CANBERRA BUSHWALKING CLUB INC NEWSLETTER P0 Box 160, Canberra ACt 2601 Registered by Australia Post: Publication number NMB 859 StIWALKI CLUB 1 VOLUME 30 MARCH 1994 NUMBER 3 MARCH MONTHLY MEETING Dickson Library Community Room Wednesday 16 March, 8.00pm onwards "From Russia with Love" F-.- ----- C- ---=- - "Autumn on the Amur River". The Amur is the major (4,500km) river in Pac4?c Russia. A Presentation by Bill Brown on his visit late last year to Pacific Russia Make the most of the evening and join other members at 6. OOpm for a convivial (BYO) meal at the Vietnamese Restaurant at O'Connor Shops (the one on the corner). Try to be early to ensure there will be ample time to finish and still get to the meeting in comfortable time. MOTIONS PUT TO FEBRUARY 0/618 /14?O MEETING The stunning Corroborree Frog (Pseu- dophyrne corroboree) which the Motion No. 1 club adopted as its emblem is so As the proposer of this motion, Mike Morris, was absent it named because of the re- was held over to the March meeting. His motion is to semblance of its pattern of approve a donation of CBW Conservation funds: yellow and black stripes to Aborigines painted for cere- The Club allocate $500 from its Conservation monies. The Corroboree Frog funds as a donation to the Conservation Coun- possesses the most reactive skin cil of the South-East Region and Canberra properties of all of Australia's 200 frog species; crawls rather than hops; and Motion No. 2 is found only in the coldest and moistest parts of To approve a donation of CBW General funds: )Australia above 1,000 metres. It reaches its north- ern most distribution in the ACT. Sadly, its The second motion to allocate $200 from the Club's population is steadily declining and it is now General funds as donations to the Mount Wilson and Long listed as an endangered species. The current Beach Fire Brigades was passed trend warns that unless somethingpositive is done soon, the Corroboree Frog could become extitict within 20 years. Accommodation Available: A recovery programme in Kosciusko NP will start next spring which will involve re-establishing a colony in an area MACS REEF ROAD of the park inhabited by the frog previously by relocating Corroboree tadpoles to a carefully monitored trial site. This is to be followed by re-introductions to other key parts of the Snowy Mountains. Researchers hope this strategy will put the Corroboree back on the road to recovery. MEMBERSHIP MATTERS New Members Wilfred Schomburg, Ainslie; Judy Kirkwood, Holder; Bruce Gregory, Hawker; Mary Jones, Scullin; Donald Dc Glopper, Lyneham; Matthew }Cneen, Farrer; and Veronica Smith, Holder Philippa Hudson is seeking a suitable person to shore a fully furnished timber house on 20 acres of bush on Prospective Members Macs Reef Road and to look alter it while she is Philippa Hudson, Macs Reef Rd, Bungendore; J. Lance overseas in May and June. $80 per week. Keogh, Macquarie; Dough Floyd, Ainslie; Ruth Thomson, Macgregor; PaulRustomji, Hawker; Barry Phone 2761168(w) or 2303105 (h). and Eileen Munns, Kambah. Page 2 WALKING IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE —A letter from Lloyd Meihuish - This summer I am wintering in the south of France. As I was no chimney. Built on, but with a separate door, was a was being driven home from country dancing one evening, small chapel. The door, which fitted well, was obviously of I mentioned to my driver that I was interested in bushwalk- recent construction. A notice extended a general invitation ing and wondered whether there were any clubs in town. to enter. We did, then pressed on. "Yes, lots," she said. Next day I received an invitation to Soon it was lunchtime. We all sat down on a grassy spot and join a bushwalk on the following Sunday. I took a bite ofmy French stick and slice ofham. The walker About twenty people, and two dogs, gathered on the next to me objected. "Hey, wait a minute, fellow. You outskirts of town. Everyone was introduced to me and can't be as hungry as all that. We've got to have a drink shook my hand. Otherwise, they were all obviously firm first." I had brought orangejuice. That was the wrong thing friends, and greeted each other in the traditional French to do. I was offered COMMANDERIE (a local red) or manner: if either or both of the parties was female three COSTIERE DE NIMES (a rose from Nimes, about 50 cheek kisses, beginning with the left cheek. We made for kilometres to the east). I chose the red. Another bite