Bushwalking Club - ' P.O. Box 160, Canberra City

4AONTHLY nETu'Tcc: 7

The next meeting will be held in the Meetings Room at University House at 8. 00 pm. on Wednesday, 16th November, 1966.

After a short form3l session, we will be saying farewell to five of our staunchesYmembers -

Olive Hope who is going to N. Z. and then to London. Miep Molijn who is going home for three months but is returning next year. Margery Everson who is to teach in London for twelve months. Doug and Maxine Wright who have been posted to Pnpm Penhifor two years;

In order to make it a memorable evening would the ladies please bring a plate of savoiiries and the gentlemen come prepared to contribute to the cost of the drinks.

VICE - PRESIDENT:

Dotg Wrights resignation as Vice - President was atcepted with regret at the last Committee meeting and in accordance with the Constitution Bob Galloway was elected by the Committee to fill the position. He was nominated by John Wanless and seconded by Lin Chatter.

BANK BALANCE:

The treasurer reports that our balance is $95 - 37 with 50 financi3l members which includes 6 married- couples. So some of us are still lagging with membership renewals and we would appreciate the return of the forms plus the cheque as soon as you can.

NEW MEMBERS:

1:

We welcome the following new members: Mr. & Mrs. Luigi Marzilli, 37/24 Moore St. Turner. Mr. & Mrs. LW. King, 19 Gilmore Cres. Garran. Mr. & Mrs. G.V. Chapman 14?81 Northbourne Av. Mr. Gordon Duggan, 21 Hopetoun Circ., Deakin.

COMMITTEE MEETING:

The next Committee meeting will be on December 5th at 8.00 pm. at the Storey's home at 105 Buxton St., Deakin. 0

WALKS PROGRAMME:

Nov. 12 -. 13 Tollgate is. EASY Stefen Neser WEEK-END

NOT Blue Waterhole - Coolernan Plains. This was transferred to Nov. 5-6 weekend in place of the and Upper Mongarlowe trip planned by Doug Wright who was unable to hgo because of his trek overseas.

Nov. 19-20 Tianjara-Upper Clyde: Sandstone plateau, John Wanless wild flowers, coastal jungle and the President. (Budawangs) HARD Nov. 19 Wee Jasper Caves - all corners invited. Wear SATURDAY old clothes, bring a torch and join the trogs. EASY Graeme Chapman Nov. 26-27 Introductory camping week-end - leaving 2 pm. WEEK-END Saturday for Snowy Flats, just under Gingera.. Barry Mayfield Meet the Corroboree frog and come out on top. (Bimberi)

Nov. 26-27 Pretty Plains Hut - log cabin luxury. MEDIUM Don Stodart WEEK-END . (S.M.A.) Nov. 27 Molonglo Gorge - an enjoyable stroll along the river. SUNDAY Tom Frommer (A.C.T.) Dec. 3-4 Bald Peak-Gourock Range - exploratory trip:.under WEEK-END mathematical contrOl. . MEDIUM Richard Eccles (Jerangle/ Capt. Flat) Dec. .4. .Lake George - a relaxing day watching the water SUNDAY birds. . . Peter Ender

Dec. 10 Christmas barbecue EASY Point Hut SATURDAY

Dec. 11 T!manang Peak - Tinderries with a difference SUNDAY . . 'MEDIUM Graham Whitelaw (Michelago/ Capt. Flat) Mid- Trip to New Zealand - climbing course Hopkins Meet. December Other trips may be arranged if sufficient interest Contact - is shown. Air fare reduction for group bookings. Robin Miller

February: Warwick Ward will lead a trip to . Contact him directly if you are interested.

FOr these trips please co-operate with standard booking arrangements so the leaders know how many starters they will have and the Search and Rescue Committee will know how many to look for - if necessary

For example on one trip recently, two.names were on the list and Over twenty tirned up ....-

The walks programme reprinted each month in the circular is the most up-to-date so please check it carefully for any alterations. . ...

THAT SOCIAL EVENT:

Has been changed from December 17 to December 10 and will be held at Point Hut Crossing on the Murrumbidgee. There will be swimming upstream from 2 pm. and/or fishing downstream from 2 pm. 3.

