Canberra g o r F e e r o b o r r o Bushwalking C it Club newsletter Canberra Bushwalking Club Inc GPO Box 160 Canberra ACT 2601 Volume: 52 www.canberrabushwalkingclub.org Number: 11 2016 year in review December 2016 016 saw the continuation of great walks In reciprocation, in October, members of In this issue 2and great talks, a new walks challenge, the Hobart Walking Club visited Canberra Step up and Step out: an incentive program and were treated to many local walks to 2 Canberra Bushwalking that encouraged walking with at least give them an experience of the walks 20 different walk leaders, plus an informal enjoyed by the CBC. Floriade, was of Club Committee personal challenge of the Percies: an course included. 2 President’s prattle incentive program to visit many of the 2 Stan Marks – CBC’s new vantage points in the ACT. Some are not Sean Sunley gave us the challenge of as easy as you might think, as a ‘bag’ putting together an overnight camping life member requires you to touch the highest point of trip for under $50 and challenged walkers 2 Membership matters to do better. the feature. 3 Training Trifles This year also highlighted an exchange This year also saw some great enthusiasm 3 Review: CBC trip to from a walker of (hopefully) the next ‘program’ with the Hobart Walking Club. Tasmania March 2016 In March, CBC members travelled to generation. Isaac de Raadt not only went Tasmania to walk with their hosts, The on many trips, but wrote some reports on 6 Walks Waffle Hobart Walking Club. A review of this camping equipment and gave a brief talk 7 Wednesday walks event is included in this issue. at one of the general meetings. We always like to encourage these young bushwalkers 7 Activity program as they are the future of bushwalking. 15 Bulletin Board Camping equipment for under $50 (total) Review of camp stoves 16 Feeling literary? Important dates Alcohol stove 25 December Christmas Day 26 December Boxing Day No tents cheap enough so I chose the ubiquitous blue tarp. 1 January 2017 Size 3x2.4 m. Five pegs and guy rope. Actual weight 1084 g. New Year’s Day Cost $15. 18 January 2017 Annual BBQ 15 February 2017 General meeting 1 February 2017 Committee meeting 25 January 2017 Submissions close for February it Home made metho stove and wind shield. Small metho bottle and aluminium pot. Actual weight - 329 g. Cost $7. Total cost Solid fuel stove $49. See May newsletter for full details. See March newsletter for full review Committee reports Canberra Bushwalking Club Committee President’s President: Lorraine Tomlins prattle [email protected] 6248 0456 or 0434 078 496 ell it’s that time of year again. As well as being a Treasurer: Julie Anne Clegg Wtime to catch up with people and enjoy celebra- [email protected] tory food and drink, it is also a time to enjoy the bush or a nature park in the company of family, friends, and 0402 118 359 fellow walkers. So, take the time to enjoy what we have Walks Secretary:John Evans and relax, away from any build-up of anxiety or stress. We are very lucky in Canberra to be well served with [email protected] so many great places in the outdoors. 6294 8232 or 0417 436 877 Happy festive season and remember instead of a general General Secretary: Cynthia Coppock meeting in January we have a BBQ on Black Mountain [email protected] Peninsula (see the Activity Program for details). See you in 2017 or out walking before then. 0408 266 501 or 6270 9010(w) g o r F e e r o Lorraine Tomlins b o r r o Membership Secretary: Roger Edwards C President [email protected] 6288 7863 Training and Safety Officer: David Dedenczuk [email protected] Stan Marks – CBC’s 0417 222 154 Conservation Officer: Cynthia Burton new life member [email protected] The November CBC General meeting passed the following motion: “That Stan Marks be elected an 0488 071 203 Honorary Life Member.” Web Manager: Andrew Meers He joins our other Honorary Life Members - [email protected] Geoff Mosley, Harry Black – dec, Robert Story xx – dec, Sybil Story – dec, Fred George – dec, Len Medaris – dec, Alan Vidler, Vance Brown, Editor: Alison Milton Doug Wright, George Carter and Meg McKone. [email protected] g o Lorraine Tomlins r F e e r o b o r r o 6254 0578(h) or 6289 2717(w) President C Assistant Walks Secretary: Keith Thomas [email protected] +64 27 535 6176 Membership matters Social Secretary: Jenny Horsfield [email protected] Please keep your email address up to date via your 6231 4535 membership page on the website. Contact the Mem- bership Secretary if you need help. Publisher: David Williams New members: Garry Bluff, Suzanne Bluff, Rachel [email protected] Boston, Sim Cheesman, Karen Connors, Maxwell All members of the Committee can be contacted Clayton, Joanne Johnston in one email to Roger Edwards g o r F e e r o b o r r o [email protected] Membership Secretary C Check in: [email protected] Web site: www.canberrabushwalkingclub.org g o r F e e r o b o r r o C Page 2 – Canberra Bushwalking Club it December 2016 g ro F e re o b ro r o C Committee reports Training Review: CBC trip to Tasmania Trifles March 2016 Presenters: Cynthia Burton, Peter May and Philip Gatenby f you walk with the CBC and/or Ianother Canberra bushwalking group, you will be safer than walk- ing independently. Nonetheless, many folks do choose to walk in informal groups and even by them- selves. With the right precautions, they can do so in relative safety. If folks do walk independently, I recommend that they take note of the NSW Government’s excellent initiative - Think Before You Trek. The initiative involves the NSW Police Force and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Think before you TREK promotes the benefits of planning ahead for your bushwalking trip by using an easy to remember acronym: T - Take adequate supplies of food, water, navigation and first aid equipment. R - Register your planned route and tell friends and family when you Sunset on Flinders Isle expect to return. t the November CBC meeting, Cynthia told us about the trip to E - Emergency beacon (PLB’s). ACynthia, Peter and Philip gave Flinders Island, which was led by (In NSW these are available free us a presentation on two major CBC Peter Conroy. This beautiful island of charge from NSW Police Force trips to Tasmania in March 2016. is located off the north-east tip of and NPWS.) The first was to Flinders Island by Tasmania. The island is about 62 x K - Keep to your planned route and seven members and then the major 37 km and features magnificent follow the map and walking trails. visit to Hobart by 18 members, granite peaks rising from sea level. which included numerous walks in • PLBs are available on loan from southern Tasmania. Access is mainly via Sharp airlines, the NPWS Blue Mountains which lands near Whitemark, the Heritage Centre at Blackheath, largest town. The group roamed and after hours at the Katoomba or Springwood Police Stations. • Kosciuszko National Park also hires out PLBs to bushwalkers for a small fee - contact the Tumut, Khancoban and Jindabyne NPWS offices for more information. NSW National Parks and NSW Police are trialing an online trip intention form as part of the Think Before You TREK initiative. Visit the NSW National Parks web page to find more information about the online trip intention form. g o r F e e r o b o r David Dedenczuk r o C Training and Safety Officer Mt Killiecrankie Canberra Bushwalking Club it December 2016 – page 3 Review of general meeting talk On top Strezlecki peak over a good part of the island in the course of a week and car camped for free. One excellent camping area was at Trousers Point, west of Mt Strzelecki and another was at Patriarch Sanctuary where some wallabies got into Cynthia’s food! Cynthia highly recommends CBC members visit the island. Cynthia told us about three walks. Mt Killiecrankie in the north,which featured a beach walk and large granite slabs that were a challenge to climb but afforded panoramic views despite the wind. Another was a steep scenic walk to Mt Str- zelecki, the island’s highest peak Fungi near Nevada Peak located in the south-west. A third walk was to the dramatic Pillinger’s Peak near the centre of the island. Arthurs, and just visible, Federa- boulder fields of wonderful dolerite tion Peak to the west. Vegetation slabs (aged basalt), numerous tarns, Various CBC members attended en route included pink flowers Pencil Pine forests and great views. 11 walks based out of Hobart put wrapped around trees, a red fungus on by the Hobart Walking Club that ‘glowed’, colourful berries Peter told us about a four-day walk (HWC). Only four outings were and Leatherwood bushes in full led by John Street to Mt Geryon, presented at the CBC meeting due flower (the bees’ source for one of which is located in the Labyrinth on to time constraints. Tasmania’s famous honeys). They the northern end of Lake St Clair. There is a north and south Geryon Cynthia told us about a walk to also visited the wonderfully named Wet Pants peak. and another peak between the two Nevada Peak led by Rupert Man- called the Gunsights.