Volume 35 Issue 2 Above Blue Lake, Kosciusko National Park Autumn 2010 Photo: Bob Cox, Watagan Wanderers The thin bit on Vengeance Peninsular, Blue Breaks

Contributions of interesting, especially typical and spectacular bushwalking photos are sought. you don’t want the same photographers all the time, do you?

Photo: Bob Cox, Watagan Wanderers

Swimming pool above Klondalilla Falls, Queensland Great Walks Walk Safely—Walk with a Club

T h e Bushwalker From the The Official Publication of the Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs NSW Volume 35, Issue 2, Autumn 2010 editor’s desk. . . ISSN 0313 2684 e have two hot topics this issue, plus a sad note to the effect that Chris Baxter, founder of Wild and Rock magazines, has died. I knew Editor: Roger Caffin WChris when both he and I were young - I was in the Melbourne [email protected] University Mountaineering Club and he was active in the Victorian Climbing Graphic Design & Assembly: Club, editing their magazine. We often met at the cliff face. He went on to Barry Hanlon found and run Wild and Rock, and became known across for them. We mourn his passing. Confederation Officers: Now for the hot topics. The last issue had some articles about the proposed President: Dodie Green Adventure Activities Standards. I inveighed against the idea that they should be Administration Officer: applied to any volunteer bushwalking activities. We are volunteer bushwalking [email protected] clubs, not commercial ‘Adventure Activity’ organisations. I don’t want ‘adventures’ on my walks! There is some hope that rationality might prevail, in Website: www.bushwalking.org.au the short term at least, here in NSW. Some details are given about this. Otherwise we might end up having to manage accidents as illustrated in the Address all correspondence to: article about Muriel’s accident. Perish the thought - along with the victim! PO Box 119, Newtown, NSW 2042 Read on and see what you think. The second item of really serious interest to all walkers is the action of the The Confederation of Bushwalking government in their management of conservation and National Parks. It would Clubs NSW Inc represents seem that there are malign forces in the system which are hell-bent on turning approximately 66 Clubs with a total membership of about 8,700 our internationally-renown icons of beauty and conservation into money- bushwalkers. making exercises for the benefit of a small number of favoured developers and rip-off merchants. The latest planning document I have seen focuses wholly Formed in 1932, the Confederation and solely on Tourism and Development. OUR National Parks are seen in this provides a united voice on behalf of all document solely as an opportunity for profit. No mention is made of bushwalkers on conservation, access Conservation or future generations. What do these turkeys think we pay all and other issues. those taxes for? Boondoggles? What's more, your Editor actually has some first-hand experience of what is threatened. This must be resisted at all costs! People interested in joining a bush- walking club may write to the Articles for Publication Confederation Administration Clubs and members are encouraged to submit relevant articles, with a very strong preference for [email protected] those with good pictures. Both the author and the author's club will feature in the Byline - this is a for a list of Clubs, but a far more good way to advertise YOUR club. We will also accept articles from outside bodies where the useful on-line list is available at the articles seem relevant to members. Confederation website Articles may be edited for length and content to help fit into our page limit. Pictures should be sent at maximum available resolution: at least 300 dpi, preferably in their original unedited form. www.bushwalking.org.au, JPG, PDF or TIFF formats are preferred. The text should be sent as a plain text file broken up into areas. There’s lots of (*.txt), NOT as a Word file (*.doc). I repeat, please send the pictures separate from the text file; other good stuff there too, including do NOT send them embedded in a Word doc file. Pictures taken from a Word doc file are simply the bushwalking FAQ. not good enough and won’t be published. And, of course, the Editor is always interested in receiving bushwalking books and maps for review. All enquiries should be sent to [email protected] . In addition, we need landscape-format photos for page 2 - inside the front cover. These should be originals, NOT shrunk at all. Otherwise I will have to use my photos. Please note that opinions expressed by authors may not represent the official opinions of the Confederation or any Club. The Editor’s opinions are his own. Roger Caffin, Editor

Su b scri b e to T h e B u sh wal k er Keep u p w i t h al l t h e n ew s an d devel o pm en t s Index h appen i n g i n t h e NSW bu sh w al k i n g scen e fo r o n l y $10 per y ear. Th i s i s t o co ver po st i n g an d Don’t you wish you were here? 2 h an dl i n g: t h e m agaz i n e i t sel f i s free. From the Editor’s Desk 3 Sen d y o u r n am e an d address an d ch equ e o r Proposed Rip-Off of our National Parks 4 m o n ey o rder t o t h e Con fed erati on of B u sh - wal k i n g Cl u b s NSW In c, PO Bo x 119, New - Rowans Hole 6 t o w n NSW 2042. Th e n ew ph o n e n u m ber i s Book Review 9 9565 4005. M ak e t h e ch equ e o r m o n ey o rder Mountains and Molehills 10 pay abl e t o t h e Con fed erati on of B u sh wal k - i n g Cl u b s NSW In c as w el l : pl ease do n o t ab- Diamond Creek 12 brevi at e t h e n am e! Adventure Activity Standards 14 Pl ease i n di cat e w h i ch i ssu e y o u w an t y o u r su b- Letter to the Editor 15 scri pt i o n t o st art w i t h . W e do n ’ t w an t t o du pl i - cat e co pi es y o u al ready h ave.

