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r o Bushwalking C it Club newsletter Canberra Bushwalking Club Inc GPO Box 160 Canberra ACT 2601 Volume: 48 www.canberrabushwalkingclub.org Number: 2 March 2013 GENERAL MEETING 8 pm Wednesday 20 March 2013 In this issue 2 Canberra Bushwalking Camino Trail: Many Paths, Many Ways Club Committee Presenters: Margaret Ryan and Moya Homan 2 President’s prattle 2 Where’s Bob? Margaret and Moya will compare their two journeys: one stayed in albergues/refugios, carrying all luggage, and the other stayed in cheap 2 Found! hotels and had luggage looked after. 3 Walks Waffle 3 Membership matters Main hall, 3 Training Trifles 4 Review: Surveyors at the Hughes Baptist Church, Snowline: Surveying the 32–34 Groom Street, Hughes ACT–NSW Border 4 1910–15 6 Kiandra, Tabletop Mountain area, – Wildflowers, huts and gold diggings 8 Northern Kosciuszko weekend 8 From the Archives 9 Shooting in NSW national parks 9 Centenary of Canberra ‘Stretch your legs’ events 10 Activity program 15 Your Duty of Care Responsibilities on Canberra Bushwalking Club activities 15 Bulletin Board Important dates 16 Feeling literary? 16 Wednesday walks 20 March General meeting 27 March Committee meeting 27 March Submissions close for April it Committee reports

Canberra Bushwalking Club Committee President’s President: Phillip Starr prattle [email protected] 0419 281 096 ecently Alan Vidler had to cancel what was to be his Treasurer: Julie Anne Clegg R300th walk as leader. His next advertised walk will be 13–14 April: Tullyangela Clearing - Wineglass Tor - Tims [email protected] Gully – M/R. This walk looks like a cracker with spectacu- 0402 118 359 lar views, waterfalls, great scenery and historical sights. I encourage you to join Alan, one of our most experienced Walks Secretary: Linda Groom leaders to celebrate his cracking 300th event. [email protected] Other current members to have surpassed the 300 mark are 6281 4917 Stan Marks and Jeff Bennetts. Actually Stan has topped the 400 mark. Special congratulations to Stan, Jeff and Alan, General Secretary: Tim Wright but also many thanks to all walk leaders who continue to [email protected] give of themselves so that we all can enjoy our time in 6281 2275 the bush. An update on recreational shooting in National Parks is Membership Secretary: Roger Edwards included later in this newsletter. Further updates will be [email protected] provided as information becomes available. 6288 7863 or 0406 378 217 Also in this newsletter you will find details of a couple of Training and Safety Officer: John Evans challenges to encourage you to ‘Stretch Your Legs’. Your committee have organised these in the spirit of celebration [email protected] of Canberra’s Centenary Year. 6288 7235 or 0417 436 877 At last count our membership stood at 371 and new Conservation Officer: Nathan Holt members are joining regularly. One newcomer recently commented ‘I had a great time yesterday, everyone was [email protected] very friendly and welcoming. You will definitely see me 0414 628 429 again on future walks.’ Please keep up the good work of encouragement and let us see further increases in Web Manager: David Briese membership. [email protected] Finally, congratulations to George Carter on being awarded 6286 3479 life membership.

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o C [email protected] President 6254 0578(h) or 6289 2717(w)) Assistant Walks Secretary: Keith Thomas Where’s Bob? [email protected] his is Bush Bob. Besides hiking, Bob likes 6230 1081 or 0421 607 667 Tto hide; behind photos, banners, notices, anywhere he can find space. Each month Bob Social Secretary: Quentin Moran will be hiding somewhere in the newsletter. If [email protected] you find him email the Editor with the page number and his hiding place. The first person 6288 9840 to find him may receive a prize if they come Publisher: Gabrielle Wright along to a General meeting to collect it. But be warned, Bob is tricky. You may only see [email protected] his feet, backpack or head poking out. 6281 2275 All members of the Committee can be contacted in one email to Found you! [email protected] hree astute readers emailed the Editor, stating that they Thad FOUND Bob. Yes, Bob had stowed away on Meg CHECK IN: Ring Keith Thomas on 6230 1081 McKone’s trip to the MacDonnell Ranges and was hiding WEB SITE: www.canberrabushwalkingclub.org under the banner to the sequel of her trip report. Not surprisingly, Meg was the first to find Bob, but since she was not able to be present at the February general meeting,

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Committee reports locally and the current program there may be unforeseen difficulties. certainly illustrates the fact. Easter, A R(ough) walk may well have a in particular, has a good choice of track entry and exit to a short area Walks options and it will be interesting to of R terrain, so the walk may be see how many get out and about. within your capabilities. Again, look for further information in the Waffle Matthew Higgins gave an updated walk description and contact the presentation of Surveyors on the walk leader if in doubt. Snowline at the February monthly t the last monthly meeting it meeting. I remember the previous As members of a peer group club, Awas wonderful to see George one in 2000 delivered to the Club at we should keep an eye out for each Carter awarded Life Membership of Dickson library. He speaks well and other. Walk leaders have an added the Club. It was well deserved and both were most interesting. Predict- duty of care – that’s why they’ll George obviously greatly valued ably, attendance at the meeting was write a good walk description (see the occasion. quite good. During their survey, 1910 the February it for a ‘good’ walk The rain has been quite heavy lately to 1915, surveyors Harry Mouat and description), provide you with a and some trips have been cancelled. Percy Sheaffer both described some pre-walk briefing, appoint a ‘tail end One would need a certain state of of r the borde country as the most diffi- Charlie’, schedule adequate breaks mind to walk the high country in cult scrub and terrain they’d seen. The and do many other things to ensure strong winds and horizontal, wet speaker referred to a certain pastor’s a safe and enjoyable walk. Party sleet: I’d call it ‘true mindlessness’. present-day passion for searching out members should ensure they main- So while a leader might report a their border markers. tain group cohesion (don’t wander or stop without telling someone!) trip cancellation due to lack of In the meantime, good walking. starters, an associated forecast and be willing to ‘follow the leader’

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r o of 10 to 20 mm of rain, better Rob Horsfield C describes the matter. Meg McKone Temporary Walks Secretary Acknowledgment of Risks and wisely cancelled her trip to the Blue Obligations form, have you really? Mountains. Conditions turned out to It reads: ‘I have advised the activity be extreme and four bushwalking leader if am taking any medication or groups had to be rescued. have any physical or other limitation that might affect my participation in In the program there is a wide variety Training the activity. I will make every effort of trips coming up. Linda was grate- to remain with the rest of the party ful to receive most of these before and accept the instructions of the she went away. She, Peter and Keith Trifles leader of the activity’? report finishing their first walk in the north of the South Island of NZ. Duty of Care guidelines are pub- ‘A good trip and perfect weather’. et’s look at the walk grading lished in this it and are available via I’m sure they won’t want some of Lsystem, designed to provide a the Club’s web site. our recent weather systems drifting somewhat quantitative measure of a Want to know more about Duty across the Tasman. March and April walk and to allow you to assess if your of Care and Risk Management? are very popular times for walking capabilities are matched to the trip. Check out what our peak body You’ll find a full explanation of the Bushwalking Australia has to say at grades at the beginning of the Activity http://www.bushwalkingaustralia. program in every it, and also associ- org/walkers-info_rm.html ated with each walk description. Membership A handy smart phone app (iOS and The first letter indicates the walk Android) called Fires Near Me is distance, S – Short – under 12 km/ available for free download. The matters day; M – Medium – 12–20km/day; L preferred strategy may be to check – Long – over 20 km/day. Note that with the land manager (e.g. National it’s a ‘gradable’ distance with 1km Please ensure that you keep the Park visitor centre) prior to a walk, added for every 100m climbed. So but the app may provide some use- Membership Secretary informed don’t be caught out – a (S)hort walk of any changes to your email ful information during a walk if you may well have a 300 m climb in it! have mobile phone reception. address. Read the rest of the walk description New members: Prem De Silva, carefully and contact the walk leader In this Canberra Centenary year, why Penny Donaldson, John Hall, if you have any questions. not take up a CBC ‘Stretch Your Kathleen Hicks, Marie Hobbs, Legs’ event? See elsewhere in this it The second letter indicates the and on the Club’s website. Click the Fritha Jones, Leann Johnston, terrain to be covered, E – Easy Martina Landsmann, Jerome SPECIAL EVENTS button, then the – fire trail, etc; M – Medium – Centenary Events Page link. Rodolta, Stuart Steele, Jeanne and bush footpads, some scrub, etc; Tom Trevillian, Ravi Vasudevan R – Rough- much scrub, steep Cheers and happy feet. climbs, rock scrambles; W – Wet – Roger Edwards compulsory swims, river crossings; John Evans

