Happy May, Townsville Bushwalkers!

This month marks a special occasion – our club turns 64! To celebrate, we'll be heading out on a special weekend camping trip (details below). In the meantime, get your hiking boots ready and reminisce with us! A few of our adventurous members recently returned from a stunning trip through White Mountains National Park. Head over to trip reports to read Keith's captivating account of their journey.

Dates to note:
Monday, 13th May at 6 pm is the Club’s Meet & Greet at our clubhouse – if you are interested in participating in the camping weekend [at DCK in Paluma], you need to come to this meet greet to RSVP, especially if you have not walked with the club for a while.

Monday, 3rd June at 6 pm is the Townsville Bushwalking Club AGM. An email has been sent out to all financial members. Please reach out if you have not received this email.

See you all on trail!

Warmest Regards,
Cherry Judge
Secretary
Townsville Bushwalking Club

Upcoming Events

Club Meeting+ Walk Briefings

Monday, May 13, 2024

Time: 6:00 pm

At the Club house which is at Blessed Mary Mackillop Parish meeting room (building behind the Church), 43 Ross River Road Mundingburra. Take the St Joseph School entrance.

Google map location link here. 

We will be talking about the upcoming walks.

June 1 and 2, 2024 we are hosting a camping

weekend to celebrate the club’s 64th birthday. We have sought permission and booked the DCK hut in Paluma for this weekend. If you are interested in joining us, please come on Monday the 13th of May as RSVPs will only be accepted by Cherry at the meeting so that we can brief you about the weekend and work out if you can join us [RSVP at clubhouse unless you have called Cherry and organised an alternative]

There are also a couple more White Mountains trips coming up this winter led by Keith Dyson. Dates still TBA. However, if you are interested in hearing what the plans are and if you want to join, this Monday would be a good opportunity to talk to Keith about it.

You don't have to RSVP, just rock up or let Cherry from the Club know that you are coming on Monday, the 13th of May at 6 pm ([email protected])

Castle Hill Catch up & Coffee

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Time: 5:30 am

Leader: TBA

Meeting Place: at the corner of Kennedy & Paxton Street.

About:

Route: Up the Cudtheringa track

Decision? point - to go via Widow Maker or continue along the Cudtheringa track. Regroup at the top of the Hill. Spend about 15 minutes basking in the beauty of the sunrise we see.

What to bring/wear:

Enough water for exertion & sweating for over 2 hours.

Insect protection.

Check the weather for your decision on clothing. Look out for each other.

If the group is keen, we can head to a local cafe on the strand or close by for coffee.

RSVP

Want to join us? - Just let Cherry from the Club know - [email protected]

Magnetic Island – Nelly to Horseshoe Bay via the Ridge & the Bays

Sunday, May 19, 2024

Leader: Cherry Judge

Meeting Place & Time: Will be emailed to those that have RSVPd

Rated: On-Track hike. For moderately fit walkers who can walk at a reasonably steady pace for a 6-ish hr. hike

About:

Beginning at the ferry terminal in Nelly Bay, we’ll make our way along Mandalay Avenue up the ridge, and then follow the ridge track towards the Forts junction. From here, we'll do part of the five bays trail, checking out a couple of lookouts before arriving at Florence Bay for a decent break. From Florence Bay, we will continue over the ridge to Horseshoe Bay.

Once in Horseshoe Bay, we could have a few drinks here and find a place to have lunch.

What to expect:

Moderate grade hike. Approximate distance/duration: 13kms, 5-6 hours.

Moderate level of fitness required. Expect some steep and uneven sections - you will need to be comfortable with hills! There are exposed sections, so expect it to be hot in places. The pace will be moderate and continuous, so we can cover the distance within the designated timeframe and enjoy our stops.

RSVP:

Must be over 18yrs to participate Or accepted by committee. Fee: non-members & visitors - $5. TBWC Club members - Free.

You can become a TBWC member after 3 walks as a visitor. If you are a new walker/non-member who has not walked with us before – please contact the walk leader before RSVP registration.

For    more     info,    please     contact     the     walk     leader     -     Cherry     Judge    -         0430073341     or           email        - [email protected]

RSVP

To register for the walk – click the button below.

Paradise Beach + Castle Rock

Sunday, May 26, 2024

Leader: Molly Hoey & Brent Campbell

Meeting Place & Time: Will be emailed to those that have RSVP’d.

Rated: Off-track but on a relatively defined trail. The Castle Rock component of the walk [ optional] is rated moderately difficult.