Afternoon tea and Treasure Hunt from 5 pm.

Barbecue at dusk.

Dress shall be worn - $1 will cover the cost and please bring your own mug and eating irons. Any enquiries to Lin Chatter on 41121.

(Sally Hoft) Secretary.

RENEWAL OF MEMBERSHIP

NAME:

ADDRESS: (Home) ......

(Work) ......

TELEPHONE NO.: (Home) ...... (Work)

Membership Subscriptions are Single = $2. 00; Married Couple $3.00

Would members please return this form with their subscription to the Secretary or Treasurer as soon as convenient. NOVEER 1966. --

was well said by whoever first said it, that "A work begun, is a work half done". FThm this it follows quite logically that if we did&t have to begin IT, wetd get IT done in half the time. And that's precisely true, quite apart from any logic0 So if in the next issue you're suddenly launched into 'News from Near and Far' without so much as "Hulloa" or hIsn1t the weather perfectly lovely", you'll understand whyl Meanwhile, the weather is perfectly ghastly, and my eagerness to return to Cooleman Plains is becoming somewhat dampened as the weekend approaches. I P.W. An eventful and enjoyable trip. tWSOiEA.R AD FAR

Srely it isn't really news to anyone that Naxine and Doug Wright are leaving us on 25th November to gd to Phnom Peith for two years0 Oh, yes, and Nicholas is going along too. Congratulations to Ed. and Chris Slater on the birth of a daughter.

A little bit of our international flavour, i.e. Miep, is leaving us for a short trip home via U.S.A. and. Canada. But she'll be back; no dissatisfied migrant is our I'fi.ep. The President's bought a bike He's getting fit for his HARD walk.

Dorothy Brown is at present at home recovering from her operation. She should be back hale and hearty in two week's time.

On 2nd December Margery Everson sails for London where she'll be teaching on an exchange basis.

Olive Hope also is going to England soon, after two weeks in New Zealand.

Jack and Beth O'Halloran are •about to pack their bags and move to Tasmania. They'll have to holiday on the mainland nOw, ?trgaret Barrow, who's ben living in Perth for some months, is leaving for England on 20th November,

Our sympathy to all members who are doing exams, finishing Ph.D. theses or engaging in anything equally gruelling.

TUE CLUB LIBRARY The first thing I did when entrusted with the club library was to loso it. That will give you some idea of its size - the list below will confirm your opinion. Well, it was rescued by Miep who eventually returned it to me, and it's been sitting on my desk at home ever, since. But should you wish to borrow any book you are very welcome to do so - with. no charge or time limit, unless someone else wants that particular book, or stock—taking is onL

Bushwalking and Cjg: Paddy Pallin's handbook of Australian bushcraft, 6th ed, Syd., 1959. Eauipment. for Mountaineerg: A guide to the choice of equipment for the hushwalker, climber and mountaineer, Melb., The Melbourne University Mountaineering Club, 1961. Let's go Bushwalking: A handbook for beginners, prepared by the Safety and Training Committee of the Brisbane Bushwalkers Club. .Brisb., nd

2 .

Paddy_Pallin Ski Gear_Pricist: Syd,, 1965

The Rock-Climbs of N4S.L: Compiled by Rock-Clithbing Club. Syd. 1963.

fety in the Bush: Information on bushwalking in Tasmania. Compiled by the Search and Rescue Committee of the Hobart Waflcing Club. 2nd. ed0 Hobart, 1964 So much for the Club's collection., Besides these Harry Black has offered to make available the following books from his own collection to any club member.

The Bushman's_Handbook: H. A. Lindsay (Angus & Robertson).

Paddy Pallin,

The National Sd Association of America.

ljnba,neerts Handbook: (Superior Pub. Co., Seattle)

Rescue: Australian Civil Defence Handbook.

We hope that some of you will avail yourselves of these collections; and lall suggestions for further purchases, or offers similar to H arryts, will be greatly appreciated.

ALICEdI5

BUEGONfl GORGE - ROCK CLIICG October 29th-30th .