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Canberra Bushwalking Club it March 2013 – page 3 Review of general meeting talk Review: Surveyors at the Snowline: Surveying the ACT–NSW Border 1910–15

Presenter: Matthew Higgins atthew is a Canberra historian Mwith an extensive knowledge of the Australian Capital Territory. His enjoyable presentation touched on a seemingly technical aspect of the establishment of Canberra, but by the end of the well attended talk he had managed to convey to the audience, not just an under- standing of the surveyor’s craft, but also a bit of a sense of the way people in the region lived 100 years ago. Over the years, Matthew has been able to access the extensive government archives in Canberra and he has also recorded the oral histories of many people who were part of the local history, including some of the early within the ACT border but was A modern rural settlers and their descendants. acquired in 1927. plaque on Mt Corree shows He is a bushwalker and has visited details of the ACT border most of the surviving historical The survey commenced on the sites and structures that survive in summit of Mount Corree on Johnston’s Line continued on from the ACT, including those associated 30 June 1910. Three surveyors and Sheaffe’s last marker to Mt Clear with the border survey. their teams were involved over the and the Boboyan Divide. next five years. The surveyors were He related how as part of a govern- Percy Sheaffe, Harry Mouat and In 2010 a plaque was placed on ment funded project in the 1990s, he Frederick Johnston. The survey was the summit of Mt Corree to com- walked nearly half of the 306 kilo- completed in 1915 when Mouat’s memorate the 100th anniversary of metre ACT–NSW border and physi- and Johnston’s teams met on the the start of the survey. cally located and documented many watershed between Sentry Box of the original survey markers using Mountain and Wrights Hill. Anyone who has walked part of the just a compass and accurate pacing. border in the Cotter River catch- The details of how those three ment will know that it is totally In 1908 Surveyor Charles Scrivener survey lines were placed and the wild and difficult terrain, yet the was instructed by wise federal glimpses into the personal lives of original survey job is acknowledged parliamentarians to define a territory the surveyors makes fascinating as being highly accurate. A survey boundary that would enclose the ter- reading, especially to those who team consisted of a surveyor, a field ritory’s water catchment supply. The have walked on the mountains assistant, a chainman, two or three initial plans included Queanbeyan where they and their workers labourers and a cook. Where the and the Molonglo water catchment. laboured for five years. survey line followed the watershed However, after some negotiation boundary, the survey markers were with the NSW Government, the ter- Mouat’s Line traversed the very spaced at a distance determined by ritory as we know it was determined, rugged country from Mt Corree, a theodolite sighted, to a man hold- with the Cotter River being the prime Mt Franklin, Mt Bimberi and ing a marker pole. In steep terrain water supply. Mt Kelly, with some of the survey the markers may be as close as 50 being undertaken in winter. A full survey of the new border to 100 metres, on a clear ridge line commenced in 1910 and was com- Sheaffe’s Line went to One Tree Hill, they may be 500 metres. The mark- pleted in 1915. It is interesting to then through the north-east corner ers varied: in the more northerly note, that for political and technical of the ACT, on to Williamsdale areas the surveyors used squared reasons, the small area of the Corree and ended between Mt Yarara and timber posts, sometimes they used Mt Clear. concrete-filled gas pipes. At other

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Review of general meeting talk with the advent of GPS units – is still a rigorous process that requires the detailed surveyors’ records. Club member John Evans has a goal of visiting and documenting every one of the border markers and in recent years he has led many interesting walks in all weathers, through formidable scrub, as part of this quest. He has a few loyal acolytes and hopes to finish the task in 2013. Further detail of the history of how the border was determined and sur- veyed is described in Matthew’s 2009 book Rugged Beyond Imagination Stories from an Australian mountain region National Museum of Australia Press 2009 The book has numerous historic photographs and maps and is an excellent reference for historical information about the areas where Club members frequently walk in the ACT. It covers a lot of regional history including: European settlement and rural history; the establishment of forestry including the arboreta; the dam building and water management in the Cotter catchment and the history of skiing in the Brindabellas.

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For those interested, Matthew will be again presenting this talk in the Visions Theatre of the National Museum of Australia on Friday 12 April at 12:30 pm. This is a public talk so all are welcome, but book- Surveyors blazed markers to the ings are necessary on 6208 5021, or email locations an old tin can was filled border markers in tree trunks with cement and placed on the [email protected] ground. Trees often had to be felled to enable a line of sight. The surveyors often made a blaze in nearby trees as well and the labour- Tidal ers would place a line of rocks known as a ‘lockspit’ to indicate the We come to the notorious tidal inlet. Deep, fast moving, direction to the next marker. the tide still high. But we have a rendezvous, our friend As well as the survey markers, the is to meet us at the trackhead in three hours time. We’ve teams also placed markers at every been out for two weeks, walking around the south coast. mile. There are only a few of the origi- Now we’ve run out of food. We need to cross. nal blazed trees left along the border Cold morning. I put on parka and leggings, keep my boots but most of the non-timber survey on. C strips completely naked. Shouldering packs we markers and lockspits are intact. link arms and step in. Shifting sandy bottom. Then, neck The survey teams established large deep, my feet are swept away. Am I floating out to sea? base camps and the wives of two of Next moment my moving trundling feet touch the sandy the surveyors sometimes lived with river bottom. It’s the other side. We’re across. Two tall them in the field. Also, in the more men have just made it! remote areas in the south of the ACT letting go the surveyors set up smaller bush camps from where they would do of the high spring the day’s surveying. Due to the rug- of my steps ged terrain, transport was mostly by horse, and sometimes the surveyors letting go had to travel on foot only. of the wild joy that surges Physically locating the old border markers – though greatly simplified Gerry Jacobson

