Volume 53 Number 2 June 2016

National Parks Association of the Australian Capital Territory Inc.

Burning Aranda Bushland

Canberra Nature Map

Jagungal Wilderness NPA Bulletin Volume 53 number 2 June 2016 Articles by contributors may not necessarily reflect association opinion or objectives.

CONTENTS NPA outings program, June – September 2016 ...... 13–16 From the Committee ...... 2 Bushwalks Rod Griffiths and Christine Goonrey Exciting Rendezvous Valley pack walk ...... 17 The vital work of the National Parks Council ...... 3 Esther Gallant Rod Griffiths Mount Tantangara ...... 18 NPA's Nature Play program ...... 3 Brian Slee Graham Scully Pretty Plain ...... 19 Aranda Bushland's recent hazard-reduction burn ...... 4 Brian Slee Judy Kelly, with Michael Doherty and John Brickhill Glenburn Precinct news...... 20 Obituaries ...... 6 Col McAlister Book reviews. Leaf Litter, exploring the Mysteries...... 21 The National Rock Garden ...... 7 of a Hidden World by Rachel Tonkin Compiled by Kevin McCue Judy Kelly Stolen ...... 7 On Track: Searching out the Bundian Way ...... 21 Gerry Jacobson by John Blay A tour of ‘Canberra Nature Map’...... 8 Fiona MacDonald Brand Geoff Robertson Exploring the Jagungal Wilderness: a Bushwalker's ...... 22 Orroral Valley mystery object ...... 9 Guide to by Robert Green Philip Gatenby and John Brickhill Brian Slee Forests Forever ecology car camp ...... 10 PARKWATCH ...... 24 Di Thompson Compiled by Hazel Rath TrailRider shines ...... 11 NPA notices...... 26 Graham Scully, Fiona MacDonald Brand Meetings and speaker information...... 27 Items of interest ...... 12 NPA information and contacts ...... 27 From the committee During the past autumn it would have be better to focus fire risk reduction the need for the been difficult to miss the episodes of activities on the assets that need NPA to be a smoke inundation into Canberra. The protecting and reducing the extent of champion of this issue of bushfire hazard reduction burns large-scale burns? The NPA ACT believes process. Such was suddenly a topic on everyone’s lips. that it is important for the ACT reports would To many this was a health issue, and community to have the opportunity to provide the while others understood that the main become involved in understanding and community with a purpose of the burns was to reduce bush- contributing to the answers to such clear indication on whether processes for fire fuel loads in our reserves, few que- questions and will continue to lobby for the protection of our natural resources in ries were raised about the effectiveness of this to occur. the ACT’s conservation reserves are such an approach. The recent exercise of involving the working. This year approximately 9,000 NPA ACT membership in identifying key This will be a major task and the hectares of the ACT’s reserves were NPA projects for the coming years was a NPA is keen to establish a steering subject to reduction great success. Among other things, the committee to guide this exciting project. burns. Yet there is exercise reaffirmed the importance to If you are interested in assisting please little public dis- members of the NPA’s Honours student call Rod Griffiths on 0410 875 731 or cussion about the scholarship and emphasised the need for email via [email protected]. ability of burning continued support for scientific Rod Griffiths and Christine Goonrey on this scale to conservation research. Flowing from this reduce the overall was the concept of the establishment of a fire risk. Would it ‘State of the parks’ report in the ACT and

Contributions for the NPA Bulletin Contributions of articles, letters, poems, drawings and photographs are always welcome. If possible keep contributions to no more than 1,000 words. Items accepted for publication will be subject to editing and may also be published on the NPA website. Send all items to the Bulletin Team, email [email protected], or the Deadline for the September 2016 issue: NPA ACT postal address (see page 26). 31 July 2016.

2NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 The vital work of the National Parks Australia Council have been to update NPAC’s policy on 4. Listing protected areas that are part of Not all readers of the Bulletin would be the management of the National Reserve the NRS as ‘matters of national aware that the National Parks System (NRS) and NPAC’s key environmental significance’ under the Association of the ACT is a member of campaigning document ‘Australia’s national environmental laws (EPBC another organisation, the National Parks Living Treasure’, which contains the Act), with provision for other Australia Council (NPAC). Formed in following five key recommendations to protected areas to be listed 1975, NPAC is Australia’s peak body of federal politicians for the strengthening voluntarily. national parks associations and like- of the National Reserve System. 5. Ensuring ultimate federal decision- minded organisations. Quoting its 1. Developing national conservation land making powers are retained and website, NPAC ‘provides a forum for and sea management standards that strengthened under national regular communication between State aim to ensure that all NRS protected environmental laws (the EPBC Act). and Territory National Parks areas, including national parks, retain This is all vital work for ensuring Associations and acts as a united voice the values that led to their gazettal, supporting conservation of the National that Australia meets its international particularly in the face of climate obligation for ensuring that the NRS is Reserve System across Australia’. The change and other threats. NPA has been a strong supporter of complete, adequate and representative. NPAC and distinguished NPA members, 2. Allocating adequate resources, The Association is proud to support Neville Esau and Christine Goonrey, including funding of $500 million over NPAC by sharing its office space have both been presidents. 3 years, to assist states, territories and (thanks also to the Conservation Historically, NPAC has been an community partners in completing Council). NPAC has tax deductibility organisation with limited resources, but strategic acquisitions to the NRS. status and donations to NPAC can be in the past year member groups have 3. Support nationwide bio-link projects, coordinated by contacting Rod Griffiths banded together to fund a part-time which enhance connectivity between on [email protected]. Senior Policy Officer, Dr Sarah May. key habitats and engage the Rod Griffiths Key tasks for Sarah in this election year community in collective effort. NPA’s Nature Play program

There is growing concern that the current ACT’s Sport and generation of young people is exposed to Recreation Services excessive amounts of screen time and agency which, in a that time connecting to nature has program called dramatically reduced. With increasing ACTIVE 2020, is reliance on technology and heightened developing a wide safety concerns of parents, children have range of initiatives to never been so separated from the natural encourage Canberrans world. to become more Recent research is showing that active. There are outdoor play can improve a child’s some worrying health, academic performance, mental elements in this, Log walking. Photo by Linda Groom. wellbeing, and personal and social however, as the health, and mitigate symptoms of overwhelming emphasis in the program is launched in July. Do look at the ADHD. on physical activity. For example, the references below as such programs may Last year, in cooperation with the program specifically is ‘committed to be vital to NPA’s future growth and Canberra Bushwalking Club (CBC), expanding the extent and range of development. NPA began a program called Nature Play sustainable mountain bike opportunities Graham Scully to reach out to families and children. available to the Canberra community’. References With an emailing list of around Nature Play is nevertheless one of the Nature Play www.natureplaywa.org.au 30 individuals and organisations, a wide strands of the ACTIVE 2020 program and www.natureplaysa.org.au variety of family-friendly activities has we are fortunate to be able to be involved www.natureplayqld.org.au/ been advertised, with gradually in its early development. We will be Canberra’s Active-2020 Strategic Plan improving uptake. Activities include negotiating with the convener on how the www.sport.act.gov.au/about-us/ overnight camps, a rainforest walk, a day NPA can help. At long last there will be a active-2020 at a Gundaroo property (where we found central portal that families can access to two Long-necked Tortoises and a nesting discover nature-based activities. I urge pair of Peregrine Falcons), bird and ant interested members to contact me with walks, and Sugar Glider spotting with their ideas and comments as I do not wish Friends of Mount Majura. CBC’s walks to do this alone. for children are ‘Prambulation’ for The Nature Play concept has babies, ‘Toddlers Toddles’ for children progressed in WA, SA and Qld, all of 1–3 and ‘Kids walks’ for 4–7 and 7–13 which have dedicated websites and wide- year-olds. reaching programs for families, A truly exciting development in the communities and schools. It is anticipated past few months has occurred within that the ACT Nature Play website will be

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 3 Aranda Bushland’s recent hazard- reduction burn: where to next?

As part of Canberra Nature Park, Aranda Bushland is a valuable refuge for local plants and wildlife, protecting biodiversity and forming part of the bushland corridor between Mount Painter and Black Mountain Nature Reserve. It is also a precious breathing space for people to enjoy. The Parkcare group, Friends of Aranda Bushland (FoAB), runs monthly activities in conjunction with ACT Parks and Conservation. The 100-hectare Bushland extends from Aranda Hill with its dry open woodland, southwards to the Aranda Snow Gums Heritage Site near William Hovell Drive. Most of Aranda Bushland’s trees are regrowth following logging many years ago. Although the Bushland is generally in good condition, it is coming under greater pressure from prolonged Aranda Bushland from Mount Painter after the burn. Photo by Sarah Hnatiuk. droughts caused by climate change, hazard-reduction burns when vegetation Bushland’s most recent control burn occurred and if it was a result of the is already drought affected and increased which is now black, brown and desolate. drought years 2002–10. Lerp human activity. On Tuesday 5 April, Kevin McCue, (family Psyllidae) didn’t appear to be a In the week of 21 March 2016, ACT committee member of FoAB and of factor. Parks and Conservation staff conducted a NPA ACT, organised a walk through the control burn on the stony north-west area with Michael Doherty, a plant and … there will be a rapid re- slopes of Aranda Bushland, close to its fire ecologist from CSIRO who came in a establishment of the shrub layer from perimeter. private capacity. John Brickhill, NPA seed and resprouting The open woodland on the slope environment subcommittee member had Michael explained that, compared with where the control burn was conducted previously made some observations of a low-intensity understorey burn, a comprises mainly Red Box ( the burn and emailed them to the FoAB high-intensity burn resulting in canopy polyanthemos), Brittle Gum committee. scorch leads to a rapid drop of dead (E. mannifera), Red Stringybark … the fire was of a higher intensity than leaves from the canopy to the forest (E. macrorhyncha) and Scribbly Gum floor, re-initiating the build-up of fine (E. rossii). The understorey includes pea would have been desired in a fuel reduction burn litter fuels post fire. Although fine fuels flowers (Daviesia spp), wattles (e.g. and elevated shrub fuels were reduced Acacia rubida), matrush (Lomandra spp) The views of both Michael and John in the burn, there will be a rapid re- and orchids (Diuris spp, Caladenia spp, coincided on many points. Their main establishment of the shrub layer from Pterostylis nutans) in scattered areas. observation was that the fire was of a seed and resprouting due to the intensity Some orchid areas were excluded from higher intensity than would have been of the burn. In that case, there needs to the burn but a check will have to be desired in a fuel reduction burn, be consideration of the trade-off made in spring to confirm that this was particularly one in a conservation reserve between fine ground fuels and elevated so. where conservation objectives are meant shrub fuels and which state is more or to inform fire management prescriptions. Despite precautions, hazard-reduction less desirable from fuel management Despite recent media coverage in the burns often burn with greater heat and and biodiversity perspectives. This ACT about the desirability of so-called intensity than intended affects both the frequency and intensity ‘cool’ burns, this burn certainly did not fit with which an area is burnt. Parks and Conservation have a duty of into that category. A very high degree of care to protect lives and assets as a first crown scorch had affected the trees. The … intense hail or rainstorms would see priority. Staff have designed strategies bark of the Red Stringybarks had been considerable sediment run into the for ecological burns under the ACT’s scorched to varying degrees, but overall creek line Strategic Bushfire Management Plan, bark hazard levels were still patchy after If the intention had been to burn in with input from conservation the fire even though crown scorch was patches, it hadn’t turned out that way. organisations including NPA ACT. common. Michael commented that the intensity Despite precautions, hazard- John and Michael both noted that, and spread of the burn can be regulated reduction burns often burn with greater before the fire, the Red Stringybarks had by the spacing of the drip torch heat and intensity than intended, as has been showing moderate crown dieback. initiation points – if they are further happened on the site of Aranda John wondered when this first had (continued next page)

4NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 Aranda Bushland’s recent hazard-reduction burn: where to next? (continued) apart, a patchier burn can be created; if they are too close together, fire edges will coalesce to form a larger front and this will often result in a higher intensity burn and full canopy scorch. Indications are that either the drip torch pattern or the weather on the day, or both, created a high-intensity burn over most of the burn area, resulting in full canopy scorch. In particular, full consumption of ground fuels on steeper slopes would ideally be avoided to help prevent sheet erosion, yet the central parts of the burn area were burnt at high intensity and the surface coverage has been fully removed. Luckily it has been a dry autumn, but intense hail or rainstorms would see considerable sediment run into the creek line from these steeper slopes. This is exactly what happened in one of the post-2003 fuel reductions on Black Mountain and that was 3.5 years post- burn (see photo). In his observations, John noted that of all the areas on the ground he’d seen Black Mountain: erosion on track on west side of Black Mountain on 14 March 2007 none had escaped burning ‘... except for shortly after an intense hailstorm. This area was burnt in a moderate intensity hazard- the creek line and one patch in the south- reduction event in September 2003. Photo by Michael Doherty, CSIRO. east corner of the burn (but I may have missed other patches). This means that preparation for winter. However, when The group discussed the threat of there has been limited number of burnt in autumn, they are forced to erosion on the steeper slopes where refuges for small reptiles, insects etc. produce a new canopy of leaves just as ground cover has been burnt away and so it is very good that the gully line they are shutting down at the end of their how the heavy 4WDs used during the through the middle of the area was not normal growth period ... The stringybark burn had turned the walking tracks into burnt.’ (JK’s bold). trees that are putting out a new leaf vehicular ones. We pondered the It appears that the creek line will be canopy are subject to one more stress alternative view that leaf litter should burnt next year. Is this really necessary? following the canopy dieback a few years not be subjected to a burning regime Why can’t it be left as a vital refuge? ago.’ when it is the habitat of insects that will John also noted that: ‘Eucalypts do He adds just one cheery point about a reduce its mass (see Ted Edwards, most growth in spring–summer, and in species that may have benefited from the ‘Looking at leaf litter’, NPA Bulletin, February–March start slowing growth in fire in the short term: ‘I saw a family of March 2016, p. 7). We also wondered three scarlet robins twice, and about the practicality of night burns at both times they were feeding when it is usually cooler, and the future in the burnt area’. of bushland and species diversity with accelerating climate change and We pondered [an] alternative increased pressure for more control view that leaf litter should not burns. be subjected to a burning regime Judy Kelly, with Michael Doherty and John Brickhill Michael spotted the shoots of Red Stringybark, Broad-leaved Peppermint (E. dives) and the pea flower (Daviesia mimosoides subsp. mimo- soides), which was heartening. We could also see epicormic growth on some trees. Michael suggested we conduct a survey in spring to monitor regeneration and see how the vegetation had been affected.

This Bulletin was prepared by: After the Aranda Bushland burn in Editor, Philip Gatenby March 2016. Subeditor, Ed Highley Photo by Judy Kelly. Presentation, Adrienne Nicholson

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 5 Obituaries Vale David Hall well as a hardworking member of the NPA’s and Gudgenby Bush David Hall, an active and very popular Regeneration Group’s work parties. His member of NPA (and the former Family enthusiasm for cutting down feral pine Bushwalkers) for many years, died on trees and digging out briars was 18 March 2016. legendary. David was an avid David was born in Chelmsford, birdwatcher and in recent years enjoyed Essex, on 19 May 1934. He undertook an many trips far and wide in Australia to apprenticeship as a fitter and turner. pursue this interest with his companion, Later he joined the Marconi Company Pam. He was also fascinated by working on, among other things, an early Aboriginal culture and was always on version of microwave equipment. His the lookout for artefacts, which he national service was undertaken in the treated with great respect. He, more than British Army in Kenya during the brutal most, knew the skill that had gone into Mau Mau uprising. He became an their making. accomplished parachutist, a hobby he David was one of those rare people pursued for some years after his who always added to the pleasure of discharge. David emigrated to Australia others on a trip into the bush. His quick with his wife Ann Rayner in 1963 and wit, his interest in all aspects of the spent most of his career working as a natural world and his willingness to help precision instrument maker at the out in any situation will be missed. with a precision engineering company in Research School of Physical Sciences at Timothy Walsh, with Keir the ANU. Here he worked on equipment Fyshwick. and Abigail Hall for Australia’s largest optical telescope at David loved the Australian bush and Photo by Abigail Hall. Coonabarabran. Following his retirement revelled in the outdoor life it provided. from the ANU, he continued to work He was a keen day and pack walker as

After I was fortunate to get to know Vale Paul Mlakar him in the 1990s, we both became part of a group of regular walkers in We are sad to report the death on Namadgi and further afield. We 12 April of long-time member Paul eschewed bush bashing and never Mlakar, following a severe stroke skimped on provisions, especially suffered in November last year. Paul, who always carried the Paul, with wife Penny, joined NPA in heaviest pack full of good things to early 1994. He was a good friend and share. I think that I can safely say supporter of the Association, and we that on one of our visits to Brandy especially acknowledge his generosity Flat Hut we enjoyed a luncheon of and kindness in making and donating lavishness the likes of which will signage for us through Mlakar Signs, his never again be seen there. family business. Paul made the signs for When we got a bit more serious, our old office in Chifley and, in 2007, Tasmania became a favourite provided signage for us and the destination for the group and, in Conservation Council for the new office recent years, we much enjoyed in the city. Paul’s bonhomie on walks in the In 2010, Paul made promotional Tarkine rainforest, along the Tarkine material for our 50th anniversary. Paul coast, in the Walls of Jerusalem and and Penny joined us for the anniversary Cradle Mountain– Lake St Clair Paul on the track to Pine Valley, Cradle celebration at Namadgi Visitor Centre national parks, and around the Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park. with a picnic on the lawns outside and, Freycinet Peninsula. A report on the Photo by Ed Highley. when thanked for his contributions, Paul last-named excursion appeared in the wanted to know why he wasn’t being Ed Highley recalls his friend Paul: June 2015 issue of the Bulletin. asked to help more. Though Paul was not a regular Paul was a treasured companion and NPA is indebted to Paul for his participant in NPA outings, he was, I’m sure that, like me, others who contributions to the Association, which from the time he arrived in Australia knew him will greatly miss his were so freely given, and extends its in the 1960s, a keen camper in, and friendship, humour and generosity. deep sympathy to Penny, and to family explorer of, our backblocks, forming a Judy Kelly and friends. strong affinity with his new homeland’s natural world.

We mourn the passing of NPA ACT member and dedicated conservationist, Peter Ormay, on Peter Ormay Thursday 19 May. There will be an obituary in the next issue of the Bulletin.

6NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 The National Rock Garden Australia’s geology has been a major source of the country’s economic prosperity for the past 200 years. However, geology is more than just mining and resources: it underlies the landscapes, history and culture of our nation. The spectacular and unique scenery has been preserved in many national parks across the states and territories, Kakadu and Uluru being prominent examples. Through tourism, this will fuel our prosperity long into the future. The National Rock Garden (NRG) is a tribute to this geological legacy, displaying rock specimens from across the continent in a single location in Canberra. It will showcase the diversity of the rocks, fossils and minerals that contribute so significantly to the nation’s landscapes, heritage and prosperity. The Geological Society of Australia (GSA) initiated the idea of such a garden in 2008 and, in April 2011, a prestigious NRG site on the shore of Lake Burley The National Rock Garden. Photo by Professor Brad Pillans. Griffin was gazetted as a National Monument by the Hon. Simon Crean a permanent display to celebrate ash and their use by Aboriginal people MP. In October 2013, as part of Australia’s rich geological heritage in a and early European settlers. Centenary of Canberra celebrations, the parkland setting within the national Compiled by Kevin McCue from: first rock display at the NRG, the capital. http://www.nationalrockgarden. Federation Rocks, one from each state The local story is no less compelling: org.au/about-us/background/ and territory, was opened by the then the site for the national capital on the ACT Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher. Limestone Plains was ultimately Note: A walk from the National Rock The NRG will be a world-class approved by Edward Pittman, a geologist, Garden to a limestone outcrop educational and tourist destination for all as providing adequate water and good near the National Museum of Australians as well as for international foundation materials. Local geologists, Australia and back has been visitors. More than 100 spectacular rock members of GSA and NPA, published a organised for 30 July 2016. See specimens will be on display, carefully beautiful geological map of the ACT in Outings Program, pp 13–16. chosen to tell interesting stories about 2008 that tells the story of the local rocks, Australia’s geological heritage. It will be from deep-water sediments to volcanic

Stolen The bus pulls in to the outback motel. Steep loose rock. Torches clenched in bemused, curious. They’ve enjoyed A long cramped journey for scientists teeth, we scramble up. The summit their evening drinks, their barbecue, returning from a field conference. And has a tiny patch of grass. A drink of the comfortable motel, breakfast. tomorrow threatens another long bus water and we lie down waiting for We’re tired, hungry, grubby, elated. trip. daylight. Perhaps I doze, watching the We’ve stolen a great mountain. stars. Don’t remember being cold. I see a track sign for St Mary’s Peak. sunlight Some kilometres. Mm ... is it the and God saw touches distant peaks highest in the Flinders Ranges? I look that the light was good* above the clouds across the aisle at C. Don’t know him and created do climbers stand there well but heard he’s a mountaineer. us with eyes looking down at me Like me, absorbed in work these days. to see this paradise Ask him. He nods. Grab torches and Just light enough to see. To feel that Gerry Jacobson water bottles. The others unload the we’re on top of the world. Wilpena * Genesis, 1, 4 bus and look forward to the evening Pound. We head back down the cliff. barbecue. We walk along the track Reach the track. Have to move fast. towards St Mary’s Peak. Daylight The bus is leaving at 8 am and there’s fades. After an hour it’s quite dark. several km to go. We run. Just catch Then dark cliffs loom. No idea of the the bus as people are boarding. Throw route. Straight up? We agree. ourselves on board. Colleagues

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 7 A tour of ‘Canberra Nature Map’ My image of NPA members, rightly or posed a question: Should CNM be confine my guided tour of the site to wrongly, is their love of walking, restricted or accept all plants, including reptiles and frogs. experiencing nature and satisfying their weeds and fungi species? It was decided On the bar at the top of the web curiosity about the many plant and to accept all plants and fungi. Seeing the page, click on ‘Species’ and then click species they encounter. They are potential of CNM, I lobbied for reptiles on ‘Reptiles and frogs’. On the new known to take photos, often spectacular, to be added. I was successful but as soon page, you will find highly informative and to share them, to carry species as reptile species were added, amateur general information. On the right-hand guidebooks, and to research species that enthusiasts started to submit photos of side there is a menu to choose from. may appeal to their individual curiosity. frogs and so frogs were added. The Click on ‘Dragons’ and six dragon While experiencing nature seems to be pressure to add faunal groups led to the species, accompanied by three photos, the antithesis of interacting with addition of birds and butterflies. Work is will appear. computers, Aaron Clausen, who underway to add mammals and extra Click on ‘Eastern Bearded Dragon’ combines a passion for nature and categories of insects. for more information and an impressive computer wizardry, has created array of photos. Click on the icon to the CNM a very rich data source. ‘Canberra Nature Map’ (CNM) which left of the ‘Quick Search’ box. You may enables NPA members and their ilk to A key driver of CNM is Michael toggle between images and records. share their photos and to identify and Mulvaney who saw the potential of the Click on any individual record to learn research local species. CNM to be a great resource for the ACT about it. Next click on ‘View Species I hope that readers will not only read Government to provide data and Distribution’ and a map showing the this article but also acquaint themselves distribution maps on Canberra-region distribution of Bearded Dragons with CNM and encourage others to do species. He contributes much of his own appears. You may manipulate the map to so. time organising CNM, verifying species drill down and move around. You can and finding funding sources. He and also click on an individual icon on the … there are many more populations of Aaron have engineered the addition of map and it will show you that record – a rare plants than previously known the ACT Government’s ‘ACT Wildlife very powerful tool. CNM is still an infant, but a precocious Atlas’, including FrogWatch, and Another feature to explore on the one. Its initial purpose was to record Canberra Ornithologists Group historical heading bar is ‘Maps’, which has three locally rare and threatened plant species. records. Others, including Betty Wood, components: ‘Nature Parks’, ‘Other It achieved immediate success as Michael Bedingfield, John Wombey and districts’ and ‘Radar environment budding amateur photographers– I, are adding our own historical records, report’. ‘Nature Parks’ are defined areas naturalists, with a little encouragement, which makes CNM a very rich data such as parks and reserves within the readily photographed rare plants. It source. We are among the many ACT; no doubt you will find a favourite. quickly became apparent that there are contributors who are adding and ‘Other districts’ includes all Canberra many more populations of rare plants verifying species records. All this work suburbs and NSW localities within the than previously known and even plants takes place behind the scene. Canberra region. Click on ‘Nature Park’ thought to be extinct were recorded. To explore CNM, I suggest that you and then ‘Black Mountain’, the second However, as these enthusiasts could not go to your computer, find ‘Canberra map icon. It brings up all the images and readily distinguish between rare and not Nature Map’ on the web and login. You records for Black Mountain. Click on so rare plants, many photos of the may then start to observe the brilliance the map and it will show all the species region’s spectacular native plants as well and power of CNM. While you can as weeds and fungi were reported. This explore any area of the CNM, I will (continued next page)

8NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 A tour of ‘Canberra Nature Map’ (continued) recorded. You can drill down and you may also turn off any species groups not of interest to you. You may also click on individual icons and see the actual record. The Radar report allows you to drop a pin and obtain the list of the species within various radii of the pin – amazing. Registering with CNM is painless. To upload a record onto CNM, you will need to register. Registering with CNM is easy. Registration enables you to enter a record under the ‘Report’ icon. Assuming you have a photo of a Bearded Dragon, you may report ‘Reptiles and Frogs’ under Group, ‘Dragon’ under Category and ‘Pogona barbata (Eastern Bearded Dragon)’ under Species. Of course you may also enter ‘I don’t know’. A moderator will identify and/or verify the species. You then need to attach your photo. The photo needs to have the date and location embedded, but this can be easily got around if necessary. Registration creates your profile and it allows you to see and edit your records as well as a distribution map of your sightings. CNM is available as an iPhone or Android App. Download the App on your mobile phone and you can take photos and create records as you go. I suggest that, if you have limited phone data, you do the initial download and upload records when you have access to wi-fi. The CNM App gives you access to many of the CNM features and records your location even if you cannot access a tower. Canberra Nature Map boundary. Geoff Robertson For any queries please contact me: [email protected] or 0403 221 117. Orroral Valley mystery object Readers of the March issue of the Bulletin may recall a picture taken at the NPA Christmas party of a number of members examining a cog- like object on the ground outside the old shearing shed in the Orroral Valley, presumably part of a machine used for farming. Research by members (particularly John Brickhill and Simon Buckpitt) has shed some light on the purpose of this mystery object. Writing on its underside revealed it was manufactured at the Atlas Works in Earl Colne, a village in Essex in England, by R. Hunt and Co. who made agricultural equipment there between 1824 and 1988. The metal pieces remaining on site are the crown wheel and one of two supporting beams of the machinery that was driven by a long lever attached to the top of the crown wheel. This lever was pulled by a horse walking in a circle thereby generating power via a spinning shaft. The shaft could then power a chaff cutter or any other small farming implement that was used in a fixed location. Chaff was an essential food for working horses that were the backbone of work on rural properties, so cutting chaff would have occurred regularly on Relic at Orroral woolshed. Photo by Philip Gatenby. most large properties. Such machines were often known as ‘horseworks’. Philip Gatenby and John Brickhill

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 9 Forests Forever ecology car camp Last year Judy and Dave Kelly is then seeded with one-species went to the Easter car camp at timber – Tasmanian Blue Gum? the hamlet of Goongerah in East We have seen and lived through Gippsland and Judy wrote up a the effects of the pyro cumulus fascinating article on their cloud created in the Canberra experiences. I was so taken with region in the 2003 fires. Weston it, not only from an Creek, Tuggeranong and Woden environmental perspective, but lost 500 houses and several lives, also historically, that I thought and suffered longer term public I’d put it on the NPA program and environmental impacts. All and see how it ran. of the actions by VicForests, as So at Easter 2016 a group of Gary noted, are proffered on the nine (Mike, Annette, Meg, economic assumption that there Frank, Esther, Jenny, Deidre, will be a market for the product Gary and I) set forth to of these plantations in 15–30 experience the East Gippsland years time. Get real! These forests in Errinundra National The owl is the emblem. Photo by Di Thompson. markets do not exist now and Park (ENP) and in the will likely not exist in the future surrounding state forests. We either! Surely there are many far loved what we saw but were, at the withdrawing investment in these areas better alternatives involving economic, same time, horrified to see the current and public condemnation of both the social and environmental employment and continuing forest logging practices extent of logging and actual logging opportunities that can be considered and the destruction of so many large methods, the collapse of big players in and implemented without delay. coupes of high-quality hardwood trees the industry – i.e. Great Southern for the purposes of turning them into Group, Timbercorp, Gunns – and the Riches of the Kuark forest and beyond plantation timber plots. closure or downsizing of many large As a small but important example, the pulp mills. This has led to several camp participants were taken to several Forestry running at loss parliamentary committee inquiries into intact Kuark forest coupes. A recently released report from the the agribusiness management invest- Unfortunately, these are scheduled for Nature Conservation Council of NSW ment industry. logging in the near future. We saw huge and the National Parks Association of old-growth trees, tree orchids, fabulous Why promote clear-felling and all its NSW, demonstrates that NSW forestry ferns and some of the plant and animal negative consequences? has cost NSW taxpayers $79m over the diversity contained in those forests. We past 7 years (http://www.nature.org.au/ We could not fathom why logging in had also passed monoculture campaigns/forests-and-wildlife/). I Victoria is continuing, especially in the plantations of various ages and saw would presume the costs to the remaining East Gippsland forests. Why some recently logged areas. They are so Victorian taxpayers would be similar is the Victorian Government promoting bad. One of the major legal battles that and that significant savings could be clear-felling, leaving isolated trees (that the Goongerah Environment Centre made to both the Victorian and NSW die within a short period) and fire- people have currently running is to save budgets if this industry stopped logging. bombing the debris (creating those huge the remaining Kuark native forests. Furthermore, over the past 15 years destructive pyro cumulus clouds), to If the Kuark were connected to ENP we have watched worsening economic create an impoverished ecosystem that and extended to the coast around Marlo/ conditions, illegal logging, financiers Snowy wetlands and Cape Conran (areas to which I have led NPA car camps in the past), then we would have a set of contiguous protected national parks from the Alps to the mouth of the . Imagine how the job creation, recreational and tourism potential of that would be appreciated by future generations. In fact, that extension in Victoria connects with Kosciuszko National Park and Bimberi Nature Reserve in NSW, and with Namadgi National Park in the ACT. How wonderful and amazing would that be? It is worthwhile comparing the costs of this continuing (continued next page)

Sardine Road; hard going after rain. Photo by Meg McKone.

10 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 Forests Forever ecology car camp (continued) devastation against these and other opportunities that won’t be available while logging of the forests continues. Di Thompson The camp organisers, the Goongerah Environment Centre (http://geco.org.au) and Vic NPA, were delighted with the big contingent from the NPA ACT.

Kuark coupe. Photo by Di Thompson.

TrailRider shines The TrailRider all-terrain wheelchair has others less fortunate some additional gone a long way since NPA donated it to opportunity to experience the natural celebrate Canberra’s centenary. With the wonders of the ACT. There is huge ACT Parks and Conservation Service support from ACT Parks and now taking major organising Conservation, including Regional responsibility, the NPA has organised Manager Brett McNamara and Visitor demonstrations and provided ‘Sherpas’ Experience Managers Melissa Barton during the Heritage Festivals of 2014, and Priscilla Sutton, as well as excellent 2015 and 2016. cooperation from the Arboretum This year, on 4 April, the TrailRider management, their volunteer guides from allowed eight people to experience the the Friends of the Arboretum, volunteers challenging slopes of the Himalayan from Conservation Volunteers Australia, My experience with the Cedar forest at the National Arboretum. and our own Sherpa volunteers, who TrailRider now include Tim Walsh, Kathy Saw, Six were from a disability services TrailRider enables people with mobility David Large, Mike Morris and Simon organisation and two were members of issues to be taken on tracks in Tidbinbilla Buckpitt. Simon, who is also the KHA the public, including our own Fiona and other suitable places. A few weeks Huts Maintenance Officer Namadgi, MacDonald Brand (see below). ago when asked by Graham Scully, I was booked the TrailRider for an Orroral It was heart-warming to see their joy very willing to trial the wheelchair on the woolshed working party which, at travelling in such an environment. Himalayan Cedars pathway in the unfortunately, was cancelled due to a One young woman desperately wanted a National Arboretum. prescribed burn. repeat ride but, alas, time did not permit. The wheelchair has only one wheel Other organisations expressing an Her organisation (Sharing Places), and so-called ‘Sherpas’ at the front and interest are Birrigai environmental and however, has since borrowed TrailRider the back are needed to pull and push the education centre and the ACT from Tidbinbilla. One staff member chair with its passenger. On my turn, Government’s Historic Places section, wrote: Graham’s sister and brother-in-law took which manages the educational outreach The TrailRider is great and we had the front handles and Graham guided programs at Lanyon. Both have it here at Pearce for all of last from the back. Being carried along was successfully trialled TrailRider with week. It got a bit of a workout and very comfortable for me, but also very children who are wheelchair users. it has proved to be very popular. It humbling to be carried by fellow All in all, knowledge is gradually was a revelation to us that we could humans. spreading about the extended take it away and keep it for a week. I hope that families or groups with opportunities TrailRider can bring to We will certainly be doing that disabled members in their midst will wheelchair users, and we in NPA can again. Everyone had a great borrow the TrailRider so that many more feel proud of what has already been morning at the Arboretum and we people will be able to experience our achieved. are grateful to all who volunteered beautiful bushland. and made it possible. If it’s on Graham Scully again, count us in. Fiona MacDonald Brand It has been a privilege and pleasure Photo above. Arboretum CEO and NPA volunteers tackle the to work with people prepared to give steep slopes of the Himalayan Pine forest. Photo by Graham Scully.

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 11 Items of interest Murrumbidgee’s flowing Where the gum trees are growin’ And the Murrumbidgee’s flowin’ Beneath the sunny sky … (Jack O'Hagan 1922) At the April NPA general meeting, Barrie Virtue gave an illustrated talk entitled Murrumbidgee’s flowing on the exploration of the river and its tributaries, with special emphasis on Captain Charles Sturt who explored the river on an expedition to the mouth of the River Murray.

For several years Sturt owned a block of land on the present- day ACT/NSW border. The block was granted to Sturt in 1835 in recognition of his explorations and included land near Ginninderra Falls.

Above. The Murrumbidgee at Wagga Wagga. Left. Gigerline Gorge on the Murrumbidgee. Photos by Philip Gatenby.

Max and Berts and wasps

Participants on regular work parties at Max and Berts Hut in Namadgi National Park have noticed a big increase in recent years in European Wasp numbers around the hut. At this year’s work party, Kevin McCue deployed two wasp traps on exposed tree branches and didn’t have long to wait, reporting that there were a dozen drowned European wasps and a fly in one trap and five dead wasps in the other. This was quite encouraging as the bait being used was not supposed to be very attractive to wasps for 24 hours or so. More trappings were expected in the next 2 weeks so long as a storm didn’t knock the traps out of the trees they were hanging in.. Wasp trap near Max and Berts Hut. Photo by Max Lawrence. NPA ACT Annual General Meeting 18 August 2016 See notice page 26

Nominations for NPA office bearers and committee 2016–17

Nominations are sought for office bearers and committee members to be elected at the AGM on 18 August 2016.

We nominate ………………………………………………………….

for the position of ……………………………………...... ……………. in NPA ACT in 2016–17

Proposed by …………………….…...... …....……… (signature) Seconded by ……………….……………………….... (signature)

I accept the nomination ……………………………..…………….. (signature) Date ……………………….. [This form can be photocopied or scanned and used for nominations.]

