200603 Newsletter

QUEENSLAND BUSHWALKERS CLUB Inc.

74 Kallista Rd. Rochedale South QLD 4123 Email [email protected] Phone No (07) 3341 7509 www.geocities.com/qldbwc

Newsletter

March 2006

Killarney Glen

Club News Abseiling Subcommittee

Abseiling Hire Costs

At the January committee meeting an abseiling subcommittee was established with Trevor Davern as Chairman to develop information for club abseiling activities. The other members of the subcommittee are Gary Woodward, Trevor Smith, Frank Bowling, Richard Kolarski and Linda Hellmuth. The subcommittee have been exchanging a wealth of information and ideas by email on what information to present. This will eventually be presented to the committee for their perusal. Many thanks to the members who volunteered their free time for this task.

At the February committee meeting the following motion was passed: Members to pay $5.00 for the use of a Club rope. Members to pay $5.00 for the use of the Club harness and assorted equipment such as carabiners, figure 8, prussic ropes and helmets. Previously the charge over the past few years had been $5.00 to use any club abseil gear. However good abseiling gear is expensive and an increase in hire charge is reasonable. Also many members now have their own harness and/or rope so the charge has been split. Any monies will be used to purchase or replace abseil equipment.

Abseiling Equipment purchased

For Sale

The QBW committee have approved the purchase of the following equipment: •

4 Harnesses, Vertical Edge padded self locking

•

16 Carabiners, screw alloy D Kong mixed

•

4 Descenders, figure 8

•

30m of Prussic cord

•

4 Helmets

•

100m 9mm rope, Eledrid static

•

25mm Tube tape

3 harnesses and other abseiling gear for sale Ring Steve

3800 3963

Comings and Goings John M is off to Canada and Alaska to do some dog sledding. There is no stopping him! Patricia and Richard are off to NZ to do several walks on South Island and Stewart Island.

The total cost of this equipment will come to about $1,000.00. Trevor Davern is purchasing the equipment and it will be stored for the present at his place. For use of this equipment contact Trevor on 0411 512 202. Page 1 of 6

New Members No of financial Ordinary Members

122

General Information

The Management Committee

Meeting Place

President

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

Club Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the East Brisbane State School, corner of Stanley Street and Wellington Road, starting at 7:30pm. No meetings in January. There is parking within the school grounds off Wellington Road. Consult a street directory, as there are a number of one-way streets in the area. There is also parking in Wellington Road.

Vice President

Helen McAllister

3844 8464

Tea/Coffee and cake/biscuits are provided after the meeting. A coin donation would be appreciated.

Membership Before a visitor can go on a walk, he/she must be a Member (Probationary or Ordinary) or be a member of an affiliated club. Membership of QBW is only $20 and lasts till the end of the Club’s financial year which is on the 30th of June each year.

Probationary Membership A non-member automatically becomes a Probationary Member on his/her first walk after signing the waiver form. There is no fee payable to become a Probationary Member. However a Probationary Member must become an Ordinary Member on his/her 2nd walk by filling out a membership form and paying the membership fee.

Secretary

Lynn Nicol

3219 6228 (H)

Treasurer

Gary Woodward

3245 2695 (H)

Outings Secretary

David Haliczer

0419 676 893

Membership Officer

Lynne Cavanagh

3376 5053 (H)

Editor

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Social Secretary

Barbara Makepeace

3245 2186 (H)

Training Officer

Frank Garland

3341 5207 (H)

Other Voluntary Positions Equipment Officer

Steve Moyle

3800 3963 (H)

Supper Convenor

Patricia Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Federation Rep

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Federation Rep

Trevor Cox

3273 3484 (H)

FMR Rep

Frank Bowling

0419 715 719

FMR Rep

Position Available

Campsite Monitors

Ordinary Membership

Ratatat Hut A person may become an Ordinary Member by filling out a Running Creek Falls membership form and handing the form to a committee member or walk leader and paying the $20.00 membership fee. Throakban An Ordinary Member has the right to vote at an AGM or be elected to a committee position. A Probationary Member has neither of these rights.

