The NSW Nature Conservation Council (NCC) says that up to 1000 hectares of world heritage area and 3700 hectares of national park will be inundated for up to two weeks by raising Warragamba Dam wall. 

The NCC is very concerned about 58 threatened species within the area already impacted by  recent bushfires including the koala, critically-endangered regent honeyeater, greater glider, broad-headed snake, brushtail rock wallaby, eucalyptus benthamii and eucalyptus glaucina. 

In January 2020 the World Heritage Centre asked the Commonwealth Government to provide an update on the state of conservation of the Blue Mountains heritage area after more than 80 per cent was ravaged by fire last summer. 

In response, the Commonwealth Government said Water NSW would re-assess bushfire impacts and include them in the pending environmental impact statement (EIS).  However, to date the draft EIS states Water NSW has no intention of re-assessing the area impacted by fire. 

Ornithologist Martin Schulz said last summer’s Green Wattle Creek blaze burnt most of the southern Blue Mountains leaving only a small unburnt section which will likely be flooded by the Dam. “The ecosystems are different and parts will be in recovery for decades. How can an assessment done before the fires be valid? Dr Schulz asked. The fires changed so many things,” he said. 

The draft EIS shows before the bushfires only 15 hours of spotlight searches were conducted for the koala, greater glider and squirrel glider in the inundation area, despite a 61 hour recommendation. Dr Schulz says this is “bafflingly low” especially for koalas given the area is so vast and how hard they are to find. 

The time spent gathering sample collections of the squirrel glider and brush-tailed phascogale also didn’t meet the guidelines with only 1820 nights completed but 3224 nights recommended. The assessment of the large-eared pied bat was 11 times less the suggested amount with traps laid for 78 nights yet 864 recommended. “The low survey effort for the large-eared pied bat is particularly disappointing,” Dr Schulz said. 

Community group Give a Dam spokesman Harry Burkitt has called on the Federal Government to intervene. 

“The barrow-loads of leaked material now in the public domain show (Western Sydney) Minister Stuart Ayres and Infrastructure NSW haven’t even bothered following NSW guidelines, let alone those required under federal law or by UNESCO,” he said. 

Infrastructure NSW, which oversees the project, says feedback from state and federal governments on the draft EIS is important in developing the final version. “The final decision on the dam raising proposal will only be made after all environmental, cultural, financial and planning assessments are complete,” a spokeswoman said. 

The World Heritage Committee, which selects sites for UNESCO’s world heritage list, has expressed concerns over the project and will review the EIS before the Federal Government’s decision. 

A piece of our history by Colin Wood, Armidale Bushwalking Club

Rae Else-Mitchell CMG QC (20 September 1914 – 29 June 2006) was an Australian jurist, royal commissioner, historian and legal scholar.

Rae Else-Mitchell at Byrnes Gap, 1932

Rae Else-Mitchell was an active member and office bearer in a number of community organisations concerning history, arts, libraries, medicine, education, financial and public administration and town planning. Rae’s obituary in The (London) Times described him as being “among Australia’s cleverest postwar judges and administrators, accomplishing two distinguished careers of almost equal length.”

However Rae Else-Mitchell was also a man well known by the bushwalking fraternity.

Else-Mitchell lived in Springwood and loved the magnificent Blue Gums across the street from his home. He was shocked when one day in the early 1950s he found the land owner showing logging contractors around the property.

Else-Mitchell was determined to save the trees and so he donated enough money to Council to purchase the blocks of the land for a public park. A neighbouring landowner, Mr Miller, donated part of his property and Else- Mitchell Park was created.

Development of the Springwood industrial estate in the 1970s resulted in the loss of a large area of Blue Gum Forest on part of 40 hectare granted to explorer William Lawson in 1834. In 1978, when a townhouse development was planned for the last 13 hectares of this patch, concerned members of the community pointed out that the site had considerable ecological and historical significance and extraordinary natural beauty. Council eventually purchased the land to preserve the forest and this became Deanei Reserve.

Rae Else-Mitchell also wrote many stories about the Australian bush which can be seen here.

Guest Post by Colin Wood, Armidale Bushwalking Club and Greenaissance Concepts

“What does one do as a leader when 32 walkers want to come along? Talk to Carmel who says “Yes I’ll help out”. What does one do as a leader when the number of walkers increases to 42? Ring Heike K. and you know what the response will be “Of course I will be glad to help you”.

So, on a sunny Sunday three walking parties set off at Evans Head with 2 going the “normal way” and my lot going anticlockwise through the wildflower heath first. The Boronias were in full bloom, lots of them.