12 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 NPA outings program June–September 2016 Bushwalk Grading Guide Distance grading (per day) Terrain grading 1 up to 10 km A Road, fire-trail or track E Rock scrambling 2 10 km to 15 km B Open forest F Exploratory 3 15 km to 20 km C Light scrub 4 above 20 km D Patches of thick scrub, regrowth Day walks Carry lunch and snacks, drinks, protective clothing, a first aid kit and any required medication. Pack walks Two or more days. Carry all food and camping requirements. CONTACT LEADER EARLY. Car camps Facilities often limited. Vehicles taken to site can be used for camping. CONTACT LEADER EARLY. Work parties Carry items as for day walks plus work gloves and any tools required. Work party details and location sometimes change, check NPA website, www.npaact.org.au, for any last minute changes. Other activities include ski trips, canoe trips, nature rambles and environment or field guide studies. Wednesday walks (WW). Medium or somewhat harder walks arranged on a joint NPA, BBC (Brindabella Bushwalking Club) and CBC (Canberra Bushwalking Club) basis for fit and experienced club walkers. Notification and details are only emailed to members registered for WW. Only NPA-hosted WW are shown in this program. For WW email registration, contact the Outings Convener. Transport The NPA suggests a passenger contribution to transport costs of 40 cents per kilometre for the distance driven divided by the number of occupants of the car including the driver, rounded to the nearest dollar. The amount may be varied at the discretion of the leader. Drive and walk distances shown in the program are approximate for return journeys. NPA ACT members undertaking walks or other activities in this program are advised they should have PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE or, at least, AMBULANCE COVER in case of an accident requiring evacuation by ambulance or helicopter. Points to note Please help keep our outings program alive by volunteering to lead outings. New leaders are welcome. The Outings Convener is happy to suggest locations suitable for a walk if you do not have something in mind. Feel free to send in suggestions for outings with a suggested date to the Outings Convener by email to [email protected] All persons joining an outing of the National Parks Association of the ACT do so as volunteers in all respects and as such accept responsibility for any injury howsoever incurred and the National Parks Association of the ACT, its office bearers and appointed leaders, are absolved from any liability in respect of injury or damage suffered whilst engaged in any such outing. In voluntarily participating in these activities conducted by the NPA ACT, participants should be aware that they could be exposed to risks that could lead to injury, illness or death or to loss of or damage to property. These risks could include but are not limited to slippery and/or uneven surfaces, rocks being dislodged, falling at edges of cliffs or drops or elsewhere, risks associated with crossing creeks, hypothermia, heat exhaustion and the risks associated with any of the Special Hazards listed on the Atten- dance Record and Risk Waiver Form provided by the leader at the activity. To minimise these risks participants should endeavour to ensure that the activity is within their capabilities and that they are carrying food, water, equipment, clothing and footwear appropriate to the activity. Participants should advise the leader if they are taking any medication or have any physical or other limitation that might affect their participation in the activity. Participants should make every effort to remain with the rest of the party during the activity and accept the instructions of the leader. By sign- ing the Attendance Record and Risk Waiver Form participants agree that they understand these requirements and have considered the risks before choosing to sign the form and waiver any claim for damages arising from the activity that they might have against the association, the leader or any other participants in tort or contract. Children under 18 years of age are welcome to come on NPA ACT activities provided they are accompanied by a parent, guardian or close relative. Parents or Guardians will be required to sign a specific Risk Waiver for a Child form. Leaders to note: please send copies of completed Attendance Record and Risk Waiver Forms to Brian Slee, contact 6281 0719 or [email protected] 5 June Sunday Walk Reserve. Climb through open forest and 11 June Saturday Work Party MOUNT MCDONALD AND URIARRA on track to Mount McDonald for views GUDGENBY BUSH REGENERATION GROUP Map Cotter Dam 1:25,000 over Cotter Dam and Brindabella Leader Michael Goonrey Grading 2 A/B (on snow) Mountains. Descend west to Uriarra Contact 6231 8395 or Leader Brian Slee Settlement for lunch. Return on lower [email protected] Contact 6281 0719 (h) or level trails near the dam. 11 km, one Meet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre at [email protected] steep climb. 9.15 am. Map rabbit warrens in the area Depart 9.30 am Cooleman Court car Afternoon tea Sakeenas, Cooleman around Yankee Hat car park. Tools park (Liardet Street, just south of Court. provided. McDonalds) and drive to Brindabella Drive 30 km, $12 per car. Road car park, just north of Cotter

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 13 NPA outings program June–September 2016 (page 2 of 4) 12 June Sunday Walk 26 June Sunday Walk 10 July Sunday Walk BURRA GORGE AND LONDON BRIDGE ROB ROY RESERVE CAMELS HUMP AND PIERCES TRIG Map Captains Flat and Map Tuggeranong 1:25,000 Map Tidbinbilla 1:25,000 Williamsdale 1:25,000 Grading 2 A/B Grading 3 A/E Grading 3 A/B Leader Mike S Leader Terrylea Reynolds Leader Barrie R Contact 0412 179 907 Contact 0408 715 218 or terryleain- Contact 0437 023 140 From the ACTEW substation south of [email protected] Walk from London Bridge picnic area, Theodore we will follow a track/fire trail Walk from the Mountain Creek car park along fire trail to . Follow to Callaghan Hill (200 m climb) then in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (TNR) to creek upstream through gorge, then open continue to Mount Rob Roy (about Camels Hump and Pierces Trig via the grassland possibly to Burra, return via another 250 m climb after dropping a bit). Camel Back fire trail. A scramble up London Bridge Homestead and Arch An off-track, short-cut downhill and Camels Hump (1,450 m) to the cairn on across grassland and along trails. About maybe, depending on time and party, a top for grand views and then northwards 16 km and about 300 m climb. A lovely side trip to Rose Trig (not Rose Hill), then onto Pierces Hill Trig (1,365 m) for winter's day walk. Contact leader for on to Big Monks Trig and down to the superb views to the east. Return to car meeting place and time. back of suburban Banks before a road and park via fire trail. Meet at TNR Visitor Drive 40 km, $16 per car. off-track walk back to the start. Over Centre at 8.30 am. Car pool from here to 15 km (excluding 2 km side trip to Rose reduce park entry fee. 19 June Sunday Walk Trig), mostly on track or road. Good LOWER ORRORAL LOOP views from the high points. 17 July Sunday Walk Map Rendezvous Creek 1:25,000 Meet Kambah Village shops by 8.30 BRANDY FLAT HUT Grading 2 A am or go direct to Theodore ACTEW Map Rendezvous Creek 1:25,000 Leader Steven Forst substation by 8.45 am. Grading 2 A Contact 0428 195 236 Drive 25 km, $10 per car. Leader Steven Forst A walk from the Orroral Valley camping Contact 0428 195 236 area along the valley to the site of the 29 June Wednesday Walk A short walk from Glendale over the Orroral Valley tracking station. Morning JOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY hills to the picturesque Brandy Flat Hut tea at the historic Orroral Homestead. Leader Mike S for lunch. All the walk is on track and The NPA was involved in its early preser- Contact 0412 179 907 fire trail. Meet at Kambah Village shops vation and restoration. Meet at Kambah Details are emailed to those on the at 8.30 am. Village shops at 8.30 am. Wednesday walks email list. Otherwise Drive 80 km, $32 per car. Drive 80 km, $32 per car. contact the leader.

3 July Sunday Walk MT PALERANG JOINT NPA / BBC ACTIVITY Map Bombay 1:25,000 Grading 2 A/B/C/E Leader Barrie R Contact 0437 023 140 A lovely walk for a winter’s day to a real summit with stunning views. Mainly off 22 June Wednesday Walk track getting there, mostly on track JOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY returning. Great variety in vegetation. Leader Barrie R About 10 km, 480 m climb. Some light Contact 0437 023 140 scrub. We will need high clearance Details are emailed to those on the vehicles. Wednesday walks email list. Otherwise Meet at Spotlight, 6 Bungendore Road contact the leader. (aka Kings Highway), leaving at 9.00 am. 23 July Saturday Work Party Drive 100 km, $40 per car. LOWER COTTER CATCHMENT 25 June Saturday Work Party WILDING PINES MOLONGLO NATURE RESERVE 9 July Saturday Work Party Leader Martin Chalk Leader Martin Chalk GUDGENBY BUSH REGENERATION GROUP Contact 0411 161 056 Contact 0411 161 056 Leader Michael Goonrey This work party is a continuation of the This work party was planned for June Contact 6231 8395 or activity undertaken in previous years. last year but was cancelled. This year we [email protected] The area is undergoing significant reha- will try again. The task involves planting Meet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre at bilitation following the removal of a Snow Gums in the lower Molonglo 9.15 am. Plant seedlings raised by pine plantation. The focus of this work Valley (site to be determined). Planting Greening Australia at Peppermint Hill. party will be an inspection of the whole equipment will be provided but suggest Tools provided. area to determine how much pine you bring gloves. Meet at Cooleman regrowth has occurred. Bring loppers Court (McDonald’s car park) at 8.15 am and/or bush saw. Replacement saw or Coppins Crossing gate on north side of blades and gloves provided. Meet at the river at 9.00 am. Cooleman Court (behind McDonald’s) Drive 12 km, $5 per car, from at 9.00 am. Cooleman Court.

14 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 NPA outings program June–September 2016 (page 3 of 4) Drive 45 km, $18 per car. we will amble beside the lake to the 24 July Sunday Walk National Museum of Australia to inspect 13 August Saturday Work Party ETHERIDGE RIDGE (snowshoe) an outcrop of limestone from which the GUDGENBY BUSH REGENERATION GROUP Map Perisher Valley 1:25,000 Limestone Plains were named and then to Leader Michael Goonrey Grading 2 A/B (on snow) a nearby cafe for a drink and chat. Contact 6231 8395 or Leader Brian Slee Meet at the National Rock Garden, [email protected] Contact 6281 0719 (h) or Barrenjoey Drive (off Lady Denman Meet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre at [email protected] Drive) at 9.30 am. Those not wishing to 9.15 am. Barbed wire fence removal in Depart 6.15 am. Drive to Thredbo and do the round trip should be there by Peppermint Hill area. Tools provided. take Kosciuszko Express chairlift to 9.00 am to organise car transfers. Car Eagles Nest. Follow metal track to pooling is suggested. 14 August Sunday Walk Cootapatamba Lookout before turning URAMBI HILLS AND RED ROCKS GORGE north and climbing Etheridge Ridge for 31 July Sunday Walk Map Tuggeranong 1:25,000 spectacular views. Descend to Seamans TEMPLE OF DOOM Grading 2 A/B Hut. After lunch explore Snowy River Map Rendezvous Creek 1:25,000 Leader Rod Griffiths north of Kosciuszko Rd before returning Grading 2 A/D/E Contact 0410 875 731 or to chairlift across the plain. Afternoon Leader Philip Gatenby [email protected] tea Jindabyne. Contact 6254 3094 (h) or A walk over the Urambi Hills down into Participants hiring snowshoes should [email protected] the northern part of the proposed suburb be in possession of them prior to South-west of Orroral Hill are numerous of Thompson to look at the dry stone departure. Book with leader by Saturday large granite boulders and tors. One of wall and on to Red Rocks Gorge. Meet morning for weather check, departure the more interesting formations is at Kambah Village shops at 8.30 am. point and car arrangements (chains may colloquially called the Temple of Doom. Drive 12 km, $5 per car. be required). Walk up the Nursery Swamp track to the Drive 420 km, $168 per car plus park saddle north of Nursery Creek, then 21 August Sunday Walk entry and chairlift fee. north-west and steeply uphill through ROLLING GROUND (snowshoe) thick scrub to the rock outcrops. Return Map Geehi Dam 1:25,000 27 July Wednesday Walk to saddle via Nursery Creek. Scrub Grading 3 A/B (on snow) JOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY gloves and head torch recommended. Leader Brian Slee Leader Philip Gatenby Meet at Kambah Village shops leaving Contact 6281 0719 (h) or Contact 6254 3094 (h) or by 8.00 am. [email protected] [email protected] Drive 85 km, $34 per car. Depart 6.15 am. Drive to Munyang and Details are emailed to those on the follow AAWT, steeply at first, to newly Wednesday Walks email list. Otherwise 2 August Tuesday Work Party rebuilt Horse Camp Hut. Leave track Glenburn Precinct, Kowen north of hut and climb ridge west to Leader Col McAlister Rolling Ground. After lunch follow Contact 6288 4171 different ridge back to hut and retrace Tasks to be negotiated with the Parks steps to car. Could be a late finish. Service. Meet at Canberra railway Afternoon tea Jindabyne. Not suitable station, Kingston at 9.00 am. for beginners. Drive 50 km, $20 per car. Participants hiring snowshoes should be in possession of them prior to 7 August Sunday Walk departure. Book with leader by Saturday MCMAHONS HUT SITE morning for weather check, departure Map Williamsdale 1:25,000 point and car arrangements (chains may Grading 3 A be required). Leader Margaret Power Drive 410 km, $164 per car plus park Contact 0418 645 303 or entry fee. [email protected] Walk from Honeysuckle Creek 24 August Wednesday Walk campground to Booroomba Rocks for JOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY contact the leader. morning tea. Anyone not wanting to Leader Barrie R 30 July Saturday Walk make the climb up Booroomba Rocks is Contact 0437 023 140 NATIONAL ROCK GARDEN welcome the join the walk and have their Details are emailed to those on the Joint NPA/Field Naturalists activity morning tea in the Booromba Rocks car Wednesday Walks email list. Otherwise Leader Kevin McCue and park and wait for the group to return. contact the leader. Professor Brad Pillans Continue on the Walking Contact 6251 1291 or Track to Bushfold Flats and then to the [email protected] site of the former McMahons Hut for This is a joint NPA/Field Naturalists lunch. In the afternoon proceed via Reads outing, under the auspices of NPA. Hut (aka Bushfolds Hut) to the Mount We start at Australia’s new National Tennent Fire Trail and continue to the Rock Garden with an explanatory talk Apollo Road. Approx 18 km. Car shuffle and tour led by Professor Brad Pillans, involved. Meet at Kambah Village shops ANU Professor of Geology. From here at 8.30 am. Drive 75 km, $30 per car.

