National Parks Association of the Australian Capital ... 56 No 2 Jun 2019.pdf · National Parks Association of the Australian Capital Territory Inc. Volume 56 Number 2 June 2019

Membersforum

Narjong waterhealing

Yerrabi butterflywalk

National Parks Association of the Australian Capital Territory Inc.

Volume 56 Number 2 June 2019

NPA Bulletin Volume 56 Number 2 June 2019Articles by contributors may not necessarily reflect association opinion or objectives.

CONTENTS

Notice of Annual General Meeting 2019 .................................2

President’s report......................................................................3

Esther Gallant

Report on 60th Anniversary Members Forum .........................4

Esther Gallant

Obituary: David Large .............................................................6

Timothy Walsh

ACT premiere of Underfrog ....................................................6

Mike Bremers

Narjong water healing ceremony in Kosciuszko .....................7

Cynthia Burton

Environment Subcommittee update .........................................7

Rod Griffiths

Update on the NPA goanna project –

the 2018–19 season...........................................................8

Don Fletcher

From the monthly meetings ...................................................10

Sonja Lenz and Philip Gatenby

Impact – a tired warrior in the battle for

the environment ..............................................................12

Ed Highley

The bush in our backyard.......................................................13

Kevin McCue

Aboriginal ring trees ..............................................................14

Mike Bremers

NPA outings program, June–September 2019 ..................15–18

The AV1: a walk in the Dolomites...........................................19

Philip Gatenby

NPA ACT work party summary

November 2018 – April 2019...........................................21

Martin Chalk

Heritage walks and published guides of

the Conservation Council ...................................................22

Brian Slee

Bushwalk reports

Butterflies of the Yerrabi Track ........................................23

Suzi Bond

Mount Stromlo..................................................................24

Brian Slee

Swampy Plain River .........................................................24

Brian Slee

West Basin, Lake Burley Griffin .....................................25

Brian Slee

European wasp sightings .........................................................26

A Short Walk in the Tuggeranong Bush ..................................26

Gerry Jacobson

PARKWATCH ...........................................................................27

Compiled by Hazel Rath

NPA notices .............................................................................30

Meetings and speaker information ..........................................31

NPA information and contacts .................................................31

2 NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2019

Thursday 15 August 2019Business:

Minutes of AGM 2018President’s reportFinancial report and appointment of auditor

Election of office-bearers and committeeAny other business.

Note: all office-bearer and committee positions become vacant at the Annual General Meeting.

Nominations for office-bearer and committee positions for the coming year are welcome. Please copy or scan the formbelow for submission of nominations.

Notice of Annual General Meeting 2019

Nominations for NPA ACT committee and office-bearers for 2019–20Nominations are sought for committee members and office-bearers to be elected at the

Annual General Meeting on 15 August 2019.

We nominate.....................................................for the position of ............................................of the NPA ACT for 2019–20

Proposed by .....................................................(signature) Seconded by ............................................................(signature)

I accept the nomination ...................................(signature) (date) ......................................

[This form can be photocopied and used for nominations.]

NPA BULLETIN − JUNE 2019 3

Recently, thecommitteehas focusedon plans forcelebration

of the 60thAnniversary of

the founding ofNPA ACT on

1 March 1960. The firstevent was the 60th AnniversaryMembers Forum (6 April) to identifywhere NPA ACT should focus in theyears ahead in order to ensure theprotection of our national parks and theuniquely Australian environment andcultural heritage contained within them.Keynote speakers and invited guests hadlively and productive discussions of theway forward. (See article in this Bulletinsummarising the suggestions.) Thecommittee will discuss suggestions andideas from the forum in the near futureand solicit member input beforedeciding on a plan of action. Planningfor other 60th Anniversary events isunderway including a photographycontest and anniversary dinner.

Our splendid new promotionalbrochure has been printed and thosereceiving a printed copy of the Bulletinwill find one inside. Please considergiving this to a friend who might beenticed to join. Thank you to thePublicity Subcommittee members AllanSharp (convener), Margaret Power andMichaela Popham for bringing this tocompletion, and to Sabine Friedrich forher stunning design. Now we need todistribute the brochure to as manylocations as possible where they mightreach prospective members. If you haveany suggestions please contact me orAllan.

Astonishingly the 75th anniversaryof the founding of Kosciuszko NationalPark on 19 April passed with no official

recognition from the NSW Governmentor NPWS. The park was created inresponse to the dreadful damageresulting from stock grazing in the HighCountry. Reclaim Kosci publicised thisimportant anniversary and the irony ofthe same area now being severelydamaged by feral horses and other hard-hoofed invasive species.

Reclaim Kosci commissionedHarrison Warne, an award-winningyoung nature photographer, to produce ashort film Underfrog about the threatposed by feral horses. The premierescreening was at ANU on 11 May (seearticle in this Bulletin). Several of thebest entrants in the 60-second videocompetition were also screened. All ofthese will be shown at the NamadgiVisitor Centre in the near future.

All involved in the Reclaim Koscicampaign have been pleased andencouraged by the interest shown bymost people they have encountered andthe continuing interest of the media. Thecreativity and enthusiasm of Alison andRichard Swain, campaign coordinators,has been key to our overall success. Thepetition to the NSW Parliament rapidlyreached 10,000 signatures thanks to theapparently boundless enthusiasm ofLinda Groom and her team of CanberraBushwalking Club volunteers. They havecriss-crossed NSW to talk with peopleabout the feral horse problem. Thenumber of petition signatures now wellexceeds that required to obligate theNSW Parliament to redebate theKosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act2018. Well done ALL!

Closer to home, both Rod Griffithsand I have contacted EnvironmentMinister Gentleman’s office with regardto updating the ACT 2009 Plan ofManagement for feral horse control.Recently we have learned that theprocess has been initiated. Look out for afuture call for comment on the new plan.

NPA’s contributions to bushfiremanagement through the recent bushfiresymposium have obviously beenrecognised. ACT Parks representativeTony Scherl sought the opportunity toaddress NPA ACT to present the newlyformulated ACT Bushfire Plan ofManagement for comment. We werehappy to make a last minute programchange to accommodate him in a timelymanner and the session was wellattended (see article in this Bulletin).

Our book and information stall atthe ACT CAP (Connect and Participate)Expo was a great success both innumber of books sold and the numerousconversations with very interestedpeople. Thanks to Adrienne Nicholson,Sonja Lenz, Kevin McCue, JaneO’Donohue and Allan Sharp for theirefforts on the day. We handed out lotsof new brochures as well.

Our next information stall will be on28 July at the Namadgi Visitor Centreobservation of World Ranger Day. Ifyou would like to help just contact acommittee member. Do mark the day onyour calendars and plan to attend theevent to honour the work of all rangersworldwide, especially those who have amuch more dangerous job than ours inAustralia.

Esther Gallant

President’s report

NPA information stall at

ACT CAPExpo. Photo

by Esther Gallant.


The theme of the forum, held on 6 April2019, was ‘Protecting our national parksfor future generations’. The event wasorganised and facilitated by CynthiaBurton, NPA ACT Vice President, andheld in the hall of St Margaret’s UnitingChurch in Hackett. Twenty-two NPAACT members attended. They werejoined by eight guests from like-mindedorganisations.

Much has happened in the worldsince the NPA ACT was first created in1960. Many national parks, includingNamadgi, currently face a multitude ofdaunting challenges to theirenvironmental and cultural values – insome cases, even to their very existence.Challenges include poor land- andwater-resource management, invasiveanimals and plants, and climate change.

The forum aimed to identify whereand how NPA ACT should focus itsenergies in the years ahead to supportthe protection of our national parks,including Namadgi, and the uniquelyAustralian environmental and culturalheritage they hold. It also permitted thesharing of ideas and experiences withlike-minded friends. The programcomprised presentations by two invitedspeakers and a small-group brain-storming session to identify issues anddevelop aims for future activity.

Presentation: Namadgi and otherAustralian national parks: needs,opportunities and threats

Brett McNamara, Manager of NamadgiNational Park, spoke about the changedcontext in which the caretakers ofnational parks work today. In years past,the roles of parks’ staff were largelyfocused on looking after the flora andfauna. This focus has gradually changedto one of managing people, includingpark visitors and a range of otherstakeholders, including politicians.

Brett described the approachcurrently being taken in Namadgi as‘the four pillars of peoplemanagement’:1. Retaining a focus on natural values,

i.e. the flora and fauna of the park2. Promoting both Indigenous and

European cultural heritage, e.g. Abo-riginal rock art sites and sitesassociated with the 50th anniversaryof the Apollo moon landing

3. Promoting engagement with natureas a means of creating healthierindividuals, societies and com-munities – based on scientificevidence of these benefits

4. Building social licence within thecommunity for actions essential toprotecting the park.Brett considered the fourth pillar to

be particularly important to the futureof national parks in Australia.Compared with 30 years ago, theaverage person does not get as muchexposure to key environmentalconcepts and relationships, such as thelinkages between feral horses, damageto sphagnum moss, and water supply.Environmental issues are not as visiblein the media as in the past, and there isless understanding in the widercommunity of the relevance of nationalparks to their lives. Individuals areengaging with the natural landscape innew and different ways. For example,endurance events in the bush are risingin popularity, and a more dem-ographically diverse population is nowexploring nature.

Brett felt that there is a need forpark agencies and organisations such asNPA ACT to build a narrative with thecommunity about why nature isimportant, a narrative that is clear andeasy to understand; he gave theexample of the (widely well-received)

story on ‘the life of a raindrop’ that hewrote for the media. He expressed theview that activities such as takingpoliticians and the media on field visitsplay a valuable role in personalisingand humanising the issues with thisaudience. He thought that there isfurther scope for NPA ACT to thinkcreatively and work proactively withnew and different groups of people,such as climate change groups, as wellas to work towards strengthening thediversity of the organisation to reflectthe wider community that now engageswith the environment.

Group brainstorming

The task of the brainstorming sessionwas to explore and recommend possiblekey aims and actions to moveNPA ACT towards achieving its goal ofprotecting national parks for futuregenerations. The results would be usedto inform future NPA ACT decision-making.

The session was in two parts. In thefirst part, each group undertook aSWOT (strengths, weaknesses,opportunities, threats) analysis relatingto the association as it currently stands.Major points raised in their analyses aregiven below. A full list is on theNPA ACT website at https://www.npaact.org.au//res/File/2019/60th%20forum%20summary%20FI-NAL%20CB%2015%204%2019.pdf .

The second part of the sessiondiscussed and drew on the findings ofthe SWOT, leading to the suggestion ofthe six primary aims for future activitylisted in the box on page 5. A completelist of actions suggested to achievethese aims can be found on the website(at the link shown above).

Strengths of NPA ACT

• Extensive accumulated knowledge,good reputation, publicationexpertise, lobbying and activistexperience and interesting projects

• Educated members, generous donors,good relationships with politiciansand media.

Weaknesses

• Lack of diversity in membership withregard to age, culture, other forms ofdemographics as well as inactive andaging members

• Lack of modern communicationskills, paid staff and a publicspokesperson

• Perception of being too scientific,conservative and cliquey.

(continued next page)

Report on 60th Anniversary Members Forum


Report on 60th Anniversary Members Forum (continued)

Opportunities

• Promote national parks as climatechange buffers (i.e. help to be climatechange ready) and as an aid tophysical and mental health

• Contribute to strengthening of theEnvironment Protection andBiodiversity Conservation Act 1999and other environmental legislation

• Tap into diversity of park user groupsand programs such as ‘Nature Play’

• Increase effectiveness of onlinepresence to promote our strengths andpassions

• Develop collaborations with like-minded groups and the widercommunity.

