THETHHE NEWSLETTER OFF CANBERRCANBERRAA BUSHWALKINGBUSU HWALKING CLCLUBU it VolumeVolume 443,3, Number 10 November 220080
CCanberraanberra Bushwalking ClubClub IncIn PO Box 160 Canberra ACT 2601
GENERAL MEETING 8pm Wednesday 19 November 2008
Looking after your feet Presenter: Allan Donnelly Allan will talk about foot mechanics and what your foot does over different terrains, on track, off track walking and how they affect the foot differently. He’ll also cover the fi reside topic of boots versus volleys, foot orthotics; when they are appropriate and when they are not, with lots of pictures from trips over the years. Main meeting room, St. John’s Church Hall Constitution Avenue, Reid
Canberra Bushwalking Club it November 2008 page 1 walk more suited to his/her experi- Charles opened a museum in Mal- President’s ence,en would often be critical. So too, parinka. There was a large turnout thethe way the person feels after his/her of locals, VIPs and journalists for Prattle fi rrst walk. We need to ensure that the occasion. Oddly, Prince Charles newne participants are made to feel wore a ridiculous-looking fox-fur welcomewe and comfortable. hat. People were polite not to draw he return of the warmth gives attention to it but one journalist Trise to opportunities that don’t Plan on being at the Christmas Party quietly asked him about it. Prince exist when it is colder but also to on Sunday, 7 December. See the ad Charles said that he was glad to be issues that leaders and participants on page 5 of this it – it is always a asked about it as he had thought it alike need to keep in mind, viz we great evening. rather strange too. He’d left the Pal- do not want any incidents arising Stan Marks ace in London quite early for a fl ight from hypothermia. All participants President to Australia and as he passed the should wear a hat and take plenty of Queen’s bedroom door he shouted water and leaders should consider that he was off to Malparinka to cancelling walks if the temperature open a museum and she shouted gets around 30 degrees. back, ”Wear the fox hat”. Congratulations to Rob Horsfi eld and Walks Rob Horsfi eld his accomplice, the non-destructible Walks Secretary Karen Cody, for completing another Waffl e epic. This time, it was the Black Allan Line, the straight part of the he year has been passing quickly NSW–Vic border. Starting at the Tand the holiday season is not source of the Murray, they walked as far away. Leaders are requested to EEmergencymergency far east as Mt Victoria, some 8.5 km forward their walks for the Dec/Jan/ from the coast. Also participating Feb period as soon as possible. Re- iinformationnformation in various stages were wife Jenny, member that our December it covers he CClub’slub’s EEmergencymergency Informa- Lois Padgham, Glenn Kramer and the time from mid-December to the Ttion sheethidid provides guidance on Keith Thomas. end of February and that there is no what to do when dealing with an On a recent walk, the conversation January issue. We specifi cally need emergency on a Club trip that cannot turned to how to recruit and retain weekend overnight trips for January be managed within the group and new members. The point was well and February. a decision is made to seek outside made that our first contact with At this time of the year we need to help. It is recommended that you interested people is often critical and recall the safety considerations for carry a copy of the sheet in your assistance from the club member walking in hot weather: participants fi rst aid kit. contacted, in making arrangements suitably fit for the task, first aid Contact telephone numbers on the for the person to participate or in treatment for hyperthermia, trips sheet have recently been updated referring them to a leader running a that involve only easy or moderate and its design modifi ed to allow it exertion, appropriate hat, clothing to be used to record information that and ‘sunscreen’ and plenty of water. may be needed by rescue authorities, Most venues at this time of the year including casualty observations. Contents are chosen near water: a wallow in a river or perhaps some surfi ng. A copy of the sheet can be down- 2 President’s Prattle loaded from the Club’s web site 2 Walks Waffl e In recent months a young ACT at www.canberrabushwalkingclub. woman was lost for three days in the 2 EmerEmergencygency informatinformation org.au/documents/Emergency_ Nursery Swamp area. Fortunately, Information_Aug_2008.pdf 2 MMembershipembership mattersmatters she was found and brought out safe 3 R Review:eview: Drought in the and well. Being a committee mem- Terence Uren ber, I was approached by a local Training and Safety Offi cer WWestest MacMacdonnellsdonnells newspaper