National Parks Association of the Australian Capital ... 53 No 2 Jun 2016.pdf · Aranda Bushland (FoAB), runs monthly activities in conjunction with ACT Parks and Conservation. The

Canberra NatureMap

JagungalWilderness

Burning ArandaBushland

National Parks Association of the Australian Capital Territory Inc.

Volume 53 Number 2 June 2016

NPA Bulletin Volume 53 number 2 June 2016CONTENTSFrom the Committee ................................................................2

Rod Griffiths and Christine Goonrey The vital work of the National Parks Australia Council ..........3 Rod Griffiths NPA's Nature Play program .....................................................3 Graham Scully Aranda Bushland's recent hazard-reduction burn ....................4

Judy Kelly, with Michael Doherty and John Brickhill

Obituaries .................................................................................6

The National Rock Garden ......................................................7Compiled by Kevin McCue

Stolen .......................................................................................7Gerry Jacobson

A tour of ‘Canberra Nature Map’ .............................................8Geoff Robertson

Orroral Valley mystery object ..................................................9Philip Gatenby and John Brickhill

Forests Forever ecology car camp .........................................10Di Thompson

TrailRider shines ...................................................................11Graham Scully, Fiona MacDonald Brand

Items of interest ......................................................................12

Articles by contributors may not necessarily reflect association opinion or objectives.

NPA outings program, June – September 2016 ...............13–16

Bushwalks

Exciting Rendezvous Valley pack walk ..........................17Esther Gallant

Mount Tantangara ...........................................................18Brian Slee

Pretty Plain ......................................................................19Brian Slee

Glenburn Precinct news..........................................................20Col McAlister

Book reviews. Leaf Litter, exploring the Mysteries ................21of a Hidden World by Rachel Tonkin Judy KellyOn Track: Searching out the Bundian Way .....................21by John Blay Fiona MacDonald BrandExploring the Jagungal Wilderness: a Bushwalker's ......22Guide to Kosciuszko National Park by Robert Green Brian Slee

PARKWATCH ..........................................................................24Compiled by Hazel Rath

NPA notices.............................................................................26

Meetings and speaker information..........................................27

NPA information and contacts ................................................27

2 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016

From the committeeDuring the past autumn it would havebeen difficult to miss the episodes ofsmoke inundation into Canberra. Theissue of bushfire hazard reduction burnswas suddenly a topic on everyone’s lips.To many this was a health issue, andwhile others understood that the mainpurpose of the burns was to reduce bush-fire fuel loads in our reserves, few que-ries were raised about the effectiveness ofsuch an approach.

This year approximately 9,000hectares of the ACT’s reserves were

subject to reductionburns. Yet there is

little public dis-cussion about theability of burningon this scale toreduce the overall

fire risk. Would it

be better to focus fire risk reductionactivities on the assets that needprotecting and reducing the extent oflarge-scale burns? The NPA ACT believesthat it is important for the ACTcommunity to have the opportunity tobecome involved in understanding andcontributing to the answers to suchquestions and will continue to lobby forthis to occur.

The recent exercise of involving theNPA ACT membership in identifying keyNPA projects for the coming years was agreat success. Among other things, theexercise reaffirmed the importance tomembers of the NPA’s Honours studentscholarship and emphasised the need forcontinued support for scientificconservation research. Flowing from thiswas the concept of the establishment of a‘State of the parks’ report in the ACT and

the need for theNPA to be achampion of thisprocess. Suchreports wouldprovide thecommunity with aclear indication on whether processes forthe protection of our natural resources inthe ACT’s conservation reserves areworking.

This will be a major task and theNPA is keen to establish a steeringcommittee to guide this exciting project.If you are interested in assisting pleasecall Rod Griffiths on 0410 875 731 oremail via [email protected].

Rod Griffiths and Christine Goonrey

Deadline for the September 2016 issue:31 July 2016.

Contributions for the NPA Bulletin Contributions of articles, letters, poems, drawings and photographs are alwayswelcome. If possible keep contributions to no more than 1,000 words. Items acceptedfor publication will be subject to editing and may also be published on the NPAwebsite. Send all items to the Bulletin Team, email [email protected], or theNPA ACT postal address (see page 26).

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2016 3

Not all readers of the Bulletin would beaware that the National ParksAssociation of the ACT is a member ofanother organisation, the National ParksAustralia Council (NPAC). Formed in1975, NPAC is Australia’s peak body ofnational parks associations and like-minded organisations. Quoting itswebsite, NPAC ‘provides a forum forregular communication between Stateand Territory National ParksAssociations and acts as a united voicesupporting conservation of the NationalReserve System across Australia’. TheNPA has been a strong supporter ofNPAC and distinguished NPA members,Neville Esau and Christine Goonrey,have both been presidents.

Historically, NPAC has been anorganisation with limited resources, butin the past year member groups havebanded together to fund a part-timeSenior Policy Officer, Dr Sarah May.Key tasks for Sarah in this election year

have been to update NPAC’s policy onthe management of the National ReserveSystem (NRS) and NPAC’s keycampaigning document ‘Australia’sLiving Treasure’, which contains thefollowing five key recommendations tofederal politicians for the strengtheningof the National Reserve System.1. Developing national conservation land

and sea management standards thataim to ensure that all NRS protectedareas, including national parks, retainthe values that led to their gazettal,particularly in the face of climatechange and other threats.

2. Allocating adequate resources,including funding of $500 million over3 years, to assist states, territories andcommunity partners in completingstrategic acquisitions to the NRS.

3. Support nationwide bio-link projects,which enhance connectivity betweenkey habitats and engage thecommunity in collective effort.

4. Listing protected areas that are part ofthe NRS as ‘matters of nationalenvironmental significance’ under thenational environmental laws (EPBCAct), with provision for otherprotected areas to be listedvoluntarily.

5. Ensuring ultimate federal decision-making powers are retained andstrengthened under nationalenvironmental laws (the EPBC Act).This is all vital work for ensuring

that Australia meets its internationalobligation for ensuring that the NRS iscomplete, adequate and representative.The Association is proud to supportNPAC by sharing its office space(thanks also to the ConservationCouncil). NPAC has tax deductibilitystatus and donations to NPAC can becoordinated by contacting Rod Griffithson [email protected].

Rod Griffiths

The vital work of the National Parks Australia Council

NPA’s Nature Play programThere is growing concern that the currentgeneration of young people is exposed toexcessive amounts of screen time andthat time connecting to nature hasdramatically reduced. With increasingreliance on technology and heightenedsafety concerns of parents, children havenever been so separated from the naturalworld.

Recent research is showing thatoutdoor play can improve a child’shealth, academic performance, mentalwellbeing, and personal and socialhealth, and mitigate symptoms ofADHD.

Last year, in cooperation with theCanberra Bushwalking Club (CBC),NPA began a program called Nature Playto reach out to families and children.With an emailing list of around30 individuals and organisations, a widevariety of family-friendly activities hasbeen advertised, with graduallyimproving uptake. Activities includeovernight camps, a rainforest walk, a dayat a Gundaroo property (where we foundtwo Long-necked Tortoises and a nestingpair of Peregrine Falcons), bird and antwalks, and Sugar Glider spotting withFriends of Mount Majura. CBC’s walksfor children are ‘Prambulation’ forbabies, ‘Toddlers Toddles’ for children1–3 and ‘Kids walks’ for 4–7 and 7–13year-olds.

A truly exciting development in thepast few months has occurred within

ACT’s Sport andRecreation Servicesagency which, in aprogram calledACTIVE 2020, isdeveloping a widerange of initiatives toencourage Canberransto become moreactive. There aresome worryingelements in this,however, as theoverwhelming emphasis in the program ison physical activity. For example, theprogram specifically is ‘committed toexpanding the extent and range ofsustainable mountain bike opportunitiesavailable to the Canberra community’.

Nature Play is nevertheless one of thestrands of the ACTIVE 2020 program andwe are fortunate to be able to be involvedin its early development. We will benegotiating with the convener on how theNPA can help. At long last there will be acentral portal that families can access todiscover nature-based activities. I urgeinterested members to contact me withtheir ideas and comments as I do not wishto do this alone.

The Nature Play concept hasprogressed in WA, SA and Qld, all ofwhich have dedicated websites and wide-reaching programs for families,communities and schools. It is anticipatedthat the ACT Nature Play website will be

launched in July. Do look at thereferences below as such programs maybe vital to NPA’s future growth anddevelopment.

Graham ScullyReferencesNature Play www.natureplaywa.org.au

www.natureplaysa.org.auwww.natureplayqld.org.au/

Canberra’s Active-2020 Strategic Planwww.sport.act.gov.au/about-us/active-2020

Log walking. Photo by Linda Groom.


As part of Canberra Nature Park, ArandaBushland is a valuable refuge for localplants and wildlife, protectingbiodiversity and forming part of thebushland corridor between MountPainter and Black Mountain NatureReserve. It is also a precious breathingspace for people to enjoy.

The Parkcare group, Friends ofAranda Bushland (FoAB), runs monthlyactivities in conjunction with ACT Parksand Conservation. The 100-hectareBushland extends from Aranda Hill withits dry open woodland, southwards to theAranda Snow Gums Heritage Site nearWilliam Hovell Drive.

Most of Aranda Bushland’s trees areregrowth following logging many yearsago. Although the Bushland is generallyin good condition, it is coming undergreater pressure from prolongeddroughts caused by climate change,hazard-reduction burns when vegetationis already drought affected and increasedhuman activity.

In the week of 21 March 2016, ACTParks and Conservation staff conducted acontrol burn on the stony north-westslopes of Aranda Bushland, close to itsperimeter.

The open woodland on the slopewhere the control burn was conductedcomprises mainly Red Box (Eucalyptuspolyanthemos), Brittle Gum(E. mannifera), Red Stringybark(E. macrorhyncha) and Scribbly Gum(E. rossii). The understorey includes peaflowers (Daviesia spp), wattles (e.g.Acacia rubida), matrush (Lomandra spp)and orchids (Diuris spp, Caladenia spp,Pterostylis nutans) in scattered areas.Some orchid areas were excluded fromthe burn but a check will have to bemade in spring to confirm that this wasso.

Despite precautions, hazard-reductionburns often burn with greater heat andintensity than intended

Parks and Conservation have a duty ofcare to protect lives and assets as a firstpriority. Staff have designed strategiesfor ecological burns under the ACT’sStrategic Bushfire Management Plan,with input from conservationorganisations including NPA ACT.

Despite precautions, hazard-reduction burns often burn with greaterheat and intensity than intended, as hashappened on the site of Aranda

Bushland’s most recent control burnwhich is now black, brown and desolate.

On Tuesday 5 April, Kevin McCue,committee member of FoAB and ofNPA ACT, organised a walk through thearea with Michael Doherty, a plant andfire ecologist from CSIRO who came in aprivate capacity. John Brickhill, NPAenvironment subcommittee member hadpreviously made some observations ofthe burn and emailed them to the FoABcommittee.

… the fire was of a higher intensity thanwould have been desired in a fuelreduction burn

The views of both Michael and Johncoincided on many points. Their mainobservation was that the fire was of ahigher intensity than would have beendesired in a fuel reduction burn,particularly one in a conservation reservewhere conservation objectives are meantto inform fire management prescriptions.Despite recent media coverage in theACT about the desirability of so-called‘cool’ burns, this burn certainly did not fitinto that category. A very high degree ofcrown scorch had affected the trees. Thebark of the Red Stringybarks had beenscorched to varying degrees, but overallbark hazard levels were still patchy afterthe fire even though crown scorch wascommon.

John and Michael both noted that,before the fire, the Red Stringybarks hadbeen showing moderate crown dieback.John wondered when this first had

occurred and if it was a result of thedrought years 2002–10. Lerp insects(family Psyllidae) didn’t appear to be afactor.

… there will be a rapid re-establishment of the shrub layer fromseed and resprouting

Michael explained that, compared witha low-intensity understorey burn, ahigh-intensity burn resulting in canopyscorch leads to a rapid drop of deadleaves from the canopy to the forestfloor, re-initiating the build-up of finelitter fuels post fire. Although fine fuelsand elevated shrub fuels were reducedin the burn, there will be a rapid re-establishment of the shrub layer fromseed and resprouting due to the intensityof the burn. In that case, there needs tobe consideration of the trade-offbetween fine ground fuels and elevatedshrub fuels and which state is more orless desirable from fuel managementand biodiversity perspectives. Thisaffects both the frequency and intensitywith which an area is burnt.

… intense hail or rainstorms would seeconsiderable sediment run into thecreek line

If the intention had been to burn inpatches, it hadn’t turned out that way.Michael commented that the intensityand spread of the burn can be regulatedby the spacing of the drip torchinitiation points – if they are further

Aranda Bushland’s recent hazard-reduction burn: where to next?

(continued next page)

Aranda Bushland from Mount Painter after the burn. Photo by Sarah Hnatiuk.


