Volume 34 Ironstone formations, Issue 2 Koorowall Knife Edge, Blue Mountains NP Autumn 2009 Sea cliffs near The Waterrun, Photo: Peter Vaughan Royal National Park

Contributions of interesting, especially typical and spectacular bushwalking photos are sought. you don’t want the same photographers all the time, do you?

The old Four Mile Hut, Photo: Graham Wright KNP Walk Safely—Walk with a Club

T h e Bushwalker The Official Publication of the Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs NSW Volume 34, Issue 2, Autumn 2009 From the ISSN 0313 2684 editor’s desk. . . Editor: Roger Caffin [email protected] Graphic Design & Assembly: he last issue featured a photo-essay on Barrington Tops, and Barry Hanlon feedback was good. So this issue features two photo essays. Confederation Officers: THowever, I have to sound a note of warning to all confederation President: Wilf Hilder members. We are getting very short on contributions! If you don’t want Administration Officer: The Bushwalker to be just a Keats/Caffin effort, then YOU are going to [email protected] have to contribute some more articles, trip reports and photos! Get with it! Website: www.bushwalking.org.au

Address all correspondence to: Articles for Publication PO Box 119, Newtown, NSW 2042 Clubs and members are encouraged to submit relevant articles, with a very strong preference for those with good pictures. Both the author and The Confederation of Bushwalking the author’s club will feature in the Byline - this is a good way to Clubs NSW Inc represents advertise YOUR club. We will also accept articles from outside bodies approximately 66 Clubs with a total where the articles seem relevant to members. membership of about 8,700 bushwalkers. Articles may be edited for length and content to help fit into our page limit. Pictures should be sent at maximum available resolution: at least Formed in 1932, the Confederation 300 dpi, preferably in their original unedited form. JPG, PDF or TIFF provides a united voice on behalf of all formats are preferred. The text should be sent as a plain text file bushwalkers on conservation, access (*.txt), NOT as a Word file (*.doc). I repeat, please send the pictures and other issues. separate from the text file; do NOT send them embedded in a Word doc file. Pictures taken from a Word doc file are simply not good enough and People interested in joining a bush- walking club may write to the won’t be published. And, of course, the Editor is always interested in Confederation Administration receiving bushwalking books and maps for review. All enquiries should [email protected] be sent to [email protected] . for a list of Clubs, but a far more Please note that opinions expressed by authors may not represent the useful on-line list is available at the official opinions of the Confederation or any Club. The Editor’s opinions Confederation website are his own. www.bushwalking.org.au, broken up into areas. There’s lots of Roger Caffin other good stuff there too, including Editor the bushwalking FAQ.

Index Su b scri b e to T h e B u sh wal k er Keep u p w i t h al l t h e n ew s an d devel o pm en t s h appen i n g i n t h e NSW bu sh w al k i n g scen e fo r Don’t you wish you were here? 2 o n l y $10 per y ear. Th i s i s t o co ver po st i n g an d h an dl i n g: t h e m agaz i n e i t sel f i s free. From the Editor’s Desk 3 Sen d y o u r n am e an d address an d ch equ e o r Wave Hill Station Weekend 4 m o n ey o rder t o t h e Con fed erati on of B u sh - wal k i n g Cl u b s NSW In c, PO Bo x 119, New - Wet Wild Wilderness 5 t o w n NSW 2042. Th e n ew ph o n e n u m ber i s Kosciusko National Park—The Northern Half 8 9565 4005. M ak e t h e ch equ e o r m o n ey o rder pay abl e t o t h e Con fed erati on of B u sh wal k - A Looming Nightmare—Adventure Activity Standards 13 i n g Cl u b s NSW In c as w el l : pl ease do n o t ab- brevi at e t h e n am e! Navshield 2008—Nerriga 14 Pl ease i n di cat e w h i ch i ssu e y o u w an t y o u r su b- Errata and Omissions 15 scri pt i o n t o st art w i t h . W e do n ’ t w an t t o du pl i - cat e co pi es y o u al ready h ave.

Volume 34, Issue 2, Autumn 2009 The Bushwalker | 3 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club

were small pools with pink orchids flowering. From there we traversed Wave Hill Station westerly back to our ascent ridge and returned down towards our vehicles, Anne Falkner deviating a little to the east when Weekend practical to view into the lightly forested minute 4WD from the homestead. This gully. It was a comfortable 5 hour hike. grassy site offered a number of possible Evidence of some earlier gold mining tent sites and a timber-stocked campfire efforts were viewed down near the place, a long drop toilet and access, vehicles before returning to set up camp although the vegetation limits the view. and enjoy campfire meals and yarns. Hastily we partook of morning tea, Our Sunday walk was southeasterly then lazily carpooled back up to the via an alternative smaller campsite with saddle adjacent to the easiest Mt Carnham wonderful views of the upper Clarence Gaping Gill,ascent where a side track afforded us Gorge. From there we ascended along the convenient parking space on this obvious ridge with numerous photo November 2007 otherwise steeply graded country. Starting opportunities, this time of a number of at 200 m we quickly ascended, beginning waterfalls between foreground trees. along a fence line then following a After reaching the summit at 260 m we natural ridge. Views to the south of the headed south and then towards the lower Clarence River Gorge country were end of the Gorge. This involved some quickly obvious, allowing a good excuse steep lantana scrambling back down a for numerous breathers and photo gully to the river. Lunch was eaten while opportunities. The climb was rocky in closely observing the river views and a places but not dangerous. A range of number of sizeable cod fish; it was greatly vegetation including an attractive yellow appreciated. A little further to the north pea flowered medium shrub added colour was a natural sandy beach offering to the landscape. The Mt Carnham trig tempting swimming opportunities which was an obvious first destination at 531 m. none of our group could resist. Perfect! This offered no views, being well covered The return from there was a rock ushwalking at the Clarence River by tall eucalypts. scrambling maze with river and close Gorge and at Mt Carnham while We headed north-west down a small waterfall observations, imaginings of the Bcamping at Wave Hill Station is ridge to a saddle and over a small hill power of water flowing through here at certainly to be recommended. Our until the upper Clarence River opened flood times and the hardiness of the Clarence Valley Bushwalkers group chose itself to viewing. A magnificent vista. We clinging clusters of vegetation. Beyond to camp at the upriver Back Channel returned via the trig and then deviated the last of the waterfalls another campsite north-east of the Gorge, a 45 slightly to the east of our ascent and into swimming pool beckoned, this with its a small rocky gully own natural spa. This was enjoyed along with afternoon tea, then we returned to terminating in a t cliff edge. There pack up camp.