Members of Another Bushwalking Club

Barbara Makepeace Richard Kolarski Kerry de Clauzel

Mt Superbus

Christine & Cliff Harrison

Spicers Peak Mt May

Ann Kemp John Brunott

Members of another bushwalking club affiliated with the Queensland Federation of Bushwalking Clubs or another State Federation are covered by the same Insurance as QBW. It is not necessary for them to become a member of our Club to go on our walks.

Editors Pic

Equipment for Use by Members ITEM

No

Contact

Ph No

Compasses

29

Dave Kenrick

3349 8238

EPIRBs

5

Frank Garland

3341 5207

GPS

4

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

UHF Radios

12

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

Emergency Lights

6

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509

First Aid Kits

3

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509

Topo Maps

34

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509

Sunmap CD’s

1

Abseil Gear Back Pack

1

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509

Steve Moyle

3800 3963

Steve Moyle

3800 3963

Equipment for Sale Bivy Bags $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00 These bivy bags are 2 metres by 0.9 metres and are bright orange in colour. They can be used as a pack liner and can double as an emergency bivy bag. Club Polo Shirts $20.00 each L, M and S size left only Space Blankets $2.50 each. Light weight and take up no room at all. A must for all walkers! Ring Patricia Kolarski on 3341 7509 to purchase any of the above.

Lightweight Hiker

This photo won the People’s Prize from our recent photo competition. Photo taken by Noelene McCay The other winners will be shown in future Newsletters. Thanks to all who contributed to this event.

Page 2 of 6

Winter Wonderland Walk

Special Coming Events New England National Park B/C

14-17 April 2006

I will be leading an Easter Base Camp at Easter from 14th to 17th April 2006 in New England National Park. Access to the park is via Armidale or Guyra on the New England Highway then 85km east along the Waterfall Way towards Grafton or via Grafton on the Pacific Highway then west passing through Dorrigo. It takes approximately 6-7 hours to drive to New England National Park from Brisbane. There are 2 camp grounds close to each other – Thungutti campground is in the National Park at Point Lookout, cost $3/night/adult and has cold showers, pit toilets, a shelter shed, BBQ’s and tables. It is a small campground on a first in basis, no bookings taken. Just at the entrance to the park at the Styx River is another campground that is free but it only has pit toilets, no bookings taken. It is suitable for campervans and camper trailers. I have booked a National Park cabin (Tom’s Cabin) which sleeps 8 in bunk beds in 2 rooms, with hot gas showers, solar lighting, gas cooker and pit toilet for the 3 nights of Easter weekend. The cabin does not have refrigeration and all linen, cooking gear and food must be taken.

June/July 2006

For all those walkers who need to cool down after the long hot humid summer we have had in Queensland, there will be a winter walk along Tasmania's Overland Track in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in June/July 2006. This is a great opportunity to see one of the most popular wilderness walks in the world without the crowds. In winter buses service the start and end of the walk 3 times a week. There is coal available for the stoves in each hut and some huts have gas available. Snow Shoes are not necessary but warm waterproof gear is. If interested contact David Rae 33951838

Past Events Campsite Monitoring

4 February 2006

Eighteen campsite monitors gathered at Daisy Hill for their annual meeting. Steve Finlayson, the ranger from Main Range was there as was Wayne Kington, the co-ordinator of Natural Resource Management at Brisbane Forest Park. What was good to see was that 6 of those present were from QBW. We have a strong presence in the Campsite monitoring showing that we are willing to give some of our time to assist QPWS.

It costs $40/night ($5/person/night if 8 people). It may be After everyone introduced themselves there was a general possible to extend this to extra nights if anyone is interested in discussion about several matters, including on line booking of going down early or staying on after Easter. The cabin and both campsites. campgrounds are very close. Cathedral Rock, Guy Fawkes River, Oxley Wild Rivers and Dorrigo National Parks are all a short drive from New England National Park. There are opportunities for both track and off track walking in these parks with spectacular views over the escarpment and into the gorges and plenty of rock hopping and abseiling in the creeks and rivers with many waterfalls and cascades. The walks to be done will be dependant on the weather. Expect the weather to be cold in April and there is always the possibility of rain. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Barb Makepeace ph: 32452186.