Canberra Bushwalking Club it March 2013 – page 5 Trip report Kiandra, Tabletop Mountain area, – Wildflowers, huts and gold diggings 25–28 January 2013 Walkers: Jenny Horsfield (Leader), Lorraine Broken Dam Hut was reached after about 9 kms of walk- Tomlins, Leanne Aust, Wayne Puckett, Meredith and ing. During the afternoon we had passed, and looked David Hatherley, Quentin Moran, Margaret Cooper, down at the Nine Mile Diggings. Broken Dam Hut was destroyed by the 2003 bushfire and has been replaced by Linnea Arderson and Mike Morriss a spacious building, skilfully constructed from treated enny had scheduled a Budawangs walk, starting at eucalypt timber, including a shingle roof. There were JYadboro, but heat wave conditions, immediately numerous fire safety features in its construction. It preceding and a forecast of thunderstorms, led her to provided a pleasant place for the party to gather for the conclude that a walk from Yadboro held significant risk evening meal in front of an open fire; and its visitors of being trapped by bush fires. Kiandra was selected as book provided interesting reading. a much safer starting point. On the morning of the second day we rejoined the We started walking at the Kiandra end of the Tabletop Tabletop Mountain fire trail, from which we made a Mountain Fire Trail at about 10.30 am. It was a steady steep scramble onto the summit of Tabletop Mountain. climb of about 130 metres to where the terrain levelled It is an isolated piece of the old lava flow, barren and out at around 1500 metres. From here for most of the wind-swept with a few stunted and contorted snow trip we were on old lava flow country. In places it is gums. There were wide views in all directions; to the basalt pavements with sparse vegetation, but most of it tops of the Kosciuszko Main Range to the south, and has fertile soil, derived from weathered basalt. There the southern Brindabella peaks to the north-east; with are considerable areas of open grassland and alpine herb glimpses of Lake Eucumbene in the middle ground. fields, interspersed with belts of snow gums. Most of Rejoining the Tabletop Mountain fire trail and following the mature trees are dead, standing as vast hordes of it for about 4 kms, we turned west onto the Bolton Fire silver, grey ghosts since the terrible bushfire of January Trail. We were soon pushing down a scrubby spur to 2003. After 10 years the regrowth is less than a third the find Happys Hut on the edge of the scrub. We took a rest height of the dead trees. Good spring rain had caused stop on its verandah and took in the view of the wide this diverse vegetation to flourish and the recent hot, dry weather had brought on a glorious flowering. There was a wide variety of daisies – the scattered gold of everlastings, Billy buttons, and the yam daisy; clusters of the royal bluebell (Wahlembergia gloriosa), the misty lilac of the pale vanilla lily and the occasional mauve leek-orchid.

Nine Mile Creek gold diggings Photos by: Meredith Hatherly

open valley of Happy Jacks Creek. It was a lovely little, old hut. Moving on down the valley side, we soon saw our next camp site, Brooks Hut, a corrugated iron-clad building that stands starkly on a clear hillside. It was 2 kms away and a thunderstorm was rolling in. The party managed to get tents up before the rain started and the hut provided a pleas- ant, dry place to prepare and eat the evening

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Trip report

The summit of Tabletop Mountain Photo: Meredith Hatherly

the party returned to their tents and stayed dry, while Canberra was experiencing a night of storms and deluge. Day 3 started with an off-track navigation north along Arsenic Ridge and across Temperance Creek and back onto the Table- top Mountain Fire Trail for the return trip. The highlight of the day was the Nine Mile Diggings. We walked over a landscape much altered by human labour. In the 1860s most of the gold produced in this area came from labour intensive working of alluvial deposits. The make it the most pleasant and interesting of the four power of flowing water was used to wash out the sand huts we visited. and gravel from the valleys. Gold, being the heaviest material, was deposited by the sluicing and the sand Any earl start on the final day had us back to the cars and gravel was carried further down stream. The head before mid-day with time to look over parts of the old waters of Nine Mile Creek, before mining, would Kiandra town site, including the cemetery. This gave have meandered over sand and gravel beds, flanked us some more insight into the lives of the miners back by soft, moist vegetation. Now the creek runs straight in the 1860s. Lunch in Cooma with all 10 of us around on bed-rock, some 2 metres below its original level. a table at ‘The Lot’ was a pleasant way to finish a Neat elongated piles of discarded rocks stand along the wonderful walk.

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r o sides of the Creek. Our observations left us wondering C about the difficulties of the lives of the thousands who Mike Morriss laboured here 150 years ago. Our final camp was at Four Mile Hut. A small, old building with stone foundations, a fireplace and roof of rusted corrugated iron, and weather timber slabs, patched with flattened rusty iron fuel cans. It has a delightful rustic appearance and attractive surroundings. Mature snow gums, which survived the 2003 bushfire; the remnants of alluvial mining along the creek and numerous rusty iron components from some more mechanised mining operation,

Four Mile Hut Photo: Meredith Hatherly

You may be interested in Cynthia Breheny’s sketch of this same hut from a different angle, in the following story.

Canberra Bushwalking Club it March 2013 – page 7 Trip report Northern Kosciuszko From weekend the (8),9,10 February 2013 Archives or millennia the Wolgal abo- 1937 when miners were trying to Friginal people came to the Ki- coax more gold out of the nearby andra region for the summer. Their creek, where alluvial gold had been he February 2013 talk name lives on: the Wolgal Lodge found in abundance during the rush Tby Matthew Higgins re- was the jumping-off point for our of 1860. Rain fell as we returned to counted the surveying of the Northern Kosciuszko bushwalking Wolgal Lodge. ACT’s border. Glancing back weekend. Half a century before our through old copies of it I found visit, when the little timber building Gooandra Homestead was our goal that the President’s report in the was quite new, it had a much more for Sunday. After 5 km walking 1975 March issue focussed on illustrious visitor – Her Majesty along a fire trail past snow gums, a similar subject. Queen Elizabeth II. Imagine how violets and one small snake, we impressed she must have been with reached the 1920s weatherboard The Financial Review of 14th the location and building, including grazier’s cottage, well restored and February stated that negotia- its decorative touches like the fish graffitied. Next to the homestead tions on major changes to the cut-outs in the window shutters – a is a chimney, the only remains of ACT border are likely to begin pointer to why the lodge was built. a hut built by miners soon after the soon. Messrs Uren and Bryant 1860 Kiandra gold rush. On our are authorised to negotiate Our party of eight occupied all return, we lunched on a pile of gum with the swap of ‘a large part the bunks available in the three- tree logs. of the bottom end’ of the ACT bedroom building. We arrived on to NSW’. Friday evening, ready for an early Thank you Stan Marks for an his- start south along the Australian Alps toric weekend, crowned by sitting …In the final analysis Walking Track but it was already on a throne on which the Monarch the ground to the south of hot as we climbed Dunns Hill. of Great Britain and Ireland, Head Canberra awaits adequate Everlasting daisies, Billy buttons of the Commonwealth and Defender management as befitting a and a few snow daisies bloomed of the Faith, must also have sat. National Park. ACT authori-

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r o below the white skeletons of burnt Cynthia Breheny C ties should go full steam and trees and recuperating scrub across declare the park as soon as the plain. After 5 km we went down Editor: Cynthia is a superb legislation permits, formulate off the main track to lunch close the management plan and get artist as these two sketches of started. to Four Mile Hut. This beautifully local huts demonstrate. restored little slab hut was built in Should NSW take over then we should insist on stand- ards laid down as originally Four Mile Hut near Kiandra envisaged. Canberra people Gooandra Homestead near Kiandra will be using the park fairly exclusively and principal access is through Canberra. There is a valid argument that Commonwealth funds and even manpower assist in the operation of this area and even include the relatively neglected northern end of the Kosciusko National Park. My friend Google tells me that after 18 years of negotiation, the Gudgenby Nature Reserve was declared in 1978. Perhaps enthusiasts, Matthew Higgins or John Evans could shed more light on this subject.

