October-cum-early November Newsletter

Newsletter – mid-October 2021
Newsletter – late October 2021
Newsletter – OK its coming out in early November now!

Upcoming Activities

17^th October : One day walk - Blue Gum Creek (with a difference).  Done and dusted!
31^st October : One Day walk – Five Beaches Bay, Magnetic Island.  Done and dusted!
14^th November : One day – Waterfall Creek – the old timers called this creek ‘100 waterfalls in a day’. Spectacular.
20-21 November  : Two day – Mt Spec rainforest tracks and creeks circuit with overnight at DCK Hut. May include a day walk on the Sunday for the day walkers.
27^th November : end of year bash at Paluma. Includes half day ‘wine’ walk to Triple Falls (or Cloudy Creek), then the annual end of year party at ‘the house’ with Secret Santa.

There may be unscheduled walks on the off-weekends, so stay tuned to Facebook, emails, and the website.

14 November Sunday - Waterfall Creek - One dayer

A one day bushwalk to Waterfall Creek top section - spectacular. The old timers called this creek ‘one hundred waterfalls in day’.  

Intending participants, particularly new to club walkers, are asked to attend the monthly pre-walk meeting on Monday 8^th November 6 pm for briefing details and to register for the walk. 

Note that the usual car parking the club uses at Paluma Dam is unavailable until 5 December. We will sort out car parking before the walk date, but it will be limited car parking. We will car pool from Paluma village.

If conditions on the day are unsuitable (e.g. wet rocks), then the alternative walk will be a rainforest track walk in Mt Spec area at leaders discretion.  

Rated – Hard – creek based off-track, rough terrain, steep climbs. 

Meet at 8am Paluma Village Community Centre car park, normal place.  We will car pool from here, leaving unneeded cars at Wilfred and Suzanne’s house. Then we proceed to the dam to start the bushwalk. 

Walk Description / What To Expect: first two hours are track walking, then next 4 to 5 hours is creek based rockhopping, followed by last two hours back on track. Terrain includes uneven footings, rock hopping, scrambling, bush bashing, steep climbs, some exposed ledges. The return journey is same route but uphill all the way, with steep climbing in parts (especially straight after lunch). In some areas there will be tangled vines and wait-a-while. Great views from the waterfall lookout.

Full day walk. Estimate back at the dam carpark around 5 pm, for the 2 hour drive back to Townsville.

What to bring : Day pack, food / snacks for the day, water 2 lt minimum (refill from creeks or carry 4 lt water), long sleeve clothing and good rugged footwear (to protect from sun, scratches, stings, and bites), electrolytes, insect repellent (leeches, mozzies), hat, sunscreen, personal first aid kit (basic), and sunglasses. Also head torch and whistle. 

If you are uncomfortable using creek water for drinking water refill (after treating suitably), then carry 4 lt min for the day, or more to suit your requirements. Note that the club recommends that any natural water sources must be suitably treated before consumption. 

Good swimming opportunities - bring your swimming gear.  

Fees: non-members $5 Must be over 18yrs to participate.    

Leader - contact Keith : email [email protected] or 0435 287 264 

20-21 November Two dayer - Saturday and Sunday – Mt Spec area and DCK Hut

A two day bushwalking activity in the Mt Spec area, staying overnight at DCK Hut in the middle of the jungle. 

Intending participants, particularly new to club walkers or non-members, are asked to attend the monthly pre-walk meeting on Monday 8^th November for briefing details and to register for the activity. 

Note that the usual car parking the club uses at Paluma Dam is unavailable until 5 December. We will sort out car parking before the walk date, but it will be limited car parking. 

Meet at 8am Paluma Village Community Centre car park, normal place.  We will car pool from here, leaving unneeded cars at Wilfred and Suzanne’s house. Then we proceed to the dam to start the bushwalk. If you wish to car pool from Townsville, please attend the Monday 8th November planning meeting and we can sort that out then.

Description / What to Expect: We are staying overnight Saturday at DCK Hut. At DCK Hut, there are covered shelters so tents are not required. Just bring mattress and quilt / sleeping bag, plus dry warm clothes for the camping. It can get chilly at night up there even in summer. We can fit six people in the bunk room, and on the two covered platforms plenty of room for lot more, and if we need more room we usually fit up to four people on the hut verandah. However, we need to be mindful of current COVID-19 requirements, so we may have to limit numbers : 

Has physical distancing changed? 

No. You should continue to practise physical distancing when you leave your home. This includes keeping 1.5 metres or two big steps away from each other and avoid hugs, kisses and handshakes. 

There is water re-supply at the hut. Facilities include toilet, running water, small gas stove (but bring your own small stove), fireplace and wood, hot shower (temprite style based on using the fireplace), chairs / benches, icy bathing in the creek pool (invigorating), six berth bunkhouse, and two covered sleeping platforms. Bring your own bio-degradable toilet paper (no wet wipes or similar permitted in the toilet system). Access to the hut is walk-in only - 8km walking direct route on rainforest bush tracks.

Saturday - Initial walk is 2 hours 8 km direct to the hut on tracks. Off load camping / overnight gear and luxuries, early lunch, then spend five hours walking in the area, probably to Crystal Creek Falls and parts of Dolby Creek including Junction Falls. The bushwalking is on rainforest tracks, with a bit of off-track exploring in Dolby Creek. Exact routes will be determined as we go by the leader. Happy Hour at the hut at 5 pm. 