for a few general remarks 3 HHakeaakea prickles about the Namadgi bush, maps and 4 D Droughtrought in the West guide-books. Subsequently I was MaMacdonnellscdonnells amazed at the extent to which the journalist mistakenly represented Membership 5 C Christmashristmas party ad what I’d said. It reinforced a healthy 6 BBlack-Allanlack-Allan LiLinene skepticism toward much of what I matters 7 R Returneturn to the AnnaAnnapur-pu read in newsprint. Subsequently I was approached again for similar nnas;as; a place of chanchangeg comment and declined; I’d learnt New members: 8 Obit Obit:: HoHowardward CCrockfordrock my lesson! Peter Bink, Penelope Jenkin, Angela 9 Durras weekend On a recent walk we heard mention Magill, Kathryn Smith. 10 From the Archives of Operation Raleigh in the mid Allan Mikkelsen 11 Activity program 1980s and its patron Prince Charles. It brought to mind a story. Prince Membership Secretary
Page 2 – Canberra Bushwalking Club it November 2008 Meg didn’t mention that her knowl- RReview:eview: DroughtDrought edge, planning and experience in the area were essential in ensuring iinn tthehe WWestest that both weeks were successful. When we were any distance from MMacdonnellsacdonnells the starting and fi nishing points we 1155 OctoberOctober 22008008 never saw another soul.
eg MKMcKone’s ’ presentation tti Chris Roper Mof this trip brought back a memorable trip for me as I was one This review (above) is of Meg’s talk of the group who joined her in Cen- on her trip to the West Macdon- tral Australia. Meg provided maps nells earlier this year, presented with routes taken and many photos, at the CBC General Meeting on starting off with the low water situ- 15 October. ation at Ormiston Gorge where we Meg has also written an article on commenced the first week. The her trip. Part 1 was published in the drought conditions were the worst October it. Part 2 is included in this Meg had encountered, having led issue on page 4. a number of trips in the area over Setting up camp en route to the Ochre the past couple of decades or more. Pits Editor Her previous trip was only 2 years Meg’s trip report in last month’s earlier when conditions were some- and this issue of the ‘it’ provides what better. Normally there would plenty of detail of the nature of have been numerous fl owers to be the walks but it was the photos of Hakea prickles seen but this was not the case this trip members that are not so easy year, although one photo of a purple to relate, such as someone fi lling a ‘daisy’ on a canyon wall showed bottle with the diminishing putrid Up the spur panting, how plants can cling to life in such water (not actually used) and the holding on to the regrowth, adverse conditions. agility of one member to avoid the A number of the photos demon- icy cold water of a canyon. The twenty nine in line! strated the dramatic variation in the short movie of Giles Yard Springs colours of the rocks from the almost may have seemed to be just ‘another fl uorescent yellow/orange when the water hole and creek’ but in the Stark burnt alpine ash sun fi rst struck the cliffs and moun- context of the drought conditions it at thirteen hundred metres, tains in the mornings to dull purple/ was a unique sight on this trip. desolate and fierce. grey later in the day. Very similar to Meg recalled the fi rst night of the the range many would be familiar second week where we stayed at with of Uluru. Then there was a shot the Ellery Creek Big Hole campsite. of contrasts with a white gum and Very different from our other camp- High on Mount Tennant, dark brown dead trees in front of sites as most campers had driven bright orange cliffs and azure sky. dark grey clouds massing, rain in with various necessities such as falls This unique landscape looks every radios/CD players. There was one bit as ancient as it actually is. modern comfort at the campsite beyond the beyond. that I was happy to make use of – a Party approaching the north side of fl ushing toilet! A change from dig- Chewings Range ging a hole in Wandering high tors, the sun-baked curving granite cuts blue sky,sky desert surface. I eat my sardines.nes. Unfortunately there were no photos of cam- On TidbinbillaTidbiinbbillla hilltop,hillltoop, els or brum- bies. We heard listen toto silence,sis lence,e, them at night, bask in winterwiinnterr sun.suun. particularly the brumbies who came uncom- fortably close, Hakea pricklesickles and one mem- tired legs ass we stumblestumblee ber even seeing a camel but far down Nurseryry Hill.Hill too elusive to photo. Gerry Jacobson
