74 Kallista Rd.
QUEENSLAND
BUSHWALKERS
CLUB Inc.
Newsletter
Mt Coochin
Club News
Photo Competition
Just a reminder that all entries for the the QBW Photo
Competition must be in by the next Club Meeting on 3rd
November 2009.
To be eligible the photo must be in digital form and taken by a
Club member on a Club event since the 2008 November Club
meeting. The images may be produced from a digital camera or
a scanned image of a print or slide.
Photos must be saved as a JPEG image file with no
compression. Make them the maximum resolution from your
camera and they will be resized to suit viewing.
Photos must be submitted on a CD or DVD, or USB Memory
Stick (named, which can be returned). Please do not email your
entries.
There are 3 categories, Pictorial, Nature and Club Character.
5 entries allowed per category (limit of 15 in total).
Each entry photo needs to be titled as follows:
Name_Title_Location_Category_Image Number.jpg
e.g. Evelyn Campbell_MtNorman_GirraweenNP_Nature_1.jpg
Photos must be titled this way or the entries cannot be identified.
Hand your entries to Evelyn Campbell or post them to 36
Oberon Street Morningside 4170 by the November Club meeting
2009.
Full details are available at Club meetings and on the Club
website at http://sites.google.com/site/qldbwc/photos
The winners will be announced at the Christmas Party in
December.
Prizes will be awarded in each category plus a Member's Choice
prize.
Any questions call Evelyn on 3395 8086 or 0434 985 371
Page 1 of 6
Rochedale South
QLD 4123
Ph No (07) 3341 7509
Email qldbwc@yahoo.com
http://sites.google.com/site/qldbwc/
October 2009
Walks Planning Day 11 October 2009
A Walks Planning Meeting starting at 2.30pm will be held at
75/77 Koolan Crescent, Shailer Park on Sunday 11 October.
The Calendar is looking rather bare after October and walk
leaders are desperately needed. Maps, books and notes on
possible day and through walks will be available to help
members plan walks.
The Walks Planning will be followed by a BBQ starting at
5.00pm. Food will be supplied but bring along your own drinks.
QBW Web Site
The old Geocities website that has served the Club over the last
10 years will be closed on 26 October 2009. This is a decision
made by Geocities which will no longer host free websites.
A new Club website hosted by Google has been set up at
http://sites.google.com/site/qldbwc/
This Google website is free and is an improvement over the old
website in several ways.
• No more ads on the web pages.
• More web space, 100 MB (15 MB with Geocities).
• No need to use a html editor or know any html coding.
Just type text directly onto the web page or click to add
components.
• Can insert spreadsheets, word documents, slide
shows, videos. etc. on the web pages.
• Can be linked to Picassa Web Albums which allows up
to 1 GB of photos online.
• Can have “collaborators” who can assist in web
upkeep.
I look forward to your suggestions on what you would like the
new website to contain or how it could be improved.
 General Information The Management Committee
Meeting Place President Gil Gunthorpe 3272 4366(H)
Club meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month starting at Vice President Noelene McCay 3889 0264(H)
7.30PM. There is no Club meeting in January. Secretary Sue Ward 3844 6389(H)
Meeting are held at the Little King's Hall on the corner of Carl Treasurer John Hinton 3343 3724 (H)
and O'Keefe Streets, Buranda. Entry is via the gate on Carl St.
Outings Officer John Brunott 3209 9598 (H)
Tea/Coffee and cake/biscuits are provided after the meeting. A
coin donation would be appreciated. Membership Officer Frank Garland 3341 5207 (H)

Membership Editor Richard Kolarski 3341 7509 (H)

Probationary Membership Social Secretary Traci Nudl 3890 8196 (H)

A non-member automatically becomes a Probationary Member Training Officer Stuart Mackay 3890 8196 (H)
on his/her first walk after signing the waiver form. There is no
fee payable to become a Probationary Member. Other Voluntary Positions
However a Probationary Member must become an Ordinary Equipment Officer John Brunott 3209 9598 (H)
Member on his/her second walk by filling out a Membership Supper Convenor Mary Sherlock 3209 8514 (H)
Form and paying the membership fee.
