CANJUERIQA 11UWALKEN© CLUI ]IJMC. HIEWSLIETTIER IT P.O. Box 150, Canberra, A.C.T. 2E01 Registered by Australia Post; Publication number NSH 1859 VOLUME 24 JANUARY 1987 NUMBER 1 Concerning Conservation The three Canberra Eushwalking Club delegates. Patrick. David and myself attended the last Conservation Council meeting on November the 24th. An obvious area of concern is the great amount of work for. Council to do and the limited number of people available to work on the issues. Some responsibility does lie with club members to help support the workings of the Council as the Canberra Bushwalking Club has been a member of the Conservation Council of the South East Region and Canberra for many years. Areas where Club members could direct their energies are: 1/ Assistance with the Kingsley Street Markets on the first Sunday of every month. This involves at most a few hours on the morning of the market helping to direct store-holders, set up tables and help with refreshments. Contact Chris Scott 477808. 2/ The urban planning working group is currently focusing on Civic's transport problems and the Murrumbidgee corridor plan. It sounds as if they could do with some more support in presenting conservation considerations to the NCDC. etc. Contact Chris Lawrence 467243(w). 3/ The forestry working group is putting a great deal of effort into the anti-woodchip struggle. This is in response to Harris-Daishowa's recent request for an extension to its woodchip licence until 2009 at the rate of 900.000 tonnes per year. Access to public and private forests from Ulladulla. NSW to Bairnsdale. Vic. is requested. No doubt you have seen evidence of the forest industries multi-million dollar public MIS-information campaign on TV and in the papers. YOU have a chance to counter this by helping the forestry working group. There are many things you can do: - get informed (see the Envirohment Centre). - write letters to politicians, papers etc. - help in the Eden-Monaro electorate to put Pressure on Jim Snow (ALP). - come to forestry working group meetings, every Wednesday at 5.30 pm at the Environment Centre. - attend advertised public meetings, rock dances and slide nights. - give donations which will be gratefully accepted. The forests need your support NOW, show the intrepid bushwalker spirit and get out there and HELPIJ!flIIJ!. Julie Andrew (Conservation Officer] MEMBERSHIP MaTTERS New Members Anthony Cant, 3 Wybalena Grove, COOK. ACT 2614, 514789(h). 724632(w). Tania Fiori, 3 Wybalena Grove, Cook, ACT 2614, 614769(h), 724932(w). Helen Carse, 21 Holmes Crescent, CAMPBELL, ACT 2601. 491432(h), 611159(w). John Clarke, Poste Restaunte, CANBERRA. John & Margaret Cooper, 10 Tudwalli Place, CHAPMAN. ACT 2611 889093(h), 849100(w) Jim Dick, 12 Hemmant Street, O'CONNOR. ACT 2601, 473168(h), 719423(w). Deborah Edwards, 13 McCaughy Street, TURNER, ACT 2601. 498870(h). 671899(w). Terry George, Gowrie Private Hotel, Northbourne Avenue, BRADDON. 2601. 486322(w). Barbara King, Macquarie Private Hotel. BARTON. ACT 2600, 732329(h) 467403(w). Barbara Meder, 70 Rischbieth Crescent. GILMORE. ACT 2906. 917785(h). 431065(w). Bruce Newell, 18 Pitcairn Street, EVATT, ACT 2617. 681427(h), 664241(w): Jim Poulas, 33 Bunbury Street, STIRLING. ACT 2611. 882746(h), 317377(w). Adrian Purnell, 49 Barnard Circuit, FLOREY. ACT 2615. 682098(h), 048-230932(w). Mark Uhlmann, 2 Tristania Street. RIVETT. ACT 2611. 881883(w). 4 Prospective Member Roslyn Mourant, 37 Dutton Street, DICKSON. ACT 2602, 479658. The Correspondence Column There was no committee meeting during December so I will not report on any official correspondence. Indeed at the time of writing this column, it is difficult to think of anything other than that of a festive nature and so I will set down those who sent Christmas Cards to the Club: Mrs G. Luton of Cooma; Ivan Hain of Kybeyan; John and Jenette Hindmarsh and boys of "Jinden' via Braidwood: Roy and Pat Blyton of "Vooroga". Numerella via Nimmitabel: Tony McGann and the crew at Paddy Pallin. Canberra: and Jane Carter from Nepal en route to the United Kingdom (she asked to be remembered to all those with whom she shared the joys of the Australian Bush). Perhaps you had contact with some of the above friends of our club or even walked across their properties during 1986. Carolyn Ho (Correspondence Secretary) byirnyg The next IT collation will be on Tuesday February the lath, at Rene Lays Place, 57 Shannon Circuit, Kaleen. There will be a barbecue from 6pm and the collation will start at about 8pm, and will take about an hour depending on the number of people present. For the benefit of new members. IT collation is when we collate, fold, staple and address our newsletter prior to postage. The