Autumn 2009 Walks Program 

Please note that the full version of the program with trip leader contact information is only made available to club members.

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March

SUN 1 ABSEIL PRACTICE DAY     NO HELMET NO GO!

Club members will be meeting at Woronora at 9am and walking to nearby cliffs to practice their abseiling. We have a limit of 6 beginners, so if you are abseiling with the club for the first time or if you don't own your own gear you will need to book in. There is no limit on experienced abseilers with their own gear. If you don’t know where the meeting place is or need to book in e-mail bankstownbush@yahoo.com.

SAT 7          GREAT NORTH WALK: THORNLEIGH TO HUNTERS HILL

We’ll catch the train to Thornleigh from Strathfield before doing this 25 km walk to Hunters Hill and catching the ferry back to Circular Quay for a coffee and snack. If you want to do this one you need to be sure you can maintain a walking speed 4-5kms per hour.

Grade: 3

Map: Great North Walk

SUN 8 DRUMMOYNE TO CABARITA

After our last successful riverside afternoon walk, we're doing it again. This time we'll catch the Rivercat from Cabarita Wharf to the start of the walk in Drummoyne. This will not be a stroll but rather a reasonably brisk late afternoon walk along the foreshore past Chiswick, Abbotsford and Pelican Point. About 12km. If the group is interested, we may finish off with a sunset picnic at Cabarita Park.

Grade: 2

Start: Contact Leader

MON 9         ** ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING **

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 7.00 - 7.30 pm.

For members of the Management Committee.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 7.30 - 8.45 pm.

The Annual General Meeting is the one meeting you should attend so that you can help shape a club that meets your needs. Come along and either nominate for a position or else vote for your preferred candidate.

SAT 14 & SUN 15   BACKPACK: NARROWNECK - RUINED CASTLE - MT SOLITARY

From Narrowneck on the outskirts of Katoomba we make our way to Mt Solitary via the Golden Stairs and Ruined Castle. We will make camp on top and have time to explore this exciting area and visit various lookouts before heading back. Lots of wonderful scenery guaranteed.

Grade: 3

Maps: Katoomba & Jamison

SUN 15        WOY WOY STATION TO BLACKWALL MOUNTAIN & RETURN

A 7-8km easy walk exploring the Central Coast. This walk is accessible by public transport and would be a good introduction to bushwalking for new walkers.

Grade: 1

FRI 20 & SAT 21     COCKATOO ISLAND CAMPING

What a way to see the city go to sleep! $75 a site suitable for 3 people, includes 1 tent, sleeping mats, chairs and a lantern. Full payment at time of booking. Departure from Circular Quay at 1.50pm or 4.50pm, return at your leisure on Saturday.

SAT 21         TIGERSNAKE CANYON     NO HELMET NO GO!

This trip is a good way to end the canyon season. Other than your feet, you should be able to stay dry in this one. Tigersnake has a few abseils and some lovely narrow slot sections. A great canyon to get into the swing of things if you don’t have much canyon experience.

This beginners trip is suitable for those who have had their skills graded at “Provisional Abseiler” level or above.

Grade: Canyoning

Maps: Ben Bullen & Mt Morgan

SAT 21 & SUN 22   DARGANS CREEK CANYON & / OR BASE CAMP

You can stay Saturday night or come up Sunday morning. Even though there is no designated camp site we’ll find a place to camp near the dam on Saturday evening so that we can enjoy a swim. Dargans Creek is a short, easy canyon that requires no special equipment or wet suits. Sunday is a mix of the canyon, a swim or some easy top roped climbing depending on what people prefer.

Please note, no abseil skills or wet suits are required. All activities are suitable for beginners.

SAT 28         EXPLORING THE WENTWORTH FALLS AREA

This 4 to 6 hour walk near Wentworth Falls will include the National Pass and may venture down to Vera Falls and Hippocrene Falls. Features stunning views and waterways. Coffee and cake after at Conservation Hut is always a pleasant way to end the day.

Grade: 3

Map: Katoomba

SUN 29        SAUSAGE SIZZLE AND BAREFOOT BOWLS AT REVESBY

If you enjoy a giggle then come along and have a game of barefoot bowls at Revesby Workers Sport & Rec Club, Homelea Ave, Panania. If you don’t feel like bowling, just laze around, watch and have a laugh followed by a BBQ organised by the social committee. Cost is $10.00 BYO chair and purchase drinks at the Club House.

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SAT 4           POINT CLARE STATION TO GOSFORD VIA WATERFRONT

A 7 – 8km walk by the water on the Central Coast. This easy walk is a good introduction to bushwalking and is accessible by public transport.

