THE CANBERRA BUSHWALKING CLUB INC. NEWSLETTER It GPO Box 160, Canberra ACT 2601 VOLUME 40 May 2004 NUMBER 5
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THE CANBERRA BUSHWALKING CLUB INC. NEWSLETTER it GPO Box 160, Canberra ACT 2601 VOLUME 40 May 2004 NUMBER 5 MAY GENERAL MEETING 8pm Wednesday 19th Rivers and Rainforests From the Budawangs to the Never Never and Beyond Speaker: Steven Shaw Lush green moss, ferns and trees; flooded rivers, waterfalls and rain. These are not contemporary Canberra experiences so come along to the May meeting for something a little different and see Steve Shaw's recent slides featuring the Budawangs and Tasmania. See the Trip Report in the March Edition of it for more information on the Budawangs walk. Robertson Room, St. John's Church Hall Constitution Avenue, Reid Make the most of the evening and join other members at 6.00pm for a convivial meal at the Vietnam Restaurant, 8-10 Hobart Place, Canberra City (opposite Canberra House Arcade, next to Aussie Home Loans) Try to be early to ensure there will be ample time to finish and still get to the meeting in good time walking – we climbed a couple of eg Rob Horsfield’s ‘Father PRESIDENT’S peaks with views in all directions Christmas visits the Schmidt PRATTLE on the Saturday and camped near a House’ and Michael Gorgolewski’s river on her brother’s farm. ‘The Policeman and the Electric The walk of the month for me was Thanks Simon for accommodating Fence’, the moral of which was undoubtedly Lucinda Prickett’s us. Dinner was on a sandy bank in ‘look before you leak, especially at weekend on her family property the middle of the river, regaled by night’. [Ed: An article for it perhaps? near Numeralla. Some magnificent conversation and tall tales but true We can make space next month.] Canberra Bushwalking Club IT May 2004 page 1 Sunday saw us at the Tuross Falls, The temperatures approach zero Our Sincere Sympathy marvellous in the cool and mist. over the next few months, As we drove home along the particularly on overnight trips. As The club wishes to extend its Braidwood Road, the forest Walks Sec. allow me to encourage deepest sympathy to George assumed an enchanted mood in the the less hardy to continue such. If Carter and family following the fog. The high point was when you don’t have a suitable sleeping untimely death of their eldest son Lucinda stopped, seemingly in the bag or tent, the club can supply Mark on 14 April 2004 middle of nowhere, and I got out to these at a cheap hire rate. We can’t see what was wrong, only to let the prospect of the cold Incident Form disturb a wedge tailed eagle which discourage our members doing had landed beside the road. It rose overnight trips. The Confederation of NSW up, magnificent in full view of all, Our training courses progress well. Bushwalking Clubs last year spectacular as it flew away. Then James Ashburner has some fifteen engaged a Sydney barrister who the purple eatery at Captains Flat, members involved in the First Aid works in the area of duty of care to and home. and the Navigation Refresher had a advise them on what actions clubs The camaraderie of the weekend similar number on its first night need to take in the light of new highlighted the view that bush- and they’re all keen. NSW legislation dealing with these walking is best enjoyed in a club issues to cover themselves in case Phil Bubb’s talk on light-weight because of the range of activities of litigation. The legal advice is gear stimulated much discussion available, the fact that you don’t available and I will provide a copy around and about in the club. have to organise everything of it to anyone who wants to see it. Whilst we haven’t quite arrived at yourself and the strong social the stage of the Acme Junior The advice effectively endorses the element. But clubs do not run Woodchuck’s complete all-purpose processes and documentation that themselves, they need people. 