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Melbourne Bushwalkers Inc. makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any content of this work. Melbourne Bushwalkers Inc. disclaims any warranty for the content, and will not be liable for any damage or loss resulting from the use of any content. ------·------What Every Walker Knows!
Any experienced walker can tell you of tight spots that he has been in. The time when he found the creek flowing the wrong way and had to sit down and re-orientate himself. The time when the weather went bad on him and he had to use all he knew to keep warm and dry and find his way. At such times the walker must muster all the skill and experience that he has accumulated over the years to get himself and his party safely home again. Under such conditions there is extra stress on equipment. The urgent battle through exuberant vegetation, the penetrating wet, the bitter cold, the necessity for cooked food. All these exact a toll of skill and en~rgy. If at such times there is a failure of equipment then the burden is made greater and lives are endangered. THE WISE WALKER USES "PADDYMADE" GEAR AND SEES THAT IT IS KEPT IN GOOD REPAIR. THEN HE KNOWS THAT HE CAN RELY ON HIS EQUIPMENT. See that your gear is "PADDYMADE"- the gear that has been serving Walkers in Australia for nearly thirty years.
From: PADDY PALLIN PTY. LTD. 201 CASTLEREAGH STREET SYDNEY
Victorian Agents: AUSKI 343 Little Collins Street Melbourne I ·------qoalk A JOURNAL OF THE MELBOURNE BUSHWALKERS
NUMBER TWELVE 1961
CONTENTS
PRESERVING THE MOUNTAIN TOPS• Editorial . 3 THE ALPINE NATIONAL PARK .. . . J. Brownlie 4 ALPINE HOLIDAY .. A. Schafer 7 ALONG THE TRACK WITH HILLARY R. Taylor 13 "WILKY" A. Bennett 15 THE BUSH MUSIC CLUB F. Pitt 18 THE END OF THE TRACK-C. B. Green, M.W.C •. 18 JOYS OF THE FEDERAL TRACK M. Halls 19 ALFRED WILLIAM HOWITT G. McKinney 20 NOT AS BAD AS IT SOUNDED "Pommy" 22 LET'S GO TO THE SNOW ''Nature Lover" 25 NEW MAP ISSUES 26 SEARCH AND RESCUE W. Thompson 27 TWENTY YEARS AFTER 29 THE GROUND WE WALK UPON B. Short. 30 SCALYFOOT J. Brownlie . 33 FOREST HERITAGE F. Halls 35 MOUNTAIN MUSTER 40 THE COMPLETE WALKER S. Larsen. 43 WHAT PRICE A WALKER? "Q.M." 44 TRAMPING AROUND GROOT EYLANDT L. Mabus 48 HAPPY VALLEY COMES TO LIFE N. Richards .. 59 WALKS SECTION Beveridge Flats - Mt. Selwyn - Mt. Murray - Mt. St. Bernard 52 Taradale - Loddon Falls - Lyonville . 56 Lederderg Ford - Bear's Head - Long Pt. - Lederderg Ford . 61 Bruce's Ck. - Cottrell Spur - Westcott Ck. . 62 Yarra Glen - Yarra Ridge- Yarra Glen 63 Sunbury - Emu Ck. - Wildwood - Sunbury 64 Cover Photo: Mt. Feathertop from Diamentina, by John Brownlie
CLYDE PRESS. 608-610 High Street, Thornbury. Phone: JJ 2902 all around and, of course, Mt. Feathertop dominates the scene. On our left it towered high into the sky like a gigantic pyramid, a wisp of white cloud playing about the apex, and between stony slopes riven by perpendicular cliffs, down poured the noisy waters of Feathertop Creek. Behind and above ran the undulating outline of the Razorback. Turning to the right, and at our feet, lay the great basin of the Diamintina Valley itself, as though lying between the outstretched arms of a giant- Mt. Hotham being the giant, its left arm the Razorback, and the right Machinery Spur and Mt. Loch. Surveying our route further down the spur, we could see an indistinct pad leading over a lower series of knobs in scrubby country, down to where it became timbered and branches into a number of minor spurs each dropping sharply into the Kiewa, giving rise to some doubt as to the best course to take. Once below the treeline navigation on a spur becomes difficult, so it was not surprising that by 11 a.m. we found ourselves off the main spur in a tangle of ferns and messy vegetation. The going was rather tedious until reaching Feathertop Creek about a mile upstream from its confluence with the Kiewa. But when a section of the creek led under the dappled shade of overhanging Paperbarks, this was voted the most idyllic lunch spot of the trip. About an hour's paddling and scrambling along the creek and pushing through tall reeds and ferns on the banks brought us to the Kiewa's west branch. The river was roaring like thunder and through the spray our old friend, Dungey's Track, could be seen on the opposite bank. On our side the track continued a short distance up the flats of the creek from which we had just come, but then ascended one of the fingers of the Diamintina Spur for a few hundred feet to finally loop around to a high slope overlooking the river. The track here is wide enough for vehicular traffic but fallen timber seemed to indicate that the cattle had not made their annual visit to the Plains. We kept going upstream, passing the remains of an old survey camp, and descended to broad pleasant flats, the track winding around gnarled and knotted river-type gums, at length fording the shallow-bedded Diamintina Creek. On the far side, the track led past a number of dry lagoons then up the spine of a peculiar thin spur, something like a railway embank ment, dividing the turbulent Kiewa from the cosy, sheltered flats of the Diamintina. This spur took us well above the river. Then another steep pull and we were on the extremity of Machinery Spur. It was mid-afternoon and we missed the cool breezes which temper the heat on the ridges, but soon the track dropped suddenly and sharply down to the ford which leads directly into Blairs. The first thing that caught the eye was the yard. The previous year, with cattle about, the grass had been eaten down to suburban lawn level, but now it was almost a foot high. We looked in the hut and found it was occupied by a large black snake which was soon dispatched before we settled down to an early camp. An early camp augurs well for an early start, so at eight next morning, we were well along the track leading up to the Plains. This track branches off from Dungey's just behind the hut, crosses a stream and then negotiates a few gully-heads and spurs. When the gradient increases the track divides into a number of pads, care being taken not to follow the one which swings right to a gully. The plan is to keep to the spur as much as possible and the main track is soon easily picked up again just before it leads past Westons, the next port of call. The hut and yard are perched on a small sloping clearing a few hundred feet below the rim of the Plains. Long grass in the yard again pointed to the absence of cattle. Up from Westons the track becomes much eroded and rock strewn, and leads through low bushes, over small snowfields, by belts of snowgums, rising gently all the time until the edge of the Plains is at last seen - marked by a line of brown boulders. However, it is best to avoid the temptation to climb up to the Plains at this point but follow the track which swings left and then right, and before long a magnificent valley will open out before one's eyes. The valley is clad with tussocky snow grass and threaded by meandering streams, and we found that the occasional shady snowgum was a welcome relief from toiling in the shimmering heat as we followed the contour-keeping cattle pads. Page Ten W A L K ~--·········-·--··-··-························-···-·
what's going on out there? Is it time to get going on our walk:> At least a snap-happy camera enthusiast was WIDE A WAKE to the opportunity of getting a perfect snappy picture on ILFORD Roll Film. It never fails you!
For PLACES and FACES ILFORD S.P. ROLL FILM NOW FREELY AVAILABLE AT YOUR CHEMIST OR DEALER
WALK~------·------Page Eleven A lone snow pole in the centre of a broad curving saddle connecting the Plains to one of its outliers was our next landmark. We passed this as we traversed the saddle northwards and there on the far side in the timber glinted new galvanised iron-roofing of one of the two new huts recently erected in the area. After entering the timber we found a rather overgrown pad leading down a bushy slope to the sheltered valley of Tawanga Hut Creek, the ruins of its namesake still standing on the far bank. Downstream from the hut site the stream cascades over a series of small rock pools, just the spot for a cool-off from the exertions of the morning. Camp was set up and we set off for the Fainters. This meant climbing out and heading our valley before picking up the track leading to those large rocky knobs known as the Niggerheads. Less than a mile off, according to our map, but it was over an hour before we had got through the heath and up to the trig-point. Even without packs it's a long walk along the dusty pads which wind through rocky groves of snowgum until reaching the wide open areas of the Little Plain. It was in the vicinity of Salt Camp Creek that we saw the first herds of cattle, smaller in number than usual. On the far side of the creek the ground rises to where a few low trees cast the last shade available before the exposed slopes of North and South Fainter are tackled. Under the clear skies of summer the distances were quite deceptive, so it was not sur prising that the time was 4.30 p.m. when we had reached the northern peak. The air was cooler on top, and looking towards the west, we could trace our earlier route along the silhouetted outline of the Razorback. About halfway along the northern section of the Razorback, which runs from Mt. Feathertop to Mt. Beauty, rises Pyramid Hill, in the vicinity of Dungey's Gap. Looking beyond this aptly-named peak we could see a vast complex of low but tangled ranges and valleys bounded by the wide Ovens Valley near Bright. In the north-east the afternoon rays of the sun were illuminating what appeared to be the vertical walls of Mt. Emu in the Kiewa Valley. High on the horizon, due east, rose the escarpment of Spion Kopje, an outlying tongue of the Mt. Nelse section of the Bogong High Plains, and just in front its smaller brother, Little Spion Kopje, from which, in a week's time, we were to peer down on to Lake Guy almost directly below. Turning to the south-east sector, it was Mt. McKay and the Frying Pan Spur which were the salient features of the Plains. From Mt. Beauty to the Frying Pan there were glimpses of the 20-mile long winding S.E.C. road. Turning to head back to camp, we dropped down to the Little Plain and the temperature rose! Warm air from the heat of the day was still trapped in these sheltered snow plains, but, though tired out after a long day's walking, we were back at camp in half the time taken in going out. It was the morning of the sixth day out when we left Tawanga Hut Creek, climbing back to the saddle marked by that solitary snow pole, at last making for the rock-banked Plains. The first thing we saw was a stockman with a small mob of Black Polls. Grazing has been restricted and we were sure that many of the pads we followed were beginning to disappear once more into the the tussocky grass. However, in many places it was possible to walk tn almost any direction quite easily. Usually the Plains are pretty sodden in parts, but this had been an unusually dry season. The sun was blazing by the time we reached Mt. Jim, a low hill of loosely piled rocks and scrub, yet one of the highest landmarks for some distance around. At eleven o'clock we were resting under the shade of the timber crested ridge known as Mt. Bundarrah. Ahead Mt. Cope dominated the scene, while on the left we overlooked the deep and extensive reaches of Pretty Valley. By the time we had passed Mt. Cope the faint cattle pads had given way to a new road which passes by Cope Hut, where we entered our names on the last page of the visitors' book and wondered if this year would be the close of a chapter in the history of this hut- at least as bush walkers have known it. Avoiding the road, we left the hut and followed the snow pole line between a number of small rises. On coming to the top of one of these rises we saw Rocky Valley Dam, full for the first time and reflecting the blue of the sky so peaceful and serene in the enfolding hills. But we took a turning and in a few hundred yards were at Wilkinson, where we stopped for the next few days before continuing the second half of the tour- which is another story. P~ge Twelve W A L K cALent~ the ~rack with ~illar\1 Rob. Taylor. (An account of a Mountaineers Camp at Mt. Field National Park, Tas mania, during the Easter Holidays, 1960, at which Robin Mitchell, Peter Batiste and Rob Taylor represented the Melbourne Bushwalkers). It is not everyone that has an opportunity to climb with the conqueror of Everest. With that thought I felt I had justified my extravagance in attending the mountaineers' camp held under the auspices of the Tasmanian Adult Education Board. (The five day trip cost about thirty-five pounds). Now, when I look back several months after the camp I feel that my claim was justified many times over.