Sunday – track walking, to be decided on Saturday night or maybe Sunday morning. The super keen can go to Foxlees Lookout (or maybe Buttercup) for sunrise. Back at the dam car park around 4 pm. 

Why go direct to the hut on Saturday ? Well, this can be the club ‘xmas bush party’ – so we can take in luxuries (well, maybe call them xmas essentials), and combined with the camping gear and two days food, if they are bit heavy, then best to go direct to the hut. And the keen photogs may have tripods as well to carry ! Place ‘essentials’ that need chilling into the creek pool (so the temp is correct for consumption at Happy Hour at 5 pm). 

What to bring : Food for one night and two days. Pack, food / snacks, water 2 lt minimum (refill from creeks or carry 4 lt water), long sleeve clothing and good rugged footwear (to protect from sun, scratches, stings, and bites), electrolytes, insect repellent (leeches, mozzies), hat, sunscreen, personal first aid kit (basic), and sunglasses. Also head torch / lamp and whistle.  

Overnight gear – mattress, quilt / sleep bag, dinner, breakfast, dry and warm clothes, personal stove, torch / headlamp. Raincoat / umbrella handy if it rains whilst at the hut.

Bring your own bio-degradable toilet paper (no wet wipes or similar permitted in the toilet system). There is usually toilet paper at the hut, but if we have a big crowd, best to bring own along. 

Ear plugs for the sleeping at the hut may be handy for some.  

If you are uncomfortable using creek water for drinking water refill (after treating suitably), then carry 4 lt min for the day, or more to suit your requirements. Note that the club recommends that any natural water sources must be suitably treated before consumption. 

Good swimming opportunities - bring your swimming gear.  

Questions ? - come along to the Monday 8th November meeting at 6 pm.

Fees: non-members $5 Must be over 18yrs to participate.    

Leader - contact Keith : email [email protected] or 0435 287 264 

Townsville Bushwalking Club - 61 yrs old and still going strong 
Exploration is in our club DNA  

What Have We Been Doing

Dyso has been exploring White Mountains eastern section to design a new multi day walking adventure. Canyons and gorges, grand views, great sandstone country. So that will be a three day adventure next year. The club usually does the western section as 4 to 7 day adventure, so we will add the eastern section three dayer to our repertoire.

The one day ‘Two Falls’ walk to Crystal and Gold Falls was excellent. The waterfall areas were a bit slippery due to an overnight storm, but the walking was still good. A ‘bush bashing’ side trip to Blue Lagoon was added in.

Cape Cleveland – the annual adventure to Cape Cleveland in August, well, what an adventure on the Friday that was.  No doubt a classic to be remembered. The Friday walkers hiked in with light packs – the joy of having the barge bring the heavy gear over.  Except, the barge was delayed and didn’t arrive until about 11pm. But the Friday mob, arriving at the cape at 4 pm, found the wine cellar, got the power turned on, found some potatoes and onions to make BBQ chips, so celebrated pending the barge arrival. That wine cellar was drained of quite a bit, so the Friday mob were a bit ‘fatigued’ (and unable to erect their tents) when the barge mob arrived with the camping gear. All other stories, well, what happens on the trip stays on the trip. On the Sunday hike out, there was talk by some cheekily pointing out Balancing Rocks and tempting to go there (only a short detour) – but nobody was really keen.

Balancing Rocks - the pre-cursor to Cape Cleveland was a day walk to Paradise Beach and Balancing Rocks – well, some felt they were ambushed as they didn’t expect Balancing Rocks addition. Going up was a nice ridgeline walk, lunch in a palm forest, climb the rocks, then down a nice rocky creek line with numerous drops offs back to the beach. A great walk and a good addition to club’s list.  Someone even chased piglets at lunchtime.  

Other recent bushwalks have included Western Ridge (Cape Cleveland) and Fredrick’s Peak (Pinnacles Range).  Trip reports with photos of the Bluegum with a Difference and 5 Beaches Bay walks will follow in a subsequent email.  

Monthly Meetings

Monthly meetings for walk planning and new walkers introductions are held on the second Monday of each Month. New walkers are encouraged to attend the meetings for information on bushwalking and to meet the walk leaders.

Why walk with a club?

Bushwalking clubs provide peer group support, offer resource and knowledge sharing, advise on walk grading suitable for beginners, and teach you minimum impact bushwalking skills so you can walk ethically and safely and in a friendly supportive group. Official clubs are affiliated with state and national peak bodies, are Incorporated Associations (QLD), and have public liability and personal accident insurance cover. Importantly, clubs provide a social structure that serves its members for a lifetime. When you visit other areas, our club members can join in other club walks in areas visited. There are 23 bushwalking clubs in QLD affiliated with BWQ (Bushwalking QLD, the state peak body).

Committee

President – Phil Kearns
Secretary – Phil Kearns
Treasurer – Keith Dyson
Vice- President – Luen Warneke
Committee Member  (the wise one) - Wilfred Karnoll
BWQ Rep and Committee member – Keith Dyson