Ah a chance to promote our favorite sport of climbing - a chance not to be missd it must be done under the guise of a trip report of the weekend at Bungonia Gorge .. . "p 7..• / Eight a0rn. Saturday morning saw two cars of. seven climbers gazing over the edge of the - - - 1500 foot chasm of the gorge from the lookout at the upper end of the caxron. By 8.30 belaying practice was being punctuated by . '\. - alteinats shouts from victims simulating falling who were stopped oversudderily by the rope from above or from the belayer who was unexpectedly pulled from his position0 One, party of four undertook to climb up the sawtooth ridge which runs at right angles 2/t from the top end of the gorge, providing a number of .short but_varied..and..interesting. r !t t routes, This was negotiated in good style despite a well known tblack boy' (tree, shrub Or whatover they are) which grows in an unlikely (and inconvenient) place near the top of a difficult crack. A variety of knees and elbows were used (disapproved or in proper NJ \ climbing circles I am told) by all, but everyone managed it and reached the top in time for a late lunch Two then departed for Canberra, to return the following morning, The other party of three started the day by going immediálely to the bottom of the .gorge to attempt a huge chimney that runs up the far side of the upstream end of the gorge. Fifty feet up the wide crack ends in an overhang, made even more formidable by wet and mossy rock. Better prospects were sought on the large buttress at the base of the sawtoothridge and some good routes of several hundred feet were found.

Two of the group descended into the gorge to camp by the creek, under the overhang, while the remaining. 'wee stayed at the top. . The latter course of Taction required no pack carrying and was in keeping with the ;licy that climbers should not have to walk too. (The several walks.up out of the gorge prompted a frequently repeate&.phrase, "Why can't there be roads to the base of all the cliffs like there is in Britain?") Camping by the cars also had the hazard of no convenient water supply, The jerry can of water brought was remarked to taste variously of the petrol the can had previously held and of the soap that had been used to try to wash the petrol out. ' 3. The second day was spent bythe top party on ridges running down from the lookout, while the bottom party were joined by the two who had returned from Canberra in time for several short but challenging chimney cliimbs from the bottom of the gorge, some abseiling practice and some swims in the river.

But I haveh't started on my climbing promotion yet. Well - perhaps enough to suggest you join us in trying it. Perhaps you will find the same enjoyment, the same stimulating challenge in rock climbing that we do.

Present on the weekend - Jenny, Leslie, Marilyn, Tony, Grahame, Cashman and Roy. YOU SAD IT

"All factors point to the conclusion that we are on the right peak, none of which I am going to accept". - John Cashman, sornet.thcre somewhen.

"The thing we noticed most in the Buragorang Valley were the birds", reported Graham to an amused audience. "The feathered variety I mean. They've done very well there as its a pro.tected area". - -

"Poor John, I think he' s working too. hard" - Jenny Brierley on reading his Bogong report• in this IT.

Miep enthusing over the idea of a bushwalking library - "You know ... ail those books they lend out to people on how to behave in the bush, etc.".

BUDAWANGS Odtober 15th-16th, 1966.

"He who understands tue sees the world rightly" WITTGENSTEIN.

The area of the Northern is the best bushwalking country I have seen in I>- and my enthusiasm for it fired at least a score of people, to declare their interest in coming on this trip. As the

'Y weekend approached, however, an erosion common to all my proposed ventures took i' -tMayi*, place as the implications were realized and the claims of unwashed laundry took precedence.

I was not alarmed to find the list reduced to nine; six males, three females and no dogs. The party made up in determination what it

; d. lacked in riwnbers and arriving belatedly at the refldezvous point in the early hoursof Saturday I was amazed to find afl assembled and cager to be away. We left the three cars in the usual place at $ a.m., an attempt to force a way through to the foot of the Corang plateau on the maze of new forestry. roads having failed. The first hour's walking can be written off to experience. I am now convinced that the only safe method of entering the Budawangs from the Mongarlowe Road is over the time honoured. route past the first hut, acroes the open grazing land, past the remains of the second hut and up the bridle track to the plateau.