SIR EDMUND AT PETERSON HUT -R. Mitchell I have a host of memories of those five crowded and exhilarating days and a few more tangible momentoes as well. Among the latter are included an autographed map, some rather bleak looking photographs and a large patch on my sleeping bag, the last reminding me never again to leave it unattended before a roaring fire. When I arrived at Franklin Square, Hobart, early on the Friday morning, I found numerous miserable looking walkers huddled under verandahs, watch ing the gusty showers sending scraps of paper afluttering along the empty street. However, the air of gloom was soon dispelled when we were told that heavy snow was falling on the ranges. The coach journey took us along the Derwent Valley and through the pleasant hop-growing district surrounding New Norfolk until the entrance to the park was reached. From this point onwards the transition was amazing. In the space of a few miles the grassy meadows were replaced by a dense, gloomy rain forest dominated by the regal Antarctic Beech. Even Sherbrooke Forest seems parched and unfertile in comparison. As the altitude increased, so the forest thinned out until only a sparse, hardy alpine fiora was left on the plateau. Amongst the tenacious herbs an occasional dark linear Cypress-pine or twisted Snow-gum stood out in stark contrast to the white, windswept peaks. If nothing else, the scenery was what one expected of a mountaineers' camp. Upon our arrival at the Lake Dobson camp site the locals descended like a wolf pack on all available huts, and Robin and myself were faced with the delightful task of pitching camp in the snow. This procedure was complicated by the fact that there appeared to be no limit to the distance that tent poles W A L K Page Thirteen could sink into the ground. However, after much trial and error we succeeded in erecting our tents on the only fiat area in the whole camp - a moss bog. Our choice of such an exposed site amused the locals no end, but when the snow eventually melted it was we who had the last laugh. Those who had pitched in deep gullies sheltered from the wind found that their tents were in the middle of small creeks. The serious business of pitching camp com pleted, we channeled our energies into modelling a snow woman. She col lapsed soon after being photographed, no doubt shocked by Robin's amorous approaches. 'Ihe remainder of the afternoon was spent in exploring a nearby tarn (a small lake, hollowed out by glacial action). That evening Sir Edmund gave the first of his intimate fireside lectures. He described the organisation and planning of an overseas climbing expedi tion and emphasised that only climbing ability and intiative were required to make a success of such a venture. His first overseas trip was run on meagre finance and equipment; but once having established a good reputation, financing expeditions became less diffi cult. I obtained the impression that he was very proud of being a self made man. By this time a strong blizzard had blown up and it was with some difficulty that we staggered the few yards to our tents. Once snug inside I was quickly fast asleep, but alas this fine state of affairs did not last long. I was soon rudely awakened by the flapping of the icy tent wall against my face. What a time for the cord to snap! With many blasphemous remarks concerning the quality of tent cords I clambered out of the tent and fumbled with the two frayed ends. Twenty minutes and two frozen hands later I was once again snug inside but this time sleep eluded me. I lay on my back watching the contortions of the walls as they were blown in many directions. Everytime a particularly strong gust hit the tent, I held my breath and said a little prayer. By the morning the snowing had ceased, but the deep snow drifts (Which were ten to fifteen feet deep in places) necessitated a revision of the programme. The proposed trip to Mt. Mawson was replaced by a walk to Mount Field East. At lunch time it was amusing to see people disappearing up to the eyebrows in mud or blundering around blinded by the smoke. This intermission was followed by an assault on Mount Field East, where gale force winds blew us from rock to rock like a flock of forlorn sparrows. The programme on Sunday was considerably more strenuous than that of the previous day, and it was a tired but happy crew who returned to camp that afternoon. The fourteen mile tramp included such features as the Golden Stairs (a notable misnomer at this time of the year), the Mt. Mawson Plateau and the Tarn Shelf. Upon our return to the camp I had the stimulating experience of talking with Sir Edmund during which he expressed some un inhibited views about back-slapping politicians and diplomats. The Monday's steep climb to K Col on the Mt. Field West Track was made extremely difficult by the deep snow drifts and the biting winds. At the Col the Peterson Memorial Hut was officially opened by Sir Edmund. In the rush that followed the opening of the door, thirty-odd walkers succeeded in cramming into the eight-man hut. In the evening Sir Edmund followed up his previous lectures on his Antarc tic adventures and overseas lecture tours by giving an informative account of Search and Rescue procedure in New Zealand. This was of particular interest to Robin and myself and we were most impressed by his account of some of the more hazardous rescues that have been successfully accomplished. His casual way of describing the technique involved in crossing a dangerous crevasse or a swollen torrent left many of us a little flabbergasted. Regretfully we broke camp the next morning, and headed back for Hobart after a trip which although not favored by good weather, had nevertheless proved a success. For me the highlights of the camp had been the lectures by Sir Edmund in which he had kept his audience spellbound with his accounts of such diverse subjects as what to say to a girl paralysed on the brink of a precipice and the method of divorcing the top half of an umbrella from its handle. The impression of Sir Edmund that I brought back with me was that of a man of initiative and of physical and mental strength. Pa9e Fourteen WALK -Alan Bennett. This year our club turned twenty. Next year we get the key of the door, and this will be very welcome, because we have the door, but the key which is supposed to belong to it doesn't work. The door is on Wilkinson Memorial Lodge, in the Rocky Valley area of the Bogong High Plains. We are now the proud owners, but entry is usually through a window after much muttering and cussing, trying to open the legitimate entrance with the less legitimate instrument provided for the purpose. "Wilky" was built by the S.E.C. to house staff whose duties included collecting information on snowfall, to be used later in the planning of the Kiewa Hydro-electric Scheme. When it was no longer needed for this, it was acquired by the Ski Club of Victoria, and named by them The Wilkinson Memorial Lodge.
~.,;-~~~"~\.... tlo -'> ~ -~~
WILKINSON LODGE Robert Wood Wilkinson, after whom it was named, was one of the pioneers of skiing in Victoria, as well as being a keen walker. In the years between 1909 and 1930 he made some notable trips through Victoria's snow country, and was particularly attached to the Bogong High Plains area. He was an early member of the S.C.V., and was its President for many years. One of his special interests was the Rovers' ski lodge, on the slopes of Mt. Cope, and a photograph of him now hangs in the lodge. He died in May 1938, and, in September of that year his ashes were scattered on the mountains he had known and loved. The S.C.V. acquired the house as a projected base for ski touring. Now, it has been said that many skier's idea of an ideal place to ski is a long run with a Ski-in Bar at the bottom long enough to allow consumption of two beers on the way through, and the bottom station of a chair lift at the other door. As a novice at the sport I really can't comment. But Wilky had very little use for ski touring over a period of some years. WALK MT. BOGONG FROM BOGONG HIGH PLAINS (Block, courtesy Melbourne Walking Club) This leads me to the important point of our responsibility as owners of "Wilky." We are in the area on sufferance. The country belongs to the S.E.C. who very understandably impose certain conditions which they expect us to observe strictly. Along with the Rover Alpine Crew, with their very well equipped Bogong Chalet over the ridge from us, we are, as far as I know, the only people being granted regular access to the area. To the S.E.C., tenants such as ourselves would be a prime headache if we did not comply with their requirements. If we play the game with them, they will reciprocate - the Rovers and ourselves have already had experience of that. So the rest is up to members using the Lodge. The conditions to be observed will eventually be published for the information of all. If you are going there, be sure you know the drill- it is not onerous, but is mainly commonsense and courtesy. And to end on a brighter note - Club members who have not been there yet, should give it a go! It is a glorious spot, and even the confirmed through walker will not be too proud to make it his base for a few days while he explores the surroundings. A TENT THAT'S DIFFERENT Ideas that are really new are rarities; but a type of tent placed on the market recently seems to be one of them. Originally developed in co-operation with the Army as an open-sided shelter for issue in the tropics, it has now been modified for general use so as to enable it to be either a completely enclosed tent or an open shelter. Key to its adaptability is its elementary form. Merely a large rectangular sheet with a system of eyelets and cords, it can be pitched in a large variety of ways - "abdulling" is easy - and being of water proof nylon material it can be creased or rubbed with impunity. The makers claim that the pores of the fabric are small enough to make it waterproof, but not airtight, so that, although it will keep the water out, the tent can still "breathe." The tent's many virtues would seem to make it ideal for use under adverse circumstances where it is impossible to pitch a good taut tent, such as in heavy scrub or on steep, irregular ground. WALK Paqe Seventeen THE ':Bu6h cm.u6ic etub oi q)ictoria -Frank Pitt Every country has its folk-lore: the popular expression of the people's experiences and aspirations; and Australia is no exception. Though many people doubt that a country whose civili&ed settlement goes back only a century and a half could have a genuine folk-lore, there is, beyond doubt, a vast amount of song, verse, story, phrases and words that can only be so described. Those of us who have become aware of it find that the more we study it, the more fascinating the study becomes, and the more we are aware of the vastness of the field. One alarming feature is that it is only lately that Australians have begun to appreciate their own folk-lore, and now we are trying desperately, before il is too late, to gather as much of it as possible from its originators: the old people who are inevitably carrying their creations and knowledge to the grave. The task of collecting is so vast, and needs such expert handling and assessment, that many people believe it is impossible; it is stated that 20 years, or even less may see the end of the era. Some years ago, a musical play called "Reedy River," which incorporated many Australian traditional songs, was successfully staged in Sydney and Melbourne. One of the actors, accordionist and mouth-organist Frank Nickels, later gathered together a few enthusiasts, and established a group to play and sing traditional and characteristic Australian songs. After a few months, the name Billabong Band was adopted. The group is still very active in this field, and has performed on T.V. and for recordings. There was such evident enthusiasm for this type of song that Singabout Nights were started in private homes, to enable more people to participate. The Singaabouts themselves became so popular that, soon after transferring permanently to a Scout Hall in Toorak, the Bush Music Club was formally established, in June 1959, to carry on this activity and allied functions. The Club aims to provide a focus for all people interested in Australian songs, dances and music; to assist in collecting such material; to spread the know ledge of these songs and dances; and to provide an opportunity for people to enjoy singing and dancing. One of the latest plans of the Club is to assist members to learn to play suitable musical instruments, so that there will be more musicians to lead more people in singing more songs, so that the songs are passed on to more people. It is plain that there is a popular interest in, and demand for, such activities, where people can join in, instead of just watching. There is no doubt that they enjoy it, for the monthly Singabouts are enthusiastically attended by large numbers, and in mid-1960 a second Singabout Night was established in Pascoe Vale. Several Bushwalkers are attending Singabouts, and if you would like to join us, you will find a cordial welcome and a t~oroughly enjoyable evening. The Secretary is Mr. Robin Bailey, 15 River Side Road, Ivanhoe (phone JX 1180). 