Scenes along the walk at Wave Hill Station

4 | The Bushwalker Volume 34, Issue 2, Autumn 2009 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club

Wet Wild Wilderness Michael Keats The Bush Club the log was a ‘wet tails’ job. By now I did not really care. I was fully wet [Editor's Note: the country de- from the waist down, valuables scribed here is not easy, and that needed to be dry were safe in the walkers involved have con- a dry bag, the camera is water- siderable experience. Much proof to 10 m . . . Let’s go. caution is advised before ven- turing into this region.]

We came to a great overhang (on The Australian bush is re- the eastern side) where the creek nowned for being dry, harsh and has cut deep into the rock strata. uncompromising. This abridged It had a sandy bed with scattered collection of three off-track, wet, small pebbles of red, orange and wild, wilderness exploratory yellow sandstone. The water We stop and ponder our options. bushwalking trips is about a speed was racing and the volume Ahead were more logs and water- Tom takes a step into the Wol- very different face of the bush in huge. I think we each did mental langambe proper. It is up to his the Greater Blue Mountains na- calculations about what the Wol- falls- nothing too alarming and all very pretty. Water volumes kept waist and moving at great speed. tional Park. It is all about water langambe experience would be To go upstream is to commit to - lots of water. Rain, mist, rap- like later on . . . increasing as side creeks and gul- lies added their contribution. A swimming and we are not ids, waterfalls, wet walking - The overhang continued for tens of equipped to do that, at least not through canyons, dark pools, larger side creek that joined from metres. There were deeper sec- the west proved disappointing. for any distance. Tom is disap- slippery cliffs, being totally wet tions in the creek bed and there pointed, as this is a section of the and enjoying it all. Tom was hoping that it would also were minor sand banks. An in- have ‘interesting’ features. Wollangambe that he (and indeed tense greenness was exhibited by I want to explore). all the ferns and other epiphytes As we are climbing the cliffs in adorning the walls. A really top search of other options to enter, I Walk 1 quality section of the overhang suggest we could strip to our A tributary of the had a ceiling height approaching 2 jocks, leave our packs and go up- . m. We sloshed our way through stream for say half an hour. The this. Towards the end of the over- idea was rated as too risky so we hang the sound of water plunging keep climbing up the nose search- over a drop was getting louder. ing for a spot to look down into where the canyon should be. The air is full of noise and we cannot see more than just the occasional glimpse of turbulent water move- ment between trees and near ver- tical cliffs.

I have a picture of Tom and Chris pushing ahead of me, about to disappear into a green jungle. It is an exciting part of this canyon jour- ney that changes continuously. We break though the jungle and arrive As frequent pilgrims to the shrine at another small waterfall. This is of Wollangambe know, it is a river negotiated, and we walk the water highway a few more metres. This of sudden and unpredictable The loudness was due to the vol- changes. When the three of us experience was followed by more ume of water – not the height of wading between dark and forbid- were together, our leader Tom the drop, estimated as a mere 2-3 shared his desk research on the ding cliffs. Then, just as suddenly I point the camera down and press m. We stopped to take a picture or the cliffs widen and we are in a the button. I am looking at that proposed way of route - a detailed two before negotiating a ledge to study of available aerial photos. broad gully still wading in water picture now. At my feet the rock the western side and then drop- but through a tangled mess of face is glossy with water, shifting Very tight, canyon-like sections ping back into the creek. A short were possible where the creek is green jungle. one foot I confirm it is mighty slip- section where ‘wet feet’ as adver- pery. Somewhere, perhaps 15 m constricted. The variation in the tised quickly moved up to being Abruptly there is a change in water country is amazing. Two almost colour as a side stream cuts in. It below, and out of sight, the swol- wet family jewels. Reassuringly len Wollangambe thunders its tor- parallel creeks not more than 200 Tom volunteered that we were not is grey-black. This is no side m apart can have very different stream, it is the Wollangambe Riv- tuous way. 50% of me wants to be really equipped to go swimming down in there testing it and photo- geomorphology and implications (much). er charged with coal fines leached for would be explorers. from the dumps upstream and it is graphing it. The other 50% says Next on the agenda was a bit of flowing very strongly. that Tom has made the right deci- horizontal pole work to cross a sion! We will be back under differ- rather deeper hole than encoun- ent circumstances. tered so far. Too slippery to walk,

Volume 34, Issue 2, Autumn 2009 The Bushwalker | 5 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club

water doubled. At 1054 we took a Walk 2 GPS reading and found that good a tributary of the progress had been made and we Bungleboori Creek. could identify our position. The creek was very pleasant and the coachwood forest on each side was becoming more extensive.