evening is primarily a social function when we can swap stories and meet new members - so everyone is invited The March IT collation will be at Greg Ellis' place at Macarthur - yes in Tuggeranong!fl Watch for further details of this first ever event in Macarthur Geoff UJood 3 y_y_y.yy January 21st - Barbecue From about 6pm join u-s at our custo-m-ary -barbecue and picnicat Pine Island. If - the river is flowing, some madmen and women will make their entrance by lila. See you there Those wishing to take part in the lilo trip should be at Pine Island by 3:30 so that the transport can be organised. February will see the resumption of the regular Club Meetings on the third Wednesday of each month, at Bpm at the Dickson Library. For more information see the next IT. Editor's Notes On behalf of the Committee I would like to wish all members a very happy and active 1987. Because of the absence of several committee members during the festive season some of the regular columns are missing or shortened. However this has been partially offset by the large number of Walk Reports in this issue. Next month, with the return to normalcy, all the regular features should be back. Vance Brown sAT/s WM5 November 1-2nd - Wirritin Ridge Map: CMIU Budawangs We were warned that it was going to be a long first day on Wirritin Ridge but the prospects of enjoying the Spring flowers and the fantastic views encouraged Eric and me to add our names for Rene's trip to the Southern Budawangs. Whilst waiting for a car shuffle between "Valestorf' and "Wog Wag" all thirteen participants complained of the chilly temperature for a November morning, but Eric and I recalled snow falling at the start of our, previous walk to Currockbilly/Wirritin in October 1984. - Rene sought permission of the owner of "Valeston' to walk through his property -before we joined the old track leading part-way up Currockbilly. A "Valestorf' dog escorted us to the property boundary but upon sighting the National Park sign and noting numerous "go home" signals, he left us to attend to his farm duties. The changes in vegetation as we climbed added variety but the cold wind became more pronounced as we neared the top. Some braved the elements and stood on the trig whilst others sheltered under the leatherwood forest. We followed the ridge for approximately 1 km then veered right after the patch of dead eucalypts. We enjoyed an early lunch in a saddle at 312-786 and filled our water bottles from the permanent soak in preparation for the long walk along the narrow and stony Wirritin Ridge The flowers were just as magnificent as we remembered: boronias, darwinias, damperias, dilwynias, epacris, impressa, rock orchids and eriostemons all in full bloom. Memories flooded back of Fred George standing in one particularly beautiful patch of flowering boronias and eriostemons. Fred spread his arms and announced "This is my garden". The view were also magnificent; glimpses of Pigeon House. the Castle. Byangee Walls, Ccran6 Peak, Wog Wog Mountain and the 'Zadboro meandering below. We could see our whole trip before us; Mount Roberts, Sugar Loaf/ Wirritin Mount. Vadboro Creek and the daunting spur we had to conquer on Sunday to reach Cockpit Swamp. We continued along the rocky ridge with the strong wind almost blowing me off my feet. The Xanthorrhoea blew just at eye level and after numerous jabs in the eyes, ears and nose with their wiry leaves. I decided that the black boys had certainly grown in two years. The afternoon was drawing to a close so just before Sugar Loaf Keith suggested we sidle round- and down- the--mountain and head straight for- Yadboro Creek; -Frank was all in favour as he was not looking forward to a waterless ridge-top camp. With excellent navigation Rene led us down, encouraging the exhausted members with "It's not far now". At 7.30pm, 11.5 hours after leaving "Valeston". I was delighted to see our campsite on the Yadboro Creek among the Backhousia trees and tall pimelias. I was even prepared to put up with the odd fight with strands of lawyer vine. Our campfire in the middle of the creek soon produced a soothing effect. We assured Heather we had plenty of tea, unlike a previous tealess walk. Robert and David were so hungry they began to demolish Sunday's rations. The grassy bank encouraged a long sleep and the birds had been chirping for some time before we set off again. We followed Vadboro Creek for 2 kms and enjoyed a quick plunge in the icy water before starting the long ascent to Cockpit Spur. The spur was fairly open with rocky outcrops providing good viewing platforms. The final walk among banksias and cleared grasslands led us to Wog Wog Creek where we stopped to enjoy various flavours of Twinings' teas.