BWQ Rep Stuart Mackay 3890 8196 (H)
Ordinary Membership
BWQ Rep Richard Kolarski 3341 7509 (H)
A person may become an Ordinary Member by filling out and
signing a Membership Form, having a proposer sign the form
and handing the form with the membership fee to a committee Campsite Monitors
member or walk leader. John Brunott Ballows, Paddys Knob
The proposer may be a friend (who is a member of the Club) of Kerry de Clauzel Throakban, Barney Gorge and
the applicant, the leader of the walk that the applicant is on, the Lower Portals
Membership Officer at a Club meeting or if the Membership
Ann Kemp Spicers Peak (east & west)
Officer is not available, one of the committee members.
Richard Kolarski Running Creek Falls
An Ordinary Member has the right to vote at an AGM or be
elected to a committee position. A Probationary Member has Barbara Makepeace Rat-a-tat, Spicers/Doubletop saddle
neither of these rights. Rum Jungle
Members of Another Bushwalking Club John Shera Panorama Point
Members of another bushwalking club which is affiliated with John & Julie Shera Mt Superbus & Rabbit Fence Jct
Bushwalking Queensland Inc (or an interstate Federation) and Lower Panorama
who are covered by the same Insurance do not need to become Ken Walters Mt May saddle & Paddy’s Plain
a member of our Club to go on our walks. However Club
members will have priority if there is a limit on numbers.
Editors Pic
Club Equipment
Compasses Topo Maps GPS's
Emergency Lights First Aid Kits UHF Radios
The above are for free use by members.
Contact David at 3395 1838 or david_r_rae@optusnet.com.au
PLBs with inbuilt GPS
The Club has 5 PLBs with inbuilt GPS. The PLBs will be made
available at each Club meeting and will need to be returned at
the following Club meeting. Contact Richard on 3341 7509.
Abseil Gear (ropes, harnesses, helmets, karabiners etc.)
Ordinary Members - $5.00 charge for use of the Club rope and
another $5.00 charge for use of harness and accessories .
Probationary Members and members of affiliated clubs - $10.00
charge for use of the Club rope and another $10.00 charge for
use of harness and accessories.
Frosty Morning at Goomburra
Contact Trevor at 0411 512 202
After a chilly night where we huddled around the campfire at
Back Pack for Hire $5.00 charge
Goomburra, we were greeted by frost in the morning.
Contact Trevor at 0411 512 202
T/W Tent for Hire: 2 man, 2.8kg $5.00/week
Contact Dave Haliczer 0432 901 030 New Members
Bivy Bags For Sale $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00. Lindy Burton
These bivy bags are 2 metres by 0.9 metres and are bright As at 29/9/2009 we have 77 financial members
orange in colour. Use as a pack liner or emergency bivy bag.
Contact Patricia Kolarski on 3341 7509.
Space Blankets For Sale $2.50 each. Comings and Goings
Light weight and take up no room at all. A must for all walkers! John B., Mary S., Sandy T. and Kerry D. have recently returned
Contact Patricia Kolarski on 3341 7509. from the Carnarvon Great Walk.

Page 2 of 6
 Insurance Changes
The arrangement that QBW has had with the Insurer has
changed from this year onwards in that a Waiver now no longer
needs to be signed.
Instead an Acknowledgement of Risk Form is to be used. A
copy of the wording of the Acknowledgement of Risk approved
by the Insurer has been forwarded to QBW. The Membership
Form and Nomination Form have now been suitably modified.
The minimum requirements are:
1. That all members sign an Acknowledgement of Risk form
once a year.
2. Temporary Members must sign an Acknowledgement of Risk
form for each activity in which they participate.
3. New Members must sign an Acknowledgement of Risk form
on joining the Club.
For current members who have signed the old Membership
Form which contained the Waiver, this will not start till the next
membership renewal.
In the meantime all members will continue to sign the
Nomination Form. However from next year this will no longer be
necessary after signing the new Membership Form.
In addition the Insurer has agreed that a separate form for skiing
and abseiling activities is no longer needed.
QBW Christmas Party
The QBW Christmas Party will be held at Mt Nimmel Lodge at
Mudgeeraba on the 4-6th December 2009.