At 0945 a dry overhang provided an ideal spot to have morning tea. It was good to stop and enjoy the surroundings. The constant rain of several days had translated into many non-perennial waterfalls coming to life. Everywhere there was water cascading down. Fortu- Next on the agenda was the nego- nately for us the air was still warm tiation of a small waterfall. One of as we ended up spending a large the cut logs had jammed in the part of the day in water up to our space so it was a bit of fun clam- knees. Morning tea over it was time bering over it without getting total- to continue our exploring. Initially the creek is a benign little ly wet. It was slippery and stream of pure clean water flowing hand-holds – well what hand- through coral fern Gleichenia di- holds? With wet tails and more we Then in moment the creek disap- carpa on a rocky base, the occa- moved on enjoying every piece of peared! We had an interesting sional Grevillea acanthifolia scenery. It was stunning. The challenge climbing up onto a high lending colour to the scene from creek now had a sandy bottom dry ledge and over this small ob- its pink toothbrush-like flowers. All and then sections with brightly stacle. On the other side of this interest in flowers soon disap- coloured sandstone pebbles. The block up the creek resumed its peared as we cross the creek and King Fern Todea barbara was now pace although it was a lot bigger. climb a minor rock outcrop to the dominant in the creek. Ever larger 1118 and again the creek disap- east. Through the misting rain we coachwood trees kept the light out peared, this time into a seemingly could see the ground dropping and the ground free of any but the black hole. away steeply. A user-friendly ramp most determined of ferns. led down to the creek about 25 m We scratched our heads for a It was now 0918 and we thought further on. while. This was not just a small we were making good progress. block up, this was major. The nar- We had negotiated a right-angled row valley of the creek was filled bend and thought that we were by a huge wall of rock and earth, close to joining another unnamed complete with very large well- es- creek from the north. It was way tablished trees. We reckoned by out. We had made very small prog- It was then we came to what I have the size of the trees that this block ress. Even Ian’s privately commis- dubbed ‘Thorpe’s Constriction’. up had been in place for at least sioned 1:15,000 topographic map This is a nice little challenge in- 80 years. did not prepare us for the size and volving a 2+ m drop. A tumble of constancy of the cliffs that sur- high-speed white water passes rounded us. They are truly awe- through a narrow 50 mm wide slot inspiring. and dumps into a pool of gloomy, uncertain depth. While Ian debat- ed about fixing a rope and checked out suitable anchor trees (nil!) I found a dead tree that could be moved and used as a depth check. It seemed to be about waist deep. I decided to see whether it was now possible to climb down. It 0905 and the towering walls of was. Several strategic hand and sandstone were already closing footholds enabled the descent in- in on the creek. Between rain- to the water without mishap. It was drops I scrawled in the notebook cool around the waist! A foot in the ‘suspect canyon ahead’. The pen wrong spot and it would have been then refused to write on the sod- a different story. den paper. I put it away and Safely below the waterfall we then pressed on. The twists and turns went back to make sure of good of the creek were amplified by pictures of this spot. Shortly after From being in water often up to soaring tight cliff lines, great tree this experience the creek turns our waists we were suddenly ferns and tall eucalypts; water quickly from flowing NS to EW. climbing a 20 m tumble of rock and earth, but still 'in the creek'. was now rushing faster over a A deeply undercut cliff with a ceil- That is not all. It becomes a can- perfect, smooth rocky bed. yon. A magnificent canyon with The crest at the top gave good ing of about 5 m was a joy to walk views back up stream. Down- Then we entered ‘a room’, a sec- through. Ferns bedecked the low- towering 20+m sculpted walls and a delightful light play deep down stream, well where was our creek? tion where the cliffs were wider er slope and the creek curved ar- Kept walking down and after a apart. Amazingly a cut tree sec- tistically in parallel to the main into shallow water. The floor has a hard smooth rock bottom. It time we could hear water but not tion, and then a cut stump con- wall. The water was about 20 cm see it. We pushed down further to fronted us! Who, why and how? deep and moving fast. Small pro- stretches for about 100 m. Ian’s map did show that a constriction be confronted with a massive ver- There was no obvious way to ex- trusions from the creek bed aerat- tical drop. tract cut logs from this area. We ed the water giving it a gleaming, was likely in this area. Lots of pho- found two more stumps and later solid white appearance. tos taken, but no good ones. Real- Gingerly we approached the edge. ly needs time exposure and a more cut logs – half a metre in I had a 15 m rope. I figured per- tripod. Must come back. diameter and up to 4m long. haps 3 of these knotted together 50m on and a branch creek from may have done the trick ... We Great timber, well cut but impos- found a rock ledge that went down sible to extract. Planning would the north entered. The volume of have saved these former giants. 6 | The Bushwalker Volume 34, Issue 2, Autumn 2009 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club a bit, and then a bit more. From took the opportunity to stop and Here Rocky Creek is truly magnifi- our position we could now see high look across the gorge that hides cent – lots of clean sandy beach- vertical cliffs a good 200 m away Rocky Creek deep, deep down. es, clear pools, great ferns and guessed the position of anoth- Swirling misty clouds filled the sky. everywhere, (at least 4 species) er major constriction where yet an- Would we get to the bottom and and of course those canyon walls. other unnamed creek cut in. Our find the creek so high to force The canyon walls, well, they are immediate problem was to get abandonment of the enterprise? special. Of wonderful ochre down and in there. colours, they rise to varying heights and probably average 30 m. They are pocked with caves and overhangs all begging for at- tention in a canyon that has the same claim everywhere. On the downside, (if it is one) there are lots of fallen trees and in spots heaps of debris. It is in these plac- es that food resources exist for crayfish and other invertebrates. Climbing rapidly we both com- Below the cliff face the next sec- We had an encounter with a ma- mented on how different the ter- tion of the descent was fun. A lot ture blue crayfish Euasticus spini- rain was in this creek (also of slippery black mud sections al- fer. I am sure lots of his mates unnamed) from the two we had ternate with glorious rainforest were watching on. We were just already descended. It was more and the occasional challenging not clever enough to look in the open and the creek bed was filled rock crevice where chimneying right places. with boulders. It was equally beau- skills were handy. I give Mother tiful but in a very different way. A Nature top marks for the provision waterfall some 3 m in height was of convenient exposed tree roots The ledge we were on seemed to negotiated using a handy strong in so many spots. The recent rain be the best option so we kept fol- vine and some brute strength. I had given a new life to the moss lowing it around a nose of rock wondered what lay ahead. It was covered rocks and in the soft light between two creeks and then into easier than I thought it would be the pictures were extra special. yet another side creek that was and we made the junction of an- Emerged on the bank of Rocky part of the planed exit route. other north–south flowing creek at Creek above a half metre deep The master plan envisaged we 1205. pool. Fortunately even with the re- would travel a further kilometre or As we were chilling down quite a cent rains Rocky Creek had not so downstream and have lunch on bit by now we decided that we risen. I was rather wet already, so a pagoda with a view of the Little would exit at this creek, find a spot a splash entry was not a problem. Arthurs. A nice idea, but back to for lunch and then seek a way out The others were sensible enough the ledge. Fortunately it dropped back to the vehicle. to go looking for a somewhat more progressively but still left an unac- dignified entry. They even claimed ceptable drop to the bed of the dry feet! I just laughed because I creek. Walk 3 knew what was ahead. a section of Rocky Creek. We pushed on down-stream mak- ing good progress and thoroughly enjoying the beauty of the place. At the big bend there were great undercuts and overhangs. The magic of raw wilderness was ev- erywhere. Further on we encoun- tered a small set of rapids that were easy to negotiate. Out spirits were high. Then we came to a block up, only a small one and doable with the tape I carried, but it was irreversible unless we left the tape set. As we had no idea whether the next exit down stream was within our capability, or whether we could find it we were forced to turn back. t Ian pushed further west along the ledge and located a concealed Knowing the way made for good ramp. This proved ideal, as it was progress and at 0953 we arrived reversible in the event that we at the rock face descent that leads were confronted by impossible wa- down into a side canyon and into terfalls or drops later on. The de- Rocky Creek. The rock face was scent was a good one. We were wet. Very wet. An exploratory test now successfully below the very descent and ascent of the first 5 m big drop on our entry creek. was pronounced ‘OK.’ The party It was now 1155 and time to re- then descended one at a time. view our position. Given our rate of Steve went first enjoying his self progress and the constant rain styled role as guide. I descended there was no way we could last to prevent anyone from chick- achieve the planned lunch spot in ening out. a reasonable time so it was decid- Geoff stopped at a couple of key ed to curtail the exploration and spots on the way down to take make as much progress as possi- photos as we negotiated our way. ble up this side creek. Hopefully there will be some ex- traordinary action shots of each of us clinging limpet like during the descent. On one tiny rock shelf I