Threats

• Commercialisation of national parks,i.e. potential damage and strains oncapacity of the environment to cope

• Lack of custodianship culture andunderstanding of responsiblerecreation

• Time and career pressures on youngerpeople who tend to have an issuesfocus – targeted campaigns are neededto engage them

• Climate change• Increasing numbers and poor

management of feral animals• Population pressure leading to both

over-use and urban encroachment intonatural spaces.

Presentation: Reaching out to currentand future generations: theexperience of Intrepid Landcare

Megan Rowlatt, assisted by her co-founder Naomi Edwards, outlined theorigin and approach of IntrepidLandcare (IL). When Megan first joineda landcare group some years ago, shehad a positive experience but alsonoticed that most people involved inlandcare were older. She wanted to finda way to link older volunteers withyounger people and share the multiplebenefits of this volunteer work,including better health, connection withnature and making a contribution toprotection and conservation of theenvironment.

IL was started around a decade agoand became a national organ-isation in2015. IL applies the organisation’sunderstanding of how young peopleconnect and care for the environmentwith the experience of landcare groupsand communities. IL did a multi-statesurvey of why young people engaged inlandcare and found that the mainbarriers to volunteering were: lack oftime; unawareness of opportunities;uncomfortableness with turning up toprojects and not knowing anyone; otherwork/life commitments; perceptions oflack of welcome (mainly a reflection ofthe approach of organisations toextending the ‘invitation’). The top threereasons young people stayed involved involunteer landcare work were that theyfelt like they were making a differenceto the local environment, they likedbeing in the ‘great outdoors’ and theyhad fun.

In the early days of IL’s work,Megan discovered that she had to putconsiderable effort into breaking downnegative attitudes and perceptions thatolder people held about younger people(e.g. unreliable, more interested in videogames etc.). She further discovered thatmany young people lacked confidencein doing landcare work until theydiscovered others with shared values;did not have experience of some basicbush skills, which made them hesitant toget involved in outdoor environmentalactivities; wanted and neededopportunities to lead activities (projects)and to explore andconnect withothers and withnature. Theywanted to feelvalued and heard.

IL has runmany outdoorweekends foryoung peopleaged 10–24.Young people areempowered withbasic training totake on leadership

roles with the support of older people.Many have gone on to start their owngroups, and there are now 14–15 ILnetworks around Australia. These aredesigned as safe and non-judgmentalexperiences. IL also run workshops andrelated activities to help organisationsand communities build connections andrelationships with younger people. Thereis a charge for the latter activities, theproceeds being used to subsidiseoutdoors-oriented youth leadershiptraining.

Megan shared IL’s top tips forengaging young people successfully.These focused on: identifying andmapping out the demographic group(s)with whom we want to engage; workingout the networks, clubs and places they‘hang out’, along with building up anunderstanding of their needs, wants andfears; challenging our assumptions aboutyouth; being clear about what motivatesus to do the work we do and being ableto ‘share our story’ in an engagingmanner (e.g. face-to-face, online,media); taking a personal approach tothe invitation to join; and co-designingprojects (activities) with these youngerpeople.

Further details can be found in IL’sworkbook on Tips and Ideas to SupportYoung People to Create Change. Hardcopies are available from Esther Gallant.

Summing up the forum

Convener Cynthia Burton thankedparticipants for their ideas andenthusiasm, which had led to the forumadmirably achieving its aim. Sheacknowledged the contributions ofAnnette Smith and Deidre Shaw inplanning and implementing the event,and especially thanked the invited guestsfor sharing their time and thoughts withNPA ACT.

Esther Gallant,

based on Convener

Cynthia Burton’s report

Photos by Rod Griffiths.

Suggested aims of NPA ACT to achieve its goal of protecting national parks

• Increase membership base by broadening age range and increasing culturaldiversity

• Review NPA ACT’s scope and mission

• Develop a communication and outreach strategy to promote education andraise awareness of natural environment

• Make responsible use of national parks fun and engaging

• Promote a culture of climate readiness across planning and governance inACT protected natural areas

• Add value to NPA-sponsored research by actively publicising it.

David Large died on 26 March afterbattling various forms of cancer forseveral years. He was nearly 82 and hadbeen an active member of NPA ACTsince he retired in 1993.

David was born in Mudgee, grew upin Wollongong and moved to Canberrato join the public service in 1959 after ashort spell at Port Kembla steelworks.He had been a Queen’s Scout as a boyand led a troop in Canberra. He served abrief National Service in the armycatering corps.

David served on the NPA committeetwice. However, his real love wasbushwalking and the environment, notcommittee work.

David was a formidable bushwalker.He frequently led day and overnightwalks for NPA and other Canberrabushwalking groups as well asparticipating in private walks. Theseincluded trips to Namadgi, the SnowyMountains, Warrumbungles, Hume andHovell track, Nadgee, Budawangs,Greet Ocean Road, and further afield tothe Heyson Trail in SA and theKimberley, Kakadu and Tasmania,including several to the challengingSouth West. He made a number of tripsto New Zealand and a walking tour toJapan. He had a special love for the

Royal National Park near Sydneyand often used this overnight walkas a training walk for longerexpeditions.

In later years David becameobsessed with the Bibbulmun Trackin Western Australia and completedthis 1,000 kilometre walk at leastfive times. He loved the order androutine walking the BibbulmunTrack could offer. As well, herevelled in being able to meet andtalk with a new cohort of walkers mostnights. David was known as somethingof a gear freak and spent a good amountof time researching the latest lightweightgear and places to visit. This benefittedmany as he was always pleased to offeradvice to those keen to do likewise.

David was always a stimulatingwalking companion. On many trips hebrought along newspaper quizzes toentertain us in the evening. He waswidely read and never afraid to engagein robust conversations. One friend hassaid of him ‘Initially I found him a littleforthright in manner but soon discoveredhis generous and kindly heart’. Once, inNew Zealand we arrived at an isolatedhut to find three walkers looking for afourth to play bridge. David, a keenplayer, was pleased to be able to oblige!

Although he rode a horse for pleasurewhen he first moved to Canberra, Davidwas a passionate supporter of the SaveKosci protest movement against feralhorses held in November–December lastyear. Despite his poor health and obviousdeteriorating condition he was a keyplayer in NPA ACT’s contribution to thecampaign. He drove support cars and onthe last day joined the main body ofparticipants who walked from CharlottePass to the summit of MountKosciuszko. He managed to get toRawson’s Pass. No mean feat.

David was lucky to be supported inhis travel adventures by Robin, hispatient and understanding wife.

Timothy Walsh


David tramping in New Zealand.

Photo by Tim Walsh.

Obituary: David Large

On Saturday evening 11 May 2019 at theAustralian National University, ReclaimKosci and the ANU EnvironmentCollective hosted the ACT premiere ofthe Underfrog documentary in a nightabout the feral horse issue in KosciuszkoNational Park. The event was wellattended.

Underfrog is a half-hourdocumentary by Harrison Warne, arecent ecology graduate. Thedocumentary takes you on a journey toexplore Kosciuszko, feral horses andtheir disturbance of these delicateecosystems. In particular it focuses on

feral horse damage to the habitat of theStocky Galaxias, a small native fishthat has a very limited range in a creekof northern Kosciuszko, and Harrison’ssearch for a Corroboree Frog.Underfrog is Harrison’s seconddocumentary. His first, a co-productionwith Jack Breedon, was Life in the Wet:a Frogumentary about the wet tropicsregion of north Queensland. Both ofthese documentaries can be viewed onHarrison’s Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/Harrison-WarneWildlifePhotographyvideos/ .

After the screening there was anopen panel discussion withHarrison, Professor Geoffrey Hopeand Reclaim Kosci coordinatorRichard Swain about the feralhorse problem. Also during the evening, AndrewCox, CEO of the Invasive SpeciesCouncil, presented a total of$5,000 in prize money to thewinner of the Reclaim Kosci shortvideo competition. The

competition was supported by thePaddy Pallin Foundation. The winnerof both the $3,000 judge’s choice andthe $2,000 people’s choice was BrettFrawley with his video That WarmFuzzy Feeling! The judge of thecompetition wrote ‘Brett’s pieceachieved a very rare thing – he usedjust the right proportions of humourand honesty to offer up a very clearmessage ... Humour is gold in a hardcampaign like this and Brett got thedose right. Lovely, originalcampaigning ... voiced by a Corroboreefrog no less!’ Brett’s video and otherentries to the video competition can beviewed on Reclaim Kosci’s Facebookpagehttps://www.facebook.com/ReclaimKo-sci/videos/ .

It was pleasing to see the work ofboth Harrison and Brett. They aretalented videographers who each gettheir message across in a very effectiveand entertaining way using newtechnologies and social media.

Mike Bremers

ACT premiere of Underfrog

Professor Geoffrey Hope, Harrison Warne,

Richard Swain and Andrew Cox at the ACT

Underfrog premiere. Photo by Mike Bremers.


A rare and inspiring event took place atLong Plain in Kosciuszko National Parkon 3 March 2019. Organised by one ofReclaim Kosci’s two campaigncoordinators, Richard Swain, who is aWiradjuri man, the Narjong waterhealing ceremony brought seniorIndigenous lore men together at thesource of the Murrumbidgee River toprovide much-needed care for this vitalelement of country. The ceremony wasapparently the first of its kind in150 years.

The ceremony was led by Uncle MaxDulumunmun Harrison, and includedmen from across NSW and furtherafield; collectively, they represented theMurray, Murrumbidgee, Lachlan andDarling rivers. Uncle Major MoogySummers, a Ngarrindjeri elder, came allthe way from the Coorong in SouthAustralia, at the mouth of the Murray

River. Author BrucePascoe (Dark Emu) wasalso among theparticipants.

The aim of theceremony was to heal theriver waters from themany influences that areharming it. Richard Swainis particularly concernedabout the ever-increasingdamage to country causedby a growing populationof feral horses.

‘We took people to the actual springwhere the mother gives birth to theMurrumbidgee. It’s been absolutelydesecrated by feral horses … It is reallyemotional, it is hard to comprehend.Water can’t come out of the groundbecause it’s been trampled.’1

Well over 100 people attended theceremony. Everyone walked akilometre to the river. The lore menconducted ceremonial dancing, singingand firelighting. All in attendance weresmoked, then the smoke was buried andthe ochre washed in the river. Therewas even participation byrepresentatives of a pro-feral-horsegroup.

I was among the several NPA ACTmembers privileged to experience thisspecial, moving ceremony. We wereinspired by this group of lore men whoare committed to caring for country and

to standing up for it. Non-IndigenousAustralians can learn much about theimportance of responsible cus-todianship of the land from Australia’sancient cultures.

I encourage you to go to the linkbelow to see some footage from theNarjong water healing ceremony. Thisshort ABC South East NSW video hasnow been viewed well over 400,000times – a significant social mediaachievement. Overall, the ceremony hasreceived widespread media coverage.https://www.facebook.com/abcsoutheastnsw/videos/1235840133238955/?v=1235840133238955

Cynthia Burton1 Rachel Knowles, 13 March 2019,

‘Heritage, feral horses and meat pies;

conversation starters at Narjong Healing

Ceremony’ in National Indigenous Times.

Guests walking down to the river. Photo by Cynthia Burton.

Narjong water healing ceremony in Kosciuszko

Passing through the smoke.

Photo by Cynthia Burton.