Eventually, sweat soaked and in bad humour, the party picked up the track and after the leader had performed a minor surgical operation on one of the lady members, we began to get into our stride. The peak of Corang rises like a volcano cone and proved too much of an attraction for 1'ke l'briss who insisted on climbing it both on the outward and inward journeys. Most of the party ,nade the deviation to Admiration Point from which the Renwick and Castle massifs as well as the cirque of Currockbilly show up to advantage.

Our next stop was made at the Great Natural Arch which was duly gawked at and energy accumulated to negotiate the conglomerate, slope, a great fan of pudding stone leading off the plateau into the open plains.

After lunch I turned the party northwards towards the Corang River in the hope of picking up the easily graded track which had carried my party out on the last Castle trip. C

4. Ahead I could see the sheer cliffs of Mount Tarn veiled in swirling cloud and we foresaw raina The traok was marshy and prbgIess was slow. .1 failed.to .recognise a single feature of the track but for the sake of morale emphasised that I was taking the party in by a slightly longer route than necessary so that they could see as much of the countryaspossible, Years of man-managementhve conyinced me that ignorance is the best ly0 We had crossed a low ridge disturbing several kangaroos when I realised that if we continued on our present route we would come out at Sally Creek and Mqunt Endrick, several miles north Of my intended ath0 Nonchalantly I sthmg the party through 90 degrees and after an hour of bush bashing we broke out on the western slopes of Mount Tarn. I was even congratulated on my navigation by some innocent admirer.

Our speed increased as did the rain. The forest to the east of the Bibbenluke Walls was carefully negotiated after a brféf top had been made to pay homage to a blaze hacked some years before by.the noiq legendary de ,lJiana.

The great .walls of Roswaiflë and Renwick barred our path and at 5.30 we arrived under an oflrhag which was to be our camping spot for the night. tile some furtively examined their vitals for leeches,. others lit fires from the wood which had, been thought- fully left by an earlier party. The scene later, with nine sleeping bags laidout side by sido, reminded me of dim memories of wartime shelters during the Blitz.

The rain of the evening had cleared the easy air, for next morning the sun came up hot and strong from the usual direction; All but one of the party decided to attempt Renwick. To reach the flat topped summit 500 feet above the cave requires a scramble up a 45 degree slope of bare rock0 The friction offerQd by the sandstone is so good'that,. normally there is no trouble, However, the rock was still slightly damp at 8 a.m. and morcover, smooth soled sandshoes.are not the bet.for such anexercise. .s.ome:'r;r effort, however, we all made the next level and stopped out on the plateau. From the visitors' book location we had a magnificent view westwards to Corang and the scenes of our exertions of the previous day, eastwards to the coast at Milton, the cone of Pigeon• House and thet black hulk of the Castle and southwards to where the Dromedary raises its hins above the green paâtures of Tilba Tilba, and the ridges of Currockbilly to remind me of the Cairngormâ and the glaciated mountains of North Wales.

Time was runningout so I'abandbned a scheme I had to visit the valley of the Monoliths and at 11.30 we hit the boñiewai'd track.' The weather was'thgnifient, great,.cotton wool cloudã alternatihg with hot sun. The colours of the land were equally gorgeous with • the grey, yellow and pink Of the sandstone bluffs, the various shades of yellow and green of the marsh and the shot, crisp grass, and the blue and yellow of thewild flowers; - I thought of the many occasions on which I had chased the sun out oI,the • Bud.wangs and was pleased .that .for most of the party it was their first trip into this magnificent area, Unlike most of my oarlier trips, it was fairly leisurely in that we • did stop occasionally, for photography. Or to clean an exploded jar of peanut butter from the inside of.my rucksack, . .

An altercation with an angry black snake did not deter us and with a minimum of mis-navigatipns we returned tqhe cars at 6., p.m. •. .. ..;.:..: . -

Geoff Marston (Leader) Michael Morriss Roger Bumber Helen Madden . Bob Storj .. Roger -,Hine,

Warwick Ward .. . Sybil Story . Jennifer ;Brierley

Three cars Cost $2 per person.