Volume 35, Issue 2, Autumn 2010 The Bushwalker | 3 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club Proposed Rip-Off of our National Parks Roger Caffin offering, priority projects for development needed in national parks to help them pay include: PRIORITY A (PROJECTS THAT their way. his is quite serious. The Federal and COULD BE DEVELOPED IN THE SHORT - In 2009 the Federal Government State Governments are looking at MEDIUM TERM) These projects are: • Mt commissioned an entity called Australian Tturning our world-famous and Hotham-Falls Wild Walk – has potential to Alps Tourism Master Plan Incorporated to World-Heritage National Parks into be the brands lead product: multi-day prepare a report. After getting past commercial enterprises - surreptitiously. walk with standing camps and ecolodge BRAND this and BRAND that you discover Some recent planning documents (outside national park). Currently subject that this master plan report proposes to obtained by the Colong Foundation have to feasibility assessment. • Rooftop of canvas resorts on the Main Range. For made this clear. These all focus on Australia Walk, Charlottes Pass- Victoria theres a wilderness eco-lodge tourism and commercial opportunity for Kosciuszko – multi-day walk with proposed for a Great Walhalla Alpine private profit, not on conservation. standing camps • Mt Buller-Razorback Walk and wilderness accommodation for First we have the “AUSTRALIAN ALPS Spur Epic Mountain Bike Ride – could be a Wild Walk over the Cross Cut Saw. NATIONAL LANDSCAPE TOURISM first Epic Ride; currently After protesting to Minister Garrett I MASTER PLAN”. While developed by a subject to feasibility assessment • was informed that the master plan was private consulting company, it was paid Australia’s highest ride – iconic mountain available online on the Tourism Snowy for by the Federal Government. This bike experience in Kosciuszko National Mountains, North East Victoria Tourism document is utterly focused on how the Park Inc. and Destination Gippsland Ltd Tourism industry can make more money You have got to love the idea of Hero websites from Friday 18 September to out of the Parks. The word conservation Experiences! But yes, this does mean they Monday 19 October 2009. So if you, like occurs 21 times in the document, want to put luxury tourist accommodation me, missed out on providing comment on although 9 of those are in the phrase right into the middle of the Kosciusko this tourist business grab, its your own conservation tourism. Can they be National Park. The NSW Tourism fault, apparently. counted? On the other hand, the word Strategy document confirms this on page inister Garrett also sat on his hands develop (in form or another) occurred 10: Evaluation of priority multi-day Mwhile a tourism master plan for about 230 times. It draws heavily on the walking opportunities in conjunction with Kakadu National Park proposed several NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service tourism partners • Great Solitary Walk, tourist developments for that parks Stone Tourism Strategy, Draft December 2009 Blue Mountains National Park – camping- Country wilderness. And if you read the which is similarly focused. based walk in Blue Mountains NP • Royal tourist promotion supplement to the And just what is the focus? This quote Coastal Track to Illawarra Escarpment – Herald on Saturday 23rd January, you from page 11 of the AAMLTMP covers commercial guided experience • Bouddi may have noted journalist Daniel Scotts much of what is being proposed: The Coastal Trail – links to existing description of his favourite holiday proposed Australian Alps Brand promises accommodation • Solitary Islands Coastal adventure: “I was trekking the Jabula the Experience Seeker a distinctive Walk – links to marine park • Australian Trail through Nitmiluk National Park holiday with immersion in a high country Alps winter/summer backcountry (NT) with maverick guide Mike Keighley lifestyle and landscape. Perhaps this experience – commercial hutbased of Far Out Adventures, and we have just clarifies it (page 14): Experience Seekers experience arrived at our camping spot - a dramatic in general have higher expectations than The Colong Foundation has this to say single drop waterfall. As I cooled off in a traditional tourism markets across the on the matter: Garrett sells out Labors rockpool I heard a helicopter. It landed Australian Alps. They want a mix of national park credentials by Keith Muir In and out stepped Snowy, with an esky full quality accommodation, good food and 2004, a Colong Foundation brochure on of cold beer and hot pizzas.” Similar wine, service and information that is well claimed that the helicopter flights are proposed in the organised and personal, and a choice of tourist industry would soon want to Kakadu tourism master plan. [and see unique experiences geared to their needs. develop the Main Range. Critics alleged below re KNP] But there are problems for the tourism the brochure had grossly overstated the The connection between conservation industry, as noted on page 86: For situation. Not any more. and low impact park use is being example, the construction of roofed Six years later, Peter Garrett, ex-ACF overturned as some of the best bits of accommodation within National Parks is president and Midnight Oil singer, is pristine nature within national parks are prohibited or subject to significant Environment Minister. His appointment developed. Only last November seven restrictions. It has also been indicated that promised so much, but he has supported Queensland national parks were the current NSW leasing and licensing the worst sell out of national park announced for development by Premier application/renewal process for principles to business interests in forty Anna Bligh. commercial operations within protected years. NSW national parks are slated to be areas is complicated for operators and can t a National Parks Australia Council next. There are four Federally-funded be prohibitive. Ameeting last September, Minister National Landscapes to promote tourism What does this translate into? On page Garrett said that national parks need to be in NSW, the Blue Mountains, the Alps, the 103 one option is spelt out for the less constrained by conservation. He Far South Coast and the Border Ranges Kosciusko Main Range area: Charlotte thinks national parks need to raise more rainforests. Tourism master plans have Pass to Kosciusko via the Main Range, funds, rather than relying entirely on the been released for the Alps and the Far guided walk with overnight camping public purse. He is equally insistent that South Coast National Landscapes and accommodation, meals, transfers and the push to increase accommodation and both propose development in national guide (operated by Lake Crackenback infrastructure for high-end tourism is parks. Resort). There is potential to further develop this product into a high yield, iconic Alps experience by: * transitioning to luxury innovative and sustainable in- park standing camp accommodation (exclusive to product guests) instead of more traditional tent-based accommodation (the standing camp may be fully demountable, allowing for complete removal to rest the site during winter). On page 54 of the Report we have: 4.5.2 Potential New Hero Experiences To address gaps in the current product

