200608 Newsletter

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

QUEENSLAND BUSHWALKERS CLUB Inc. Newsletter

August 2006

Inside the Cave on Mt Maroon

Club News 2006 Pilgrimage

Walks Planning Day

The 2006 Pilgrimage is almost here. It is an annual event where bushwalkers from clubs in south east Queensland can get together for a weekend of walks and socialising. They are always a great event and a great tradition.

Thirteen members came along for a BBQ on a beautiful sunny day. They also came to help fill in some of those blanks on the walks calendar. They were an enthusiastic group with many of them willing to lead more than one walk.

Full details of the Pilgrimage and how to get there are on the back page. Be there or miss out on all the fun!

This was followed by a short talk and slide show on what a GPS was and what it could do. Then out to the backyard to turn on the GPS’s for some practical experience.

Purchase of Banner QBW have purchased a vinyl banner 2 metres by 1 metre with Queensland Bushwalkers Club Inc written in large letters. Last year QBW only had a small cardboard sign at the Pilgrimage to show members where we were camped. We hope to see many members gathered round the QBW banner this year.

QBW to Host 2007 Pilgrimage QBW has accepted an invitation to host the 2007 Pilgrimage. QBW was last involved in the year 2000 when it co-hosted the Pilgrimage held at Mt Glorious with the Brisbane Catholic Bushwalkers, Ipswich Bushwalkers and Logan and Beaudesert Bushwalkers. QBW will set up a sub-committee to oversee the preparation and management of this event. QBW in a few years has matured into the third largest bushwalking club in Queensland. However QBW has its job cut out for it to match the Pilgrimages that have been held in the last few years by smaller clubs.

8 July 2006

I hope everyone enjoyed the day.

Richard

Comings and Goings Dave R has recently returned from doing the Overland Track in Tasmania in winter. John M is off to Mongolia soon. The trip will involve walking and a two day camel ride. Gail C is off to South America for a few weeks going to Brazil, Bolivia and Ecuador. It will include a trip to the Galapagos. Noelene and Neville M have recently returned from their 4WD Kakadu trip. Dave H is going to West Australia for nine weeks. He will be doing the Bibbulmum Track and the Cape to Cape walk.

New Members Damien Ansell

Jill Belford

Coffee Night at Coffee Club, Bulimba 19 July 2006

Will Ebertsohn

Jill Gibson

Thirteen people attended on this chilly night at Bulimba. Warm drinks, cakes and for some, a main meal, made this a warm cosy meeting of friends with the conversation varying from bushwalking to computers to travel.

Wayne Laird

Page 1 of 6

As at 26/7/2006 we have 75 financial members.

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.

Vice President

Helen McAllister

3844 8464

Secretary

Lynn Nicol

3219 6228 (H)

Treasurer

Gary Woodward

3245 2695 (H)

Outings Secretary

David Haliczer

0432 901 030

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)

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. 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.

Other Voluntary Positions Equipment Officer

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

Membership of QBW lasts till the end of the Club’s financial year which is on the 30th of June each year.

Supper Convenor

Patricia Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Federation Rep

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Probationary Membership

Federation Rep

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

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.

FMR Rep

Frank Bowling

0419 715 719

FMR Rep

Position Available

Campsite Monitors

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.

Ratatat Hut

Barbara Makepeace

Running Creek Falls

Richard Kolarski

Throakban

Kerry de Clauzel

A person may become an Ordinary Member by filling out a membership form and handing the form to a committee member or walk leader and paying the membership fee.

Mt Superbus

Christine & Cliff Harrison

Spicers Peak

Ann Kemp

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.

Mt May

John Brunott

Ordinary Membership

Editors Pic

Members of Another Bushwalking Club 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.

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

Trevor Davern

0411 512 202

Abseil Gear Back Pack

1

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

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509

The above photo was one of the winners in last years Photo Competition.

Special Coming Events The Great Ocean Walk

6-13 December 2006

Opened for only a year now, the Great Ocean Walk starts at Apollo Bay in Victoria and finishes at the 12 Apostles.

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 L, M and S size left only

Mt Lindesay

This walk is eight days long and is a great summer walk in Victoria. The walk includes the Otways and much of the Shipwreck Coast as well as great camp sights and fairly easy walking days. I am going to book for a group of four so let me know soon if you want to be in it. David Haliczer

Nepal Himalaya Trek

$20.00 each

March/April 2007

Space Blankets $2.50 each. Light weight and take up no room at all. A must for all walkers!

I am organizing a small private 23 day trek to the Everest region March/April 2007. We will be walking to Gokyo, Kala Pattar and Tengboche.