'l'HE END OF 'l'HE TRACK CHARLES BUCHANAN GREEN OBIT.: 1st July, 1960. Although many of us had not seen him since he retired and went to live at Noosa Heads, in Queensland, three years ago, the news of the death of Charlie Green was a shock to all who knew him. For thirty years a member of our sister body, the Melbourne Walking Club, he was Treasurer for three years and Secretary for fifteen. In the latter role, especially, his pleasant unassuming manner and decisive mind made him one of the best-known and respected walkers in Victoria. Page Eighteen WALK do'J6 oi the ~eaeral ~rack -Merle Halls. The Federal track Is really a disused timber tram-line which once carried logs along the Ada Valley between Starling's Gap and the Ada mills. A wet day reconnaissance of a section of the track indicated that under such con ditions the leeches were In full cry. So the leader decided that if it was wet on the day of the trip he would take an alternative route so as to avoid them. The weather promised fair when he disembarked from the van at Starling's Gap, so off we set along the Federal track; but typical of springtime, just as we were ftnishing lunch, down came the rain - and out came the leeches! DERELICT BRIDGE- FEDERAL TRACK There are at least six bridges along the track; high trestle bridges with broken sleepers and a general state of disrepair. Care is required in crossing the broken spans, and some of the party were most reluctant to tackle them At the first bridge it was apparent that the track would traverse some fine mountain ash forest with groves of myrtle beech; but much of the pleasure was lost by the necessity to make stops to "de-leech!" One thing, however, was clear; those in the party wearing trousers and gaiters fared much better than the "shorts brigade." Late in the afternoon we left the Federal track and turned on to another track to find ourselves crossing the Ada River on the longest bridge of them all. We camped about two hundred yards from here, and it wasn't very long before there was a cry of "Snake," and a four-footer tiger snake was dis patched. It wasn't long before another small "tiger" was found under an old piece of iron. There was heavy rain overnight, but Sunday was a beautiful spring day. After leaving camp we tramped to the top of the "High Lead," which was once the haulage track down to Big Creek and the Latrobe River - and a really steep bit of track it was. Returning to Dewey's Spur Road, forest access roads and fireline tracks led through some very fine forest country. During the morning a copper head snake was captured by the Club herpet ologist who placed it in a plastic bag and carried it for the rest of the day in his water bucket OFFICE-BEARERS, 1960-61 President: BILL THOMPSON Vice-Presidents: NORM. RICHARDS FRED HALLS Hon. Treasurer: Hon. Secretary: IAN PHILLIPS VAL. GOLDSMITH Hon. Walks Secretary: Hon. Social Secretary: ROB. TAYLOR HELEN DOWNING Lodge Manager: ALAN BENNETT General Committee: Betty Emslie Dora Hills Barbara Muir John Brownlie Robin Mitchell Athol Schafer Mike Stevens Editorial Sub-Committee: N. Richards, W. Thompson, J. Brownlie, R. Bittner THE MELBOURNE BUSHWALKERS: CLUBROOM: Room 110, Victorian Railways Institute, Railway Buildings, Flinders Street, Melbourne, C.l. (Open every Friday evening from 8 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.) Advertising: Distribution: R. G. Bittner W. Thompson 49 Elizabeth St., Melbourne, C.1 39 Allison St., Box Hill Nth. Tel.: 62-1716 Tel.: 89-8240 "DEDICATED TO ALL WHO APPRECIATE THE GREAT OUTDOORS" ... WALK is a voluntary, non-profit venture published by the Melbourne Bushwalkers in the interests of bushwalking as a healthy and enjoyable recreation. PATRONISE OUR ADVERTISERS! WALK can only be published with the assistance of our advertisers, and we are grateful to them for their support. We urge all our readers to support them whenever possible, and so help us to continue our efforts in publishing this magazine. Page Two W A L K o4Lire.:l Ubilliam ;J.lowitt-- - AND HIS FRIENDS, THE ABORIGINES -Graeme McKinney In times when world leaders move and counter-move for advantage, and dividers of the land prosper, perhaps outrageously, it is refreshing to reflect on those remembered for their good deeds to others. Such a one is Alfred William Howitt, scientist and explorer, and in his own unobtrusive way, humanitarian. At the age of thirty, with only eight years in the Colony, the rescuer of the only survivor of the ill-fated first expedition to cross the Continent was already quite a remarkable man. He had explored the little known and nor mally dry Lake Eyre district of South Australia during a severe drought, and startling gold rushes followed his Government Prospecting Party as it pro gressed through the unexplored mountains of Gippsland. On his return to Melbourne in June 1861, the youthful and seasoned Howitt was immediately sent to Central Australia to search for the Burke and Wills Expedition which had not been heard from for many months, resulting in the discovery of the lone John King near Cooper's Creek at the point of death. It would be a great pity to let the Burke and Wills centenary now pass without mentioning this man, and I feel there could hardly be a more fitting tribute to his memory than his delightfully understanding diary of finding King with the blacks. For its simple humanity, the diary is a tonic for those bewildered by "man's inhumanity to man" ... and perhaps thought-provoking for those with little care for Australia's REAL pioneers. For Dr. A. W. Howitt, the gold warden and police magistrate for Gippsland, the Secretary for Mines, the Audit Commissioner and member of the Victorian Public Service Board, the renowned scientist and author of books on geology, timbers, and primitive societies, was plain Alfred Howitt with another distinction, and quite a rare one by all accounts - an initiated member of a primitive East Gippsland tribe. He introduces us to these life-long friends of his as he finds their 'whitefellow guest' in a native gunyah at Cooper's Creek. "I found King sitting in a hut the natives had made for him, and he pre sented a melancholy appearance - wasted to a shadow - and I found it occasionally difficult to follow what he said. The natives were all gathered around seated on the ground, and looking with a most gratified and delighted expression." After eight days nursing King back to health and trying to dispatch carrier pigeons to Melbourne with false tails 'borrowed' from local crested pigeons, Howitt on the 23rd September, 1861, rode along the creek in search of the natives before returning to Melbourne: "I could not think of leaving without rewarding them for the kindness they had shown to Burke's party and particularly to King. They made a great commotion as we rode up but seemed very friendly ... The tomahawk was the great object of attraction. and after that the knife; but I think that the looking-glass surprised them most. On seeing their faces reflected, some were dazzled, others opened their eyes like saucers and made rattling noises with their tongues, expressive of wonder. We had quite a friendly palaver, and my watch amused them immensely. I made them understand that they were to bring the whole tribe next morning to the camp to receive their presents, and we parted the best of friends." And next day, as good as their word: "About ten o'clock this morning our black friends appeared in a long procession, bawling out at the top of their voices as usual. We collected them together on the fiat below, and the uproar was deafening. With the aid of King, I at last got them all seated before me, and distributed the presents - tomahawks, knives, necklaces, looking gl~sses, combs, sugar and 'whitefellow• nardoo ALFRED WILLIAM HOWITT, C.M.G., D.S.C. (Courtesy Vic. Historical Soc.) Two or three days after the natives found him wandering on his own, one of the women to whom he had given part of a crow returned with some nardoo, saying that she could spare no more as her arm was so sore: "The thought struck me of sponging it in water boiled in the billy. During the operation, the tribe sat around muttering to one another. Her husband sat down by her side, and she was crying all the time. After washing it I touched it with some nitrate of silver, when she began to yell, and ran off crying out 'MOKOW! MOKOW!' W A L K Pa9e Twenty-one the relief party arrived, a period of about a month, they treated me with very great kindness, and looked upon me as one of themselves. "On the day I was found, one of the tribe who had been fishing came to tell me that the 'white fellows' were coming, and the whole tribe sallied out in every direction to meet them, while the man who brought the news helped me over the creek, where I shortly saw the party coming down." King could barely have lived much longer - Dr. Wheeler of the relief party thought perhaps three days ... one fortunate turn of luck in an extra ordinary chapter of catastrophe. When Welsh, the second-in-charge and twenty-two year old surveyor rode up he saw a figure hardly recognisable as a human being except for the remnants of clothes which he wore, a figure collapsed on the sand in an attitude of prayer. Alfred William Howitt lived on until 1908, when he died at Bairnsdale, aged 78, still striving to gather together his life's work on eucalypts and natives. NOT AS BAD AS IT SOUNDED -"Pommy." Pommie had belonged to a rambling club back in the old country, so when she came to Melbourne she soon contacted the bushwalkers. ' "There is a walk next Sunday in the Dandenongs. Be at Flinders Street Station at 8.45 a.m. Bring some lunch and wear stout shoes." This sounded like the walks she was used to. What did one wear above the stout shoes? Slacks, she supposed. There was no dimculty in recognising the group at the station; but some of them looked terribly tough. Why did they need those huge packs - when all they had to carry was their lunch and a raincoat? Nearly everyone was wearing boots - was the walking going to be hard then? Perhaps it was because of snakes! Australia was said to be crawling with them. She felt a bit scared. By the end of the day she knew her fears had been groundless, though she wished she had taken her shorts. The walk, which was not hard, had been through pleasant hill country, scattered with farms; really not so different from the West of England she was used to. Lunch had been fun. lighting fires and boiling the billy, instead of stopping at some little country pub for a tankard of beer or a cup of tea with your sandwiches. Some people had even cooked chops or steak over the fire - she must try that next time. And they saw no snakes. The toughies with the boots and large packs belonged, she was told, to a species known as "week-enders." Apparently they went off on camping trips carrying everything - tent, sleeping bag, food, etc. - on their backs. "You must try it," they said. She wasn't interested. However, she became an enthusiastic day-walker. Knowing few people in Melbourne she was glad of the company and soon made many friends. The Dandenongs trip was not typical. Often they travelled by furniture van - not over-comfortable but cheap - to reach more inaccessible places where you could walk all day without seeing a sign of habitation. She grew to love the strange, dry, grey-blue Australian country side, with its feeling of vastness and emptiness, so different from her own gentle green land whose beauty is enhanced by picturesque villages and old farm houses. "Why don't you come week-ending?" She still wasn't interested, though realising that she was missing some of the best scenery. And those nights round the camp-fire sounded intriguing. But how could anyone enjoy walking with all that weight on their back? It is now nearly three years since Pommie became a bushwalker. Her commando boots and framed pack are standard equipment on even the easiest of day walks. She is a regular week-ender and has even done a ten-day hike. Rambling in England would seem very tame now, but occasionally on cold, wet days, sitting huddled under a cape eating a damp lunch, she thinks nostalgically of a roaring fire and a tankard of ale in one of those cosy pubs. WALK Clear a space of ten feet around the fire. Keep the fire small. Be sure it is ex tinguished be fore you leave. and smokers , , , make sure your cigareHe or match is OUT before throwing if away, FORESTS COMMISSION OF VICTORIA WALK Page Tw•nty-three r················-·································~ I I I I BY NOW IAlmost Everyone knows ... I WAGNER'S for Melbourne's most helpful service in I photographic supplies AN OUTSTANDING RANGE OF THE WORLD'S FINEST BRANDS IN I I CAMERAS • EXPOSURE METERS MOVIE CAMERAS and PROJECTORS STILL PROJECTORS for 35m.m. and 2.\- x 2.