4 | The Bushwalker Walk Safely—Walk with a Club

The NSW Government is working on are drawn to the horseriding iconology … new legislation to cut the "red tape" that they dont … want to sit in a saddle. Its currently protects our national parks and not about getting on the horse but getting a range of consultant reports to facilitate into the lifestyle and the idea of it all. So, park development are in preparation. uh, maybe a virtual reality game would Only your opposition can stop suffice, save on the greenhouse gases? inappropriate national park development. Tourism isnt even Garretts bag. The Join the working group opposing national only reason hes launching these things is park development. Contact the recent and unholy alliance between [email protected] national parks and the tourism lobby. The Morning Herald on April National parks are no longer conservation 15 had this article ‘Chrome dome in red wildernesses or biodiversity reservoirs or frock shock by Elizabeth Farrelly. (I think refuges but profit centres. National parks she is referring to Peter Garret in the must pay their way. title.) Its the same at state level. A 2008 ... Not until a fortnight ago, when report-to-government by John ONeill cast land, I did hear the engine fade away as Garrett launched the tourism master plan national parks as state-owned tourism though it had been stopped. Some time for Kakadu. assets and criticised the authorities later we heard the engine again as it rose The name says it all. Without wishing uncommercial attitude. and headed down the valley past to harp, I feel obliged to point out the Is this hot air, or for real? On a recent Guthega. term master plan, like master bedroom, walk in the area my wife and I came implies a dominance relationship, with a down from Mt Townsend to Lake Albina am appalled at the thought of doer, and a do-ee. Here, naturally, and then continued along the Main Range Ihelicopters flying around this area at Kakadu is the do-ee. to Mt Twynam. As we descended a such low altitudes, way below the 500 m In 53 pages the word development helicopter landed at Lake Albina at the normally allowed. We were buzzed in a appears 67 times, even across the Stone end nearest Mt Kosciusko. The four manner reminding me of an American Country wilderness, and almost half the passengers spent a lot of time (an hour or gun-ship. Landing passengers at the park is now designated developable area more) wandering around that end of the glacial lakes seems a travesty of the like amoebic dysentery across this remote lake. What they were inspecting I do not concept of our Alpine National Parks. I complete, potentially, with helipads to know. The first two photos show this. suspect they were interested developers deliver your pizza warm and your We headed off towards Carruthers inspecting possible delights for tourism, prosecco cold. Peak. While on the ridge above Club Lake and possible sites for standing camps. Then, just last weekend, Garrett the helicopter buzzed over us at an My mind seethes with outrage. t launched another master plan, one of 15 altitude of between 50 & 100 m, in the pipeline, this time for Kosciuszko inspecting us. The and the Australian Alps, or Kossie and the next photo shows Aussies, as theyll soon be known by the this, and his global audience of high yield experience registration marks. seekers to whom Brand Australia is Then the addressed. helicopter swooped he Australian Alps national landscape down and landed at Tstrategy would be amusing if it Club Lake. The werent so tacky. Replete with random passenger(s) walked wordage - authenticity, respect, integrity, around, and one of honesty, freedom, sensitive … free spirit, them went larrikin, old, wise, craggy, strong, swimming in Club mystical, powerful, gentle, care for the Lake. You can see a environment - it reads like the butchers trail of turbidity in paper gleanings from SWOT Analysis 101, the lake leading to or the stimulus from the Third Graders the bank where he Guide to Haiku. Except even in third is getting dressed. grade theyd get their nouns and adjectives We continued on sorted. over Carruthers They would also be warned off jargon Peak. After a while as the camo of sloppy minds. For here in the helicopter took Kosciuszko-to-be, there are no villages or off from Club Lake hamlets, just destinational clusters and and swept down the service hubs. Local culture appears as Snowy River valley strong Aboriginal product and national towards Hedley parks themselves as brand-related market- Tarn. It descended ready product offering signature nature below the hillside immersion experience. there, out of our Not that experience is recommended. sight. While we Notes the strategy, international visitors could not see it

The Bushwalker | 5 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club

Michael Keats, The Bush Club

Tarpeian Rock, Photo Ian Thorpe

he western edge of the Gardens of the edge. The trade off would come later - and all the other magic mountains Stone National Park does not seem stupendous views. eastwards until they were hidden by Tto enjoy the bushwalker patronage The end of the ridge is a maze of Pantoneys Crown. Such a surfeit of good that it deserves. While it looks remote for complex, interlinked pagodas with things. Sydney-based walkers to access, the compound slots and drops and ramps. As Minutes later we were back in the reality is that in less than 3 hours you can we climbed to our first viewing lookout vehicles and negotiating the deeply rutted have parked the car and be walking in we were gob-smacked by the view. It is section of the Moffitt Trail (about 1.5 km) some of the most spectacular country in unique. The catchment of Coco Creek to the turnoff to Rowans Hole, GR 250 the Greater Blue Mountains National stretches before you for several 192. Here began the more serious part of Park. I led a group of seven keen walkers kilometres. Pantoneys Crown is on the the walk. After checking water supplies on a ‘tasting trip’ to this area on 16th right with the escarpments of Mounts we set off down a recently upgraded February this year. We had a fantastic Genowlan and Airly on the left. The property access road. The cuttings are time as recorded below. perfect cone of the Tayan Peak is firmly in deep and show a good cross section of First of all, where is Rowans Hole? The the centre. The symmetrical knob of strata including a coal seam (about 50 cm ‘Hole’ is located about 3 km due east of Cottage Rock on Mount McLean is clearly thick) and split boulders complete with Ben Bullen and is accessed via the Moffitt seen. On the far horizon Mount Never fossilised ripple marks that record when Trail. It is also the headwaters of Coco Never, Nullo Mountain and Mount the tide went out on a sandy strand Creek, a major tributary of Capertee Corricudgy and all their satellites are in hundreds of millions of years ago. Great River. Why is it called a ‘Hole’? To find a perfect alignment. views of our earlier location on the credible answer we need to go back in Closer and directly north-east is Baal Pagoda Maze were photographed, time to the late 19th century when Joseph Bone Point and the Tarpeian Rock. A turn showing just how high and isolated the Edmund Carne, Government Geologist of of the head to the northwest and Pagoda Maze is. the day, was busy mapping much of this Blackmans Crown comes into view. everal minutes later we entered the country as part of his work in identifying Panning south is Gardiners Hill and Sprivate property known as Rowans the economic potential of the ‘Western behind it Platform Rock. Rowans Hole lay Hole. I was hoping that the owner would Coalfields’. The term ‘hole’ was usually as a green carpet some 200 m below - all be present so I could make myself known reserved for a collapsed volcanic neck, this from our first vantage point. and initially Carne thought that the over- Everywhere on this crest the pagodas Pagodas, pagodas deepened area at the head of Coco Creek crowd one another. The slots are was of volcanic origin. It is not. However convoluted and exciting. We clambered the nomenclature has remained. up and over and in and out in this vast The walls of ‘Rowans Hole’ are natural playground until we reached the surrounded on three sides by cliffs up to further most pagoda of the pagoda 100 m high that include the Tarpeian complex. Here at GR 249 203 is the full Rock and the Moffitt Pagodas. The two cyclorama of visual delectation. In northern ends of the cliffs that are addition to our earlier vision we now penetrated by Coco Creek appear to had the full 360-degree view. A member enclose the ‘hole’, reinforcing the used the occasion and the perfect dramatic effect. weather conditions to film the full circle Come now with me on our journey. It view. was one of those absolutely perfect late At 1000 am we located a pleasant summer walking days, 14 C, the country spot for morning tea on the western side green and freshly washed after days of of the pagodas. Several members were rain with air clarity that occurs about 3 delayed photographing an abandoned times a year. The walk as designed is in Lyrebird nest hidden in one of the two discrete sections. Section 1 is a short elevated cave recesses. During morning but dramatic walk into the Moffitt tea several other members went on Pagodas(1). The vehicles were parked at additional sorties of exploration. It is GR 244 209 on a bend on the Moffitt Fire that kind of country - it was hard to sit Trail. still. A long abandoned road leads generally fter morning tea it was time to southeast along the crest of a gently Aexplore an interesting isolated rocky undulating ridge in open eucalypt forest. knob to the north, GR 249 206. A short After less than ten minutes several large 200 m walk coupled with a 2 m ascent rocks appeared directly in front of us. The and we had an uninterrupted view north aim was to reach the very southern end of of the Capertee Valley, including the ridge, so it was with discipline that we Blackmans Crown, Pearsons Lookout, resisted the temptation to go directly to Mount Airly, Airly Gap, Mount Genowlan