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 15 NPA outings program June–September 2016 (page 4 of 4)

27 August Saturday Work Party 11 September Sunday Walk PINE ISLAND SNOW GUMS SHEPHERDS LOOKOUT TO URIARRA Leader Martin Chalk CROSSING Contact 0411 161 056 Map Canberra Nature Reserves – This is a continuation of the work started Uriarra Loop Walk in February 2015. The task consists of Grading 2 A/B/C pine control in the northern end of the Leader Esther Pine Island Reserve snow gums. Please Contact 0429 356 212 or bring gloves, bush saw and/or loppers. [email protected] location is approximately 500 m Meet at Kambah Village shops at 8.45 Walk down from the lookout to cross the upstream from the Boboyan Road with am. and on to Uriarra other isolated trees further upstream. We Drive 25 km, $10 per car. Crossing for lunch in the picnic area. will chop and poison the larger trees – Return by similar route finishing with small ones may be cut-and-dabbed. All 28 August Sunday Walk steep climb back to Shepherds Lookout tools will be provided but a small UPPER ORRORAL LOOP for impressive views of the folding saw and/or a short-handle axe Map Corin Dam 1:25000 . would be handy. Be prepared for wet Grading 3 A/B Meet at Shepherds Lookout car park feet! Meet at the Namadgi Visitor Leader Steven Forst off Stockdill Drive in Holt at 9.00 am. Centre at 8.30 am. Contact 0428 195 236 17–18 September Weekend Walk Drive 60 km, $24 per car from This walk starts at the tracking station site LONG POINT AND BUNGONIA Namadgi Visitor Centre. and wanders up the valley to the Smokers Map Caoura 1:25,000 Gap fire trail, then across the river and Grading 2 A/B 25 September Sunday Walk back down the other side of the valley to Leader Steven Forst NURSERY SWAMP the bridge near the tracking station site. Contact 0428 195 236 Map Rendezvous Creek 1:25,000 Mostly open grassland tracks and fire A walk down into the Shoalhaven Gorge Grading 2 A/B/C trail. Meet at Kambah Village shops car from Long Point near Marulan. A long Leader Esther park at 8.30 am. steady descent on a narrow path down to Contact 0429 356 212 or Drive 90 km, $36 per car. the river. Dropping our packs at a camp- [email protected] site by the river we will walk into the From Nursery Swamp car park off 31 August Wednesday Walk bottom of Bungonia Gorge. Next day Ororral Road hike up to the end of the JOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY climb out slowly by the same route to forest track and explore further into the Leader Mike S Long Point. Book with leader by swamp. Lunch spot and amount of Contact 0412 179 907 Thursday 15 September. exploration will depend on water levels. Details are emailed to those on the Drive 260 km, $104 per car. Meet at Kambah Village shops at Wednesday Walks email list. Otherwise 9.00 am. contact the leader. 18 September Sunday Walk Drive 85 km, $34 per car. LITTLE TWYNAM (snowshoe) 4 September Sunday Walk Map Perisher Valley 1:25,000 28 September Wednesday Walk Grading 2 B (on snow) JOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY RENDEZVOUS CREEK VALLEY Map Rendezvous Creek 1:25,000 Leader Brian Slee Leader Mike / Barrie R Grading 2 A/B/C Contact 6281 0719 (h) or Contact 0412 179 907 / 0437 023 140 Leader Mike S [email protected] Details are emailed to those on the Contact 0412 179 907 Depart 6.15 am and drive to Guthega. Wednesday Walks email list. Otherwise Proceed via Illawong and follow Twynam A walk from the car park at Rendezvous contact the leader. Creek on its north and west sides to Little Creek to visit historic sites including old Twynam. Return on opposite side of hut sites and the remains of Rowleys Hut, Advance Notice Twynam Creek. Magnificent views. stockyards, an air-strip, a grave, a 15–23 October Car Camp Some hard climbs. Afternoon tea at significant rock shelter and the cascades WEDDIN MOUNTAIN AND NANGAR NPS Jindabyne. on Middle Creek for lunch. Walking JOINT NPA/BBC ACTIVITY Participants hiring snowshoes should mostly off-track in grasslands but with a Leader Mike S be in possession of them prior to bit of light scrub. Contact 0412 179 907 departure. Book with leader by Saturday Meet at Kambah Village shops at 8.00 morning for weather check, departure It’s wildflower time out west and Wed- am. point and car arrangements (chains may din Mountain NP, in particular, is Drive 100 km, $40 per car. be required). Alternative destination renowned for them. So it’s time for a car (if conditions excellent). camp. 10 September Saturday Work Party Drive 420 km, $168 per car plus Park Nine days of car-camping and day GUDGENBY BUSH REGENERATION GROUP entry fee. walking in these two central NSW Leader Michael Goonrey National Parks out near Forbes (3 full Contact 6231 8395 or 24 September Saturday Work Party days in each NP plus 3 days for travel- [email protected] RENDEZVOUS CREEK ling to, from and between). Participants Meet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre at WILLOW CONTROL may come for either or both NPs. 9.15 am. Spraying of weeds and Leader Martin Chalk Leader may also go to Goobang NP maintenance work on the Gudgenby Contact 0411 161 056 following this activity and you are Walking Track from Old Boboyan Road This work party will be a revisit of the welcome to join him. For day-to-day to Hospital Creek. Tools provided. work we conducted in 2013. The main details of activities or to express interest contact the leader. Numbers limited.

16 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 Bushwalks Exciting Rendezvous Valley pack walk Date: 31 October – 2 November 2015. approach. The management track is Participants: Esther Gallant (leader), Jo faint and only occasionally marked Clancy, David Large, Rene Lays, but not too difficult to follow. There Di Thompson, Tim Walsh. are three creek crossings with dry At 8 am on 31 October the forecast is for feet – the last on parallel planks. A a 60–80 per cent chance of rain and bush bash down to the cascades possible thunder storms for the next follows. We have just settled on the 3 days. We are not deterred. At 10 am it boulders next to the splashing creek is almost too hot for the initial climb when rain starts. from Rendezvous Creek car park. … pea flowers add sweet fragrance Threatening clouds soon move in from to the walk the west and the walking temperature is Lunch was shortened by the leader’s perfect. After a brief stop at a track-side desire to get everyone off the picnic table we continue on the boulders before they were even management track. The morning tea stop more slippery. Another short bush is just short of Rowleys Hut site – still bash took us back to the track and cloudy and threatening. We reach the the showers stopped. The track is campsite at 12.30 pm and hurriedly erect lined in many places by bright tents and a tarp. The rain holds off so we yellow and orange pea flowers walk up to the Aboriginal Art site and are (Daviesia and Oxylobium). They dismayed to see that others have had add visual interest and sweet Rendezvous Valley. Photo by Esther Gallant. fires right under the overhang. On the fragrance to the walk. We arrive at return we find the only orchid of the camp along with sun and a blue sky trip – a single Golden Orchid dotted with fluffy white clouds. Ideal down the valley and echo from side to among tussocks of grass. Most other weather for relaxing, drying wet clothes side for 30 seconds or more each time. herbaceous flowers are small and and enjoying an afternoon cuppa using Then the storm moves on – to be scattered. The rest of the afternoon we the tarp now for shade. Living up to the followed by yet another intense front – leisurely watch threatening clouds move ‘relaxed’ title of the walk, individuals and then another as the cycle repeats down the valley. Intermittent light spent the rest of the afternoon exploring again and again. showers and early dinner preparations and enjoying the area (large boulders, ... peace again reigns start at about the same time. The tarp is small waterfall, flowers and trees), cosy and dry with plenty of room for all splashing in the creek, photographing Thoughts flash through the leader’s to cook under. Still raining as we retreat nature or just relaxing and/or napping. mind. How high are the closest trees? to the tents at dusk. Will the tents survive more strong … a darkening sky … the excitement winds? No commotion outside so … a delightful dawn chorus begins everyone must be OK. Hope all are still All are amazed by morning sun and blue Dinnertime approaches and the grey dry. sky. Those who woke during the night clouds move in again. At about 7.30 pm, The morning is damp and quiet. No were surprised at the bright glow of the the arrival of a serious storm is heralded dawn chorus from wet birds! By 9 am moon. Birds provide a delightful dawn by a bright flash of lightning and distant all have eaten and packed their wet gear. chorus. A big roo stops to consider the roll of thunder. Evening tasks are quickly Now we have the pleasure of a non- strange obstacles in his path – then completed and campers scamper to their rainy walk to the cars under scattered bravely hops through the camp. tents. clouds. We have enjoyed pleasant Encouraged by the clear sky, we set off Then the excitement begins. A walking and experienced impressive up valley to the cascades, watching the powerful wind is heard in the trees displays of raw nature. grey clouds again approaching down the (Visitor Centre recorded 110 km/hour – Esther Gallant valley. A startled Brown Snake sunning wonder what we had). There are, in a vehicle track hurries away at our simultaneously, loud thunder and intense lightning bolts – the tent skeleton (poles and seams) is starkly silhouetted against the bright sky. Gusts of wind shake the tents and push them nearly flat at times. Peals of thunder rumble

Left. The scented track through the forest of Rendezvous Valley. Right. Well-used tarp at camp. Photos by Esther Gallant.

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 17 Bushwalks (continued) Mount Tantangara Date: Monday 14 March 2016 (Canberra Day holiday). Participants: Brian Slee (leader), Ed Highley, Margaret Power. Weather: Mostly blue sky; warm; occasional cool breeze. A rider on horseback, one of a dozen on the summit, observed: ‘In 10 years I have never seen walkers on Mt Tantangara’. Indeed, NPA has had only one other daywalk there since 2005 and Harveys Hut logbook confirms that the majority of visitors are riders. Scattered cigarette butts also suggest horsey dominance. Nevertheless, their tracks make it easier to find the way. We departed Kambah Village at 7.30 am but it was a slow trip to as the ACT section was an undulating sea of fleeing macropods and then, beyond the border to the Murrumbidgee, shuddering corrugations ‘The fleeing dinosaur’. Photo by Ed Highley. reminiscent of the 1950s added to the delay. Does the local council neglect this formation, of minute black ants across will anyone ever dare paint over the road now that Peter Cochran is no longer the path. Gang-gangs and yellow-tailed hut’s brown exterior? All will cheer. a member? cockatoos provided the sound track. We took a different route back to the Eventually we set out on Alpine It was a slog up through vegetation summit, catching sight of Tabletop and Creek Fire Trail from before we found the horse track. We Jagungal on the way. From there it was Highway at 9.45. The total climb is 565 climbed slowly past bluebells, mainly on horse track, reaching the fire m but the majority of that comes 3 km helichrysums (or whatever they have trail 300 m north of where we left it. up the trail after a left turn is taken onto been renamed) and daisies to the all- Back at car 3.33 pm. 12 km. the ridge leading to the summit. Our round view from the trig (1,745 m) at Having tricked The Bake House, only pause before that point was to noon before descending north-west for a Adaminaby, by turning up on a Monday observe a curious flow, in broad kilometre on alpine grass to Harveys Hut (otherwise they may have hurriedly for lunch under a closed) we enjoyed tasty treats before Snow Gum. 22º, returning to Kambah the way we came, delightful breeze, arriving 6.15. On the way, near Grassy no sign of forecast Creek, a silhouetted echidna high- rain. Aah! stepped across the road before shuffling The easychair and up a bank. mattresses remain If you wish to see the mountain in the neat interior horse-free, wait for the next big of the hut. The snowfall. Try being an optimist in the library is down to meantime. one volume, Brian Slee beginning p. 173. The guitar has disappeared but

Harveys Hut. Photo by Ed Highley.

