous habitat cality is not part of a conservation silver-top wallaby grass, and had no need of powers of flight reserve. The major remaining Danthonia carphoides, and anoth­ to colonise unconnected areas. known colonies are in Canberra. er grass, Danthonia auriculata. With the fragmentation of grass­ Three other species of castniid The larvae tunnel in the soil and lands, this limited mobility of fe­ moths are known to feed on walla­ feed on the underground parts of males has become a significant by grasses, although another six or the grass. The moths cannot sur­ disadvantage for the species. eight probably do. One of these, vive if the grassland is not domi­ At the time of European settle­ with no scientific name, feeds on nated by wallaby grass or if the ment Synemon plana and its habi­ Danthonia eriantha and is known area is heavily invaded by intro­ tat were widespread. There are only from a 100-metre patch of duced plants. reliable records from Winburndale grass, beneath power lines, at an With other members of its near Bothurst, the Yass plains, altitude of 1000 metres in family, Synemon plana shares a Canberra, Bright, Eildon, Kosciusko National Park. By con­ number of peculiarities. They Broadmeadows, the Grampians trast, a related moth, Synemon almost certainly recognise poten­ and other places in Victoria and at magnifica, which feeds on sedges tial mates visually. They have an­ Bordertown in South Australia. surrounding large sandstone or tennae with well developed, With grazing by sheep the wallaby granite rocks is not endangered. clubbed tips, like the butterflies al­ grass survived well and the effects Such habitats are useless for agri­ though not closely related to them. of trampling on the underground- culture and the eight or ten known Synemon plana males and females feeding species were small. locations of this moth are all in na­ tional parks. are very different in appearance Pressure on the moth population ENDANGERED

The grassland-inhabiting moths enough if no contraction occurs. very mobile, the moth was vulner­ have suffered almost total destruc­ The largest of these measures 100 able to modern agriculture. tion through the agricultural de­ by 35 metres but even here the As well as the moth a whole velopment of their habitat. moth's survival is problematical. plant community is at risk. We do Synemon plana and other species The only remaining large site, not know how many other animal of Synemon were listed by the some hectares in size and in excel­ species may go with it. It should Australian National Parks and lent condition, is the Belconnen be remembered that this moth is a Wildlife Service in their 1988 list naval station. There the wallaby large, day flying and conspicuous of threatened insects. They re­ grasses have survived because of insect which is easy to study and ceived international mention in high mowing, light grazing by find. There may well be other less the International Union for the sheep and limited public access. conspicuous fauna confined to the Conservation Nature Bulletin in All known moth sites are in same habitat. September 1987. areas which are likely to be devel­ Should the Belconnen Naval oped for houses, public buildings, Station site be developed for hous­ Suburbs replace moth roads, parking areas or cycle ing, the reservation and appropri­ paths. Several grasslands, which ate management of five hectares habitat are often viewed as waste lands, or more of wallaby grassland be­ Wallaby grass habitats contain have recently been damaged: one comes urgent. This would not just many other moths and butterflies by a road construction depot, an­ save Synemon plana from extinc­ as part of their animal communi­ other by spoil from the construc­ tion but would also save one of the ties but no "others have been iden­ tion of Parliament House, another last remnants of a complete plant tified which are confined to the by the planting of oak trees the community containing a little grassland. Synemon plana has shade of which will destroy the known fauna, and preserve for never been found in other grass­ native grassland. In addition to Canberrans a piece of the original land communities in Canberra, threats posed by development, the landscape of the Limestone Plains. namely those dominated by moth sites are threatened by weed Themeda, Bothriochloa, Stipa or invasions, especially during moist Adapted from a more detailed Poa. springs. The principal introduced paper by Ted Edwards of the The wallaby grasses of the plants are clovers, flatweed, plan­ CSIRO Division of Entomology, Limestone Plains were heavily tain, paspalum and wild oats. Black Mountain, Canberra. grazed until the urbanisation of Canberra began in the 1930s. However, in the suburban environ­ ment they escaped the total re­ The reservation of five Vic alps placement by improved pastures hectares or more of which occurred in rural areas. wallaby grassland reprieve There are a few remnants in the The new Victorian Minister for older parts of Canberra. becomes urgent. Conservation, Environment and The newer parts of Canberra Tourism, Steve Crabb, has aban­ occupy land improved in the 1950s doned plans for the state govern­ and 1960s with ryegrass, phalaris ment to support resort Conservation needs development in the alps. After and clovers. The native silver-top To prevent the extinction of many studies by the Alpine wallaby grassland has disap­ Synemon plana in the near future Resorts Commission and a major peared. No individual plant spe­ the remaining sites, and in partic­ proposal for Mount Stirling, a pop­ cies has become endangered ular the Belconnen naval station, ular cross-country skiing area because the plants exist in other need to be protected and carefully near Mount Buller, he has decided places, but the plant community is managed. In small sites weeds that the skiing industry is not endangered. There are no national must be kept to a minimum. High worth support. He told advisers parks or nature reserves in the mowing is one of the best tech­ that the government would not ACT, New South Wales, Victoria, niques and could maintain these spend money when the commer­ or South Australia which include sites. A search for further sites cial lodge owners had shown dis­ silver-top wallaby grassland. should also be made. More study is interest in staying open in Several old entomologists in needed to know what size of popu­ summer and refused to market Canberra remember the moth as lation is viable, how much weed in­ their products properly. However, plentiful around Civic and Acton. vasion the grasses can tolerate he will still be allowing the resorts It is now extinct in these areas. and how to control the weeds. to evolve 'naturally'. There are eight sites in the older Synemon plana is a moth of sci­ parts of Canberra where Synemon entific interest. It was once suc­ Presumably that means with plana survives. Four of these sites cessful across a large area of their own money. are so small, about 20 by 30 southeastern Australia. It sur­ metres, that there is no chance of vived grazing, mowing and fires The Age, Melbourne, the moths lasting long in them. but because it was confined to a 9 April 1990 Three other sites may be large single plant community and not MUD

