g o r F e e r o b o r r o iitt C Canberra Bushwalking Club Inc PO Box 160 Canberra ACT 2601 Volume: 46 www.canberrabushwalkingclub.org Number: 2 March 2010 GENERAL MEETING 8 pm Wednesday 17 March 2010 In this issue A photographer’s life 2 President’s prattle 2 Membership matters Presenter: Michael Bowers 2 Walks waffl e Mike Bowers is an award-winning political journalist, photographer and 2 Letter to the Editor author. He has spent time as Chief Photographer for Fairfax publications in Canberra and been managing editor of photography for the Sydney 3 Review: What kind of Morning Herald and the Sun-Herald. He now produces and hosts ‘Talking ACT do we want to Pictures’ on the ABC program, “Insiders”. Mike’s photographic assign- live in? ments have taken him from Kosovo to Gallipoli, from the Beijing Olympics 3 Trip report: Summer to the Indonesian Tsunami. In 1995 he won the Nikon-Walkley Award for Journalism for the best Photographic Essay. at the Shoalhaven 4 Drought and fl ood on Church auditorium, the Tuross Hughes Baptist Church, 20–21 February 2010 5 Of Namadgi, 32–34 Groom Street, Hughes champagne and Aboriginal astronomy 7 Activity program Sunset over Kinglake, Victorian bush fi res, 2009 11 2011 calendar and photography competition 11 Discount offers for club members ImportantImpoortant dadatest 8 MarchMarch CanberraCanberra DayDay 177 MMarcharch GGeneraleneeral mmeetingeeting 244 MMarchaarch CoCommitteemmmittee meetmeetingin Committee reports President’s Walks Letter to the prattle waffl e Editor n the February 2010 Walks IWaffl e, Jeff has pointed out the club’s here is a lot of activity at the mo- ater in 2010, when winter’s chill party size limits and discussed the pros Tment, not just great bushwalks Ltemporarily dims my enthusi- and cons of small and large parties. but a variety of activities. The asm for camping, I will be taking However, some of our local national photo competition is gathering pace, trips giving basic instruction in parks have also set party size limits bushwalks have been combined use of map and compass. All club for bush camping which leaders of with photography and painting, members who walk off track, not overnight walks, in particular, may need trips have involved paddling canoes just leaders, should know how to to be aware of. and kayaks, a range of informative navigate. Their leader could become presentations have been given at ill or injured, or they could get sepa- The party limit in Kanangra Boyd NP the monthly meetings, and we had rated from the rest of the party. of 8 is soon seen to be sensible when our fi rst meeting in the new hall more than one party has planned to at Hughes. On top of all this, the In addition, Meg McKone has kindly stop at the same campsite. One of my Committee is preparing to give the offered to conduct an advanced nav- most embarrassing moments in the Club’s website a new look and fi x is- igation skills exercise on 18 April. bush was a trip in Kanangra Boyd sues with the membership database. The compass needle does not point NP over Mt Cloudmaker to 100 Man Cave, returning to Kanangra Walls the Changes to the website and mem- to true north, and many people have trouble adjusting for magnetic next day. Since it was mostly on track, bership lists will take time as the I had accepted a party of 16 (I like to Committee is endeavouring to variation. I know of a usually reli- able leader who, on reaching the think it was in the days before the limit ensure the new systems can be of 8 had been set). On the way we met maintained now and into the future. top of one mountain, pointed to another and said that was where we another, much smaller group, whose The success of the club is largely should be! He confessed to adding faces fell visibly when they realised based on the time and effort its magnetic variation when he should both parties were heading for the same members put into it. So please take have subtracted. campsite. Though we leap-frogged the opportunity to go on some of the each other several times during the walks on offer, and consider leading I use a technique which avoids the day, they arrived at the cave fi rst. We a walk. Remember to be quick as need to add or subtract altogether. In were relieved to fi nd they had been many walks get booked out early, the Canberra region when using the considerate enough to camp at the especially where there are restricted compass in the fi eld (that is, against smaller end, leaving the roomier end numbers. And don’t forget to take the terrain rather than against the for us. your camera. map) simply point the