of my POMPIGNAN, about forty kilometres to the north. It was French stick, and again itwas the wrong thing to do. Salami, to be a walk of about ten kilometres around a mountain on potato chips and peanuts did the rounds, together with a good track, about half ofit negotiable by four-wheel drive. more wine. At last you could eat your own lunch. All had The vegetation goes by the local name GARRIGUE. If brought bread; some cheese, some pie, salad, yoghurt. you saw LA GLOIRE/DE MON PERE you will have a Then chocolate did the rounds, together with liqueur. good idea what it was like. Stony, poor soil, bushes 5-15 We pressed on up the mountain. Eventually we came to the feet high, quite a few herbs - a lot of thyme - apparently the summit, then down again, a much steeper gradient. The herbs from this area were the foundation for the Faculty of leader had chosen the direction of travel well. About half Medicine at the University of MONTPELLIER, which way down we reached a spot where a road crossed a saddle. was, I'm told, one of the first in the world. But ifyou look Most of us crossed the road, but a few took the easy way in the distance, it is not unlike some of the country around back. Then we stopped for afternoon tea. One elderly Canberra. In places I could imagine myself on top of woman was most upset. Her husband had gone by the road. Gingera, looking over the Cooleman Plains. Not only was this infra dig, but he had the chocolate. You As we arrived at the spot where we were to leave the cars, should have seen her face light up when I produced a block. a few shots rang out, but nobody took any notice. We I got such a hug, together with three kisses. started off, and soon came across a sign "Dangerous Walk- We got back to carsjust on sunset. All had enjoyed the walk ing Area - Boar Hunting". A few jokes about who was immensely. Although they did not say so, there was little going to beshot and we pressed on unconcernedly. Then doubt that the dogs had enjoyed it most. It was agreed we another sign said there had been an agreement between the would stop at the cafe in POMPIGNAN for a little bushwalking fraternity and the hunting associations: the celebration. The cafe was closed; that caused great indig - area was reserved for hunting on Saturday during the season nation. What sort of village was it, if the cafe closed at 6pm (September to January). We were well in the season, but on a Sunday afternoon? So on to the next village. It didn't this was Sunday. A few walkers doubted the hunters could even have a cafe. That caused greater indignation. A village be trusted to observe the agreement, but we pressed on. A that didn't have a cafe wasn't really a village. The third few more shots rang out. village had a cafe, and itwas open. In we all went. Like most Then we came across an old stone building with the sign of the others, I had a hot chocolate. Great surprise! Surely "Private Property - Keep Out". The purpose of the sign all Anglo-Saxons took tea at 5pm? Well, not quite all. was far from clear. There was no sign of life, and to judge I approached the leader to pay for my drink. That was from the state of the building one would not think it had alright - it was an end-of-year celebration. The treasurer been occupied for the last century. Indeed tojudge from the wrote out a cheque. But I was not a member of the club. architecture, it might have been two hundred. There was True, but that was a minor technicality they felt they could no sign any plumbing - nothing to indicate that the overlook. occupants might ever have needed to take a bath or go to I was now firmly accepted as a member of the group, in the toilet. The stones of the walls were cemented together spirit, if not financially. As we said gooçl-night, I got three in the roughest way possible - without ahy attempt to hew cheek-kisses from all the females present. Never happened them or make them fit. There was a fireplace together with to me in Canberra. Obviously there are a few ways in which a notice requesting visitors (it was taken for granted no one club activities could be livened up. Lloyd Melbuisli would obey the KEEP OUT sign) not to use it, since there Page 3 nonnal programme ...so please dust offthose old maps and plan some walks! For those who have lost my address, it is:8 D'Hage Cit Ala Ik Alaidle Melba ACT 2615. Walks canals be faxed to 062391369. Phone 06 2588890 (h) or 018 488893 (w) Any member of the club can lead a walk.