About:
The walk commences at the end of Cape Cleveland Road and follows a rough, but well-defined track around the perimeter of AIMS and hits the northern end of the AIMS

beach. From there it's up and over the saddle, and through the coastal forest to Paradise Beach. Along the way, enjoy the views of Little Beach and then Sunset beach. For those keen to continue along to Castle Rock with Brent leading the way, Castle Rock is at the northern end of Paradise beach. You will either enjoy a long stroll along the beach followed by a very steep ascent to the Rock or cut inland to take a more gradual ascent to Castle Rock. Don't worry you'll still get the steep scramble at the end no matter which way you go! Your heart rate will be ever so elevated by the time you hit the high point and see spectacular views to the north and south of you. Enjoy your lunch at the summit and prepare yourself for the journey back to the cars. OR you can stay back with Molly and enjoy lunch at Paradise Beach.

What to expect:
For those heading to Paradise beach with Molly, I’d say this is a moderate grade hike. For those continuing onwards with Brent to Castle Rock, I’d say this would add a challenge, as there will be some scrambling required to get to the top. Either way this is a great place to head to and you have the 2 best people to take you there. Expect this to be a 5ish hour + day. There is space for only about 4 or so cars near AIMs – So we will be meeting at a different meeting spot to carpool before we head to the start. Details will be emailed to those that RSVP

RSVP:
Must be over 18yrs to participate Or accepted by committee. Fee: non-members/visitors/- $5 .

TBWC Club members - Free. You can become a TBWC member after 3 walks as a visitor. If you are a new walker/non- member who has not walked with us before – please contact the walk leader before RSVP registration.

For more info, please contact the walk leader – Molly Hoey - [email protected]

RSVP

To register for the walk – click the button below.

Happy 64th Birthday Townsville Bushwalking Club 2 adventure options

Option 1

Sat & Sun (June 1 & 2] – Hike + Camp at DCK hut Option 2

Sun (June 2) – Day hike to DCK hut

Meeting Place & Time: Will be emailed to those that have RSVP’d.

Rated: On-track in Paluma

About:

The finer details of a definitive plan are still being finalised.

Here is the general gist of what to expect:

Group 1/Option 1

Hike +Camp at DCK hut.

We have permission to stay at DCK hut on Saturday night [

June 1]. So, the plan here would be to meet early on June 1 [Sat] and hike down to DCK via Wilfred’s lookout, Rock Gardens, Crystal Ck Falls +/- Endeavour falls and onto DCK

Depending on what the Group 1 leader wishes to do, we explore a bit of the mines around the hut and come back in time to regroup with Group 2 who should be joining us for lunch.

We then celebrate together with birthday cake and return with Group 2 back to our cars at Paluma Dam

Group 2/Option 2 Day Walk to DCK hut

This group meets on Sunday morning [June 2] and heads down to DCK via Wilfred’s lookout, Rock Gardens, Crystal Ck falls and onto DCK hut. Estimating this to be about a 1.5 -2 hour trip to DCK and then about that much time back to the Dam with Group 1 [after the birthday celebrations at DCK]

RSVP

To RSVP – Please attend the club meeting Or the Castle Hill Club catch up [at the dates listed in this newsletter]. If

you have questions, reach out to Cherry Judge– [email protected]

White Mountains National Park

A trip report by Keith Dyson

Over 4^th to 6^th May 2024, Townsville Bushwalking Club conducted another White Mountains National Park adventure, this time in the Warang section. The section comprises similar landscape and conditions that we have experienced in other remote sections of the park.

A spectacular sandstone landscape, this section of the Park is heavily dissected with a maze of numerous sandstone outcrops and gorges which are incredibly rough, convoluted, and deep. Access into the gorges is extremely difficult.

Over the past 17 years in my club time, we have conducted many White Mountains National Park adventures, including Flinders River and Cann Creek systems.

This trip was a group of seven club adventurers on exploratory bushwalking in a section we have not done before. The two gorges we were focused on were Rugged Gorge and Butterfly Gorge. There is a prominent spectacular feature lower down Rugged Gorge, that I tried to get to from Flinders River in 2019 but never made it, so will try from this side. I have called it Disappointment Spur, for a couple of reasons. Will we make it from this side?

Saturday was drive to camp. Whilst setting up camp an emu investigated what was going on. A frog was found in the ‘facility’, which was an interesting subject for remainder of the weekend.