Volume 34, Issue 2, Autumn 2009 The Bushwalker | 7 Roger Caffin

veryone knows about the middle about the northern end. The Wombat photos. It is much more varied country, part of Kosciusko National Park recently did a 11 day loop around the with a lot of that awful stuff called E(KNP), from Mt Kosciusko to Mt northern end, mainly on old tracks and height-change. The country was pretty Jagungal, but it seems not so many know 'management trails', and took a lot of dry in places, even dusty. 1 2

A start was made near Cesjacks Hut This time the plains were dry and easy travelling, but the wombat was reminded of and the back way was taken to the a previous trip in the same month of another year when the weather had turned a saddle at the headwaters of the shade less clement. The moral is you always take some snow gear up here. Gungarlin, where THE tree is still standing after the fires. It was crossed and the wombat headed out onto the plains to the north. 4 3

The wombat went up Arsenic Spur, but the old walking track has completely disappeared after the fires, which is a great pity as it was the old Ligars Route from the gold rush days. Camp was made just before Tabletop Mountains on firm ground by the The horrible Happy Jacks Road was crossed and the wombat headed north to the headwaters swamp of Waterhole new Brooks Hut. The new version looks a bit neater and trimmer on the outside, Creek. There was some water in the although the inside is rather bare, even spartan, with just a small table. The toilet creek - for a short distance only. But arrangements seemed a shade primitive compared to the normal NPWS loo. it's a nice spot.

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Next morning a farewell was said to Mt Jagungal from near Tabletop, the Selwyn ski resort was quickly traversed (they look awful without the snow) and Three Mile Dam was explored. It's very pretty, and the weather was fine. Then the wombat headed north along Wallaces Creek Fire Trail, through a fair bit of unburnt forest and over grasslands. The FT seems to be mainly used by brumbies. The Plan was to descend the Coppermine FT as far as the crossing on Blue Creek and to camp there, but that's basalt country and it was dry, dry, dry. Oh Dear. . . The wombat sighed, and set off for the Yarrangobilly River, over 600 m below.

8 | The Bushwalker 6

The Yans Crossing FT led to the Jounama home- 7 stead. The use of that much brick suggests that life here must have been profitable for some time, and enjoyable too. Pity about the big bag of rubbish: doubtful that An unsuccessful attempt at a dry foot crossing on stepping there are 'cultural arti- stones was made, but no matter. A wash in the river was facts' in it. Then a very enjoyed - shivering due to fatigue, and then camp was swiftly dry, harsh descent was made. Next morning the light in the trees was nice, before the made back to the steep climb up onto the plateau on the other side. The altitude Yarrangobilly at Yans here is lower, and the trees are bigger - much bigger. Crossing.

