QUEENSLAND

BUSHWALKERS
CLUB Inc.

PO Box 2199
Sunnybank Hills
QLD 4109
Email qldbwc@yahoo.com
Phone No (07) 3341 7509
http://sites.google.com/site/qldbwc/

Newsletter

April 2014

Pieman River Reflections, Tasmania

Photo credit: Patricia Kolarski

Club News
QBW Social Outing at Newstead Gasometer

11 April

A fun social outing is in store with a dining experience at the

new/old Newstead gasometer precinct on Skyring Terrace at
7pm, Friday 11 April. It's an interesting venue, and there are
multiple food choices. Enjoy the light shows at 7 and 9pm.
Under cover parking below Woolworths is free for two hours,
valid for one entry, or there is street parking nearby. Check it out
at: http://www.gasworksplaza.com.au/directory/

Google recently altered the entry details to access the database

online. Richard Kolarski emailed walks leaders with the new
access details so if you are unable to access the database
either check your emails for those instructions or contact
Richard for help.

Walks Planning
Richard and Patricia Kolarski hosted a walks planning day on
30 March. It was well attended despite a number of club
members being interstate and/or overseas. The day resulted in
a variety of walks being added to the calendar over the next two
months. Thank you Richard and Patricia.
There is good diversity in the walks on offer, with choices of day
walks, through walks, and base camps. Some are listed on p. 2
but do also check the walks calendar on the QBW website. The
calendar is updated regularly and provides more detail.
Also, it is quite ok to nominate to lead a walk when there is
already an activity listed on that same day. Peoples' preferences
and capabilities are different, so it helps to have choices.
Long weekends provide excellent opportunities for base camps
and through walks, but not everyone can participate in these. A
sprinkling of day walks provides alternative options on
weekends for these walkers.

QBW Walks Database

The walks database is progressing well with more walks being
added every week. There are now more than 650 walks on the
database. Each walk has a topo map, details of the walk plus a
GPS file.

Do consider this for upcoming weekends (eg Easter), and

contact Richard (Outings Officer) with your suggestions.
Another option may be to join a base camp for just a day or so.
Contact the walk leader about this option beforehand.

Page 1 of 4

Reference:http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/plant_info/pests_disea
ses/fact_sheets/Phytophthora_dieback

General News
BWQ Campsite Monitors and Track Maintenance Lists
BWQ is reviewing the volunteer Campsite Monitoring and Track
Maintenance undertaken in cooperation with QPWS rangers.
BWQ is compiling a new email list which will combine the
campsite monitors and track maintenance people. Current
volunteers may be contacted and asked to provide updated
information. This will include your contact details, as well as
whether you wish to exit the program, or referrals to new
volunteers.
There is also a need after severe weather events to assess
track conditions to facilitate accurate updates on the NPRSR
website and to prioritise repair work. Experienced bushwalkers
can assist by liaising directly with rangers, walking the tracks
and reporting the GPS coordinates and photos of any damage.
If you feel you would like to be involved in this new phase of
volunteering in Lamington and other south-east Qld parks,
please forward your details by email to the attention of John
Marshall at: secretary@bushwalkingqueensland.org.au
In your email, please state your availability as a campsite
monitor with campsite names, or if you simply wish to maintain
your interest as a volunteer. Your preferred email and phone
contact will be appreciated. Feel free to pass this on to other
bushwalkers you think may be interested.
Thanks to those who wish to opt out of the list for your past
efforts.
John Marshall - BWQ Volunteer Coordinator

BWQ Bushwalker Volunteer working weekend

Green Mountains Section, Lamington N.P.
17-18 May 2014
Members of bushwalking clubs are invited to assist with the
Friends Of Parks/Green Mountains Natural History Association
project to partially restore the Old Forestry Camp for the
Centenary Of Lamington in 2015.
The first stage of the project will be to re-align and restore the
access track to the site from the original alignment of the Border
Track. Work will entail trimming vegetation, clearing tree falls,
benching the track, and track straightening. Volunteers will be
required to wear protective clothing sturdy boots, long trousers
or jeans/gaiters, long sleeved shirt, gloves and hat. They will be
using hand tools only, rangers will use the powered equipment.
New volunteers are welcome, volunteer registration and a short
site induction will be conducted on the Saturday morning. Meet
at Green Mountains ranger office behind the Information Centre
at 8am for an 8.30 start. Parking is available in the O'Reilly's car
park opposite. Accommodation will be arranged for volunteers
from Friday night to Sunday, either in the QPWS barracks,
house or campsite.
This weekend will be the first of 4 planned for 2014 on this
project. Please register your attendance, whether for the full
weekend or for one day only, by email to:
secretary@bushwalkingqueensland.org.au
John Marshall - BWQ Volunteer Coordinator

Stop Spreading Disease!

Footwear washdown stations have been installed at several
national park track entrances in South-East Qld. including the
Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk route, Mt Edwards, Mt French
and others.
A hand pump is fitted to the facility to spray your boots with
veterinary grade disinfectant, and a brush will enable mud to be
removed. For best results, boots should be treated both on entry
and exit from the tracks.
Bushwalking club members are urged to use these facilities to
help prevent the spread of invasive organisms such as
phytophthora cinnamomi. QPWS rangers have reported a very
high take up from the public to date.