Wet roads at Willandra Before I left Canberra someone sticking to the car tyres. restored and turned into a warned me about the road to The ranger advised caution; museum. The collection of old pho­ Ivanhoe - a friend with a four- while he thought a four-wheel- tographs of the house and its occu­ wheel-drive had become bogged drive might get out, our car would pants conjures fantasies of 19th somewhere beyond Hillston after not. We should give the road at pastoral life. Reading a book on light rain. 1 had not planned to go least 24 hours to dry out. We de­ the verandah on a rainy day, one to Ivanhoe and I had never heard cided it was better to kill time in a can look out across the lawns and of Mossgiel. national park than on the side of a imagine parties under the palm After a day's lazy driving muddy road in the middle of a flat trees, trysts behind the trellis and, through Cootamundra and Griffith saltbush plain. Intermittent show­ further away, tennis on the run­ I found myself driving quickly on ers continued throughout the day. down lawn courts. Beside the old the Hillston-Mossgiel road. The So we had a good look at jetty a rowing boat bobs on the bil- dirt surface was smooth and flat; I Willandra National Park. The labong. This is the setting for that could not understand how the occa­ park is basically a former pastoral rural saga you have been planning sional lengths of deep, dark wheel property that centres on the to write. ruts had come into being. We meanders and billabongs of After another night the sun turned off to Willandra National Willandra Creek. It is very flat. began to shine. Since it was the Park and found a good campsite by The watercourses are lined with beginning of a long holiday, I was Willandra Creek in time to enjoy black box and lignum trees. itching to get on the road. But the the birds at dusk. The small park Beyond them is grass and salt- clay was still weighing on the (19 000 hectares) was meant to be bush. There are a few dry-weather shoes. We waited until after lunch a brief overnight stop on the way car trails to different sections of before setting out. to Broken Hill. the creek. It is not a park for keen By gunning the car through Some time after falling asleep I bushwalkers. water-logged stretches of track we heard the patter of rain on the However, it is very popular with covered the 20-kilometres back to tent, a pleasant dreamy sound. birdlovers. The wetlands attract the main road with only a few Then I remembered the story all sorts of migratory and inland rapid intakes of breath. Once back about the bogged four-wheel-drive. birds; the rangers had a list of on the Hillston-Mossgiel road, the The next morning we walked a hundreds of species seen in the ruts told the story. The deepest few hundred metres down to the park. ones, presumably made by four- ranger station. By the time we got The other main feature of the wheel-drives with plenty of ground there the grey clay was 10 centi­ park is the historic Willandra clearance, stayed in the middle. metres thick on the soles of our Homestead. This rambling Other ruts wandered across the shoes. It was easy to imagine it wooden building has been partly road, some ending in circles and others swerving into the ditches on either side. Along the way we An old bridge across a bdlabong in Willandra National Park. In dry passed three stranded trucks and weather, the park is a day's drive from Canberra. one caravan. We helped push a van out of the ditch. The occupants had spent a miserable night on the side of the road. Thanks to the ranger's advice we had chosen our departure time perfectly. By the judicious use of speed and by avoiding deep mud and ruts we reached Mossgiel (a handful of old houses) within a couple of hours. There the soil from which the road was carved changed from clay to something sandier. We got petrol and food at Ivanhoe and reached Kinchega National Park, by the Darling River and Menindee Lakes, at sunset. Roger Green HABITAT