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This is limestone country: very dry and harsh No walkers, but some wildlife. Bluetongue lizards tend to freeze away from the river, but the water was just warm when you approach, which makes for good photos. The brumby enough for the obligatory swim. Lunch was in the was curious at first, but then took fright and ran away. The piles shade of a very nice tree nearby. From here the of brumby dung along the fire trails are pretty huge in places - Alpine Highway was crossed to reach the too many of them altogether for a national park. Kennedy Ridge and the start of the Horseshoe FT. There were no signs of any other walkers around.

The Bushwalker | 9 12 10

After the fires the NPWS seems to have gone mad building ugly bridges with concrete pipes and arches over every little creek. Can't say they add to the 'wilderness values' of the place. This Next morning the climb out of Emu Flat Ck was tackled (it's steep!) to the plateau one was at the site of the Long Flat above. The trails inside the National Park are nice; the transition onto a public road Hut, where the wombat camped. in Bondo State forest was a rude shock. In places the 'road' was one car wide with solid blackberry walls. Granted, there was an unlimited amount of very ripe blackberries for eating, but they do pall after a while. Anyhow, the maze of roads 11 and fire trails was negotiated to Browns Flat for another smooth campsite.

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From Long Flat the Horseshoe FT goes over the long, high Andy Andy range to the and Kells Hut. The forest was thick in places, but the blackberries and the native raspberries on top of the range were luscious. The camp site was fine, but it took the wombat about half an hour to find enough The wombat had never tasted water to fill four bottles. The water had some 'organic matter' in it too. Weird, wild raspberries that good. because the previous creeks had all had good water, but not this one. It seemed all The descent to the river is the brumbies had left Browns Flat too, migrating down to the Wombat Ground. The long, steep, tiring and a bit latter was of course a very fine place in the morning light. loose in places. But Kells Hut on Emu Flat Creek is cute, and A food drop was picked up in the myriads of apple trees Brindabella and the wombat (and others) around were in set off down the Goodra- 14 fruit, and enjoyed. Thoughts digbee River on the McLeod had been given to going up the Spur FT. A rough camp was Goobarragandra River to made where some fishermen Dubbo Falls, but the extent of had cleared a site off the the blackberries on the river track - but it was tilted and banks made that a non-starter. bumpy. Then the long climb The blackberries on the river (800+ m) was started up to banks made the token efforts Circuits Mountain. But the air seen at spraying the black- was fresh and the views got berries along the immediate better. Somewhere between edges of the trail seem a bit Circuits Mt and Mt Jackson pointless, and anyhow the there is a transition from emus love blackberries. Their harsh rocky country back to scats are full of the seeds. lovely snow grass and snow gums, and the wombat felt much relieved by this. Home country as it were. In a saddle beyond Mt Jackson a brumby track was picked up and followed down the valley onto the plains north of Blue Waterhole.

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Several herds of brumbies were displaced and camp was made It was cold in the morning with a ground mist far away and beside a little creek at the edge of the plain; further out on the plain frost close up, but the arrival of the sun was eagerly the creek just vanished into the limestone soil. The evening was very anticipated. The tent had been wet with condensation from mild and pleasant; breakfast the next morning was a shade cooler. previous nights, so getting the poles out of the sleeves in the morning proved to be a gloves-needed affair. But then the sun arrived and the wombat set off south over the plains, past numerous sink-holes.

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The plains got drier and drier towards the The old bridge across the Murrum- southern edge. It was an interesting bidgee River which the Australian transition: don't expect to find water around Alpine walking Track once used was here. But then the track moved off the gone. What does one do in spring limestone plain and back into the hills, over when the river is in flood? The bridge a ridge and out onto the high plains. There across the next big side creek was also Witses Hut is still in good condition. was water in Dairymans Creek, but the burnt- burnt, and only bits of it remain. The The wombat suspects it has survived out low heather scrub around it still shows no trees beyond show the effects of the because the nearby water supply has signs of recovery from the fires. fires too. And the track was very dusty. all dried up, so no-one camps nearby or inside. A harsh judgement, but... Instead camp was made at the crossing on the Tantangara near 20 Kiandra Creek, out on the plains again. The site is not recommended: it was very exposed to any bad weather, and very bumpy too. Snow grass is lovely, but not for camping on.

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The weather changed overnight. Not a lot of real wind and rain, but it was definitely damp. Packing was done during a non- raining spell. Then it was off across the Wild The snow gums on the ridge were not burnt in the fires, and this one was huge, with Horse Plains to the joys of Kiandra, pausing a nice home underneath. Much nicer than the lonely wind-swept plains of Kiandra - for morning tea on a small ridge above the how the gold miners survived winter there in their tents is anyone's guess. The lure Plains. of gold! The big bridge at Kiandra looks tempting but is no use to the walker - a pity.

The Bushwalker | 11 The Tabletop 22 Mountain FT 23 goes up very gently from Kian- dra to the plateau above: it's a pleasant walk. The fires swept across the top here, leaving some fascinating dead gums be- hind. But here the regrowth is doing well. There were even some pom- The Nine Mile Diggings looked a bit bare after the fires, but poms left over maybe the site now qualifies as a 'cultural artifact' rather from spring - an than as a mining wasteland? unexpected but Perception, perception. The soil colours are fascinating delightful bonus. anyhow. Camp at Nine Mile Creek was considered, but it was early and most of the good tent sites had dead trees leaning precariously over them, so the wombat pushed on past Tabletop Mt. The NPWS has covered a fair bit of this track with thick layers of blue-metal so any fire trucks won't get bogged - an absurd despoilation of the place considering the futility of attempting to stop a firestorm with a little hose. Head Office bureaucracy at work, to satisfy the politicians.