Ring Patricia Kolarski on 3341 7509 to purchaser any of the above.

For further information contact Gail Cibilic. Ph: 55468 189 or e-mail [email protected] Page 2 of 6

Insurance Report 2006 - 2007

Training Quiz

The Insurance Policies arranged by Bushwalking Australia Inc. provide Liability and Personal Accident cover for 192 bushwalking clubs Australia wide with a combined membership of 21,643 members (22,084 -2005). Over the last year the insurance market has improved for bushwalkers. Thus the renewed insurance policies now cost less overall but provide more cover as compared to the previous year.

This Month’s Questions: Do you know: 1)

What are the symptoms of hypothermia?

2)

What is the treatment of hypothermia?

Previous Month’s Questions with the Answers: 1) When using a walkie-talkie what are some of the procedures you should use to minimise talking over one another?

Overview Public Liability Premiums have been reduced compared to last year. Cover has also been extended to include caving provided a qualified person leads the activity and that the Club has received a signed waiver or Acknowledgement of Risk from members participating in the activity.

A walkie-talkie is a portable radio transceiver/receiver. Only one walkie-talkie can receive and transmit at a time on the same channel. It has a push-to-talk switch that starts transmission. Here are some pointers to avoid one person speaking over the other. •

In addition, the Claims Excess has been reduced from $2000 to $1000 and the Errors and Omissions cover increased from $250,000 to $1,000,000.

Listen before transmitting, and do not cut into another’s communication.

•

Personal Accident The premium has increased slightly compared to last year. However the Insurer has agreed to amend the Age Limit to 85 years as compared to the previous 80 years.

Depress the switch to talk, wait two seconds and then speak with your mouth about six centimetres from the transmitter microphone.

•

Identify yourself, speak clearly and keep messages as short and accurate as possible.

•

End each transmission with either "Over" or "Out" (but not both). "Over" means “I have finished my transmission and expect a reply”. "Out" means “I have finished my transmission and do not expect a reply”. (If you use both in the same sentence confusion will reign!)

•

Do not release the switch until one second after the completion of transmission.

Renewal Premiums The cost of the Insurance is as follows: Liability

$ 4.75 per member ($5.85 - 2005)

Personal Accident

$ 3.90 per member ($3.80 - 2005)

This is an overall reduction in insurance costs of $1.00 per member for our Club which provides both Liability and Personal Accident Insurance for members. Claims Experience Australia wide in the past two years there have been a number of claims reported under the Personal Accident Policy as a result of falls, slips etc. In the year to 30 June 2005 there were 18 claims. A further 7 claims have been reported this year to 24 April 2006. There have been no claims reported under the Liability policy. Summary of Policy Coverage effective from 30 June 2006 Liability Insurance The list of activities covered include Bushwalking, Track/Hut Construction and Maintenance, Caving, Canyoning, Liloing, Abseiling, Alpine Walking (summer & winter), Skiing, Canoeing, Kayaking, Boating, Rafting, Swimming, Cycling, Rock Scurrying and use of hand held ropes as part of a Bushwalk, Rogaining, Orienteering, Leader Training and other related instructions where no fee is charged other than to recoup expenses (Errors & Omissions), Voluntary Work for various Charities and not for profit organizations. It is important to note that Liability cover for any club activities which include Abseiling, Snow Skiing and Caving are subject to the member club arranging for members participating in the activity to sign a Waiver or Acknowledgement of Risk in relation to that activity. The activities which are not covered under the Liability Policy include Rock Climbing, Mountaineering, Water Skiing, and Animal Riding. Personal Accident Insurance The Policy provides cover for members of Insured Clubs who sustain injury whilst engaged in an authorized activity of the club or in direct travel to or from that activity.

2) What is the phonetic alphabet used in radio communication? The phonetic alphabet is used because telephone, radio and walkie-talkie communications have the habit of crackling over long distances, blotting out whole words or even sentences. The normal alphabet cannot be used, because some letters, for example P, B, C and D sound similar, and over long distances are indistinguishable. The NATO Phonetic Alphabet below is not the only phonetic alphabet in use, but it is the one used by the most people and countries. A - Alpha

J - Juliet

S - Sierra

1 - One

B - Bravo

K - Kilo

T - Tango

2 - Two

C - Charlie

L - Lima

U - Uniform

3 Three

D - Delta

M - Mike

V - Victor

4 - Four

E - Echo

N - November

W - Whisky

5 - Five

F - Foxtrot

O - Oscar

X - X-Ray

6 - Six

G - Golf

P - Papa

Y - Yankee

7 Seven

H - Hotel

Q - Quebec

Z - Zulu

8 - Eight

I - India

R - Romeo

0 - Zero

9 – Nine

These code words are used to spell out a word; for example, arm becomes Alpha Romeo Mike, and south becomes Sierra Oscar Uniform Tango Hotel. All the letters sound different, so there is no confusion over long distances over what people are saying.It is the internationally recognised way of communicating at sea, air, and in emergency rescue situations. This is Romeo India Charlie Hotel Alpha Romeo Delta signing out!