We arrived at Chinamans Beach Picnic Area for morning tea before walking through heathland towards the bombing range. On arrival there was no aerial bombardment so we progressed quietly on the sand dunes to Goanna Headland.

There appears to be different names for South Evans Coastland features but Uncle Google calls it Goanna Headland so I will too. Here we passed the two other walking parties who were socially distancing.

After a short break to take in the view we headed off along New Zealand Beach back to the picnic area where we enjoyed lunch sitting at the sheltered picnic tables.

The final part of the walk was on the coastal paths. We stopped at a couple of the small headlands starting at Joggly Point and were almost mesmerised by the pristine blue sea gently breaking on the rocks. It proved to be a real highlight and, in the end, it made me think that going in our direction for this walk was better. We saved the best the walk had to offer to the end.”

Our club of the month: Northern Rivers Bushwalking Club

The Northern Rivers Bushwalking Club (aka. NRBC), runs a variety of bushwalking, cycling, kayaking and abseiling activities each week in the National Parks, State Forests and coastal areas of the NSW North Coast Region, and beyond!

This friendly club has activities to suit everyone and welcomes new members. The club runs regular inter-club trips in Australia, and organises overseas trips for members (covid-permitting).

Contact the NRBC today to have a chat, join an activity, and learn about the beautiful northern rivers region of NSW!

Northern Rivers Bushwalking Club

October, and we are well into spring. I thought I’d open my few words with a pithy quote about spring, something that might enthuse bushwalkers everywhere. How about Robin Williams’ declaration that “Spring is nature’s way of saying, Let’s Party”? Let’s get out into the bush and party! But then I discovered Margaret Atwood telling us that “in the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt”. I suspect little did she think she was addressing a bunch of bushwalkers who, after a good hike probably do smell a wee bit like dirt. So there it is, get out there and party, and whatever you do, come home smelling of the great outdoors.

And talking of the great outdoors, I hear that clubs across NSW are getting out and about more these days. The winter hibernation – a generous interpretation of the Covid lockdowns – has passed. We in NSW have been fortunate to be able to roam more widely and in larger numbers than our bushwalking counterparts in Victoria. Do spare them a thought. And so it is that we are able, in this State, to reexplore our own back yards. Perhaps you might be doing a little of what I have been doing recently, exploring parts of the State I haven’t visited for many years. Before the Queensland border was closed (again!), I decided to take the long route to Canberra from the north coast, avoiding Greater Sydney so that I could get across the border for a bit of grandparent duty without having to declare I’d been in the dreaded hotspot. The result, a fine bit of hiking in the Warrumbungles, and a reminder of what the western districts can offer us. Return trips to the New England Tableland, Mount Kaputar, and the Pilliga are in the offing, and no doubt several other choice destinations will delight. Thank you, by the way, to the bushwalking clubs whose web sites I have perused to help my planning.

But we all have our own backyards. And this year, our backyards are all looking pretty good. Everywhere I have been there is fine spring green growth, the flowers are popping out, and in my own sub-tropical rainforest clad mountains we are getting views! Yes, views! Bushwalking in rainforest is rewarded by glimpses rather than views, and often precious few of these. As the burnt forest recovers, we are rewarded with more expansive views – although hardly expansive in a Snow Mountain sense – and on recent walks we have all been able to understand the lie of the land better.

Talking of flowers, who has had an opportunity to take a walk or two along our wonderful coast recently? The coastal heath is looking good these days, and for the twitchers amongst us, the birds are out. One of the groups I was out with recently was determinedly warned off by a couple of kites guarding their chicks. And if you are lucky, you will still be able to spot a few the whales. They are still migrating south. On the same walk, progress was delayed considerably as a couple of whales put on the most impressive display of tail and fin slapping, rolling and generally having, dare I say it, a whale of a time. And all within easy view from the shore.

So, let’s get out there and party! Happy bushwalking everyone. Bill

While walking volunteers mapped the northern section of Western Sydney Parklands a few years ago, they have recently mapped the Parklands southern section from Prospect Reservoir to West Hoxton. Walking routes are now available on their “Sydney Walking Tracks” online map.

If you haven’t walked the Parklands before, you are in for a welcome surprise!

South of Prospect Reservoir, the Parklands run along Devils Back Ridge with some wonderful views east to the City and west to the Blue Mountains including one of the best ridgetop panoramas in Sydney at The Beauty Spot.

Since 2008 the Parklands Trust have re-generated 13 square kilometres of Cumberland Plain bushland with 350,000 native trees and plants. Many of these plantings have matured into wonderful treescapes that provide shade on the bitumen shared paths network and walker-friendly slashed paths.  The Trust has signposted several walking loops but the walking volunteers map will keep you on track if you want to venture further afield and stay off the shared paths.

