THE CANBERRA BUSHWALKING CLUB INC. NEWSLETTER it GPO Box 160, Canberra ACT 2601 VOLUME 40 July 2004 NUMBER 7 JULY GENERAL MEETING 8pm Wednesday 21st South West Tasmania Speaker: Bob Hodgson Bob will be speaking on a 1980 trip in South West Tasmania to South West Cape and the Western Arthurs. The trip was notable for the beautiful weather and fantastic scenery, the slides making what Bob considers his best photographic trip record.. Robertson Room, St. John's Church Hall Constitution Avenue, Reid Make the most of the evening and join other members at 6.00pm for a convivial meal at the Vietnam Restaurant, 8-10 Hobart Place, Canberra City (opposite Canberra House Arcade, next to Aussie Home Loans) Try to be early to ensure there will be ample time to finish and still get to the meeting in good time were twelve club members, of I was in Namadgi that day on the PRESIDENT’S whom Sue and Allan Vidler, Rene Smokers Trail-Orroral Valley cross Lays and Reet Vallet are still PRATTLE over walk with Terence Uren and active. They started walking at Janet Edstein, the tenth successive Cotter Gap, lunched at Little Namadgi National Park (NP) year they have run it, which must Creamy Flat, then headed over turned 20 last month or, to be be a club record. It was nearly full Mt Namadgi to Rotten Swamp to precise, the decision to establish as usual, with 16 people going camp. It rained that night without the Park was taken in June 1984 uphill with Terence (Orroral Valley too many ill effects - they all got with the actual declaration in to Smokers Trail) and 13 downhill back but when the Vidlers dropped October. The birthday party was with Janet. Terence and Janet are the Knights home, both Senator on 6 June at the Visitor’s Centre. both long term leaders - Terence and wife found it hard to move. Several club luminaries attended has led about 140 walks all up and The trip was one of the events and there was a photographic Janet about 80 and we thank them which in time led to the establish- display of work by Michael for all that effort. ment of the Park. A rerun of this Maconachie and Steven Shaw, two This club was much involved in the walk will be held in October. See of our members who should be formation of Namadgi. In October it for details. making calendars and post cards 1976, several members took the with their pictures. The club also We walk elsewhere of course – then John Haslem MP, Member for received a positive mention for our Kosciusko, Wadbilliga, Deua, the Canberra, and the late Senator John long-term work to remove Broom Blue Mountains and others, even Knight and Mrs Knight for a walk in the Upper Cotter. the unpronounceable Yannunun- in what is now Namadgi. There beyan NP near Captains Flat has Canberra Bushwalking Club IT July 2004 page 1 been yielding up mysteries to us skills: to put aside time to do next be made to the people already on lately. But if Namadgi is our home year’s training refresher. the list who have not yet claimed a away from home, the Morton reimbursement. We hope that it On the same subject, I would National Park, with its majestic will be possible to open the list to encourage all those on a trip to take structures like the Byangee Walls new people once we know the a map and compass. In fact, it used and the beauty of places like outcome of the current application to be common practice in the club. Monolith Valley, must be second. for further grant funding but for the It enables independent checks on time being, the list will have to National Parks operate under Plans navigation and is an element in the close. of Management. I remember the security of people in case of club committee discussing the draft separation. And there is nothing The Committee considers the Morton Plan in my lounge room like an academic debate on “where additional $700 will be a good some years ago and not agreeing we are”, although these days a GPS investment in the future and it will with each other or with everything often takes the steam out of a not have a substantial impact on in the Plan, but the club is a good heated exchange. For those that the budget outlook for the coming corporate citizen and complies with need it, it’s an opportunity to hone year. As this would increase the the decisions of those running the up the skills. Remember though budgeted amount for training by Park. that most leaders assume that more than 10%, it is proposed in navigation is their sole responsibil- accordance with standing resolu- There has been disquiet recently ity and there may be times when it tion 4.6 that the club agree to the about the restrictions on cave has to be. additional expenditure via the camping in the Plan. These were following motion: endorsed by members via a Rob Horsfield standing resolution and now form ‘That the meeting authorise the Walks Secretary part of our club rules. I have expenditure of a further $700 from invited the Park management to the training vote for first aid respond to a recent letter to the Notice of motion courses’. editor on this subject. The Moved: Stan Marks response is in this it. It makes General Meeting, 21 July 2004 reference to a draft camping First aid training is important to Seconded: Michael Sutton strategy which may have implica- this club. It would be desirable for tions for the issue of camping every walk to have at least one Trip Preview caves. When we receive it, I will participant with medical or first aid ensure that everyone with an training. To this end, the Club has 2-4 October Long weekend interest in the issue has the been subsidising members to do Pretty Beach opportunity to provide input. first aid training this year using a It is suggested that this weekend be When endorsed, if a change to the $1,000 grant from the ACT standing resolution on this subject for bushwalking / photography / government. The grant has been painting & sketching. Five family is warranted, it will be put to a greatly appreciated and an General Meeting. sized campsites have been booked. application for funding for next Each site will hold approximately a Stan Marks, President year is in preparation. family sized tent (or two bush- The arrangement has been that walking couple tents) and a deposit Walks Waffle each person training has received a has been paid. In the August / $100 subsidy toward a course that September it I will be asking for Recently we visited Mt Foxlow costs about $160. As at 30 June, expressions of interest for the trip. near Captains Flat. Off-track the nineteen people had indicated a Contact me on 6241 7862. bush was dry sclerophyll with desire to undertake training of Rene Lays fairly open understory and some of whom eleven have trained and the creek-lines were choked with been refunded. This has used all Change of Address teatree. In parts the navigation was the ACT Government funds quite challenging. Our fearless available so far and we will also leader trusted the route finding to use the $200 in the training vote for In the "Discount Offers for Club some of our shortly-to-graduate this purpose. Members" published in the June it, “Navigation Refresher” people. we used the old address for- Given the importance of this They were “spot-on” for the whole Jurkiewicz Adventure Store. They training, it is proposed day! I thought I’d mention the are now at:- that maximum additional funding latter as an encouragement to those of $700 be provided in the current 47 Newcastle Street who are a little rusty on these club year to ensure that refunds can Fyshwick ACT 2609 Canberra Bushwalking Club IT July 2004 page 2 value. Those caves and overhangs cumulative damage to the area’s Letter to the Editor that have received little use have conservation and wilderness Response not been significantly disturbed or values. It is estimated that up to compacted and are both scientifi- 16,000 people walk in the central Why is cave camping in cally important and fragile. These part of the Budawangs each year need to be protected from increased and the number is continuing to the Budawangs of use for camping. rise. Over the last 10 to 15 years there has been a significant concern? Contrary to the views expressed in increase in track creation, the June letter to the Editor, fauna I am writing in response to a letter vegetation loss, soil compaction habitat value and the potential for to the editor in the June newsletter and toilet waste at campsites and a hydatids are more minor issues and concerning restrictions on cave reduction in opportunities for have not been significant reasons camping in the Budawangs. solitude and self-reliance. It is the for limiting cave camping. Unfortunately, there appears to be Service’s legislative responsibility some misunderstanding of the The National Parks and Wildlife to minimise further impacts and to conservation reasons for the Service is currently finalising a manage use of the area consistent National Parks and Wildlife draft Walking and Camping with its status as a national park Service restricting cave camping Strategy for the Budawangs as and declared wilderness area. and of the need to manage required by the Morton National In my dealings over the years with recreational use of the Budawangs.