needle to 13 degrees on the compass dial. Having been in a small party in the As for myself, I have enjoyed Compass directions are then (for Budawangs that was harassed for several great walks this year and practical purposes close enough to) hours around the campfi re by two little some great food, particularly on true directions. darlings from a poorly supervised youth Stan’s walks based at Charlottes group of over thirty camped nearby, I Pass. Just for interest, did you know Jeff Bennetts was very pleased when the Budawangs that Charlottes Pass was named after Walks Secretary Wilderness Area camping limit of 12 Charlotte Adams, the fi rst European was introduced. I suspect that a lot of woman to climb Mount Kosciuszko the rubbish, damage and unsanitary in 1881. conditions at the popular campsites has been caused by large groups of children Unfortunately, I will miss the next and teenagers. (I’m not suggesting that Club meeting as I will be on the Membership young people should be banned, only Australian Alpine Walking Track that they should be in groups small with Karen Cody and other club matters enough to allow adequate supervision.) members. The draconian party size limit of 6 for Fortunately, with the wide variety Please ensure that you keep the Membership Secretary informed camping in the Bimberi Wilderness of walks the club has on offer I am section of Namadgi NP is officially sure there is a walk for everyone. of any changes to your email address. justifi ed as being necessary to protect Peter Jones our water supply. We are also required New members: Pam Connor, to obtain a permit for camping. This is President Martin Fisk, Henry Hatch, Leanne free of charge, and available fom the Mason, Mark Simmons, Stephen Gudgenby Visitors Centre – they will Simpson, Michelle Osadcznk, post it if requested. Andrew Power, Amanpreet Singh If you are going to try cross- Meg McKone country skiing, start with a Gary Trevean small country Membership Secretary g o r F e e r Page 2 – Canberra Bushwalking Club it March 2010 o b o r r o C g ro F ee or b ro r o C Review of general meeting talk and professional associations in A somewhat more energetic Sunday WWhathat kkindind of AACCT debate. What values are important morning saw the group climbing up to us in the places where we live to the very well built but since 1912 ddoo wwee wwantant ttoo lliveive and work, and how can we infl uence deserted, chimneys of the Tolwong iin?n? our politicians to drive change in a mines where alluvial gold was found positive and sustainable direction? as early as in the 1850s and where ur Wednesday meetings for silver, gold, copper, tin, lead and These are the challenges faced zinc ores were found in the early O2010 got off to a great start in by the Council and they would the new venue at Hughes with an 1900s. Remnants of the fl ying fox welcome the support and interest of used to carry the output across the excellent talk in February by John groups like ours. Hibberd, Executive Director of the river and over 200 m up to the road Conservation Council of the ACT Jenny Horsfi eld could also be seen. Region. He gave a thought-pro- voking address to a highly engaged After admiring the fi ne buildings audience, to whom the future of the Suummmmeerr atat tthehe our group continued up to the Bush Capital matters a great deal. spectacular Block-up gorge and more swims before returning John presented four scenarios for SShoalhavenhoalhaven to climb up to the road, again future development of the ACT bemoaning the fact that nature is to 2050. Walkers: Alison Milton, Douglas placing the refreshing rivers at the 1. ‘Dispersal’, based on growing Wright, Penny Costello, Brett bottom of the hot climbs. resistance to urban ‘in-fi ll’, would Goyne, Ivor Oorloff and Gösta encourage larger block sizes and Lyngå Stiff legs were still able to carry us see the city expand signifi cantly, into the Paragon café in Goulburn with 80% of expansion into he Trestle track, about 4 km after a successful trip. greenfi eld areas. Tbefore the Bungonia recreation area, got us down to this lovely Gösta Lyngå 2. ‘Business as usual’ would see river along a sometimes steep and 40% urban intensification and exposed track. Down at the river we 60% future development of green- found comfortable camping ground fi eld sites. This scenario would be and warm water for the skinny dips. driven by a general complacency Walks along the river bank, rock about current planning and a hopping some stretches and negoti- feeling that present practices are ating nestle and thistle thickets were working.