Mt Nimmel Lodge is a privately owned, family operated camp-
ground on 67 acres of Gold Coast Hinterland. It has bunkhouses
with 52 beds, a separate shower/toilet block with hot water plus
a kitchen and campfire area.
Cost will be $20 for one night stay and $30 for 2 nights.
People can arrive from Friday afternoon onwards. Bring along
any digital photos or videos as the Club laptop and projector will
be available.
A walk is planned for the Saturday and then a BBQ on the
Saturday night. QBW will supply the meat as in previous years.
Seeing that QBW is celebrating its 10th Anniversary, the dress-
up theme of the weekend will be to come dressed as something
beginning with Q or B or W.
Notices
South West Cape Circuit (Tassie) 9 to 15 January 2010
This will mark the third year in a row that I will have walked this
circuit of the South West corner of Tasmania. The area is less
well known than other sites in Australia but is the best
undiscovered gem for bushwalkers.
A maximum of 4 - 5 people on these trips is possible as some
camping sites may be a bit cramped with any more than 4 tents.
Contact David Haliczer for further details on 0432 901 030.
Nepal, Annapurna Circuit 1 April 3 May 2010
I am leading a trip to Nepal in April 2010 which includes:
• 17 days trekking doing the Annapurna circuit,
• 5 days mountain biking staying in budget
accommodation along the way,
• 2 days white water rafting on the Bhote Kosi River near
the Nepal-Tibet border,
All for approx $3658.00. Includes return air fares, budget
accommodation, and meals while on the adventures, and
equipment.
Contact Julie Urquhart Ph. 3314 2776.
Page 3 of 6
2009 Pilgrimage Report
From Neil Gray, Event Coordinator
Just a final brief note to thank all of you for the energy and
enthusiasm that you contributed towards the successful
execution of this years Pilgrimage. Without the commitment from
you personally towards the duties that you undertook to
complete, the event would not have succeeded as it did.
To BBW - a great walks program and excellent job of having all
of the information posted to the website and a well coordinated
registration system.
Brisbane Catholics - thank you for organising Friday nights
supper and tea and coffee facilities for the event.
Redlands - an amazing spread of food that was eagerly
consumed by ravenous walkers Saturday night and the band
was truly entertaining. Well done.
Toowoomba Bushies - great games program on Sunday and
well done volunteering to host next years event.
BOSQ - a big thank you to the small band of merry workers from
my home club who put on a big feast Sunday am. A bit too big
but nobody could complain of starvation!
And to John Marshall for the conviction that a BWQ pilgrimage
would happen this year in spite of not having one club take it on.
A big well done for the effort required to pursue the dream to a
conclusion. (And for keeping me on task!)
See you 'round the ridges.
From John Marshall, the president of Bushwalking Queensland.
I just want to add my thanks to those of Neil, to all those who
worked toward making Pilgrimage 2009 such a success. Also to
Jeff Wall of Lake Maroon Holiday Park for preparing the venue
which proved very suitable for our needs. The new 'dance lawn'
held up very well despite the lack of recent rain.
A special thank you to Robyn for manning the gate, keeping me
on my toes, and pointing out details which needed attention. Her
Suggestion Box yielded 17 entries with some quite good ideas
for following up for future Pilgrimages.
I have done a few rough calculations from the attendance
sheets and receipt book, and these are the figures:
Attendees: 165 to 180 (some paid at the gate)
Estimated Registration fees: $1875
Catering Expenses: $ 550
Payment to band: $ 600
Subject to transactions in progress, we should clear around
$700 which will be put to good use in furthering BWQ aims.
By far the biggest plus from the weekend was the spirit of
cooperation displayed by virtually everyone who attended. Many
of the walks had a good mix of club members which enabled
bridges to be crossed to strengthen the bushwalking network.
The presidents' get together and the FMR presentation which
preceded it resulted in some positives which are most gratifying,
especially the renewed interest shown in FMR as a result of the
presentation put together by Ron, Ted and Phil.
Also keen interest in the proposal to offer sub-domains of the
BWQ website to clubs who need to migrate from Geocities when
it closes in a couple of months.