Wildflowers of Mt Barney and the Scenic Rim A Presentation by Glenn Leiper Date

Monday 20th March 2005

Venue:

The Parish Hall L to R Wayne Kington, Ann Tracey and Steve Finlayson

St Brigid's Catholic Church

Wayne Kington then gave a talk on the new method of monitoring Address 78 Musgrave Road, Red Hill that will be introduced, based on the Landscape Classification Time: 7-45 pm to 8-30 ish System (LCS). This system establishes an area into one of nine settings, ranging from “wild” to “urban”. LCS is a tool for assessing an Cost nil, gratis, zilch. area from a visitor use and management perspective and does not This is an excellent opportunity to find out the names of the little replace or compromise existing assessment frameworks such as wildflowers you often walk past on your bushwalking trips. conservation values of an area. Glenn is an exceptional presenter who has the ability to make a After the talk, input was sought from the campsite monitors and a detailed topic like botany come alive and interesting, even to lively discussion ensued. Until the new system is fully implemented those who only have a passing interest in wildflowers. though the old method of monitoring will continue as it can be incorporated into the new. Glenn is the Principal at the Jacobs Well Environmental Education Centre. He has published several books on native There are still a few campsites left (Mt May and Paddys Plain) which plants and wildflowers. Most recently he co-authored the book need a monitor. If you would like to know more, contact the Mangroves to Mountains Volume 2 coordinator Ann Tracey, at Ph: 3391 3334 or mailto: [email protected] The Catholic Bushwalkers invites members of the other bushwalking clubs in the Brisbane region to attend this special To provide positive feedback to QPWS regarding issues with the onpresentation. line booking system for national parks contact Please note we will have a quick supper at the end of the talk and then hold our regular monthly meeting after the supper. Phil Murray Vice President, Brisbane Catholic Bushwalking Club Phone 3841 0254.

Mr Victor Bushing, Senior Project Officer, Tourism & Visitor Management Branch, Parks Division at [email protected] 7th Floor, 160 Ann Street Brisbane, Queensland PO Box 15155 City East, QLD, 4002

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Mt Warning

Past Walks Northbrook Walk

12 November 2005

90 % of visitors to Northbrook Creek in Brisbane Forest Park probably do not venture past the second gorge. Of the remainder, many groups rarely move beyond 1 km above the upper gorge. After the exit point to Eagle's Nest the creek divides into two tributaries. The larger tributary runs a more northerly course and winds its way below Wivenhoe Lookout and then towards the region known as the "Summit". This tributary has been fully explored by our club and does make a great walk. Our intention was to explore the minor tributary which is more southerly and hangs below Northbrook Mountain. Since this tributary is unnamed I felt it was perfectly appropriate to name it as "Haliczer Branch" as this would be the first party from our club that has explored this branch of Northbrook. Seven walkers began this walk on this fine November day. We entered the tributary off the road north of the Alex Road turnoff. The descent down was steep and slippery. Within 5 minutes we had running water - a good sign!

19 November 2005

This was to be a walk to see the sunrise from Mt Warning so it was an early wake up call and a drive down in the dark to the Mt Warning National Park. Unfortunately I had miscalculated how long it would take to drive down and we started walking later than I expected. The first part of the track is well formed and we made gradual progress up the mountain. Patricia was having trouble and she decided to keep going at her slower pace. As the time to sunrise was steadily approaching, I told the others to on ahead and meet at the top. The shimmers of dawn arrived and just as I reached the cliff line the sun broke through the clouds on the horizon. There was a quick scramble up the last section but still none of us made it to the top to see the sunrise, only glimpses through or over the trees.