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Camp was made on another bit of Waterhole Creek - definitely not as smooth as the site used for the first night. That vast swamp area out there - was rather dry. Only one small waterhole was found - but it was enough. The wind blew most of the night and rattled the tent, and in the morning there was fog and rain. No matter: a comfortable night was had despite the snow grass tussocks.

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Then it was off to Cesjacks. Given the fog and rain and the loss of the track on Arsenic Ridge, the fire trails were used instead. The foggy ridge in the background of the last photo was Arsenic Ridge - wet stuff. But the day cleared up a bit as we reached the car. The wombat enjoyed a very large vanilla slice with a long black in Cooma. All this fine dry mild weather, and at the same time Sydney was having torrential rain for days on end. What a difference! t

12 | The Bushwalker Walk Safely—Walk with a Club (The more polemic bits were written by Roger Caffin, who takes full responsibility for them.) A Looming Nightmare Adventure Activity Standards lease don’t think that your club bushwalking is just a private activity Roger Caffin and Keith Maxwell Pbetween consenting adults. Be aware that NSW could be subject to ridiculous regulations that have been BAI represents all the State-based AAS examinations and regulations. Unless applied or are about to be applied in other 'confederations. BAI has chosen to be a your club had AAS-approved leaders, it States of . These regulations have member of OCA in order to have a voice could not schedule any club walks. the potential to render volunteer regarding AAS and NOLRS, but it must be Some emergency services managers see bushwalking clubs and especially ‘club said that the powers-that-be in OCA do not AAS & NOLRS as a way to reduce the walks’ a bureaucratic nightmare, leading seem to want to pay any attention to the number and/or severity of outdoors very possibly to their rapid demise. protests from bushwalker organisations. emergency incidents. Fine, but it would What are we talking about? The The Victorian (VicWalk) experience has not be an exaggeration to say that that proposed imposition of Adventure Activity been especially traumatic, with what most incidents ‘happen’ to people who are Standards (AAS) and National Outdoors seems at times to have been deliberate NOT members of a bushwalking club, and Leaders Registration Scheme (NOLRS) on misrepresentations. who are not on a club activity. You know volunteer clubs. These are an array of In more detail, AAS is a system of what we mean. regulations which seek to dictate who can guidelines and regulations for involvement We need to have a viable alternative to lead a bushwalk or similar activity. Now, in the outdoors that covers essential AAS & NOLRS. We can say that AAS & many of us would be happy to see aspects and practices including planning, NOLRS could act as a serious deterrent to regulations brought in to cover the leader competency, equipment, safety, new members joining bushwalking clubs. operation of commercial adventure emergency procedures and environment. A Bushwalking clubs could slowly fade away companies and other people who core feature of the leader registration as private trips (without ‘leaders’) undertake to lead youth groups etc in scheme (NOLRS) is the dependency of proliferate. Confederation would lose its outdoor activities. After all, these people ‘Clients’ on the activity leader, the ‘Guide’. influence with land managers and are putting themselves in the position of That is, unlike in bushwalking clubs, the government. Unfortunately we cannot being fee-for-service providers and clients are assumed to have little or no ignore AAS & NOLRS. There is claiming to look after ‘members of the skill in the outdoors activity. This places a considerable momentum behind AAS & public’. Requiring some sort of significant ‘duty of care’ on the Leader. NOLRS in the commercial outdoors sector. qualification for this seems very reasonable Typically, (inexperienced) ‘Clients’ pay a BAI has advised OCA that in regards to (and about time too). However, we do fee to do an adventure activity (such as AAS & NOLRS ‘there are things OCA does NOT agree that these regulations have any Claustral Canyon) with no pre-training or NOT have the support of Bushwalking place in volunteer adult bushwalking existing skill. This stands in stark contrast Australia or our members on.’ So BAI clubs. to the system found in every volunteer membership of OCA does not imply It should be noted that Europe and bushwalking club in NSW, where every support of AAS & NOLRS. In fact, as far as New Zealand have Guides Associations member participates in club activities I (RNC) know, every State bushwalking with strict qualifications, and we would be under his own steam and takes full body is vehemently opposed to the happy to see a similar regime brought into responsibility for his own safety. imposition of AAS on volunteer existence here. In those countries wearing Every bushwalking club in the bushwalking clubs. a Guide’s badge is a mark of honour. But Confederation has their own set of safety AAS has the potential to be overly and neither Europe nor New Zealand make any regulations and training procedures to uselessly prescriptive in defining outdoors attempt to regulate volunteer clubs and which members must subscribe. In most activities and to ignore the range of private individuals - but that is what the cases these have been developed in informal training and acquisition of AAS seeks to do. concert with other clubs, and probably bushwalking skills and experience represent a far more evolved, practical and provided by the current system within the relevant code than some of the OCA various bushwalking clubs during The Source guidelines we (RNC) have seen. bushwalks. It has the potential to destroy Confederation has provided considerable our Clubs. The push seems to be led by an Australia- information on Risk Management and The Confederation does not believe the wide body, the Outdoor Council of procedures to OCA, but at present the issue of AAS & NOLRS will go away. It is Australia (OCA). OCA is an incorporated, proposed AAS completely ignore all club already partly in operation in other not-for-profit association of outdoor knowledge and training. Australian States but is currently non- recreation industry professionals in I (RNC) have seen some of the compulsory. It is not appropriate for Australia that includes ORIC in NSW. OCA Victorian AAS Regulations and an earlier bushwalking clubs and has the potential to (and hence ORIC) are encouraging AAS & draft of the NSW ones. They are a stop new members joining clubs. The NOLRS. bureaucratic nightmare of almost null- ability of Confederation to speak for See www.outdoorcouncil.asn.au for content in places. ‘The Leader shall have bushwalkers and influence land managers more details. It would seem that there are appropriate skills in XYZ...’. It was not would be compromised, or destroyed. We some people in some government obvious where the ‘appropriate skills’ ask that all member clubs support your departments (eg NSW Department of would be defined or by whom, but it was Confederation. In addition, clubs need to Sport and Recreation) who are also fairly clear at the time that bushwalking ensure that they have good training & pushing this - why is not known. In clubs would have no say in defining them. safety procedures as a viable alternative to Victoria, access to public land by Oh yes - those skills come in a series of AAS & NOLRS. commercial groups is subject to licence. grades too: you need grade 1 for a walk of We recommend that these procedures Licensees must show they meet AAS. this difficulty and grade 2 for a walk of be documented. Some commercial land-use groups are that difficulty, or so it seemed. pushing an ‘equity’ argument that all land- users must meet AAS, and it seems from Status - Now the Victorian experience that is part of the Direct Implications for At present AAS & NOLRS remain non- 'real’ motive behind the current push. compulsory due to resistance by BAI, OCA has members that range from Us VicWalk and Queensland Federation of commercial operators to Scouts / Outward Let’s be very explicit here about the Bushwalking Clubs and other groups. But Bound and outdoor education groups. Our implications. You want to ‘lead’ a few how long this stalemate will last is Confederation is a member of Bushwalking other members of your club on a walk uncertain. The Confederation will keep Australia or BAI, found at somewhere? Under AAS you could not do member clubs informed of any future t www.bushwalkingaustralia.org. this legally unless you had passed all the developments.