Neil Gray's presentation highlighted some ideas for engaging
young people with the greater bushwalking fraternity through the
establishment of a peer group IT- based network.
An unexpected outcome also was the request by some of the
presidents to continue having presidents' get togethers! I will
certainly be following up on this.
Great walks program, great food, great dance, great games,
great fun with great friends. The future of bushwalking clubs,
and of Pilgrimages, is assured!
See you all at Toowoomba next year - or even earlier.
 Past Walks
Goomburra Overnighter 4-5 July 2009
Goomburra is on the Main Range just north of Cunninghams
Gap but it is almost a 3 hour drive from Brisbane. Thus it was a
good idea to make this walk an overnighter, with people arriving
on Saturday at Goomburra and doing the walk Sunday.
The weekend was forecast to be sunny but what was
unexpected was the cold breezes. As people arrived we put up
our tents until there were nine of us camped at Poplar Flats. We
had this particular camping area all to ourselves but there were
a few other campers at the other site, Manna Gum. That night
we had a campfire and we huddled as close as we could as the
night only exacerbated the cold.
Around the Campfire
In the morning there was ice on the tents and cars as we
prepared for the walk. After de-icing the windscreens we drove
up in two cars to the start of the walk at Sylvester's Lookout.
From the road it was just a short walk to the lookout where we
had splendid views of the Barney Ballows massif.
However from here the rest of the walk would be off track. Dave
was all set up with maps, compass, protractor and altimeter with
expert help from John while I held on to my GPS tightly. We
began by heading south along the Ramparts.
There was a faint bushwalking track present but it did tend to
disappear or branch occasionally. After about two hours of
walking we had morning tea on a knoll. On checking the GPS
we could see that we had made good progress.
Continuing south we had occasional glimpses of the Ramparts
through the trees. Finally we reached the knoll we had been
heading for. It was now time to go into completely trackless
country.
Taking a bearing roughly west we headed along a ridge. After a
few hundred metres we had to change course again to get onto
a ridge which would take us to the Cascades Circuit. After
setting our compasses we headed down a ridge. It was rough
going with lots of scrub bashing but finally we got onto the
Cascades Circuit and enjoyed lunch at the waterfall.
It was then an easy walk back to the cars with time to pack up
and drive to Aratula for our afternoon tea. Many thanks to Dave
for putting on another great off-track walk. Richard
Noowongbill Lookout D/W 12 July 2009
In wonderful hindsight, fourteen people were probably a few too
many for this mainly offtrack walk in the Binna Burra area. But,
we happily set off down to Gwongoorool Pool on the graded
track before scrambling down to the Coomera River and finding
the easiest way across (easiest not easy).
From here we picked up the old track that heads downstream
beside the river before turning uphill to follow a well-defined
ridge all the way up to the base of the cliff just below the
Darlington Range. We found a comfortable spot for a rest and
morning tea before continuing up to face the challenge of the
cliff break.
Page 4 of 6
With the help of a rope, and much scrambling, cursing, pushing,
pulling, and prodding we all completed the steepest bit up to the
top of the range. Special thanks to Richard and Gil for the
pushing, pulling and prodding, (and Gerry for the cursing).
Going Up the Cliff line
Seriously though, it was quite a challenge for some of the group
and, as well as the thanks to the people above, everyone who
beat their fear of heights or inconvenience of having short legs
where long ones were needed, should be congratulated.
Many large trees have been blown over on top of the range and
leaf and branch litter was very thick on the ground. Our lunch
spot at Noowongbill Lookout had a huge tree leaning over it,
roots pulled out of the ground, but the view was as good as
ever.
We continued heading north along the ridge until we reached a
rock cairn. Here we took a direct bearing (or indirect depending
on the wait-a-while, etc.) back down to Coomera Creek. This
part of the walk was the most time-consuming as the vines, two
short cliffs, slippery rocks, etc. slowed us down considerably.
It was with great relief that we again crossed the creek and
joined up with the graded track back up to the Binna Burra
Information Centre. Richard had proposed a rest stop at
Gwongoorool Pool but everyone was keen to get the last uphill
bit over and done with.