Coming Walks
Any person wishing to come on a walk must contact the walk
leader first. The leader will organise the meeting place and car
pooling and has full discretion on who can come on the walk.
Nominations close 9:00pm on the Wednesday prior to a
weekend trip or 9.00pm on the Monday before Wednesday trips.
More detailed information is available on the club calendar.

April 2014
5

Sat

Raining Cliffs exploratory (O'Reillys)

Richard Kolarski
3341 7509

Sat

Trachyte Circuit (Glasshouse Mts)

Helen McAllister
3844 4866

Sun

Purlingbrook to Apple Tree Park

with BBQ lunch (Springbrook)
Marion Laban
3805 3300

11-13 Fri-Sun

Goomburra (Main Range) B/C

David Kenrick
3349 8238

13

Mt Greville (Aratula) D/W

Margie Rae
33395 1838

Sun

19-21 Sat-Mon Lemon Tree Flat (Main Range) B/C

John and Julie Shera
0403 308 407
26

Sat

Lower Ballanjui (Binna Burra) D/W

John Morris
3277 3253

25-27 Fri-Sun

Border Ranges to Christmas Creek T/W

Richard Kolarski
3341 7509

3-4

Sat-Sun

Paddys Knob (Main Range) T/W

John and Julie Shera
0403 308 407

Sun

Hidden Valley (Mt Glorious) D/W

Patricia Kolarski
3341 7509

May 2014

10-11 Sat-Sun

Desley Pedrazzini Secretary, BWQ Inc.

Page 2 of 4

Mt Joyce (Ipswich) T/W

Norm Johnston
55412873

Past Walks

North-western Tasmania's Tarkine

Illinbah Circuit (Binna Burra)

February 2014

This special area includes the largest stand of temperate

rainforest in Australia and is one of the few places where healthy
Tasmanian Devils exist, as yet untouched by the facial tumour
virus. It is also the location of the last official sighting of the
Tasmanian Tiger.
Six club members (all female, by coincidence) spent a relaxing
and inspiring four nights/five days in this beautiful, remote place.
We stayed at Corinna Wilderness lodge on the banks of the
Pieman River. Our accommodation was the Old Pub, now a
guest house accommodating up to eight people. We were able
to have it all to ourselves.

9 March 2014

There were a couple of good reasons for choosing this 17km

walk. Illinbah was one of the worst damaged walks at Lamington
NP by the remnants of Cyclone Oswald in early 2013. So when
the QPWS advised it was finally reopened after a year and a lot
of hard work, it seemed appropriate to celebrate by walking it.
Also, several club members were in training for bigger walks in
Tasmania, New Zealand or other parts. They were looking to
carry heavier packs on a longish track with regular creek
crossings and a steep hill challenge. Illinbah was a good choice.
I designated Hungry Jacks at the Logan Hyperdome as the
initial meeting place at 7am and typically, since I live very close
to that location, I arrived last. Only to find Chris staring up into a
palm tree in the Hungry Jacks carpark saying something about a
lost helicopter. Abandoning the search for the errant chopper,
Chris, Sandy, Gil, and myself rearranged ourselves into Gerry's
Subie for the drive to Binna Burra. There we met John, Julie and
Nicholas Shera to complete our group of eight walkers.
As a couple of our group expressed concern about slippery
creek crossings, I confidently reassured them that there were
only six crossings altogether (based on a cursory and clearly
faulty examination of the map and despite having done a prewalk only 5 days earlier!) My claim was met with polite
skepticism by most. John quietly suggested that he thought
there may be 14 crossings (remarkably accurate as it turned
out.) This topic at least provided an amusing distraction as Gerry
kept a tally along the 'wet' side of the circuit.

From Hobart, our group hired two cars and travelled via Strahan
with an overnight stopover here to do the Gordon River cruise.
From Strahan to our destination there was quite a bit of quartz
dirt road, all in very good condition. The car hire company,
Hertz, now has a policy of $3000 excess for normal driving and
$9000 for off bitumen. We drove very carefully on the dirt!!

Another distraction was the presence of an even larger group of

Redlands bushwalkers who were walking the circuit in the same
direction as us. We exchanged friendly banter as we passed
and re-passed eachother along the way.

A small ferry took us across the Pieman River to the lodge which
consists of a restaurant/bar/shop and quite a few cabins as well
as a small campground.

An old huon pine launch offers boat trips to the river mouth for
coastal exploration and a look at the Great Southern Ocean.