Diamond Ci*ee k may stil 1 be logged Duea National Park is a land­ middle, jumping from rock to rock Of course logging the upper part of scape of dry, rugged peaks and or strolling along shingle banks the catchment would affect the twisted, tangled valleys on the es­ covered with a foot of water. The lower parts with erosion and silta- carpment between Canberra and banks are lined by tall trees and tion. And the wild quality of the the south coast of New South vines under a canopy of tall euca- whole would be spoilt. Wales. It is hard country that lypts. The forest is wet sclerophyll This has been the source of a con­ does not attraction much public rather than rainforest but even flict within the New South Wales attention. But to bushwalkers it that level of moisture is surprising Government. After representations is a mecca of challenge and, just in the rainshadow which covers from the NSW Federation of occasionally, lush beauty. most of Deua. The leeches seem to Bushwalking Clubs, the state Diamond Creek is on the edge of come from far away. Minister for Natural Resources, Ian Deua National Park. In a wilder­ Progress down the stream is im­ Causley, last year wrote to say that ness where most of the streams peded by a series of waterfalls. logging of the area was still under twist and turn, it is straight. In Impeded may not be the right consideration. The Minister for country that is dry and dusty, it is word. On a hot summer's day the Environment, Tim Moore, had a moist. In land where the trees scramble down from the top of the different view. He stated that the and gnarled and scrubby, its fall is rewarded by a refreshing Forestry Commission had agreed to forest is tall. As the name sug­ shower in the pool at the bottom. delay all operations in the area for gests, it is a jewel. Dressed again, the wayfarers the next ten years. It is also very popular with travel to the top of the next water­ The federation has nominated the bushwalkers. During a recent fall to inspect the view. In this catchment as part of the Deua wild­ weekend walk there I met groups fashion the day walk along the erness area. The state's wilderness from Sydney and the south coast, length of the creek can easily legislation would offer some protec­ as well as our party from stretch into a weekend. tion to the land outside the nation­ Canberra. The route down the There is just one problem: only al park. However the best solution creek is becoming a beaten track. the lower part of Diamond Creek would probably be to add the re­ Diamond Creek is accessible is contained in Deua National mainder of the catchment to Deua from logging roads and snig Park (a park created from land National Park. Submissions made tracks through the Moruya and the Forestry Commission did not to New South Wales ministers Dampier state forests west of want). The upper part of the could help achieve that end. Moruya. Once you reach the creek stream is in Dampier State Roger Green the easiest walking is down the Forest, and so subject to logging. A Mallee hi mdbook in