6 | The Bushwalker Walk Safely—Walk with a Club and explain our mission. (It is easy to had gone off on a mission to find avoid entering the property at all.) That Tarpeian Rock. was not to be. Although there is a fairly A fascinating riddle immediately new prefabricated building it was locked before us was part of a very old fence. It up. There were no livestock apart from was a serious fence indeed, being nearly 2 kangaroos and the place had the feel of m high and having 8 strands of wire being used as a lifestyle retreat on a very including 3 of barbed wire, with the occasional basis. The residual stock-yards lowest three strands close to the ground and other equipment looked old and and only 100 mm apart. It appeared to be unserviceable. designed to straddle the saddle although A very old track led away from the we did not bother to follow it. A check of house, crossing and recrossing the the first edition Ben Bullen topographic boundary to the east. It soon disappeared, map provides no answers. All shown but the open forest was easy to negotiate surveyed portions are well to the west. and rapid progress was made. We crossed After a compelling photo session we an unmarked creek at GR 265 196 and went into climbing mode once more and headed north, climbing steadily all the headed to the top of what we initially time to GR 266 199. Here we picked up believed was the Tarpeian Rock. You see, an animal pad that at times had the the first edition of the Ben Bullen makings of a walking track. From this topographic sheet shows the spot as point the rate of climb accelerated, 120 m Tarpeian Rock but the second edition has being gained in the next 300 m. The now it relocated 400 m further south. While very well defined track hugged the base of the name may have been in contention the cliffs. The open forest provided the position and the view were never in fabulous views of the cleft-ridden pagoda question. cliffs to the immediate north – there is a t is glorious spot presenting a double Yet more pagodas lot of exploring to do in this country. Ihead. The back head has a cave A saddle dividing the Jews Creek overhang while the front head is a watershed from the Coco Creek watershed massive, suspended rock platform with Which of the two platforms to choose is where the track takes a 180-degree great views including the fabulous for lunch? The party was almost equally turn. The views to the north and complex of pagodas that I had been divided so I suggested we resume in 40 northwest were just superb. Stephen had previously advised were ‘Moffitt Pagodas’. minutes giving everyone time to enjoy pushed on fast to get to this point, and That is incorrect: they are unnamed and I both spots. After consulting the first and was busy with his sketching pad when we am suggesting that this complex of second edition maps and seeing the arrived. Equally fleet of foot, Dave Dash pagodas be called the Pagoda Maze. difficulty in determining the correct