\- ALSO ENLARGERS, LENSES, FILTERS, FLASH EQUIPMENT and ALL TYPES OF ACCESSORIES * GOOD USED APPARATUS AT LOW PRICES * FREE EXPERT ADVICE AT ALL TIMES I * SPECIALISED AFTER-SALES SERVICE I I I * TRADE-INS ACCEPTED - Finance Arranged. I i R. H. WAGNER & SONS I I PTY. LTD. I I I "Where They Know Photography Inside Out" I I I Cnr. Elizabeth St. & Flinders Lane, Melb. 62-3114 I I also at CHADSTONE, 56-5814 I I I ~--··········------·-···-·········Page Twenty·four WALK ~et'" IN THE SNOW IT'S INDIAN FILE The policemen on duty had a very philosophical air about them and casually directed the van to keep moving, so the party had to dismount in dribs and drabs, or be carried on for a few mlles. Thus it was some time before the last of the party collected - that is, all of it that appeared. Of the original 19, we now had 10! Surely a record loss before the trip had even started. The only thing to do then was to head off in the direction of Donna Buang, in company with hundreds of trippers until we found the rest of the party. The main difference between us and our surrounding company was that they were wearing slacks, heavy jumpers. scarves, hats, mits, etc.. while most of us had shorts, shirts, boots and packs - apparently to go to the top of Donna! Various comments heard en route: "Nature lovers - whow!" "Gee, he's a hero"- WALK Page Twenty.five Lunch was a time for primus stoves and cold feet - none were dry by this time - so it was a quick one and we were off again, soon reaching the top of Mt. Victoria and the jeep track along the Boobyalla Plateau. This was also deep in 2-3 ft. of snow but was easy walking (in the back of the line anyway>. A threatening snow storm did not eventuate and the sun shone again as we dropped down to the Donna turntable (some did the last stretch on groundsheets). Most of the trippers had departed by now, and the snow had lost the virgin whiteness we had so admired higher up. A couple of venturesome cars still remained and we pushed one to start it before we dropped off on the steep track to Warburton. Three miles of downh111. This was fairly easy going while the track was still covered with snow, but when this disappeared and mud took its place there was many an unexpected sit down. However, the reward was beautiful views over Warburton and to the west until we eventually reached the aqueduct, and the footbridge over the rushing Yarra. A pie, a drink, a change of footwear, into long trousers and we were away laughing - tired but infused with the warm glow that comes with overcoming the elements. cnew ctrlap ~ddUed 1. HOWITT Dept. of Lands and Survey 1 Inch to 1 Mile This map of the State Topographic Series is one of the most interesting so far as walkers are concerned as it covers probably the best walking area in the State. The area covered stretches from just east of Mt. Sterling eastward to Mt. Murray, and from some distance north of Mt. Cobbler to just south of Howitt Hut. One hundred feet V.I. form lines are shown throughout. An interesting point is that the map's naming of Mt. Magdala, No. 1 Divide, etc., rekindles the old controversy as to which is really which-we don't know have it your own way tbut we don't like these). DATE COMPILED: 1959 (issued June 1960l. 2. COBBERAS Dept. of Lands and Survey 2 Inches to 1 Mile Another State Topographical map. Dye-line prints only are available. Form lines are drawn at 50 ft. vertical interval. Issued in four quarter sheets: A, B, C and D. DATE OF ISSUE: JULY 1960. 3. BEECH FOREST Dept. of Land and Survey 2 Inches to 1 Mile Similar in format to No. 2 above. DATE OF ISSUE: AUGUST 1960 4. MELVILLE CAVES-MT. KOOYOORA Melbourne Bushwalkers Approx. 2 Inches to 1 Mile Shows the main points of interest in the Melville Caves district. The approaches to the area are also shown. DATE OF ISSUE: AUGUST 1960. 5. KING-HOWQUA-JAMIESON Victorian Mountain Tramping Club 1 Inch to 1 Mile This is a re-issue of a well-known map of the Buller-Howitt area. Many new forestry roads are shown in detail. DATE OF ISSUE: (B) 1960. 6. EASTERN BARRY MTS. Melbourne Bushwalkers 1 Inch to 1 Mile This map is the result of correlation of existing maps made during and after a Club trip through the area last Easter. Detail is mainly concentrated on the ridge of the Buffalo-Buckland divide to Mt. Selwyn, then the ridge of the Barry Mountains to Mt. St. Bernard. DATE OF ISSUE: JUNE 1960. Page Twenty-six WALK Search ana CR.e6cue W. I. Thompson The sole aim of search and rescue operations tS. and R .) is the saving of life, and all activities are directed towards this end. Members are not called out on missions of a frivolous nature, or when there is no hope of finding the person alive. The S. and R. organization evolved slowly and improvements are stm being made. After the war, when the Federation of Victorian Walking Clubs was re-formed, several members were keen on community service. In 1949 a man was lost on Wilson's Promontory and several members voluntarily searched for him. Their performances and ability so impressed the police that after several conferences an embryo organization was formed. The first search was in 1951 at Warrandyte, when about 40 members helped police look for a woman who was later found drowned. In April, 1952, a party was lost in the Marysville area. S. and R. men, army, M.M.B.W. and locals all assisted the police. The victims were found. In August, 1953, an extensive search was conducted in the Mt. Donna Buang area to find two young people, Kirk McLeod and Jennifer Laycock (who afterwards became known as "the snow girl") . In this search, the army and M.M.B.W. men also assisted. After being out for four days, the couple were found alive but badly frostbitten. SEARCHERS SCAN THEIR MAP In June, 1955, another major search was conducted on the Baw Baw Plateau for a lost man, Mirhan Haig, and also one of the S. and R. searchers who became separated from his team. At least 170 bushwalkers were engaged: also searching were Forestry Commission and M.M.B.W. men. The Lands Department made maps available and the army provided some radio com· munication. This search lasted 10 days, again in bad snow conditions, which prevented Haig from being found. After this search a State Search and Rescue Committee was formed, with representatives from the Federation of Walking Clubs, police, Lands Department, Mines Department, Forestry Com mission, M.M.B.W. and the army. There followed a period of comparative quiet when no searches were neces sary, and the State Committee became moribund. In November, 1959, an old lady was lost near Blackwood and we were called out. The recall was given before any of our group left town. In April of this year <1960) five boys were delayed on a snow walk from Mt. Howitt to Mt. Selwyn in the Barry Mountains. W A L K P~qo Twenty-seven The police called us out but the boys were found before we left Melbourne. In July we were called out to search for an old man in the bush country between' Olinda and the Sylvan Dam. Forty walkers with Forestry Commission, M.M.B.W. and local men assisted the police in combing the area for one day. From the bushwalkers point of view, S. and R. is controlled by the Search and Rescue Sub-committee of the Federation of Victorian Walking Clubs. This committee meets in December, just before Christmas, before Easter, in the middle of June and at other times as circumstances necessitate. The committee consists of a Convener, who is elected by the Federation; a Police Liaison omcer (Continued from previous page) will appoint a group leader for each bus or truck to be responsible for the arrival of the bus at Field Headquarters. As further men are required they are called up by the contacts in the same fashion. After the recall, at the end of the search, the men are checked into Field Headquarters as they return from their search areas. Transport back to the city is provided, and each man is then responsible for checking in with his Club contact. It is the aim of the S. and R. Committee to maintain efficiency, and so regular annual practices are held. Hitherto they have been weekend practices, but last May a day practice only was held. A practice usually consists of a demonstration of stretcher making and carrying methods, a discussion on procedure on the Saturday night and a simulated search and all its ramifica tions on the Sunday. Normally the police are only too pleased to assist, to increase co-operation and to give their own men search practice. These prac tices allow men from all Clubs to get to know and co-operate with each other and to accept team leadership, perhaps from another Club member, all of which is most essential in a genuine search. It also allows them to become familiar with field procedure and the use of radio equipment, etc. In any big search of the future, radio communications will no doubt be supplied and operated by army personnel. The police have a number of por table transceivers which have been developed by Pye Radio of England. The range of these sets is not very extensive, being limited to three or four miles, less in dense scrub, especially when transmitting. The international distress signal is three sounds or signs. Sounds may be made by radio, whistles, gun shots, gelignite, etc., and signs may be smoke, rows of trees dragged into position, trampled snow, patches of coloured materials, or flashing mirrors. Two whistle blasts repeated after five seconds is the S. and R. recognition signal and four evenly spaced whistles is the recall signal. This is likely to be given at any time, but especially on the hour. The international system of ground-to-air signals is also used by S. and R. and any of the above methods may be used for making signals to search aircraft. The use of smoky fires by S. and R. men is not encouraged, this method being reserved for victims. Semaphore signalling is not used but a set of signals made by different positions of the arms, each with a special meaning is used. First aid is a complete subject in itself. S. and R. men are encouraged to undertake St. John courses and this qualification is specially listed in the F.O.'s book. On a search, the F.O. endeavours to place one first-aid man in each team and on finding the victim he has complete charge of medical operations, until the arrival of a doctor or the victim reaches Field Headquarters. From the above survey it will be seen that Search and Rescue is a com prehensive and growing voluntary organization, dedicated to the saving of lives of those distressed or delayed in the great Australian bush. W A L K Page Twenty-nine EDITORIAL: Cf're..,eruin'3 the '11lountain ~"P-' For many years it has been our dream to have some large tract of Alpine country reserved for use as a National Park. Various proposals have been made from time to time, but none has come to fruition. Now, however. there at last appears to be substantial reason to hope for a change. Already, since the setting up of the National Parks Authority in 1956, the Government has shown its interest by proclaiming a number of parks in other areas. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these is Fraser National Park, adjoining Eildon, as it was a spontaneous act on the Government's part. During the past year they have added Hattah Lakes (44,000 acres), Mt. Richmond ()534 acres> and Mt. Eccles (80 acres). About two years ago a sub-committee of the Federation of Victorian Walking Clubs was commissioned by the Victorian National Parks Association to prepare a memorial, concerning the desirability of an Alpine National Park, for presentation to the Government. The long job of doing this is now nearing completion, and the first article in this issue of WALK tells something of what is proposed. Other articles serve to show the nature of our interests and activities within the proposed park. It is almost certainly true to say that mcst of the trips and happenings described in our pages have taken place inside the recommended boundaries of what we hope will soon become Vic toria's Alpine National Park. The project is a grand one, and well worthy of the work being put into it. It has yet to culminate in an effective Act of Parliament, and before this happens there is much to be done, particularly in the field of publicity. These days popular demand is a powerful force, and our members can do much to promote it by making themselves acquainted with every aspect of the proposal. If we value the country as we have inherited it then we must discharge our debt to posterity by doing our best to have it handed on as we received it. WALK Page Three ~lte ~rouna we qoalk CU,pon -Barry Short. Many bushwalkers have often wondered about the formation of the rugged gorges and the high mountain country amongst which they have so often wandered. If you have a passing interest in the matter- and it does make your walking doubly interesting - it is as well to remember that river valleys and road cuttings provide an excellent method of giving you an insight into the way that the rocks were laid down and have since been changed around by earth movements. The faults which cause so much of this disturbance are the result of the earth re-settling itself- the earthquakes which occur in Japan and South America are today's examples. Here, briefly, are the geo logical histories of some of our better-known areas. Many of our longer walks are on our high plateau country- at elevations between 3000 and 5000 ft. Examples which come to mind readily are the Baw Baw and Buffalo Plateaux, and the Dargo and Bogong High Plains. Although it may seem that these would be of similar construction, they are in fact of two kinds -one represented by the first two, and that by the second. In the case of the Baw Baws and Buffalo, the areas are of granite ·------~· RELIABLE TRANSPORT Business or Pleasure GRONOW'S FURNITURE REMOVERS and STORER$ PICNIC VANS AVAILABLE HOLIDAYS AND