Heritage listing procedures [n 1972 the General Conference of International Council of for technical advice on world UNESCO adopted a convention to Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). heritage values of Australian allow recognition and protection of places. sites of outstanding value on a As at December 1988 there were global scale - the 'Convention The process of 315 monuments and sites in­ Concerning the Protection of the inscribing places scribed in the World Heritage List. World Cultural and Natural There are at present eight Heritage', commonly called the on the World Australian places on the World 'World Heritage Convention'. The Heritage List is heritage List. They are: Convention came into force in • Great Barrier Reef 1975. shown below. • Lord Howe Island Group Australia became a signatory to • Willandra Lakes Region of the Convention in August 1974 1. Australian Government sub­ Western New South Wales and there are now 109 State mits nomination to World • Western Tasmania Wilderness Parties. Heritage Committee National Parks 2. World Heritage Committee • Kakadu National Park, Stages World Heritage refers nomination to World 1 and 2 Heritage Bureau for • Australian East Coast Committee assessment Temperate and Subtropical The Convention is administered Rainforest Parks by a World Heritage Committee 3. World Heritage Bureau ob­ • Uluru National Park consisting of 21 nations elected tains advice from IUCN (natu­ • Wet Tropics of North from those nations which are ral places) or ICOMOS Queensland. party to the Convention. The (cultural places) These places are also on the Committee meets once a year, usu­ 4. Nomination assessed at June Register of the National Estate, al­ ally in December, and elections though the boundaries may differ. are held every two years. meeting of World Heritage Australia is the only country to Bureau have served continuously, since 5. World Heritage Bureau makes 1976, as a member of the recommendation to WH Committee. Committee on suitability for The Committee is served by a listing secretariat located in Paris. The Committee has developed a set of 6. Additional information sought criteria to help establish which from Australian Government places are truly of outstanding 7. Decision on nomination at universal value as cultural or nat­ December meeting of World ural heritage. Heritage Committee 8. Nomination accepted for World World Heritage Heritage List Bureau or The executive body of the World Decision on nomination Heritage Committee is the World deferred Heritage Bureau. The Bureau con­ 9. Place inscribed on World heri­ sists of a Chairman, five Vice- tage List Chairmen and a Rapporteur. The or Bureau is elected by the Nomination rejected for World Committee at its annual meeting, Heritage List usually held in June, and holds office until the following meeting In Australia, world heritage mat­ of the Committee. Australia ters, including liaison with the served on the Bureau in 1980-81, States and Territories and the 1981-82, 1982-83, 1984-85 and is a preparation of nominations are current member of the Bureau. handled by the Department of the The World Heritage Bureau is Arts, Sport, the Environment, The Great Wall of China • assisted in this task by the Tourism and Territories inscribed in the World Heritage International Union for the (DASETT). List for its outstanding global Conservation of Nature and The Australian Heritage value Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Commission is frequently asked 1 JULY-SUNDAY WALK (2/A) 29 JULY-SATURDAY SKI TOUR (2/A) GOOGONG RESERVOIR / HELL HOLE KIANDRA/SELWYN AREA REF: CABRAMURRA 1:25 000 ' Outings program REF: HOSKINSTOWN 1:25 000 LEADEN STEVEN FORST PH 274 8426 W 251 6817 H LEADER: PETER ROE PH 291 9535 Contact leader early for details of this easy ski tour of about July to September 1990 Meet at the Woolworths Car Park Queanbeyan at 8.30 am. 12 to 14 km depending on snow conditions, in the the north­ A 14 km walk with panoramic views of Canberra, Quean­ ern end of Kosciusko National Park. An excellent follow-on beyan and Googong Dam then continuing down into a deep to the beginners ski day. Numbers limited. 400 km drive. cutting to the Hell Hole on Bradleys Creek. 25 km drive. 4 AUGUST-SATURDAY SKI TOUR (2/A) 5 JULY-THURSDAY WALK (1/A/B/C) REEDS HILL AND SURROUNDS REF: CABRAMURRA 1:25 000 THE PYRAMID TO GIBRALTAR PEAK LEADER: NEVILLE ESAU PH 286 4176 REF: TIDBINBILLA 1:25 000 Contact leader for details by Wednesday. A day trip in the LEADER: SHIRLEY LEWIS PH 295 2720 Kiandra area possibly visiting Reed Hill and surrounds. Meet at Kambah Village Shops at 9.45 am. A pleasant Not suitable for absolute beginners but suitable for anyone walk, starting with a climb through open forest and a small else interested in an easy day tour. As always, subject to section of scrub to the Pyramid, then along tracks and fire- change, postponement, or cancellation due to snow or trails to Gibraltar Peak. Good views of the valley and the weather conditions. 400 km drive. surrounding mountains. A car shuffle will be necessary. 60 km drive. 5 AUGUST-SUNDAY WALK (1/A/C) ORRORAL AERIE REF: RENDEZVOUS CREEK 1:25 000 8 JULY-SUNDAY WALK (2/A) LEADER: LIN RICHARDSON PH 241 5498 SHOALHAVEN GORGE REN CAOURA 1:25 000 Meet at Kambah Village Shops at 8.30 am. The walk LEADER: STEVEN FORST PH 274 8426 W 2516817 H of 8 km starts up the valley from the entrance, crosses the Meet just past the Dickson Traffic lights on Northbourne river and climbs through forest to the prominent rocky peak Ave at 8.30 am. A 12 km walk into the spectacular Shoalha­ 1.5 km east of the old tracking station. A good rock platform ven Gorge near Tallong. Most of this walk involves climbing gives an excellent view over the valley. Return down the Outings guide up or down. Great views. Total climb of 680 metres. Lunch northern slope then swing out into the valley. 80 km drive. DAY WALKS carry lunch, drinks and protective clothing. on the river. 250 km drive. PACK WALKS two or more days, carry all food and camping 7 AUGUST-TUESDAY WALK (1/A/B) requirements. CONTACT LEADER BY 12 JULY-MEETING SOURCE OF SAWPIT CREEK REF: ACT 1:100 000 WEDNESDAY. WALKS SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING LEADEN BOB STORY PH 281 2174 CAR CAMPS facilities often limited or non-existent. LEADER: STEVEN FORST PH 274 8426 W 251 6817 H Meet at Kambah Village Shops at 8.30 am. A 10 km walk to Vehicles taken to site can be used for Meet at 46 Wybalena Grove Cook at 7.30 pm to plan the source of Sawpit Creek with a 500 metre climb. Please camping. BOOK EARLY WITH LEADER. the Spring Outings Program. contact leader by Monday evening for further details if pro­ Other activities include nature rambles, environmental and posing to join the walk. field guide studies and ski tours. 