Environment Subcommittee updateThe aims and objectives of the NPAACT are given on page 31 of thisBulletin. The first of them involves thepromotion of national parks and, just asimportantly, the promotion of measuresfor the protection of the naturalenvironment. The NPA ACT’sEnvironment Subcommittee plays animportant part in the achievement of thisobjective. In the period since thepublication of the last Bulletin it hasbeen particularly busy through its:• Presentation of environment concerns

to the ACT Legislative AssemblyEnvironment Committee as part of the‘Nature in the City’ public hearings.The NPA fielded questions from theassembly’s Environment Committeeand emphasised the need for long-termfunding for weed and pest control; andthe need for ACT-wide planning toreduce the pressure on the ACT’sreserves by ever-increasing visitornumbers.

• Meeting with the representatives ofParks and Conservation and theEmergency Services Agency on thedevelopment of the next iteration ofthe Strategic Bushfire ManagementPlan and its supporting Regional FireManagement Plans. This led to asubmission that provided direct inputinto the development of these plansbefore they went to publicconsultation. The submissionpromoted the need for smaller, moremanageable, mosaic-pattern burns ona local scale, these taking intoaccount the actual vegetation,topography and weather over theperiod beyond the burn itself andleaving the canopy intact to preventweeds and fire-adapted speciesreturning. It also discussed the needto utilise some level of Indigenousand ecological burns as part ofbushfire fuel reduction.

• Continued work on ensuring the pushfor an increase in mountain biketourism takes account ofenvironmental considerations.The subcommittee is currently

researching and preparing itssubmission to the ACT WoodlandsStrategy and the outcomes of this willbe discussed in the next Bulletin. Thesubcommittee is also considering thepotential effects on the environment ofacceptance of the developmentapplications for the NSW section of theGinninderry development and for theCoombs Peninsula in the MolongloRiver Corridor.

Well done to Clive, John, Georgeand Cynthia for their support of thesubcommittee’s activities. If any of theabove actions are of interest, please feelfree to contact me on 0410 875 731.

Rod Griffiths, Convener


Removing the GPS packs

The planned 3-day session to removeGPS packs in the first week of Aprilfailed. We removed only one of the10 GPS packs in 4 days with up to sixpeople per day. A second 4-day sessionwas better, in which six more packs wereretrieved. Further work continued astime permitted. As at 15 May, all but oneof the GPS packs is in hand and ready tosend to the USA for refurbishing, readyfor another season of work next springand summer. The 10th GPS pack is onGoanna X, which is proving quite achallenge to catch. We also have oneanimal with just its radio, so we are stilltrying to catch that one too (Goanna 14).

It was important to remove the GPSpacks in order to not lose equipment thatcosts $3,500 per animal, and which canbe refurbished for an additional season ata cost of $800. The radio beacons bywhich we find the animals, including toget GPS downloads, will not last throughwinter if left on the animals. In that case,the valuable GPS packs would probablybe lost.

However, there was a positive aspectto the delay. An unexpected episode ofgoanna movement has been revealed.Several of the goannas were captured inplaces we did not know they evervisited, up to 4 km outside theirpreviously known range. For example,the map below shows Goanna 14 moved4 km beyond his normal home range. Wewonder if these movements are toward‘winter quarters’ in warmer locations.

This is a summary of developmentswith the goanna project since the lastupdate in the March 2019 Bulletin.

In the weeks since the last update, muchscience work has been done in the‘99 per cent perspiration’ category, withno ‘1 per cent inspiring’ findings toreport yet. We have visited the NaasValley more than weekly, mainly toradio-track goannas, re-glue theirharnesses and download GPS fixes.Other jobs included: searching fortermite mounds; maintaining cameratraps on mounds with goanna diggings;and investigating places where clustersof GPS fixes showed something wasattracting a goanna there. An account ofrecent efforts to catch goannas andremove their GPS packs is given in moredetail below.

An interesting number?

We are at the end of our second goanna‘summer’ season at Naas Valley. Lastyear (the 2017–18 season) we capturedand identified 12 individual goannas.This year (2018–19) we captured andidentified 33, including six re-capturesfrom 2017–18. A simple calculationusing those figures tells us the NaasValley population must be only in thetens of animals (previously I hadguessed low hundreds).

Next year we should have a morereliable population estimate because wewill start with 39 marked animals, ratherthan 12. And by then we will also have amark–resight estimate from the cameratrapping for comparison. But anypopulation estimate is better than whatwas previously available for thisspecies. Given that Rosenberg’s Goannadensity (goannas/km2) at Naas isobviously higher than in other mainlandpopulations we are familiar with, andthe extent of the site is also greater thanothers in the ACT, a population estimateof only tens of animals, if confirmed,would highlight a potentialvulnerability of this species in ourregion. That concern is increased by theknowledge that the high density at Naasdates from only the early 2000s. Beingso recent, there is no confidence that thehigh density is permanent.

Whatever the explanation, we knowabout these autumn movements onlybecause the GPS packs were notretrieved as easily and quickly as thosein our pilot survey last year.

The delay in catching the goannasseems to have occurred this yearbecause: (i) the goannas are morereluctant to enter traps than they havebeen previously; (ii) they have moved tounexpected places (and some are stillmoving); and (iii) several were wellaway from the road, in places that aretime-consuming to get to. Perhaps thegoannas are seeking areas where sunlighthours are longer, on the higher parts ofthe valley sides. If so, they are making atrade-off between cooling due toincreasing altitude (called ‘lapse rate’)and heating due to longer periods ofsunlight (‘insolation’).

Replacing GPS with radios

When GPS packs are removed, thegoannas are being fitted with small VHFradios. These are unlikely to be anyimpediment over winter or when thegoannas are underground. The radioswill allow us to find those animals at thecommencement of the next season forattachment of refurbished GPS packs,something that is most important as away to include females in the study.Females have proved elusive, but less soat the end of the summer season, so byusing the radios, a female from the endof the previous season can in future beincluded from the start of the followingseason.

Autumn goanna movements. Squares mark

GPS fixes recorded by Goanna 14 which

left his home range (lower cluster of

squares) in late March and travelled

approximately 5 km north-east to a burrow

high on a north facing slope that is to the

north east of Horse Gully Hut.

Update on the NPA goanna project – the 2018–19 season



In addition, we will use the radios tofind the goannas’ winter burrows so theburrows can be photographed,characterised and monitored. Can wefind ways to describe the winterburrows so that rabbit control operatorshave simple rules for avoiding themwhen treating rabbit burrows? Are thewinter burrows important resources, re-used repeatedly over years, or evendecades? Are their entrances used as‘communication posts’ by severalgoannas? Activity loggers in three of theradios will provide clues about energyexpenditure by the goannas and we willalso use camera traps to monitor howmuch, if at all, the goannas emerge fromthe burrows during winter, and whatattention the burrows receive from othergoannas and other species.

First evidence of foxes

The first evidence of the fox populationin the Naas Valley found in our projectwas detected in mid-April. A carcasswas found on Naas Valley Fire Trail.Until then, in the two summer seasons,no camera-trap photo, sighting, scat,track or bark of a fox was recorded, anextraordinary result for mainlandAustralia. It contrasts with the numbersseen of Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Red-necked Wallabies, Black Wallabies,goannas, wallaroos, Pigs, Fallow Deer,dingoes and Sambar Deer (in decreasingorder of numbers detected). Foxes arepresent in the Naas Valley as expectedbut it seems their density must beunusually low, which probably helpsexplain the locally high density ofRosenberg’s Goannas, Red-neckedWallabies and Brush-tailed Possums.

More observations regarding termitemounds

As mentioned previously, Rosenberg’sGoannas depend on Nasutitermesexitosus termite mounds for egg-laying.Given that the Naas Valley appears tohave the highest density of Rosenberg’sGoannas of any local site, it isremarkable that the density of termitemounds is comparatively low. Otherlocal sites, such as Ainslie–Majura andBlack Mountain Nature Reserves, cancontain hundreds of termite mounds persquare kilometre where conditions arefavourable. But so far we have the GPScoordinates of only 19 mounds ofNasutitermes exitosus and 17 mounds ofCoptotermes lacteus in the Naas Valley,the latter being unsuitable for goannabreeding.

Last year, two Nasutitermes exitosustermite mounds were observed to havebeen dug by goannas, among a total offour mounds recorded at the time. One ofthe two produced hatchlings. This year,six of the 19 recorded Nasutitermesmounds were observed to have been dugby goannas (but about a third of the19 mounds were not found in time toknow whether they had been dug).Knowing the locations of at least sixgoanna-dug mounds, next spring we mayagain witness the emergence ofhatchlings.

The highest altitude at which aNasutitermes mound has so far beenrecorded is at 806 m, only 6 km up intothe valley from the Namadgi boundary.According to some environmental impactguidelines, areas such as the upper NaasValley, 20–25 km from the boundary,would not be surveyed for Rosenberg’sGoanna, due to the apparent absence ofNasutitermes. Yet, with little effort wehave captured and released eightRosenberg’s Goannas in that area. As yetthere is no explanation for the anomalouspresence of Rosenberg’s Goanna in theapparent absence of Nasutitermes.

It seems likely that further searchingfor Nasutitermes mounds will help usfind more female goannas, as well ashatchlings, so termite searching shouldbe given a higher priority in future.

The ‘Yellowtail’ questions

A camera trap on one of the six goanna-dug termite mounds revealed repeatedvisits by a peculiar goanna which I called‘Yellowtail’. The last 15 cm of its tailwas plain yellow like a Sand Goanna(Varanus gouldii) and the yellow spots onits toes were larger and brighter thannormal. It was interpreted as a femaleguarding her nest, so in the hope ofadding her to the study, we repeatedlywatched for opportunities to noose herand often set a trap at the mound. The

trap caught Goanna A, a male which hadoriginally been caught only 250 mdistant but had not been seen for 15months, and eventually it also caught ayellowish goanna. But examined closely,this yellow goanna seemed to lack someof Yellowtail’s features. And it was male.

I went back to the photos from thecamera trap and was surprised to findthere had actually been two similaryellow-tailed individuals. Differences intheir faces, toes and tail striping enabledthem to be told apart. (And now one alsohas a number on its back, which will beuseful if they come back to the samemound next season.)

It seems unlikely that chance alonewould result in visits to the same termitemound by two distinctive individuals thatdiffer in the same way. Are they siblings?Did two females lay in the same termitemound? (It had two excavations. I hadinitially assumed one was just a shallowexploratory hole that had beenabandoned.) Or were they a male andfemale pair guarding their eggs (just likeGoannas H and M the previous year)?Perhaps some answers will be revealedby the goanna catching and cameratrapping next year, or by Jason’s DNAstudy, mentioned below.

Liaison with Jason Dobry’s PhD project

Twenty-eight goanna blood samples havebeen taken in the Naas Valley, with eachsample divided between a part stored in amanner suitable for DNA sampling andanother part for growing white-bloodcells for chromosome study. Oversummer, Jason Dobry found that fungalcontamination had ruined many of thelatter but new procedures and storagesolutions seem to have overcome theproblem because the later samples havegrown well and produced usefulinformation about chromosomes inRosenberg’s Goanna.

Other fauna

Our cameras on termite mounds andgoanna burrows have recorded a varietyof other species. Some of these are ofinterest, for example small mammals areseen to be more widespread thanpreviously supposed, based on surveyswith small mammal traps. Other speciesare also of interest, including records ofFoxes and Sambar and Fallow Deer. Iwill start uploading the photos toCanberra Nature Map so these recordsare preserved where others can use them.

Parks and Conservation

The Parks and Conservation Service(PCS) has been supporting the project inthe most useful way possible, byallowing us to use a double-cab 4WD

‘Yellowtail’ guardinga termite mound.

Photo by Don Fletcher.

Update on the goanna project – the 2018–19 season (continued)

(continued on page 10)


trayback vehicle whenever they canspare it.

Meanwhile, another part of PCS hassought advice on how to avoid goannaburrows during rabbit burrow treatment.A training session was conducted inAinslie–Majura Nature Reserve and amanual is in preparation. We will bebetter informed after the burrow studyto be conducted over winter (and maybe able to improve the manual).