On top of Mt Warning

We had breakfast on top of the mountain and wondered round on the walkway there. There was mist in the valley below and the cliffs of Lamington National Park were obscured by cloud but Mt Warning itself was clear. It was an easy walk down and we met up with Patricia down in the car park. She had been the only one to get a decent picture of the sunrise from a lookout below the summit!

Northbrook Gorge Explorers

Many thanks to all who came along. Next time it will have to be an Progress was very slow as we had to traverse multiple Richard. waterfalls, each with its challenges and unique scenery. I have earlier start. often pondered why during primate evolution humans ended up losing the prehensile tail. Cataract River T/W 26-27 November 2005 Since we had to use our buttocks so frequently to make our way down slippery slopes it doesn't seem to make sense as a tail would have been very handy. Our rate of progress was probably 500m in the first hour upon which a significant tributary on our right (now named Kemp's gully) meant that the creek was a little more trafficable. At one point I had to pull the rope out to help the group descend a significant waterfall (now named Peel's Downfall) with steep sides. Further down, the creek entered a reasonably level area. One of the reasons I wanted to explore this tributary was the topography. The creek only drops about 20m over 2 km before joining the major Northbrook tributary. The rainforest in this area is a superb example of piccabeen palm forest with many black bean trees. It was easy going. We left our packs below Eagle's Nest and cruised down to the upper gorges for a swim and relax before cruising back to our packs for lunch. After lunch we ascended the ridge between the Northbrook tributaries as it appeared the most direct route back to the Summit. It was a horribly lantana infested ridge so we decided to name it Bowling's Ridge because of the person who should have come for the day but didn't. Bowling's Ridge is virtually trackless and has more Lantana than any other ridge that I have explored. Some interesting views of Northbrook Mountain presented themselves further up but not enough to warrant the effort of bashing Lantana. My advice for any further walks avoid Bowling Ridge. It is not an enjoyable ridge. The rest of the day was fabulous - not least because of the people who came and their patience with me leading them up the horrible final ridge. Thanks to all who came!

David H

The Cataract River is in Northern NSW not too far from Tenterfield. Seven of us drove down early Saturday morning, meeting at Woodenbong on the way. The walk starts at Boorook Creek with a pleasant walk down the creek to a large waterfall. The creek was flowing so we spent some time here exploring some old ovens built on the side of the falls. We believe they may have been used for mining. Another hour of rock hopping and we reached the junction with Cataract River and it was time for lunch.

Enjoying a Brew

It was a lot more rock hopping after lunch following the Cataract through some narrow rapids then wide slow pools until the banks became steeper so we went up over a ridge and descended back

Page 4 of 6

into the river around the bend. We found a beautiful grassy campsite at about 3pm so camp was made with plenty of time for swimming and enjoying the peace and beauty of the river. Next morning and just around the bend we came to a lovely section of river that had big flat rock slabs with small cascades set between towering cliffs. The rock wallabies amazed us as they hopped up seemingly unclimbable cliffs with such ease. Further on, the banks of the river became overgrown and progress was slowed for a while but we eventually reached a beautiful section of river with large boulders and another lovely waterfall and rock slide. We all agreed it was time for a swim so the rock slides and pools amused us for some time. A bit more scrambling around rock ledges and there was only one-way forward and that was to swim across the river. Packs were made waterproof with large orange bags and it was an easy swim across a deep pool to a sandy beach to dry off and have morning tea. Unfortunately Gil’s pack took on some water during the swim. From here it was a very steep walk up to meet a fire trail then a 5km walk back to the cars. Some passing storms kept us cool on the long slog back. Gil only realised he was carrying an extra 10kg of water in his pack when the cars were reached and he had to squeeze all the water out of the clothes which were in his pack. It was a great walk with very good company. Thanks to Richard, Gil, Muriel, Paul, Sandy and Linda. Barb Makepeace

Larapinta Falls

On the return to Canungra we stopped at an old railway tunnel before having an early afternoon tea at the cafe in Canungra. Special thanks to Pat Fitzgerald for his hospitality. Many thanks to John for leading the Club on their first walk to Killarney Glen. Richard