Aranda Bushland’s recent hazard-reduction burn: where to next? (continued)

apart, a patchier burn can be created; ifthey are too close together, fire edgeswill coalesce to form a larger front andthis will often result in a higher intensityburn and full canopy scorch. Indicationsare that either the drip torch pattern orthe weather on the day, or both, created ahigh-intensity burn over most of the burnarea, resulting in full canopy scorch. Inparticular, full consumption of groundfuels on steeper slopes would ideally beavoided to help prevent sheet erosion,yet the central parts of the burn areawere burnt at high intensity and thesurface coverage has been fullyremoved. Luckily it has been a dryautumn, but intense hail or rainstormswould see considerable sediment run intothe creek line from these steeper slopes.This is exactly what happened in one ofthe post-2003 fuel reductions on BlackMountain and that was 3.5 years post-burn (see photo).

In his observations, John noted thatof all the areas on the ground he’d seennone had escaped burning ‘... except forthe creek line and one patch in the south-east corner of the burn (but I may havemissed other patches). This means thatthere has been limited number ofrefuges for small reptiles, insects etc.so it is very good that the gully linethrough the middle of the area was notburnt.’ (JK’s bold).

It appears that the creek line will beburnt next year. Is this really necessary?Why can’t it be left as a vital refuge?

John also noted that: ‘Eucalypts domost growth in spring–summer, and inFebruary–March start slowing growth in

preparation for winter. However, whenburnt in autumn, they are forced toproduce a new canopy of leaves just asthey are shutting down at the end of theirnormal growth period ... The stringybarktrees that are putting out a new leafcanopy are subject to one more stressfollowing the canopy dieback a few yearsago.’

He adds just one cheery point about aspecies that may have benefited from thefire in the short term: ‘I saw a family of

three scarlet robins twice, andat both times they were feedingin the burnt area’.

We pondered [an] alternativeview that leaf litter should notbe subjected to a burningregime

Michael spotted the shoots ofRed Stringybark, Broad-leavedPeppermint (E. dives) and thepea flower (Daviesiamimosoides subsp. mimo-soides), which was heartening.We could also see epicormicgrowth on some trees. Michaelsuggested we conduct a surveyin spring to monitorregeneration and see how thevegetation had been affected.

The group discussed the threat oferosion on the steeper slopes whereground cover has been burnt away andhow the heavy 4WDs used during theburn had turned the walking tracks intovehicular ones. We pondered thealternative view that leaf litter shouldnot be subjected to a burning regimewhen it is the habitat of insects that willreduce its mass (see Ted Edwards,‘Looking at leaf litter’, NPA Bulletin,March 2016, p. 7). We also wonderedabout the practicality of night burnswhen it is usually cooler, and the futureof bushland and species diversity withaccelerating climate change andincreased pressure for more controlburns.

Judy Kelly, with Michael Dohertyand John Brickhill

Black Mountain: erosion on track on west side of Black Mountain on 14 March 2007shortly after an intense hailstorm. This area was burnt in a moderate intensity hazard-reduction event in September 2003. Photo by Michael Doherty, CSIRO.

After the Aranda Bushland burn inMarch 2016. Photo by Judy Kelly.

This Bulletin was prepared by:Editor, Philip GatenbySubeditor, Ed HighleyPresentation, Adrienne Nicholson


We are sad to report the death on12 April of long-time member PaulMlakar, following a severe strokesuffered in November last year.

Paul, with wife Penny, joined NPA inearly 1994. He was a good friend andsupporter of the Association, and weespecially acknowledge his generosityand kindness in making and donatingsignage for us through Mlakar Signs, hisfamily business. Paul made the signs forour old office in Chifley and, in 2007,provided signage for us and theConservation Council for the new officein the city.

In 2010, Paul made promotionalmaterial for our 50th anniversary. Pauland Penny joined us for the anniversarycelebration at Namadgi Visitor Centrewith a picnic on the lawns outside and,when thanked for his contributions, Paulwanted to know why he wasn’t beingasked to help more.

NPA is indebted to Paul for hiscontributions to the Association, whichwere so freely given, and extends itsdeep sympathy to Penny, and to familyand friends.

Ed Highley recalls his friend Paul:Though Paul was not a regularparticipant in NPA outings, he was,from the time he arrived in Australiain the 1960s, a keen camper in, andexplorer of, our backblocks, forming astrong affinity with his newhomeland’s natural world.

Obituaries

Vale Paul Mlakar

David Hall, an active and very popularmember of NPA (and the former FamilyBushwalkers) for many years, died on18 March 2016.

David was born in Chelmsford,Essex, on 19 May 1934. He undertook anapprenticeship as a fitter and turner.Later he joined the Marconi Companyworking on, among other things, an earlyversion of microwave equipment. Hisnational service was undertaken in theBritish Army in Kenya during the brutalMau Mau uprising. He became anaccomplished parachutist, a hobby hepursued for some years after hisdischarge. David emigrated to Australiawith his wife Ann Rayner in 1963 andspent most of his career working as aprecision instrument maker at theResearch School of Physical Sciences atthe ANU. Here he worked on equipmentfor Australia’s largest optical telescope atCoonabarabran. Following his retirementfrom the ANU, he continued to work

with a precision engineering company inFyshwick.

David loved the Australian bush andrevelled in the outdoor life it provided.He was a keen day and pack walker as

After I was fortunate to get to knowhim in the 1990s, we both becamepart of a group of regular walkers inNamadgi and further afield. Weeschewed bush bashing and neverskimped on provisions, especiallyPaul, who always carried theheaviest pack full of good things toshare. I think that I can safely saythat on one of our visits to BrandyFlat Hut we enjoyed a luncheon oflavishness the likes of which willnever again be seen there.When we got a bit more serious,Tasmania became a favouritedestination for the group and, inrecent years, we much enjoyedPaul’s bonhomie on walks in theTarkine rainforest, along the Tarkinecoast, in the Walls of Jerusalem andCradle Mountain– Lake St Clairnational parks, and around theFreycinet Peninsula. A report on thelast-named excursion appeared in theJune 2015 issue of the Bulletin.Paul was a treasured companion andI’m sure that, like me, others whoknew him will greatly miss hisfriendship, humour and generosity.

Judy Kelly

Paul on the track to Pine Valley, CradleMountain–Lake St Clair National Park.

Photo by Ed Highley.

Vale David Hall well as a hardworking member of theNPA’s and Gudgenby BushRegeneration Group’s work parties. Hisenthusiasm for cutting down feral pinetrees and digging out briars waslegendary. David was an avidbirdwatcher and in recent years enjoyedmany trips far and wide in Australia topursue this interest with his companion,Pam. He was also fascinated byAboriginal culture and was always onthe lookout for artefacts, which hetreated with great respect. He, more thanmost, knew the skill that had gone intotheir making.

David was one of those rare peoplewho always added to the pleasure ofothers on a trip into the bush. His quickwit, his interest in all aspects of thenatural world and his willingness to helpout in any situation will be missed.

Timothy Walsh, with Keirand Abigail Hall

Photo by Abigail Hall.

Peter Ormay We mourn the passing of NPA ACT member and dedicated conservationist, Peter Ormay, onThursday 19 May. There will be an obituary in the next issue of the Bulletin.


The National Rock GardenAustralia’s geology has been a majorsource of the country’s economicprosperity for the past 200 years.However, geology is more than justmining and resources: it underlies thelandscapes, history and culture of ournation. The spectacular and uniquescenery has been preserved in manynational parks across the states andterritories, Kakadu and Uluru beingprominent examples. Through tourism,this will fuel our prosperity long into thefuture.

The National Rock Garden (NRG) isa tribute to this geological legacy,displaying rock specimens from acrossthe continent in a single location inCanberra. It will showcase the diversityof the rocks, fossils and minerals thatcontribute so significantly to the nation’slandscapes, heritage and prosperity.

The Geological Society of Australia(GSA) initiated the idea of such a gardenin 2008 and, in April 2011, a prestigiousNRG site on the shore of Lake BurleyGriffin was gazetted as a NationalMonument by the Hon. Simon CreanMP. In October 2013, as part ofCentenary of Canberra celebrations, thefirst rock display at the NRG, theFederation Rocks, one from each stateand territory, was opened by the thenACT Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher.

The NRG will be a world-classeducational and tourist destination for allAustralians as well as for internationalvisitors. More than 100 spectacular rockspecimens will be on display, carefullychosen to tell interesting stories aboutAustralia’s geological heritage. It will be

a permanent display to celebrateAustralia’s rich geological heritage in aparkland setting within the nationalcapital.

The local story is no less compelling:the site for the national capital on theLimestone Plains was ultimatelyapproved by Edward Pittman, a geologist,as providing adequate water and goodfoundation materials. Local geologists,members of GSA and NPA, published abeautiful geological map of the ACT in2008 that tells the story of the local rocks,from deep-water sediments to volcanic

ash and their use by Aboriginal peopleand early European settlers.

Compiled by Kevin McCue from:http://www.nationalrockgarden.

org.au/about-us/background/

Note: A walk from the National RockGarden to a limestone outcropnear the National Museum ofAustralia and back has beenorganised for 30 July 2016. SeeOutings Program, pp 13–16.

The National Rock Garden. Photo by Professor Brad Pillans.

StolenThe bus pulls in to the outback motel.A long cramped journey for scientistsreturning from a field conference. Andtomorrow threatens another long bustrip.

I see a track sign for St Mary’s Peak.Some kilometres. Mm ... is it thehighest in the Flinders Ranges? I lookacross the aisle at C. Don’t know himwell but heard he’s a mountaineer.Like me, absorbed in work these days.

Ask him. He nods. Grab torches andwater bottles. The others unload thebus and look forward to the eveningbarbecue. We walk along the tracktowards St Mary’s Peak. Daylightfades. After an hour it’s quite dark.Then dark cliffs loom. No idea of theroute. Straight up? We agree.

bemused, curious. They’ve enjoyedtheir evening drinks, their barbecue,the comfortable motel, breakfast.

We’re tired, hungry, grubby, elated.We’ve stolen a great mountain.

sunlighttouches distant peaksabove the cloudsdo climbers stand therelooking down at me

Gerry Jacobson* Genesis, 1, 4

Steep loose rock. Torches clenched inteeth, we scramble up. The summithas a tiny patch of grass. A drink ofwater and we lie down waiting fordaylight. Perhaps I doze, watching thestars. Don’t remember being cold.

and God sawthat the light was good*and created us with eyes to see this paradise

Just light enough to see. To feel thatwe’re on top of the world. WilpenaPound. We head back down the cliff.Reach the track. Have to move fast.The bus is leaving at 8 am and there’sseveral km to go. We run. Just catchthe bus as people are boarding. Throwourselves on board. Colleagues


A tour of ‘Canberra Nature Map’My image of NPA members, rightly orwrongly, is their love of walking,experiencing nature and satisfying theircuriosity about the many plant andanimal species they encounter. They areknown to take photos, often spectacular,and to share them, to carry speciesguidebooks, and to research species thatmay appeal to their individual curiosity.While experiencing nature seems to bethe antithesis of interacting withcomputers, Aaron Clausen, whocombines a passion for nature andcomputer wizardry, has created‘Canberra Nature Map’ (CNM) whichenables NPA members and their ilk toshare their photos and to identify andresearch local species.

I hope that readers will not only readthis article but also acquaint themselveswith CNM and encourage others to doso.

… there are many more populations ofrare plants than previously knownCNM is still an infant, but a precociousone. Its initial purpose was to recordlocally rare and threatened plant species.It achieved immediate success asbudding amateur photographers–naturalists, with a little encouragement,readily photographed rare plants. Itquickly became apparent that there aremany more populations of rare plantsthan previously known and even plantsthought to be extinct were recorded.However, as these enthusiasts could notreadily distinguish between rare and notso rare plants, many photos of theregion’s spectacular native plants as wellas weeds and fungi were reported. This

posed a question: Should CNM berestricted or accept all plants, includingweeds and fungi species? It was decidedto accept all plants and fungi. Seeing thepotential of CNM, I lobbied for reptilesto be added. I was successful but as soonas reptile species were added, amateurenthusiasts started to submit photos offrogs and so frogs were added. Thepressure to add faunal groups led to theaddition of birds and butterflies. Work isunderway to add mammals and extracategories of insects.

CNM a very rich data source.A key driver of CNM is MichaelMulvaney who saw the potential of theCNM to be a great resource for the ACTGovernment to provide data anddistribution maps on Canberra-regionspecies. He contributes much of his owntime organising CNM, verifying speciesand finding funding sources. He andAaron have engineered the addition ofthe ACT Government’s ‘ACT WildlifeAtlas’, including FrogWatch, andCanberra Ornithologists Group historicalrecords. Others, including Betty Wood,Michael Bedingfield, John Wombey andI, are adding our own historical records,which makes CNM a very rich datasource. We are among the manycontributors who are adding andverifying species records. All this worktakes place behind the scene.

To explore CNM, I suggest that yougo to your computer, find ‘CanberraNature Map’ on the web and login. Youmay then start to observe the brillianceand power of CNM. While you canexplore any area of the CNM, I will

confine my guided tour of the site toreptiles and frogs.