Volume 34, Issue 2, Autumn 2009 The Bushwalker | 13 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club

Doug Floyd, BWRS

Map - Endrick; 1:2500, 8927-4S, third edition

Hill, are such places. We would have liked to include Quiltys Mt, Mt Haughton, Sturgiss Mt as well but these would have made the course too big. In searching along the foot of cliff lines to find passes up through the bluffs, we saw many overhangs with flat sandy/dusty floors that indicate aboriginal use, pre-European settlement. A couple of the high points had what looked like Bora Grounds (ancient aboriginal corroboree sites - clear, flat areas marked out with stones). Many of the watercourses (eg Grassy Navshield 2008 Ck, Corang Ck, , Alum Ck, Running Ck, Gallagher’s Ck, Sallee Ck and Hoddle Ck) were swampy and very Nerriga—Morton National Park scrubby places, to be avoided as much as possible. To complicate matters a few were excellent walking and provided flat The course covered about 80 square places to camp. The flat swampy nature Introduction kilometres, mostly rugged national park. of the creeks made most watercourse There were three radio checkpoints: RCP junctions too indistinct for use as check orton National Park was this Alpha, with views to the northeast, in a points, especially where they were very years venue for Navshield, a leafy glade on the trail just past Flat Top scrubby. Mreturn to the strikingly Hill; RCP Bravo on a trail junction on high Places of particular interest or beauty picturesque area near Nerriga, used for ground to the south of the course; and included the tall forests on the eastern the original event 20 years ago. The vista RCP Charley on a trail just south of Round side of high ground such as Round Mt, from this western side is of numerous, Mountain, with beautiful views east to and the views from the flat open areas bluff-sided, flat-topped mountains, jutting Quiltys Mountain and south to Fosters south of Round Mt, west of Sturgiss Mt, from a forested and gently undulating Mountain and beyond. The RCPs are there south of Barnies Hill and west of Mt plain. Gold, orange and red cliffs glow in for the participants’ safety, as well as a Hoddle. We passed a beautifully the morning and evening sunlight, location to pick up water or to camp at constructed Lyre Bird nest on a 1 m high silhouetted against the pale blue sky. night. There were also numerous boulder out in the open on the south west Reminiscent of buttes and mesas of overhangs below the cliff lines that have slopes of Castle Hill. Most of the Lyre Bird Nevada USA, but in a eucalypt forest, not been used for camping in the past, with nests I have seen previously were a few in a desert. natural water soaks nearby which could sticks roughly set on a ledge, just enough It was just the place for Bushwalkers be used during the event. Most major to stop the eggs rolling off. Wilderness Rescue Squad to celebrate the creeks in the area have good water. Another interesting item was the camp twentieth year of the Emergency Services Height loss or gain was only a modest overhangs (not just one, but two) below Navigational Shield, for 2008. Any 300m or so, which suited many Square Top Mtn bluffs, with the firewood competitors who glanced at a map would competitors. Elevation of the area was in each neatly set out in separate neat have easily deduced that the 11 flat from 600 m to 900 m, so cool piles of sticks all broken to size. A pile of topped high points would be chosen for temperatures were expected. Morton NP small kindling with leaves and bark, a pile controls, even before they received the is noted for high rainfall, but this western of less than 5 mm diameter sticks, a pile checkpoint list and map. We always like side tends to be dryer. In fact we only of 10 mm diameter sticks, a pile of 20 to reward competitors (and course had a couple of drizzly days in all the time mm sticks, all that would be easily broken setters) in as many ways as possible: what we spent there, including setting up and by hand and all about 200mm to 300mm better way than a magnificent view, after pulling down. The event itself was sunny. long. There was no big wood that could some ‘interesting’ navigation and route There are two parallel service tracks in the provide hollow havens for insects or small finding to locate the pass up. area: Alum Creek Firetrail and Square Top animals. The fire place was set up with This is a big event with over 1000 Mountain Firetrail, running north south 4 stones just so to protect the fire and people taking part: competitors and their – 5 km apart. They join in the south so it support crews, administration, safety, was easy to set a course to limit the communications, catering, etc. All the amount of road running. emergency services of NSW are represented: Police Rescue, Ambulance SCAT teams, Rural Fire Brigades, SES, Course Setting VRA, Armed Services, as well as Course setting is always a busy time for bushwalkers and rogainers. The numbers the small band of talented navigators. of participants were down a bit this year Their reward is walking to interesting due to a number of squads being rostered beautiful places bushwalkers would not to manage the Pope’s visit to the World normally visit. Some map features select Youth Day summit in Sydney. Onsite we themselves as checkpoints because of their had members of BWRS as the safety views or as places of interest. It is then response teams, WICEN for radio only a matter of filling in the grid by communications, SCAT ambulance finding features that will make good officers for remote casualty access, St checkpoints between them. Flat Top Hill, John First Aid at base and Nerriga Square Top Mt, Fosters Mt, Round Mt, Progress Association for catering. Hoddles Castle Hill, Barnies Hill, Castle “Now if we run down here. . .”