Love Creek

14 January 2006

Having gathered at Maiala (Mt Glorious) by 7am nine eager, waterproofed walkers set off from Alex Road after leaving two cars at Tennison Woods. We descended into the Love Creek tributary then made our way down the creek negotiating various rapids and waterfalls. Conditions, following the recent heavy rain, were just perfect with plenty of fresh flow and the vegetation was lush and sparkling. The Christmas orchids (calanthe triplicata) were at their peak also tiny unidentified delicate pink orchids with rough slender leaves (any ideas on identification? Where are the experts when we need them?). The streams were full of bright colourful syzygium fruit and we lost count of the different fungi. Many, especially the tiny ones, were quite spectacular. Once we reached Love Creek we headed downstream to the top of the falls to enjoy the views over morning tea. We then retraced our steps back to the junction and continued up Love Creek. The next few hours were spent rockhopping, scrambling and swimming upstream. Only one waterfall presented a real challenge however we all reached the top one way or another, some skirting high above the falls on the east bank.

18 December 2005

Nine people met up in Beaudesert for this easy walk up Christmas Creek. It had been raining the few days before so we drove up the dirt road to the start of the walk in two trusty Subarus. The initial creek crossing turned out to be a little tricky and Maria began the walk with wet boots after a small slip. After an hour and a bit of walking along the well-formed track, we arrived at Westray's grave and had morning tea. For some members it was their first time there and time was taken to read the headstone and reflect on the Stinson crash. We then continued up the creek and arrived at Larapinta Falls around 11.00am. The falls were spectacular and we were able to walk right to the base of the falls. Even though the sun was out, the water was bitterly cold and only one bushwalker, Dave, ventured into the pool. We had a fairly early lunch viewing the falls and then started the walk back. At a large pool about halfway back we stopped and this time the water was not as cold. Everyone went in for a swim and it was very welcome. Many thanks to all who came along.

Killarney Glen

Richard 7 January 2006

Seventeen people met up in Canungra and then drove toward Binna Burra to the entrance of Killarney Glen. After walking down a dirt road and then a smaller sidetrack we arrived at Killarney Glen. Here were toilets, picnic facilities and Love Creek a small stream to swim in. After a short investigation of the area The swim throughs were delightful perfect temperature and mostly we walked carefully downstream to a large pool. The rocks crystal clear water. This is a rugged and beautiful section of Brisbane were slippery after recent rain and one of the group had a fall. Forest Park. It was too slippery to go down a rock face to a large deep pool, Several of us had a few stumbles along the way. Richard managing so we decided to have a rest stop at the top of a small waterfall. to catapult himself into the stream at one stage resulting in a nasty A few adventurous people found that we were able to get to the looking swollen ankle. This however seemed not to deter his pool from the other side of the stream and a few of us had a refreshing swim. Only one person attempted a descent into the enthusiasm. We made good progress throughout the day and were back at the pool via a rope. cars well before 2 pm allowing ample time to indulge at the Samford We returned to Killarney Glen and met Pat Fitzgerald, the son bakery. of the previous owner of the Glen. He was able to tell us some of the history of the area. He then walked with us upstream for Thank you all for an excellent day. I certainly thoroughly enjoyed myself. Anne a while and was able to show us other points of interest. To finish off the walk we had another lengthy swim in a large pool. Page 5 of 6