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The Bushwalker | 7 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club location for the Tarpeian Rock, I of slots and runnels and points and determined to call this rock at GR 268 caves and overhangs. Keeping each 199 the Palatine Rock, after the Palatine other in sight was a major exercise Hill that adjoins the Capitoline Hill in and auditing that we were all together ancient Rome, The Tarpeian Rock was took time. The most complex section located on the Capitoline Hill. It is a is close to the northern cliff edge. Lots suitably appropriate and consistent of testing preceded each move classical name for a very magic spot. forward with some of the party Leaving was hard but we had lots more climbing high for a view and some to explore. We followed the crest of the testing long slots for ways down. A lot ridge headed southeast to GR 271 197. It of these exploratory adventures simply was here on looking back that we realised ended in unscaleable drop-offs. that the real Tarpeian Rock was back a fter about 20 minutes in the 'deep few metres and further west. At 1310 we Apart' it was clear that a lot more stood on the true Tarpeian Rock(2) and than two hours would be necessary to gazed at the Pagoda Maze. The Maze really find a way through. Regrettably makes an awesome sight and just begs to we had to abandon a full-on be explored. Dave advised that, based on exploration, and ultimately headed experience, once you enter the this maze out along a north south trending ridge you need a minimum of 2 hours to get towards the Moffitt Trail. Even doing out, plus the necessary patience and this was exciting and we enjoyed a lot strength to climb up and down many of very special experiences. Planning a times to verify whether the way you are base camp and really spending time travelling will work. Before leaving could be very rewarding to explore Tarpeian Rock we noted some very deep and map the pagodas and a way of and dark clefts within the Pagoda Maze route. Very detailed aerial photos and we also could hear but not see would be a useful aid. rushing water. For the record we entered the pagodas at GR 271 193 at 1340 and Very shortly we would have to make a OK mighty leader, how do we get out of here? decision as to whether to enter the exited them onto the open spurat Pagoda Maze complex or merely skirt 1425 at GR 269 190: a distance of around the edges. I did have with me a maybe 800 m in 45 minutes. At 1446 we copy of an orienteering map, scale emerged onto the fire trail at GR 266 181. were environmentalists associated with 1:10,000 with 5 m contours that would A brisk walk along the road had us back protection of the Gardens of Stone National t help if we ‘went in’. Ian was all for going at the vehicles at 1515. Park. The name was proposed by the NP&WS in deep and after consultation we decided in January 2007 and has been adopted by the to give it a go. 1 The Moffitt Pagodas were named after Joyce NSW Geographic Names Board. It was real adventure land stuff. There Grace (28/11/1930 – 31/07/1999) and Vern 2 As determined by the NSW Geographic are pagodas on pagodas and a criss-cross Busby (20/03/1924 –15/09/2001) Moffitt who Names Board

8 | The Bushwalker Walk Safely—Walk with a Club Book Review

The Upper Grose Valley - Bushwalkers Business

Michael Keats & Brian Fox ISBN 978 064 647 319 2

here are Guide Books, and after all, and you would sure save a there are massive tomes. 'The lot of weight! TUpper Grose Valley - I have to admit some bias in this Bushwalkers Business' definitely review, as I spent many months falls into the latter class, at 570+ A5 helping Michael and Brian with the pages, in full colour. It includes book, doing my usual edit and detailed maps and descriptions of 59 typeset thing for them. Never mind: walks all around the Upper Grose it is complete (and indexed too). Valley - even a few which I haven't The price is $45.00 per copy plus (yet) done. each walk has access postage and packing. In the Sydney details and a route map based on a metro area P&P is $9.00 per copy; proper topo map with contours. In elsewhere in NSW it is $10.00 per addition the book has the origin of copy. Copies can also be purchased every place name, the European from the address below without history of the valley and many of the postage (or probably by people involved since it was first arrangement from either author on discovered, comprehensive notes on one of their walks with The Bush flora and fauna, climate, fires and Club). floods and much more. Six years of Orders and payment by cheque research went into this book: it is or money order to: very comprehensive. Keats Holdings Pty Ltd At A5 size it could go in your 33 Livingstone Avenue pack, but I suggest it might be much Pymble, NSW 2073 better if you photo-copied the pages for the walk you want to do. It or would be a pity to damage the book from Brian Fox Tel 6332 2590.

Volume 35, Issue 2, Autumn 2010 The Bushwalker | 9 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club Mountains and Molehills

or

How the Bluies prepared me for Everest

Richard Pattison

Everest jetstream

n 19 May 2009 I achieved my toughness. They’ve pushed my boundaries level of flow in Cox’s river, then the lack lifelong dream - I stood on top of in so many ways and allowed me to of drinking water in my pack seemed a Othe world and became only the 49 understand my comfort levels - all of this justifiable reason to fail. But the real th Aussie to do so. How did I get there? to the point where I could descend from reason was my fear, my fear of the An apprenticeship in our very own Blue the summit of Everest alone, with little unknown and whether I was equal to the Mountains became the stepping stone to concern or anxiety. I’ve actually been far task. I turned back then, and I’ve turned my personal achievement. more out of my comfort zone in the Blue back on various routes at various points At first, this may sound bizarre. What Breaks and Budawangs than on Everest! since then. I just couldn’t settle the possible skills can the bush give you that What is all this mental toughness talk? demons in my own mind. But each failure prepare you for weeks of sub-zero Mental toughness is all about controlling adds more determination to return and temperatures, fixed ropes and icy snow your fear and anxiety, being able to stay succeed in that challenge next time, and slopes? How can our hot and dusty tree- calm and as in-control as possible when each successful completion of a new route lined Bluies even remotely compare with things around you aren’t going as planned and new challenge is empowering and the barren landscape and deprivation in and when you’re close to your ‘edge’. Not pushes your boundaries further as you the high Himalayas? The answer is necessarily at the limit of your climbing gain trust in yourself for what you can simple; it’s all in the mind. ability or climbing a run-out line, but deal with. It’s amazing, suddenly you see A bushwalker or climber must possess dealing with certain situations without yourself with new eyes as you complete a many important skills, including panicking. once-terrifying proposition with ease, footwork, balance, navigation, fitness and Many bushwalks occur socially and clearly demonstrating your progress. Your relatively close to roads. As such, plans become more adventurous, and dots there’s a low level of fear in a on the middle of the map with interesting day’s walk. Things can go wrong, names become realistic not futuristic. but with a low probability. But Trips like Possibility Point, Sluice Box what about embarking on a more Falls and Colo river paddling become the adventurous and ambitious weekend norm and traverses of the journey? A week through the Broken Rock Range are a standard Easter untracked Wollemi wilderness? programme. I was in awe of bushwalkers What if you undertake the walk undertaking these trips 5 years ago; now I solo? The fear levels rise, the am one of those bushwalkers. solitude and silence heighten your I climbed Everest by the south col senses. There are so many more route, the route pioneered by the British things that can go wrong: and Swiss in the 1950s which culminated snakebites, falls, broken limbs, with the first ascent of the mountain by sprains, getting lost, running out of water or On oxygen on Geneva Spur food. Being solo means you have no support network (EPIRB aside); you need to deal with problems and anxiety Everest top camp alone. You constantly question your own strength. These must be honed for decisions, and only have yourself optimum performance, safety and to to blame and only you to maximise enjoyment. One skill often comfort your own concerns. taken for granted or overlooked in It’s important to know your training schedules however, is the mind. boundaries. From going How well do you know your boundaries? bushwalking to the Ruined How do you cope with fear in difficult Castle in a merry group to a solo situations such as steep terrain, getting attack on the Three Peaks is a lost, or racing the gathering dusk back to big leap: it’s a leap I wasn’t the car on a new route? How is your ready for at first. I turned back mental toughness? on my first two attempts, finding My experiences in the Blue Mountains an obscure reason both times have greatly developed my mental requiring a retreat. A higher

