Saturday 30 Nov 2019. Xmas Picnic and Walk, Lane Cove National Park.

On a warm Sydney Saturday we met at Haynes Flat Picnic area in the Lane Cove National Park for our last gathering for 2019, the annual Christmas picnic and walk. 

Rob Failes acted as our scout and arrived early, only to be told at the entry gate that not only was there a total fire ban for that day (fully expected) but also walking in the park was not permitted (fully unexpected).  With a flurry of phone calls, Sally and Bob notified who they could that the day's plan would be limited to just meeting at the Park and having lunch. 

Not content to believe everything he heard, however, Rob sought out "further and better particulars" and learned from a Ranger that there was no ban on walking at all!  More phone calls were made, and eventually a small group of die-hards gathered at the appointed spot and set off for the on-again-off-again walk, starting with a short amble down past the coffee shop and then back via the beginning of the Great North Walk track.

We stopped to admire the two historic cottages along the way and it was also interesting to observe the effect in the park of the drought and recent Sydney storms.

By lunchtime we had 29 festive members and enjoyed our lunch with many stories being told of everyone’s adventure travels during the past year.

After lunch we moved to the grass for the annual cricket match and it must be noted that as Bob Failes approaches his 90th milestone his batting and fielding were much admired by all. This year we introduced real stumps but next year we may need to introduce the DRS!

Many thanks to all who attended.  Special thanks for Bob, Sally and Rob for planning and keeping the day alive.

Friday to Monday - 08 to 11 Nov 19. Abercrombie National Park 4WD weekend.

Nine campers join us in the Abercrombie National Park, for probably one of the hottest and windiest weekends we’ve had there we started coming.  At the outset, there was total fire ban affecting the park, but by Monday conditions were so hazardous that the park was officially closed.

We still managed to get a few jobs done and all enjoyed the traditional camp oven dinner on Saturday night.

Many thanks, Jacqui, for your hospitality.

Sunday 19 Oct 2019. Empire Pass, Lawson.

The forecast for the morning of 19th October was for a particularly windy day. Nonetheless, thirteen keen walkers met our leader Andy Cairns at the end of St Bernards Drive, Lawson, for what turned out to be a most enjoyable circuit in almost perfect conditions.

Highlights were Dantes Glen, St Michaels Falls, Empire Pass, Frederica Falls, Echo Bluff and, in case we thought we had seen all the falls, right at the end of the walk came Fairy Falls. Much of the walk followed the clear running Blue Mountains Creek which we crossed three times on well-placed stepping stones. Bird calls abounded and spring flowers delighted.

Lunch was taken at stunning Echo Bluff, where some of our party tested the name with loud coo-ee calls with results varying because of the ever increasingly noisy wind.

This walk was well timed, as Bob and Sally were just back from their latest trip overseas, and Harm and Sharon are about to go walking in their much loved New Zealand. Ron McCann at 85 years kept up a cracking pace, while others followed at a more sedate rate. There were no straying stragglers today, thanks to Marion’s skilful management of the tail-enders.

To top off a wonderful day, we all gathered on the verandah of the Cairns’ place for Marion’s magnificent afternoon tea. Here we were not only treated to fabulous food, but also enjoyed Marion’s lovely garden.

Many thanks to Andy and Marion Cairns for organising and leading the walk today and for having us all back at their place afterwards.

Bob kindly mapped our route today in real time, as shown below.

IMG_0181.JPG

Saturday 14 Sep 2019. St Peters and Newton Urban Walk.

After meeting at St. Peter’s railway station at 10 am, about a dozen of us spent an hour exploring nearby Sydney Park. This historic site was originally the first brickworks in the colony and then a landfill site known as Tempe Tip. Sydney Park is now a superb, well established blend of open space, sporting and youthful entertainment, a fabulous wetland full of abundant bird life and the historic landmark tall chimneys.

King Street was the venue for our morning tea and coffee. Parliament on King is a tiny coffee shop that serves up a fabulous cuppa.

We then embarked on a leisurely 2.5 km stroll through Newtown investigating street art, not graffiti. Of special interest was a muralist, Fintan Magee, who has given Newtown much to look at, enjoy, laugh with and think about. Lunch was in the Young Henry boutique brewery.

Behind King Street is the historic St Stephens church, with a cemetery dating from the 1850s. This was of interest to several members of the walk who visited their relatives.

Some of us finished up at Newtown railway station and others extended the walk to admire a interesting mixture of architecture at Lifehouse, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, the Perkins Centre, and the Great Hall at Sydney University. By then we were exhausted so jumped on a bus to Broadway and home.

Thanks to Annette Fitzallen for doing the research to make this an interesting and different outing.

Saturday to Saturday - 31 Aug to 07 Sep. Nordic Week, Charlotte Pass.

Another successful week away at our beautiful lodge at Charlotte Pass.