On the bar at the top of the webpage, click on ‘Species’ and then clickon ‘Reptiles and frogs’. On the newpage, you will find highly informativegeneral information. On the right-handside there is a menu to choose from.Click on ‘Dragons’ and six dragonspecies, accompanied by three photos,will appear.

Click on ‘Eastern Bearded Dragon’for more information and an impressivearray of photos. Click on the icon to theleft of the ‘Quick Search’ box. You maytoggle between images and records.Click on any individual record to learnabout it. Next click on ‘View SpeciesDistribution’ and a map showing thedistribution of Bearded Dragonsappears. You may manipulate the map todrill down and move around. You canalso click on an individual icon on themap and it will show you that record – avery powerful tool.

Another feature to explore on theheading bar is ‘Maps’, which has threecomponents: ‘Nature Parks’, ‘Otherdistricts’ and ‘Radar environmentreport’. ‘Nature Parks’ are defined areassuch as parks and reserves within theACT; no doubt you will find a favourite.‘Other districts’ includes all Canberrasuburbs and NSW localities within theCanberra region. Click on ‘Nature Park’and then ‘Black Mountain’, the secondmap icon. It brings up all the images andrecords for Black Mountain. Click onthe map and it will show all the species



recorded. You can drill down and youmay also turn off any species groups notof interest to you. You may also click onindividual icons and see the actualrecord. The Radar report allows you todrop a pin and obtain the list of thespecies within various radii of the pin –amazing.

Registering with CNM is painless.To upload a record onto CNM, you willneed to register. Registering with CNMis easy. Registration enables you to entera record under the ‘Report’ icon.Assuming you have a photo of a BeardedDragon, you may report ‘Reptiles andFrogs’ under Group, ‘Dragon’ underCategory and ‘Pogona barbata (EasternBearded Dragon)’ under Species. Ofcourse you may also enter ‘I don’tknow’. A moderator will identify and/orverify the species. You then need toattach your photo. The photo needs tohave the date and location embedded,but this can be easily got around ifnecessary. Registration creates yourprofile and it allows you to see and edityour records as well as a distributionmap of your sightings.

CNM is available as an iPhone orAndroid App. Download the App onyour mobile phone and you can takephotos and create records as you go. Isuggest that, if you have limited phonedata, you do the initial download andupload records when you have access towi-fi. The CNM App gives you access tomany of the CNM features and recordsyour location even if you cannot access atower.

Geoff RobertsonFor any queries please contact me: [email protected] or 0403 221 117.

Orroral Valley mystery objectReaders of the March issue of the Bulletin may recall a picture taken atthe NPA Christmas party of a number of members examining a cog-like object on the ground outside the old shearing shed in the OrroralValley, presumably part of a machine used for farming. Research bymembers (particularly John Brickhill and Simon Buckpitt) has shedsome light on the purpose of this mystery object.

Writing on its underside revealed it was manufactured at the AtlasWorks in Earl Colne, a village in Essex in England, by R. Hunt andCo. who made agricultural equipment there between 1824 and 1988.

The metal pieces remaining on site are the crown wheel and one oftwo supporting beams of the machinery that was driven by a long leverattached to the top of the crown wheel. This lever was pulled by ahorse walking in a circle thereby generating power via a spinningshaft. The shaft could then power a chaff cutter or any other smallfarming implement that was used in a fixed location. Chaff was anessential food for working horses that were the backbone of work onrural properties, so cutting chaff would have occurred regularly onmost large properties.

Such machines were often known as ‘horseworks’. Philip Gatenby and John Brickhill

Relic at Orroral woolshed. Photo by Philip Gatenby.

A tour of ‘Canberra Nature Map’ (continued)

Canberra Nature Map boundary.


Last year Judy and Dave Kellywent to the Easter car camp atthe hamlet of Goongerah in EastGippsland and Judy wrote up afascinating article on theirexperiences. I was so taken withit, not only from anenvironmental perspective, butalso historically, that I thoughtI’d put it on the NPA programand see how it ran.

So at Easter 2016 a group ofnine (Mike, Annette, Meg,Frank, Esther, Jenny, Deidre,Gary and I) set forth toexperience the East Gippslandforests in Errinundra NationalPark (ENP) and in thesurrounding state forests. Weloved what we saw but were, at thesame time, horrified to see the currentand continuing forest logging practicesand the destruction of so many largecoupes of high-quality hardwood treesfor the purposes of turning them intoplantation timber plots.

Forestry running at lossA recently released report from theNature Conservation Council of NSWand the National Parks Association ofNSW, demonstrates that NSW forestryhas cost NSW taxpayers $79m over thepast 7 years (http://www.nature.org.au/campaigns/forests-and-wildlife/). Iwould presume the costs to theVictorian taxpayers would be similarand that significant savings could bemade to both the Victorian and NSWbudgets if this industry stopped logging.

Furthermore, over the past 15 yearswe have watched worsening economicconditions, illegal logging, financiers

is then seeded with one-speciestimber – Tasmanian Blue Gum?We have seen and lived throughthe effects of the pyro cumuluscloud created in the Canberraregion in the 2003 fires. WestonCreek, Tuggeranong and Wodenlost 500 houses and several lives,and suffered longer term publicand environmental impacts. Allof the actions by VicForests, asGary noted, are proffered on theeconomic assumption that therewill be a market for the productof these plantations in 15–30years time. Get real! Thesemarkets do not exist now andwill likely not exist in the futureeither! Surely there are many far

better alternatives involving economic,social and environmental employmentopportunities that can be consideredand implemented without delay.

Riches of the Kuark forest and beyondAs a small but important example, thecamp participants were taken to severalintact Kuark forest coupes.Unfortunately, these are scheduled forlogging in the near future. We saw hugeold-growth trees, tree orchids, fabulousferns and some of the plant and animaldiversity contained in those forests. Wehad also passed monocultureplantations of various ages and sawsome recently logged areas. They are sobad. One of the major legal battles thatthe Goongerah Environment Centrepeople have currently running is to savethe remaining Kuark native forests.

If the Kuark were connected to ENPand extended to the coast around Marlo/Snowy River wetlands and CapeConran (areas to which I have led NPAcar camps in the past), then we wouldhave a set of contiguous protectednational parks from the Alps to themouth of the Snowy River. Imaginehow the job creation, recreational andtourism potential of that would beappreciated by future generations. Infact, that extension in Victoria connectswith Kosciuszko National Park andBimberi Nature Reserve in NSW, andwith Namadgi National Park in theACT. How wonderful and amazingwould that be? It is worthwhilecomparing the costs of this continuing

withdrawing investment in these areasand public condemnation of both theextent of logging and actual loggingmethods, the collapse of big players inthe industry – i.e. Great SouthernGroup, Timbercorp, Gunns – and theclosure or downsizing of many largepulp mills. This has led to severalparliamentary committee inquiries intothe agribusiness management invest-ment industry.

Why promote clear-felling and all itsnegative consequences?

We could not fathom why logging inVictoria is continuing, especially in theremaining East Gippsland forests. Whyis the Victorian Government promotingclear-felling, leaving isolated trees (thatdie within a short period) and fire-bombing the debris (creating those hugedestructive pyro cumulus clouds), tocreate an impoverished ecosystem that

Sardine Road; hard going after rain.Photo by Meg McKone.

Forests Forever ecology car camp

The owl is the emblem. Photo by Di Thompson.



Forests Forever ecology car camp (continued)

devastation against these and otheropportunities that won’t be availablewhile logging of the forests continues.

Di Thompson

The camp organisers, theGoongerah Environment Centre(http://geco.org.au) and Vic NPA,were delighted with the bigcontingent from the NPA ACT.

Kuark coupe. Photo by Di Thompson.

TrailRider shines

My experience with theTrailRiderTrailRider enables people with mobilityissues to be taken on tracks in Tidbinbillaand other suitable places. A few weeksago when asked by Graham Scully, I wasvery willing to trial the wheelchair on theHimalayan Cedars pathway in theNational Arboretum.

The wheelchair has only one wheeland so-called ‘Sherpas’ at the front andthe back are needed to pull and push thechair with its passenger. On my turn,Graham’s sister and brother-in-law tookthe front handles and Graham guidedfrom the back. Being carried along wasvery comfortable for me, but also veryhumbling to be carried by fellowhumans.

I hope that families or groups withdisabled members in their midst willborrow the TrailRider so that many morepeople will be able to experience ourbeautiful bushland.

Fiona MacDonald Brand

others less fortunate some additionalopportunity to experience the naturalwonders of the ACT. There is hugesupport from ACT Parks andConservation, including RegionalManager Brett McNamara and VisitorExperience Managers Melissa Bartonand Priscilla Sutton, as well as excellentcooperation from the Arboretummanagement, their volunteer guides fromthe Friends of the Arboretum, volunteersfrom Conservation Volunteers Australia,and our own Sherpa volunteers, whonow include Tim Walsh, Kathy Saw,David Large, Mike Morris and SimonBuckpitt. Simon, who is also the KHAHuts Maintenance Officer Namadgi,booked the TrailRider for an Orroralwoolshed working party which,unfortunately, was cancelled due to aprescribed burn.

Other organisations expressing aninterest are Birrigai environmental andeducation centre and the ACTGovernment’s Historic Places section,which manages the educational outreachprograms at Lanyon. Both havesuccessfully trialled TrailRider withchildren who are wheelchair users.

All in all, knowledge is graduallyspreading about the extendedopportunities TrailRider can bring towheelchair users, and we in NPA canfeel proud of what has already beenachieved.

Graham Scully

The TrailRider all-terrain wheelchair hasgone a long way since NPA donated it tocelebrate Canberra’s centenary. With theACT Parks and Conservation Servicenow taking major organisingresponsibility, the NPA has organiseddemonstrations and provided ‘Sherpas’during the Heritage Festivals of 2014,2015 and 2016.

This year, on 4 April, the TrailRiderallowed eight people to experience thechallenging slopes of the HimalayanCedar forest at the National Arboretum.Six were from a disability servicesorganisation and two were members ofthe public, including our own FionaMacDonald Brand (see below).

It was heart-warming to see their joyat travelling in such an environment.One young woman desperately wanted arepeat ride but, alas, time did not permit.Her organisation (Sharing Places),however, has since borrowed TrailRiderfrom Tidbinbilla. One staff memberwrote:

The TrailRider is great and we hadit here at Pearce for all of lastweek. It got a bit of a workout andit has proved to be very popular. Itwas a revelation to us that we couldtake it away and keep it for a week.We will certainly be doing thatagain. Everyone had a greatmorning at the Arboretum and weare grateful to all who volunteeredand made it possible. If it’s onagain, count us in.It has been a privilege and pleasure

to work with people prepared to givePhoto above. Arboretum CEO and NPA volunteers tackle the

steep slopes of the Himalayan Pine forest. Photo by Graham Scully.


Nominations for NPA office bearers and committee 2016–17

Nominations are sought for office bearers and committee members to be elected at the AGM on 18 August 2016.

We nominate ………………………………………………………….

for the position of ……………………………………....................................................................……………. in NPA ACT in 2016–17

Proposed by …………………….….......…....……… (signature) Seconded by ……………….……………………….... (signature)

I accept the nomination ……………………………..…………….. (signature) Date ………………………..

[This form can be photocopied or scanned and used for nominations.]

NPA ACT Annual General Meeting18 August 2016 See notice page 26

Items of interestMurrumbidgee’s flowing

Where the gum trees are growin’And the Murrumbidgee’s flowin’Beneath the sunny sky …

(Jack O'Hagan 1922)

At the April NPA general meeting, Barrie Virtue gave anillustrated talk entitled Murrumbidgee’s flowing on theexploration of the river and its tributaries, with specialemphasis on Captain Charles Sturt who explored the river onan expedition to the mouth of the River Murray.

Max and Berts and waspsParticipants on regular work parties at Max and Berts Hut in NamadgiNational Park have noticed a big increase in recent years in EuropeanWasp numbers around the hut. At this year’s work party, Kevin McCuedeployed two wasp traps on exposed tree branches and didn’t have long towait, reporting that there were a dozen drowned European wasps and a flyin one trap and five dead wasps in the other. This was quite encouraging asthe bait being used was not supposed to be very attractive to wasps for 24hours or so. More trappings were expected in the next 2 weeks so long as astorm didn’t knock the traps out of the trees they were hanging in..

Wasp trap near Max and Berts Hut. Photo by Max Lawrence.

For several years Sturt owned a block of land on the present-day ACT/NSW border. The block was granted to Sturt in1835 in recognition of his explorations and included landnear Ginninderra Falls.

Above. The Murrumbidgee at Wagga Wagga.Left. Gigerline Gorge on the Murrumbidgee.

Photos by Philip Gatenby.