15 JULY-SUNDAY WALK (2/A) CASUARINA SANDS TO BULGAR CREEK REF: ACT 1:100 000 11/12 AUGUST-SKI TOUR (2/A) Walks gradings LEADER: OLIVE BUCKMAN PH 248 8774 BROKEN DAM HUT REF: SELWYN SKI TOURING MAP Meet at the corner of Eucumbene Drive and the Cotter LEADER: STEVEN FORST PH 274 8426 W 251 6817 H Distance grading (per day) Road at 9.00 am. A16 km walk on tracks above the Mur­ Contact leader early for details. A weekend ski tour camp­ 1 - up to 10 km rumbidgee to a lunch spot near Bulgar Creek. 40 km drive. ing in or at Broken Dam Hut (above the snowline). Good 2 -10 km to 15 km views from Tabletop Mountain. The route from Mt Selwyn 3 -15 km to 20 km 21 JULY-SATURDAY SKI TOUR (1/A) and return is fairly easy and would be okay for those who 4 - above 20 km. BEGINNERS SKI TRIP REF: PERISHER SKI TOURING MAP have never carried a full pack on skis before. Subject to can­ Terrain grading LEADER: STEVEN FORST PH 274 8426 W 251 6817 H cellation due to weather or snow conditions. 400km drive. A - Road, firetrail, track Contact leader early for details. An easy introduction to B - Open forest cross country skiing suitable for the beginner. Numbers 12 AUGUST - SUNDAY WALK (3/A/C) C - Light scrub limited. Subject to alteration due to snow or weather condi­ MT GUDGENBY AREA REN RENDEZVOUS CREEK 1:25 000 D - Patches of thick scrub, regrowth tions. 400km drive. LEADEN LEN CROSSFIELD PH 241 2897 E - Rock scrambling Meet at Kambah Village shops at 8.30am. A walk of about P - Exploratory. 16km around if not up Mt Gudgenby for excellent views of The walks program contains additional information. If Namadgi. 100km drive. necessary, contact the leader. 18/19 August-Pack Walk (3/A/E/F) September-Saturday Walk (2/A) ^ Yadboro River from Wog Wog Ref: Corang 1:25 000 Devils Peak Ren Cotter Dam 1:25 000 Appreciation expressed... Leader: Philip Gatenby Ph 254 3094 Leader: Les Pyke Ph 281 2982 The walks subcommittee would like to express its Contact leader by Wednesday for details. A partly explora­ Meet at the corner of Eucumbene Drive and the Cotter Rd appreciation of the work put in by Gladis Joyce who, over a tory walk from Wog Wog to the Yadboro River via the sad­ at 8.30 am. A 10 km walk along the fire trail from Blundellsnumbe r of years, has been our midweek walks coordinator. dle between Carowie Brook and Freemans Creek. Return Flat, with a steep 300 metre climb to the peak. Views of Gladis has done a marvellous job and has greatly reduced along the Yadboro River to the Wog Wog track Total climb Canberra and surrounds. 60 km drive. the workload of the program coordinator. about 700 metres. 300 km drive. 9 September-Sunday Walk (3/A/C) ... and help wanted 19 August-Sunday Walk (2/C) Emu Flat to Mt Lincoln Ref: Corin Dam 1:25 000 A midweek walks coordinator is urgently required by the Pierces Creek Falls Ref: Tidbinbilla 1:25 000 Leader: John Webster/John Hook Ph 241 4646 subcommittee. The shoes to be filled are quite large but the Leader: Lyle Mark Ph 286 2801 Meet at the Kambah Village Shops at 8.30 am. A walk out only mandatory qualification is an ability to win friends Meet at the corner of Eucumbene Drive and the Cotter Rd along the Smokers Flat firetrail then through open forest to and influence people. Salary: negligible (respect and title at 8.30 am. A 14 km walk along the Hardy Range Firetrail examine some unique stands of trees in this area. 100 km only). and through open forest. Optional 50 m steep descent to the drive. base of the falls. Return via Cotter Hill trig and the pipeline track. 40 km drive. 15/16 September-Pack Walk (2/A/C) Tantangara Ref: Tantangara 1:25 000 25/26 August-Pack Walk (2/A) Leader: Di Thompson Ph 288 6084 h 284 5043 w Budawangs Track Maintenance Ref: Corang 1:25 000 Contact leader by Wednesday for details. A walk to Wityes Leaden Di Thompson Ph 288 6084 h 284 5043 w Hut. An easy walk mostly on trails, or through frost hol­ Please phone leader 1 or 2 weeks prior to the trip. More oflows . Search for other hut ruins, possible climb to gain ex­ the same work carried out on previous trips: laying logs, tensive views of Tantangara Dam. 400 km drive. digging drains, possibly pruning Hakea and doing other earth works. As Nowra NPWS is providing transport to the 16 September-Sunday Walk (1/A/C) campsite and rangers to assist, I need to be able to guaran­Coree Area Ref: Cotter Dam 1:25 000 tee numbers at least one week beforehand. Please phone Leader: Lin Richardson Ph 241 5498 early. All welcome. Meet at the corner of Eucumbene Drive and the Cotter Rd at 8.30 am. The 8 km walk starts from Blundells Flat and 25 August-Saturday Walk (2/A) follows fire trails most of the way, with a little open scrubby Perisher Valley Ski Tour forest near the end. The lunch spot offers some interesting Ref: Perisher Ski Touring Map scrambles in this delightful new spot, while if the weather Leader. NeviUe Esau Ph 286 4176 is favourable others may like a swim in a rock pool. Return Contact leader by Wednesday for details. Hopefully visiting by fire trail. 80 km drive. the Porcupine, snow and weather permitting. 400 km drive. 23 September-Sunday Walk (3/A/C) j Points to note 1 September-Saturday Walk (3/A/C/F) Stockyard Spur to Gingera Ref: Corin Dam 1:25 000 New faces to lead, new places to go. Please help keep our Booths Hill Leader: Len Crossfield Ph 241 2897 outings program alive by volunteering to lead a walk occa­ Ref: Michelago 1:25 000 Colinton 1:25 000 Meet at the corner of Eucumbene Drive and the Cotter Rd sionally. Telephone the walks convenor, Steven Forst, on Leader: Philip Gatenby Ph 254 3094 at 8.30 am. A steep (very) climb up Stockyard Spur (900 (06) 251 6817 (h). Contact leader by Thursday for details. A walk up Booths metres total) then along the ridge to Mt Gingera. Magnifi­ All persons joining an outing of the National Parks Asso­ Hill and also visiting other parts of the Booth Range rime cent views, cloud permitting. 80 km drive. ciation of the ACT do so as volunteers in all respects and permitting. A total climb of about 800 metres. 100 km drive. as such accept sole responsibility for any injury howsoever 29/30 September/1 October-Pack Walk (2/D/E/F) incurred and the National Parks Association of the ACT, 2 September-Sunday Walk (2/A/C) Northern Budawangs Ref: Endrick, Nerriga 1:25 000 its office bearers and appointed leaders are absolved from Rendezvous Creek Aboriginal Paintings Leader: Pat & Eric Pickering Ph 286 2128 I any liability in respect of any injury or damage suffered Ref: Rendezvous Creek 1:25 000 Contact leader by Tuesday for details. A 2 to 3 j whilst engaged in any such outing. Leaden Beverley Hammond Ph 288 6577 day walk in the northern Budawangs. Taking in Bainbrig I The committee suggests a donation of TEN cents per kil- Meet at Kambah Village shops at 9.00am. A 12km walk Creek, Bulea Brook, Picture Canyon, Sassafras Peak and | ometre (to the nearest dollar) be offered to the driver by across open paddocks to the paintings above Rendezvous surrounding plateau. Walk will be extended to 3 days if par\ ­each passenger accepting transport. Drive and walk dis­ Creek. 90km drive. ticipants agree. 300 km drive. tances quoted in the program are approximate distances for return journeys. PROTOCOL

