MAGAZINE OF THE CONFEDERATION OF BUSHWALKING CLUBS NSW INC. ISSN 0313 2684 SUMMER EDITION VOLUME 27 NO 2 NOVEMBER 2001 web: www.bushwalking.org.au email: [email protected] GUMTREE SONGLINES C OLO NEARLY W ILLOW- REE C ULMINATES IN BLUE GUM During September sixteen volun- Andy Macqueen teers - members of the riends of T HREE COOEES There was then toast to the World the Colo - spent five days in the Heritage area, using an infusion of tea- remotest section of the Colo River, OR WORLD tree leaves, and the crowd of 130 belted in the third major onslaught on forth three massive cooees. The phe- willow trees. The helicopter-sup- H ERITAGE nomenon was later remarked on by ported operation was aided by Blue Gum orest resonated with the Confederation president Wilf Hilder, white-water rafts piloted by Jack booming voice of bushwalker and who was descending Du aurs Buttress Hodge and his friends from the naturalist Wyn Jones as he performed at the time, and by Rick Jamieson who Penrith Whitewater Stadium. was approaching up-river after starting his inspiring poem Songliner. The unding for the program is pro- from vided by the NSW Governments Yarramundi Environmental Trust. a couple The riends of the Colo, which days includes bushwalkers from several before. clubs, hopes it has now achieved The primary kill of willows along the partici- Colo River within the Wollemi pants National Park. returned to There is much more to be done. Acacia There will be continuing mopping lat up, and there are yet some live while willows on Wollemi Creek, the the Capertee and Wolgan. There are specially other nasties including Cape Ivy in- and Lantana which the group will scribed be turning its attention to. And clay tiles there are the many willows down- Some of the 130 walkers who were led to the ceremonial site in Blue Gum orest. that had stream from the national park - been thought to be the source of the infestations in the park. The group ceremonial fire was lit and charged with baked in the fire were retrieved from hopes to become involved with the the ashes of previous campfires, care- the ashes for later distribution. The fire local community in eventually fully conveyed in beautiful gumnut- site was rehabilitated, and the forest removing these willows. shaped wooden capsules through returned to its tranquil state. If you would like to find out successive campfires held, in relay This event, on the afternoon of 22 more of the riends of the Colo fashion, by communities and walking September, was the culmination of the look up www.ozemail.com.au/ groups since the original fires lit by Gumtree Songlines project, instigated ~mdunk/anthony/foc.html, or traditional Aboriginal owners at by Wyn Jones of the Bluegum Pathways phone the secretary Alan Lane on Govetts Leap in May. Group. The project involved three 9890 2413. The spirit of Eccleston Du aur community campfires (Dunns Swamp, then appeared and told of early events Deanes Siding and Carlons arm), and a dozen or so walking parties. The parties in the valley, and the story of the 1931- H AVE YOU 32 campaign was related. The terrorist covered several hundred kilometres of events in America being high on World Heritage ground, singing with ENTERED PHOTO everyones mind, the audience was their feet as Wyn would say. On the reminded of the importance of the way they identified and recorded nearly C OMP YET? forest to bushwalkers during World half the 90-odd species of gum trees in War II, a refuge where people could the area. S EE PAGES escape from the turmoil of world events and lose themselves in another reality - 9-10 C ONTINUED ON PAGE 13 the natural world. ............................................................................................................................... ...............................................................................................................Walk Safely - Walk With a Club C OMMITTEE MEMBERS THE BUSHWALKER Contributions, letters to the editor, President - Wilf Hilder Conservation Officer - Michael Maack original cartoons and suggestions are wel- Sydney Bushwalkers Ph 9587-8912 Springwood Bushwalkers come. They should be sent to the address below. All contributions except for short Vice President - Jim Callaway (02) 9520- Tracks and Access officer - Alex Tucker (02) notes or letters, all contributions should 7081 (H) (02) 9219-4379 (W) The Sydney 9451-4028 National Parks Association be accompanied with text file on three and Bush Walkers [email protected] a half inch floppy disk in IBM format or E-Mail. Treasurer & acting Secretary - Prudence Magazine Editor Communications Officer Tucker (02)9451-4028 and Membership Secretary Colin Wood, Tel (02)4625-0916 H 0438013500 Advertising rates are available on [email protected] request.Ring Judy Hellyer 02604-1101 or National Parks Association National Parks Association [email protected] [email protected] Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue Squad (BWRS) President - Keith Maxwell (02) Training officer - Position currently