5 June Sunday WalkMOUNT MCDONALD AND URIARRA

Map Cotter Dam 1:25,000Grading 2 A/B (on snow)Leader Brian SleeContact 6281 0719 (h) or

[email protected] 9.30 am Cooleman Court carpark (Liardet Street, just south ofMcDonalds) and drive to BrindabellaRoad car park, just north of Cotter

Reserve. Climb through open forest andon track to Mount McDonald for viewsover Cotter Dam and BrindabellaMountains. Descend west to UriarraSettlement for lunch. Return on lowerlevel trails near the dam. 11 km, onesteep climb.

Afternoon tea Sakeenas, CoolemanCourt.

Drive 30 km, $12 per car.

11 June Saturday Work PartyGUDGENBY BUSH REGENERATION GROUP

Leader Michael GoonreyContact 6231 8395 or [email protected] at the Namadgi Visitor Centre at9.15 am. Map rabbit warrens in the areaaround Yankee Hat car park. Tools provided.

NPA outings programJ u n e – S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 6

Bushwalk Grading GuideDistance grading (per day) Terrain grading1 up to 10 km A Road, fire-trail or track E Rock scrambling2 10 km to 15 km B Open forest F Exploratory3 15 km to 20 km C Light scrub4 above 20 km D Patches of thick scrub, regrowth

Day walks Carry lunch and snacks, drinks, protective clothing, a first aid kit and any required medication.Pack walks Two or more days. Carry all food and camping requirements. CONTACT LEADER EARLY.Car camps Facilities often limited. Vehicles taken to site can be used for camping. CONTACT LEADER EARLY.Work parties Carry items as for day walks plus work gloves and any tools required. Work party details and location sometimes

change, check NPA website, www.npaact.org.au, for any last minute changes.Other activities include ski trips, canoe trips, nature rambles and environment or field guide studies.Wednesday walks (WW). Medium or somewhat harder walks arranged on a joint NPA, BBC (Brindabella Bushwalking Club)

and CBC (Canberra Bushwalking Club) basis for fit and experienced club walkers. Notification and details areonly emailed to members registered for WW. Only NPA-hosted WW are shown in this program. For WW emailregistration, contact the Outings Convener.

Transport The NPA suggests a passenger contribution to transport costs of 40 cents per kilometre for the distance drivendivided by the number of occupants of the car including the driver, rounded to the nearest dollar. The amountmay be varied at the discretion of the leader. Drive and walk distances shown in the program are approximate forreturn journeys.

NPA ACT members undertaking walks or other activities in this program are advised they should have PRIVATE HEALTHINSURANCE or, at least, AMBULANCE COVER in case of an accident requiring evacuation by ambulance or helicopter.


Points to notePlease help keep our outings program alive by volunteering to lead outings. New leaders are welcome. The Outings Convener ishappy to suggest locations suitable for a walk if you do not have something in mind. Feel free to send in suggestions for outingswith a suggested date to the Outings Convener by email to [email protected]

All persons joining an outing of the National Parks Association of the ACT do so as volunteers in all respects and as suchaccept responsibility for any injury howsoever incurred and the National Parks Association of the ACT, its office bearers andappointed leaders, are absolved from any liability in respect of injury or damage suffered whilst engaged in any such outing.

In voluntarily participating in these activities conducted by the NPA ACT, participants should be aware that they could beexposed to risks that could lead to injury, illness or death or to loss of or damage to property. These risks could include but are notlimited to slippery and/or uneven surfaces, rocks being dislodged, falling at edges of cliffs or drops or elsewhere, risks associatedwith crossing creeks, hypothermia, heat exhaustion and the risks associated with any of the Special Hazards listed on the Atten-dance Record and Risk Waiver Form provided by the leader at the activity.

To minimise these risks participants should endeavour to ensure that the activity is within their capabilities and that they arecarrying food, water, equipment, clothing and footwear appropriate to the activity. Participants should advise the leader if they aretaking any medication or have any physical or other limitation that might affect their participation in the activity. Participantsshould make every effort to remain with the rest of the party during the activity and accept the instructions of the leader. By sign-ing the Attendance Record and Risk Waiver Form participants agree that they understand these requirements and have consideredthe risks before choosing to sign the form and waiver any claim for damages arising from the activity that they might have againstthe association, the leader or any other participants in tort or contract.

Children under 18 years of age are welcome to come on NPA ACT activities provided they are accompanied by a parent,guardian or close relative. Parents or Guardians will be required to sign a specific Risk Waiver for a Child form.

Leaders to note: please send copies of completed Attendance Record and Risk Waiver Formsto Brian Slee, contact 6281 0719 or [email protected]


NPA outings program June–September 2016 (page 2 of 4)

12 June Sunday WalkBURRA GORGE AND LONDON BRIDGE

Map Captains Flat andWilliamsdale 1:25,000

Grading 3 A/BLeader Barrie RContact 0437 023 140Walk from London Bridge picnic area,along fire trail to Burra Creek. Followcreek upstream through gorge, then opengrassland possibly to Burra, return viaLondon Bridge Homestead and Archacross grassland and along trails. About16 km and about 300 m climb. A lovelywinter's day walk. Contact leader formeeting place and time.


19 June Sunday WalkLOWER ORRORAL LOOP

Map Rendezvous Creek 1:25,000Grading 2 ALeader Steven ForstContact 0428 195 236A walk from the Orroral Valley campingarea along the valley to the site of theOrroral Valley tracking station. Morningtea at the historic Orroral Homestead.The NPA was involved in its early preser-vation and restoration. Meet at KambahVillage shops at 8.30 am.


22 June Wednesday WalkJOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY

Leader Barrie RContact 0437 023 140Details are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.

25 June Saturday Work PartyMOLONGLO NATURE RESERVE

Leader Martin ChalkContact 0411 161 056This work party was planned for Junelast year but was cancelled. This year wewill try again. The task involves plantingSnow Gums in the lower MolongloValley (site to be determined). Plantingequipment will be provided but suggestyou bring gloves. Meet at CoolemanCourt (McDonald’s car park) at 8.15 amor Coppins Crossing gate on north side ofthe river at 9.00 am.

Drive 12 km, $5 per car, fromCooleman Court.

26 June Sunday WalkROB ROY RESERVE

Map Tuggeranong 1:25,000Grading 2 A/BLeader Mike SContact 0412 179 907From the ACTEW substation south ofTheodore we will follow a track/fire trailto Callaghan Hill (200 m climb) thencontinue to Mount Rob Roy (aboutanother 250 m climb after dropping a bit).An off-track, short-cut downhill andmaybe, depending on time and party, aside trip to Rose Trig (not Rose Hill), thenon to Big Monks Trig and down to theback of suburban Banks before a road andoff-track walk back to the start. Over15 km (excluding 2 km side trip to RoseTrig), mostly on track or road. Goodviews from the high points.

Meet Kambah Village shops by 8.30am or go direct to Theodore ACTEWsubstation by 8.45 am.


29 June Wednesday WalkJOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY

Leader Mike SContact 0412 179 907Details are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.

3 July Sunday WalkMT PALERANG

JOINT NPA / BBC ACTIVITYMap Bombay 1:25,000Grading 2 A/B/C/ELeader Barrie RContact 0437 023 140A lovely walk for a winter’s day to a realsummit with stunning views. Mainly offtrack getting there, mostly on trackreturning. Great variety in vegetation.About 10 km, 480 m climb. Some lightscrub. We will need high clearancevehicles.

Meet at Spotlight, 6 Bungendore Road(aka Kings Highway), leaving at 9.00 am.


9 July Saturday Work PartyGUDGENBY BUSH REGENERATION GROUP

Leader Michael GoonreyContact 6231 8395 or [email protected] at the Namadgi Visitor Centre at9.15 am. Plant seedlings raised byGreening Australia at Peppermint Hill.Tools provided.

10 July Sunday WalkCAMELS HUMP AND PIERCES TRIG

Map Tidbinbilla 1:25,000Grading 3 A/ELeader Terrylea ReynoldsContact 0408 715 218 or terryleain-

[email protected] from the Mountain Creek car parkin Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (TNR) toCamels Hump and Pierces Trig via theCamel Back fire trail. A scramble upCamels Hump (1,450 m) to the cairn ontop for grand views and then northwardsonto Pierces Hill Trig (1,365 m) forsuperb views to the east. Return to carpark via fire trail. Meet at TNR VisitorCentre at 8.30 am. Car pool from here toreduce park entry fee.

17 July Sunday WalkBRANDY FLAT HUT

Map Rendezvous Creek 1:25,000Grading 2 ALeader Steven ForstContact 0428 195 236A short walk from Glendale over thehills to the picturesque Brandy Flat Hutfor lunch. All the walk is on track andfire trail. Meet at Kambah Village shopsat 8.30 am.


23 July Saturday Work PartyLOWER COTTER CATCHMENT

WILDING PINESLeader Martin ChalkContact 0411 161 056This work party is a continuation of theactivity undertaken in previous years.The area is undergoing significant reha-bilitation following the removal of apine plantation. The focus of this workparty will be an inspection of the wholearea to determine how much pineregrowth has occurred. Bring loppersand/or bush saw. Replacement sawblades and gloves provided. Meet atCooleman Court (behind McDonald’s)at 9.00 am.


Drive 45 km, $18 per car.24 July Sunday Walk

ETHERIDGE RIDGE (snowshoe)Map Perisher Valley 1:25,000Grading 2 A/B (on snow)Leader Brian SleeContact 6281 0719 (h) or [email protected] 6.15 am. Drive to Thredbo andtake Kosciuszko Express chairlift toEagles Nest. Follow metal track toCootapatamba Lookout before turningnorth and climbing Etheridge Ridge forspectacular views. Descend to SeamansHut. After lunch explore Snowy Rivernorth of Kosciuszko Rd before returningto chairlift across the plain. Afternoontea Jindabyne.

Participants hiring snowshoes shouldbe in possession of them prior todeparture. Book with leader by Saturdaymorning for weather check, departurepoint and car arrangements (chains maybe required).

Drive 420 km, $168 per car plus parkentry and chairlift fee.

27 July Wednesday WalkJOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY

Leader Philip GatenbyContact 6254 3094 (h) or [email protected] are emailed to those on theWednesday Walks email list. Otherwise

contact the leader.30 July Saturday Walk

NATIONAL ROCK GARDENJoint NPA/Field Naturalists activity

Leader Kevin McCue andProfessor Brad Pillans

Contact 6251 1291 or [email protected] is a joint NPA/Field Naturalistsouting, under the auspices of NPA.

We start at Australia’s new NationalRock Garden with an explanatory talkand tour led by Professor Brad Pillans,ANU Professor of Geology. From here

we will amble beside the lake to theNational Museum of Australia to inspectan outcrop of limestone from which theLimestone Plains were named and then toa nearby cafe for a drink and chat.

Meet at the National Rock Garden,Barrenjoey Drive (off Lady DenmanDrive) at 9.30 am. Those not wishing todo the round trip should be there by9.00 am to organise car transfers. Carpooling is suggested.

31 July Sunday WalkTEMPLE OF DOOM

Map Rendezvous Creek 1:25,000Grading 2 A/D/ELeader Philip GatenbyContact 6254 3094 (h) or [email protected] of Orroral Hill are numerouslarge granite boulders and tors. One ofthe more interesting formations iscolloquially called the Temple of Doom.Walk up the Nursery Swamp track to thesaddle north of Nursery Creek, thennorth-west and steeply uphill throughthick scrub to the rock outcrops. Returnto saddle via Nursery Creek. Scrubgloves and head torch recommended.

Meet at Kambah Village shops leavingby 8.00 am.


2 August Tuesday Work PartyGlenburn Precinct, Kowen

Leader Col McAlisterContact 6288 4171Tasks to be negotiated with the ParksService. Meet at Canberra railwaystation, Kingston at 9.00 am.


7 August Sunday WalkMCMAHONS HUT SITE

Map Williamsdale 1:25,000Grading 3 ALeader Margaret PowerContact 0418 645 303 or [email protected] from Honeysuckle Creekcampground to Booroomba Rocks formorning tea. Anyone not wanting tomake the climb up Booroomba Rocks iswelcome the join the walk and have theirmorning tea in the Booromba Rocks carpark and wait for the group to return.Continue on the Australian Alps WalkingTrack to Bushfold Flats and then to thesite of the former McMahons Hut forlunch. In the afternoon proceed via ReadsHut (aka Bushfolds Hut) to the MountTennent Fire Trail and continue to theApollo Road. Approx 18 km. Car shuffleinvolved. Meet at Kambah Village shopsat 8.30 am.


13 August Saturday Work PartyGUDGENBY BUSH REGENERATION GROUPLeader Michael GoonreyContact 6231 8395 or [email protected] at the Namadgi Visitor Centre at9.15 am. Barbed wire fence removal inPeppermint Hill area. Tools provided.

14 August Sunday WalkURAMBI HILLS AND RED ROCKS GORGEMap Tuggeranong 1:25,000Grading 2 A/BLeader Rod GriffithsContact 0410 875 731 or

[email protected] walk over the Urambi Hills down intothe northern part of the proposed suburbof Thompson to look at the dry stonewall and on to Red Rocks Gorge. Meetat Kambah Village shops at 8.30 am.