We set off for a half day explore in upper Rugged Gorge. The sandstone gorges in White Mountains have sudden steep starts – no gradual incline, just sudden cliff drops - bushwalking entry and exit is difficult. We explored around the old dam, then found a scrambling way down into the gorge. Along the gorge bottom, a short clamber and we were blocked by cliffs, boulders and a deep dark pool (not unexpected). We decided not to test the depth of the dark pool, so exited the gorge (difficult again) and explored along the top for a bit until blocked by a side gorge. We had eyed off a side gorge on the other side that we thought might be slot canyon style like The Fingers at Cann Creek, so we will go there.

Back down into Rugged Gorge, cross over to the side gorge. A short walk, scramble and slide through a challenging spot, and then we found a cliff backed waterfall pool, that was impassable. So we exited the side gorge, went to the start of the gorge, there was no slot canyon here. Then walked around the top to the old cattle station yards, then back to camp. That was a nice explore and good introduction on what to expect tomorrow.

Sunday was the big day walk, the attempt to get to Disappointment Spur. But some rugged and convoluted terrain lay in the way.

Dyso was asked ‘can we get to Disappointment Spur today?’ ‘Yep – well, we can get there, but may not get back today ! lol’ Oh !

‘If the planned route works, Dyso takes credit – if it isn’t doable, it is Brent’s fault.’ Independently we had both arrived at same conclusion on a planned route that appeared likely doable for a day walk. Great minds think alike. Getting into Butterfly Gorge and transiting down it would be the challenge though.

‘And there is a reward for you all when we get back to camp this arvo !’.

Most were up at 5 am to look for the Eta Aquaridd meteor shower, of which we saw some meteors. And the Milky Way was magnificent.

Started with easy woodland cross country walking on the plateau, and we made good time. Wilfred had four navigators telling him where to go – he seems to like being told where to go ! And they were not backward in saying so – luckily not confusing as they all agreed on the direction to take.

Reaching where the wooded plateau merges with the sandstone country, an amazing gorge landscape unfolded all around us. We reached the planned entry point into Butterfly Gorge using a ‘side gully’, to be confronted by a deep sheer sided gorge – some side gully ! Check maps, yep, this was the planned entry – hmhmhmhm – maps do not show a deep sheer sided gorge here. Re-study maps, we try the alternate gully plan that was nearby, which fortunately had easy entry and gradual decline most of the way. There were a few challenging scrambles, where we sent Brent and Wilfred ahead to recce a route, and make sure us mere mortals could make it. We made into Butterfly Gorge, to sit on a shelf above a canyon in the base of the gorge.

It was 11 am, it was still a further 3km to Disappointment Spur, with the next 1 km of rugged terrain with cliffs and blockages before reaching (expected, hopefully) sandy creek bed, so we decided that it wasn’t feasible to keep going today and get back to camp by sunset. Brent went upstream a short distance and found a lovely pool and cascade at the head of the canyon, so we went there for lunch. We called it Brent’s Pool.

After lunch in this beautiful gorge spot, we exited Butterfly Gorge by the same gully we came down, and went back up to the plateau to a point that overlooks middle of Rugged Gorge – spectacular view of sandstone outcrops and deep gorges.

After a nice break, then an easy walk along the plateau back to camp, arriving 3:45 pm. ‘Ok you lot, gather around my ute for your reward !’

They all gathered, asking where - so I pointed to the freezer saying ‘look in there and select your reward’. ICE CREAMS ! Ian voted Dyso as ‘best walk leader in the club’ – not cause of walking, but reward provisions, and said it sets a high standard for other club leaders (the Easter Porcupine Gorge club trip had reward ‘refreshments’ from Dyso’s car as well- setting the standard) .

Monday – up at 5 am to look for the Eta Aquaridd meteor shower again, of which we saw some more. For today’s plan, we changed – we had planned to go over towards the Sandstone Wall lookouts for views over Torrens Creek Canyon etc, but decided to explore Bullock Creek on the drive out instead. This is a nice creek with a sandstone gorge, easily accessible, and some known rock stencil art galleries, of which we found one. Then the drive out. But Wilfred called a mandatory stop to look at an old fascinating steam engine, that was used in the old days to power pumps for bores. Then to Torrens Creek Pub Cafe for lunch, and drive home.

On this trip we had to remind some members about Club Rules – very important rules on camping trips:

Rule 37 a 1 a – no bed time before 8 pm.

Rule 37 a 1 b – last night of trip, no bed time until all firewood burnt.

And, yes, we know some struggle, but rules are rules ok!

That was a very good exploratory adventure with a great group of members. And we are already (as always) thinking of future plans for White Mountains National Park. There is a lot to explore. As for ‘Disappointment Spur’, one day I will get there and then I might rename it !