BOGONG-S' 8thOctober,.1966 . .. . .' .. . .. . I ; Investigations into the Bogong Phenomenon 0Th now complete and the following analysis

isofferod: J. ..i.. ..::'.. . Data to hand are Bogongexpeditions were mounted in October 1965, March 1966 and October 1966. . 'Numbers in the expeditions were 15, .5 and 2 and the distaitbth . travelled were 3, 5 and 6 miles respectively. ' . 5 0 If a variable N is chosen to represent the..nu.mber of previous expeditions and M is chosen to represent their membership, expressions for M can be given in various forms.

(a) M = 15- 135I + 305N.

( 4= 15 (e- e: 3 ): (c) M = 15 - 13.5 sin 0.865N

If expression (a) is accepted, one expects a minimum membership after two expeditions. Thereafter the membership should increase i.iithbut bound.

Equation (b), favoured by this writer, would imply that membership will decrease indefinitely. If Mis restricted to integral yalues (no partial persons), the next oxpedition will carry a membership of zero, and so will all subsequent expeditions. Otherwise expressed, there will be no more expeditions.

Equation (c) suggests a boom and best picture. The next maximum will occur aftei' live expeditions and the numbef of members will be 28. .. Membership will then alternat'e between 28 and 2 with a peripdicity of 7 expeditions.

The lengths of the . expeditioné are clearly tending asymptotically to a limit a little largor than 6 miles, A. fuittion can readily be constructed to dscr.ibo thisbehaviour and the one which is most eaàily vpiied is . ..

D±4(i-e 1°45 )+3. . . Where B is the distance travelled in miles0 ClOarly there is athooreticl1imit of seven miles0 To plan a longer trip would be to court disaston . .

J. D CASHMAN 1.11.66

WHAT MAKES A HARD WALK HARD?

I, for one, am quite convinced that for some members of the club no wal.is hard, and that for otherC even the easiest walk is well-nigh impossible Perhaps the tsevere' walks - the 'for tiger walkers Only please 1 type - bring out the weak:spots in even Our most seasonedhüshmen; I don't know, at least not at first hand, never having had the impudence toenlist for such a walk, nor the misfortune to be on one which turned out to be severe, e.g. The Dasher the Dathpier of recent. date. But to get back to the point., First of all I must tell you that recently Idid.go on a walk marked Hard, and found it just that. However, it was obviously fun and games for John and Greg who bounded.up and down.the steep mountain sides like a p1r of mountaih goats (a hackneyed term I know, but thee were no hackneys) remarkiñgelatedly on the time-breaking records we. were thereby establishing. Infact we.'squared away' Mt. Hartwood; which was what the weekend was abouti in approximately I-i- hours before lunch on Saturday. It was this experience that prompted these somewhat confused an questioning thoughts. Now the factors ihvolved in this pârtici4ar case trhich made an otherwise pleasant trip hard - for Ee were the steepness of the climbs and descents, combined with the speed of the party, as aEainst my comparativel,r unfit condition. Let me add that this is far from a complaint., as I for one have little real patience for people: who knowingly attempt more than they can cope with - in the walking sphere that is - and perhaps I'd come rather close to being guilty of that. Besides which they were both remarkably kind and encouraging. .

But there are other factors which alone, or in combination, can make a. walk hard. The amount of scrub-bashing involved, . ragibg torrents to be crossed, rock faces grimaäing down on one, huge boulders of rock spreading out in all directions, can all spell out HARD, especially to the more faint-hearted among us, And I feel it is even excusable here to talk about.the weather0 Whether you remember the Dampier trip or 60

Blue Lake, you will. have experienced the difference weather can make 'not that, the. Blue Lake trip was thereby 'hard'', only memorable and, at the.time, miserable.

Yet "It is not in our fate but in ourselves that we are underlings" - in other words, a great deal depends on how fit we are and also on our degree of determination. Perhaps we could say 'hard' means - come if you're not fit, or you'll find it just that and more.