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Conservation Centenary of Canberra Conservation matters ‘Stretch your legs’ Shooting in NSW national parks events he committee has been watch- Premier announced hunters would Ting with concern the develop- have to be licensed by the NSW 2013 is the ments following the New South Game Council, have written per- centenary of Wales (NSW) Government’s mission, be ‘adequately trained’ Canberra and decision to allow hunting by ama- and comply with access condi- in the spirit of teurs in NSW conservation areas. tions determined by the NSW celebration we Environment Minister. Legisla- have a couple of The program, known as the sup- tion to enable this announcement special events plementary pest management passed the NSW parliament on designed to fur- program, will not commence until 21 June 2012. ther encourage at least June. our participa- Several of the 79 parks are parks tion in Club activities. The NSW Government has indi- where walks are organised under cated that its National Parks and • Walk with 20 different walk the Club’s auspices, including leaders in a year; and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has Tallaganda National Park, Brinda- been working through a risk bella National Park, Morton • Visit 40 different ACT trigs in assessment process to ‘tailor strict National Park, and Kosciuszko a year. controls to suit circumstances in National Park (excluding the ski each park.’ The NSW Environ- fields). It’s all in the spirit of fun – a per- ment Minister announced, on sonal challenge, not a competition. 20 February 2013, that: Following the announcement by Walking with different leaders the NSW Premier, the President, opens up different styles of walks “Some controls have already been on behalf of the Club, wrote to the in different areas and you’ll get to agreed: there will be no shooting at NSW Premier to urge the Govern- meet different people. ACT trigs are night in national parks, no harming ment’s reconsideration of this located in a variety of areas, from of native fauna, no shooting without announcement; and the Federal Canberra Nature Park inter-urban written permission from NPWS, no Minister for the Environment call- locations to hill tops deep in the shooting accompanied by dogs, no ing on the Federal Government bush. Most command wonderful target practice, no shooting from or to suspend Council of Australian views. So start looking through the across public access roads, tracks or Government negotiations to hand Activity Program now and book trails and no shooting from vehicles over Federal environmental pow- on participating walks (as well as in any of the declared national parks ers to the states. The Committee any others that take your fancy)! or reserves.” also prepared a submission to an Don’t see a trig walk? Then grab The NSW Environment Minister inquiry on the management of a co-leader/mentor and advertise will give at least 30 days notice public land in NSW, being held walks yourself. by a committee of the NSW upper before the program commences The fine print in a specific park. house. The Committee will continue to 1. The event year is 13 March 2013 These developments followed an – 11 March 2014. announcement on 30 May 2012 by closely monitor the introduction the Premier of NSW that licensed of the program. Further updates 2. Results for both events will be shooters would be permitted to will be provided at general meet- collected from Acknowledgment cull pests in 79 of the 799 NSW ings and in it. of Risks and Obligation forms national parks, nature reserves submitted by walk leaders. and state conservation areas. The Tallaganda National Park 3. Results will be published on the Club website. Participants will be identified by first name and initial of surname. If you do not want those details published, opt out by contacting the events organiser. Results will be updated at least monthly. 4. The ACT trigs recognised for the event are as published on the Club web site. 5. As with all Club walks, permission should be sought to walk on private land. John Evans Events coordinator [email protected]

Canberra Bushwalking Club it March 2013 – page 9 Activity program Activity program Arrange for your Club-related activities to be included in the program with Linda Groom (Walks Secretary) Ph: 6281 4917, Email: [email protected], Post: 96 Strickland Crescent, Deakin ACT 2600

Information for participants Distance and difficulty Transport Distance: Costs are 37¢/km/car, divided equally among all participants. This (S) Short - under 12 km/day amount may be varied at the discretion of the leader, depending on the condition of the roads and other factors. The figures given (M) Medium - 12-20 km/day are for the car as a whole and then, at the discretion of the leader, (L) Long - over 20 km/day an estimate or range per person. Park admission and camping Note: In calculating distance, 1 km is added for every 100 metres fees are additional costs which leaders should list separately. climbed. Duty of care Terrain: Every person taking part in a CBC activity acknowledges that (E) Easy - fire trail, tracks, beaches etc he/she does so voluntarily and that he/she may be exposed to (M) Medium - bush tracks, alpine areas, some scrub risks that could lead to injury, illness or death, or to loss of, or (R) Rough - much scrub, steep climbs, rock scrambles damage to property. Each person is required to sign the Club’s (W) Wet - compulsory swims, many river crossings ‘Acknowledgement of Risks’ form. Visitors are welcome to join (X) Exploratory trips. However walkers are strongly encouraged to join the Club after a maximum of three trips. Booking Contact the leader early rather than late. Book by Thursday For further information see: 2.00 pm for the following weekend (both one-day and multi-day www.canberrabushwalkingclub.org walks) so the leader has time to arrange transport. Check with the leader about: Check-in after walks Before a trip leaders are to email or phone through the names XXthe need to carry water, tents/fly, maps, etc of their party, and by 10 am the day after their trip report XXappropriate clothing, footwear X their safe return or trip cancellation, to the Check-in Officer, Xany precautions you might need to take for severe weather Keith Thomas ([email protected], changes. 6230 1081 or 0421 607 667 leave message if no answer). The Ask about anything you’re unsure of, especially if you are new to Check-in Officer or the Walks Secretary (6281 4917), not the Police our Club. or other bodies, should be the first point of contact for worried relatives if you are late in returning.

Equipment hire Map scale is 1:25,000 unless otherwise stated Take advantage of the excellent gear that the Club has available for hire before lashing out on your own equip- Book by Thursday 2:00 pm for the ment. The Equipment Officer is Rob Horsfield, who can following weekend so the leader has time be contacted on 6231 4535(h) or to borrow the northside to arrange transport PLB, Nathan Holt, 0414 628 429 The equipment available and current rates per weekend/ week are set out below. Hirers are responsible for col- Wednesday 13 March: Wednesday walk lecting and returning the equipment. The hiring charge For fit and experienced walkers. Contact: Janet Edstein (but not the deposit) is waived for members who are ‘first [email protected] time’ weekend walkers. Saturday 16 March: Booroomba Rocks – A deposit of $20 is required and part or all of this will be refunded, depending on the condition of the items upon M/M return and whether they are returned late. We will walk along the AAT from Honeysuckle Creek Camp Ground to Booroomba Rocks car park and then Item w.e./week follow the footpad to Booroomba Rocks. From there we Olympus two person tent $15 / $40 will walk off track and across wonderful granite to spot Macpac Microlight one person tent $15 / $40 height 1396. This is an area not usually visited by tourists as they usually stop at the end of the footpad. A short car 3 season bag, mat and liner $10 / $25 shuffle before we commence the walk will mean that our Assorted packs $5 / $15 return journey will end at the Booroomba Rocks car park. Trangia and fuel bottle $5 / $15 Distance around 12 km with climbs totalling about 450 m. Snow sleeping bag, mat and liner $15 / $40 Map: Corin Dam. Leader: Phillip Starr 6161 3835(h), Personal locator beacon – nil (see website for conditions) 0419 281 096, [email protected]. Transport: GPS – nil (see website for conditions of use) $36 per car or $9–$11 per person. Check you have ALL the bits and pieces you need when collecting and returning gear. 16–17 March: Shanahans Mtn and Max’s Hut – M/R A weekend round along the ridge from Shanahans, down to the hut to camp then up the Naas to Horse Gully Hut, Shanahans Falls Creek and back up the mountain. Map:

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Activity program Michelago. Leaders: Jenny & Rob Horsfield 6231 as Bossawa Campsite. This is a walk and car camp very 4535(h). Transport: ~$15 per person. suitable for beginners, as well as veterans. Next day after breakfasting on pancakes made by me, we wander Sunday 17 March: Coronet Peak – L/M along the Micalong Swamp Track for a few hours then Coronet Peak out and back on the Australian Alps return drive to Canberra. This is a joint activity with Walking track from Orroral Valley. We will go via Cotter BBC. Leader: Janet Edstein [email protected] Gap and down to Pond Creek then up onto Coronet Map: Couragago / Bobbys Plain or Hume and Hovel Peak. We will have to start early as the distance is about Walking Guide Book p 99. Transport: tba Please book 27 km and about 1000 m of climbing. I have done the by 20 March so transport can be arranged. walk before but some time ago. Maps: Corin Dam, Rendezvous Creek. Leader: Lorraine Tomlins 6248 Sunday 24 March: Billy Range – M/R 0456(h) or [email protected] Transport: ~ At GR 825510 there appear to be some nice granite $15 per person. Limit: 8. outcrops. Propose to check these out. About 500 metres of climbing, scrub bashing and easy rock scrambling Tuesday 19 March: The Battlements Outcrop involved. Map: Michelago. Leader: Roger Edwards & Honeysuckle Crag, Namadgi National 6288 7863 [email protected] Transport: Park – M/R/X $52 per car. Limit: 8. From Honeysuckle Creek camp ground, follow the Orroral Ridge Road & then part way down the Orroral Tuesday 26 March: Musgrave Creek – M/R/X/W Link Road, through pleasant forests for 6 km. The rest From near Clyde Mountain on the Kings Hwy to of the day is off-track. Leave the road and ascend to the Sugarloaf Mountain, descend into the impressive small outcrop known by climbers as The Battlements, at rainforest of Musgrave Creek. Down the creek until Corin Dam 786570. We’ll also explore along the ridge for time suggests we should exit. Short car swap, for which about 1.5 km southeast as there appear to be other large I have found safe parking points, to avoid walking back tors & slabs in the forest. We will then follow the ridge up the busy highway. Exploratory for this leader though northwest & northeast back to the cars via Honeysuckle there are 2 trip reports on the web for walks in this area. Crag (also known as Spinnaker Rock). Total Distance: Scrub, rock-hopping and creek-wading; unlikely to be About 14 km Total Ascent: 450 m. The off-track sections any compulsory swims. Main descent 400 m to creek, are likely to have moderate to thick scrub. Map: Corin and 300 m climb out. At least 8 km. Map: Monga Dam. Leader: Ian Wright: [email protected] Leader: Linda Groom 6281 4917, [email protected] 6286 1473. Transport: ~. 80 km return. Limit: 8 Transport: $80 per car. Limit: 8 Wednesday 20 March: Wednesday walk Wednesday 27 March: Wednesday walk For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Peter Wellman For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Mike Smith (for BBC) [email protected] (for NPA) msmCBC [email protected]

Wednesday 20 March 2013, 8 pm COMMITTEE MEETING MONTHLY MEETING Wednesday 27 March 2013, 8 pm Camino Trail: Many Paths, Many at the home of Tim and Gabrielle Wright Ways Unit 2, 3–5 Ulverstone Street, Lyons Presenter: Margaret Ryan and Moya Homan Main hall: Hughes Baptist Church Submissions close for 32–34 Groom Street, Hughes April it 27 March 2013 Saturday 23 March: The Spinnaker – S/R Honeysuckle Creek camp ground, trail and scrub to the SSE and return. A short strenuous climb near the top. Map: Williamsdale. Leaders: Jenny & Rob Horsfield (28) 29 March–1 April (Easter): Oulla Creek, 6231 4535 (h). Transport: ~$8 per person. Mt Donovan, Burra Creek – M/R/W mostly X A route that combines creeks, rainforest and rocky ridges Sunday, 24 March: Mt Tennent – M/M An early start from the Namadgi Visitors’ Centre to with views, in the Deua NP. Depart Canberra 3 pm Mt Tennent for good views from the top, weather Thursday to allow time to do a car shuffle. Idyllic camp permitting. The walk is on track, quite a few steps, site at 651 E, 388N, about 1 km downstream of NPWS with a steep climb to the summit. Map: Williamsdale. Dry Creek campsite (Jimmys Hill on the map). Next Leader: Edwina Yee [email protected] or day up Dry Creek and a previously recce’d fairly clear 0418651421. Transport: drive yourself – please advise ridge with patches of macrozamias to the junction of the leader if you need transport. Merricumbene and Oulla Creek fire trails, then down into rain-forested Oulla Creek. Next day over Mt Donovan 23–24 March: 2 days Hume and Hovell Track and into the interesting rocky ridges to its south, and – M/M down to Donovan Creek. Third day down Burra Creek. On Saturday 8 am drive the Brindabella Road to walk Fourth day a few kms up lower Oulla Creek, then east to the Hume and Hovell Track along Micalong Creek. From the shuffled car at ~ 690E, 275N. Mainly off track, with this delightful track waterfalls and views of the creek rock hopping, scrub, and deep wades or swims to cross bubbling along can be seen. We return the same way and the Deua. Maps: Burrumbela & Bendethera. Leader: car camp overnight in a delightful, grassy area known Linda Groom 6281 4917, [email protected] (note,