Talks and media

Two more PowerPoint presentationswere made about local goannas and theNPA’s research in the Naas Valley, one

talk to the ACT Herpetological Societyand one to the Murrumbateman LandcareGroup. I was interviewed again on ABCRadio Canberra (666).

Future funding

NPA has again this year submitted anapplication for an Environment Grant.The application mentions the possibilityof providing results that would beimmediately useful in park management.Rabbit burrow information wasmentioned earlier. Also, the applicationrefers to the large area (14 km2) of theNaas Valley to be burned this autumn,including the home ranges of several of

the research goannas, and the plansannounced in the Draft Regional FireManagement Plan to burn large parts ofthe western face of the Clear Range inthe next 5 years, including most of ourresearch site. There are obvious ways inwhich the goanna study, if continuedlong enough, could inform firemanagement plans as well as rabbitcontrol activities.

Don Fletcher

Update on the goanna project – the 2018–19 season (continued from page 9)

rains when insects were abundant whichunfortunately for insect and otherpopulations has not been the case overthe past year.

ACT Parks and Conservation ServiceRegional Fire Management Plan

The ACT’s next Regional FireManagement Plan (RFMP) for the10 year period 2019–2028 is now beingdeveloped. It covers proposed fire-related works and fuel treatments onlands managed by Parks andConservation. These works includeprescribed burning, slashing and grazingand other types of fuel reduction, as wellas fire trail maintenance. The RFMP ispart of the Strategic Bushfire Man-agement Plan (SBMP) for the ACTwhich is reviewed on a 5-yearly basis.

NPA’s monthly meetings introducemembers to a wide range of topics. Thiswas amply demonstrated in the first fourmeetings of 2019 which covered thesmaller creatures of Mulligans Flat,bushfire management, the DNA ofRosenberg’s Monitor and Little Eagles.Notice of meetings is given in theBulletin and the monthly e-newsletterBurning Issues.

The wild things of Mulligans Flatwoodland

Sam Nerrie, who has a self-confessedpassion for Mulligans Flat, gave aphotographic presentation of The WildThings of Mulligans Flat WoodlandsSanctuary. Her photographs, some ofwhich have won national andinternational awards, were mainly of theinsect world of the sanctuary andincluded close-ups of Hanging Fly andDragonfly. The presentation alsofeatured a selection of the varied birdlifeat Mulligans. Sam noted that most of thephotos were taken in a year of good

The new 10-year SBMP will bepublished in September 2019.

As part of the public consultationprocess1 before the start of a formalconsultation period, ACT Governmentspeakers gave separate presentations tothe NPA general meeting on differentaspects of the ACT’s bushfiremanagement: Joe Murphy on the SBMP;Tony Scherl on the RFMP; Neil Cooperon the Bushfire Operational Plan;Margaret Kitchin elaborated on howecological information feeds into theseplans; and Deane Freeman informed usabout first experiences with Aboriginalcultural burns in the ACT.

It was noted at the meeting that thenew plan is being developed in thecontext of climate change and a greaterunderstanding of fire behaviour and ofways to deal with it. The effects ofclimate change have already resulted inan extension of the fire season. In land-use planning in the ACT, zoningaccording to fire risk has beenintroduced. New houses and majorextensions to existing houses have tomeet conditions which accord withbushfire attack level values. A newconcept of ‘residual risk’ has also beendeveloped. This refers to the risk thatremains once bushfire mitigation (suchas prescribed burning, slashing andclearing and no treatment) has takenplace.

Fire also incurs an ecological risk. Ameasure of such risk is the tolerable fireinterval, which is the interval betweenfires that minimises the loss of speciesfor each vegetation community. Firemanagement of ecological assetsincludes fire exclusion with fuelreduction burns aiming to produce amosaic of smaller burnt areas across alandscape.

From the monthly meetings


Hanging Fly with its spider prey.

Photo by Sam Nerrie.

Swamp Wallaby eating wattle leaves.Photo by Sam Nerrie.


- What determines the sex of a goanna?As a possibly complicating aside,Jason noted that monitor females canlay eggs without male participationand that all the offspring thereof turnout to be males.

The Little Eagle project

Michael Mulvaney, the SeniorConservation Officer of the ACTGovernment, gave a presentation on theThe Little Eagle citizen science project,which has involved studying thenumbers and distribution of LittleEagles (Hieraaetus morphnoides) in andaround the ACT, using GPS wirelesstrackers. The research is looking at theforaging areas of the birds, theirdispersal, diet and breeding rates. LittleEagles are the world’s second smallesteagle (wingspan ~1m, the smaller maleweighing in at about 0.8 kg), endemic tomainland Australia and, in the ACT,mainly found in open forest, where theybreed in August and the young fledgearound the following February. Evidencesuggests that ACT numbers are in slowdecline with breeding pairs falling inrecent years from 12 to 9.

Michael explained that the researchhas followed a number of birds,including one male Little Eagle for twoseasons. In the first season, the bird

and for growing white blood cells forchromosome study to:- develop the DNA sequencing of all

individuals- determine the relatedness of

individuals- do a genome subtraction- isolate the W chromosome

sequences.Questions he hopes his research will

shed light on include:- Where did varanids originate? This is

the subject of some debate accordingto Jason: was it Laurasia (where thereis a fossil record going back70 million years) or Gondwanaland(which has a paucity of fossils, yetAustralia currently has more varanidspecies than any other country)?

- What are the differences betweenV. rosenbergi and V. varius? These arethe two monitors of the ACT region.Both are active predators and haveprobably been taxonomicallyconfused for a long time.Interestingly, V. rosenbergi occursacross southern Australia mostlysouth of 31 degrees. Populationsoccur around Sydney, the ACT,southern South Australia, includingKangaroo Island, and southernWestern Australia. V. varius, on theother hand, is mainly confined toeastern Australia with few recordswest of Adelaide.

As noted in the latest report from theEnvironment Subcommittee, NPA hasprepared a submission on the nextiteration of the SBMP and its supportingRFMP.

Rosenberg’s genetic pool

Jason Dobry is a PhD candidate fromthe University of Canberra studyinggoanna genetics. His presentation to theNPA was titled ‘Rosenberg’s geneticpool’. Jason explained that he hasalways been interested in reptiles,catching rattlesnakes as a kid inWashington State in the USA where hegrew up. In his various occupationssince leaving school he has learnt howto isolate mitochondrial DNA fromblood samples to look at lineages andhow, for example, populations deviatefrom one another.

While the focus of his PhD is onRidge-tailed Monitor (Varanusacanthurus), he is collecting blood andtissue samples from Rosenberg’sMonitor (V. rosenbergi) and LaceMonitor (V. varius) for DNA sampling

From the monthly meetings (continued)

Left. Temporary

mobile goanna

processing lab.

Photo by

Kevin McCue.

Right. Little Eagle.

Photo by

Stuart Rae.


The two monitor species of the ACT region; left, Rosenberg’s (Varanus rosenbergi), and right, Lace (Varanus varius). Photos by Philip Gatenby.

1 Members of the public can also make

comments through the website

www.yoursay.act.gov.au/bushfire-man-

agement-plan when it is put out for

consultation.


Impact – a tired warrior in the battle for theenvironment

precision, like damage, destruction,injury, harm, desecration, ruination,impairment and so on. And what aboutthe Great Barrier Reef? We’re currentlydoing more than impacting it; variousagents appear intent on killing it.

Our messages on the state andprotection of the environment arecritical. Surely we should be working ashard as we can to ensure that we useplain, cogent and unambiguous words inframing them.

Ed Highley

mean their announcing that ‘we’vethought about it [addressed it!]’ – fullstop. They then see themselves as off thehook. Perhaps if we keep asking them toadopt the policies needed to combat orreverse existentially dangerous climatechange that will destroy the ‘economy’,which seems to be the ‘be all and endall’ [sic] these days, they’ll be inclined topay a little more attention. And so toomight it be with ‘impact’. Maybe weshould stop pussyfooting around writingabout, for example, feral horse impactson streambanks and the consequencesthereof, and oil transmission of themessage using words of power and

It seems to me that, like brumbies, theword ‘impact’ has gone feral in reportingand discussions on matters concerningthe natural environment and, like wildhorses, it is causing real damage – tocommunication. I worry that, due tochronic overuse, ‘impact’ has, ironicallyin its case, joined ‘address’ in thelexicon of ineffectual descriptors ofttimes enlisted in reporting on mattersconcerning the environment. We seem tobe forever exhorting governments toadopt policies that ‘address climatechange’, and sometimes they say thatthey will, and do, but what does thatmean? More often than not, it seems to

didn’t breed; in the second it did. Itsforaging area was found to be about65 km2 but in the breeding year the bird,perhaps not surprisingly, spent moretime closer to the nest. Its diet wasyoung rabbit (60 per cent), birds (30 percent, predominately rosellas) andreptiles and insects (including cicadas,Christmas beetles, Blue-tongue Lizardsand Shinglebacks making up theremaining 10 per cent). Diet seems torelate to the food available becauseother birds have been found to make upto 50 per cent of the diet of other LittleEagles.

The distance Little Eagles travel hasbeen a surprise. One individual was

tracked along the Murrumbidgee toWagga Wagga, returned to the ACT andthen travelled, in a now well reportedtrip, over 3,000 km in 18 days to theNorthern Territory, covering 480 km inone day and reaching a top speed of68 kph. Other birds have travelled northto the Gulf of Carpentaria and easternQueensland beyond Bundaberg. LittleEagles have travelled south, spent timein Melbourne (where there is a goodsupply of Rock Dove and Silver Gull),with one then going to Adelaide and onto Port Pirie. Others have not travelledas far. Common features of thisdispersal according to Michael includefollowing watercourses and avoiding

large expanses of water. This helpsexplain the Little Eagle’s absence fromTasmania.

Michael then went on to say that sofar the research has collected onlylimited information about female LittleEagles. The plan now is to fit 19 birdswith transmitters (with NPA funding twotransmitters) and to find out more aboutnesting sites locally. Moreover, whilethe Little Eagle is declared vulnerable inthe ACT and NSW, given the vastdistances individuals travel, itsprotection surely requires a nationalapproach.

Sonja Lenz and Philip Gatenby

From the monthly meetings (continued from page 11)

NPAC Annual Meeting

and AGM,

18-20 October 2019

The annual meeting of the National ParksAustralia Council will be held at the NamadgiVisitor Centre from Friday 18 October to Sunday20 October.

Delegates from NPA organisations in Qld, NSW,Vic, Tas, ACT and the Nature Conservation Societyof South Australia (NCSSA) will gather to discusspolicy and program issues. NPA ACT is hosting themeeting.

NPA ACT members are encouraged to attendthe sessions and assist with catering and planning.

On Saturday afternoon delegates will visitNPA ACT’s Art Week at Gudgenby Cottage.

NPA ACT Art Week

at Gudgenby Cottage

will be held his year from

18 October to 25 October.Members of NPA ACT are invited to join in for aday, overnight, or several days to exploreGudgenby Valley through painting, photography,drawing, writing or other artistic endeavours.Come out for the day and picnic with inspiration.

An Open Day for associationmembers and the public will be

held on Sunday 20 October.

For information and to book, contactAdrienne Nicholson on 6281 6381 orHazel Rath on 4845 1021.


since Suzi Bond, our butterfly bookauthor, first alerted us to their existence,their numbers have dwindled.

Delicate and Three-toed Skinks arehanging on despite the ravages of theevil Currawongs. We wonder whetherup-hill building work has cut off thenormal access tracks of Blue-tongues,but a hyperactive male visited recently.Normally we see several adults andyoung passing by on their way towherever – they do not stay; not enoughsnails.