21 August Sunday WalkROLLING GROUND (snowshoe)

Map Geehi Dam 1:25,000Grading 3 A/B (on snow)Leader Brian SleeContact 6281 0719 (h) or [email protected] 6.15 am. Drive to Munyang andfollow AAWT, steeply at first, to newlyrebuilt Horse Camp Hut. Leave tracknorth of hut and climb ridge west toRolling Ground. After lunch followdifferent ridge back to hut and retracesteps to car. Could be a late finish.Afternoon tea Jindabyne. Not suitablefor beginners.

Participants hiring snowshoes shouldbe in possession of them prior todeparture. Book with leader by Saturdaymorning for weather check, departurepoint and car arrangements (chains maybe required).

Drive 410 km, $164 per car plus parkentry fee.

24 August Wednesday WalkJOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY

Leader Barrie RContact 0437 023 140Details are emailed to those on theWednesday Walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.


27 August Saturday Work PartyPINE ISLAND SNOW GUMS

Leader Martin ChalkContact 0411 161 056This is a continuation of the work startedin February 2015. The task consists ofpine control in the northern end of thePine Island Reserve snow gums. Pleasebring gloves, bush saw and/or loppers.Meet at Kambah Village shops at 8.45am.


28 August Sunday WalkUPPER ORRORAL LOOP

Map Corin Dam 1:25000Grading 3 A/BLeader Steven ForstContact 0428 195 236This walk starts at the tracking station siteand wanders up the valley to the SmokersGap fire trail, then across the river andback down the other side of the valley tothe bridge near the tracking station site.Mostly open grassland tracks and firetrail. Meet at Kambah Village shops carpark at 8.30 am.


31 August Wednesday WalkJOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY

Leader Mike SContact 0412 179 907Details are emailed to those on theWednesday Walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.

4 September Sunday WalkRENDEZVOUS CREEK VALLEY

Map Rendezvous Creek 1:25,000Grading 2 A/B/CLeader Mike SContact 0412 179 907A walk from the car park at RendezvousCreek to visit historic sites including oldhut sites and the remains of Rowleys Hut,stockyards, an air-strip, a grave, asignificant rock shelter and the cascadeson Middle Creek for lunch. Walkingmostly off-track in grasslands but with abit of light scrub.

Meet at Kambah Village shops at 8.00am.


10 September Saturday Work PartyGUDGENBY BUSH REGENERATION GROUPLeader Michael GoonreyContact 6231 8395 or [email protected] at the Namadgi Visitor Centre at9.15 am. Spraying of weeds andmaintenance work on the GudgenbyWalking Track from Old Boboyan Roadto Hospital Creek. Tools provided.

11 September Sunday WalkSHEPHERDS LOOKOUT TO URIARRA

CROSSINGMap Canberra Nature Reserves –

Uriarra Loop WalkGrading 2 A/B/CLeader EstherContact 0429 356 212 or

[email protected] down from the lookout to cross theMolonglo River and on to UriarraCrossing for lunch in the picnic area.Return by similar route finishing withsteep climb back to Shepherds Lookoutfor impressive views of theMurrumbidgee River.

Meet at Shepherds Lookout car parkoff Stockdill Drive in Holt at 9.00 am.

17–18 September Weekend WalkLONG POINT AND BUNGONIA

Map Caoura 1:25,000Grading 2 A/BLeader Steven ForstContact 0428 195 236A walk down into the Shoalhaven Gorgefrom Long Point near Marulan. A longsteady descent on a narrow path down tothe river. Dropping our packs at a camp-site by the river we will walk into thebottom of Bungonia Gorge. Next dayclimb out slowly by the same route toLong Point. Book with leader byThursday 15 September.


18 September Sunday WalkLITTLE TWYNAM (snowshoe)

Map Perisher Valley 1:25,000Grading 2 B (on snow)Leader Brian SleeContact 6281 0719 (h) or [email protected] 6.15 am and drive to Guthega.Proceed via Illawong and follow TwynamCreek on its north and west sides to LittleTwynam. Return on opposite side ofTwynam Creek. Magnificent views.Some hard climbs. Afternoon tea atJindabyne.

Participants hiring snowshoes shouldbe in possession of them prior todeparture. Book with leader by Saturdaymorning for weather check, departurepoint and car arrangements (chains maybe required). Alternative destinationMount Twynam (if conditions excellent).

Drive 420 km, $168 per car plus Parkentry fee.

24 September Saturday Work PartyRENDEZVOUS CREEKWILLOW CONTROL

Leader Martin ChalkContact 0411 161 056This work party will be a revisit of thework we conducted in 2013. The main

location is approximately 500 mupstream from the Boboyan Road withother isolated trees further upstream. Wewill chop and poison the larger trees –small ones may be cut-and-dabbed. Alltools will be provided but a smallfolding saw and/or a short-handle axewould be handy. Be prepared for wetfeet! Meet at the Namadgi VisitorCentre at 8.30 am.

Drive 60 km, $24 per car fromNamadgi Visitor Centre.

25 September Sunday WalkNURSERY SWAMP

Map Rendezvous Creek 1:25,000Grading 2 A/B/CLeader EstherContact 0429 356 212 or

[email protected] From Nursery Swamp car park offOrorral Road hike up to the end of theforest track and explore further into theswamp. Lunch spot and amount ofexploration will depend on water levels.Meet at Kambah Village shops at9.00 am.


28 September Wednesday WalkJOINT NPA / BBC / CBC ACTIVITY

Leader Mike / Barrie RContact 0412 179 907 / 0437 023 140Details are emailed to those on theWednesday Walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.

Advance Notice15–23 October Car CampWEDDIN MOUNTAIN AND NANGAR NPS

JOINT NPA/BBC ACTIVITYLeader Mike SContact 0412 179 907It’s wildflower time out west and Wed-din Mountain NP, in particular, isrenowned for them. So it’s time for a carcamp.Nine days of car-camping and daywalking in these two central NSWNational Parks out near Forbes (3 fulldays in each NP plus 3 days for travel-ling to, from and between). Participantsmay come for either or both NPs.Leader may also go to Goobang NPfollowing this activity and you arewelcome to join him. For day-to-daydetails of activities or to express interestcontact the leader. Numbers limited.



Date: 31 October – 2 November 2015.Participants: Esther Gallant (leader), Jo

Clancy, David Large, Rene Lays,Di Thompson, Tim Walsh.

At 8 am on 31 October the forecast is fora 60–80 per cent chance of rain andpossible thunder storms for the next3 days. We are not deterred. At 10 am itis almost too hot for the initial climbfrom Rendezvous Creek car park.Threatening clouds soon move in fromthe west and the walking temperature isperfect. After a brief stop at a track-sidepicnic table we continue on themanagement track. The morning tea stopis just short of Rowleys Hut site – stillcloudy and threatening. We reach thecampsite at 12.30 pm and hurriedly erecttents and a tarp. The rain holds off so wewalk up to the Aboriginal Art site and aredismayed to see that others have hadfires right under the overhang. On thereturn we find the only orchid of thetrip – a single Golden Moth Orchidamong tussocks of grass. Most otherherbaceous flowers are small andscattered. The rest of the afternoon weleisurely watch threatening clouds movedown the valley. Intermittent lightshowers and early dinner preparationsstart at about the same time. The tarp iscosy and dry with plenty of room for allto cook under. Still raining as we retreatto the tents at dusk.

… a delightful dawn chorusAll are amazed by morning sun and bluesky. Those who woke during the nightwere surprised at the bright glow of themoon. Birds provide a delightful dawnchorus. A big roo stops to consider thestrange obstacles in his path – thenbravely hops through the camp.Encouraged by the clear sky, we set offup valley to the cascades, watching thegrey clouds again approaching down thevalley. A startled Brown Snake sunningin a vehicle track hurries away at our

approach. The management track isfaint and only occasionally markedbut not too difficult to follow. Thereare three creek crossings with dryfeet – the last on parallel planks. Abush bash down to the cascadesfollows. We have just settled on theboulders next to the splashing creekwhen rain starts.

… pea flowers add sweet fragranceto the walkLunch was shortened by the leader’sdesire to get everyone off theboulders before they were evenmore slippery. Another short bushbash took us back to the track andthe showers stopped. The track islined in many places by brightyellow and orange pea flowers(Daviesia and Oxylobium). Theyadd visual interest and sweetfragrance to the walk. We arrive atcamp along with sun and a blue skydotted with fluffy white clouds. Idealweather for relaxing, drying wet clothesand enjoying an afternoon cuppa usingthe tarp now for shade. Living up to the‘relaxed’ title of the walk, individualsspent the rest of the afternoon exploringand enjoying the area (large boulders,small waterfall, flowers and trees),splashing in the creek, photographingnature or just relaxing and/or napping.

… a darkening sky … the excitementbegins Dinnertime approaches and the greyclouds move in again. At about 7.30 pm,the arrival of a serious storm is heraldedby a bright flash of lightning and distantroll of thunder. Evening tasks are quicklycompleted and campers scamper to theirtents.

Then the excitement begins. Apowerful wind is heard in the trees(Visitor Centre recorded 110 km/hour –wonder what we had). There are,simultaneously, loud thunder and

intense lightning bolts –the tent skeleton (poles andseams) is starklysilhouetted against thebright sky. Gusts of windshake the tents and pushthem nearly flat at times.Peals of thunder rumble

down the valley and echo from side toside for 30 seconds or more each time.Then the storm moves on – to befollowed by yet another intense front –and then another as the cycle repeatsagain and again.

... peace again reignsThoughts flash through the leader’smind. How high are the closest trees?Will the tents survive more strongwinds? No commotion outside soeveryone must be OK. Hope all are stilldry.

The morning is damp and quiet. Nodawn chorus from wet birds! By 9 amall have eaten and packed their wet gear.Now we have the pleasure of a non-rainy walk to the cars under scatteredclouds. We have enjoyed pleasantwalking and experienced impressivedisplays of raw nature.

Esther Gallant

BushwalksExciting Rendezvous Valley pack walk

Rendezvous Valley. Photo by Esther Gallant.

Left. The scented track throughthe forest of Rendezvous Valley.Right. Well-used tarp at camp.

Photos by Esther Gallant.


Mount TantangaraDate: Monday 14 March 2016

(Canberra Day holiday).Participants: Brian Slee (leader),

Ed Highley, Margaret Power.Weather: Mostly blue sky; warm;

occasional cool breeze.A rider on horseback, one of a dozen onthe summit, observed: ‘In 10 years Ihave never seen walkers on MtTantangara’. Indeed, NPA has had onlyone other daywalk there since 2005 andHarveys Hut logbook confirms that themajority of visitors are riders. Scatteredcigarette butts also suggest horseydominance. Nevertheless, their tracksmake it easier to find the way.

We departed Kambah Village at7.30 am but it was a slow trip toAdaminaby as the ACT section was anundulating sea of fleeing macropods andthen, beyond the border to theMurrumbidgee, shuddering corrugationsreminiscent of the 1950s added to thedelay. Does the local council neglect thisroad now that Peter Cochran is no longera member?

Eventually we set out on AlpineCreek Fire Trail from Snowy MountainsHighway at 9.45. The total climb is 565m but the majority of that comes 3 kmup the trail after a left turn is taken ontothe ridge leading to the summit. Ouronly pause before that point was toobserve a curious flow, in broad

will anyone ever dare paint over thehut’s brown exterior? All will cheer.

We took a different route back to thesummit, catching sight of Tabletop andJagungal on the way. From there it wasmainly on horse track, reaching the firetrail 300 m north of where we left it.Back at car 3.33 pm. 12 km.

Having tricked The Bake House,Adaminaby, by turning up on a Monday(otherwise they may have hurriedlyclosed) we enjoyed tasty treats beforereturning to Kambah the way we came,arriving 6.15. On the way, near GrassyCreek, a silhouetted echidna high-stepped across the road before shufflingup a bank.

If you wish to see the mountainhorse-free, wait for the next bigsnowfall. Try being an optimist in themeantime.

Brian Slee

formation, of minute black ants acrossthe path. Gang-gangs and yellow-tailedcockatoos provided the sound track.

It was a slog up through vegetationbefore we found the horse track. Weclimbed slowly past bluebells,helichrysums (or whatever they havebeen renamed) and daisies to the all-round view from the trig (1,745 m) atnoon before descending north-west for akilometre on alpine grass to Harveys Hut

for lunch under aSnow Gum. 22º,delightful breeze,no sign of forecastrain. Aah!The easychair andmattresses remainin the neat interiorof the hut. Thelibrary is down toone volume,beginning p. 173.The guitar hasdisappeared but

‘The fleeing dinosaur’. Photo by Ed Highley.

Harveys Hut. Photo by Ed Highley.

Bushwalks (continued)


NPA ACT Art Week at Gudgenby CottageHaving had several very successful Art Weeks at Gudgenby Cottage over the years, wehave again applied for access to the cottage for a week in spring;

Saturday 3 to Sunday 11 September 2016.