Now is the perfect time to walk this brilliant parkland!

If you have already downloaded “Sydney Walking Tracks” map onto your smartphone, tablet or PC these routes will automatically appear. If you haven’t downloaded the map yet, it is available on the Walking Volunteer’s website .

The Parklands Trust is running a “Get Back on Track Challenge” in conjunction with NAB Runwest. See here for details.

The Chardon Award was established in 2017 to recognise bushwalkers who have made a significant contribution to bushwalking or Bushwalking NSW (BNSW).  They had to be more than well known in their own club.

Harold Chardon was the bushwalker in 1932 who called the bushwalking clubs together to form the (now) BNSW as part of the campaign to save Blue Gum Forest.

The pattern each year has been to recognise a past bushwalker plus a very much alive bushwalker.  Hence, two bushwalkers were recognised with the 2020 Chardon Award at the Bushwalking NSW (BNSW) AGM on 18 August.  See the notes below for comments on these worthy recipients; Brian Walker and Belinda Keir.

BRIAN WALKER

Snippet from the Bushwalker – Vol. 32 #2 Autumn 2006

The above drab comment that Brian Walker was at least Secretary (1991) and President (1996) of Confederation does not give credit to the energy he brought to Bushwalking NSW (BNSW).  As Public Officer the NSW Federation of Bushwalking Clubs became “Confederation” inc (incorporated, with the legal role of obligations and safeguards that brings).

In 1993 Brian excited Sydney newspapers from his sighting of a missing light plane across a valley in Kanangra Boyd National Park.  “An Eventful Weekend“ (of this find) was the lead story of the November 1993 (Vol. 19 # 2) Bushwalker newsletter.

My last memory of him is on the exit of the Harbour Bridge when he went by on a recliner bicycle in a ‘Sydney Cycle’ event.  A cheery hello as always.  He was a friend to many in Confederation and his sudden passing left many walking friends in shock.  Shortly afterwards CMW held a wake in his honour at a member’s holiday cabins in Blackheath.

Brian Walker is a worthy recipient for the 2020 Chardon Award to honour his memory.

BELINDA KEIR

Belinda Keir has made a serious contribution to safety of bushwalkers from years of volunteer instruction in St John Ambulance First Aid to members of Bush Search and Rescue NSW (BSAR), bushwalking clubs, Scouts and the general public.

From 2003 onwards she has also served as a First Aid Officer at BSAR NavShield.  As such, she was an important part of the safety team that included NSW Ambulance Paramedics.

Belinda is a past active member of Sutherland Bushwalking Club and was an enthusiastic S&R volunteer during 1980s.  Hence, she responded to many S&R Callouts.  At that time Sutherland BWC was a strong supporter of S&R and would often supply a team of strong walkers whenever NSW Police had asked for assistance.  Through this volunteer service Belinda also become a good friend.

Belinda is pictured at centre with members of Sutherland Bushwalkers at a first aid training course she delivered  in 2005

Since well before 2000 Belinda was instructing in First Aid both at Senior / Provide First Aid plus Remote Area First Aid (RAFA) and is still instructing in First Aid.  The First Aid link on the BNSW website is for courses taught by Belinda on behalf of St John Ambulance.

The practical teaching methods of Belinda have helped to raise the level of First Aid knowledge within bushwalking clubs.  Hence, Bushwalking is now a safer activity from this training and her role as NavShield First Aid Officer.  Belinda Keir is a worthy recipient of the 2020 Chardon Award.

Keith Maxwell.

Learn more about the Chardon Award

75 years ago there was genuine relief on two special days in 1945. On May 8 it was all over in Europe, VE day.   “Victory in Europe” – Hitler was dead and Australians serving there could come home.  Then, 15 August marked VP or VJ Day – “Victory in the Pacific” (or over Japan).  Thus, Australians serving in this theatre of war could also come home but the fate of some bushwalkers on active service was unknown as they were POWs (Prisoners of War).

World War 2 (WWII) was a different war for Australia compared to WWI.  The enemy was at our doorstep in New Guinea and nearby islands with multiple bombing raids on Darwin and other towns of the top end.  New Guinea was more than the Kokoda Track as the Japanese proved difficult to dislodge from many outposts.

At least 172 bushwalkers, men and women enlisted to meet this threat.  Our small nation of 7 million eventually had over 950,000 citizens in uniform.  Bushwalkers were spread through all three services of army, navy and air force.  Sadly, some bushwalkers were lost or became POWs in the ill-fated defence of Singapore with its surrender on 15 February 1942.