Grade: 1

SUN 5 GLENBROOK STATION - GLENBROOK RANGER STATION - GLENBROOK GORGE - TUNNEL VIEW LOOKOUT - MT PORTAL LOOKOUT & RETURN

A 10km walk accessible via public transport. The train leaves Central 8.18am and arrives Glenbrook 9.23am. Meet 9.30am at train station entrance Ross St, or shortly afterwards at the car park near the park gate (you may need to park in the street if the car park is full). There are some rough, steep sections on this walk and around 270m ascent.

Note: Daylight saving ends early Sunday morning. Make sure you adjust your alarm before you go to bed.

Grade: 2

Map: Penrith

MON 6         CLUB NIGHT - AT THE CLUB ROOMS: ALASKA SLIDE SHOW

Thaïs will show us slides from her Alaska trip which is part 2 of the USA trip that she showed us slides from at the November club meeting. Come along and enjoy the scenery.

Suggestions for the Winter Program due tonight. Bring details of your planned trips to the meeting or e-mail them to bankstownbush@yahoo.com

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 6.30 - 7.30 pm.

For members of the Management Committee.

GENERAL MEETING 7.30 - 8.30 pm.

Club administration, finance & correspondence of interest to members.

Meetings are a chance to chat, socialise, and meet activity leaders. You may also find out about other activities that members have arranged that didn’t make it onto the program.

New members are especially welcome to come and join us.

FRI 10, SAT 11, SUN 12 & MON 13       BASE CAMP AT BLUE WATERHOLES

We’ll set up camp and explore this stunning area in the north of Kosciusko NP. We’ll visit old huts and a historic homestead. Our walk options include spectacular gorges and alpine plains. With any luck we’ll spot brumbies and lots of wildlife. Your camp site even has the luxury of pit toilets. Will need to carry in firewood and water as well as your camping gear.

Grade: Depends on how energetic you are.

Maps: Peppercorn & Rules Point

FRI 17          DINNER JON PIERRES

Jon Pierres at Revesby is a cafe-style restaurant & bar. It’s both fully licensed & BYO (wine only, no corkage). Beers on Tap. Great steaks & pasta. Open kitchen!

SUN 19        PORTERS PASS AND CENTENNIAL GLEN

This 4 – 6 hour walk follows a track above and below the cliff lines with amazing views of the Kanimbla Valley, rock features and waterfalls. The walk takes in a cross section of plants, with defined changes through the cliff passes.

Grade: 3

Map: Katoomba

TUE 21         WALKS COMMITTEE MEETING

For members of the Walks Committee. Suggestions for the Winter program must be given to a member of the walks committee or  e-mailed to bankstownbush@yahoo.com by tonight, or they won't make it onto the program.

REMINDER - Have you sent your Bush Telegraph articles yet?

SAT 25         DARWINS WALK – WENTWORTH FALLS AND THE VALLEY OF THE WATERS

For ease of access and high spectacle, this walk is hard to beat. It will get your heart beating and your lungs working and give you the opportunity to enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of the mountains. We’ll walk where Charles Darwin walked in 1836, see Weeping Rock, Wentworth Falls, and Empress Falls. We’ll enjoy views of which there are few better anywhere in the Mountains. It would be four to five hours of walking if we didn’t stop.

Grade: 3

Map: Katoomba

SUN 26     CURRAMOORS – GARIE – ERA - CURRAMOORS

From Curramoors we will walk to the coast above Garie Beach before walking down to the beach. We’ll walk along the beach and rejoin the Coast Track to Era and Burning Palms before walking up the escarpment to Curramoors. We’ll need to do a care shuffle to get back to the start.

Grade: 3

Map: Royal NP

SAT 2 RAINFOREST OF BOLA CREEK AND FOREST PATH

A shady walk through a sheltered corridor of rainforest where tall trees provide a thick canopy over Bola Creek.  6.2km, 50m ascent and descent. Should be a lovely walk.

Grade: 1

SAT 2 & SUN 3       AUTUMN 24 HR ROGAINE

This Rogaine will be held in Nangar NP 50km west of Orange in the Central West. In addition to the 24 hour event there are 6, or 12 hr options. Entry fee applies and bookings need to be made several weeks prior.

SUN 3 GOVETTS LEAP – JUNCTION ROCK – PERRY’S LOOK DOWN – GOVETT’S LEAP

A classic Blue Mountains walk with great views and lovely mountain streams for the fit walker.