Death & Permanent Total Disablement $50,000 Weekly Benefits due to Injury (Loss of Income) are subject to 80% of pre-injury earnings to a maximum of $500 per weekPeriod of Benefit - 52 weeks.

For Sale Rossi Boots Size 9 ½

$30

Very Good Condition

Age Limit - 85 years

Phone Gil 3272 4366 or 0408 980 694 Page 3 of 6

Past Walks Mt Maroon

6 May 2006 This walk was led by myself after Patricia, the initial leader, was unable to go due to other commitments. We met up at Ken's place and as there were only five of us we all went in the one car. It was a beautiful sunny day as we drove down to Mt Maroon and parked the car nearby. Instead of doing the "normal route" up Mt Maroon, it was decided to try to get to the summit via the caves and then up a ridge. This led to many surprises and a walk harder than initially intentioned. After a couple of false starts going up some small ridges, we finally got to the base of the cliff line we wanted and contoured to the right. We shortly found the caves and enjoyed morning tea there with magnificent views to the north. We continued on to the west and found a series of rock cairns. We followed the rock cairns which were heading west and they finally led us to a rock hop up a small cliff and then east. Was this a new way up? Someone had gone to a lot of trouble putting those rock cairns there and there was only one way to find out where the cairns would lead. We continued following the rock cairns along a cliff line and ended up at a rope dangling down from the top plateau. Someone had used this way either to ascend or descend Mt Maroon probably after the "normal route" had been closed due to a rock fall. Further investigation showed that the track along the cliff line continued on to a dead end and the only way up was via the rope. Not knowing the history of the rope or how it was attached, it was out of the question trying to get up the rope to get to the top of Mt Maroon. We thus had lunch there.

Along the way we could see areas where beehives had been kept and an old loading bay which had been used when tree felling was still allowed. We turned off the main fire trail and went up a small track which took us up to the top on Northbrook Mountain. There were a few interesting scrambles along cliff escarpments before reaching the actual summit. There we had morning tea while admiring the views out over Brisbane Forest Park. We followed a small track down to rejoin the main fire trail but ended up in a very deep gully. After a scout around we find a way out and continued down to the fire trail. The last section involved a steep scramble down from a high embankment and this provided some extra gymnastics for us all. Further along the fire trail we found the turnoff to Cedar Creek Flats. This section was quite steep and slippery due to the many small loose rocks. In addition motorbikes had churned up the trail even more. Along the way we had glimpses of views and finally spied our destination. We reached the picnic area just in time for lunch. It was a more comfortable area than we normally have for lunch as there was a table, seats, shelter and toilets. A drive back to pick up the other car and of course afternoon tea in Samford. A fine leisurely day on a fine sunny day. Richard

Spicer’s Peak Pre outing

18 May 2005

This pre-outing was quickly organised after a Thursday walk was cancelled due to insufficient numbers. Dave had the idea of going to Spicer’s Peak via a private lodge to the west of Spicer’s Peak. After obtaining permission from the manager of the property 4 people signed up to do this exploratory.

On the way back we found the rock cairns followed a different path down than the one we had ascended. This looked easier and it turned out that way. They finally led us down to the beginning of the "normal route". There was one more discovery for us today. As we stood around talking amongst some trees near the “normal route”, we spotted a large koala in a tree nearby. We had a wellearned afternoon tea in Rathdowney after our adventures. Many thanks to Maria, Willy, Ken and Dave for their company. Richard

Mt Glorious to Cedar Creek Flats

11 May 2006

This was an easy Thursday walk to explore a part of Brisbane Forest Park that had never been done before by QBW. Five of us met up at Maiala NP but before doing the walk we needed to do a car shuttle and so we drove down to Cedar Creek Flats picnic area and left a car down there.