50 gram kit stowed in the front this club has in place eg our notes We are only four months from the pocket, the attention to and testing for leaders and participants and our end of the club year. Not all the of light-weight fabric and materials Acknowledgment of Risks and current officers will stand for re- has much to recommend it. Obligations form. However, it also election. If you are interested in recommends that clubs have an contributing, please contact me. Rob Horsfield incident form which would need to I will be glad to hear from you as Walks Secretary be filled out by the leader where one of the President’s most someone was injured enough to be thankless tasks is trying to find Have you booked your first aid taken to hospital, whether admitted people willing to assist in the course yet? or to outpatients only, or who activities that enable the club to Contact James Ashburner on requires treatment by a doctor. run. 6254 1666 or training@ A form has been posted on the canberrabushwalkingclub.org.au A reminder to book your first aid club’s web site. It is also available course. If you have forgotten, ring from the President, Walks James Ashburner (6254 1666) or Xmas in July Secretary and Assistant Walks look up your last it. We need more Secretary. If an incident of this people with these qualifications on Come and see what your bush- type occurs on a walk you lead, our walks. walking friends look like out of you should advise the Assistant Walks Secretary when you check And remember our Christmas in uniform! We have booked the Rocksalt Restaurant at the Hawker in, fill out the form and submit it to July, coming to an eatery near you. him. See the ad elsewhere in this it. Shops for the Christmas in July dinner on Saturday, 10 July. We Stan Marks, President Stan Marks, President have ordered a three course meal which will cost you only $40 and Membership Walks Waffle there will be a few items from a folk singer as well. Bookings to Matters Lucinda Prickett (6295 2854 or This is certainly the right time of Prospective members: Hans Baer, the year to be bushwalking. [email protected]) or by mail enclosing cheque or mail Robert Edwards, Christine Recently we were on top of the O'Keefe. ridge between Middle and order to ‘Christmas in July’ at the Rendezvous Creeks in the club post office box address. New members: Julie Brown, Namadgi. It was wild, rugged and Cheques should be made out to the Geoff Murphy beautiful; the wind was freezing Canberra Bushwalking Club. Roger Edwards but it was great! Please be there at 6.45pm. Membership Secretary Canberra Bushwalking Club IT May 2004 page 2 Our trip: Those in the party were: Brief outline (detail given Walk Report Rupert Barnett, Kate Kennedy, subsequently): Glen Kramer, Jenny and Rob The start was on the main highway Horsfield. Big Plain Peak, at the Prosser Fire Trail, leaving it From Canberra the drive via shortly on another trail to Vick- 4 days, Easter 04 Cooma is ~250 km and takes ~ 3 ½ ery’s Hut, situated on Jounama Maps: Talbingo 8526-1-N and hours. Creek. Neither the second trail nor hut are marked on the map. From Yarrongobilly 8526-1-S, CMA Our objective was Big Plain Peak there we climbed a spur complex 1:25,000, 1978 editions: and the route exploratory. north of Ruby Creek, through Concerns before-hand were References: 1) “Bushwalks in reasonable scrub, to the Warogong whether there was sufficient the Kosciusko National Park”- Fire Trail. Our camp day 1 was reliable water as needed and Charles Warner, 1983. beside the trail near Cave Creek whether the terrain and scrub off- where we found good water. 2) “Best Walks in track would be reasonable. Both the KNP”- Harry Hill, 1996. were found satisfactory. Day 2 we proceeded along the trail 3) “Outlook”, 1987. to Big Creek (different to Big Plain Magazine article by Melbourne Creek), replenished our water then Bushwalking Club, pp61- 63 titled climbed a spur-line off-track to Big “The Bogong Peaks” by Mike Plain. This swamp area was Scowen; kindly supplied by comparatively dry but has good Warrick Blayden. water at its outlet into the top end of Big Plain Creek. Here we set up 4) “it”, CBC, a camp late morning and leaving February 2003, article pp 2- 3 our twisted knee casualty as “Jounama- a bushwalker’s peak”, minder, climbed Big Plain Peak in Rob Horsfield. the afternoon. Glen used sun and General: This report is presented mirror to signal our success to as a suggested trip guide into some camp from the top of the peak. great country. Next day, 3, we climbed a rocky The area is near Talbingo and outcrop on the ridge to the south of bounded by the Snowy Mountains our camp, returned, packed and Highway to the west and south, and retraced our outward route to a the Goobragandra power-lines road point on the Warogong Fire Trail to the east and north. It has not near where we first came on to it, been affected by bushfires and Rob contemplates the way ahead having picked up water on the way. includes some magnificent stands Retrospective remarks include: On the last day, 4, we again of alpine ash, manna gums and 1. The route proved varied and reversed our outward route to near the tops, belts of snow gums. interesting and the country wild, Vickery’s hut, then the cars where Some of the significant peaks are rugged and appealing.