ALICE ECCLES

WARRUMBUNGLES IN THE SPRING

"As I haven't any more standard packs, I will sell you a king sized 'mountain mule for the same prico - you might need the extra space one day0

Well ii-ciaperwas right',' but.I.never thought that I wdufl fill the mule, let along carry it overfull to the Warrumbungle tops Jenny had the precious. cargo (David) in:'the papoose, whilst I had food.for three:, 3 sleeping bags, ll / :P;i nappies supposedly only for one, clothes, cooking and eating gear. primus and fuel for that rapid early morning brew, and a camera as 1h!j ballast in front. My Christmas trip of some years back had established the good packing routes so we plugged up Spirey Creek through a maze of spring flowers -. orchids, olearia, jftj. L.2 clematis, hardenbergia and prostanthera. kit

For the aged and infirm there are resting benches at strategic vista points - we made full use of them. On the breadknife bypass - you have to climb over the topt - we saw our first of the snakes - a small whip snake. , A.threatening storm, plus a desire to deposit the loads forced a strong pace. The steep traverse of Dagda slopes was made easier by the carpet of white and yellow everlastirigs and trees fetooned with the cream bell-shaped flowers of the nga Wonga vine

Dow's hut has,.a magnificent' outlook but limited facilities - wate"tabk, outside fireplace and two double bunks. These last we aflânged'in the centre of the hut and then smoked out the numerous red-backed and other eiders which' had nested under all ledgos. I scurried,back to the car for more gear -. it should get you fit for that HARD President's walk on the next programme, Ikept telling myaelf. , I took the shorter,, steeper route down the West Spirey creek, had a quiCk dip in the pool, loaded the mule and hastened back to the tops. Many kangaroos had come down to the valley for their evening meal and they stared wide-eyed at the strange animal thundering up the track inthb gatheing dusk.

David thought bunks were wonderful play areas but at"làst we had him bedded down and we could enjoy a well eazned curry of freeze dried meat and "dehys". Dawn was a relief after a tiring night of our first experience of a'child doing 7BX 1 s in his sleep. David adapted to the camp hygiene quicker than his mother thought pcssible or desirable - but what are dirt and stics for if they are not for wiping your food before eating?

That morning we papoosed up the nearby Bluff Mountain which, centred, in the park, provides a most rewarding view of the fantastic scehery.' Lunch 'back at the hut and, then off to Lugh' s Throne for a closer view of the Breadknife. Down on the western plains ,a storm raged but we were safe in our mountain retreat. , David thought the mountain stream lacked a bit of central heating but he enjoyed his bath as no soap was allowed because of the animals. ,

Dow's Hut on the crest of a steep ridge must be one of the best located shelters in Australia - Belangery Spire and Crater Bluff cleave the horizon and that night we saw them silhouetted against lightning and sombre clouds. ' Overhead we had some clear sky and bright moonlight and a sputnik aped across the heavens. This man-made 'achievement had beauty in the starry sky but the television, tower on the park border at first Ceemed a frustration that man 'could' be so :stupid to mar such scenery. AftQr a few, days, one began to accept' its presence be'cause this insignificant tower of Babel'just could not cope with the contrasts which nature provided. 7 . There was an incredibly beautiful sunrise next morning but the streaming clouds which enhanced its beauty foretold bad weather so we brake camp, and slightly less loaded, headed for Ogma Gap, The storm delayed, so we left our packs and detoured to Mt Enouth, the highest peak in the park. The steep track wound across scree slopes down which David threw his hat, and through acres of magnificent Grass Trees. Lunch back at Ogma Hut and then through the forest of West Spirey Creek to Camp Pincham and the care

The in springtime can be well reconmiended. The new access road, 21 miles from Coonabarabran, is well graded and partly sealed and provides an opportunity to visit Siding Spring Observatory nearby.

I feel that local Park Trust, whilst providing good facilities for visitors, is not encouraging their use by the high charges, e.g. unless bushwalkers are prepared to walk in from the boundary, they are charged 70c per car for each night in the park. The Trust's exhortation at Dagda Gap that walkers entering from the Tonduron side should not do so in future, can hardly be expected to be obeyed when they are slugged for high parking fees if they use the main entrance. Visitors cannot possibly pay forp3at the finances of a National Park Trust and it seems wrong that some should be deterr by exhorbitant charges.

JOHN WANLESS

r ,-a

cT*