ESCAPE December 2020 Newsletter
Looking back on waterfalls, Cape Cleveland, Dunk Island, club celebrations, bushwalking history, and plans for more North Queensland adventures in 2021.
G’day bushwalkers,
Welcome to the final newsletter for 2020. We have reconstituted the old club magazine name from the 1980-90s which was called Escape.
We held the final scheduled bushwalk of the year on the 13th Dec, ‘Two waterfalls walk’, to Crystal Creek Falls and Gold Creek Falls in the Mt Spec area – magnificent waterfalls and great rainforest walking. A fabulous day, great weather, and a great group of walkers. Someone joined the ‘I lost my drone’ club...... ‘Where is it ?’ ....... ‘um, in a tree somewhere’........................................................................ ‘well, we are in rainforest full of trees, good luck with that.’ Well, maybe Santa will bring a new one ? We tried to get the girls to go exploring Stinky Creek up to the road by themselves, but they wouldn’t play ball (us males intended to stay on the easy track).
Whilst there are no scheduled walks until late January, there will be ad-hoc walks over the break. Keep an eye on Facebook and emails for details.
Some of our walk leaders and members will be away over the break, exploring remote areas and climbing mountains somewhere no doubt. Two members couldn’t wait till Xmas and climbed Mt Barney on the 12th –they sent a video from the peak – well done.
2020 was another good year of club bushwalking activities despite Covid-19. Most of the walks were one dayers this year, with a few multi dayers included. It is hard to pick a highlight amongst so many, but Cape Cleveland light station 3 dayer was exceptional. Dunk Island 3 dayer was also awesome.
2021 will be another dynamic year of walking – and include places we couldn’t go this year due to Covid-19, and more multi-dayers. We will also do some photography walks and kayaking adventures.
The combined Xmas and club 60th birthday party on the 5th Dec was fantastic, with good attendance and a great bunch of people. The birthday cake was unique and special – it didn’t taste leathery either ! And Glenys brought a wonderful homemade Xmas cake – yum !
There seemed to be an endless supply of Baileys after the toast. Santa dropped by again and Bastard Santa came to play during Kris Kringle. Good fun. About Santa – his voice is a bit familiar though ?
Just as well no walk was planned for Sunday, as some partied on until after 2 am. Sunday morning Gazza and Hans cooked up bacon and eggs for brekkie, to top off a great party. Thanks to Joy and her elves Suzanne and Jo for being great hosts.
Some of the old club members from the 70-80-90s attended, they regaled us with adventure stories from those days, and brought along a lot of club history to peruse. It was great to see them. We even received an email with birthday wishes from old members Marion and Lou :
‘Townsville Bushwalkers was the first bushwalking club that I joined (1966), and also for Lou. Lou had done a lot of bushwalking and climbing while at Kings College (UQ) before coming to Townsville.
The club started us both on a life of bushwalking and climbing - never losing the thread. It was a great small club, so many trips were reconnaissance ones with experienced bushwalkers such as Peter Reimann, Peter Gillard, Bill Pyne, Ted Kelly.
While I headed off to Brisbane in 1967 joining Brisbane Bushwalkers, University of Queensland Bushwalkers and Brisbane Rock Climbing Club, Lou continued with TBW. After our wedding in 1971, I rejoined TBW. We retired to Brisbane at the end of 2003 and rejoined BBW. Both of us are walk
leaders and until recently were walking at least once a week. Bushwalking has given us the skills to have wonderful hiking holidays in Australia and overseas (Europe, UK, USA, Canada & South America,NZ).
We have wonderful memories of our bushwalking in Townsville and we wish the club a great future. Keep having a great time bushwalking and exploring the wonderful country near Townsville.
Marion & Lou’
Recently Wilfred did the morning coffee break on 4TTT radio. It was an interesting chat. Thank you to Wilfred for promoting the club at this medium. There has been lot of interest in his ‘chat’ from those who missed it, copy of the tape is at this link:
30-11-2020 Wilfred OVER A CUPPA.mp3 - Google Drive
If you can find it on the internet, Australian Geographic had a video BEST OF AUSTRALIA – Wet Tropics that in one episode starred Wilfred and Thorsten at Mt Spec with Sorrel Wilby, TV presenter, writer and photographer. The classic is how do you make a trunk call in the forest ? I can’t find the link at the moment, but it is good viewing if you find it.
For your Xmas reading pleasure, grab a coffee to read a walk history attached - The Saga of Yamanie Falls 1987. On most walks there are always variations on the walk story – different perspectives – this is a classic example of different perspectives, good for a laugh – similar happens nowadays too at times (note, the leader’s version is always the right one!). Oh, and the croc slide they talk about between Orange Tree and Yamanie Creek, still there today, it is a big croc that crosses over the
‘track’ to an inside lagoon. I have also run into a large croc on the bank below Orange Tree a few years ago. The Herbert has crocs all the way to Herbert Falls! River crossings on the Herbert are nerve wracking !
For more coffee or Xmas break reading material try this link (you can also get to the back copies as well): Bushwalk Australia • View topic - Bushwalk Australia Magazine December 2020
If you are bushwalking or travelling over the break and want to find some inspiration or walks, try these links:
Map Downloads – Paluma – our village in the mist maps and waypoints/gps files for all the walking tracks from Paluma to Jourama. Don’t go walking without them. Note - They are intended to aid planning of walks and orientation on the track, but are not a substitute for navigation using compass and formal topographic maps. And you can also download topographic maps to your mobile device in Avenza and other apps.
Queensland - Aussie Bushwalking
Trail Hiking Australia - Discover your Aussie adventure from 3,200+ trails
BWQ Bushwalk Database Portal | Bushwalking Queensland Inc (qldbushwalks.online) note - The bushwalk database is available to affiliated clubs of BWQ only.
From the club, the committee, and members, we wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a Prosperous and Healthy New Year. Hopefully Santa will bring you some ultra light bushwalking gear or new gadgets, or a replacement drone.
Cya on a bushwalk or on a mountain cliff in 2021.
Keith
President
Townsville Bushwalking Club
Townsville Bushwalking Club