Expressions of interest to Christine Goonrey 6231 8395 (h), [email protected],Hazel Rath 4845 1021 (h), [email protected], or Adrienne Nicholson 6281 6381.Note: the second weekend coincides with a Gudgenby Bush Regeneration work party,

which means that there may well be afternoon tea available for the workers.

from Mike Smith, I undertook to lead thewalk. In the event it was an enthusiasticgroup effort, everyone contributinggenerously. Thank you.

Two-thirds of the 43 km route was onfire trails (FT). From Tooma (Khan-coban–Cabramurra) Road we set outsouth on Day 1 on Snakey Plain FT at11.15 am. It involved a 200 m climbover Jagumba Range (1,580 m), the topof which is marked by a traditionalwind-worn wooden trig (SMA1009),which we visited during lunch. A nearbysign announced Jagungal Wilderness;ironic considering the ban on signs inareas so defined. The subsequent descentto beautiful Snakey Plain was followedby a further decline through MountainAsh forest to Wheelers Hut.

Apart from its interesting horizontalslab construction, we decided that theunique hut’s key delight was the frontveranda: all those vernacular touches

plus a magnificent view overBroadway Plain to Jagungal.The hut is surrounded bySnow Gums. On the practicalside, water gurgled nearby

Date: 5–8 April (Tuesday–Friday) 2016.Participants: Brian Slee (leader), Jan

and Philip Gatenby, TerryleaReynolds, Barrie Ridgway, MaxSmith.

Weather: Mostly fine; mild at first thenchilly; light winds.

On this 4-day pack walk in JagungalWilderness, south of Tooma Dam inKosciuszko National Park, camping athuts on moonless nights, our dailyroutine was to get up at first light,depart between 8 and 8.30 am and finishwalking between 2 and 2.30 pm. Aftererecting tents we would spend theevening in front of a fire before retiringfor the night. Saw no one else for4 days.

Discussion about the walk arose ayear earlier. Never having been to PrettyPlain, my idea was to convince theinimitable John Evans to lead but hewas unavailable. So with helpful advice

beneath a grass canopy and wood wasplentiful. Treecreepers calledmonotonously.

We headed east across faintly trackedcountry on Day 2 to Toolong Diggingsand Broadway Creek before bushbashing up a tributary of the latter toDargals FT. This connected to Hell HoleCreek FT from which we eventuallyturned south onto a footpad (west ofTooma River) to Pretty Plain. While thepad reduces the discomfort of tussockjumping, pig damage right along theplain has reintroduced some of the sameeffect. A copperhead snake wriggled outof sight. There were helichrysums andeyebrights.

We had lunch on the plain, and twohad a river dip, after a side trip to theruins of Pugilistic Hut, just a fireplaceand rubble. Pugilistic Creek surges bythe hut after emerging from a mountainpass and immediately flows into anequally surging Tooma River. From itselevated position the hut had a stunningview east over the plain. Rebuild it now!

Left. Tooma River. Photo by Jan Gatenby. Below. Pretty Plain Hut. Photo by Philip Gatenby.


Camping at Wheelers Hut.Photo by Philip Gatenby.

Pretty Plain



Pretty Plain (continued)

Corryong Festival, $2,150). Not the lasthorses we saw; at Kiandra tourists hadstopped for a mob of brumbies whosedocility suggested they had becomeaccustomed to being fed.

We later visited Sawyers andDelaneys Huts, before lunching atAdaminaby bakery, together with theBentley Club, touring vintage modelsfrom Victoria. We were back in Canberrasoon after 2 pm.

Round Mountain would be a usefulstarting point for future pack walks inthis area.

Brian Slee

After noon wecontinuedundulating gentlynorth, passinglovely unburntforests. Patons Hutcame into viewacross a valley but,closer up, theturnoff was notentirely obviousand two of us hadto be retrieved fromthe trail. A cairnwas erected as afuture alert. Jets streamed constantlyabove, barely audible. Parrots freelyfilled the void. The hut, rebuilt in 2008,is not as famous as its cousins but itssolid slab construction has a surprisingallure. It lacks seating, but water wasagain laid on.

Day 4 was cloudy: we had but ashort walk through forest to one of thecars at Tooma Dam. The second car wasretrieved from the trailhead, 4 km west.On the return journey we stopped atBradley and O’Briens Hut (occupied byCochran’s 7-day horse trekkers –Khancoban to Yaouk – returning from

While the forecast high winds hadnot eventuated, our sunny morning hadclouded over – rain seemed imminent –so we hurried along, staying on the padwest of Bulls Head Creek beforeclimbing a rocky bluff to Pretty PlainHut. Showers fell between 6 and 8 pmby which time we were mostlycomfortably settled. The hut itself,rebuilt in 2010, is famous for its logconstruction, solid as a fort. Thenewness of the timber is graduallydiminishing. It has a third room with itsown entrance, curiously separated fromthe others. Bulls Head Creek flowsfreely by. Its water is the purestimaginable.

Kookaburras announced a mistydawn on Day 3. Effects of the rain werenot much evident but the air was cooler.The fog lifted and we retraced our stepsto Dargals FT. A flock of robins dartedabout; a pig pranced away in thedistance; a White-lipped Snake was seenswallowing a skink. Dargals FT took usnorth to Tooma River, which was easilyforded (mostly boots off). Lunch, and acold plunge for half the contingent, wason the other side. A leech departeddownstream.

White-lipped Snake with skink. Photo by Barrie Ridgway.


Glenburn Precinct newsThere has been some progress on thetrail, which is for walkers and cyclists.The final route has been settled, twosteel ‘bridge’ crossings of Glen BurnCreek near the Colverwell graves andthe small creek near Curleys Homesteadruins have been put in place and the drafttext of a new interpretative sign has beenprepared for the site of the GlenburnHayshed Remains, the Field Mower andthe Excavation. A fallen post at thehayshed remains has also been re-erected.

Other major tasks to be carried outare the erection of route markers,construction of a new parking area nearthe intersection of Charcoal Kiln Roadand the Kings Highway, the constructionof several step-throughs or somethingsimilar at several gates and fences, andthe preparation of a new interpretativesign for the precinct to be erected in thenew parking area.

But it is still hoped that the trail willbe finished this financial year – subjectto the Parks and Conservation Servicefinding the necessary funds.

Land Management area of theDepartment of Horticulture and Floristryof the Canberra Institute of Technologyspent the day at Colliers and Curleys forsome lectures and some practical workexperience.

Col McAlister

Three guidedtours were conductedin April and May fordescendants of Johnand CatherineCoppin, for theHeritage Festival andfor U3A. Participantswere very generousin their donations tothe NPA to beused for Glenburnpurposes. Forty-onedescendants of theCoppins, from as faras Melbourne and theupper New SouthWales coast, visitedCoppins Homestead Ruins and donated$415. Unfortunately, only 2 of the10 who had booked turned up for theHeritage Festival event and 12 membersof U3A visited the precinct.

Thank you to the small number ofdedicated volunteers who continue toattend work parties. In early May, staffand students of the Conservation and

Descendants of John and Catherine Coppin at Coppins HomesteadRuins, April 2016. Photo by Rhonda Boxall.


Aboriginal Land Council, and mightnever have developed without the richlylayered guidance of his father, muchrespected Elder, Uncle Ossie Cruse’.

The Eden Land Council superintendsa vast tract of land. The southernboundary runs from Cape Howe for over190 km along the NSW–Victoria border.With an area of 8,260 sq km it takes inTwofold Bay, Cape Howe, MountKosciuszko and Thredbo, Murray Rivergorges and sections of the Snowy River.One-third of the area is declaredwilderness and one-half is national park.

On Track: Searching Out theBundian Wayby John BlayNewSouth Publishing, 2015, 328 pp,RRP $39.99

Since 2001 the south-east Forests ofNew South Wales have been the focus ofJohn Blay’s work, often in associationwith local Aboriginal communities.According to John, ‘this walk wouldhave gone nowhere without thepersistent courage and determination ofB.J. Cruse, a member of the Eden local

Book reviewsLeaf Litter, Exploring theMysteries of a HiddenWorldby Rachel TonkinAngus and Robertson, an imprintof HarperCollins Children’s Books2010 [ISBN0-207-19844-6]RRP $17.99

Rachel Tonkin both wrote andillustrated Leaf Litter, Exploring theMysteries of a Hidden World, whichThe Children’s Book Council ofAustralia shortlisted. Her beautiful andsensitive coloured illustrations capturethe world that leaf litter supports aboveand below the ground and, thoughrecommended for 5–7 year-olds, wouldappeal to all ages. It is the artisticcomplement to Ted Edwards’ article onthe significance of leaf litter in NPA’sMarch 2016 Bulletin.

Through her visual feast and text,Rachel shows the interdependence ofleaf litter, insects, reptiles, birds, plants,flowers and mammals. She does this byfocusing on the same setting of abursaria bush, a eucalypt trunk, a wattle,fungi, and different plants against theplay of the changing seasons.

We start with autumn and a deadBlue-tongue Lizard that attracts‘buzzing blowflies’ which lay their eggson the lizard. The lizard is drawn on aflap which, when lifted, reveals the tinyhatched maggots that ‘burrow into therotting lizard and gobble it up’ and inturn ‘are an irresistible meal for manycreatures’. Nature has a good garbageand recycling system.

Nearly every page shows the roleand value of leaf litter. It provides food:we see a family of fairy wrens hoppingover the leaf litter after ‘tiny seeds andinsects’, while on another pagespringtails (wingless insects) ‘eat intomushrooms and munch on dead leaves... There are also green and brownleaves, roots, twigs and branches’.

The autumn picture continues,showing a Pobblebonk Frog shelteringunderground while a flap reveals a lizardin its burrow hibernating. The readerlearns that ‘Inside, the leaf litter stayswarm, even when autumn frosts coverthe top’. Completing the picture is ahunting wasp shown ‘dragging a funnelweb spider that it has paralysed out ofthe spider's silk-lined burrow’.

In summer, the other seasonalextreme, the insulating properties of theleaf litter are again apparent: ‘Bareground scorches in the fierce sun, but thesoil under the leaf litter stays cool andmoist’. Rachel has painted an alertEastern Rosella among the leaf litter butstrangely the text doesn’t mention thebird.

A list of ‘Things to Find’ at the backof the book prompts readers to embarkon a treasure hunt. A valuable glossaryfollows. Like the Eastern Rosella, not allfeatures in the illustrations arementioned in the text or things to find.These may be clarified in theaccompanying Teaching Guide whichyou can buy separately but isn’tobligatory, or it may be a way ofencouraging the use of other references.

The camouflage of insects, mothsand frogs against the leaf litter is soskilful that a child’s curiosity will bearoused and powers of observationsharpened. I’m still trying to find theimmobile frog in the dramatic nightpicture of the landing of an owl(Powerful Owl? pp 18–19). The frog has‘mottled skin that looks just like rottingleaves ...’ and is trying to avoidbecoming the owl’s next meal.

Threats to the natural environmentare gently introduced in the text andpictures. A Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo feather on the ground is a clueto the fact that habitat destruction meansthe trees where the cockatoos used tolive have been cut down, forcing them tofly further for their food. On anotherpage, the little mice digging a burrowunderground are House Mice which‘came to Australia on early sailing ships.They compete with … native mice forthe same food, so now there are not asmany Australian mice left’.

Rachel Tonkin has obviously doneher research and has acknowledgedspecialists at the front of her book,including ‘Bert Candusio, founder,Insectarium of Victoria, for his constantassistance and wealth of knowledge onthe insects of the box–ironbark forests ofAustralia’.

Leaf Litter, Exploring the Mysteriesof a Hidden World would be a wonderfulpresent for a grandchild, to stimulate orencourage their interest in the naturalworld. It also deserves to be given to anyadult who enjoys paintings of the naturalworld at close quarters with the leaflitter’s ecosystem explained sobeautifully. It’d also benefit the ForestrySchool and industry, all politicians andthose responsible for control burns whoregard leaf litter just as ‘fuel’.

The book is available online.

Judy Kelly



For thousands of years the TwofoldBay Aboriginal people used the BundianWay to travel to the High Country totake part in the harvest of the verynutritious Bogong Moths, whichaestivate in the cool crevices of the hugegranite boulders during the summermonths. The different family groups ortribes took the opportunity to meet, talk,exchange news and views, trade goodsand arrange marriages. The location ofthese group meetings changed year byyear so that no one area was overused.

Blay describes and follows the routetaken by anthropologist A.W. Howitt in1866 to the Murray River and then to thecoast, a walk of 170 km. He is distressedthat this beautiful mountain country isbeing ruined by huge numbers of feralhorses (brumbies). For example, hedescribes the Mount Pilot wildernesswhere the banks of creeks have beenbroken down by the horses and theponds and swampy vegetation trampledto mush. Erosion gathers pace.