All POWs were not accounted for until well towards Christmas 1945 when finally, the bushwalking clubs could do a final count of their losses.  Thirteen (13) bushwalkers would never return to join their families and bushwalking friends.  The thirteen were remembered with short biographies in the 1946 Bushwalker annual magazine but what about a permanent memorial to honour their memory?

While we now know that these bushwalkers are remembered at Splendour Rock this initially was not an obvious choice.  A memorial park was even considered on Narrow Neck.

When Splendour Rock was dedicated on ANZAC Day 1948 access to this site was much more difficult than today.  However, the bushwalking clubs had chosen well.  Splendour Rock is unique.  There is nothing quite like it elsewhere in Australia or NZ to honour fallen bushwalkers (trampers).

So, 2020 is an appropriate time to update existing information on these fallen bushwalkers.  In 1945, the NSW Federation of Bushwalking Clubs (now Bushwalking NSW) was far smaller than today so their loss was keenly felt.  Some special bushwalkers never came back.

Take a moment to view this revised file here of these FALLEN BUSHWALKERS then reflect – “LEST WE FORGET”

The walk to Taffy’s Rock is a popular out and back walk from Cowan Station for many Sydney Clubs.  Access can be by train or car.  Details of the walk are not hard to find.  But who was Taffy?

Around the 8^th January Dorothy Vera “Taffy” Townson made news all around Tasmania and NSW for the wrong reason.  She had died of snake-bite; twice on the leg and elsewhere on a multiday walk in Tasmania.

Taffy joined the Rucksack Club in January 1944 and must have been an independent woman who was 39 in 1948.  In 1948 the Rucksack Club was a strong club with around 100 members of whom 33% or more were women.  The Hikers Club of Sydney became the Rucksack Club in November 1936 but unfortunately faded away around September 1973.  A strong portion of the club had served in WWII as service women and men.

In 1947 the Murwillumbah area was her home where she may have been the proprietor of a hair dressing salon.  She approached Alfred Watkins and Sam Hinde to join a Rucksack Club multiday walk from Waldheim Chalet (Cradle Mountain) to Lake St Clair in Tasmania.  Well into the walk beyond Pelion Hut her friends went ahead while she was left alone for a toilet break.  Unfortunately, she disturbed a Tiger Snake which struck three times.

Extreme efforts were made to get medical assistance from Sheffield, outside the National Park, to no avail. Survival may have been unlikely anyway.  Two only of the bites were attended to via the basic treatment methods of the time.  Taffy may have had to walk to join her friends plus (it is said that) she was too modest to say that a third bite had occurred when her underpants were down.

Taffy died about 4.30am on 8^th January.  Bushwalkers from Sydney University Bushwalking Club (SUBW) helped carry her body out of the National Park.  The track could only allow two at a time to carry the improvised stretcher in 10 minute bursts.

Taffy now lies in Devonport Cemetery.  At the Rucksack Club General Meeting on 14^th January those present stood for a moments silence to remember this well-respected member. Plans were started almost immediately for a memorial to Taffy. Tasmania would not accept a memorial but on 20^th March a memorial walk was held with the hope that in future the Lands Department would accept a nomination for a location to be named in her honour.

Minutes from May 1948 show that member Ted Sloane was delegated to seek such a spot.  At the General Meeting of January 1950 a quote from Raynore Pty Ltd of £8.8.0 was accepted for the manufacture of the current plaque at Taffy’s Rock.  The Club to bear the full expense.

So, when you are next at Taffy’s Rock spare a moment to reflect on the unlucky Taffy and her snake bite.

© Keith Maxwell

Guest Post by Keith Maxwell

It’s almost the time of year for the annual Chardon Award.   The Award recognises those who have made a significant contribution to the bushwalking movement. However you may be wondering, who inspired the Chardon Award?

Harold Chardon, Left of 2 standing men. Photo by Alan Rigby.

The Award is named after Harold James Chardon. The bushwalker we remember for the “Chardon Award” was born in Queensland on 7 May 1905, the child of Alice Jane (Tatton) and William James Chardon.  Early on they settled in Bondi. Harold Chardon would become a surf life saver, a ‘tiger’ bushwalker, public servant and conservationist. In 1932 he played a pivotal role in the foundation of Bushwalking NSW (BNSW) and the Blue Gum Forest campaign.

In 1922 Harold started a career in the NSW Public Service as a Junior Clerk, Stamp Duties Office.

Bondi must have been a great place to grow up as he became a strong swimmer and life saver but also showed an early interest in organisation.  On 29 January 1926 Bondi and North Bondi Surf Clubs held a combined surf carnival.  Harold was the Secretary of the Bondi Club.