The Register of the Differences between World Heritage and the National Estate Register of the National Estate The Australian Heritage Commission, a statutory authori­ The following chart shows some of the differences between world heritage ty, advises the Federal listing and listing on the Australian Register of the National Estate. Government on the identification and protection of the National Estate. Register of the World Heritage List 'National Estate' means all National Estate those places which Australians have identified as worth keeping. Administration Australian Heritage Department of the Arts, More formally, the National of legislation Commission Sport, the Environment, Estate is all those places with Tourism and Territories 'heritage value' and is defined in the Australian Heritage Nomination Any individual/group Australian Government Commission Act as: 'those places, being components Values National estate Outstanding universal of the natural environment of significance - local to value Australia, or the cultural environ­ international value ment of Australia that have aes­ thetic, historic, scientific or social Types of value Natural and cultural Natural and cultural significance or other special value for future generations, as well as Criteria Australian Heritage World Heritage Committee for the present community'. Commission

Nomination process Assessment Australian Heritage World Heritage Bureau Commission 1. Any individual/organisation submits nomination to Decision on Australian Heritage World Heritage Committee Australian Heritage listing Commission Commission Tenure No change in tenure No change in tenure 2. Australian Heritage Commission assesses nomina­ Commonwealth YES: for Commonwealth YES: Commonwealth has tion (Evaluation panels, ex­ obligations proposals affecting places obligation to protect world perts, in-house) listed in the Register, heritage values under 3. Decision on nomination at Commonwealth Ministers, World Heritage Commission meeting departments and authori­ Convention and the World ties must seek prudent and Heritage Properties Act by 4. Gazettal and public notice of feasible alternatives, mini­ ensuring appropriate proposal to list (Placed on mise adverse effects and management Interim List of the Register) seek advice of the 5. Three month period for objec­ Australian Heritage Commission for activities tions/comment having a significant ad­ 6. Objection to proposed listing verse effect (Section 30, or Australian Heritage No objection to proposed Commission Act) listing 7. Reassessment of interim- State/Territory None No legislative obligations, listed area obligations but day-to-day manage­ ment is carried out by 8. Reconsideration at State/Territory in most Commission meeting cases 9. Gazettal and public notice: Placed on Register Local Gov't None None obligations or Remove from Interim List Private Owner None None Reprinted with permission from obligations Education Notes, Australian Heritage Commission, Canberra. BRIEFS