Grade: 4

Map: Katoomba

SAT 9 HEN & CHICKEN BAY

We will be meeting at Abbotsford Wharf and walking via Quarantine Reserve, Wareema, Canada Bay and Cabarita and either finishing at Cabarita Wharf and catching the ferry back to the cars for a 9km walk, or if people prefer we can walk back to Abbotsford wharf for the full 18 kms. There will be a maximum of 20 people. Make sure you contact the leader for the meeting time.

Grade: 2 or 3

Map: Street Directory

SAT 9 ABSEIL PRACTICE DAY              NO HELMET NO GO!

Club members will be meeting at Yellow Rock at 9am and practicing their abseiling. We have a limit of 6 beginners, so if you are abseiling with the club for the first time or if you don't own your own gear you will need to book in. There is no limit on experienced abseilers with their own gear.

COME ALONG AND BRUSH UP ON YOUR TECHNIQUE FOR THIS MONTH’S CAVING WEEKEND.

SUN 10        BIKE RIDE: MIRAMBEENA AND CHIPPING NORTON LOOP  NO HELMET NO GO!

This easy 27 km scenic loop (refer Bicycle Route Map – Fairfield and Liverpool) is mostly on off-road paths.  It reveals the best of the region’s extensive waterways – Georges River and its associated lakes and wetlands, and Prospect and Orphan School creeks. 

MON 11        CLUB NIGHT - AT THE CLUB ROOMS: CAVING INFORMATION NIGHT

This is your opportunity to have some input into plans for the Bungonia weekend on 23 & 24 May. As well there will be a short slide presentation and have the opportunity to find out more about what’s involved in caving and the gear you’ll need to take if you decide to try a wild cave at Bungonia.

Winter Program & Bush Telegraph available at tonight’s meeting!!!

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 6.30 - 7.30 pm.

For members of the Management Committee.

GENERAL MEETING 7.30 - 8.30 pm.

Club administration, finance & correspondence of interest to members.

Meetings are a chance to chat, socialise, and meet activity leaders. You may also find out about other activities that members have arranged that didn’t make it onto the program.

New members are especially welcome to come and join us.

SAT 16         MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE - MANLY DAM          NO HELMET NO GO!

A 10km circuit ride through urban bushland with lots of bird life. Meeting at 10.30 am at track head carpark at Manly Vale Public School on Gibbs St. This popular track features single track, fire trails, tar roads, steps & drops and some technical sections where novices may need to dismount. Bring food, water, spare tube & tools.

SUN 17        SOCIAL PADDLE ON THE WORONORA RIVER

Bring your picnic brunch/lunch and enjoy exploring or relaxing along the beautiful Woronora River. You can also hire a kayak or canoe for a morning or afternoon paddle or paddle to a beach, eat lunch then paddle some more the choice is yours. Hire costs are: Kayak 1st hour $15 then $10 per hour thereafter (1 person),   Canoe 1st hour $25 then $10 per hour thereafter (2-3persons). Bookings of equipment are essential by the club meeting on Monday, 11th.

SAT 23         MT KEIRA RING TRACK

This 8km circuit features great views over the Wollongong area and some interesting vegetation. At the end of the walk, there's 150m ascent to finish at the top. After lunch we'll drive down to the coast, take a walk across the spectacular Seacliff Bridge and find a coffee shop.

Grade: 2

Start: 8am Winspear Ave, Bankstown

SAT 23 & SUN 24   BASE CAMP AT BUNGONIA! A WEEKEND OF BEGINNERS CAVES, DAY WALKS, & SOCIALISING

JOIN IN THE INTERNATIONAL POT LUCK FEAST ON SATURDAY NIGHT!

Relax and get to know your fellow club members. Bungonia is 2 hours south of Sydney. The camp site features hot showers and a large hall for socialising and cooking in (the cooking hall has gas cookers if you don’t have a stove to bring).

We are asking everyone to bring a dish to share with an international theme. It could be an entrée, main or dessert. We’ll take pot luck and see what sort of a banquet we end up with.

Full details including an information sheet and map will be available at the club meeting on 11 May or e-mail bankstownbush@yahoo.com.

IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL CAVERS MUST WEAR A HELMET.

SAT 30         FURBER STEPS –  RUINED CASTLE –  FURBER STEPS

Your leader is planning a classic Blue Mountains walk of around 8hrs / 14km return. Exact route to be decided on the day, but expect lots of steps and a full day.

Grade: 3

Map: Katoomba

SUN 31        HEATHCOTE – AUDLEY – BUNDEENA – CORNULLA

This 20km walk in the Royal NP features a mix of creek and coastal views.

Grade: 4

Map: Royal NP