Here’s a day-by-day summary of our XC Nordic Week activities:

  • Sun 01 Sep - Spencers Ck, Betts Ck, Betts Camp, Johnnies Plain - 10.6 km

  • Mon 02 Sep - Kosci Rd, Clarke Trees 1, The Junction, Snowy Gorge, 2nd Rd Ck - 11.1 km

  • Tue 03 Sep - Foxhole Saddle, Restaurant Ruin, Trapyard Ck (contour descent) - 10.1 km

  • Wed 04 Sep - Stilwell Saddle, Kangaroo Ridge, Spencers Cairn, Andys Cairn, Merrits Ck, Middle Ridge, Andys Leap - 14.4 km - good firm snow

  • Thur 05 Sep - Trapyard Ck (climb spur), across to pole line and down Wrights Ck - 7.9 km

  • Fri 06 Sep - deteriorating weather - 250 mm new snow o'night

Show these snaps to your skiing friends and get them to join SASC if they haven’t already. This terrain on the Main Range and Snowy River valley is the best XC skiing in Australia.

All photos David Dalwood.

Sunday 04 Aug 19. Callicoma Walk, Cherrybrook.

On a rather cool August morning, twenty-two of us set off from the Cherrybrook home of our leader Ron McCann.

It was not long before quiet suburban streets gave way to the beautiful Callicoma Walk in the upper reaches of Berowra Valley National Park. There were plenty of Acacias out in flower, and the noise of sulphur crested cockatoos was quite deafening at times. We were lucky enough to spot a couple of these beautiful birds feeding their young ones nesting in a rather large tree stump.

We all followed a tributary of Berowra Creek, happily chatting, before half of the group missed an inconspicuous right turn, and continued on along the flat for about 15 minutes. The error became clear when the straying group emerged from the bush onto busy Boundary Road!

Mobile phones worked to reestablish contact with the front-runners, and soon those who had made the small navigation error were on the right path, following the track uphill to a wonderful sandstone platform with views back down the gully - a perfect morning tea spot. The front-runners had, by now, done with morning tea and continued on ahead of the second group. Now it was midday, and the weather had warmed up so that we could discard some layers as we continued on this most pleasant walk.

Ron was now guiding the second group, so there were no short cuts home, despite that possibility arising! So eventually, three quarters of an hour after the front-runners made it to Ron's place, we all met up for wine, cheese and biscuits before a BBQ lunch.

Incidentally, this walk is named after Callicoma, an Australian genus with only one species, Callicoma serratifolia, whose common name is (rather misleadingly) Black Wattle.

Many thanks to Ron for organising the walk today and for having us all back at his place for BYO lunch.

Sunday 07 Jul 19. Royal National Park - Wattamolla and Marley Beach.

Sunday 7 July started with thick fog blanketing much of Sydney. However, that didn’t deter 24 keen walkers from heading to Wattamolla in the Royal National Park for the July bush walk.

A beautiful clear sky revealed itself by the time the group commenced walking at 10.15 am heading north for Marley Beach. Just about half of the walkway is on constructed platform allowing easy walking. The group stopped on the cliff tops for morning tea and for the balance of the cliff top walk to Marley we experienced viewing of countless whales as they headed north. Some breached, while others splashed tails or simply blew spray into the air.

Lunch was taken on the rocks nearby Marley Beach overlooking enthusiastic surfers catching tubing noisy waves.

The return journey back allowed more whale watching and viewing of the spectacular coastal scenery. Overall it was a great day which we all thoroughly enjoyed.

Sunday 02 Jun 2019. Coal Loader.

Meeting place for today’s walk was Wollstonecraft Station. We then walked around Berry Island and across to the Coal Loader for morning tea. After a circuit of Balls Head we walked though Carradah Park and around to Sawmillers Reserve for lunch. After lunch we headed for Milsons Pt Station via MacMahons Pt and Wendy Whiteley's Garden. A great walk with fabulous harbour views and lots of history.

It’s actually an interesting piece of history that Berry Island was part of a grant of land made by Governor Macquarie to Alexander Berry and Edward Wollstonecraft in 1820. Over the years the island became linked to the mainland, first by a stone causeway over the mudflats, and then by a program of reclamation during the 1960s.

Thanks to Geoff and Ursula for your leadership.

You can see a map of our walk by clicking here. (Please be aware that this map link may not work for some Apple mobile device users)

Sunday 05 May 19. Lane Cove River Park.

We met near De Burghs Bridge and completed a circuit of the Lane Cove River from the bridge to the weir and back. This was a fabulous 10 km walk, with a mixture of flat sections, steep bits and rock scrambles. Best of all there was even a coffee shop for lunch. Thanks to Sharon, Chris and Harm.

You can see a map of our route by clicking here. (Please be aware that this map link may not work for some Apple mobile device users)