1980s, at the same time asconservationists claimed the area aswilderness. ‘The Forestry industry’s aimof taking out the eyes of the forestfailed, the area is now national park buttoday it is not a very pleasant place.Extensive parts were clear-felled,bulldozed, the quartzy ground scrapedclean as a grave. Regeneration isscrappy at best.’ I remember that thosewere bitter days for conservationists.

John Blay has a wonderful, humbleunderstanding of Aboriginal knowledge.He says ‘Walking in Aboriginalfootsteps makes me wonder how we canincorporate a greater sense of thenational Aboriginality into the overallAustralian culture. Culture is in the land.My walking is showing me theconnections, highlighting elements thatlet me see the countryside afresh.’

Fiona MacDonald Brand

Too many beautiful places hereaboutsare in a bad condition due to thebrumbies, which are in greater numbersthan the countryside can support. Theirhoof prints cut across the countrysideeverywhere. They still manage to alsofollow the old Aboriginal route, probablybecause it remains the best way from onepoint to another.

Blay describes special places like ‘theflats’ where the yams grow. Yams are animportant part of the Aboriginal people’sdiet and therefore need specialmanagement. He delights in the writingsof the Very Reverend W.B. Clarke, 1852,who walked the Bundian Track, showinggreat interest in and knowledge of thegeology and also collecting Aboriginalplacenames.

As John Blay explains, he comesacross Wog Wog Pass as shown on theold parish maps. Unfortunately, theupper Wog Wog River catchment, abeautiful bowl of unusual vegetation,was logged during the forest wars of the

Book reviews (continued)

devices. They dug through maps andsearched the ground for evidence. Theauthor has organised their disparatematerial as the core of this book.

It is good that the information isbeing published. First circulated on theinternet, this printed edition includes twooriginal maps and reproduces parts of24 historic or semi-historic maps, andconcentrates on recording information asGPS locations, although there is acaution regarding reliance on itsaccuracy. Spiral binding will encourageuse of the book in the field. For those notin love with their Garmin, it is a tediousread in places. And all this informationtends to take the wildness out of the

Exploring the JagungalWilderness: a Bushwalker’sGuide to KosciuszkoNational Parkby Robert Green (self-published),Deakin ACT, 2015, 90 ppRRP $29.95

When I purchased this book in February,newly arrived at Tabletop Press, Istraight away searched for informationon the status of the road to Cesjacks Hut.I had accessed Kosciuszko National Park(KNP) six times between 1998 and2001, using Snowy Plains Fire Trail, butsubsequent to the last occasion Ireceived an email message from thelocal bushfire brigade organiser warningthat the road was not open to public use.This seemed incorrect but I lacked anauthoritative opinion and never wentback.

Robert Green has done the work forme and states that the fire trail is a publicroad crossing private land. I wasimmediately keen to test it out and asluck would have it, another NPAmember, Max Smith, contacted me soonafter and together with StephenMarchant we were on our way in Marchto Cesjacks.

To get there one turns left fromEucumbene Dam Road onto NimmoRoad and climbs it to Nimmo Hill beforedescending west to Gungarlin River.From there the 16 km of fire trail to thePark boundary was always in badcondition, severely pot holed across bare

earth paddocks and deeply eroded atcreek crossings. The hut is a further 2 kmon foot. Fifteen years has made adifference; while still 4WD, most of thetrack now has some sort of road base andcrossings are greatly improved. Time hasbeen cut from more than an hour to45 minutes. To prevent the road beingdamaged, it should not be used after rain.

The author identifies this as the bestaccess route to Jagungal Wilderness. Itcertainly provided us with 3 days ofinteresting walking in a beautiful area,including to Bluff Tarn and Jagungal. Wereferred to the book several times,including to locate Moulds Hut site.

But first some background to thebook. In this respect, Robert Greenhimself has done a good job bycontributing to an article‘Groundtruthing around Jagungal’ whenpreviewing it for the NSW Federation ofBushwalking Clubs (The BushwalkerVol. 41, No. 1 (Summer 2016), p. 7). Tosummarise, Jagungal Wilderness wasbadly burnt in 2003. One result was theloss of a significant number of historichuts but the fires also opened torediscovery many forgotten tracks andsites by destroying the vegetationobscuring them. Recent editions of NSWGovernment maps are bereft of suchdetails. NPA member, Graham Scully(see his own preview in NPA BulletinMarch 2016, p. 21), was one of arelatively small group of highlymotivated and intrepid souls whobecame intent on recording the existenceof the old routes and sites on modern (continued on page 23)


Jagungal Wilderness reminiscence

whole Park. The Google map of JagungalWilderness on p. 6 leaves you wonderingwhere its precise boundaries lie. Thegeneral reader will gain little insight intowhat the place looks like: of the 13photographs, nine are close ups of huts orruins and only three are landscapes.

An opportunity to foster generalinterest in the Wilderness has been passedup, probably out of necessity by anauthor forced by the complexity of histask to hold to his narrow remit. Assomeone who delights in the area, itssnow-gummed peaks, vast sphagnum

Wilderness. But even those whowould rather make a few errorsthan be constantly checkingdatum points could find ituseful when conditions turnbad.

Apart from the Cesjacksroute, there is a plethora ofinformation in the book ondifficult access points in thearea; for example,Burrungubugge to Tin Hut,Kidmans Hut to BrassyMountains. Interconnectingroutes are described in detail.You are encouraged to campand explore areas subjected tomining such as Diggers Creekand Collins Creek. North ofCesjacks there is even anexcursion to the site of little-knownMacgregors Hut. The book concludeswith a series of recommended walks.Much has been packed into 90 pages andthe dedication of its contributors shinesthrough.

However, one wonders whether amore ambitious book had beenenvisaged. Its title suggests the whole ofJagungal Wilderness is its subject but itis in fact confined to the east and south-eastern section. The ‘strap’ to the title (abushwalker’s guide to Kosciuszko NP)erroneously suggests it is a guide to the

bogs, fields of summer billybuttons, remote backcountrysnowfields, this isunderstandable but dis-appointing. The author notes in passing‘the way that Snowy Plainsextends into the high alpinearea on the eastern edge ofthe Park’. It is puzzling thatSnowy Plains was neverincluded in the Park. Withplans approved for a windfarm in the area, an upgradeof Nimmo Road will berequired. This couldencourage further devel-opment and eventuallyimpinge upon KNP. Sothere are issues affecting the

Wilderness that need to be dealt with.While some of the historic huts

have been rebuilt, with the activeparticipation of NPWS, regrowth isagain reclaiming tracks. Pressure isnow mounting for restoration ofhistoric routes or for appropriate workto be done to raise them to a minimumnavigable standard for walkers. Recententries in hut log books record agrowing level of frustration withaccessibility, even from people wholove wilderness. Goes to show what adifficult concept Wilderness is.

Brian Slee

The book is available from the [email protected]

or Tabletop Presswww.tabletoppressbooks.com

Book Reviews (continued)

Snow Gum near Bulls Peak. Photo by Brian Slee.

Left. The creek below Mawsons Hut.Below. Bluff Tarn.

Photos by Brian Slee.



both vigorously asserted and deniedrespectively.

Earlier last year, however, a simplebut ambitious solution was proposed toresolve this debate. It involves movingthe Dingo fence around Sturt NationalPark (SNP) in western NSW, on theborder with Qld and SA. The park iscurrently inside (south of) the dingo-fence, where Dingoes are uncommon.This proposal would put it on theoutside, where Dingoes are morecommon. Allowing Dingoes to naturallyrecolonise SNP would form the basis of areintroduction experiment. By looking atthe impact of Dingoes on a range ofspecies and processes, the experimentwould test whether the Dingo can restoreecosystem functions.

To undertake the study 275 km ofnew dingo-proof fencing would berequired. Monitoring costs would be inthe order of $1 million per year, which isabout 10 per cent of what is spentmaintaining the dingo-fence each year.Money well spent to answer such animportant question. The majorprerequisite for the experiment toproceed would be convincing localcommunities to support the effort. Ifforthcoming, that would likely help tosway government policy. Garnering thissupport would require effectivecommunity engagement and extension. IsAustralia bold enough to do the rightscience to help resolve Australia’smammal extinction crisis? Only time willtell.

Nature NSW, Vol. 60, No. 1(Autumn 2016)

Return of the Devil?Until a few thousand years ago,Tasmanian Devils lived throughout mostof mainland Australia. Should we bringthem back? Before deciding this wewould need to answer a few questions.

First, could devils survive onmainland Australia? Almost certainlythey could, although they might neverbecome as widespread as in the past.There are large areas of the south-easternmainland with climate and vegetationsimilar to where devils thrive inTasmania and with many of the sameprey species. We can’t be sure what madedevils go extinct on the mainland, but itis likely to have been a synergy betweenextreme climate events and predation andcompetition by the Dingo and Aboriginalpeople.

Why would we want them on themainland? The Devil is the largest

(concluded on page 25)

weather that reduced their breedingsuccess. The quoll numbers didn’trecover as anticipated. Why? With thedecline of the devils, cats became moreactive suppressing their recovery.

So how do we get better at restoringour ecosystems? How can we weanourselves off a tactical response andmove towards a strategic landscapemanagement approach? Returning thesespecies to our ecosystems may be part ofthe solution to helping our wildlifebreathe a little easier. We can’t seepredator reintroductions as a singlespecies issue – it’s their relationshipswithin ecosystems that will be important.And as Tasmania has been the saviourfor many of the mammals the mainlandhas lost, perhaps it’s time to return thatfavour.


Reintroducing the DingoThere is global interest in restoring apexpredators from persecution by humans.This interest is partly driven by theecosystem services apex predators canprovide, especially via ‘trophic cascades’in which they exert strong control bypropagating impacts downward throughthe food web. In Australia, for example,there is interest among scientists andconservationists in restoring populationsof Dingoes. Dingoes are absent or foundin very low numbers, across much ofcentral and western NSW, as well asparts of South Australia (SA). Broad-scale control programs, in combinationwith the erection of the 5,500 km dingo-fence have driven this trend.

Calls for restoring dingo populationsare based around the arguments thatDingoes can keep in check smallerpredators such as invasive foxes andferal cats, in turn benefiting nativespecies by reducing overall predationpressure upon them. Dingoes may alsocontrol feral goats, as well as nativeherbivores such as Kangaroo and Emu,that together contribute to overgrazingwhen present in large numbers.

These are critical interactions toconsider: Australia has the highestextinction rate for mammals over the last200 years, with the loss of 29 endemicspecies. Predation by foxes and cats are acommon factor in many of theseextinctions, and a current threat to manyother threatened species. One issue isthat the nature and strength of dingo-induced trophic cascades has becomeone of the most debated topics amongscientists, to the extent that it has been

Edited extracts from recent issues ofjournals and newsletters, andonline sources.

The latest edition of Nature NSW isdevoted to the issues of ‘rewilding’. Thefollowing are some of the contents.

Rewilding – can it saveAustralia’s Landscapes?Rewilding Australia is both anorganisation and a philosophy. Bothshare a vision of moving conservationbeyond the preservation of our degradedexisting landscapes towards theirrestoration. This vision is more than justa romantic notion of what we’ve lost. It’sdriven by science. Our ecologists havebecome very adept at monitoring speciesdecline, but we are risk averse aboutreintroducing lost wildlife, particularlycarnivores, which are keystone speciesthat provide ecosystems with top downregulation. Ecosystems are inherentlycomplex. We’ve amplified thesecomplexities by introducing species suchas foxes and cats. For over a century wehave been at war with these interlopers.Baiting and shooting campaigns typifyour standard tactical response. And, ifyou throw enough time and money at it,often these programs work. But as soonas the money dries up, the pests comeback.

A letter penned by a farmer in 1921provides insight into the trophic cascadeof unintended consequences that canoccur when our carnivores are removed.While baits of this era targeted dingoes,they also killed quolls and goannas. Theloss of dingoes allowed kangaroonumbers to skyrocket, reducinggroundcover that small mammalsrequired for refuge. The collateraldamage: poisoned animal carcassesrotting in the landscape, increased blow-fly numbers and fly-strikes on the sheepthat farmers were trying to protect fromdingoes, leading to significant stocklosses. With no dingoes or quolls, rabbitsplagued, facilitating the rapid spread offoxes across the continent.

For decades, scientists have viewedTasmania as an ark containing specieslost from the mainland. Then in 1996 aTasmanian Devil turned up with agrotesque facial tumour. Within 20 yearsthe transmittable cancer had spreadacross Tasmania, reducing numbers by80 per cent. In December 2015 theEastern Quoll was listed as endangeredby the Federal Government. Their listingwas made on scientific advice thatindicated a population decline of 50 percent in response to a run of unseasonable

PARKWATCH


surviving marsupial carnivore, andwould be the largest mammalianpredator in mainland habitats withoutDingoes. It could therefore step into animportant role as a top predator,regulating some prey populations andsuppressing two invasive predators, theRed Fox and feral cat. If Devils did helpcontrol foxes and cats, they mightprovide indirect benefits to prey speciesthreatened by those predators. But this isa big ask – can they do it?