WEEK-ENDS * * 287 INKERMAN STREET, ST. KILDA Tel. 94-6464, 94-6465 (all hours) Page·------~ Thirty WALK sort of lava is cooled very rapidly it produces a texture like glass. These rocks are also hard and not so ready to wear away, so this area also stayed at the higher elevation. It is interesting to note, however, that the neighbouring Mt. Bogong is of the deeply-formed granite. The Sugarloaf of the Cathedral Range, near Buxton, is another example of an outcrop of the deeply-formed rock; this time it has a slightly different composition and is called granodiorite, but the large grains are again apparent. However, the Razorback, which connects this with The Cathedral, is composed of thick beds of steeply-dipping sandstone, these were originally horizontal but have been tilted by some long-past earth movement. The Lederderg Gorge, north-west of Bacchus Marsh, is one of the most rugged river gorges in Victoria, and was excavated entirely from resistant Ordovician rocks (geological ages are set out in a table at the end of the article). This happened about the time that men first appeared on earth. THE ORGAN PIPES- COLUMNAR BASALT A fault developed across the course of the then Lederderg river producing a scarp face and causing the water to drop many hundreds of feet over it. As this scarp face was gradually eaten away by the force of the water, a gorge like valley was formed. In a case like this, the river is said to be "rejuvenated'' and here the cause is called the Rowsley Fault. It is known to extend for some distance, from the Anakies, past Bacchus Marsh, and north towards Mt. Macedon. It is responsible for the Blackwood Ranges, and the Brisbane Ranges are blocks upthrown when the faulting occurred. The Otway Ranges in the south-west were once a broad dome with fairly recent- geologically speaking WALK Page Thirty-one The Grampians are also composed of massive beds of resistant sandstones and grits, deposited during the Paleozoic era, and are about 300 million years old. They were laid in horizontal beds in Carboniferous times DIPPING STRATA NEAR MT. MAGDALA Mt. Cobbler in distance -R. Taylor Over the course of time the sandstone became very hard and resistant, but erosion forces eventually reduced the whole area to a plain at the end of the Cretaceous period. The picture is then that of a plain with hardened sandstone to the west of the fault and softer older rocks to the east. The area was then uplifted as a whole during the Tertiary periOd - streams developed and cut deep valleys. The older softer rocks were removed from the eastern side of the fault plane and the Grampians sandstones were left as the high mountain ranges of tOday, with their deep scarp face towards the east. BRIEF GEOLOGICAL TIME TABLE Time 60 Cainozoic Pleistocene Advent of man Tertiary Extinction of dinosaurs Cretaceous Climax of reptiles 190 Mesozoic Jurassic First birds Triassic Primitive mammals Permian Rise of reptiles Carboniferous Coal deposits 550 Paleozoic Devonian Silurian Age of fishes Ordovician Rise of land plants Cambrian First known fish more than 550 Pre-Cambrian ------ P~qe Thirty·two WALK Seal\I ~oot- -John Brownlie. Amongst the many and varied natural interests we have come across in the past twelve months whilst out walking, one might find a small place in these pages. His common name is Scaly Foot - a snake lizard - but he goes under many others too, such as Jumping Snake, Saltbush Snake, Slowworm, etc., the latter being quite a misnomer as he is far from slow when you try to capture him. We found him near Bendigo, trapped in an aqueduct, otherwise we would not have seen him at all for he is extremely timid and rapidly retreats to protective cover. This lizard I by TAA FOR WALKERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS •.• T.A.A. announces three 1961 summer tours in Tasmania similar to T.A.A.'s first fabulously successful long week-end Bushwalkers' Tovr to Cradle Mountain in March, 1960. MT. FIELD NATIONAL CRADLE MOUNTAIN I PARK Q Here's the T.A.A. itinerary for AUSTRALIA DAY WEEK-END: January 27th-30th: There's an interest·packed itinerary for T.A.A.'s second Cradle Mountain tour FRIDAY 27th JANUARY: 7 p.m. depart during the MOOMBA LONG WEEK-END, Melbourn~ Airport by T.A.A. Jetliner for March 10th-13th: Hobart· 9.00 p.m., arrive Hobart Airport and tra'vel by special coach to Mt. field National Park. Arrive at Lake Dobson FRIDAY, March lOth: Depart Melbourne approximately midnight. Airport 6.30 p.m. by T.A.A. Jetliner. Ar rive Devonport Airport 8 p.m. and travel SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND MONDAY by special coach to "Waldheim" at Cradle MORNING: Conducted walks through this Mountain. magnificent country, guided by members of the Hobart Walking Club. SATURDAY, SUNDAY AND MONDAY MONDAY AFTERNOON: Return by MORNING: Conducted walks through the coach to Hobart Airport. Depart Hobart unbelievably beautiful scenery of Austra Airport 6.00 p.m. by T.A.A. Jetliner for lia's "most perfect peak." Melbourne. Arrive Melbourne Airport 8.00 p.m. The same itinerary is also MONDAY AFTERNOON: Return by available for the SECOND tour to Mt. coach to Devonport Airport via forth field National Park during the MOOMBA falls and Sheffield. Depart Devonport LONG WEEK-END, friday, March lOth, to Airport 5.30 p.m. by T.A.A. Jetliner, Monday, March 13th. arriving Melbourne Airport 7 p.m. ALL INCLUSIVE TOUR COSTS: Melbourne to Melbourne: Mt. Field National Park (First Class air travel>, £29/12/-; (Tourist Class air travel, £25/10/-. Cradle Mountain (First Class air travel only), £21/10/-. Book ings through T.A.A. Holiday Travel Service, 250 Collins Street, OR the Tasmanian Govt. Tourist Bureau, 254 Collins St., or your Travel Agent. FOR THE LONG WEEK-ENDS IN 1961 ll~iJAA THE FR/lNDlY WAY Page~------····------· Thirty-four W A L k ~ore6t ;J.lerita~~ -Fred Halls. One of the vital questions which has concerned Victorians over the last few years has been that of allowing timber milling in water catchment areas. The Melbourne Bushwalkers were keen to have some informed opinion on the question and to this end arranged for lectures from representatives of both the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works and the Forest Commission of Victoria. The F.C.V. also arranged an excursion and the following is a summary of information gained from these activities. The forestry excursion was conducted in the Broadford area and was led by Mr. John Chinner of the Forestry School, Melbourne University, and F.C.V. District Officer, Neil Carr. These two highly-trained foresters aimed to prove to Club members that logging of timber can proceed in mountain catchments without detriment to the quality of the water produced, and without speeding the onset of soil erosion. They maintained that Australia has a shortage of both timber and water, and therefore the utilization of forests for both purposes is very necessary. The district visited was in the Hume Ranges where the control in the south and east is held by the M.M.B.W., who allow no logging, and in the rest by the F.C.V., where logging has been in progress for 50 years with an additional water conservation project for the last 18. Mt. Disappointment (2600 ft.), at the southern end, is the highest point and the area generally is around 2000 ft., with an average rainfall of 45 ins. per year. Short steep hills flank the western approaches from the grazing lands of Wallan, Clonbinane, Kilmore and Broadford. The range acts as a watershed for Tourorrong Reservoir and Plenty River in the south, Sunday Creek in the north-west, Strath Creek in the north, and the King Parrot in the east. The forests of the M.M.B.W. seem to be mainly of pure mountain ash, much of it in mature or over-mature condition. In the State Forest at high levels and in sheltered well-watered situations, there are many stands of well-grown mountain ash, with messmate (eucalyptus obliqua), peppermint for all MARINE AND BOATING EQUIPMENT OUTBOARD MOTORS Evinrude, Johnson, West Bend, Gale. INBOARD and OUTBOARD HULLS Marine and Fibreglass. WATER SKIS Vel Aqua, Tourner, Drenmart; Laminated Boards and all Fittings. SKI ROPES American and Local; Single and Double handles. SHIPS' CHANDLERY Complete range of all requirements, including ropes and paints. UNDERWATER GEAR Complete range of Aqualungs, Flippers, Masks, Snorkels, Knives, Watches, Compasses, Depth Gauges, etc. CAMPING GEAR A new selection of Camping Equipment for car and boat use, and for walkers. Operated by: BRUCE BRETHERTON PTY. LTD. (formerly A. R. BROAD) Page Thirty-six WALK It occurred to us to wonder if Nature did not provide her own thinning process. We noticed in some parts of the M.M.B.W. area that the young ash forest grew very thickly, yet in the mature and over-mature forests only a fraction of the number of trees grew, therefore it seemed that the weaker saplings had died to make room for the strong, in effect thinning out the forest. It was noticeable, before the bad fires in the early 30's, particularly along the Divide east of Cumberland Valley, and along the spur towards Mt. Arnold, and along the Acheron Way, that the ash grew to gigantic propor tions, in parklike stands, indicating that Nature must have provided her own thinning process. In many of these parts since the tires dense thickets of mountain hickory have sprung up. F.C.V. FIRE TOWER Mr. Chinner told us of some of the requirements for correct forest manage ment during logging operations. With regard to watercourses, the F.C.V. insist that no operations take place within one chain of the watercourse, and that no drag or snig lines cross it. Until recently the Kilmore district allowed logging in its water catchment area, but on one occasion the water was severely muddied because of violation of this principle, and although the F.C.V. revoked the licence of the operator responsible, the public lost con fidence in the idea. Mills are to be situated outside the area and logs trans ported to them under F.C.V. supervision, snig lines and bulldozed tracks along the contours, not down the slopes, and all forest workers medically examined to prevent spread of disease. One of the most common charges made against allowing logging is that it increases the tire risk. Mr. Chinner spoke of the firebreaks cut and the network of forest access roads able to provide entry when a fire did break out. Although he agreed that the risk was greater, he pointed out that should a fire start in the M.M.B.W. area there was little hope of stopping it and it could develop into an uncontrollable crown tire, soon engulfing the whole area. Human agents caused 88% of bushtires, the other 12% being due to natural causes. We were interested to learn that the "slash" which presents a fire hazard not present in the uncut areas is found to have completely broken down and returned to the forest floor in two or three years. We visited an area adjacent to Morrison's Creek to study some of the tire prevention measures used there. A firebreak of about a chain width had been burnt on each side of the road, this continued uphill to protect the valuable timber on the top of the ridge. Particular stress was laid on protective measures in this area because the valley tended to channel high winds and rapidly spread fires. WALK Page Thirty-seven We were shown an area where logging was being carried out. The trees to be cut had been marked by F.C.V. personnel on day wages. One of the greatest faults of the timber industry is possibly the piecework system on which they operate. The accent is always on speed, consequently standards are lowered and the condition of what is left behind is not considered as seriously as it should be. A daily wage system would possibly develop a forestry conscience amongst the majority of timber workers. There had been no tractor snigging here, all hauling having been done by horses; hence there was a minimum of disturbance to the forest floor and associated shrubs, and little chance of erosion starting. We were told that any disturbance pro vided an effective seed bed, but this does not conform with the theory of the Native Plants Preservation Society, which claims that native plants require undisturbed soil to propagate and build up beneficial soil bacteria. There is evidence in plant sanctuaries to prove that soil disturbance allows foreign weeds to gain a foothold and eventually choke off the native plants. This is detrimental to the general health of the bushland, as the delicate balance of nature is gradually destroyed. The harvesting of the timber takes place over a period of 60 to 80 years. At 20 years the forest is thinned and the thinning used for poles, at 40 years mill logs are cut and those not suitable are used for pulp wood cminimum 4 inches diameter), with the final reaping of mature wood at 60 to 80 years, this to be completed within flve years. In one stand at the 40-year thinning, 14,000 super feet per acre had been harvested, yielding £106 per acre on forest royalties and a total of £130 including wood pulp, i.e., about £3 per acre per annum. This, of course, does not include the value of the timber itself or of the water derived from the area. On Cottrell Spur 50,000 super feet per acre were harvested for mill logs. Here four seed trees per acre had been left as an insurance against fire