After being on the go since 8.50am we finally arrived back at the
cars about 4.50pm. Unfortunately, by the time we were back in
Canungra the Outpost Cafe was closed and nothing else
suitable for our coffee break was open so we went our separate
ways coffeeless.
Welcome to first-timer John Boyle and second-timer Helen W.
Also, congratulations to Helen S. who was probably tricked into
doing this walk by the not-so-realistic rating of T5F4 (and she
wouldn't have been the only one). Sorry, folks!!!! Patricia
Mt Ngungun and Mt Coochin 26 July 2009
Seven bushwalkers met up at Glasshouse Mountains on a
beautiful sunny morning. A short distance away we started the
walk up Mt Ngungun.
The first section of the track was well graded and easy going to
the cave area. From here it became steeper. At the flat area
above the cave we followed a foot track discovered on a pre
outing to the rocky escarpment.
We enjoyed the 360 degree view while having morning tea. To
the north were farms and Caloundra and to the south
spectacular views of the Glasshouse mountains peaks and the
city in the distance. On return to the car park we passed many
families traipsing up the mountain.
It was then a short drive to the entrance of Coochin National
Park. Following a foot track we made our way up the West peak.
Then made our way downhill to a saddle and scrambled up the
rocks to the East peak. We had a leisurely lunch in the shade
overlooking Beerwah, Bribie Island and Moreton Bay. It was
then a short walk following a ridge downhill back to the cars.
We all enjoyed afternoon tea at the Adventure Cafe before
returning home. Many thanks to Richard, Michael, David,
Margie, June and Nev for coming along. Noelene
Mt Maroon It Wasn’t 2 August 2009
Eleven bushwalkers meet at Aratula with the intentions of
climbing Mt Maroon via the cave route.
It all started when we decided to leave for the walk from Arutula.
Gil’s car would not start, it had a flat battery. Thanks to David
who had jumper leads, we were able to jump start Gil's car and
we headed off to Mt Maroon.
We arrived at Mt Maroon Car Park where we found the track
roped off and a sign saying Mt Maroon closed due to burning off.
We discussed alternative walks. Richard came up with the idea
to climb Toms Tum so we headed off to the Lower Portals car
park.
The eleven of us started to walk up Toms Tum, stopping on the
way for morning tea. Some areas were challenging with some
members crawling through rock crevices. We reached the top of
what we thought was Toms Tum and had lunch. Following the
walk we retired to “The Shed” for a relaxing coffee before we
headed home.
Tom's Tum it Ain't Either
When Richard arrived home he checked his latest topo maps
and realised we were not on Toms Tum. It was the higher one
next to the two peaks. The views we saw of Mt Barney and
surrounds were excellent. I would like to thank all who went on
the walk. Gil Gunthorpe
Pyrenees and Camino de Santiago
6 May to 30 May 2009
A group of seven decided over eighteen months ago to have an
adventure in France and Spain. The bones of the trip were: a
couple of days in Paris, a week in the Pyrenees hiring two cars
for transport, and a week walking the Camino de Santiago in
north western Spain with a couple of day's rest at the end and
another two days in Madrid to round if off.
The Group
The participants were Ann Tracey, Frank Garland, Helen
McAllister, Noelene McCay, Lynn Nicol, Richard and I. Some of
their comments are included in the write-up below along with
photos of our unforgettable trip.
Page 5 of 6
This trip began with a short visit to Paris and an exploration of
some of the fascinating sights of this amazing city: Eiffel Tower,
Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Louvre, Seine, Montmartre, Moulin
Rouge, Champs Elysees to name a few. Here is a comment
from one of the participants,
”Had forgotten how incredibly compact a French en suite could
be--push-button for a seven second shower in our third-rate
Montmartre hotel, and didn’t see a soap shelf in any shower of
the trip. Was awakened at 1am by a glorious operatic male
voice singing in the street below--knew I wasn’t in Brisbane.”
An eventful (don't ask!!) train trip down to Lourdes, pick up the
hire cars, and off south into the Pyrenees. Plenty of snow was
visible on the high tops, not a good sign for walkers!