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Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing difficult areas, although Norgay in 1953. It amazes me that man looking at the anchors stood on the moon only 16 years later: it used I wouldn’t trust was almost easier to reach the moon than many to hold a fall. the roof of the world! I joined an international team of 6 y expedition took 2 months in total: climbers and 2 climbing Mthe long duration provides the sherpas, the cheapest necessary acclimatisation required due to expedition on the the lack of oxygen. The summit of Everest mountain. Over the 2 has just 29% of the oxygen compared to months you become a here at sea-level. If someone was close-knit group, relying transported from sea-level to 30,000ft on each other for social they would become unconscious in and moral support. The minutes and die soon after. But spending sherpas were incredible, time at altitude, gradually gaining more carrying our oxygen height, your body has time to adjust to bottles and tents to higher the lack of oxygen by creating more red camps, yet we still blood cells. In effect you can carry more struggled with 16 kg oxygen. There is also a physiological packs in the rarefied change in the way your body deals with atmosphere. The more oxygen. It is possible to climb Everest expensive expeditions On the summit of Everest without the use of supplement oxygen have 2 climbing sherpas from bottles, but only a small percentage for each westerner, and carpets in their the Greater Blue Mountains - maybe one of humans are strong enough or capable base camp tents! day I’ll discover my own Wollemi Pine or of this. Doing so increases the level of risk It was special to follow in the footsteps Eagle’s Landing. to attract a high altitude illness such a of Sir Ed Hillary. I was in awe of their fluid in the lungs (HAPE), swelling of the effort and bravery in their exploration, o there I am, on Everest at 8,848 m brain (HACE), extreme fatigue or poor their summit attempts were so ‘out there’. Sabove sea level, the cloud and snow decision making. I could hardly imagine their feelings as moved in without warning, reducing Even with supplemental oxygen, on they pushed the limit of human visibility to about 20 m. I drew on all of summit day you still need between 8 – 10 understanding and endeavour along the my bushwalking experience in the remote full breaths just to make the next move south east ridge with 10,000 ft dropping areas of the Blue Mountains to face the forward. Progress is painfully slow, and away on either side. No-one had ever increasing anxiety of my predicament. Not simple scrambling is a major effort in been there, everything was unknown, once on my descent to our high camp at clumpy boots and big puffy down-suits. they might as well have been on the the south col, or the subsequent two-day The climbing has an added element in moon, and the nearest support for rescue descent to base camp, did I feel scared or that you can’t see your feet because of the was at least a week away down in the out-of-control. The Blue Mountains have oxygen mask. For safety, sherpas from western cwm. Their exploration and been my test-ground, and in my toughest different teams join forces to fix ropes to courage inspires me, it inspires me to seek exam yet, in the death zone of Everest, I t the mountain in the most exposed and out and visit remote areas myself here in passed.

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Deua National Park with approximate present boundary in red overlaid on original gazetted 1980 boundary in heavy black. The base map is Nick Fisher’s Rob Jung from the National Parks Journal, April-May 1979. Newer adjacent national parks are indicated in blue.

nland from Moruya on the NSW south coast, lie the rugged escarpment Iforests and ridges of Deua National Park. Its wonderful country, the kind that Myles Dunphy thought compared in quality with his beloved Kowmung, on his walk through there enroute from Nowra to Harrietville in 1920. Later Dunphy proposed a reserve for the area - "the Moruya Ranges and Upper Deua Primitive Area", but it was not until much later that a National Park was gazetted - Deua National Park in 1980. Initially the Park area was 803 km2, but that was drawn up after protracted negotiations with the previous land manager, Forestry. Important though this was, the Park boundaries were expedient more than logical, and did not include important headwaters of stream catchments, such as the upper and upper Diamond Ck. It was only after years of protracted argument, including through the Regional Forest Agreement, that these areas finally were merged within the National Park. For Diamond Ck this happened in 1994 and the upper Deua in 2003. The upper Deua River and upper Diamond Ck have sections of rainforest, featuring in particular Pinkwood or eastern leatherwood (Eucryphia moorei). The Coondella Fire Trail follows part Some areas of former freehold land, such of the watershed of Diamond Ck. as the Bendethera caves area, have also been purchased, although the extent of