damage. Whereas tt was previously thought that 20 or so years were necessary before trees matured and seeded, it has been found that for mountain ash it is nine years and for alpine ash only three. Mr. Lee, Deputy Chief Engineer of the M.M.B.W., used as his chief argu ment against logging the fact that there would be a reduction in the yield from the watershed. He said that although the catchment areas controlled by the M.M.B.W. comprise only 1.4% of Victoria's forests, they produce water for 75% of the State's population. Tests have shown that 56% of the water falling in these catchments is recovered, compared with 5% in Western Australia and 15% in South Aus tralia where the areas are far less heavily timbered. The value of the denser cover is that it allows summer run-off. The majority of the rain falls on the watershed during the winter months but the moisture is then released very slowly through the spongy fibrous forest floor and continues to flow during the summer. About two-thirds of Melbourne's daily water requirements are supplied from this, and only a third is taken from accumulated stocks. Should the forest cover be partly denuded there would be faster run-off of surface water, with a reduction in summer intake, and consequently a reduction in intake generally. A 10% to 15% drop In yield would mean that the water supply of t million people would cease, and in view of the increase of the metropolitan population it would be necessary to construct more water stor ages years earlier than otherwise. Tests tend to prove that the quantity of bacteria in water from undis turbed catchments is only one-tenth to one-fifth that obtained from logged areas, hence less pure water must inevitably result. The cost of water treat ment works such as flltration and/or chlorination would probably cancel out the revenue gained through the timber, the amount obtained would only supply Victoria's needs for six weeks. If water catchment areas were preserved in their present condition they could become a special form of National Park. We may not be able to visit such areas; the essential fact i& that we will have discharged our obligation by handing on these watersheds intact for posterity, allowing them to serve two great purposes at National Parks and as storage for a pure water supply. We learnt much from these talks and the field trip, and found them most enjoyable, the trip being especially noteworthy as it was such a lovely day and our guides were so pleasant and expertly informed. Paqe Thirty-eight W A L K Weighs less than 1 lb. Fits into bag 9" long x 4" diameter. 9' x 7' overall. Will not leak or drip - as a conventional tent when contacted by your person or gear. The most revolutionary camping/hiking idea in years. Instead of a bulky, hard-to-pitch tent, a waterproof nylon all-purpose shelter with a 1,000 and 1 uses. Can be erected in dozens of different ways. Note the unusual features of this shelter and its unique style of manufacture. Consider that it is rotproof ... will not mildew ... is washable. Add the virtues of cadmium-plated pegs and nylon cords fitted in handy-size waterproof carrying bag. And remember ... it has no eyelets through which water can drip. Revolutionary? All camping authorities say so. And all tapes and cords are white for easy sighting in the dark. Available in GREEN, RED, YELLOW. Also available as waterproof Nylon Tent. Suitable for two persons. Has built-in waterproof tent floor, if desired. Nylon. Completely washable, drip dry, nylon-outer cover. Warm, brushed-nylon lining. Orion filled. Nylon draw cords. Quilted, padded hood. Shaped at foot. Waterproof nylon carrying bag. Manufactured by: A. MUSHIN & MILLER PTY. LTD., 219 Johnston St., Fitzroy, Vic. Available from MYER OUTDORIUM, lonsdale St. Store, HARTLEYS and all reliable suppliers of camping equipment. M.Wt WALK Paqe Thirty-nine ~he cALpine 'national Cf'ark John Brownlie. In July 1953 the Victorian National Parks Association was formed, its aims being, broadly speaking, to investigate the management, maintenance and furthering of National Parks throughout Victoria. This work to date has resulted in appreciable additions to National Park area in Victoria. However, even then Victoria and Australia as a whole are far behind other countries as is shown in the following comparison: Country Total Area Nat. Parks. Approx. For many years now the walking clubs of Victoria have been pressing for preservation as a National Park, an area which so many of us walk through on our long vacations. Owing to its special nature the V.N.P.A. allotted the job of locating, defining and publicising this Alpine park to the Federation of Victorian Walking Clubs, and for many months a committee has been working on the project. Many of us will know the highest parts of this mountainous area which is now becoming well serviced by roads to well above the tree line. These roads lead us into the open saucer-like Alpine valleys, carpeted with alpine plants and dotted with snow gums sheltered by the rocky outcrops. P•ge Four WALK THE CAMP sponsored by the Tasmanian Adult Education Board at Mt. Field West, and led by Sir Edmund Hillary was so successful ------· MINIATURE CAMERA H0 USE Now Situated at 296 COLLINS STREET, MELBOURNE Specialists in Quality Enlargements Superfine Grain Developments FILMS and ACCESSORIES Prompt Service to both Local and Mail Orders Telephone: 63-8634 WALK------· Page Forty-one COME OUTDOORS WITH THE YOUTH HOSTELS Association 161 Flinders Lane MF 3754 * * HOSTELLING BUSHWALKING CANOEING WATERSKIING SURFING SKIING HORSE RIDING Page forly·lwo WALK ~lte eompLete qoaLke~ Sam Larsen. When reading these pages you may often have wondered just how good all these fine walkers really are. Well, of course the answer is that most of them are very nearly perfect; maybe you can recognise them from the follow ing specifications. Firstly, it is a "sine qua non" that a walker should have the physical strength and stamina for the particular walk he has chosen, and he should be so trained that he won't be a burden on his companions. A reliable pair of feet, sturdy legs and a powerful torso are essential to support him and his pack. Secondly, he should be able to appreciate Nature in her widely different forms: the many varieties of gum trees, tall and straight with their green leaves that are not shed in Autumn; the sight and scent of the golden wattle and numerous species of wildflowers in bloom in Spring-time; the joy of awakening to the clear, shrill notes of the lyre bird, the laughing kookaburra and the melodious magpie; the thrill of climbing a peak in the crisp, early morning to see the sunrise; the rugged grandeur and majesty of the distant mountains; the beauty of the hills in a mantle of snow; the music of the rippling stream; and the rainbow with its merging of each colour into another. The third requirement of our ideal walker is that he is a natural leader: he has that personal magnetism that inspires people and binds them together; he is always master of the situation with the calmness of the veteran. He has, before the walk, studied all maps and learned what he could about the area, so that no matter what sort of emergency he is faced with, his knowledge and experience of conditions will enable him to reach a sound decision. Fourth on the list is that invaluable asset, a sense of direction. The wise walker, however, knows that his sense of direction is not infallible, so always has a good compass with him. It is no trouble for him to convert a magnetic bearing to a true bearing and vice versa when the occasion requires it to be done. He may, at times, want to make sure that his compass is working properly, one reason being that he may be in country which has deposits of iron-stone - causing his compass-needle to deflect. In this event, he knows of several methods by which approximate directions may be obtained: for instance, he knows when the sun will be true North - its highest point, which occurs, on the average, at 12.20 p.m. in Melbourne- and that it changes direction at about 15 degrees per hour - so that its position may be estimated for any hour of the day with reasonable accuracy. The next attribute is that he has the pioneering spirit: the desire to be the first to climb a peak, to fearlessly blaze the trail through country which no man has gone before. In short, he has the curiosity to see for himself - regardless of personal safety - what is around the corner. Our walker is, of course, observant. He notes each track and its direction, each stream he crosses and checks it on his map. He has that uncanny knack of being able to recognise surrounding peaks, though they have changed slightly in appearance due to being viewed from a new angle. He takes in the general pattern of the district; whether it is densely timbered or not, fiat or hilly and wet or dry. No bird or animal escapes his attenton, and he is at all times alert to the danger of snakes. He is skilled in bushcraft: he knows that water is even more necessary than food, and can find a creek or water-hole in apparently dry country. As far as food is concerned, he can, in an emergency, live off the land from fruits, berries. roots. animals, fish. birds. etc. In the coldest and wettest weather he can always light a fire and so keep warm. When first-aid needs to be rendered, his training stands him in good stead, and he is able to give prompt assistance to the victim - no matter whether he is suffering from a sprained ankle or a broken limb. W A L K Page Forty·three He is always pleasant and cheerful, and has a sense of humour for even the darkest occasion. He has the personality needed to mix with different types of walkers and generally put them at their ease. He has a repertoire of folk songs and bush-ballads which he uses around the camp-fire at night, and can strum a banjo or play a mouth-organ to entertain his fellow-walkers. When it comes to selecting the equipment that he has to carry, he sees that he gets durable, light-weight material that can be put into a small space in his pack. He carries many items of gear throughout different trips, but is never without matches, a torch, a watch and a compass. He knows that if he treats his equipment well it will treat him well in return - in particular his watch. Accessories often used to advantage are cameras and binoculars, etc. Over the years he has built up a knowledge of the foods needed to sustain him on his journeys. Circumstances demand that they be as nourishing as possible for their weight and volume; he works on the theory that his pack will be lighter if he carries dried and dehydrated foods - water being obtained at the camping site. Our seasoned walker can cook quite a well-balanced and appetising meal. Naturally, he chooses his clothing with care, and it sees him through all vagaries of weather. Finally, he knows that walking is a natural, healthy exercise, and he finds contentment in the peaceful. serene world of Nature. qoltat Cf'rice a qoalker 1 -"Quartermaster" Walkers are often accused of enjoying the advantages of having a relatively inexpensive pastime. This is a claim that many walkers themselves would say was true, at least those who are careful not to mix their walking expenses with those of some complementary interest such as Photography. Ask any individual you see bedraped with cameras, tripods, light meters and all the other thingummies which go to make up the Complete Shutterbug and you'll hear a tale of woe indeed. Certainly, when compared with other pastimes (e.g. following slow horses or pursuing fast women) , walking does seem to exact only a modest toll. An ex-nightclubber and partygoer friend of ours finally decided that the pace was getting a little too fast for his hardening and ageing arteries, so he cast around for a Clean, Healthy Recreation. He took up walking, improving not only his health, but, also to his surprise, his bank balance which previously had been sadly depleted by his past excesses. In no time he found himself respectably married to a very nice girl. Now he is broke and doesn't come out walking any more. Whether this illustrates the benefits or the risks of walking is a moot point, but it is a story often told. New walkers are often puzzled as to where they can buy the right sort of equipment, especially when they are about to invest a few hard-earned pounds in such items as tents and sleeping bags. The advertisements in the pages of this magazine should offer them some clue in this regard. However, it is best to seek out the opinion of experienced walkers before buying. Always try to buy the best. The few pounds saved by buying a cheaper and more likely inferior sleeping bag will hardly compensate for the misery and the untold hours of lost sleep up on the frosty highlands. In this matter disposal stores should be regarded with some suspicion. Undoubtedly wonderful bargains may be had at these places, but there is also a good deal of indifferent stuff. The inexperienced are likely to purchase a lot of heavy ex-army gear, and load themselves up with tin dixies, massive webbing, etc., which is contrary to the idea and art of lightweight camping. Perhaps the chief danger in visiting disposals is that one is liable to forget what one entered for, being dazed by the fabulous goods on display. I