Bring your slides Heritage walk Roy Tait: to the AGM along Naas Creek conservationist. The Association is seeking to One small triumph on the heri­ The sudden death in his native borrow slides and photographs, tage walk in April along the Naas Brisbane on 26th February 1990 of and to obtain brief descriptions of Creek led by Steve Forst was the James Roy Tait has broken a link trips and activities undertaken by identification of the remains of a with the early years of the members this year, for use at the milking bail next to the remains National Parks Association ACT annual general meeting in of Alexander Brayshaw's Hut Incorporated. August. The aim of the collection dating back to at least 1879. No Roy was the Association's first is to display the variety of activi­ member of the party had sighted Public Officer. His experience ties in which members take part. this particular piece of history made him a most suitable member The collection is not confined to before so we felt rather pleased to hold that pioneer office. After NPA activities; members are in­ with ourselves. We were unable to early years engaged in the timber volved in many private trips to na­ locate another hut built by the industry in Queensland, he spent tional parks and other areas of same Alexander Brayshaw a few the rest of his working life in the environmental interest, in years later so I'm sure there will service of the Queensland and Australia and overseas. be some quiet searching by those Commonwealth Governments. We hope to assemble maps of the who took part in this walk to sat­ Following graduation in commer­ region, of Australia, and of the isfy their own interest in the area. cial studies at St Lucia his atten­ world pointing to the areas visited tion had turned to a wide range of and with brief descriptions of active study and participation in trips, special environments or en­ conservation issues. vironmental issues. Packing the NPA This background supported a The philosophy motivating the modest contribution when fellow display is that the Association is Bulletin committee members of the early not just the activities which are of­ After years of Stirling service sixties gained the benefit of his ficial, but is the sum of all mem­ Peter Roe is retiring from the job knowledge of Public Service 'chan­ bers' activities and interests. of organising the packing of the nels' and of his ability to look ob­ Those who are active in the Bulletin. We all thank him for his jectively at the processes of Association are aware of the exis­ efforts. dealing with the several ACT tence of this wealth of knowledge Departments which then dealt and experience but few would with NPA submissions. Roy's time know more than a fraction of what as Treasurer of the fledgling our fellow members are doing. Association resulted in a puctil- ious and capable accounting which easily translated into the require­ ments for the necessary and im­ portant step of legal incorporation. His friends, both within and out­ side NPA, remember a generous and cheerful companion, always interested and intrigued by people and places. In his later retirement years in south Queensland he maintained that broad interest de­ spite the restriction imposed by the need for skilled and opportune eye surgery extending over some years. Just into his eighty-first year, still making the most of life and sharing his enthusiasms with family and friends, he was making plans for travel and the future. It is some consolation to know that he left us as we best remember him, still outgoing in pursuit of ideas, travel plans and heritage and environment issues, and, as Sixty-eight members of the public and the NPA gathered around the always, busily engaged in the care chimney of Potters Hut, near Grassy Creek in Namadgi National Park in of gardens and of the wider April. The hut was surveyed in 1889. Charles Potter (1850-1915) was a landscape. stonemason and was responsible for building some churches in Cooma. Photo Reg Alder. Brian Hammond to know anything else about the Thank you for Association contact a member of Alps books being a member the committee or drop into the Klaus Hueneke of Tabletop Press, author of Huts of the High Subscriptions for 1990/91 office for a chat or a browse through the library. For opening Country and Kiandra to will soon fall due. Your mem­ hours see page 2. Kosciusko, specialises in locating bership is vital to maintain­ and selling books on the ing the efforts of the New members are: Australian alps. The Association Association to protect and Lucille Atkins, Ainslie has his catalogue and can order Roger Abbott, Jamison books at discount rates. If you extend national parks and to would like to be on the Tabletop take raise community aware­ W & J Abernethy, Hughes Michael Clough, Page Press mailing list write to 40 ness conservation needs. J Cleland & family, Campbell Miller Street O'Connor ACT 2601. Please complete the renewal George & June Croff, Red Hill form enclosed in this Michael Bennett, Monash Advertising rates Bulletin and return it to the Camilla Bennett, Deakin Black-and-white camera-ready office as soon as possible. Paul Farrelly, Farrer artwork: N Hosking, Cook $140 full page M & R Howard, North Curl Curl $75 half page $50 one-third page New members Paul & Mary Herbert, Cook $2 per column centimetre The Association extends a warm Matthew Higgins, Hughes Add 50 per cent for typesetting and welcome to new members. We look A & M Lewis, Yarralumla design. forward to meeting you at walks or Ray Leigh, Farrer Subtract 10 per cent for annual talks. Remember that much of the Rosemarie Millar, Higgins bookings. R & V Oliver & family, Spence Inserts supplied: $120 for 10 grams or conservation work of the less. Association is done in subcommit­ R Peris, Narrabundah Joan Revill, Weston For further information telephone tees which anyone is welcome to Laraine Frawley on (06) 257 1063 R & G Warren & family, Flynn join. Contact one of the convenors before 2pm on Monday, Tuesday or listed on page 2. If you would like Terry Whatman, Mittagong Thursday, or Roger Green on 247 0059. KAKADU- Kimberiey Leave your winter worries behind while you explore one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in Australia. Step out of the vehicle and walk back into a land that time forgot. Trails are non-existent. The only signs of man are rock paintings done tens, hundreds or even thousands of years ago.