Do devils hunt down and kill cats?Probably not, or very rarely, but there areother ways in which they could be badfor cats. First, being formidablescavengers, devils are very good atremoving carrion. Cats do not usually eatcarrion, but will resort to scavenging toget through lean times. In the presence ofdevils, cat populations might declineunder those conditions. Second, devilsmight disrupt reproduction in cats bydisturbing dens or killing kittens. Third,aggression from devils could mean thatcats avoid them and therefore make lessuse of habitats where devils are mostactive and where there is most food forpredators. In combination, theseinfluences could mean that cats are morelikely to decline, or less likely to recoverfrom low numbers, when devils arearound.

We know less about the interaction offoxes and devils, because the Red Foxhas never succeeded in establishing apopulation in Tasmania, despite severalintroductions in the past. This raises anintriguing possibility: maybe devilsexplain the failure of foxes to establishdown there? If devils have prevented thesmaller foxes from taking off inTasmania, it is likely they did so throughsimilarly complex and subtle processesas just described for cats.

How should we go aboutreintroducing devils to the mainland? Weargue that this should be done in severalstages, the first of which would be alimited trial. That trial should bedesigned as an experiment to learn moreabout the ecological effects of devils inmainland environments, detect unwantedimpacts, and study interactions thatcannot be observed in Tasmania.Depending on results of the first stage,we could think about reintroduction overlarger areas, and eventually free releaseinto open landscapes. If we ever reachthat point, we will have accomplishedsomething of lasting value: an increase inthe diversity of native species andecological interactions in the ecosystemsof mainland Australia.


nature-based recreation opportunitiesthat permit all those millions of visitorsto enjoy our unique and wonderfullypristine national parks. These large intactlandscapes provide the best chance forspecies and ecosystems to persist in theface of rapid climate change. The NSWwilderness estate stands at 2,103,379hectares, the majority being createdunder Bob Carr and Bob Debus.

Declaration of the iconic centralDeua Valley, Coolangubra andTantawangalo in the South East Forest,and Tabletop and the Main Range inKosciuszko National Park should be thepriority areas for wilderness reservation.Some of these areas will needrestoration, but this is not impossible.The Murruin wilderness in the BlueMountains, and the southern end of theMetropolitan Special Area should beinvestigated as potential wilderness area.The coastal wilderness areas of theMoors in Myall Lakes NP and theSandon and Wooli catchments also meritexpedited assessment.

Further north are the undeclaredCarrai, Mann River, Timbarra, Binghiand Cataract wilderness areas, and on thewestern slopes in the Brigalow, thePilliga and Bebo wilderness areas areoutstanding candidates. Many existingwilderness areas are incomplete andrequire either voluntary acquisition orresolution of forestry and mineralresource issues to fully protect NPWSidentified wilderness. The acquisition ofthese areas can greatly enhance theecological integrity of core reserve areas.An allocation of $20 million over fiveyears, in addition to the currentacquisition budget would permitacquisition of up to 75,000 hectares ofwilderness. Assessment of the dozenpotential Outback wilderness areasshould use revised WildernessGuidelines appropriate for aridlandscapes. Landholder consultationshould include discussion ofopportunities for voluntary landacquisition and conservation agreementoptions.


Compiled by Hazel Rath

Japanese whalingJustice Jagot spent little time beforefinding Japanese whaler Kyodo SenpakuKaisha (Kyodo) in contempt ofAustralian courts. Humane SocietyInternational (HSI) initiated proceedingslast year after being granted aninjunction by the Federal Court (2008)requiring Kyodo to cease whaling in theAustralian Whale Sanctuary. The courtfound that Kyodo had killed whales inthe sanctuary in breach of Australia’schief environmental protectionlegislation, the Environment Protectionand Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.Presiding Judge Justice Jagot acceptedHSI’s evidence and found that Kyodo’sbreach was ‘deliberate, systematic andsustained’. She was satisfied that Kyodohad killed tens, if not hundreds, over fourwhaling campaigns. Penalising Kyodo,Justice Jagot said $1 million reflected the‘serious nature of the breaches’ and wasintended to ‘denounce Kyodo’s conduct’while deterring other vessels.

HSI is thrilled with both the findingsof Federal Court Judge Jagot and thespeed with which she came to herdecision. Unbelievably, the JapaneseGovernment has still sanctioned whalingin Antarctic waters by Kyodo, ignoringthe 2008 injunction, the InternationalCourt of Justice finding against them,and the Federal Court’s recent decision.Humane Society International Newsletter,

Vol. 22, No. 1 (March 2016)

Future Wilderness Protectionin NSWIn 2014, NSW national parks receivedover 39 million visits and as parkvisitation grows, visitor pressuresincrease. Fortunately, due to the effortsof many conservationists, attempts towind back nature-focussed parkmanagement have almost always failed.The horse riding in wilderness trials, forexample, is failing to demonstrate anygenuine demand for this proposedactivity. The political consensus thatonce a wilderness is protected, it shouldstay that way, has not disappeared inNSW – not yet anyway.

Our NSW wilderness estate helpsmanage a broad range of low-impact,

PARKWATCH (continued)

Harvest FestivalNPA had a promotional stall at Canberra’s HarvestFestival on 19 March 2016 to highlight the activitiesof the Association in the local cultural and naturalenvironment. Members Esther Gallant, AdrienneNicholson, Kathy Saw and Sally Stephens, whooperated the stall, handed out back editions of theBulletin and membership forms.

Photo by Esther Gallant.


New members ofthe associationThe NPA ACT welcomesLisa Quilteras a new member.

We look forward to seeing youat NPA activities.

NPA notices

Cover photographs

Front cover

Main photo. Morning light on Wheelers Hut (article page 19). Photo by Jan Gatenby.

Insets. Top. Aftermath of a controlled burn:Aranda Bushland(article page 4). Photo by Judy Kelly.

Centre. Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo (article page 8). Photo by Philip Gatenby.

Bottom. Mount Jagungal (articles pages 19 and 22). Photo by Philip Gatenby.

Back coverTop. Cup and Saucer Hill (article page 22). Photo by Brian Slee.

Bottom. Sunrise over the Tooma Diggings

(article page 19). Photo by Philip Gatenby.

National Parks Association Calendar

Public holidays

General meetings

Committee meetings

Gudgengy Bush Regeneration 2

Glenburn work party 3

June

Mon 13

Thurs 16

Tues 7

Sat 11

—

July

—

August

—

September

Mon 26

Thurs 21

Tues 5

Thurs 18 1

Tues 2

Sat 9

—

Sat 13

Tues 2

Thurs 15

Tues 6

Sat 10

—

Further details: 1. NPA ACT Annual General Meeting2. GBRG. Meet at Namadgi Visitor Centre 9:15 am.3. Friends of Glenburn meet at Canberra Railway Station, Kingston at 9:00 am, or at

the locked gate off the Kings Highway at 9:20 am.

Call for volunteersAt every NPA general meetingvolunteers from the membershipset up the hall and the supper. Weneed more volunteers for 2016 asthe roster is by no means full.Please contact Quentin Moran ifyou would like to help [email protected]

Thank you

Notice of Annual General MeetingThursday 18 August 2016

Business: Minutes of the AGM 2015Activities ReportFinancial ReportAppointment of AuditorElection of Office-bearers and CommitteeAny other business

Note: all office-bearer and committee positionsbecome vacant at the AGM.

Nominations for office-bearer and committeepostions for the coming year are welcome.Please copy or scan the nomination form onpage 12.

What was I? The critters on the back coverof NPA Bulletin, Volume 53Number 1, March 2016.

Yellow Admiral butter-fly, Vanessa itea

Common Bearded Dra-gon, Pogona barbata

Woolly bear caterpillar,Anthela varia

Spotted Grass Frog,Limnodynastestasmaniensis

Fringed Lily,Thysanotus tuberosus,with visiting native beeor fly

Aggregation of Sawflylarvae, Perga sp.

Membership fees are now dueIt’s that time of year again! Your letter for membership renewal anddonations is inserted in this Bulletin. Members who receive a digitalBulletin will receive their letter separately.

Part of the letter is a printout of the details we store confidentially onour membership database and we are asking members to check that theinformation we have (name/s, address, phone number/s, membershiptype, joining date, your interests in supporting the NPA ACT, emailaddress/s, an indication whether you want to receive our electronicnewsletter Burning Issues and whether you want to receive the Bulletinthrough Australia Post, in digital format, or in both of those formats) isstill correct.

Please take the time to check your details, and correct if necessary,and send the whole form with your membership dues (and donation)back to the office by post – for cheques and money orders. For paymentby Mastercard or Visa credit card please use the on-line facility on‘Trybooking’; on-line bank transfer is also possible. Detailedinstructions are in the letter.

We ask you to still send the completed form back to the office withan indication of payment method even if you have already paid on-line.It can also be scanned and sent to [email protected] by email.

Thank you all for your cooperation.

Sonja Lenz, Secretary


National Parks Association of the ACT IncorporatedInaugurated 1960

Aims and objectives of the Association• Promotion of national parks and of measures for the protection of

fauna and flora, scenery, natural features and cultural heritage in theAustralian Capital Territory and elsewhere, and the reservation ofspecific areas.

• Interest in the provision of appropriate outdoor recreation areas.• Stimulation of interest in, and appreciation and enjoyment of, such

natural phenomena and cultural heritage by organised field outings,meetings or any other means.

• Cooperation with organisations and persons having similar interestsand objectives.

• Promotion of, and education for, conservation, and the planning oflanduse to achieve conservation.

Office-bearersPresident vacant

Vice-President Christine Goonrey 6231 8395 (h)[email protected]

Secretary Sonja Lenz 6251 1291 (h)[email protected]

Treasurer Chris Emery 6249 7604 (h)[email protected]

Committee members

Esther Gallant (Minutes Secretary) 6161 4514 (h)[email protected]

Rod Griffiths (Immediate Past President) 6288 6988 (h)[email protected]

George Heinsohn 6278 6655 (h) [email protected]

David Large 0428 914 837 [email protected]

Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h)[email protected]

Quentin Moran 6288 9840 (h)[email protected]

Mike Smith 0412 179 907 [email protected]

ConvenersOutings Subcommittee Vacant

[email protected] Subcommittee Rod Griffiths 6288 6988 (h)

[email protected] Subcommittee David Large 0428 914 837

[email protected] Subcommittee Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h)

[email protected] and Engagement Vacant SubcommitteeBulletin Working Group Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h)

[email protected] Work Party Co-ordinator Martin Chalk 6292 3502 (h)

[email protected]/Burbong Work Col McAlister 6288 4171 (h) Parties [email protected]

The NPA ACT office is in Unit 14 / 26 Lena Karmel Lodge, BarryDrive, Acton, together with the Conservation Council. It is staffed byvolunteers on an irregular basis. Callers may leave phone or emailmessages at any time.

Phone: (02) 6229 3201 or 0410 875 731 (if urgent)Website: www.npaact.org.auEmail: [email protected]: GPO Box 544, Canberra ACT 2601Facebook: www.facebook.com/NationalParksAssoc

iationOfTheActMembership subscription rates (1 July to 30 June)The subscription rate is $22, which includes a digital copy only of our

Bulletin.If you want to receive a printed copy of the Bulletin, the subscriptionrates are:

Household membership $44 Single members $38.50Corporate membership $33 Full-time student/Pensioner $22

Note: All the above subscription categories reduce to $11 if adonation of $100 or more is made.

AdvertisingThe NPA Bulletin accepts advertisements and inserts. Contactthe NPA office for information and rates.

Printed by Instant Colour Press, Belconnen, ACT.

ISSN 0727-8837

General MeetingsThird Thursday of the month, (not December or January)

8:00 pm, Uniting Church hall, 56 Scrivener Street, O’Connor

Thursday 21 JulyEnvironmental Defenders Office

Kate AutyCommissioner, EDO

Kate Auty was formerly Commissionerfor Environmental Sustainability inVictoria. She was recently appointedCommissioner for the EnvironmentalDefenders Office in the ACT and willtalk about the role of the EDO inchallenging times.

Thursday 18 AugustAnnual General Meeting

followed by

Tasmanian TravelogueRod Griffiths

Immediate Past President of NPA ACT

In November 2015 Rod visited theWalls of Jerusalem and FrenchmansCap. He draws on these experiences toreflect on tracks and tourism innational parks.

Thursday 16 JuneVertebrate Pest Management

Ollie Orgill and Brett McNamaraInvertebrate Pest Officer and Regional

Manager,

ACT Parks and Conservation Service

Brett and Ollie will update us on theirvertebrate pest management program -with a focus on the highly successfulGudgenby Valley rabbit control meas-ures.

For information on NPA ACT activities, please visit our website http://www.npaact.org.auand follow us at www.facebook.com/NationalParksAssociationOfTheAct

http://www.npaact.org.au

Documents

National Parks Association of the Australian Capital ... 53 No 2 Jun 2016.pdf · Aranda Bushland (FoAB), runs monthly activities in conjunction with ACT Parks and Conservation. The