remember entering such an establishment with the sole intention of buying a pair of gaiters. (Disposals seem to be the only places where these items Page Forty-four W A L K ------··-·-····· WALKERS! CAMPERS! I AU SKI'S IS THE HOME OF BUSHWALKERS IN VICTORIA Victorian Distributor for Paddy Pallin Equipment John, Toni and Lois are great* lovers of the outdoor them selves and are in constant close touch with innumerable walkers ... they wi II advise you honestly and with experi ence in your selection of: PACKS- TENTS- SLEEPING BAGS- MAPS CAPE-GROUNDSHEETS - WALKING BOOTS NEW ZEALAND WALKING JACKETS- RUBBER SOLED CLIMBING BOOTS - DEHYDRATED FOODS - DRIED FRUITS and all your LIGHT WEIGHT FOODSTUFFS. FULL RANGE OF CLIMBING* EQUIPMENT including Stubi Carabiners, Pitons, Piton Hammers, etc. Now Available at 6th FLOOR, McEWAN HOUSE I 343 LITTLE COLLINS ST., MELBOURNE I I Telephone: MU 1412 I I I I W·-·····--·------J A L K Page Forty-five may be obtained>. I also remember coming out with a radar set under one arm and a tin of green paint under the other; pockets were empty and the gaiters quite forgotten. A second trip had to be made for them, but even then another load of odds and ends was the result. It is rather difficult to say exactly how much walking costs. Total equip ment, from sun hat to corn cure, is never bought all at the one time. Usually the gear accumulates over the years as new requirements are needed from time to time or new pieces replace deteriorating items. Recently I cleaned out the bottom layers of the tin trunk in which I keep my gear. I started off by unearthing a perished groundsheet and half a tent, these two items being promptly appropriated by my young nephew, who has just joined the scouts. Boots for the Bush ! BUT I SHOES for FASHION ®nl~ tlf£ "1fiook" is tJ!xp£nsift£ ------··------·------WALK P1ge Forty-seven ~rampin9 o4rouna Page Forty-eight WALK The Mission Station was 36 miles away in the south-east corner of the Island, and old Baldy and I had four days leave due. We decided to visit the station, and our launch dropped us across the lagoon with our gear. Here we were joined by some 30 natives, for it was Easter and a big corroboree was to take place at the Mission. In single file we followed the native pad, for the spear grass grew high, and the seed heads had a horrible knack of screwing through what little clothing we wore and causing quite an irritation. We learned how to find yams, how to tell the edible berries from those which were poisonous, and to read the animal signs. Over dry creek beds and sandy plain we travelled until we reached the Anooroocoo. Here the natives ran ahead of us and in they went shouting, screaming and beating the water. Old Baldy and I finally made it, and imagine our horror on climbing out on the far bank to find large crocodile tracks in the sand. As the croc's hadn't eaten us, we decided to call a halt for lunch. NORTHERN TERRITORY ABORIGINAL It was then that we heard a noise like a traction engine with whooping cough coming through the scrub accompanied by wild yells and shrieks. Around a bend came a vintage T model Ford, with natives hanging on all over it. Ahead and behind raced the rest of them, and the half-caste driver did a marvellous job not to run over those in front, or pile up those behind. Henry Ford would have been proud of that old "Lizzie." We climbed aboard trying not to look nervous. but definitely trying to remember a praye1· or two. An angel must have watched over us, for we did arrive safely at the Mission, and were welcomed by the Reverend Harris and his staff, who had been advised by radio of our trip. W A L K Page Forty-nine Our proposed park includes the Mt. Feathertop area, adjoining the Mt. Hotham reserve which is under consideration of the Government at present the boundaries then extend north and include Mt. Lock, Mt. Jim, the Bogong High Plains, Mt. Fainter, and Mt. Bogong at 6515 ft. From Mt. Hotham they go south near the Dargo road, across Mt. Hump, Mt. Skene, Stirling, Cobbler, Mt. Selwyn and join with a narrow neck to the northern boundary near Mt. St. Bernard. This excludes all privately owned land in the area, and Mt. Buller, which is well managed as a popular resort. It amounts to some 2000 square miles of country serviced by good roads on its borders - the Mt. Feathertop area by the Omeo Highway, the northern end at Mt. Bogong by the State Electricity Commission road to Rocky Valley. The southern end is lacking somewhat but the Licola road is now being extended and other roads will probably follow, gradually giving access to the car owner. THE RAZOR, THE VIKING AND TERRIBLE HOLLOW -L. Barr Mt. Bogong, the highest peak in Victoria rises abruptly from the Kiewa valley with its thick undergrowth of Eucalyptus forests. At greater heights these give way to more stunted alpine trees and grasses scattered with a host of alpine flowers. The Mt. Beauty road to Rocky Valley dam, which can be used with permission, is owned and maintained by the S.E.C. Mt. Bogong and the adjacent High Plains were first known by the cattle men of Cobungra. who first journeyed up to them about 1852. Then came the famous Baron von Mueller, who explored the Feathertop area, and as in all his similar wanderings throughout Australia, collected and named the alpine flora. Later came the walker and an occasional skier. and the area was left to them, and to the cattlemen who took their cattle to the alpine meadows for summer WALK After making us welcome and comfortable we were shown over the station. What a lovely place it was. Bananas, paw paws and pineapples were bearing well. Watered by the crystal-clear waters of the Emerald River the vegetable gardens were tended by the natives. The chapel was beautifully decorated with shrubs and water lilies which the lubras had gathered and all was in readiness for their Good Friday service. After dinner we sat out under the moon to watch the corroboree. The wailing of the didgery-doo and the dancing of the natives to the chanting of the lubras, lit by the full moon and the flickering light of the fires, was a wonderful sight. It was late when we decided to hit the cots for it was getting cold and a dirty scud had started to race across the moon. Baldy and I were tired out and were soon asleep. Why God chose that night to wreck such a lovely spot, only He will ever know, for a cyclone struck at 4 a.m. with the roar of an express train. In seconds we were dressed, and out on the verandah of the Mission with the staff. The Chapel was the first to go, and its iron roof rolled up like a sheet of brown paper, and disappeared in the trees. The walls went a few minutes after and from then on the destruction continued as building after building was flattened in the 75 m.p.h. wind which shrieked and howled around us. The rain was terrific and stung like hail as we raced around the area, freeing trapped natives, rescuing children, and mustering womenfolk at the Mission House which had lost half its roof. Baldy got a fire going somehow, and kept us supplied with a steaming brew, until he couldn't find a dry stick anywhere. The pedal wireless was soaked and out of action so we couldn't call the Base for help, and the Emerald was rising at an alarming rate. Towards noon the storm passed and we were able to take stock of the situation. "Desolation," was the summing-up, and the Reverend Harris called all hands to prayer to thank God for our deliverance. The only casualties were a few cuts and bruises, and one broken arm. We worked for four days to help restore some semblance of order and then we had to start back. At dawn we crossed the Emerald by boat and, accompanied by our natives, started the thirty-six heart-breaking miles back to Base. The soil in this area was loose and, with the terrific rain on it we sank above our ankles at each step. The spear grass and scrub was flattened and helped to impede our progress. That night we camped under a rock overhang and the natives got a rather fitful fire going but never did a meal taste so good. We all huddled together for warmth, and before dawn started off again. By midday the going became better, for we were out on the sandy plains again and the water had got away. Creeks were still running strongly but we crossed them safely, thanks to the natives. On the second night out we shared the last of the tinned food supplied by the Mission, and ate wallaby meat brought in by our faithful entourage. After the meal we pushed on again, and about 10 p.m. came out onto the lagoon beach, and could see the lights of our Base three miles across the lagoon. We dropped into an exhausted sleep on the sand and slept solidly until daylight. OUr signal fires were spotted by natives at the Base, and quickly brought a launch to our rescue, and us to a very relieved C.O. And now Groote Eylandt is many years behind me, but often on a moon light night I think of the mournful howl of the dingo, the plaintive call of the curlew, and the wail of the didgery-doo, for I was initiated as a blood brother of the Yetibah tribe, and Groote Eylandt is part of my destiny. Pa9e Fifty WALK The easy way to save You can open an A.N.Z. Savings Account with a nominal amount. New methods introduced by A.N.Z. Bank provide a faster and more convenient savings service. Decide now to open an A.N.Z. Savings Account. Call at any branch of A.N.Z. Bank and discover how easy and pleasant saving can be. BANK AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANK LIMITED AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND SAVINGS BANK LIMITED CHEQUE ACCOUNTS SAVINGS ACCOUNTS ------ANZ.307,93S2- WALK Page Fifty·one FOR FOUR OR FIVE DAYS BEVERIDGE FLATS-MT. SELWYN-MT. MURRAY-MT. ST. BERNARD Distance: ZB miles. TRANSPORT: Private transport to Beveridge Flats via Porepunkah and Buck land Bridge. Return from Mt. St. Bernard at junction of Dargo Road and Alpine Highway. SUITABLE SEASON: The best season should be Spring, which at this altitude can be as late as January. Avoid when snow or fog covers the tops, as there are many places on the range where poor visibility can cause mis takes. However, in good weather little diftlculty should be encountered by an experienced party. AVAILABILITY OF WATER: This range has the reputation of being the "Dry Barries." However, it is well to remember that known water exists at points approximately a day's walk apart. These are: At Selwyn Creek before leaving the valley; 6~ miles from Beveridge Flats where the forest access road crosses one of the Selwyn Creek heads; 10~ miles from Beveridge Flats, close to the saddle between Selwyn north and south peaks; 4t miles east of Selwyn north peak- this is in a soak This is one of the most worthwhile walking tours in Victoria and suitable for an early Easter. The highlights of the trip are the fine forests, and grand views to all points of the compass from the sharp ridges. In certain weather conditions this trip can also provide the spice of adventure. Take the transport 25 miles beyond Porepunkah to a F.C.V. hut at a road junction, a short distance before Selwyn Creek and Beveridge Flats. From here take the forest access road which leads to the right. A short distance along it the Selwyn track can be seen leaving on the left. This track then crosses the main creek six times before becoming somewhat obscure as it climbs a steep spur to the east of Selwyn. An easier approach can be made by following the track for 2 miles through pleasant forest country before rejoin ing the forest access road which then climbs the southern slopes of the Selwyn Creek valley to a F.C.V. camp in the saddle of the Buckland-Buffalo divide. This is N.W. of Selwyn north peak and 81. miles from Beveridge Flats. The road traverses good timber country, and at higher levels there is evidence of considerable milling activity, particularly in the Woollybutt forests of the Buffalo range. Pa9e Fifty-two WALK Leave the road at the camp and follow a snig track S.E. to the top of the range There is a good view all around from the north peak, and the following are the magnetic bearings to various key points: Feathertop 42 deg., The Twins 70 deg., Mt. Murray 96 deg., Snowy Bluff 163 deg., Selwyn South Peak 180 deg., Crosscut Saw 232 deg., Speculation 238 deg., Cobbler 260 deg., South Peak Buckland-Buffalo divide 290 deg., Buffalo Horn 329 deg. HEAD OF SELWYN CREEK The next stage east from Selwyn is along a narrow well-defined rocky ridge, but care must be taken to avoid a well-defined track on a spur E.N.E. N.E. BARRY RANGE, EAST OF MT. SELWYN part of the trip. Over the grassy knoll the snow gums are particularly attrac tive-colourful, gnarled and healthy; the whole atmosphere is parklike, with short green grass and patches of bright emerald moss. Near the end of this knoll remain on the crest, avoiding both the plain cattle pad dropping down on the right CS.l side of the ridge, and that which follows a steep spur MAP REFERENCE: Melbourne Bushwalkers-"The Eastern Mountains and Approaches," also Lands Dept. "Howitt" NOTES COMPILED: April, 1960 -F.W.H. Slip a Cherry Ripe into your pack for a quick, nourishing snack Enjoy Cherry Ripe anytime, milky coconut and real, ripe cherries. Here's a delicious combination - milky coconut and real, ripe cherries. What's more, it's coated with smooth "Old Gold" chocolate. A