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walks of 2 days or longer duration, are possible within these boundaries. In the early 1990's I walked quite extensively in the part of the Park accessible from Moruya, in particular the Upper Deua River, Georges and Diamond Cks. Recently I revisited the area on a weekend walk to Diamond and Coondella Cks. This was in mid March 2010, about 3 weeks after very heavy rain - Moruya's rainfall for February was 420 mm. We followed these Creeks, using the Coondella Fire Trail and its offshoot (GR 612 171) to access Diamond Ck. The old Streamside - Diamond Ck track leading into the upper part of Diamond Ck from the Bendethera / Lt Sugarloaf road (GR 598 133) which I had used previously, is no longer very obvious. Although this upper part is where the A Diamond Ck waterfall most of the rainforest is, it is the lower section which contains all the major waterfalls and with the recent rain they were well worth coming to see. raversing the creek was a slow Tprocess, but we found bypassing all of the drops a straightforward matter. Finding places to camp was not so simple - suitable places were scarce and they were only small and rough. We camped near the junction of Coondella and Diamond Cks. The most pleasant campsite on our walk route was near the area marked as freehold land on the topographic map. This was not marked (incorrectly) on the South Coast Forestry Lower Diamond Ck map. One surprising feature of the walk to me, was how little signs of visitation there were now, apart from the campsite on Diamond Ck at the end of the Coondella Fire Trail branch track (GR 598 170). Our weekend was pleasantly cool, but on a warmer day the many plunge pools would make swimming tempting. It was obvious the stream flow had recently been Forest adjacent to Coondella Ck so much higher; the stream side vegetation was flattened with many tree- limbs piled up. It would have been a place to avoid during the storms! The trip turned out to be a mycologists delight - with many different types of fungi visible. oondella Creek was different. Its rocks Cwere granitic, rather than sedimentary and its course was rather more gentle. Nevertheless it still contained rough sections to traverse. It was also a bigger creek with greater flow. We left it via the ridge at the junction of its first major tributary (GR 574 185). Signs of recent high flow This NE facing ridge was a good one, typically consisting of tall open forests in Coondella Ck with little scrub. One half km further upstream at the next major junction, is reputedly another good exit ridge. these acquired inholding areas, is not as The grid references refer to the extensive as suggested by the recent Bendethera 1:25,000 map with the 1966 South Coast Forestry Map. The Park's grids. The South Coast Forest Map area is now 1220 km2. (1:150,000) shows land tenure, bush The wild nature of Deua is recognised camping and picnic areas and is a useful through its two declared wilderness areas: road map for access. Wild Places (P Burra-Oulla in the NE, which includes Prineas and H Gold, 1983) remains a Diamond and Burra Cks; and Woila-Deua useful useful reference on the Deua in the SW. The latter features that Wilderness area. Further information intriguing peak Mother Woila, as well as about Deua can be found in the NSW Open forest on the exit ridge the upper Deua River. Many excellent Wilderness Red Index. t

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Adventure Activity Standards Part 2 Independent Participants A person who possesses the skills and Roger Caffin knowledge to participate in an adventure activity without dependence on a leader. Please note that I do support the idea that A person who acknowledges the inherent commercial service providers and those risk and assumes responsibility for their offering to look after children should have own safety and welfare. to have some qualifications. Comment: Fortunately the NSW AAS is First we have the opening pages of the now starting to recognise the idea that NSW AAS document where terms are club members are not 'dependent defined, with some comment. Then we participants', but free individuals who look at other parts of the document. accept full responsibility for their own Adventure Activity actions. An outdoor pursuit requiring a wide Introduction variety of skills and equipment to engage The Adventure Muriel’s accident in activities that have inherent risks and Activity Standards (NSW AAS) provides e welcome the progress made from uncontrolled hazards, usually in a natural guidelines for organisations and leaders in WDraft 1 to Draft 2 of the AAS environment. the planning and provision of Adventure documents. Specifically the Confederation Comment: an incredibly vague and all- Activities for dependent participants in welcomes the inclusion of the encompassing definition. I could make a NSW. Independent Participant definition, and case for bush football being included here. Comment: Bushwalking clubs do not the explicit statement in the Introduction For that matter, having a picnic at your 'plan and provide Adventure Activities' that the NSW AAS does not apply to local park could qualify. within the meaning of this. We are Independent Participants. We are very Leader volunteers going bushwalking with friends. pleased to see the replacement of Person upon who dependent * The NSW AAS apply to Dependent Leadership Qualifications with Leadership participants rely upon for the provision of Participants engaged in adventure Pathways which provides for adventure activities. Two types of activities in NSW. * The NSW AAS do not Organisational Accreditation and Peer leadership are applied to adventure apply to Independent participation in Recognition of Leader skills. It is still the activities. Confederation’s view as stated in Draft 1 adventure activities. comments that there should be a clear Adventure Activity Leader Comment: This is where we have to distinction between Commercial and Non- Is a person who * Applies technical make damn sure that the wording does Commercial Operators throughout the skills and knowledge to conduct (without not get changed to remove this guidelines and that the guidelines should direct supervision) an Adventure Activity distinction. not apply to Not For Profit Organisations. for dependent participants. * Provides a 1.1 Activity Description reasonable level of guidance or We are of the view that it is the role of the Bushwalking is the activity of walking instruction to Dependent Participants to Confederation as peak body of in the natural environment that may enable supervised participation in an Bushwalking Clubs in NSW to provide include walks for pleasure, challenge, Adventure Activity. guidelines to clubs on operational issues experience and/or educational outcomes. and risk management. This is consistent Supervising Leader Comment: This seems pretty fair. with our view, as expressed in Draft 1 Is a person who * Provides a However, it is my contention that this comments, that it is the role of the reasonable level of supervision for definition of bushwalking is in direct Volunteer Peak Bodies of each Adventure Dependent Participants during Adventure conflict with the common meaning of the Activity to write activity guidelines on Activities * Exercise a Duty of Care for term 'adventure'. We are not out for behalf of Non-Commercial organisations. Dependent Participants * Initiate an 'adventure'. In this context, note that even These peak body guidelines would appropriate emergency response as the AAS recognises that some walking is provide for all Participants. required done in an urban environment, and Clearly the Adventure Activity Dependent Participants admits that the AAS would not normally Standards issue is an ongoing saga. I have apply. Such a fine distinction! collected and paraphrased some bits and A person who depends upon the leader pieces here for your edification (or for supervision, guidance or instruction to Extended comments by Editor amusement). The responsibility for support supervised participation in an On page 8 of the document there are a anything taken out of context is mine. adventure activity. series of bullet points. Nowhere is it made and BIMBIPARK Individual walkers Do the whole walk from 1 central point Small walking groups or just drop in. 5 day walking package Includes: 5 nights accommodation, Large walking groups 5 shuttles, Linen, Self catered, Self 1 to 7 day walks guided, Standard cabin, off peak. Guided and self guided Cost twin share: walks $395.00 p/p ($780.00 total) Cost triple share: In house shuttle service $290.00 p/p ($870.00 total) Self or fully catered www.bimbipark.com.au - ph (03) 5237 9246