“The Pyrenees had had a bumper snow season – “une horreur”
in the words of one local. As a result, the slatey-grey rivers were
swollen and rushing with melted snow; the waterfalls were
superb; and some of the passes and walks were still closed with
snow.”
The roads were narrow with steep drop-offs, many bicycles
(practising for the Tour de France?) and, of course, we were on
the wrong side of the road!!!! Frank didn't have a road map so
he was always trying to find a little silver car somewhere in front
of him, and the passengers in my car were looking for a little
black car somewhere behind. What fun!
We stayed in mobilhomes, that is, cabins, four of us in one and
three in the other. Not too spacious but with kitchen facilities,
lovely heaters and en suites, all with a wonderful view across
the mountain to snow-covered peaks in the near and far
distance.
Happy Hour out on the mobilhome deck
Some of the planned walks were blocked by snow or the roads
cut before we could even get to the start but we did manage to
do some wonderful walking, often on snow, and the views were
magnificent. The little villages on the side of the steep
mountains were so picturesque.
“The scenery of high snow capped mountains with clear blue
sky was spectacular.”
On Track in the Pyrenees
Our first walking adventure was towards the Col de Tromouse,
crossing a steep, fast-flowing stream, before finally being
stopped by snow. Deer were seen in the distance and we came
across marmots a few times while walking.
We walked as far as we could along the track to the most
famous tourist spot, the Cirque de Gavarnie, “scoured by
glaciation into an almost perfect semicircle, 1500m from top to
bottom and 900m across” and forming the border between
southern France and Spain. In the distance was visible the
Grande Cascade, a 423m drop, the longest waterfall in Europe.
Cirque de Gavarnie
There were a few exciting moments as Noelene remembers:
“Walking along a circuit track in the mountains Richard, Frank,
Helen, Lyn and myself made our way cautiously across a snow
covered slope only to find 500m along a more difficult crossing.
We returned the same way. My knees were shaking and my
fingers were nearly frozen crossing back over the snow covered
slope.”
Mountain High
There were a couple of visits to now-empty ski resorts and, one
day, even a quick trip through a five kilometre tunnel into Spain
for a bit of lunch then return to France! Of course, being in the
land of amazing food, we had many gastronomic experiences,
especially of a pastry and chocolate kind.
We spent a bit of time in Lourdes and it happened to be the
annual military pilgrimage with soldiers from thirty countries
there for four days. There must have been a couple of hundred
different uniforms, some extremely unusual.
Swiss ski patrol
After seven wonderful days it was time to return our hire cars
and hop on another train, this time heading for Spain, but that is
another story. Patricia
Page 6 of 6
What Makes a Good Photo?
Lighting Contrast
The human eye can see a wide range of detail in a scene from
dark shadows to bright sunny areas. The digital sensor in the
camera, or the film, cannot record such a range. This can be a
big problem for photographers.
Mottled light looks pretty, but is bad news.
Sometimes, you just can’t solve this problem. It may be
necessary to move yourself or the subject to a place where the
light falls more evenly across the scene. Let’s look at some
solutions for photographing people.
• Photograph on a cloudy day. Cloud in front of the sun
diffuses the light. It scatters the light’s rays into the
shadows, making these areas not so dark.
• Try placing your subject in “open shade” where the light
source is diffused light reflected from the open sky
• Face your subject to the light, so that the light is
coming from behind you or use fill flash to add light to
harsh shadows under the eyes, nose etc.
Direct harsh sunlight Diffused light caused by cloud
cover
Direct harsh sunlight Positioning the subjects in open
shade
No Fill Flash Fill Flash
Advanced solution using RAW format
Most compact cameras only allow shooting in jpeg mode which
sets the exposure of the scene at the time of shooting. Some
cameras, however, allow shooting in RAW format.
RAW format records a broader range of information when taking
a photo. Exposure parameters are then set afterwards on a
computer using relevant software. It is then converted to a jpeg.
This can allow means to improve the range of dark to light that
can be recorded in a scene.
Noise
Noise is a grainy, speckled appearance that occurs in digital
images. Some cameras are worse than others.
Noise becomes more apparent as the ISO is increased or if an
underexposed (too dark) picture is lightened in photo editing
software.
To be continued. Evelyn Campbell