On the Way to Spicer’s Peak

We drove out from Brisbane and after crossing Cunningham’s Gap turned left and followed some dirt roads to the property. After unsuccessfully trying to find the caretaker we parked the car near the start of the walk. However as we were putting on our packs, the caretaker arrived and we discussed our plans with him. We set off along a ridgeline which initially led downhill along a fence line. There were fine vistas towards Spicer’s Peak and to the north and west. Finally we got to a saddle and began the climb up to the western peak of Spicer’s. There was a faint trail leading up but it disappeared near the summit. After scrambling through bush we made it to the top of the ridgeline and found a worn track which led to the eastern peak of Spicer’s. There were magnificent views along the way and we could see Cunningham’s Gap to the north. Finally we made it to the eastern peak and sat down for a well-earned rest and lunch. A wedge tail eagle soared above us in the clear blue sky.

Time For Lunch at Cedar Creek Flat

We returned the same way except for a slight hiccup when we started heading down the wrong ridge from the western peak.

Driving back up the mountain, we parked the car at the start of a fire trail and began the easy walk towards Northbrook Mountain.

After reaching the cars we drove down to Aratula for afternoon tea. Many thanks to Dave for organising this walk and for Ken and Chris for their company. Richard

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Bangalora

Overseas Walks

20 May 2005

Firstly the 4 other people who came on this underrated mountain all had a fantastic experience on this walk. I have only climbed this peak once before and then I did it with Frank Bowling as an exploratory by starting at Teviot Gap, climbing over Mt Bell and following the long ridge from Mt Bell to Mt Bangalora - this all took 4 hours so it was a huge 13 hour day involving torch light for us then. Not so this time - instead of taking 4 hours it only took an hour and a half to get to the base.

Rakiura Track, Stewart Island T/W

11-13 March

2006 This three-day walk starts with a wet and rough ferry ride to Half Moon Bay; rain and three metre seas made the crossing memorable. Once on the island we had a four kilometre road walk to the start of the track proper accompanied by cold winds and frequent showers. First animal we saw was a feral cat! Lunch near the big anchor sculpture at the beginning of the twelve km walk, then off we went along a good gravel track. As it was close to high tide we had a couple of high detours that introduced us to the first of the mud and a wobbly swing bridge. We reached the first hut, Fort William, in time for afternoon tea. Another feral, a deer, seemed to have made its home in the bush behind the hut. Fort William hut has a bunk room separate from the kitchen area which made it more quiet for early-to-bed walkers, but the heat from the fire didn’t penetrate to the sleeping area. It is positioned just beyond the beach with views across the bay to towards the start of the walk.

Bangalora

We parked the car on the way to Teviot Gap just beyond the State Forest boundary after crossing Teviot Brook. From here we climbed over a low ridge and followed a forestry road up a creek valley and to a fence which was followed until the foothills of Mt Bell were reached. We then climbed about 100m and traversed north along the national park boundary until Bangalora creek. The real fun started here.

Rain continued during the night but the sky was a lovely blue by morning. We had to retrace our steps a little to the turn-off to North Arm hut twelve kms away. Almost immediately the boardwalk started. At first it was downhill with steps of uneven height and length (more than 1000 steps), making it difficult to get any rhythm going.

Quickly we found the route up through the cliffs to the razorback ridge and for two hours we cruised up this rocky challenging arête until the main summit ridge was attained. On one side of this ridge there is a massive vertical drop of up to 600m. The views were tremendous as the day was crystal clear. At the summit we had a good rest before descending to find one of the gorges on the south side of the mountain. We had lunch below a hanging garden of spear lilies and orchids on vertical cliffs on either side of us. Continuing on, the gorge suddenly became vertical and deep and the rope and harness (all my own gear as the club gear was not available at the time) I bought along became extremely useful. We had to complete 3 pitches although the first one was done by lowering ourselves on the rope. The second pitch was a stunner - the actual drop was 20 m but the anchor was a tree back around the corner. We had to abseil through a large hole past an overhang and those of us new to abseiling found this a tough but manageable ordeal. The adrenalin was up. After we were all down the rope refused to budge (was it the knots used to tie two ropes together??) Using the technique of a foot and a harness prussic to ascend the rope I climbed back up to free the rope and then used a tree on the other side of the gaping hole to abseil another way. This was more dangerous to get through and was only attempted as the rope was easily freed off the overhanging tree. The third pitch was easier and by this stage everyone enjoyed the abseil. There was at least something to push your legs against on the way down. After this it was a brisk walk of about 90 minutes back to the car. The grade L88 was well justified but the distance being shorter than my first attempt should make this an M88. This is positively one of the best walks in SEQ and I was grateful to share it with a small rather than a large group. Keep your eyes on the calendar for this one as I will lead it again and again. Thank you to my fellow adventurers.