handy size bar, enjoy Cherry Ripe today. ~The Great Name in Confectionery WALK Pac;~e Fifty·five FOR THAT LONG WEEK-END TARADALE-GLENLUCE SPRINGS-LODDON FALLS-GLEN LYON LYONVILLE Distance: 12 miles. TRANSPORT: Train to Taradale, return from Lyonville. Left Spencer Street Station 7.50 a.m. Saturday morning. Fare 29/-. DESCRIPTION OF ROUTE: First Day: On leaving Taradale railway station follow road opposite station gate W. for ~ mile to road junction. Turn left Paqe Fifty-six WALK bridge crosses the stream, with a road junction nearby. Join the road at the bridge and take the right hand road, which in a few yards past the bridge, passes by the cellar of the site of an hotel on the left side of the road. The road gradually climbs, past a few farm houses (Irish town), and in ~ mile past bridge come to another junction with a road coming down from a ridge on the right. Keep to the right branch, descending into the Loddon valley and meeting the Vaughan road on the right, in l- mile. Take the left hand road continuing S., then S.S.E. for another 1 mile, looking out for a sign post on the right denoting the track down to the Glenluce Springs on the Loddon River-the camp site for the night. <10 miles for the day). Second Day: Next morning cross the river and follow it upstream along a grassy bank and then along the remains of an old aqueduct. In about t mile from the camp site the river can be seen making a sharp meander to the w. This can be short cut by crossing to the other bank and climbing up to a saddle marked by a large rock cavern. Cross the saddle and descend to a grassy flat, keeping to it until a spur can be seen rising from the flats on the opposite After lunch continue along road (E.) for ~ mile, then turn into a minor road coming in from the right Third Day: On breaking camp follow left Cross the bridge and turn right MAP REERENCE: Castlemaine and Daylesford Military Maps, I" to I mile NOTES COMPILED: April, 1960 -A.S. ~app\1 'Valle\1 come6 to ~iie Norm. Richards. Happy Valley is a remote selection on the Wonangatta River, and was for many years the solitary home of Harry Smith who lived in a log cabin there until his death at an advanced age about 14 years ago. The Eaglevale station, of which it was a part, was first selected nearly one hundred years ago, but since Harry's death the remote homestead in the shadow of Mt. Kent's winter snows has been for the most part uninhabited. A few years ago Messrs. Bruce Dungey and Keith Scott of Dargo began working it on a part-time basis, and Bruce has since been building it up with a view to living there permanently. He has now actually become one of the elite few to reverse the twentieth century trend from the country to the city. Last February my daughter and I had the privilege of being guests at his marriage to Miss Frances Traill, and now he and his bride have gone to live at Happy Valley. They used Harry's old home for a while but now have completed a brand new house half a mile away. Even so they can still claim to be a real pioneering couple. Their nearest neighbor is ten miles away. During the summer months they travel along the river by four-wheel drive 'blitz buggy'; but in winter the river rises and the only access is by horseback along a track which follows the ridge. The road is slowly advancing towards them; but it is still some miles and probably a number of years away. Our admiration and best wishes go to Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Dungey in their venture; we envy them the peace and serenity of their valley. W A L IC Pa9e Fifty-nine grazing, until the S.E.C. became interested in the area about 1925. Their interest, of course, stemmed from its hydro-electric potential, a comparatively heavy precipitation area being located at a high elevation. Their efforts have meant the spending of £40 million in developing the area. However, not just the Bogong High Plains, but the whole area proposed as a National Park is most important as a water catchment. The S.E.C. scheme is located on the headwaters of the Kiewa River; but also draining the northern and western slopes of the area are such large streams as the Mitta Mitta, Ovens, Buffalo, Howqua and Jamieson, to name only the better-known ones. They all drain into Australia's largest river system, the Murray, and are the source of much of the water that river provides for the people who live along its thousand miles of waterway. On the southern slopes of the area the MacAllister, Avon and Mitchell ftow faster and much shorter courses into Bass Strait. The Latrobe river is also dependent on the area for part of its water, and on it depends the prosperity of the Latrobe Valley with its enormous benefit to Victoria as a whole. The future of Gippsland is dependent on all these streams, their headwaters must be preserved and unspoiled. The bushwalker, when crossing this high country, is probably more interested in what he sees than in its usefulness. Wildflowers abound with such names as Silver Daisy, Alpine Billy Button, Mountain Beauty and Leather Star Bush. Even though many of us never get as far as knowing their scientific names, we can always admire them and appreciate their beauty. There are also many birds, small ones such as the pipit, red wattle bird, white eared honey eater, willy-wagtail and sundry different robins and wrens. There is also our old friend, the emu, not common, but seen right across the high country from Bogong to Mt. Wellington. Historically the country occupies an interesting place in the development of Victoria. After the cattlemen first opened up the country, as mentioned earlier, there came the prospectors seeking for gold, then the gold rushes which brought the small townships, and the tracks linking them; the Moroka Track, Grant, Talbotville, Sunnyside - most of the tracks now lost or half overgrown, the townships long disappeared or at least now showing the merest signs of their having once existed. These old towns, founded in the sixties of last century were on the fringes of the area now proposed as an Alpine National Park. Perhaps history is no great concern of our high-speed existence of the 1960's; but even the holiday-maker, tourist of the future will thank us for the preservation of such as remains. Of course, it's hardly fair to say nothing about the area as a potential skiing resort. In this area of 2000 square miles is found the pick of Victoria's snow country. Mt. Buller just outside the proposed park's western boundary, is already probably reaching saturation point; but inside there is scope for all the skiing facilities future generations of Victorians may require. The coming of ski-lifts has catered for the fast downhill runs that most skiers prefer; and there are plenty of places where these can be provided. There are also the extensive high snowfields for those who prefer extended ski-touring. The access roads are steadily pushing into this area, and it will not be long before penetration is easy. To the people of the Latrobe Valley living in Moe, Warragul, Traralgon and the rest, Mt. Wellington will become their recreational target. Albury, Wangaratta and the towns of the north-east will look to Bogong and the High Plains, while Melbournites will be able to settle for Buller, and thence maybe the Howitt Plains. Summer or winter, there is always something to attract. Here is an area that all can enjoy; the walker, the skier, the day tripper, probably in the not distant future even the cara vanner. There is an urgent need in our community for such a park. It is there now for the proclaiming. Let us hope that its promise will soon be fulfilled - and not blighted by haphazard and destructive "development." WALK I ··-···------..I I JOHN DONNE & SON I CHART HOUSE 372 POST OFFICE PLACE, MELBOURNE FOR MAPS, COMPASSES AND BOOKS I FOR THE WALKER Included *in our *Range are: • "Army Survey Maps," price 5/-, plus postage, 6d. e "Army Manual of Map Reading," 14/-, plus postage, 1/3. • "Six Lectures on Map Reading and Field Sketching," 3/4, plus postage, 9d. • "The Magnetic Compass and How to Use It," 4/2, plus postage, 9d. ~------· Are YOU interested in BUSHWALKING? Short easy walks-Social Outings Week-end walks- Instructional Week-ends- Extended tour walking .. . PLUS a busy Social Program .. . Then write for details to the Hon. Secretary, at our Club room, Room 110, Railways Building, Flinders Street, Melbourne, or CALL AND SEE US any Friday (8 to 11.30 p.m.) THE MELBOURNE* BUSHWALKERS VISITORS are always WELCOME on our WALKS Subs., 30/- p.a. (Seniors); 15/- p.a. (Under 20) Married Couples, 40/- p.a. Pa9e Sixty WALK A WEEK-END WALK LEDERDERG FORD - BEARS HEAD RANGE - LONG POINT - FORD. Distance: 15 miles. TRANSPORT: Must be arranged privately. Nearest rail station is Bacchus Marsh. FIRST DAY: Take transport to the Lederderg ford. Pick up irrigation channel just by shack near car park and follow it for a few yards west until it crosses a gully. Head up this gully and then climb out. This will bring you on to a moderately-graded spur running North west. Follow this ridge for about one mile till you emerge from the timber into cleared land at the head of a gully IN THE LEDERDERG GORGE of the gully. In another ! mile another gully will be seen. Pass the dam in the gully still keeping N.E. A ruined house will be seen about .t mile to E. Turn North at the house, following a ridge to its head for .t mile, and then East for a few hundred yards. A rough road running N/S will be reached at 486616 near a farm house. Follow this track North for about a mile when a non-perennial creek crossing will be reached. This makes a delightful spot for lunch. After lunch continue along this pleasant track for several miles to its end as shown on the map. However, it has been continued by the Forests Commission and will now be seen to swing to the N.W. and climb rather steeply along a spur to a 1900' hill at 475666: A signpost will be seen here which leads "West No. 3." A good view of the Lederderg Valley is to be had from a few yards along this track. Continue along the "main" road for a few yards to the second signpost which reads "West No. 2." Follow this for about a mile to the west till its end is reached adjacent to "Wattles Gully, The Old River" at 461672. Leave the track, turn South down a steep spur to the Old River, hence to the Lederderg River. Cross the Lederderg a few yards downstream from its confluence with the Old River and a good, sheltered, grassy, fairly level camp site will be reached at the foot of a long spur running down from the Bears Head Range. WALK Page Sixty·one SECOND DAY: Depending on the level of the river, two alternatives are available for the second day. If the level is down, the gorge can be followed back to the ford. However if the level is up the following route is better: Climb up Beads Head Range, which is not dimcult if taken easily, then follow the spur which runs up from the camp site. MAP REFERENCE: Balian Military Map, I" to I mile NOTES COMPILED: Auqust, 1960. -P.I. BRUCE'S CK.-MORRISON'S CK.-COTTRELL SPUR-WESTCOTT CK. Distance: 12 miles. TRANSPORT: Will need arranging privately. DESCRIPTION OF ROUTE: This walk is through some fine timber country, mostly with mountain ash, messmate and mountain grey gum. Leave van at the junction of Bruce's Creek Road and Mountain Road, one-quarter mile east of Kilmore Reservoir. Follow Bruce's Creek Road for about 1/3 of a mile then turn left on to an earth road, leading up hill through pleasant timbered country. Follow this road till it meets with the Mount Disappointment Road. Turn left along this road and follow for a ! mile to the junction with Mountain Road which is followed for another 200- 300 yards. Turn right here on to a bush road which is followed for !l mile to another road junction. Take left road at the junction and in a further H miles Mountain Road is reached. Turn to the right and a t mile after crossing Hazel Creek turn right (uphill) on to a timber track heading towards the Dry Hills. H miles further on and just below the dry Hills turn left and after a further U miles a lunch spot is reached on one of the reaches of Sunday Creek. After lunch head for Cottrell Spur Road. Turn left and continue on this road to ! mile past the Comet Link Road. Head north for ! mile to where an obscure track is followed across to the Comet Link Road. About ! mile along this road turn left and in a further !l miles reach the mountain Road at Westcott Creek. Turn left, and in a short distance turn right to follow the Westcott Creek road to the finishing point at the junction of this road and Escreet's Road. MAP REFERENCE: Mt. Disappointment Forest Map NOTES COMPILED: July, 1960 -F.W.H. Paqe Sixty-two WALK YARRA GLEN-ONE TREE HILL-YARRA RIDGE-YARRA GLEN Distance: 12 miles. TRANSPORT: Return rail to Yarra Glen. DESCRIPTION OF ROUTE: On leaving Yarra Glen Station, climb bank and turn left WALK Page Sixty-three SUNBURY-EMU CREEK-WILDWOOD-SUNBURY Distance: 12 miles TRANSPORT: Return rail ticket to Sunbury. DESCRIPTION OF ROUTE: After coming out of the station gate turn left and cross the railway line over the footbridge, then walk down the street opposite, passing the post office on the N.W. corner of the first intersection. Continue down the same street to the next intersection and turn down a diagonally running street