Renewal of suburban Aranda istaking its toll on nature, old 3br Goviesare being replaced by MacMansions thattake up the whole block with the loss oftrees, shrubs and groundcover, changingforever this lovely old suburb oncenestling quietly in the bush.

Kevin McCue

Photos by Kevin McCue

We hear the flocks of smallbirds doing their rounds at about4 am, the coolest part of the day,and then they disappearsomewhere even cooler and we donot see them again. The bird bathneeds a top-up most mornings so Iassume they are still bathing there.My bird ID is not great at that timeof the day: I can distinguishSilvereyes by their call but thereare others.

Honeyeaters of all sizes andshapes are about but the RedWattlebirds quickly chase them outof their territory. Magpies,Peewees and many species ofparrot and cockatoo call in. Threeinquisitive Wedge-tailed Eaglesspiraled over a group of us weeding inthe Aranda Bushland in early January.

One of our great pleasures waswatching a pair of Spotted Pardalotesexcavating a tunnel under our back step – actually, he stood guard a metre abovethe adit while she tunnelled and broughtthe waste to the entrance at which pointhe flew down scooped it all out with onefoot, in one action, then returned to hispost.

This year has been a disappointmentin the Lepidoptera department in ourbackyard: butterflies are few and farapart. The regal Orchard and DaintySwallowtails cruise by occasionallywithout stopping for a photo opportunity,and the Blues on our groundcover aresparse, though a Meadow Argus wasphotographed laying eggs there. AnAustralian Painted Lady and a CommonBrown drop in occasionally to nectar onthe numerous native shrubs flowering atthe moment (January) but in the years

I love their call, even at 3 am – what arethey trying to communicate and withwhom at that time of day? This pastsummer was a real bonanza for Koels inAranda and I fancy elsewhere in theACT. No doubt it was the ladenmulberry tree that attracted them to ourbackyard which enabled me to get someclose-up photos, something that haseluded me in past years, when all I gotwas a distant glimpse here and there, soshy.

Not so the possum, taken to curlingup in the dense Wonga Vine on our backdeck. Perhaps he likes the smell of thebarbeque most lunchtimes. We suspecthis normal tree hollow gets a tad warmon the 40°C+ days. Previously a Ring-tailed Possum camped out there, but thisyear a juvenile Brush-tailed Possum hasassumed tenancy most days, to forage inour garden at night – we are not happy,but it was their territory first.

The bush in our backyard

The Pacific Koel female loved mulberries.

Brush-tailed Possum in a cool day-time retreat. Spotted Pardalote outside the nest burrow entrance.

Meadow Argus in the grass.


Aboriginal ring trees

respect the significance of these treeswhich may lead to targeted vandalism ortheir destruction.

My article ‘Paddling the EdwardRiver’ in the March 2019 issue of theBulletin also has a picture of a ring tree.

Mike Bremers

1 Jacqueline Power 2018, The Conversation,

25 June, The ring trees of Victoria’s Watti

Watti people are an extraordinary part of

our heritage

https://theconversation.com/the-ring-trees-

of-victorias-watti-watti-people-are-an-

extraordinary-part-of-our-heritage-91310

Photos by Mike Bremers.

still hold cultural significance. However,there are numerous ring trees that areundoubtedly formed by humanmodification.

Generally, for rings to form naturallythe tree branches would have to rubagainst each other and be held relativelysteady for a period of time for thebranches to fuse together. This wouldonly occur for relatively thick branchesthat would not move much in lightbreezes. Over time, the outer surfaces ofthe branches would fuse and they wouldappear as one branch crossing over infront of the other; i.e. two distinctbranches are touching.

… what a change of peoples, culturesand land uses [this tree] must havewitnessed over its lifetime!

The ACT ring tree pictured in this articleshows a single ring. The branches thatform this ring clearly have grown intoeach other from an early age; i.e. mostlikely the outer layer of bark wasremoved and then the branches of thesapling were tied together. This tree is ina location beside a road that many of ourreaders would have driven pastnumerous times on the way toTidbinbilla. The tree is showing signs ofold age – what a change of peoples,cultures and land uses it must havewitnessed over its lifetime!

The Goulburn River ring tree showsa double ring that I believe could havebeen formed only by tying branchestogether to form the grafts. I have alsonoticed two double-ring trees (one ofwhich is pictured) on the Edward Riverupstream of Deniliquin.

There is a heritage grant forinvestigating ring trees within the ACT.It involves members of the localAboriginal community and people withexpertise in tree growth and scarcausation. It is reassuring that thesespecial trees are being investigatedand their cultural significance beingassessed. On the onehand, publicity aboutring trees is good, asit makes the publicaware that these treeshave significance andthey are an enduringsign of Indigenousculture in our regionand among oursuburban homes. Onthe other hand, one iswary of publicisingtheir locations, sincesome members of ourcommunity may not

While paddling on the Goulburn Riverupstream of Shepparton in 2015, Inoticed a tree with branches that hadgrown into each other, forming a doublering. I had not seen anything like itbefore but put it down to a curious freakof nature and didn’t think much moreabout it. Two years later a friendmentioned that she had seen anAboriginal ring tree. ‘What is a “ringtree”?’, I asked.

Basically, a ring tree is a tree inwhich the branches of a young tree aretied together in such a way as to grow inthe form of a ring. There seems to belittle publicly available informationabout these trees but it appears that ringtrees had, and continue to have,significance to the Aboriginal people asboundary markers or as identifyingsignificant cultural locations in thelandscape, such as water junctions andinlets, campsites and burial grounds.Most ring trees that I am aware of are insouth-eastern Australia, in particularalong inland rivers, although I have alsoheard reports of them in coastal areas.

All ring trees hold stories and havespiritual and cultural significance …

A good article on the topic of ring treesappears in The Conversation.1 Here ittalks about how the Watti Watti peopleof northern Victoria visit and pay theirrespects to ring trees in the River RedGum forests along the Murray River. Allring trees hold stories and have spiritualand cultural significance, though somethat still exist have lost their connectionto culture. Some are now in paddocks,the land having been cleared aroundthem. They are isolated from theircultural landscape.

It is possible that some rings arenaturally occurring although they may

Goulburn River ring tree.

Ring tree near the Murrumbidgee

River, ACT.

Edward River ring tree.

Points to notePlease help keep our outings program alive by volunteering to lead outings. New leaders are welcome. The Outings Convener,( [email protected] ) is happy to suggest locations suitable for a walk if you do not have something in mind. Feel free to sendin suggestions for outings with a suggested date to the Outings Convener by email to [email protected]

All persons joining an outing of the National Parks Association of the ACT do so as volunteers in all respects and as suchaccept responsibility for any injury howsoever incurred and the National Parks Association of the ACT, its office bearers andappointed leaders, are absolved from any liability in respect of injury or damage suffered whilst engaged in any such outing.

In voluntarily participating in these activities conducted by the NPA ACT, participants should be aware that they could beexposed to risks that could lead to injury, illness or death or to loss of or damage to property. These risks could include but are notlimited to: slippery and/or uneven surfaces, rocks being dislodged, falling at edges of cliffs or drops or elsewhere, risks associatedwith crossing creeks, hypothermia, heat exhaustion and the risks associated with any of the Special Hazards listed on theAttendance Record and Risk Waiver Form provided by the leader at the activity.

To minimise these risks participants should endeavour to ensure that the activity is within their capabilities and that they arecarrying food, water, equipment, clothing and footwear appropriate to the activity. Participants should advise the leader if they aretaking any medication or have any physical or other limitation that might affect their participation in the activity. Participantsshould make every effort to remain with the rest of the party during the activity and accept the instructions of the leader. By sign-ing the Attendance Record and Risk Waiver Form participants agree that they understand these requirements and have consideredthe risks before choosing to sign the form and waiver any claim for damages arising from the activity that they might have againstthe association, the leader or any other participants in tort or contract.

Children under 18 years of age are welcome to come on NPA ACT activities provided they are accompanied by a parent,guardian or close relative who will be required to sign a specific Risk Waiver for a Child form.

Leaders to note. Please send copies of completed Attendance Record and Risk Waiver Formsto Brian Slee, contact 6281 0719 or [email protected] has a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) available to leaders. The PLB can be obtainedfrom Steven Forst, contact 0428 195 236 or [email protected]

NPA outings programJ u n e – S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 9

Bushwalk grading guide

Distance grading (per day) Terrain grading1 up to 10 km A Road, fire trail or track E Rock scrambling

2 10 km to 15 km B Open forest F Exploratory

3 15 km to 20 km C Light scrub

4 above 20 km D Patches of thick scrub, regrowth

Day walks Carry lunch and snacks, drinks, protective clothing, a first aid kit and any required medication.

Pack walks Two or more days. Carry all food and camping requirements. CONTACT LEADER EARLY.

Car camps Facilities often limited. Vehicles taken to site can be used for camping. CONTACT LEADER EARLY.

Work parties Carry items as for day walks plus work gloves and any tools required. Work party details and location sometimes

change, check NPA website, www.npaact.org.au, for any last minute changes.

Other activities include ski trips, canoe trips, nature rambles and environment or field guide studies.Wednesday walks (WW) Medium or somewhat harder walks arranged on a joint NPA, BBC (Brindabella Bushwalking Club)

and CBC (Canberra Bushwalking Club) basis for fit and experienced club walkers. Notification and details areonly emailed to members registered for WW. Only NPA-hosted WW are shown in this program. For WW emailregistration, contact the Outings Convener, [email protected] .

Transport The NPA suggests a passenger contribution to transport costs of 40 cents per kilometre for the distance drivendivided by the number of occupants of the car including the driver, rounded to the nearest dollar. The amountmay be varied at the discretion of the leader. Drive and walk distances shown in the program are approximate forreturn journeys.

NPA ACT members undertaking walks or other activities in this program are advised they should have PRIVATE HEALTH

INSURANCE or, at least, AMBULANCE COVER in case of an accident requiring evacuation by ambulance or helicopter.


South Ramshead Range. Photo by Mike Bremers.


1 June Saturday walkBoboyan and Pheasant HillsMeet at Kambah Village Shops car parkat 8:30 am. A walk from Brayshaws Hutup Boboyan Hill for views through thetrees then across to Pheasant Hill. FromPheasant Hill we will head north towardsthe Boboyan Homestead ruin beforereturning along the Old Boboyan Road.

Drive: 160 km, $64 per carMap: Yaouk 1:25,000Grading: 2 B/ELeader: Steven ForstContact: 0428 195 236 [email protected]

8 June Saturday work partyGudgenby Bush Regeneration GroupMeet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre,Tharwa at 9:00 am. Note New StartingTime. Car pool to Gudgenby Valley.Collection and disposal of wire andfencing materials at Eleanor’s Grove andadjacent areas. Tools provided.

Leader: Doug BrownContact: 6247 0239 [email protected]

8 June Saturday WalkAdmiration Point

As the name implies Admiration Pointoffers spectacular views of theBudawangs, particularly the cliffs ofMount Owen and The Castle, in goodweather. Walk from the Wog Wogentrance of Morton National Park, mostlyon track, some of which may beovergrown. Depending on the state of thetrack there may be time for a side trip toCorang Peak. Climb of about 500 m.Expect an early start. Contact leader,preferably by email, by Thursday 6 Junefor meeting time and transportarrangements.

Drive: 220 km, $88 per carMap: Corang 1:25,000Grading: 4 A/DLeader: Philip GatenbyContact: 0401 415 446 [email protected]

then climb about 200 m vertical heightgain through some scrub, with some rockscrambling, to the summit. Return thesame way. Please contact the leader,preferably by email, by Thursday 27 Junefor meeting place and departure time.