NPA ACT Art Week at Gudgenby Cottage Having had several very successful Art Weeks at Gudgenby Cottage over the years, we have again applied for access to the cottage for a week in spring; Saturday 3 to Sunday 11 September 2016. Expressions of interest to Christine Goonrey 6231 8395 (h), [email protected], Hazel Rath 4845 1021 (h), [email protected], or Adrienne Nicholson 6281 6381. Note: the second weekend coincides with a Gudgenby Bush Regeneration work party, which means that there may well be afternoon tea available for the workers.

18 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 Bushwalks (continued) Pretty Plain

Date: 5–8 April (Tuesday–Friday) 2016. from Mike Smith, I undertook to lead the Camping at Wheelers Hut. Photo by Philip Gatenby. Participants: Brian Slee (leader), Jan walk. In the event it was an enthusiastic and Philip Gatenby, Terrylea group effort, everyone contributing beneath a grass canopy and wood was Reynolds, Barrie Ridgway, Max generously. Thank you. plentiful. Treecreepers called Smith. Two-thirds of the 43 km route was on monotonously. Weather: Mostly fine; mild at first then fire trails (FT). From Tooma (Khan- We headed east across faintly tracked chilly; light winds. coban–Cabramurra) Road we set out country on Day 2 to Toolong Diggings south on Day 1 on Snakey Plain FT at and Broadway Creek before bush On this 4-day pack walk in Jagungal 11.15 am. It involved a 200 m climb bashing up a tributary of the latter to Wilderness, south of Tooma Dam in over Jagumba Range (1,580 m), the top Dargals FT. This connected to Hell Hole Kosciuszko National Park, camping at of which is marked by a traditional Creek FT from which we eventually huts on moonless nights, our daily wind-worn wooden trig (SMA1009), turned south onto a footpad (west of routine was to get up at first light, which we visited during lunch. A nearby ) to Pretty Plain. While the depart between 8 and 8.30 am and finish sign announced Jagungal Wilderness; pad reduces the discomfort of tussock walking between 2 and 2.30 pm. After ironic considering the ban on signs in jumping, pig damage right along the erecting tents we would spend the areas so defined. The subsequent descent plain has reintroduced some of the same evening in front of a fire before retiring to beautiful Snakey Plain was followed effect. A copperhead snake wriggled out for the night. Saw no one else for by a further decline through Mountain of sight. There were helichrysums and 4 days. Ash forest to Wheelers Hut. eyebrights. Discussion about the walk arose a Apart from its interesting horizontal We had lunch on the plain, and two year earlier. Never having been to Pretty slab construction, we decided that the had a river dip, after a side trip to the Plain, my idea was to convince the unique hut’s key delight was the front ruins of Pugilistic Hut, just a fireplace inimitable John Evans to lead but he veranda: all those vernacular touches and rubble. Pugilistic Creek surges by was unavailable. So with helpful advice plus a magnificent view over the hut after emerging from a mountain Broadway Plain to Jagungal. pass and immediately flows into an The hut is surrounded by equally surging Tooma River. From its Snow Gums. On the practical elevated position the hut had a stunning side, water gurgled nearby view east over the plain. Rebuild it now! (continued next page) Left. Tooma River. Photo by Jan Gatenby. Below. Pretty Plain Hut. Photo by Philip Gatenby.

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 19 Bushwalks (continued)

Pretty Plain (continued) While the forecast high winds had After noon we not eventuated, our sunny morning had continued clouded over – rain seemed imminent – undulating gently so we hurried along, staying on the pad north, passing west of Bulls Head Creek before lovely unburnt climbing a rocky bluff to Pretty Plain forests. Patons Hut Hut. Showers fell between 6 and 8 pm came into view by which time we were mostly across a valley but, comfortably settled. The hut itself, closer up, the rebuilt in 2010, is famous for its log turnoff was not construction, solid as a fort. The entirely obvious newness of the timber is gradually and two of us had diminishing. It has a third room with its to be retrieved from own entrance, curiously separated from the trail. A cairn White-lipped Snake with skink. Photo by Barrie Ridgway. the others. Bulls Head Creek flows was erected as a freely by. Its water is the purest future alert. Jets streamed constantly Corryong Festival, $2,150). Not the last imaginable. above, barely audible. Parrots freely horses we saw; at Kiandra tourists had Kookaburras announced a misty filled the void. The hut, rebuilt in 2008, stopped for a mob of brumbies whose dawn on Day 3. Effects of the rain were is not as famous as its cousins but its docility suggested they had become not much evident but the air was cooler. solid slab construction has a surprising accustomed to being fed. The fog lifted and we retraced our steps allure. It lacks seating, but water was We later visited Sawyers and to Dargals FT. A flock of robins darted again laid on. Delaneys Huts, before lunching at about; a pig pranced away in the Day 4 was cloudy: we had but a Adaminaby bakery, together with the distance; a White-lipped Snake was seen short walk through forest to one of the Bentley Club, touring vintage models swallowing a skink. Dargals FT took us cars at Tooma Dam. The second car was from Victoria. We were back in Canberra north to Tooma River, which was easily retrieved from the trailhead, 4 km west. soon after 2 pm. forded (mostly boots off). Lunch, and a On the return journey we stopped at Round Mountain would be a useful cold plunge for half the contingent, was Bradley and O’Briens Hut (occupied by starting point for future pack walks in on the other side. A leech departed Cochran’s 7-day horse trekkers – this area. downstream. Khancoban to Yaouk – returning from Brian Slee

Glenburn Precinct news There has been some progress on the Three guided trail, which is for walkers and cyclists. tours were conducted The final route has been settled, two in April and May for steel ‘bridge’ crossings of Glen Burn descendants of John Creek near the Colverwell graves and and Catherine the small creek near Curleys Homestead Coppin, for the ruins have been put in place and the draft Heritage Festival and text of a new interpretative sign has been for U3A. Participants prepared for the site of the Glenburn were very generous Hayshed Remains, the Field Mower and in their donations to the Excavation. A fallen post at the the NPA to be hayshed remains has also been re- used for Glenburn erected. purposes. Forty-one Other major tasks to be carried out descendants of the are the erection of route markers, Coppins, from as far construction of a new parking area near as Melbourne and the Descendants of John and Catherine Coppin at Coppins Homestead the intersection of Charcoal Kiln Road upper New South Ruins, April 2016. Photo by Rhonda Boxall. and the Kings Highway, the construction Wales coast, visited of several step-throughs or something Coppins Homestead Ruins and donated Land Management area of the similar at several gates and fences, and $415. Unfortunately, only 2 of the Department of Horticulture and Floristry the preparation of a new interpretative 10 who had booked turned up for the of the Canberra Institute of Technology sign for the precinct to be erected in the Heritage Festival event and 12 members spent the day at Colliers and Curleys for new parking area. of U3A visited the precinct. some lectures and some practical work But it is still hoped that the trail will Thank you to the small number of experience. be finished this financial year – subject dedicated volunteers who continue to Col McAlister to the Parks and Conservation Service attend work parties. In early May, staff finding the necessary funds. and students of the Conservation and

20 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 Book reviews Leaf Litter, Exploring the The camouflage of insects, Mysteries of a Hidden and frogs against the leaf litter is so skilful that a child’s curiosity will be World aroused and powers of observation by Rachel Tonkin sharpened. I’m still trying to find the Angus and Robertson, an imprint immobile frog in the dramatic night of HarperCollins Children’s Books picture of the landing of an owl 2010 [ISBN0-207-19844-6] (Powerful Owl? pp 18–19). The frog has ‘mottled skin that looks just like rotting RRP $17.99 leaves ...’ and is trying to avoid Rachel Tonkin both wrote and becoming the owl’s next meal. illustrated Leaf Litter, Exploring the Threats to the natural environment Mysteries of a Hidden World, which are gently introduced in the text and The Children’s Book Council of pictures. A Yellow-tailed Black- Australia shortlisted. Her beautiful and Cockatoo feather on the ground is a clue sensitive coloured illustrations capture to the fact that habitat destruction means the world that leaf litter supports above the trees where the cockatoos used to and below the ground and, though live have been cut down, forcing them to recommended for 5–7 year-olds, would fly further for their food. On another appeal to all ages. It is the artistic The autumn picture continues, page, the little mice digging a burrow complement to Ted Edwards’ article on showing a Pobblebonk Frog sheltering underground are House Mice which the significance of leaf litter in NPA’s underground while a flap reveals a lizard ‘came to Australia on early sailing ships. March 2016 Bulletin. in its burrow hibernating. The reader They compete with … native mice for Through her visual feast and text, learns that ‘Inside, the leaf litter stays the same food, so now there are not as Rachel shows the interdependence of warm, even when autumn frosts cover many Australian mice left’. leaf litter, insects, reptiles, birds, plants, the top’. Completing the picture is a Rachel Tonkin has obviously done flowers and mammals. She does this by hunting wasp shown ‘dragging a funnel her research and has acknowledged focusing on the same setting of a web spider that it has paralysed out of specialists at the front of her book, bursaria bush, a eucalypt trunk, a wattle, the spider's silk-lined burrow’. including ‘Bert Candusio, founder, fungi, and different plants against the In summer, the other seasonal Insectarium of Victoria, for his constant play of the changing seasons. extreme, the insulating properties of the assistance and wealth of knowledge on We start with autumn and a dead leaf litter are again apparent: ‘Bare the insects of the box–ironbark forests of Blue-tongue Lizard that attracts ground scorches in the fierce sun, but the Australia’. ‘buzzing blowflies’ which lay their eggs soil under the leaf litter stays cool and Leaf Litter, Exploring the Mysteries on the lizard. The lizard is drawn on a moist’. Rachel has painted an alert of a Hidden World would be a wonderful flap which, when lifted, reveals the tiny Eastern Rosella among the leaf litter but present for a grandchild, to stimulate or hatched maggots that ‘burrow into the strangely the text doesn’t mention the encourage their interest in the natural rotting lizard and gobble it up’ and in bird. world. It also deserves to be given to any turn ‘are an irresistible meal for many A list of ‘Things to Find’ at the back adult who enjoys paintings of the natural creatures’. Nature has a good garbage of the book prompts readers to embark world at close quarters with the leaf and recycling system. on a treasure hunt. A valuable glossary litter’s ecosystem explained so Nearly every page shows the role follows. Like the Eastern Rosella, not all beautifully. It’d also benefit the Forestry and value of leaf litter. It provides food: features in the illustrations are School and industry, all politicians and we see a family of fairy wrens hopping mentioned in the text or things to find. those responsible for control burns who over the leaf litter after ‘tiny seeds and These may be clarified in the regard leaf litter just as ‘fuel’. insects’, while on another page accompanying Teaching Guide which The book is available online. springtails (wingless insects) ‘eat into you can buy separately but isn’t mushrooms and munch on dead leaves obligatory, or it may be a way of Judy Kelly ... There are also green and brown encouraging the use of other references. leaves, roots, twigs and branches’. On Track: Searching Out the Aboriginal Land Council, and might Bundian Way never have developed without the richly by John Blay layered guidance of his father, much respected Elder, Uncle Ossie Cruse’. NewSouth Publishing, 2015, 328 pp, The Eden Land Council superintends RRP $39.99 a vast tract of land. The southern Since 2001 the south-east Forests of boundary runs from Cape Howe for over have been the focus of 190 km along the NSW–Victoria border. John Blay’s work, often in association With an area of 8,260 sq km it takes in with local Aboriginal communities. , Cape Howe, Mount According to John, ‘this walk would Kosciuszko and Thredbo, have gone nowhere without the gorges and sections of the Snowy River. persistent courage and determination of One-third of the area is declared B.J. Cruse, a member of the Eden local wilderness and one-half is national park. (continued next page)