Harold became keenly interested in the outdoors and in 1929 was appointed an Honorary Ranger in Wild Flowers and Native Plants and in 1930, Birds and Animals.  All this as part of the newly formed Sydney Bush Walkers (SBW – formed October 1927) where for a short time in 1928 he was the Club Secretary.  It was an exciting time to go bushwalking.  So much of what we now take for granted around the towns of the Blue Mountains was being explored and mapped. In stamina he was able to join the SBW ‘tiger walkers’ who would cover big distances by travelling both light and fast.  With Wally Roots (a.k.a.Orang Utan) he joined another ‘tiger’ walker in the first bushwalker descent of Orang Utan Pass into the Grose Valley.  In 1930 he was invited to join the exclusive Mountain Trails Club.  In the lower Hollanders River, catchment of the Kowmung River, is the granite “Chardon Canyon”.

Yet in 1931 dark clouds were forming in the Grose Valley – Blue Gum Forest seemed to be in the gaze of an axeman.  Harold as SBW President was part of the delegation that negotiated with Mr Hungerford of Bilpin who was prepared to sell his rights in the forest for £130 (down from £150 but probably in excess of $15,000 in 2020).  Harold was then one of four SBW members as part of the subsequent Blue Gum Forest Committee.  The Blue Gum Forest Campaign is a long story where many groups had to come together, especially the bushwalking clubs.  As a respected bushwalker (and a past SBW President) he called the bushwalking clubs to a meeting on 21 July 1932.  From this meeting the “Federation of Bush Walking Clubs of New South Wales” (now BNSW) was formed.  Harold was very much the delivery man to BNSW as the meeting Secretary.  (This is why the Chardon Award has been named in his honour).

“Wilderness” was a term in the future of 1930s Australia.  Myles Dunphy formed the “National Parks and Primitive Area Council (NP&PAC)” to push for new National Parks.  In August 1934 the Katoomba Daily produced a supplement from Myles Dunphy that included a proposal for a Greater Blue Mountains National Park.  Harold as Chairman of NP&PAC assisted in preparation of this supplement.  (This dream was mostly finally realised in 1976 with the creation of Wollemi and Southern Blue Mountains National Parks.)

1936 was a busy year.  In Bexley Harold married fellow bushwalker Win (Winifred) Lewis.  Then, in October he was part of the first (informal) search by the Search and Rescue Section of Federation – now SES Bush Search and Rescue NSW.  It was an extremely strong party of eleven bushwalkers who entered the Grose Valley almost as a “who’s who” of bushwalking.

During WWII Harold served in the Second A.I.F. (army) in New Guinea as Chief Signals Officer Lines of Communication.

Post War Harold continued to rise up the Public Service fulfilling valuable roles in Workers Compensation and in 1958 as an Accountant moved from the Department of Labour and Industry to the Department of Agriculture.  He retired from this Department on 6 May 1965.  His final years were spent at Connells Point on the Georges River and he died on 26 June 1993.

Harold James Chardon is remembered as a surf life saver, strong bushwalker, public servant, ex-serviceman, strong conservationist and a guiding hand in the formation of BNSW.  BNSW is proud to have an award named in his honour that recognises outstanding bushwalkers.

Guest Post by Keith Maxwell

The recent unprecedented bushfire season disrupted our outdoor adventure plans and devastated national parks and wildlife. Unfortunately, with rising temperatures and drier years, this is only the start of a new trend of more frequent and destructive bushfires.

Bushwalking NSW is excited to welcome Professor David Bowman to talk at the Bushwalking NSW General Meeting about new bushfire conditions and the surprising things we need to consider to adapt to them.

David is Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, University of Tasmania, and Honorary Professor Archaeology and Natural History at the Australian National University. His research is focused on the ecology,­­­ evolution, biogeography and management of fire. David is exploring the relationship between fire, landscapes and humans and has an incredibly deep and broad understanding of:

• how bushfire affects our natural environment,
• what future we can expect for national parks and wild places that we love to walk in, and
• how to adapt to new conditions to continue enjoying outdoor adventure.

David is establishing the new transdisciplinary field of pyrogeography which understands landscape burning from a multi-time-space-and-disciplinary perspective and considers human, physical and biological aspects at local to global scale over the geological past into the future. David is also a bushwalker who can provide first hand insight into the future of outdoor adventure. David recently made a submission to the NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry.

The Bushwalking NSW General Meeting will be held online on Tuesday 19 May at 7pm for a 7.30pm start via Zoom or telephone. The full agenda is here and RSVPs are essential.

Learn more about Professor Bowman’s work here.