Drive: 80 km, $32 per carMap: Rendezvous Creek, 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/B/C/ELeader: Barrie RContact: 0437 023 140 [email protected]

7 July Sunday WalkGungahlin via light railMeet at 9:00 am in car park on cornerLondon Circuit and Northbourne Avenue,west of Northbourne (free parking).Board tram at Alinga Street and alight atManning Clark Crescent, Gungahlin.Walk 2 km via Lyall Gillespie Corridor toFrankies at Forde for coffee. Return toGungahlin Place via Yerrabi Pond (2 km)and take tram to Elouera Street, Braddon.Seafood lunch at Catch in LonsdaleStreet. Walk back to car park.

Map: UBD Canberra Street Directory,map 29Grading: 1 ALeader: Brian SleeContact: 6281 0719 [email protected]

14 July Sunday Walk (snowshoe)Mount Perisher, Mount WheatleyEarly start. Drive via Jindabyne toBullocks Flat terminal. Take Skitube trainto Blue Cow terminal. Snowshoe south toBack Perisher and climb Mount Perisher.Descend to Perisher Gap, crossKosciuszko Road and climb MountWheatley. Follow Porcupine Track toSkitube station at Perisher Valley.Afternoon tea Jindabyne. For weathercheck, departure time and departurepoint, contact leader by Friday evening.

Drive: 350 km, $140 per car + Skitube fareMap: Perisher Valley 1:25,000Grading: 1 A/BLeader: Brian SleeContact: 6281 0719 [email protected]

16 June Sunday walkNimmo HillDepart 7:00 am. Breakfast in Cooma at8:15 am. Drive to Nimmo Hill via RockyPlain, follow Island Bend Fire Trail for4 km and park. Climb 200 m to RoundMountain summit (1,560 m) and descendwest to CSIRO Rabbiters Hut for lunch.Return to cars via Gungarlin River (8 km).Time permitting, we will do another shortwalk in the area. Afternoon tea in Cooma.Contact leader by Friday 14 June formeeting place and weather check.

Drive: 330 km, $132 per carMap: Nimmo Plain 1:25,000Grading: 1 B/C/FLeader: Brian SleeContact: 6281 0719 [email protected]

22 June Saturday work partyFence removal – Gudgenby ValleyThis year we will continue the work onthe fence line to the north-west of thevalley near the site of Rowleys Hut andwork on the fences within 1 km of theBoboyan Road along the track that runstowards the site of Rowleys Hut. All toolswill be provided. Meet at Kambah VillageShops at 8:00 am.

Drive: 80 km, $32 per carLeader: Brian SleeContact: 6281 0719 [email protected]

26 June Wednesday walkJoint NPA / BBC / CBC ActivityDetails are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.

Leader: Steven ForstContact: 0428 195 236 [email protected]

29 June Saturday WalkOrroral CathedralA perfect winter’s walk up the lovelyOrroral Valley from the campground,folowing old vehicle tracks to the north-west side of Spot Height 1201, sometimescalled the Orroral Cathedral, about 1.5 kmESE of the old tracking station site. We

NPA outings program June – September 2019 (page 2 of 4)

Boboyan Homestead ruin.

Photo by Philip Gatenby.

Gudgenby Valley. Photo by Philip Gatenby.

Orroral Cathedral. Photo by Philip Gatenby.


20 July Saturday WalkRendezvous and Middle CreeksEasy walking in the beautiful RendezvousCreek and Gudgenby Valleys. From thecar park walk up the Rendezvous CreekValley to a rock overhang, possibly visit-ing some historic sites on the way. After apause here backtrack and then curvearound to the Cascades on Middle Creek.We return to the cars via an ancient rockshelter. Mostly along old tracks, someopen grassland and tussocks, a smallamount of scrub. Very small height gainoverall. About 17 km, so you will need tobe fit and able to walk well on the offtrack sections. Please contact the leader,preferably by email, by Thursday 18 Julyfor meeting place and departure time.

Drive: 92 km, $37 per carMap: Rendezvous Creek, 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/B/CLeader: Barrie RContact: 0437 023 140 [email protected]

24 July Wednesday Walk Joint NPA / BBC / CBC ActivityDetails are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.

Leader: Philip GatenbyContact: 0401 415 446 [email protected]

27 July Saturday Work PartyLower Cotter Catchment,Wilding PinesThis work party is a continuation of theactivity undertaken in previous years. Thearea is undergoing significant rehabili-tation following the removal of the pineplantation. The focus of this work partywill be an inspection of the full area todetermine how much pine regrowth hasoccurred. Bring loppers and/or bush saw.Replacement saw blades and glovesprovided. Meet at Dillon Close, Weston,across Namatjira Drive from McDonald’sat 8:30 am.


31 July Wednesday Walk Joint NPA / BBC / CBC ActivityDetails are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.

Leader: Barrie RContact: 0437 023 140 [email protected]

4 August Sunday WalkShanahans Mountain andYerrabi TrackTwo or three short walks. First walk toShanahans Mountain for morning tea withviews east towards the coast. Then walkthe Yerrabi Track, past Boboyan Trig, forlunch on a rock tor with views overNamadgi (about 5 km return). On the wayback, if time permits, may divert to walkto the Yankee Hat Aboriginal paintingsfor those interested. This walk will beweather dependent; snow could makethings difficult. Meet at Kambah VillageShops at 8:30 am.

Drive: 120 km, $48 per carMap: Yaouk and Colinton 1:25,000Grading: 1 ALeader: Mike SContact: 0412 179 907

10 August Saturday Work PartyGudgenby Bush Regeneration GroupMeet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre,Tharwa at 9:00 am. Car pool to GudgenbyValley. Fence removal in the vicinity ofGudgenby Homestead. Tools provided.

Leader: Kevin McCue

Contact: 6251 1291 [email protected]

18 August Sunday Walk (snowshoe)Cootapatamba and beyondEarly start. Drive via Jindabyne toThredbo. Take Kosciuszko Express chair-lift to Eagles Nest. Snowshoe past NorthRamshead, descend to and cross SwampyPlain River. Head west to Abbott Ridgeand explore area before returning viasimilar route. Afternoon tea at Jindabyne.Not suitable for beginners. For weathercheck, departure time and departure point,contact leader by Friday evening

16 August. Chains may be required.

Drive: 420 km, $168 per car + park entryand chairlift feesMap: Perisher Valley, Youngal 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/BLeader: Brian SleeContact: 6281 0719 [email protected]

24 August Saturday Work PartyPine Control – Stoney CreekNature Reserve This is the fifth formal NPA work partyin this area. The activity will be a con-tinuation of the work conducted in July2018. Bring loppers and bush saw.Replacement saw blades and gloves willbe provided. Meet at Dillon Close,Weston, across Namatjira Drive fromMcDonald’s at 8:30 am.


28 August Wednesday Walk Joint NPA / BBC / CBC ActivityDetails are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.

Leader: Mike SContact: 0412 179 907

31 August Saturday WalkMount PalerangA lovely walk to a high, free-standingpeak. From the picturesque car park/picnic spot on Mulloon Creek inTallaganda National Park we follow aridge upwards and through a variety ofvegetation and terrain to the summit forlunch with great views. Mostly off trackbut not too much scrub. Lots of looserough ground and boulders and somescrambling and slippery places. Afterleaving the summit there is a short, verysteep, scrubby descent, with moreboulders, to a footpad which takes usdown to the Mulloon Creek Valley and afire trail back to the cars. You will needto be fit, have stamina and be happyscrambling and off track. About 10 kmand 500 m height gain. We will need highclearance vehicles. Please contact theleader, preferably by email, by Thursday29 August for meeting place anddeparture time.

Drive: 100 km, $40 per carMap: Bombay 1:25,000Grading: 2 A/B/C/DLeader: Barrie RContact: 0437 023 140 [email protected]


Middle Creek Cascades.

Photo byPhilip Gatenby.

Boboyan Trig. Photo by Philip Gatenby.

8 September Sunday Get-togetherto Remember David LargeOrroral Valley Picnic AreaDavid Large, who died in March, was aconscientious member and supporter ofthe NPA and other bushwalking clubs. Hewas a keen bushwalker, walks leader,committee member and friend. Allfriends and colleagues of David areinvited to a remembrance get-together atthe Orroral Valley Picnic Area, starting atabout 12 noon. Beforehand, at 10:00 am,there will be a short walk to the OrroralHomestead. Come for the walk and get-together or just the get-together. Bringlunch and memories of David.

Organisers: Tim Walsh and Mike SmithContact: 0412 179 907

14 September Saturday Work PartyGudgenby Bush Regeneration GroupMeet at the Namadgi Visitor Centre,Tharwa at 9:00 am. Car pool toGudgenby Valley. Repair fence in toGudgenby Homestead (subject toavailability of ranger staff) andassociated weed control. Tools provided.

Leader: Doug BrownContact: 6247 0239 [email protected]


25 September Wednesday Walk Joint NPA / BBC / CBC ActivityDetails are emailed to those on theWednesday walks email list. Otherwisecontact the leader.

Leader: Barrie RContact: 0437 023 140 [email protected]

28 September Saturday Work PartyPine Island Fence RemovalThis is a new activity in a reserve famil-iar to NPA work parties. The task consistsof removing fencing from Pine IslandReserve. Please bring gloves – cutters,post puller, etc. will be provided. Meet atKambah Village Shops at 8:45 am.


Early Notice5–7 October Pack WalkMount TalaterangAfter a long drive with a stop at Ulladullafor lunch, we have a short walk acrossLittle Forest Plateau via MountBushwalker to a camp site at the top ofNgaityung Falls. The next day we climbdown and then up onto Mount Talaterangwith excellent views of Pigeon HouseMountain and the Clyde Valley along theway, before returning to camp. Walk outand drive home on the third day. Contactleader by Wednesday 2 October.

Drive: 480 km, $192 per carMap: CMW BudawangsGrading: 1/2/1 A/B/CLeader: Steven ForstContact: 0428 195 236 [email protected]

22 September Sunday Walk Guthega (snowshoe)Early start. Drive via Jindabyne toGuthega. Destination will depend onaccess and conditions. For weathercheck, departure time and departurepoint, contact leader by Friday evening,20 September. Chains may be required.

Drive: 420 km, $168 per car + Park entry fee.Map: Perisher Valley and Geehi Dam1:25,000Grading: 2 A/BLeader: Brian SleeContact: 6281 0719 [email protected]

20–23 September Car CampGive a Dam Campaign – Yerranderie area, Blue MountainsJoint NPA / CBC ActivityThe aim is to support the campaign toprevent the wall of Warragamba Dambeing raised, with subsequent damage tothe Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.Come and see some of the areas thatwould be affected. Participants areinvited to make a donation to thecampaign. On Friday morning, drive toYerranderie in the south-eastern BlueMountains to camp free for two nightsnext to the cars at Batsh Camp. Fridaypm: Explore this old mining town orascend Yerranderie Peak. Saturday: Fol-low the fire trail to Byrnes Gap, ascendGander Head and explore the Axeheads,with wide-ranging views. Sunday: Driveback to the Mount Armour Fire Trail andascend basalt-capped Mount Colong, thehighest peak in the southern BlueMountains. Monday: Drive home (about4.5 hours).

Drive: ~$200 per carMaps: Yerranderie and Bindook 1:25,000Grading: 3/4 C/D/ELeader: Meg McKoneContact: [email protected]


Shanahans Mountain and The Tinderries. Photo by Philip Gatenby.

David Large enjoying rest time on an easy

pack walk in Rendezvous Valley.


with organised groups. We booked over4 months ahead yet still had difficultygetting a bed for our second night.