14 | The Bushwalker Volume 34, Issue 2, Autumn 2009 Walk Safely—Walk with a Club surrounded by flat stones to hold the billy. navigating to collect their first control. Importantly, they had been used before Within 5 minutes peace returned, with the but there was no big pile of ash or support crews and administrators charcoal. Clearly the sites were cleaned standing about with little to do but wait at out regularly. Many bushwalkers may this time. A couple of teams choose to leave a pile of long branches in a dry hang back till 09:00 am to study the place for those who turn up in the rain, master map prepared by the course setter but Ive never seen this before. to verify a particular location. All was quiet. We just wandered about chatting or enjoying the sunny morning. Friday -- Preparation Around mid morning I was relayed a radio Good weather, cool but sunny day. A message from RCP alpha: a competitor local landholder had kindly offered the had reported one of the checkpoint flags use of this beaut base site beside the had blown down a slot in the rock. That Nerriga Braidwood road. A basin-shaped meant they had to climb down a 3 m cliff grassy paddock with scattered trees and to punch their tags. A bushranger team Check point scrubs on the higher ground for firewood was dispatched to correct the situation and shelter. Thank you to Bob and Adam and soon all was as it was meant to be. for donating the use of this site: your help Peace reigned again until a little later I atmosphere. Thank you everyone for was most appreciated by all participants. overheard part of a message from the contributing to that. WICEN members (radio radio tent that indicated that the It was a great event, with communications) and BWRS members bushranger vehicle had come across a complements on the course from many arrived throughout the day to set up the team with a member who had a damaged competitors. Mind you, a few teams did base site and radio checkpoints in the knee. No problem - she was evacuated have difficulty with checkpoints and field. Competitors and support crew back to base where the paramedics and others with thick very mean scrub. While arrived during the afternoon and evening first aider did their stuff. we did warn participants of the thick to set up camp, light camp/cooking fires Just after lunch a competitor told me scrub we knew about, some of them and start the socialising which is a feature that RCP alpha was in the wrong position. found some very nasty places we hadn’t of all Navshields. A check showed that there had been known. Route choice is very important! The maps and checkpoint lists were confusion caused by a draft checkpoint list Thank you again to the landholders distributed from 7 pm Friday onwards. and the flag needed to be moved 170m Bob and Adam, and National Parks and Competitors could then begin to mark up further north along the track. Just what I Wildlife staff for their help and support, the checkpoints on their maps and plan didnt need. But that was it: no excitement without which the event could not have their intended route – a difference from for the rest of the event. gone ahead. rogaining where competitors are handed Late in the afternoon the teams began We received an unsolicited note, from marked-up maps. Also we give grids trickling in with stories of easy to find a nearby land holder, complementing us references of 8 figures. points, hard to find points, points that on how clean we left the site and that couldn’t be found by one team but were there was no trespassing into out of t found by another, easy walking places, bounds areas. good views places, hard to negotiate passes, easy passes found, and one story of horrendous scrub leading to a chest deep pool that was near impossible to fight out of through the swampy scrubby overgrown bank. The beaming faces and laughter: they have obviously had a good time. By 7:30 pm all one day teams were back or accounted for and the one-day presentations could be made.

Results 1st Team: 009 Springwood Bushwalkers 750 points 2nd Team: 018 Berowra Bushwhackers 730 points Bashing around under the cliffs 3rd Team: 050 Wollongong SES – 1 640 points

Saturday – day one Sunday – day two Saturday morning dawned clear and Sunday dawned clear and sunny after bright. Frosty of course after a clear starry cold and frosty night. All teams were back A neat and tidy camping cave night. The bustle of preparation yesterday by 3:30 pm and the two-day presentations afternoon meant there were only a few could be made. last minute activities this morning. The roving bushranger teams were briefed and Results dispatched early to be ready in place before the 8:45 am start. Bushranging is 1st Team: 006 Shoalhaven SES – 1 1670 points Errata and Omissions partly a safety role to have people in the 2nd Team: 061 Sutherland Bushwalkers 1370 points Corrections to Volume 34, Issue 1: field to react swiftly to any problem or 3rd Team: 086 Kangaroo Valley Bushfire Brigade 1350 points Some of the photos of Barrington injury. Tops should have been credited to Competitors were briefed by the course Cotter Erickson of The Bush Club. setter and safety manager at 8:30 am, Conclusion The article on the Great Ocean Walk ready for the mass start at 8:45 am. Once was by Paul Ellis of the Shoalhaven the start hooter sounded there was a Congratulations and well done to the Bushwalkers. flurry of activity as the teams collected place getters, and to all participants. their control cards from the line strung NavShield is an event where everyone is a Apologies over both of these. out before them. Then they all headed off, winner. We all enjoy the friendly informal

Volume 34, Issue 2, Autumn 2009 The Bushwalker | 15