Canberra Bushwalking Club it March 2013 – page 11 Activity program may not be able to reply between 21 Feb & 21 Mar). scrub in places. Maps: Jerangle, Krawarree and South Transport: $160 per car. Limit: 8 Coast Forest Map 1: 150,000. Leader: Ian Wright: 6286 1473, [email protected] Transport: $80 per 29 March–1 April (Easter): Budawangs car. Limit: 8 northern circuit – M/M A pack walk among the spectacular sandstone cliffs, Wednesday 3 April: Wednesday walk heaths and forests of the Budawangs. The route is For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Mike Morriss Nerriga – Tea Tree Creek – The Vines – Quiltys Bora (for BBC) [email protected] Ground – Hidden Valley – Mt Sturgiss – Styles Plains – Square Top Mtn – Flat Top Mtn – Nerriga. Over 80% Friday–Saturday 5–6 April: Border Markers of the walk is on tracks and the pace will be moderate from Yaouk Gap to Leura Gap – L/R, X but we cover a fair distance over the four days and some Drive to Yaouk and park at Rowleys Hut. Walk the ACT stamina is required. Map: Endrick. Leader: Jeff Bennetts border from Yaouk Gap through Mt Murray, Murrays 6231 5899(h), [email protected]. Transport: Gap, Bimberi Peak, Bimberi Gap, Dead Horse Gap to ~300 km return, $28–$37 per person. Limit: 12. Leura Gap. Return via Mt Franklin Fire Trail and Yaouk Trail. Around 40 km and 1600 m ascent. From Leura Gap 29 March–1 April (Easter): Round Mountain, the walk out is 20 km and may be done by torch-light at Jagungal, Pretty Plain – M/R night. For fit and experienced walkers. Map: Rendezvous This is a pack walk into the Jagungal wilderness area Creek. Leader: John Evans 0417 436 877, john@ starting at Round Mountain and visiting some of its johnevans.id.au Transport: ~$25 per person. Further highlights including Mt Jagungal and Pretty Plain in a details at www.johnevans.id.au. Limit: 4. pleasant season of the year. Map: Khancoban 1:50,000 Leaders: Rene Davies and Keith Thomas 6230 1081(h), Saturday, 6 April: Wild Cattle Flat – S/E–M Climb via fire trail east of Captains Flat to the trig station [email protected] (Please book by Tuesday atop the Bollard Ridge from which there are views to the 26 March so that transport can be arranged.) Transport: west. Then follow the ridge as it descends through open ~$45 per person. Limit: 8 forest until you cross Ballinafad Creek. Lunch on a hill 24 March–1 April: Source of the Murray to above the creek, then cross wild cattle flats and back Tom Groggin KNP – M/R/W/ X to the cars through open forest. All on trail or easy off- The trip will take in the famous Forest Hill Cairn, which track. 8 km, 300 m aggregate climb, about 4 hours actual marks the start of the Murray River, and travel along walking. Return via the purple eatery. Map: Tinderry a rarely visited section of the river, to exit at the Tom Leader: Stan Marks 6254 9568(h), 6274 7350(w), stan. Groggin Campsite. We’ll cover a distance of ~70 kms, [email protected] Transport: ~$20 all off track. The terrain is often steep, overgrown and rugged. We’ll depart Canberra Sunday morning and Saturday 6 April: Rocks above Breakfast will use 3 vehicles, leaving one at Tom Groggin for the Creek – M/R A walk, partly a circuit, to a pleasant small plateau group’s exit. The group will be driven in via 4WD from edged by massive granite boulders and slabs. From the Dead Horse Gap along the Cascade Fire Trail through Gudgenby car park south along the Old Boboyan Road to Cowombat Flat where we will be dropped off. Map: to Frank and Jacks hut, then SW across rolling grassy Chimneys Ridge 8524-1N, Charcoal Range 8524-1S, country with some light scrub followed by a steeper Suggan Buggan 8524-S, Davies Plain 8524-4S, Tom climb in moderate scrub to the extensive rocky area at GR Groggin 8524-4N Note: Scanned maps for the trip can 737, 370 (2nd edn of the map) where some non-exposed be accessed at: https://sites.google.com/site/feralkaza/ scrambling gives great views. Along the plateau, which club-overview/teams/source-of-the-murray-tom-groggin includes open grassy areas, for 1 km to SH 1468, then Leader: Karen Cody 0447 268 628(m), feral.kaza@ descend N past more granite and back to the Old Boboyan gmail.com Transport & NPWS pass: ~$80 per person Road. 16 km, main height gain around 240 m, about Limit: 5 walkers. 6 hours including breaks. Map: Yaouk Leader: Linda Tuesday 2 April: Tumanmang Mountain Groom [email protected] 02 6281 4917 Transport: Forests – L/R/X $52 per car. Limit: 12 The walk is on the crest of the Great Dividing Range, in 6–8 April: Woila – M/R/X the Tallaganda State Forest, about 20 km NE of Jerangle. Drive along the Minuma Fire trail (near Pikes Saddle) We will visit the tall forests on the east and west faces of for a few kilometres. Walk along Breakfast Creek (from Tumanmang Mountain, so the route is meandering and GR 385-156) and an unnamed creek (tree ferns and mainly off-track. It is an exploratory trip for the leader. waterfalls) to pick up a long spur (GR 382-143) to the There has been logging on the lower slopes, but the area Woila Plateau and camp. Day 2: with day packs visit marked as ‘Preserved Forest’ on the State Forests map Mother Woila and the knife-edged ridge to Tabletop looks untouched on Google Earth. Start on White Ash Mountain. Day 3: return to cars via Dampier Trig. This Forest Road at Krawaree 275357. Follow a fire-trail N for is a beautiful rugged area. The pace will be steady. About 500 metres, leave the track, follow the densely forested 24 kms, of which 8–10 kms will be with day packs. Some creeks west of Tumanmang Mountain for 1 km downhill, scrub and rock scrambling; all off-track except the last climb Bald Peak, Tumanmang Mtn, Tumanmang Trig. 3 or 4 kms on the third day. 4WDs required. Foresters From the trig follow a spur N & E to Krawaree 285383, or similar OK. Joint trip with NPA. Please email or call follow the creeks down to White Ash Road, south for leader preferably before/during Easter. Maps: Snowball, 2 km then off-track up a spur to Gourock Range and back Badja. Leader: Eric Pickering 6286 2128, pater@tpg. to the cars. About 13 km, with two steep ascents – both com.au Transport: ~$120 per car. Limit: 6 of about 350 m – off-track, through forests with thick

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Activity program Tuesday 9 April: Border Markers Sunday 14 April: Canberra and region from Mountain Creek Road to the Heritage Festival – Mt Stromlo milestones Murrumbidgee – L/M, X – ten years on – S/E Park at Uriarra Crossing and walk the Murrumbidgee Walk around 7 km distance and climb around 125 vertical River downstream through the Woodstock Nature metres, taking around 3 hours, to view the recovery in Reserve to the border. Follow the border up through the buildings and the bush at Mt Stromlo. There are Stinging Nettle Hill out of the NR, across ‘Woodstock’ extensive views to Canberra and the new Molonglo (permission has been obtained from the landholder) to suburbs, and superb views to the west to the Brindabella Fairlight Road. Continue across Pleasant Hill through and Tidbinbilla Ranges. See the new Cotter Dam in the ‘Brookvale’ (permission has been obtained from the distance and the Murrumbidgee River. Look right and landholder) to Mountain Creek Road. Perhaps continue left before we cross the mountain bike tracks! Map: along the border to Two Sticks Road. Return NE to Canberra. Leader: John Evans 0417 436 877, john@ the Swamp Creek Nature Reserve and back to Uriarra johnevans.id.au Transport: drive yourself. Further Crossing. Around 20 km and 400 m climb. Maps: details at www.johnevans.id.au Limit: 20. Umburra, Cotter Dam. Leader: John Evans 0417 436 877, [email protected] Transport: ~$6 per person. Tuesday 16 April: Bogong Creek, Middle Further details at www.johnevans.id.au Limit: 8. Creek – L/R pt X Yankee Hat carpark – Bogong Creek to source – Peak Wednesday 10 April: Wednesday walk 1730 (optional) – Yankee Hat Ridge to SH1526 – descend For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Barrie Ridgway to Middle Creek and return. Plenty of easy kms at the start (for CBC) [email protected] and end of the walk, and a good introduction to YH Ridge which avoids the rough part. Maps: Yaouk, Rendezvous 10–12 April: Big Badja Hill–Woila Creek– Creek. Leader: Brian Surin 0438276350, brianscvb@ Eurambene Mtn – M/R gmail.com Transport: ~$50 per car. Day 1 from Pikes Saddle via Big Badja to Woila Creek. Day 2 explore Woila Creek and clearing. An easier day. Wednesday 17 April: Wednesday walk Day 3 Eurambene ridge and Mtn to Pikes Saddle. Mostly For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Peter Wellman off-track but ridges pretty good. Maps: Snowball, Badja. (for BBC) [email protected] Leader: Mike Banyard, [email protected] 0414 959 967. Transport: $120 per car. Limit: 4. Wednesday 17 April 2013, 8 pm Saturday 13 April: Mt Foxlow – M/M MONTHLY MEETING From the car park just off Woolcara Lane at the entrance The ACT SES to the Yanununbeyan Conservation Area, we will head Presenter: Susan Staude off-track up to Mt Foxlow where we will have lunch. Main hall: Hughes Baptist Church Return initially along the fire trail then swing off track along a ridge through attractive light forest to cars. Short 32–34 Groom Street, Hughes car shuffle. Distance around 13 km with climbs totalling about 600 m. Map: Captains Flat. Leader: Phillip Starr 6161 3835(h), 0419 281 096, phillipstarr1945@gmail. Saturday 20 April: Mt Aggie and Bendora com Transport: $50 per car ($13 – $15 per person). Arboretum – M/E Follow the track from the car park to Mt Aggie (1471 m) 13–14 April: Clear Point, painting and with its spectacular views then along the border photography – S/E ridge track toward Bendoura Hill. After crossing the A week-end of various activities around a camp at Mt Franklin Road, use an old logging road to get to the Clear Point near Pebbly Beach. You can walk around to arboretum for lunch, then on track back to the cars with study bird life and take photos, you can draw or paint more views. About 14 km, 5 hours actual walking. Map: the seascapes, you can even climb Durras mountain if Tidbinbilla. Leader: Stan Marks 6254 9568(h), 6274 you so wish. Leaders: Alison Milton and Gösta Lyngå, 7350(w), [email protected] Transport: Bookings to Alison please, 6254 0578, Alison.milton@ ~ $20 health.gov.au Map: Kioloa. Transport: $40. Saturday 20 April: Mt Kelly, Kelly Spur – L/R/ 13–14 April: Tullyangela Clearing – pt X Wineglass Tor – Tims Gully – M/R Yankee Hat car park – Middle Creek – Burbidge Spur We start near Tulleyangela Clearing and proceed N of – Bogong Gap – Mt Kelly – Kelly Twin Peak (optional) – North Oaky Creek to the old diggings at Peach Tree Kelly Spur – Cotter Hut – Cotter Gap – AAWT to Orroral. Canal. From there we ascend gently to Wineglass Tor Extended day walk. Early start, walk to Cotter Hut by for spectacular views of Great Horseshoe Bend, then via nightfall. After a decent break continue by torchlight open ridges to camp on the Shoalhaven between Tims on footpads and fire trail to Orroral. Car shuttle, night Gully and Little Horseshoe Bend. Next day we will visit walking. ~35 km, ~1200 m. Maps: Yaouk, Rendezvous Sparkes Falls then follow a series of mainly open ridges Creek, Corin Dam. Leader: Brian Surin 0438 276 350, back to the cars. This trip has great scenery, historical [email protected] Transport: ~$60 per car. sites, and, thanks to an early start, plenty of swimming opportunities. The walk is mostly as described in Fitzroy 20–21 April: Wambagugga Creek – S/R with Falls and Beyond, p178ff. Map: Touga. Leader: Alan M/R option Vidler 6290 0490 [email protected] Transport: A morning’s walk to spacious grassy campsite beside ~$150 per car. Wambagugga Creek in the Deua NP, with an option to