Our AV1

The AV1 starts at Lago de Braies,usually a short bus ride south-west fromDobbiaco in northern Italy but not so theday we started. Good weather, aweekend in late August and schoolholidays combined to produce a trafficjam on the road so our bus was about20 minutes late getting to the lake. Itswater is a beautiful blue–green and therewere lots of people around, some inwooden rowboats. We walked along thelake to the southern shore then started toclimb to Biella, our first refuge, 800 mup. Quite a bit of snow was lying around

315 km2 (about 2 per cent of the area). Asimilar sized, largely overlapping, area(1,419 km2 or about 9 per cent, with abuffer zone of 893 km2), covering nineseparate locations is World Heritagelisted. The UNESCO listing makesspecial mention of the range’s distinctivemountain landscape of vertical and pale-coloured peaks with a variety ofspectacular pinnacles, spires and towers,considered among the most attractive inthe world. The World Heritage areacovers five provinces and inevitablypresents challenges for a commonmanagement system.

Long-distance footpaths

A multitude of footpaths criss-cross theDolomites. Some were developed overthe years by herders and shepherds andlater by mountaineers, others date fromWorld War 1 and were built for themovement of troops. Using some ofthese paths, six medium to high-levellong-distance walking tracks have beenestablished which traverse the Dolomitesfrom north to south. Collectively theyare known as the ‘Alte Via’ or,singularly, ‘Alte Vie’ and are usuallyabbreviated as the AVs 1 to 6. The AVs 1and 2 are the most popular of the sixtracks. Both are described in detail in theCicerone guide, and we based our trekon the routes and refuges described inthis guide. The AV1 is 120 km and theAV2, generally considered to be a bitharder, is an extra 40 km and goeshigher. Both, however, contain variantswhich allow, for example, for easier ormore scenic options. In 2015, my wifeJan and I walked most of the AV2 anddecided to do the AV1 in 2018 as aprelude to 2.5 weeks of walking inSlovenia’s Julian Alps.

Long-distance alpine walks inEurope usually involve walking eachday from mountain refuge to mountainrefuge. This means not having to carry atent or sleeping bag and only a limitedamount of food, mainly enough forlunches, although some refuges serve

lunch (a popular pastimewith the locals) orprovide a take-awaylunch. The AV1 is noexception and like otherroutes is crowded. TheCicerone guide advisesindependent walkers tobook each night’saccommodation wellahead of setting outbecause of thepopularity of the AV1

The Dolomites of northern Italy are oneof the best known ranges of theEuropean Alps. The name comes fromthe predominant rock of the mountains,dolomite, a mineral similar to limestone1

which was first described in 1791 byFrench geologist Déodat Gratet deDolomieu. The rock is very pale andgives the mountains a whitishappearance from a distance. Before thename Dolomites was adopted the rangewas referred to as the Pale Mountains.

Form and location

In reality the Dolomites are not a singlemountain range, but a number of ranges,called groups, that are separated by deepvalleys and mountain passes. Typicallyover 20 distinct mountain groups arerecognised and this combination ofmountain and valley landforms issummarised eloquently by Price in theCicerone guide, Trekking in theDolomites, as ‘rather than a continuousalpine chain, the Dolomites consist ofself-contained formations that rise todizzying heights in soaring peaks,enthralling sculpted shapes of delicatelypale rock spires and breathtaking sheerwalls towering over high altitude lunar-like plateaux’ (2011, p. 1). The highestpeak, which contains the Dolomites’only large glacier, is called Marmolada(3,343 m). There are about 20 peaksover 3,000 m.

The range covers an area of15,942 km2, between the Piave Valleyand River Adige (east to west) and thePuster and Sugana Valleys (north tosouth), all within Italy. Of course thiswas not always the case: prior to WorldWar 1 part of the mountains was in theAustro–Hungarian Empire and duringthe war the frontline between theHapsburgs and Italian forces ran throughthe Dolomites.

Protection

About 9 per cent of the Dolomites areofficially protected in national, regionaland provincial parks, the largest beingthe Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park of


The AV1: a walk in the Dolomites

Lago di Braies. Photo by

Philip Gatenby.

Our AV1 track. Map adapted from World

Topographic Map (ArcGIS).


night, prevented our attempt on day 6(Città di Fiume to Rifugio Coldai) at thelong Pelmo variant (7 hours). Instead wetook the standard route down to PassoStaulanza and Malga Vescova (famousfor its cheeses) which then follows awar-time mule track, zig-zagging 300 mupwards to the mist-shrouded Coldai. Awonderfully warm refuge, it boasts thebest drying room on the AV1, potablewater and free wifi.

Beyond Coldai the landscape wasdifferent. The AV1 continued at amarginally lower altitude through forestfor a change, beneath the west wall ofCivetta (3,220 m) which came and wentwith the mist. Rounding its southernmostcorner, the turrets and spires of theMoiazza (2,865 m) appeared. FromRifugio Vazzoler (our accommodationfor the night), with its overgrown alpinebotanic garden and orange cat, therewere great views of Civetta’s soaringtowers. The weather cleared overnightand much of the route the next day fromVazzoler to Passo Duran provided viewsof the magnificent Moiazza to our left.At the pass there are two refuges and aquaint church. We were the only guestsat Rifugio C Tomé and were treated to adelicious dinner. The first half of thefollowing day’s route from Passo Duranto Rifugio Pian de Fontana (almost twostages in our guidebook) skirted TamerGrande (2,547 m) then Castello diMoschesin as it undulated to Forcella delMoschesin where a crumbling stonebarracks was another reminder of WWI.Later that day we climbed Cima de Zitawith views to our right of Talvena(2,542 m), temporarily returning us tothe bare rocky landscape of earlier daysof the walk, before plunging steeply toRifugio Pian de Fontana, with a stop tophotograph marmots. Signs warnwalkers of the dangers of the descent tothe refuge which, being grassy ratherthan rocky seems from a distanceinnocuous, yet we later found out that

the next day wecrossed theimpressive Forcelladel Lago (2,486 m),a notch betweenCima del Lago andPunte di Fanes, withviews of LagazuoiPiccolo and itsrefuge and the verysteep descent on azigzag path towardsLago di Lagazuoithat had to benegotiated before theclimb up to the

refuge. From Rifugio Lagazuoi, perchedabove Passo Falzarego (meaning falseking and another reference to theKingdom of Fanes), is a remarkableview of numerous peaks including themassive Tofana to the east and CinqueTorri, Nuvolau (the following day’sdestination) and Averau (2,649 m) to thesouth. The refuge is large and popular,close to Cortina and accessible by cablecar. It was also a site of fierce fighting inWorld War I between the Italians andAustrians. Testament to this arenumerous trenches and tunnels,including one that goes down from nearthe refuge to the pass. It is now a varianton the AV1. Tours of these fortificationsare available with a guide dressed inperiod military clothing. A flock ofWhite-winged Snowfinch (Monti-fringilla nivalis) landed near the track aswe returned from Lagazuoi’s summit tothe refuge.

We opted to stick to the longerstandard AV1 route to get to RifugioNuvolau, rather than take the tunnel toPasso Falzarego. This took us by thespectacular Cinque Torri which mightneed renaming as one of its towerscollapsed not so long ago, reminiscent ofAustralia’s (fewer than) 12 Apostles.The towers are favoured by rockclimbers and as we walked by parties ofclimbers from Britain, France andGermany (judging by the languagesfloating through the mist) were in action,undeterred by the fast-approachingthunderstorm. Rifugio Nuvolau sits in aspectacular location atop Nuvolau(2,574 m), so when leaving it’s down inall directions. Despite overnight rain andmorning mist we chose a cable-assistedsection straight over the nose of the peakand down to Passo Giau (2,236 m) then,in occasional showers and through acouple of passes, on to Città di Fiume,nestled below the reportedly majestic,but to us invisible, Pelmo. Rain, whichhad been falling occasionally for acouple of days but fortunately mainly at

from a 20 cm fall a couple of daysearlier. At the refuge we organised ouraccommodation and dinner andbreakfast and, conscious that the daywas waning, dropped backpacks andclimbed the nearby Croda del Becco(2,810 m), a steep, slippery, snowy, icy,pole-breaking 500 m above the refuge,with a large cross on top and an amazingview. Spread out before us was the restof the Dolomites to the south and thealps of the Italian–Austrian frontier tothe north while 1,300 m almostvertically below, Lago de Braies, stillwith a few rowboats on its surface.

In subsequent days as we progressedsouth much of the snow melted througha combination of warm sunny weather,initially, and then rain. By the end of daytwo we were in the Kingdom of Fanes,perhaps mythical, perhaps not, butnonetheless an important saga of theLadin people who live in this part ofItaly. The kingdom’s name lives on inRifugio Fanes, close to our night’saccommodation. En route to Lagazuoi

The AV1: a walk in the Dolomites (continued from page 19)


White-winged Snowfinch.

Photos by Philip Gatenby.

Alpine Marmot.

Rifugio Biella. Photo by Jan Gatenby. Cable-assisted descent from Nuvolau.



to the refuge by torchlight. Italians werenoticeable by their absence – presumablythey hike on less popular paths or do daywalks and mainly use the refuges forlunch.

It’s no exaggeration that theDolomites are among the world’s mostspectacular mountain ranges andarguably like no other. The AV1 andother long distance walking tracks giveone the chance for a close-up view of thesoaring towers and stark plateaux socharacteristic of the range, but beprepared for steep climbs, lots of screeand, in places, many people.

Philip Gatenby

1 The chemical formula of dolomite is

CaMg(CO3)2, while that of limestone is

CaCO3.

Sources:Price, Gillian, 2011, Trekking in the

Dolomites, Cicerone, Milnthorpe.

UNESCO, Nomination of the Dolomites for

Inscription on the World Natural Heritage

List, http://www.dolomiti-unesco.org/sites/

default/files/nomdoc.pdf

behind at Coldaiwhich later wasreunited with itsowner in Slovenia. Asexpected, however,we encountered manyothers walking part orall of the AV1. Formuch of the walk’sfirst half we werefrequently accom-panied by a bois-terous Welsh four-some, three men anda woman. We metthem on day one onthe long climb upfrom Lago de Braies.

On hearing our Australian accents theytold us that they were from Old SouthWales. A few days later after theexhilarating Forcella del Lago, andbefore the climb up to Lagazuoi, one ofthe men offered me a sloe gin. It wasabout 11 am and I was a bit slow on theuptake but eventually worked out that ahome-made alcoholic beverage madefrom sloe berry (Prunus spinosa) was onoffer. I politely declined. An Englishcouple from a village near Lancasterwere good company on the walk and inthe refuges. Several nights we had mealswith them. Others we got to know werefrom Austria, Germany, USA and NewZealand. The Kiwis arrived at Fontana at8 pm having completed the final descent

tragically 2 days previously a walker hadfallen and died on this part of the track.A short day’s downhill walk fromFontana ends at a bus stop on the road toBelluno, marking the most common endpoint of the AV1. In total we walked126 km and climbed 8,000 m. Back inBelluno we enthusiastically collectedour AV1 medallions from theinformation centre.

Other walkers

Four friends from Canberra started theAV1 three days before us. Their trip wasdisrupted by the snow we encounteredon the ground on our first day but for theentire walk they stayed ahead of us. Weretrieved a toiletries bag they’d left

The AV1: a walk in the Dolomites (continued)

Descent to Rifugio Pian de Fontana. Photo by Jan Gatenby.

Martin Chalk

NPA ACT work party summary

November 2018 – April 2019

Month Activity Agency Participants

November Reedy Creek briar control. 752 briar and 1 hawthorn removed from Reedy Creek 500 m downstream from Brandy Flat Fire Trail crossing. The downstream section to Gudgenby River was sprayed by PCS in early 2019.