14 | The Bushwalker Volume 35, Issue 2, Autumn 2010 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club clear what these points mean or how they natural water sources in the area and Specifically the Confederation welcomes are to be interpreted. The same applies to devise an appropriate water collection the inclusion of the Independent following sections. Further, many (most) and/or supply strategy Participant definition, and the explicit of these points are ridiculous. I will give Comment: Beforehand???? When we statement in the Introduction that the examples from this first page: have never been there before? What a NSW AAS does not apply to Independent 1: Accurate, up-to-date maps, charts stupid and valueless comment. But Participants. We are very pleased to see and guidebooks are available for the wonderful bureaucracy. the replacement of Leadership intended route and area of operations 8: Assess the hazards at specific Qualifications with Leadership Pathways Comment: Oh yeah? Much of our campsites and activity areas which provides for Organisational walking is done with old unreliable maps Comment: Oh, Drop Bears and AAS Accreditation and Peer Recognition of and no guidebooks. We went through SW bureaucrats, definitely. Mumble.... Leader skills. It is still the Confederation’s Tassie with a sketch map taken from a Now this is what I managed to get view as stated in Draft 1 comments that Tasmanian club magazine. from the very first one of these sections. It there should be a clear distinction 2: Walking tracks are of suitable would be boring and futile to prolong my between Commercial and Non- construction and/or condition to cater for onslaught into the stupidity and inanity of Commercial Operators throughout the ... this document right through every guidelines and that the guidelines should Comment: Huh? Much of our walking section. My point here is that this not apply to Not For Profit Organisations. is done OFF track. Now what? document is in many ways a farce. I hate We are of the view that it is the role of 3: Leaders have recent local think what a QC would do with it. the Confederation as peak body of knowledge or have appropriately Fortunately, some sanity is creeping in. Bushwalking Clubs in NSW to provide researched the intended area Further on in the document it discusses guidelines to clubs on operational issues Comment: Many of our walks are into forms of accreditation. I suspect some and risk management. This is consistent unknown areas precisely because we have Confederation influence may be showing with our view, as expressed in Draft 1 never been there before, and because up here, and will cover that in a moment. comments, that it is the role of the there is very little published information Volunteer Peak Bodies of each Adventure available. Is this to be all killed? Examples of how leader recognition Activity to write activity guidelines on 4: The method and style of route pathways may be applied behalf of Non-Commercial organisations. finding and navigation is appropriate to * a club or community group may These peak body guidelines would the intended consider Peer Recognition and provide for all Participants.’ Comment: A totally pointless statement Verification an appropriate means of - how else do you navigate? Follow the recognising leaders within their context Contrast this with the expected target McDonalds wrappers? and expectations for the AAS: 5: Identify significant “Catching Features” along the intended route Key factors of peer recognition and An adventure activity leader Comment: Definition of ‘catching’? verification process may include but is * Applies technical skills and Does this mean pointy dead sticks or not limited to knowledge to conduct an Adventure lawyer vines? Or is this simply a normal * Recognises the skills of the leader Activity for dependent participants part of competent bushwalker navigation? using an informal process * Assessment is without direct supervision. * Provides a 6: Overnight or Multi-day Bushwalking often informal and conducted in-situ reasonable level of guidance or Activities – overnight supervision, during participation * Is based on the instruction to Dependent Participants to sleeping arrangements and personal experience and judgement of the peer enable supervised participation in an hygiene systems allow for mixed gender who is recognising the leader * Is Adventure Activity. groups and/or participants under 18 benchmarked against organisational Comment: Somehow, this seems utterly Comment: I’m still trying to work out context, expectations and other related disconnected from how a typical Club trip what this means. Just who is meant to experience is run. It's relevance to us? supervise me overnight? Are the The Confederation has ben involved in I could go on for pages, but perhaps supervisors meant to be awake all night fighting this insanity off, as recent that is enough for now? Hopefully our supervising? Minutes of correspondence show: Confederation will keep us out of the 7: Overnight or Multi-day Bushwalking ‘We welcome the progress made from claws of the bureaucracy. You need to Activities - Determine the suitability of Draft 1 to Draft 2 of the AAS documents. emphasise this to your club delegates! t

Letter to the editor On Nomenclature called Science of Man. The editors of this about what part of Australia the words magazine invited readers from all over originally came from. When he was filling Jim Smith Australia to send in Aboriginal place in the apparently "blank" spaces on his Wentworth Falls names from their area. They also sent a maps, Dunphy would select words that he form to police stations throughout liked the sound of and whose alleged Colin Gibson's research on the naming Australia asking them to write out lists of "meaning" seemed, to him, appropriate to history of the Venus Beacon Tor is local Aboriginal place names. Sometimes the topography. That is why we have impressive (The Bushwalker, Spring these lists were published, as submitted, Aboriginal place names from languages 2009). However, the big unanswered in the magazine. However, often the used in other States on our Blue question of his article is why are there editors would literally cut and paste the Mountains maps. names like Boorong Crags, Kolonga Walls place names sent in to create alphabetical In some cases, Dunphy would combine and Moogan Gully in this section of the lists. In many cases these lists failed to words from two different languages to map and hundreds of other Aboriginal give the area or Aboriginal language that create his double barrelled names. Recent names from many different parts of the words came from. Some publishers linguistic studies have discovered many Australia on maps of the Blue Mountains? created booklets of selections from these hundreds of authentic Aboriginal words in How long do we have to live with the lists so that people could use them for the languages of the Gundungurra and nomenclatural fantasies of Myles naming their houses and boats etc. Dharug people who lived in the Blue Dunphy? Dunphy did not use these popular Mountains. Surely it would be more I recently discovered where Dunphy booklets but went directly to issues of the respectful to Aboriginal people to use got his names from. In the early 1900s Science of Man. Like the editors of the these truly local words rather than the there was an anthropological magazine magazine, Dunphy did not care much translocated words of Myles Dunphy.

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