Canberra Bushwalking Club it March 2013 – page 13 Activity program do an afternoon circuit without packs to the Shoalhaven spectacular views before returning to the cars. A pleasant River. On Sunday, a short optional climb (100 m up, and relatively easy walk, about 12 km, 200 m climb. 0.5 km) to a knoll; back to the cars, probably before 2 pm. Map: Bombay. Leader: Stan Marks 6254 9568(h), 6274 Apart from the optional knoll, gradients are gentle. There 7350(w), [email protected] Transport: is 3 km of fire trail and the rest is off-track – tussocky ~$15. grass and fairly light scrub, and some logs to climb over. There is some rock hopping and thicker scrub on the side Sunday 28 April: Mount Woolpack – M/E. trips. 7 km to the campsite and a further 10 km in the Starting at Round Flat fire trail on Tinderry Road follow optional afternoon circuit. Suit walkers with experience fires trail through forest to Mount Woolpack for lunch of several CBC day walks who wish to try an overnight with great views. Trip is on fire trails with some walking walk. Drive is about 2 hours from Queanbeyan, and needs through paddocks, about 14 kms distance with ascent of Subaru Foresters or similar. Map: Snowball Leader: about 700 metres. Short car shuffle required, will need Linda Groom Transport: $80 per car. Limit: 12 to leave Canberra at 8:30 am for an 80 km drive to start. Map: Tinderry Leader: Tim Wright 0409 847 534(m) Sunday 21 April: Grand Ettrema Lookout – 6281 2275(h), [email protected] Transport: ~ $20 S–M/R/X each based on 3 passengers per car. Drive via Tarago and Nerriga. A walk of 10 km (return) from just north of Quiera Clearing to a magnificent Wednesday 1 May: Wednesday walk For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Peter Wellman lookout over the sandstone cliffs of Ettrema Gorge (for BBC) [email protected] east of Myall Creek (451257 WGS84). No big climbs but some undulations. There will be some small rock Sunday 5 May: Goorooyarroo Nature Park scrambles and scrub but I will try to cross flat and open and Sammy’s Hill – S/E rock slabs wherever possible. Map: Touga. Leader: A f walk o around 2 hours, mostly on fire trails and tracks Jeff Bennetts 6231 5899 [email protected] through pleasant grassland and to a hill with views. Transport: ~340 km return ~$126 per car, ~$30–$40 Rendezvous at 9 am on the northern side of Horse per person. Limit: 12. Park Drive about 1.5 km toward Gungahlin from the (21) 22–25 April: Wollemi NP – M/R Federal Hwy junction (Gungahlin exit). A Sportenary Sawmill ruins (GR487 612), Mount Coricudgy, camp event. Map: Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve at www. on saddle SW of Middle Hill, climb Mt Davis without tams.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/390580/ packs, ridge W of Mt Davis (fab views), camp in comfy cnpmapgoorooyaroo.pdf Leader: Phillip Starr Booking cave near Coricudgy Creek junction, wade/scrub bash contact TBA. Transport: drive yourself. two kms up Coricudgy Creek, explore eastern tributary 6–20 May: Flinders Ranges – Mostly M and (iron oxide stalactites, beautiful rainforest) (camp), Jones one at L/R Hole, Gavins Swamp, Sawmill ruins. A rugged trip taken Now fully booked. Wait list now applies. Refer to details at a leisurely pace in the wonderful Wollemi. Wet feet in in December 2012 activity list. Leader: Janet Edstein the creeks (boots not suitable), possible rock scrambling. [email protected] Limit: 20. Drive to Dunns swamp near Rylstone afternoon or evening of 24th. Run jointly with Coast & Mountain Tuesday 7 May: Owl Rocks Ridge & Prairie Walkers. Map: Coricudgy. Leader: Meg McKone 6254 Dog Creek – L/R part X 5902(h) [email protected] Transport: The main objective is a beautiful 600 metre ridge of $310 per car or minimum of $78 per person. Limit: 8 granite tors, shaded by Mountain Gum and Alpine Ash forest at 735 555 (my name for it is Owl Rocks Ridge). Tuesday 23 April: Renns Bluff – L/R/W/pt X From the Orroral Tracking Station site we will spend Bungonia SCA – Mt Ayre – Shoalhaven River – the day on a meandering route mainly off track to the exploratory spur – Renns Bluff – Mt Pollock – Rainbow west and north in the headwaters of Prairie Dog Creek. Ridge –Shoalhaven River – return via Mt Ayre. Tracks, We will eventually join the Alpine Walking Track near off-track sections mostly open scrub. Nice views, the Cotter Hut road and follow the road 6 km back to steep descents/ascents, river crossings, some exposure. the cars. Expect slow scrub. Note: This walk is a repeat ~14 km, 1000 m total ascent. Map: Caoura. Leader: of the 9 Oct 2012 trip, with some variations. Minimum Brian Surin 0438 276 350, [email protected] distance: 16 km with 550 metres of ascent. Maps: Corin Transport: ~$100 per car, + park entry fee. Dam, Rendezvous Creek. Leader: Ian Wright 6286 1473, Wednesday 24 April: Wednesday walk [email protected] Transport: ~100 km return. For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Henry Hatch, Limit: 8. [email protected] Wednesday 8 May: Wednesday walk For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Tim Wright [email protected] COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday 24 April 2013 Wednesday 15 May: Wednesday walk For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Peter Wellman (for BBC) [email protected]