We noted new tree-falls (for referral back to the rangers),

admired huge box trees, palm groves and bright fungi, examined
a camp site and enjoyed lunch at an attractive creek-side
location known to the Sheras. New orange markers gave us
confidence in finding the trail, which was very helpful at times,
especially at some of the creek crossings.
A swim in Gwongorool Pool was touted as a reward for near
completion of the circuit, but only half the group took the nearly
1km detour to view the pool, while the rest put all their remaining
energy to the climb out of the valley. We decided instead that
our reward should be coffee in Canungra, and so it was.
Thank you Gerry, Sandy, Gil, Chris, John, Julie, and Nicholas
for a very successful and fun outing around the Illinbah circuit.
Michael Hoopmann

We took advantage of this as well as doing circuit walks to

Savage River, Whyte River and also a visit to Philosopher's
Falls. A walk to Mt Macdonald was closed because of fire so we
have left something for next time!
I would recommend a visit to this area to everyone.

PS. Half way along the 'dry' side of the walk is a sign marked
'Yarrabeelba'. It is shown on the NPWS Lamington map, but
with no explanation. We needed to Google it. According to
Wikipedia, it is an Indigenous word meaning 'Valley of the Birds'.

Patricia
Page 3 of 4

General Information
QBW Management Committee

President

Robin Laban

0417 991 149

Vice President

Mary Sherlock

3209 8514

Secretary

Marion Laban

0405 536 718

Treasurer

Helen McAllister

0419 684 319

Outings Officer

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Membership Officer

Margie Rae

3395 1838 (H)

Editor

Michael Hoopmann

0401 527 017

Training Officer

John Shera

5546 0381 (H)

Social Secretary

Sandy Thomas

3711 4134 (H)

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

Supper Convenor

Noelene McCay

3889 0264 (H)

Librarian

Mary Sherlock

3209 8514

BWQ Rep

Anne Kemp

3371 2707

BWQ Rep

Richard Kolarski

3341 7509 (H)

$5.00 charge

Bivy Bags For Sale

$3.00 each or 2 for $5.00.

These bivy bags are 2 metres by 0.9 metres and are bright
orange in colour. Use as a pack liner or emergency bivy bag.
Space Blankets For Sale

$2.50 each.

Lightweight and take up no room at all. A must for all walkers!

Contact Richard on 3341 7509 for any of the above.

Reciprocal Walks with Other Clubs

Redlands Bushwalking Club
Only stipulation is that Redlands club members have priority
over visitors. Calendar is available at:
http://www.redlandbushwalkers.org.au/static/calendar.html

Other Voluntary Positions

Equipment Officer

Back Pack for Hire

Bushwalkers of Southern Queensland (BOSQ)

Meeting Place
Club meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month starting at
7.30pm. There is no club meeting in January.
Meetings are held at the Little King's Hall on the corner of Carl
and O'Keefe Streets, Buranda. Entry is via the gate on Carl St.
There is parking within the grounds and in Carl Street.
Tea/coffee and cake/biscuits are provided after the meeting.
A coin donation would be appreciated.

Membership

BOSQ allows financial members from other bushwalking clubs

affiliated with Bushwalking Queensland to join in BOSQ
activities without having to become members of BOSQ or pay
visitor fees. This will be with the agreement of the activity leader.
Members of BOSQ will have priority for nominations.
Calendar is available at http://www.bosq.bwq.org.au/

YHA Bushwalkers
Members of other BWQ affiliated clubs can join up to three
walks per calendar year. Calendar is available at:
http://sites.google.com/site/yhabushies/outings

Probationary Membership

Gold Coast Bushwalkers

A non-member automatically becomes a Probationary Member

on his/her first walk after signing the Acknowledgement of Risk
form. No fee is payable to become a Probationary Member.

Gold Coast Bushwalkers may admit as honorary members

financial members of bushwalking clubs which are affiliated with
BWQ. This dispensation will be at the discretion of the
Management Committee.

A Probationary Member must become an Ordinary Member on

his/her second walk by filling out a membership form and paying
the membership fee.
Ordinary Membership
A person may become an Ordinary Member by filling out and
signing a membership form, having a proposer sign the form
and handing the form with the membership fee to a committee
member or walk leader.

Ipswich Bushwalkers Inc

Intending walkers must contact the leader in advance. The
newsletter also contains a full description of the grading system
and a list of Committee members and their contact numbers.
Calendar available at www.ipswichbushwalkers.bwq.org.au

The proposer may be a friend who is a member of the club, a

QBW walk leader, the Membership Officer or one of the
committee members.

What Walk is This??

An Ordinary Member has the right to vote at an AGM or be

elected to a committee position.
Members of Another Bushwalking Club
Members of another bushwalking club which is affiliated with
Bushwalking Queensland Inc. (or an interstate Federation) and
who are covered by the same insurance do not need to become
a member of our club to go on our walks. However QBW
members will have priority if there is a limit on numbers.

Club Equipment
Compasses

Topo Maps

UHF Radios

Emergency Lights

Steripen

First Aid Kits

The above are for use by members at nil cost.

Garmin GPS
QBW has 4 GPSs which have a 20 metre
contour topo map of the whole of Australia included.
PLBs with inbuilt GPS
QBW has 5 PLBs with inbuilt GPS.
The PLBs will be made available at each club meeting and will
need to be returned at the following club meeting.

Answer to February's puzzle: Westray's grave, Christmas Creek

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