Flowers line the banks as you make your way along clear streams, stopping for yet another swim when a pool is just too inviting to resist. Gorges and waterfalls add to the beauty of this wondrous land.

Short sleeves suffice by day. At night, you sit quietly around the campfire before snuggling down in your sleeping bag under a blanket of stars. From the rugged escarpment of Kakadu to the rounded domes and deep gorges of the Bungles, Willis's Walkabouts has something to suit every bushwalker.

Willis's Walkabouts offers extended bushwalking trips throughout Kakadu and ^ • the rest of the NT, the Kimberiey, and even overseas to Alaska and the Yukon and South America. Write for the full 1990 program.

12 Carrington Street Millner, NT 0810 Phone: (089) 85 2134 Calendar JUNE Thursday 14 Namadgi subcommittee meeting, Tony Winsbury, 3 Avery Place, Fraser, 2585341(h) 2468486(w) Thursday 21 NPA general meeting 8pm Thursday 28 Environment subcommittee: Contact Jacqui Rees, 2958567(h) for venue details

JULY Monday 2 Publicity and Education subcommittee Jill Roberts, 84 Wiltshire St, Dickson, 2491390(h) 2724192(w) Thursday 5 Committee meeting 7.30pm 87 Shackleton Circt, Mawson Thursday 12 Outings subcommittee meeting 7.30pm, 46 Wybalena Grove, Cook, Steven Forst 2516817(h) 2748426(w) Thursday 19 NPA general meeting 8pm Thursday 26 Environment subcommittee: Contact Jacqui Rees, 2958567(h) for venue details

AUGUST Thursday 2 Committee meeting 7.30pm 87 Shackleton Circt, Mawson Monday 6 Publicity and Education Committee Jill Roberts, 84 Wiltshire St, Dickson, 2491390(h) 2724192(w) Thursday 9 Namadgi Subcommittee: Venue to be arranged Contact Dugald Monro 2318776(h) Thursday 16 NPA Annual General Meeting 8pm Thursday 23 Environment subcommittee 7.30pm 43 Fitchett St, Garran, Tim Walsh 2851112(h) 2741465(w)

NPA Bulletin POSTAGE National Parks Association of the ACT GPO Box 457 Canberra 2601 PAID Registered by Australia Post AUSTRALIA Publication number NBH0857

General meetings

Held at 8pm, room 1, Griffin Centre, Bunda Street, Civic.

June 21

Professor Ken Taylor, of the University of Canberra, will talk about the landscape of Canberra.

July 19

Mr Steve Jamieson of J&H Equipment will talk about modern bushwalking equipment.

August 16 Annual General Meeting A members' evening, with a showing of slides, printed photographs, and accounts of trips and other activities of members which will be of interest to other members.

Pnnied by Union Oflsel Co Ply Ltd. Canberra