Canberra Bushwalking Club it November 2008 page 3 wwindind whichwh overnight had sent cold luxuriated in numerous pools big DDroughtrought iinn tthehe eddeddiesies ddown our necks and carried enough to swim laps in. It was WWestest MacdonnellsMacdonnells ooffff anythingany not weighed down, obvious that Plan D i). was out of now bebecamec our friend, cooling us the question and we would have to 2277 JulyJuly toto 9 AAugustugust 22008008 as we ssweatedw up to the saddle. I had head straight for Portals Canyon decidedecidedd a partial rest and clean-up and its crystal clear rock pools the TRIPTRIP 2:2: ElleryEllery CCreekreek ttoo PoPortalsrtals dadayy wawass in order, so we made our next day. Canyon. way round to the north side of the The route west to Portals Canyon Party: Meg McKone, John and Mar- Big Hole where we washed and dried out, then found ourselves is varied and interesting. After garet Cooper, Pat and Eric Picker- meandering round the big bends of ing, John Thwaite, Cynthia Burton, a comfortable campsite in the creekbed for a lazy afternoon. Next Fish Hole Creek, we turned west at Chris Roper, Dianne Thompson, a tributary whose junction is marked Lorraine Tomlins. day we would be loading up with enough water to last us overnight by an extensive rock platform with a Note: Unoffi cial Names are in single in case Fish Hole, 17 kilometres deep crease down its middle which, inverted commas at fi rst mention. further on, was dry. amazingly, contained a quantity of water. It was badly stained but he bus dropped us at Ellery After a beautiful sunrise on the looked drinkable, and we were TCreek Big Hole with 50 litres ochre cliffs of the Heavitree Range, comforted to know it was there, just of water, clean clothes and our food we set off along the road north at a in case… A few kilometres further for the second week. Di, her cut good pace, heading for the purple on, the valley narrows down to a foot now almost healed, had come hills in the distance. As we reached little gorge where once again there out with the bus, and we also met the broad gorge where Ellery Creek was water – two respectable pools, Lorraine who’d had a hard time per- cuts through the Chewings Range, stained by leaves and enriched with suading her Larapinta Tour Guide to we scanned the riverbed for signs mosquito larvae, but the water tasted leave her at the campground before of water. Numerous healthy river OK and it could be useful on our we arrived. After our week of total red gums attested to the presence of return journey. After a rock climb isolation in the Giles area, it was a copious underground supplies and around the pools, we climbed up a culture shock to stay with numerous there were plenty of feral animal spur to a higher level which gave other campers including one friend- prints (horses, cattle and camels) us great views of the sun baked ly group who happily shared their and some stretches of drying mud, range ahead while behind us we loud music late into the night. but only one tiny, dirty pool which could see Peak Alone and the line Having now experienced at first nevertheless gave me some hope of mountains heading off to the hand the dry conditions in the West of water in the tributary which horizon in the opposite direction. Macdonnells, the big question for contains Fish Hole. After dropping Our route took us along low, rocky our second week was whether we our packs at another attractive sandy ridges and down into creek beds would be able to do the exploratory campsite near the junction of ‘Fish at right angles to the range. The part of the trip, heading east along Hole Creek’ (we were, by this stage, drought had taken its toll and instead the north side of the Chewings creekbed connoisseurs), we walked of the fl owers which had softened Range to ‘Peak Alone’ to check out half an hour upstream to fi nd only this harsh landscape on previous the gorges. This stretch was depend- one small pool, fi lthy with camel trips were bare ground, spinifex and ent on fi nding a waterhole which, dung, where on previous trips I’d brown and dying shrubs. At ‘Red though marked on the map and vis- ible on Google Earth, was in a very The narrow summit ridge of the Chewings Range open location in a creek under Peak Alone. I couldn’t be certain it hadn’t evaporated, and nor could I trust the waterholes in ‘Mulga Creek’ which we would need later in the trip. So we opted for Plan D, which had two possibilities – i). do an exploratory day walk east from Fish Hole before heading west to ‘Portals Canyon’, or ii). simply go straight to Portals where, dare I say it, I was by now 100% sure of water. But fi rst we had to get through the Heavitree Range so that we could cross the Alice Valley to the Chew- ings Range. As the gap at the Big Hole was completely filled with icy cold water and surrounded by precipitous hills, the best route was to follow the Larapinta Trail eastwards