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 21 Book reviews (continued) For thousands of years the Twofold Too many beautiful places hereabouts 1980s, at the same time as Bay Aboriginal people used the Bundian are in a bad condition due to the conservationists claimed the area as Way to travel to the High Country to brumbies, which are in greater numbers wilderness. ‘The Forestry industry’s aim take part in the harvest of the very than the countryside can support. Their of taking out the eyes of the forest nutritious Bogong Moths, which hoof prints cut across the countryside failed, the area is now national park but aestivate in the cool crevices of the huge everywhere. They still manage to also today it is not a very pleasant place. granite boulders during the summer follow the old Aboriginal route, probably Extensive parts were clear-felled, months. The different family groups or because it remains the best way from one bulldozed, the quartzy ground scraped tribes took the opportunity to meet, talk, point to another. clean as a grave. Regeneration is exchange news and views, trade goods Blay describes special places like ‘the scrappy at best.’ I remember that those and arrange marriages. The location of flats’ where the yams grow. Yams are an were bitter days for conservationists. these group meetings changed year by important part of the Aboriginal people’s John Blay has a wonderful, humble year so that no one area was overused. diet and therefore need special understanding of Aboriginal knowledge. Blay describes and follows the route management. He delights in the writings He says ‘Walking in Aboriginal taken by anthropologist A.W. Howitt in of the Very Reverend W.B. Clarke, 1852, footsteps makes me wonder how we can 1866 to the Murray River and then to the who walked the Bundian Track, showing incorporate a greater sense of the coast, a walk of 170 km. He is distressed great interest in and knowledge of the national Aboriginality into the overall that this beautiful mountain country is geology and also collecting Aboriginal Australian culture. Culture is in the land. being ruined by huge numbers of feral placenames. My walking is showing me the horses (brumbies). For example, he As John Blay explains, he comes connections, highlighting elements that describes the Mount Pilot wilderness across Wog Wog Pass as shown on the let me see the countryside afresh.’ where the banks of creeks have been old parish maps. Unfortunately, the Fiona MacDonald Brand broken down by the horses and the upper Wog Wog River catchment, a ponds and swampy vegetation trampled beautiful bowl of unusual vegetation, to mush. Erosion gathers pace. was logged during the forest wars of the Jagungal Wilderness reminiscence earth paddocks and deeply eroded at Exploring the Jagungal creek crossings. The hut is a further 2 km Wilderness: a Bushwalker’s on foot. Fifteen years has made a Guide to Kosciuszko difference; while still 4WD, most of the National Park track now has some sort of road base and by Robert Green (self-published), crossings are greatly improved. Time has Deakin ACT, 2015, 90 pp been cut from more than an hour to RRP $29.95 45 minutes. To prevent the road being damaged, it should not be used after rain. When I purchased this book in February, The author identifies this as the best newly arrived at Tabletop Press, I access route to Jagungal Wilderness. It straight away searched for information certainly provided us with 3 days of on the status of the road to Cesjacks Hut. interesting walking in a beautiful area, I had accessed Kosciuszko National Park including to Bluff Tarn and Jagungal. We (KNP) six times between 1998 and referred to the book several times, 2001, using Snowy Plains Fire Trail, but including to locate Moulds Hut site. subsequent to the last occasion I But first some background to the received an email message from the book. In this respect, Robert Green local bushfire brigade organiser warning himself has done a good job by that the road was not open to public use. contributing to an article This seemed incorrect but I lacked an ‘Groundtruthing around Jagungal’ when devices. They dug through maps and authoritative opinion and never went previewing it for the NSW Federation of searched the ground for evidence. The back. Bushwalking Clubs (The Bushwalker author has organised their disparate Robert Green has done the work for Vol. 41, No. 1 (Summer 2016), p. 7). To material as the core of this book. me and states that the fire trail is a public summarise, Jagungal Wilderness was It is good that the information is road crossing private land. I was badly burnt in 2003. One result was the being published. First circulated on the immediately keen to test it out and as loss of a significant number of historic internet, this printed edition includes two luck would have it, another NPA huts but the fires also opened to original maps and reproduces parts of member, Max Smith, contacted me soon rediscovery many forgotten tracks and 24 historic or semi-historic maps, and after and together with Stephen sites by destroying the vegetation concentrates on recording information as Marchant we were on our way in March obscuring them. Recent editions of NSW GPS locations, although there is a to Cesjacks. Government maps are bereft of such caution regarding reliance on its To get there one turns left from details. NPA member, Graham Scully accuracy. Spiral binding will encourage Road onto Nimmo (see his own preview in NPA Bulletin use of the book in the field. For those not Road and climbs it to Nimmo Hill before March 2016, p. 21), was one of a in love with their Garmin, it is a tedious descending west to Gungarlin River. relatively small group of highly read in places. And all this information From there the 16 km of fire trail to the motivated and intrepid souls who tends to take the wildness out of the Park boundary was always in bad became intent on recording the existence condition, severely pot holed across bare of the old routes and sites on modern (continued on page 23)

22 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 Book Reviews (continued) Wilderness. But even those who bogs, fields of summer billy would rather make a few errors buttons, remote backcountry than be constantly checking snowfields, this is datum points could find it understandable but dis- useful when conditions turn appointing. bad. The author notes in passing Apart from the Cesjacks ‘the way that Snowy Plains route, there is a plethora of extends into the high alpine information in the book on area on the eastern edge of difficult access points in the the Park’. It is puzzling that area; for example, Snowy Plains was never Burrungubugge to Tin Hut, included in the Park. With Kidmans Hut to Brassy plans approved for a wind Mountains. Interconnecting farm in the area, an upgrade routes are described in detail. of Nimmo Road will be You are encouraged to camp required. This could and explore areas subjected to encourage further devel- mining such as Diggers Creek opment and eventually and Collins Creek. North of Snow Gum near Bulls Peak. Photo by Brian Slee. impinge upon KNP. So Cesjacks there is even an there are issues affecting the excursion to the site of little-known whole Park. The Google map of Jagungal Wilderness that need to be dealt with. Macgregors Hut. The book concludes Wilderness on p. 6 leaves you wondering While some of the historic huts with a series of recommended walks. where its precise boundaries lie. The have been rebuilt, with the active Much has been packed into 90 pages and general reader will gain little insight into participation of NPWS, regrowth is the dedication of its contributors shines what the place looks like: of the 13 again reclaiming tracks. Pressure is through. photographs, nine are close ups of huts or now mounting for restoration of However, one wonders whether a ruins and only three are landscapes. historic routes or for appropriate work more ambitious book had been An opportunity to foster general to be done to raise them to a minimum envisaged. Its title suggests the whole of interest in the Wilderness has been passed navigable standard for walkers. Recent Jagungal Wilderness is its subject but it up, probably out of necessity by an entries in hut log books record a is in fact confined to the east and south- author forced by the complexity of his growing level of frustration with eastern section. The ‘strap’ to the title (a task to hold to his narrow remit. As accessibility, even from people who bushwalker’s guide to Kosciuszko NP) someone who delights in the area, its love wilderness. Goes to show what a erroneously suggests it is a guide to the snow-gummed peaks, vast sphagnum difficult concept Wilderness is. Brian Slee

The book is available from the author [email protected] or Tabletop Press www.tabletoppressbooks.com

Left. The creek below Mawsons Hut. Below. Bluff Tarn. Photos by Brian Slee.

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 23 PARKWATCH Edited extracts from recent issues of weather that reduced their breeding both vigorously asserted and denied journals and newsletters, and success. The quoll numbers didn’t respectively. online sources. recover as anticipated. Why? With the Earlier last year, however, a simple decline of the devils, cats became more but ambitious solution was proposed to The latest edition of Nature NSW is active suppressing their recovery. resolve this debate. It involves moving devoted to the issues of ‘rewilding’. The So how do we get better at restoring the Dingo fence around Sturt National following are some of the contents. our ecosystems? How can we wean Park (SNP) in western NSW, on the Rewilding – can it save ourselves off a tactical response and border with Qld and SA. The park is move towards a strategic landscape currently inside (south of) the dingo- Australia’s Landscapes? management approach? Returning these fence, where Dingoes are uncommon. Rewilding Australia is both an species to our ecosystems may be part of This proposal would put it on the organisation and a philosophy. Both the solution to helping our wildlife outside, where Dingoes are more share a vision of moving conservation breathe a little easier. We can’t see common. Allowing Dingoes to naturally beyond the preservation of our degraded predator reintroductions as a single recolonise SNP would form the basis of a existing landscapes towards their species issue – it’s their relationships reintroduction experiment. By looking at restoration. This vision is more than just within ecosystems that will be important. the impact of Dingoes on a range of a romantic notion of what we’ve lost. It’s And as Tasmania has been the saviour species and processes, the experiment driven by science. Our ecologists have for many of the mammals the mainland would test whether the Dingo can restore become very adept at monitoring species has lost, perhaps it’s time to return that ecosystem functions. decline, but we are risk averse about favour. To undertake the study 275 km of reintroducing lost wildlife, particularly Nature NSW, Vol. 60, No. 1 new dingo-proof fencing would be carnivores, which are keystone species (Autumn 2016) required. Monitoring costs would be in that provide ecosystems with top down the order of $1 million per year, which is regulation. Ecosystems are inherently Reintroducing the Dingo about 10 per cent of what is spent complex. We’ve amplified these There is global interest in restoring apex maintaining the dingo-fence each year. complexities by introducing species such predators from persecution by humans. Money well spent to answer such an as foxes and cats. For over a century we This interest is partly driven by the important question. The major have been at war with these interlopers. ecosystem services apex predators can prerequisite for the experiment to Baiting and shooting campaigns typify provide, especially via ‘trophic cascades’ proceed would be convincing local our standard tactical response. And, if in which they exert strong control by communities to support the effort. If you throw enough time and money at it, propagating impacts downward through forthcoming, that would likely help to often these programs work. But as soon the food web. In Australia, for example, sway government policy. Garnering this as the money dries up, the pests come there is interest among scientists and support would require effective back. conservationists in restoring populations community engagement and extension. Is A letter penned by a farmer in 1921 of Dingoes. Dingoes are absent or found Australia bold enough to do the right provides insight into the trophic cascade in very low numbers, across much of science to help resolve Australia’s of unintended consequences that can central and western NSW, as well as mammal extinction crisis? Only time will occur when our carnivores are removed. parts of South Australia (SA). Broad- tell. While baits of this era targeted dingoes, scale control programs, in combination Nature NSW, Vol. 60, No. 1 they also killed quolls and goannas. The with the erection of the 5,500 km dingo- (Autumn 2016) loss of dingoes allowed kangaroo fence have driven this trend. numbers to skyrocket, reducing Calls for restoring dingo populations Return of the Devil? groundcover that small mammals are based around the arguments that Until a few thousand years ago, required for refuge. The collateral Dingoes can keep in check smaller Tasmanian Devils lived throughout most damage: poisoned animal carcasses predators such as invasive foxes and of mainland Australia. Should we bring rotting in the landscape, increased blow- feral cats, in turn benefiting native them back? Before deciding this we fly numbers and fly-strikes on the sheep species by reducing overall predation would need to answer a few questions. that farmers were trying to protect from pressure upon them. Dingoes may also First, could devils survive on dingoes, leading to significant stock control feral goats, as well as native mainland Australia? Almost certainly losses. With no dingoes or quolls, rabbits herbivores such as Kangaroo and Emu, they could, although they might never plagued, facilitating the rapid spread of that together contribute to overgrazing become as widespread as in the past. foxes across the continent. when present in large numbers. There are large areas of the south-eastern For decades, scientists have viewed These are critical interactions to mainland with climate and vegetation Tasmania as an ark containing species consider: Australia has the highest similar to where devils thrive in lost from the mainland. Then in 1996 a extinction rate for mammals over the last Tasmania and with many of the same Tasmanian Devil turned up with a 200 years, with the loss of 29 endemic prey species. We can’t be sure what made grotesque facial tumour. Within 20 years species. Predation by foxes and cats are a devils go extinct on the mainland, but it the transmittable cancer had spread common factor in many of these is likely to have been a synergy between across Tasmania, reducing numbers by extinctions, and a current threat to many extreme climate events and predation and 80 per cent. In December 2015 the other threatened species. One issue is competition by the Dingo and Aboriginal Eastern Quoll was listed as endangered that the nature and strength of dingo- people. by the Federal Government. Their listing induced trophic cascades has become Why would we want them on the was made on scientific advice that one of the most debated topics among mainland? The Devil is the largest indicated a population decline of 50 per scientists, to the extent that it has been cent in response to a run of unseasonable (concluded on page 25)