Definition Of Track Classes

Wild Rivers

On a recent bush walk there were signs that the graded track we were on was of a certain class. These track class signs have become more evident now with the construction of the Great Walks in Queensland. The Australian Standards for Walking Tracks has set criteria that have to be met in track construction and also provides guidance for management with respect to facilities, risk management, track information, usage and group size, publicity, activity registration, route guides, campsites etc. Tracks are divided into 6 Classes with a Class 1 track suitable for everyone (even wheelchair access) while a Class 6 track is only suitable for very experienced bushwalkers. Below is more information on each class. Class 1 This class of track is suitable for large numbers of visitors, including those with reduced mobility, to traverse the natural environment easily. It has a high level of interpretation signs and facilities. Steps are allowed but only with ramp access. Users need no previous experience and are expected to exercise normal care regarding their personal safety. Class 2 This class of track is suitable for large numbers of visitors to walk easily in natural environments. It provides a moderate to high level of interpretation signs and facilities. Generally low gradients. Users need no previous experience and are expected to exercise normal care regarding their personal safety. Class 3 This class of track caters for visitors to walk in slightly modified natural environments requiring a moderate level of fitness. There is a low level of interpretation signs and facilities. Users need no bushwalking experience and a minimum level of specialised skills. Users may encounter natural hazards such as steep slopes, unstable surfaces and minor water crossings. They are responsible for their own safety.

A wild river is a free flowing river without dams and weirs. Queensland still has a few remaining near-pristine rivers. Because they are largely undisturbed, their natural bio-physical values support rich ecosystems and are a source of scenic beauty, recreational activity and cultural significance. These rivers and their catchments need to be retained for current and future generations. The Queensland government announced the Wild Rivers Policy in February 2004. The first step was the development of wild rivers legislation. The Wild Rivers Act 2005 was passed by the Queensland parliament in October 2005. The purpose of the Act is to preserve the natural values of rivers that have all, or almost all, of their natural values intact. The Wild Rivers Act is the first of its type in Australia. It creates a framework for the protection of wild rivers through a process of river by river nomination followed by a permanent wild river declaration. It will provide long term protection for declared 'wild rivers' by prohibiting a range of destructive activities and controlling other activities that may impact on wild river values. The process incorporates community consultation. The Queensland Government has announced that it intends to protect up to 19 wild rivers before the end of 2006. Most of these rivers are located in the Cape York Peninsula and Gulf of Carpentaria regions The protection of wild rivers is of global significance as freshwater accounts for only 0.003 percent of our planet's water but provides critical habitat for 41 percent of all fish species. Wild river protection is also an asset to the eco tourism industries and recreational and commercial fishing industries.

Cicadas

Class 4 This class of track caters for visitors to explore and discover relatively undisturbed natural environments along defined and distinct tracks with minimal (if any) facilities. There are minimal interpretation signs and facilities. Users can expect opportunities for solitude and few encounters with other walkers. Users require a moderate level of specialised skills such as navigation skills. Users may require maps and navigation equipment to successfully complete the track. Cicada

Users need to be self-reliant, particularly in regard to emergency first aid and possible weather hazards.

If you have done a walk in the Australian open forest over the last couple of months, you would have probably been deafened by the Class 5 sounds of the cicada. This class of track caters for visitors with outdoor skills to discover the natural environment. Visitors require a high degree Australian cicadas are the loudest insects in the world and there are more than 200 Australian species with about 2000 species of cicada of specialised skills such as navigation skills. around the world. Users may require maps and navigation equipment to Cicadas don't bite, they aren't regarded as a pest and they're successfully complete the track. harmless to humans. Only the male sings as a mating ritual to attract Users need to be self-reliant, particularly in regard to the females. emergency first aid and possible weather hazards. The organs that produce sound are the tymbals - a pair of ribbed Class 6 membranes at the base of the abdomen. By contracting and relaxing Users require previous experience in the outdoors and a high the internal tymbal muscles, a pulse of sound is produced. The inside level of specialised skills such as navigational skills. Users will of the male abdomen is substantially hollow to amplify the sound as it generally require a map and navigation equipment to complete resonates at the frequency of the call. the track. The loud noise produced by some cicadas actually repels birds. The Users need to be self-reliant, particularly in regard to males of many cicada species tend to group together when calling which increases the total volume of noise and reduces the chances emergency first aid and possible weather hazards. of being eaten by birds. Further information can be viewed at www.standards.com.au. In addition to the calling or mating song, many species also possess a distress song and a courtship song. Page 6 of 6