for three kilometres then through another gap. The niggling Page 4 – Canberra Bushwalking Club it November 2008 Wall Gorge’ we took a little detour After a kilometre or more, having without packs down a small gorge reached the impassable waterfall full of callitris and macrozamias, of the fi nal canyon, whose entrance returning along the top edge for at the top end suggested the name more views of the range. “Portals” as we gazed at it from above back in 1999, we climbed up A gaunt bull provided some extra a side gully and out onto a plateau excitement as we headed down a in the middle level of the gorge creek to ‘Prickly Wattle Gorge’. The beneath the top line of cliffs. It was unfortunate animal had been wan- a great place for lunch and we didn’t dering up and down the one small even have to return via the dreaded valley for some time, it seemed, downclimbs and freezing swims of having chomped off every clump of the canyon, but were able to follow grass, but it still had enough life in around the edge and descend a steep it to give us a scare. Prickly Wattle spur back to camp. Creek looked delightful, with good fl at camping under shady trees (if Next day we climbed to the top of you could ignore the dung) and the range, following a necessarily some pools of water set amongst circuitous route to cross the creeks an extensive grove of brightly in the middle level and fi nd a route blooming prickly wattle, but after through the cliffs at the top. Then some exploration and discussion we Cynthia at the end of a compulsory we walked east along a narrowing decided to move on to Portals just swim in Portals Canyon ridge, hoping to descend at Red over the next saddle. We’d made the Wall Gorge. I had been up to the best choice – a great campsite with colder and colder as we ascended. tops and down again through this the water close by and easily acces- This is one of those times when gorge in 2000, but descending a sible. And the bottom pool, where having a little more avoirdupoids just-explored route and finding animals obviously came to drink, is a decided advantage and with the it again eight years later are two could be used for washing. I eased help of my warm hat I was barely different things, and after a look at myself waist deep into the cold shivering when we emerged from the nearly vertical slopes above Red water from a sun-warmed stretch of the fi nal swim. Some of the leaner Wall Gorge, a retreat via the morn- rock and boldly submerged thrice. members of the party, though, were ing’s steep route suddenly seemed a Strangely, this pool was larger than becoming hypothermic before we whole lot more desirable. But fi rst it had been in the wetter year of were through, or thought we were we gave ourselves plenty of time to 2006, which makes me think that through, as we dressed too soon and take in the view. We could see as far the springs must now be disgorging had to strip again for a fi nal dip. east as the mountains at the top end water that fell on the ranges years Following the fi rst swim is a short of Hugh Gorge, while to the south ago. But without replenishment, chimney up water-sculpted rock to the Heavitree Range was punctuated how long would it take these springs climb over a chockstone, and further by the gaps of Serpentine Gorge, the to run dry? up are more climbs which, though Big Hole and the gap we would be uncomfortably exposed, have good traversing in two days’ time. Back At last we could put down our at camp, Di greeted us with cups of heavy packs for three nights and solid holds. But the glowing red rock walls, powdery white ghost tea and told us about the unusual do two day walks or just wander thin, golden tan snake she’d found. around camp. We couldn’t totally gums and spectacular mountain scenery make it all worth while. There was plenty of time to wash relax, however, as we discovered ourselves and our clothes and dry later the fi rst night when the horses out before nightfall. came in to drink. Every night they returned and though they were only metres away, separated from us by some strategically placed logs, we couldn’t see them, only hear the clomp of their hooves and an CHRISTMAS PARTY occasional snort from a stallion. Fortunately their senses seemed Sunday 7 December, 6pm more acute than ours and no one was trampled. We also heard rock wallabies dislodging rocks as they at the home of leaped around. Alison Milton Portals Canyon is the best I’ve seen 20 O’Sullivan Street, Higgins in the West Macdonnells. A short distance from the campsite and just we provide: barbeques beyond several pristine rock pools you provide: food, drinks, and a ferny dell is the start of the plates, utensils, fold-up chairs
slot canyon and the fi rst of three or