24 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 PARKWATCH (continued) surviving marsupial carnivore, and Japanese whaling nature-based recreation opportunities that permit all those millions of visitors would be the largest mammalian Justice Jagot spent little time before to enjoy our unique and wonderfully predator in mainland habitats without finding Japanese whaler Kyodo Senpaku pristine national parks. These large intact Dingoes. It could therefore step into an Kaisha (Kyodo) in contempt of landscapes provide the best chance for important role as a top predator, Australian courts. Humane Society species and ecosystems to persist in the regulating some prey populations and International (HSI) initiated proceedings face of rapid climate change. The NSW suppressing two invasive predators, the last year after being granted an wilderness estate stands at 2,103,379 Red Fox and feral cat. If Devils did help injunction by the Federal Court (2008) hectares, the majority being created control foxes and cats, they might requiring Kyodo to cease whaling in the under Bob Carr and Bob Debus. provide indirect benefits to prey species Australian Whale Sanctuary. The court Declaration of the iconic central threatened by those predators. But this is found that Kyodo had killed whales in Deua Valley, Coolangubra and a big ask – can they do it? the sanctuary in breach of Australia’s Tantawangalo in the South East Forest, Do devils hunt down and kill cats? chief environmental protection and Tabletop and the Main Range in Probably not, or very rarely, but there are legislation, the Environment Protection Kosciuszko National Park should be the other ways in which they could be bad and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. priority areas for wilderness reservation. for cats. First, being formidable Presiding Judge Justice Jagot accepted Some of these areas will need scavengers, devils are very good at HSI’s evidence and found that Kyodo’s restoration, but this is not impossible. removing carrion. Cats do not usually eat breach was ‘deliberate, systematic and The Murruin wilderness in the Blue carrion, but will resort to scavenging to sustained’. She was satisfied that Kyodo Mountains, and the southern end of the get through lean times. In the presence of had killed tens, if not hundreds, over four Metropolitan Special Area should be devils, cat populations might decline whaling campaigns. Penalising Kyodo, investigated as potential wilderness area. under those conditions. Second, devils Justice Jagot said $1 million reflected the The coastal wilderness areas of the might disrupt reproduction in cats by ‘serious nature of the breaches’ and was Moors in Myall Lakes NP and the disturbing dens or killing kittens. Third, intended to ‘denounce Kyodo’s conduct’ Sandon and Wooli catchments also merit aggression from devils could mean that while deterring other vessels. expedited assessment. cats avoid them and therefore make less HSI is thrilled with both the findings Further north are the undeclared use of habitats where devils are most of Federal Court Judge Jagot and the Carrai, Mann River, Timbarra, Binghi active and where there is most food for speed with which she came to her and Cataract wilderness areas, and on the predators. In combination, these decision. Unbelievably, the Japanese western slopes in the Brigalow, the influences could mean that cats are more Government has still sanctioned whaling Pilliga and Bebo wilderness areas are likely to decline, or less likely to recover in Antarctic waters by Kyodo, ignoring outstanding candidates. Many existing from low numbers, when devils are the 2008 injunction, the International wilderness areas are incomplete and around. Court of Justice finding against them, require either voluntary acquisition or We know less about the interaction of and the Federal Court’s recent decision. resolution of forestry and mineral foxes and devils, because the Red Fox Humane Society International Newsletter, resource issues to fully protect NPWS has never succeeded in establishing a Vol. 22, No. 1 (March 2016) population in Tasmania, despite several identified wilderness. The acquisition of introductions in the past. This raises an Future Wilderness Protection these areas can greatly enhance the intriguing possibility: maybe devils in NSW ecological integrity of core reserve areas. explain the failure of foxes to establish An allocation of $20 million over five down there? If devils have prevented the In 2014, NSW national parks received years, in addition to the current smaller foxes from taking off in over 39 million visits and as park acquisition budget would permit Tasmania, it is likely they did so through visitation grows, visitor pressures acquisition of up to 75,000 hectares of similarly complex and subtle processes increase. Fortunately, due to the efforts wilderness. Assessment of the dozen as just described for cats. of many conservationists, attempts to potential Outback wilderness areas How should we go about wind back nature-focussed park should use revised Wilderness reintroducing devils to the mainland? We management have almost always failed. Guidelines appropriate for arid argue that this should be done in several The horse riding in wilderness trials, for landscapes. Landholder consultation stages, the first of which would be a example, is failing to demonstrate any should include discussion of limited trial. That trial should be genuine demand for this proposed opportunities for voluntary land designed as an experiment to learn more activity. The political consensus that acquisition and conservation agreement about the ecological effects of devils in once a wilderness is protected, it should options. mainland environments, detect unwanted stay that way, has not disappeared in Nature NSW, Vol. 60, No. 1 impacts, and study interactions that NSW – not yet anyway. (Autumn 2016) cannot be observed in Tasmania. Our NSW wilderness estate helps Depending on results of the first stage, manage a broad range of low-impact, Compiled by Hazel Rath we could think about reintroduction over larger areas, and eventually free release Harvest Festival into open landscapes. If we ever reach NPA had a promotional stall at Canberra’s Harvest that point, we will have accomplished Festival on 19 March 2016 to highlight the activities something of lasting value: an increase in of the Association in the local cultural and natural the diversity of native species and environment. Members Esther Gallant, Adrienne ecological interactions in the ecosystems Nicholson, Kathy Saw and Sally Stephens, who of mainland Australia. operated the stall, handed out back editions of the Nature NSW, Vol. 60, No. 1 Bulletin and membership forms. (Autumn 2016) Photo by Esther Gallant.

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 25 NPA notices National Parks Association Calendar New members of June July August September the association Public holidays Mon 13 — — Mon 26 The NPA ACT welcomes Lisa Quilter as a new member. General meetings Thurs 16 Thurs 21 Thurs 18 1 Thurs 15 We look forward to seeing you Committee meetings Tues 7 Tues 5 Tues 2 Tues 6 at NPA activities.

Gudgengy Bush Regeneration 2 Sat 11 Sat 9 Sat 13 Sat 10 Glenburn work party 3 — — Tues 2 — Call for volunteers At every NPA general meeting Further details: 1. NPA ACT Annual General Meeting 2. GBRG. Meet at Namadgi Visitor Centre 9:15 am. volunteers from the membership 3. Friends of Glenburn meet at Canberra Railway Station, Kingston at 9:00 am, or at set up the hall and the supper. We the locked gate off the Kings Highway at 9:20 am. need more volunteers for 2016 as the roster is by no means full. Please contact Quentin Moran if Membership fees are now due you would like to help on It’s that time of year again! Your letter for membership renewal and [email protected] donations is inserted in this Bulletin. Members who receive a digital Thank you Bulletin will receive their letter separately. Part of the letter is a printout of the details we store confidentially on our membership database and we are asking members to check that the Notice of Annual General Meeting information we have (name/s, address, phone number/s, membership Thursday 18 August 2016 type, joining date, your interests in supporting the NPA ACT, email address/s, an indication whether you want to receive our electronic Business: Minutes of the AGM 2015 newsletter Burning Issues and whether you want to receive the Bulletin through Australia Post, in digital format, or in both of those formats) is Activities Report still correct. Financial Report Please take the time to check your details, and correct if necessary, Appointment of Auditor and send the whole form with your membership dues (and donation) Election of Office-bearers and Committee back to the office by post – for cheques and money orders. For payment Any other business by Mastercard or Visa credit card please use the on-line facility on ‘Trybooking’; on-line bank transfer is also possible. Detailed Note: all office-bearer and committee positions instructions are in the letter. become vacant at the AGM. We ask you to still send the completed form back to the office with Nominations for office-bearer and committee an indication of payment method even if you have already paid on-line. postions for the coming year are welcome. It can also be scanned and sent to [email protected] by email. Thank you all for your cooperation. Please copy or scan the nomination form on page 12. Sonja Lenz, Secretary

What was I? The critters on the back cover Cover photographs of NPA Bulletin, Volume 53 Number 1, March 2016. Front cover Yellow Admiral butter- Main photo. Morning light on Wheelers Hut (article page 19). fly, Vanessa itea Photo by Jan Gatenby. Common Bearded Dra- Insets. Top. Aftermath of a controlled burn:Aranda Bushland gon, Pogona barbata (article page 4). Photo by Judy Kelly. Woolly bear caterpillar, Centre. Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo (article page 8). varia Photo by Philip Gatenby. Spotted Grass Frog, Bottom. Mount Jagungal (articles pages 19 and 22). Limnodynastes Photo by Philip Gatenby. tasmaniensis Fringed Lily, Back cover Thysanotus tuberosus, Top. Cup and Saucer Hill (article page 22). Photo by Brian Slee. with visiting native bee or fly Bottom. Sunrise over the Tooma Diggings Aggregation of Sawfly (article page 19). Photo by Philip Gatenby. larvae, Perga sp.

26 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 General Meetings Third Thursday of the month, (not December or January) 8:00 pm, Uniting Church hall, 56 Scrivener Street, O’Connor Thursday 16 June Thursday 21 July Thursday 18 August Vertebrate Pest Management Environmental Defenders Office Annual General Meeting Ollie Orgill and Brett McNamara Kate Auty followed by Invertebrate Pest Officer and Regional Commissioner, EDO Tasmanian Travelogue Manager, Rod Griffiths ACT Parks and Conservation Service Kate Auty was formerly Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability in Immediate Past President of NPA ACT Victoria. She was recently appointed Brett and Ollie will update us on their Commissioner for the Environmental In November 2015 Rod visited the vertebrate pest management program - Defenders Office in the ACT and will Walls of Jerusalem and Frenchmans with a focus on the highly successful talk about the role of the EDO in Cap. He draws on these experiences to Gudgenby Valley rabbit control meas- challenging times. reflect on tracks and tourism in ures. national parks.

Conveners National Parks Association of the ACT Incorporated Outings Subcommittee Vacant [email protected] Inaugurated 1960 Environment Subcommittee Rod Griffiths 6288 6988 (h) Aims and objectives of the Association [email protected] Cultural Subcommittee David Large 0428 914 837 • Promotion of national parks and of measures for the protection of [email protected] fauna and flora, scenery, natural features and cultural heritage in the Publications Subcommittee Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h) Australian Capital Territory and elsewhere, and the reservation of [email protected] specific areas. Promotion and Engagement Vacant • Interest in the provision of appropriate outdoor recreation areas. Subcommittee • Stimulation of interest in, and appreciation and enjoyment of, such Bulletin Working Group Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h) natural phenomena and cultural heritage by organised field outings, [email protected] meetings or any other means. NPA Work Party Co-ordinator Martin Chalk 6292 3502 (h) • Cooperation with organisations and persons having similar interests [email protected] and objectives. Glenburn/Burbong Work Col McAlister 6288 4171 (h) Parties [email protected] • Promotion of, and education for, conservation, and the planning of landuse to achieve conservation. The NPA ACT office is in Unit 14 / 26 Lena Karmel Lodge, Barry Drive, Acton, together with the Conservation Council. It is staffed by Office-bearers volunteers on an irregular basis. Callers may leave phone or email President vacant messages at any time. Vice-President Christine Goonrey 6231 8395 (h) Phone: (02) 6229 3201 or 0410 875 731 (if urgent) [email protected] Website: www.npaact.org.au Secretary Sonja Lenz 6251 1291 (h) Email: [email protected] [email protected] Address: GPO Box 544, Canberra ACT 2601 Treasurer Chris Emery 6249 7604 (h) [email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/NationalParksAssoc iationOfTheAct Committee members Membership subscription rates (1 July to 30 June) Esther Gallant (Minutes Secretary) 6161 4514 (h) The subscription rate is $22, which includes a digital copy only of our [email protected] Bulletin. Rod Griffiths (Immediate Past President) 6288 6988 (h) If you want to receive a printed copy of the Bulletin, the subscription [email protected] rates are: George Heinsohn 6278 6655 (h) Household membership $44 Single members $38.50 [email protected] Corporate membership $33 Full-time student/Pensioner $22 David Large 0428 914 837 Note: All the above subscription categories reduce to $11 if a [email protected] donation of $100 or more is made. Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h) Advertising [email protected] The NPA Bulletin accepts advertisements and inserts. Contact Quentin Moran 6288 9840 (h) the NPA office for information and rates. [email protected] Printed by Instant Colour Press, Belconnen, ACT. Mike Smith 0412 179 907 [email protected] ISSN 0727-8837

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 27 For information on NPA ACT activities, please visit our website http://www.npaact.org.au and follow us at www.facebook.com/NationalParksAssociationOfTheAct