Vacant Distribution is through affiliated clubs, 9622-0049 Pager phone 13 22 22 pager no major retail outlets, council information Insurance Office - Anne Plowman 6277321 Mount Druitt Bushwalking Club centres and national park offices. (02)9747-1346 [email protected] [email protected] Address all correspondence to The Editor, The Bushwalker Bushwalkers Minutes Secretaey and Advertising NSW PO Box 2090 GPO Sydney 1043. E-mail [email protected] ......... Manager Judy Hellyer(02)9604-1101 [email protected] The Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs NSW Inc represents approximately 67clubs with a total membership around 2 2 10,000 bushwalkers. Formed in 1932, the I N T HIS ISSUE Confederation provides a united voice on conservation and other issues, runs train- ing courses for members, and provides for the public a through the BWRS, a highly trained volunteer search and res- Gumtree Songlines Culminates in Blue Gum............... 1 cue squad. People interested in joining a The Bushwalker bushwalking club are invited to write to the Secretary Bushwalkers NSW at the Colo nearly willow-free .........................................1 above address for information on clubs in their area. Or web site www.bushwalking.org.au Bushwalking in England? .......................................3 Prices for advertising Back cover $450 - full page inside back Book Review - Bushwalkers in the Sydney Region .........5 cover $400 - full page inside $350 - half page $175 - quarter page $90 business card size $50 insert $250 +insertion cost Preferred Knots $or Use in Canyons .........................6 approx $90. Deadlines for magazine Dartmoor National Park .......................................6 Summer 2nd week in October- Autumn 2nd week in January Winter, 2nd week in April - Letters to Editor .................................................7 Spring 2nd week in July T HEB USHWALKER Going to the Grose? Better get out the chooffer! ...........8 is the magazine of the Confed- eration of Bushwalking Clubs NSW Inc. It's published quarterly. The Experience the National Parks in the aim of the magazine is to provide articles and information of interest to the members of clubs affiliated Dorrigo-Armidale Area .......................................11 with the Confederation and Bushwalkers generally. Any opin- ions expressed by individual authors do not always represent the official views of the Confederation. Walk Safely - Walk With a Club................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................... B USHWALKING IN ENGLAND? Roger Browne Sydney Bush Walkers P ERHAPS THE TITLE O THIS more remote stretches, most paths can be ment at its best, and to realise that the ARTICLE SHOULD BE walked in segments of no more than an technological world, for all it has to hour or two at a time. T RYING TO BUSHWALK IN offer, is not the ultimate purpose of life. Camping is not the only option for E NGLAND. So what differences was I to find in these trips. Bed-and-breakfast accommo- I met Rowena, whom I later married, England? Many, thats for sure. The first dation is widely available, and in some in New Zealand in 1988 and in 1992 we is that theres nowhere thats a days walk parts of the country Youth Hostels are moved to England to live. from a road. And there are hardly any also an option. In the Lake District, its or two decades, bushwalking had places where free camping would be easy to put together long trips by walking been my weekend passion. Through the permitted or tolerated. If you want to do from one Youth Hostel to another each Sydney Bush Walkers, SPAN, and the that, you really need to go to Scotland. day. Theres no need to choose a linear Auckland Tramping Club Id spent many But Scotlands weather can be extreme at route as many Youth Hostels are within a wonderful weekends in the bush around any time of year, and if you walk days walking distance of half a dozen Sydney, Auckland, and elsewhere in seriously in Scotland youre more likely others. Australia and New Zealand. Id made to be staying in a mountain hut or Most parts of England are dotted many bushwalking friends, and discov- Bothy than in a tent. with small villages, and its often possi- ered many wonderful and very special There are plenty of English farmers ble to arrange on a day walk to take in a places. who allow tent-camping in their fields, pub lunch and to finish at a teashop. But I was an overnight bushwalker at Sadly, the quality of Cappuccinos is not up to what you would find in Greece or Australia, but as you might expect a pot .. of tea can be as good as anywhere in the world. 3 The Bushwalker Theres a choice of high mountain paths and low valley routes. Each has its own interest, and often the decision will be made on the day based on the look of the weather. The low routes are often between or along stone walls, and go right to the heart of English country life - through village squares, past quarries and woodland, through farmyards and even sometimes through the gardens of houses.