Saturday 27 April: Serenity Rocks – M/M Tuesday 21 May: High Swamp on East Side Park the cars at the South Black Range car park. Walk of Mavis Ridge, Namadgi NP – L/R/X on track to Mulloon Creek for morning tea, then soon Start at the Nursery Swamp car park and follow tracks after, head off-track to Serenity Rocks for lunch with 5 km to Rendezvous Creek, via Nursery Swamp. We

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Activity program Ridge at grid reference 712 513, which we will reach 26 June–20 July: Kakadu – M/R/X/W via the granite outcrop at Spot Height 1406 m (Ref: Three walks in succession in the South Alligator River 725 518). From the swamp it is another 500 metres to and Jim Jim Falls area. Maps: El Sherana, Callanan, Mavis Ridge if time allows. We will then head east to Koolpin, Goodparla and Jim Jim Falls, all 1:50,000. Rendezvous Creek via the shortest route and head back Transport. Share 4WD costs. Leader: Linda Groom to the cars via the Nursery Swamp track. Most of the day 6281 4917, [email protected] Limit: 9. This trip is is exploratory for the leader, but it will be a long day and fully booked; waiting list commenced. scrubby and slow off-track. Minimum distance: 20 km with 750 metres of ascent. Map: Rendezvous Creek. Leader: Ian Wright 6286 1473, [email protected]. au Transport: ~90 km return. Limit: 8. Wednesday 22 May: Wednesday walk Your Duty of Care Responsibili- For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Mike Smith ties on Canberra Bushwalking (for NPA) [email protected] Club activities (24), 25, 26 May: Durras weekend – Sat M/E, ll participants in CBC activities owe a duty of Sun M/M Acare to other participants. If you are the activity Leave Canberra Friday night, stay in comfortable leader, or are more experienced, you owe a higher cabins at Depot Beach Caravan Park. Saturday will duty of care. If someone suffers injury or loss be- be the spectacular Little Forest Plateau with views to cause you did not provide the level of care that a the Budawangs, Pigeon House and beyond. Lunch at court considers reasonable in the circumstances, the Gadara Point. On Sunday, Ross Andrews will lead a court may require you to pay damages. walk along the coast south of Murramarang, from Emily Millar Beach to Richmond Beach, thence the Garden of he Club’s public liability insurance is designed Unearthly Gums, Oaky Beach, North Head and the cars. Tto cover the cost of any damages awarded Two superb walks, about 4½ hours Sat, 5 hours Sunday. against you, provided you gave the claimant an ap- Maps: Kioloa, Tianjara, Milton. Leader: Stan Marks propriate level of care. 6254 9568(h), 6274 7350(w), stan.marks@infrastructure. In assessing whether you provided an appropriate gov.au Transport: ~$50. Accommodation: ~$60 level of care, a court will consider: depending on numbers. • whether you gave a warning about the hazard that Wednesday 29 May: Wednesday walk contributed to the claimant’s loss or injury For fit and experienced walkers. Leader: Mike Smith (for NPA) [email protected] • whether the hazard was something inherent in the activity and/or should have been obvious to June–July 2013: Kakadu – M/R/X/W the claimant The walks in Kakadu offered by Walks Secretary Linda for this year’s dry season are full, however it may be • whether the claimant themselves understood possible to arrange similar walks at different times. the risk (whether they signed the Club’s Options include South Alligator River, Jim Jim–Twin Acknowledgment of Risks and Obligations Falls, and the Koolpin–Barramundi Creek area. Maps: form is part of what the court will consider) and El Sherana, Callanan, Koolpin, Goodparla and Jim whether they should have taken more care of Jim Falls, all 1:50,000. Leader: Rupert Barnett 6242 the relative levels of experience of the people 5241, [email protected] Transport: Airfare involved. around $600, share of 4WD ~$1200. Limit: 6. If you are interested contact me immediately. Tuesday 11 June: The Granite Labyrinth, Namadgi NP – M/R Bulletin Board Start at the Nursery Swamp car park. Head west and The Bulletin Board is for members to advertise (at no up the steep ridge that eventually leads to Spot Height cost) goods for sale, private trips or other personal 1447 (Ref: 756 528). Centred on a 1.5 km radius of SH bushwalking-related matters. The Club is not involved 1447 there is a labyrinth of granite tors, slabs and knolls in, takes no responsibility for, and does not endorse, hidden by scrub. The day will be spent on a route that the activities or goods advertised here. Hence, if peo- links up some of the granite features. We will follow a ple participate in any activities advertised here, they meandering route to the west and drop down to upper do so as private individuals, not as members of the Nursery Creek then return via the Nursery Swamp track. Club, and will not be covered by the Club’s insurance. The scrub is thick, and it will be slow going for most of the day. A small torch is useful for investigating some Notices for the Bulletin board should be emailed of the granite features. Note: This walk is a repeat of to the Walks Secretary: walksec@canberra- the 26 June 2012 trip, with some variations. Minimum bushwalkingclub.org distance: 12 km with ~ 680 metres of ascent. The walk may be postponed if it is wet as the rocks will be slippery. Gear for sale?– place an ad! Map: Rendezvous Creek Leader: Ian Wright 6286 1473, If you have any old equipment you no longer want, [email protected] Transport: ~90 km return. why not place an ad here to either sell or give it away. Limit: 8. Please include personal contact details and ask- ing price.

Canberra Bushwalking Club it March 2013 – page 15 Feeling literary? Membership fees 2012/13 Item Single Household Have you had a great experience on a Club walk? Been Hard copy it $46 $73 moved to write about it, either in prose or verse? Felt the Electronic it $27 $54 urge to see your name in print? Or even just taken some great photo shots that you would like to share. The Club welcomes contributions from members so why not write about an interesting experience on a walk or just an enjoyable walk. Alternatively, send in a photo or two with a Wednesday walks short paragraph about it/them. Medium walks (M/M, M/M–R, L/E–M) are conducted The closing date for each issue of it is the date of the 4th every Wednesday. Walks are conducted in turn by Wednesday of every month. Handwritten and posted mate- leaders from the CBC, Brindabella Bushwalking rial is acceptable, but email is preferred. We also welcome Club and National Parks Association (ACT). Details photographs, preferably as separately scanned items or about destination and meeting place are emailed to digital images. We can scan original photographs. Contact: those on the Wednesday Walkers email list. Contact Ph 6254 0578, [email protected] Janet Edstein [email protected] to get your Post: 20 O’Sullivan Street, HIGGINS, ACT 2615 name on the email list. Janet coordinates the CBC’s Alison Milton, Editor contribution to these walks.

If undeliverable return to PRINT POSTAGE GPO Box 160, Canberra ACT 2601 POST PAID PP 248831/0047 AUSTRALIA Print Post Approved PP248831/00047 it

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CANBERRA BUSHWALKING CLUB

March 2013

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