David

Mud, Glorious Mud

The track then followed the path of an old railway for a while, mostly boardwalk but with patches of mud. It then headed uphill to the highest point (305 m) with more muddy sections. We found a comfy bit of boardwalk for a morning tea spot before sploshing through the longest mud section yet near the top of the hill. A steel tower gave wide views and a place for lunch. This is the halfway point for Day 2. A flat section across the top of the hill had little boardwalk and much mud. Once the track started to head downhill again the boardwalk increased but it was again mainly uneven steps; tough on the leg muscles. We arrived at the hut having been on the go for five and a half hours: with stops this averaged little more than 2 km per hour, thanks to the mud. North Arm hut is set back from the beach. The bent-over trees edging the beach are a good indication of the force of the wind in the area but the hut is well sheltered. Day 3 is another twelve kilometre walk out. There is a little up and then down to Kaipipi Bay, still with more than 50% boardwalk. Then the track follows an old cobbled road up over another rise and then down to the end of the track where we had lunch. It was then a 2 km road walk back to the ferry. This time the Fourveaux Strait was as still as a millpond so we ended our walk feeling much better than when we started, except for my leg muscles aching from far too many steps. Patricia

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HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

Pilgrimage 2006 WHEN IS IT? Friday 18 August to Sunday 20 August WHERE IS IT? Rocky Creek Scout Camp, Old Gympie Road, Landsborough HOW DO I GET THERE?

BUNK

$45.00

CAMPSITE (ADULT)

$30.00

(CHILD UNDER 13 YEARS)

$15.00

Late booking fee of $5.00 per person for notifying of attendance after 5th August 2006. WHAT WILL I GET FOR MY MONEY?

From Brisbane drive north on the Bruce Highway and take either:

Accommodation of your choice as booked

(1) Glasshouse House Mountains Road exit and travel along Glasshouse Mountains Road to the Landsborough / Maleny turn-off; or (2) Landsborough exit and drive to the Landsborough / Maleny turn-off.

Soup and roll on Friday night Selection of morning, day and afternoon walks in the local area Bush dance with “Bushland Boogie” and supper on Saturday night Hot breakfast on Sunday Games and other activities over the weekend (children catered for as well) Great camaraderie and lots of fun (optional) WHAT WALKS ARE TO BE HELD? The walks for the Pilgrimage will come from the following list*: Kondalilla to Baroon Pocket Candle Mountain Circuit Gheerulla Landsborough to Deans Hill Bulcock Beach to Currumundi Landsborough to Mt Mellum and Dularcha Tunnel

Turn off into Landsborough, cross the railway line and follow toward Maleny. At the next roundabout, turn left into Gympie Street South, and then drive for 1.5 km to Rocky Creek, followed by the Aboriginal Site and then the Rocky Creek Scout Camp all on the left.

Rosalie Falls Bellthorpe Landsborough to Ewan Maddock Dam Baxter Falls

On arrival, please book in as per instructions with the Registration Form. You will then be given further directions for your accommodation. WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Peachester to Mt Beerwah Mt Coolum and Emu Mt. Wamuran Trail Kenilworth Bluff

Friday 18th August 2006

Mapleton to Intake Weir and Kureelpa Falls

12.00noon

Open for arrivals.

Branch Creek Bellthorpe

7.00pm

Walk registration open and supper.

Beerburrum Township to Tunbubudla Mt Allan

Saturday 19th August 2006 7.00am

Walk registration continues.

7.00am – 9.00am

Morning and day walks depart

1.00pm – 2.00pm

Afternoon walks depart

3.00pm – 5.00pm

Bush poet in attendance

7.00pm

Bush Dance and supper

Mary Cairncross Park Chenrezig Mt Beerwah base circuit Trachyte Circuit and Mt Tibrogargan Circuit *to date some walks are still to be checked out before being approved as walks for the Pilgrimage. A list of the walks and their descriptions will be displayed at the walk registration area from 12.00 noon 18th August 2006.

Sunday 20th August 2006 7.00am

Breakfast

8.00am

Inter-club championships – boot throwing, tug-of-war

10.00am

WHAT ABOUT THE ACCOMMODATION? The bunks are in two bunkhouses, each with their own kitchen facilities. You will need to bring your own bedding for the bunks as only mattress supplied. The bunks will be filled in Paroo Place first before Brolga Park.

Morning tea and presentations, speeches, etc.

All weekend

There are designated car parks in the complex and all cars are to be parked in one of these car parks once unloaded.

Tea and coffee, hot water available Orienteering course

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Displays by various groups

Please visit the web-site at au.geocities.com/qldpilgrimage or

Other attractions The Landsborough Historical Museum will be open. Times to be confirmed.

Email the Pilgrimage at [email protected] or Phone Gavin Dale 32040660 or Andy Ryan 3204 7246.

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