PCS 6

December,

January

No work parties

February Glendale fences – 890 m of fence removed. Some 480 m left for 2020.

PCS 6

March Kangaroo Creek woody weed control: 11 briar, 10 blackberry, 8

exotic trees, cut/dabbed in area approximately 100 m either side of creek from western boundary of Corin Forest site to 500 m to the southwest and around the new Square Rock car park. 150 broom removed and 36 dabbed at site 673127E 6067840N (MGA94). In

two earlier work parties (2007, 2008) 17 briar, 1 blackberry and 4 apple removed from a 4 km length west of the old car park. Site seems stable – no need to revisit.

PCS 4

April Bendora Arboretum wilding control. 3,360 conifers removed from

within and around the plantation. An ongoing program to control the spread of exotics in an isolated bushland setting.

PCS 6

Bendora Arboretum.

Photo by Max Lawrence.

Although published between 2011 and2014, I had only fleetingly encounteredthe one on Molonglo and was unawareof the rest. None had been reviewed inthe NPA Bulletin.

The cover of each guide has aunified, postage stamp–like, design inwhich a central bird motif isaccompanied by a local scene and/orheritage building, bordered by relevantflora or fauna. The contents are similar,spread over 40 pages, and can bethoroughly reviewed on the Council’swebsite (click ‘Resources’, then‘Treasures’). You will recognise themany photographers’ names. Availablefrom the Council for a mere $5 each.

Brian Slee

Indeed, the area is preserved in order toprotect remnant Box–Gum grassywoodlands.

Craggy stringy barks were firstencountered as we crossed the ridge;fallen timber remains in place to providehabitat. The scenery quickly changed topicturesque rural as we descended intothe valley. Huge, ancient Yellow Boxcaught the eye. Native grassesdominated the open areas. Briars remainin place to promote bird life. The dogshad nothing to do as the sheep had beencorralled for de-lousing and thekangaroos are left alone.

Treasures series of guides

In preparing for the outing, I examinedthe Conservation Council’s 2007publication Gungahlin’s Treasures forinformation on Kinlyside, but there wasnone. I had been disappointed in the pastwhen checking for Forest Viewhomestead, Bonner, and remnantsections of the original Well StationRoad, Harrison. However, it would be anenormous disservice to the publicationto condemn it for its omissions as it is anabsolute mine of information onAboriginal, European and naturalheritage, with maps and numerousphotos. As a supplement to GraemeBarrow’s guides, it has been invaluablein preparing for NPA walks inGungahlin.

So I was fascinated to find that theConservation Council volunteer at

Kinlyside was selling foursimilar guides, namely

Belconnen’s Treasures,Majura’s Treasures,Molonglo’s Treasures andTuggeranong’s Treasures.

Kinlyside walk

During the 2019 Canberra HeritageFestival, the Conservation Council ofthe ACT organised four walks, fundedby the ACT Government, to showcasesome of the natural treasures of the city,one of which was Kinlyside, an areaseldom open to the public. Dr MichaelMulvaney led the walk on the morningof 18 April, together with lessor CraigStarr (and his two kelpies).

Kinlyside (also spelled ‘Kinleyside’)is located in the valley of Halls Creek, tothe west of which lies Hall and theborder ridge as it rises to One Tree Hill.To its east is the Gungahlin suburb ofCasey. Although once considered fordevelopment as large rural blocks, theland is now chiefly designated as naturereserve and as offset areas against lossof habitat in other locations. It is leasedfor sheep grazing; the lessor alsooperates Gold Creek Station on VictoriaStreet (not to be confused with GoldCreek Village, Nicholls, or Gold CreekHomestead, Ngunnawal!) as a receptioncentre and tourist venue.

As one walks up the hill from EdnaThompson Crescent toward the watertank, the view east over Gungahlin tothe peaks of Majura and Ainslie revealswhat a lovely location Casey is. Evenbefore leaving the suburban edge,however, one is met by a magnificentBlakelys Red Gum, a signal that theattraction of Kinlyside is its trees.


Michael Mulvaney.

Photo by Brian Slee.

Heritage walks and published guides ofthe Conservation Council

Kinlyside.

Photos by Brian Slee.

Looking towards Casey.


Date: 10 February 2019Participants: Suzi Bond1 (leader),

Richard Allen, Mike Bremers, JohnBundock, Alison Lawrence, DeanLawrence, Max Lawrence, PhilLawrence, Kat Ng, JannOllerenshaw, Kathy Porecki, PeterRamshaw, Paul Ratcliffe, CarolineWenger, Eric Wenger

Weather: Excellent bushwalking con-ditions of fine, calm and sunnyweather but, at about only 21°C, alittle cool for butterfly activity.

The Yerrabi Track to Boboyan Trig walkwas established by NPA ACT in 1987and is surely one of the best short walksNamadgi has to offer. Our group met atLanyon Marketplace at 9:00 am forcarpooling down to southern Namadgi,with a brief stop at the Hospital Hilllookout on the way. We arrived at theYerrabi Track carpark and set off on thismoderate walk of about 4 km (return).

The walk initially descends from thecarpark through the Broad-leavedPeppermint (Eucalyptus dives)dominated forest that still bears signs ofdisturbance from the 2003 fires. Almostimmediately we encountered a butterflywhich would turn out to be the mostcommon species of our walk – theMarbled Xenica (Geitoneura klugii).After getting a good look at the butterfly,the group proceeded to the swamp wherethe Little Dry Creek runs through andwhere there are some lovely Black Salleeeucalypts (E. stellulata). The walkingtrail then crosses some tussock grassland,where we stopped to look for someskippers, which specialise in this habitat.Instead we found several shimmeringForester moths (Pollanisus sp.) and arather worn Bright-eyed Brown(Heteronympha cordace). Bright-eyedBrowns are specialists of these HighCountry swamps, as the food plants oftheir larvae are the Carex sedges thatgrow there.

We left the open swampy grassland toascend through Mountain Gum(E. dalrympleana) and Snow Gum

(E. pauciflora) forest. The trailbecame steeper here and manyMarbled Xenicas accompaniedus during our time in theforest, often basking with openwings in the dappled sunlight.We also heard a SuperbLyrebird and several smallinsectivorous birds like theBrown and the StriatedThornbill in this part of ourwalk. The walking track thenveered to the right andgradually lifted out of theforest and onto a small rocky, grassyplateau with a few Snow Gums clingingto it, and revealing excellent mountainviews. We continued past Boboyan Trig,down to the signposted zone of contactwhere sedimentary meets igneous rock,and onto the Tor Viewpoint. Here wetook a break for an early lunch,absorbing the magnificent view to ourwest and listening to Gang-gangs in thetrees behind us. A couple of White’sSkinks emerged from under a rock toenjoy the sunshine with us.

After lunch, we retraced our steps tothe Boboyan Trig. With the slightlywarmer temperatures this time, there wassome hilltopping activity by MarbledXenicas, some very worn male CommonBrowns (Heteronympha merope), aYellow Admiral (Vanessa itea), a likelybut unconfirmed Two-spotted Line-blue(Nacaduba biocellata), and a veryinteresting Lycaenid which did not lingerfor terribly long, but was larger anddarker than the possible Two-spottedLine-blue.

We then continued down the trailback through the forest where anOmnivorous Tussock Moth (Acyphassemiochrea) was found and, as weapproached the valley grasslands, we hadwonderful views of a pair of SatinFlycatchers. Unfortunately, the grass-lands and the boggy swamp remainedrather quiet for butterflies, with a fewmore Bright-eyed Browns and only a fewCommon Grass-blues (Zizina otis)

flying. To compensate, there was alovely show of late-flowering alpineplants, including some Magenta AutumnOrchids (Eriochilus magenteus), theonly orchid species for the walk.Leaving the valley and starting the finalleg of the walk back to the cars, a fewShouldered Browns (Heteronymphapenelope) perched obligingly for thephotographers in the group, and aMargined-winged Stick Insect(Ctenomorpha marginipennis) made anappearance.

We then returned to the car park andwere back at Lanyon Marketplace byabout 3:00 pm.

Suzi Bond

1 Author, with Steve Holliday and John

Stein, of Field Guide to Butterflies of the

Australian Capital Territory, published in

2016 by the National Parks Association

of the ACT, available from the

association or in bookshops including

those at the National Library and the

National Botanic Gardens.

Identifying a butterfly. Photo by Max Lawrence.

Bushwalk reportsButterflies of the Yerrabi Track

Below left. Shouldered Brown Butterfly.

Below centre. Common Brown Butterfly.

[The difference? Maybe check very

closely the spots on the hindwings!]

Below right. Magenta Autumn Orchid.

Photos by Richard Allen.


Bushwalk reports (continued)

Date: Sunday, 16 December 2018.Participants: Brian Slee (leader),

Marlene Eggert, Max Lawrence,Michaela Popham, Annette Smith,Tim Walsh.

Weather: Cloudy; dusty atmosphere;mild temps but humid; breeze latemorning.

The idea for this walk came to me on aNational Arboretum outing while gazingwestward from Bold Hill (NPA Bulletin,September 2017, p. 25). On a subsequentrecce it was found that, close up, MountStromlo was a bit of a mess but worthexploring.

The southern car park offSwallowtail (formerly Uriarra) Road wasa good place to start, at 8:30 am, as it isadjacent to the 2003 bushfire memorial.Most of Mount Stromlo was burnt at thattime so it was a solemn sight under agloomy sky. The cathartic element, a‘babbling brook’ running down from apond at the memorial’s high point,provided no relief as the pump wasturned off.

A ‘Cyclists Only’ sign on the broadpath heading north from there to TheVillage, the centre of Stromlo ForestPark, is indicative of the dominance ofbikers. Despite the milling throngs,infrastructure is sparse. Ironically, thefirst major construction is an Olympicpool, passed as we continued furthernorth to the Opperman Avenue entrance.

Scrambling around temporaryfencing, we began gently climbing

telescope buildings remain. We went toofar so there was a brief retreat before wedescended steeply east on a jumble oftracks. A Nankeen Kestrel hovered.While the views over Canberra wereimpressive, the weeds and erosion closerto hand were hard to ignore. Back at carpark 12:45 pm. 8 km.

The walk was timed to avoid the heatbut, perversely, it was the afternoon thatwould have provided sparkling skies andideal conditions. Future walks in coolermonths could begin at Western Carparkand further investigate the far side ofStromlo Ridge.

Brian Slee

Uriarra Road bike pathnorth-west. Noisy Friar-birds gargled their strangetunes; up-market DenmanProspect came into view.The last of severalattempts at rainfall fadedaway – yay, none of us hadwet weather gear. After2 km we turned south atWestern Carpark.

Gresham’s Law of ‘badmaps driving out good’was here exemplified.Stromlo Trail Map, theonly readily available de-tailed guide, abandonswalkers at this point. It omits the namesof major routes, significant buildings andgeographic features, insteadconcentrating on hip names for trickybike tracks (as on a ski field). So, in thecompany of ever-polite mountaincyclists, we took North South Link andForest Trail and eventually diverted ontoan old forestry road, keeping west ofStromlo Ridge.

As the road began descending weturned left and scaled a steep track to adomed astronomical building near thesummit (782 m). Coffee was at 11 am onthe café terrace. A fresh breeze arrivedbut the Queensland dust persisted,limiting the view.

Faint shadows began accompanyingus as we strolled through the neat ANUsettlement south of the café. Ruined

Mount Stromlo

Descending Mount Stromlo to the east. Photo by Max Lawrence.

Date:. Wednesday, 29 August 2018.Participants: Mike Bremers (leader),

Margaret Power, Brian Slee, MaxSmith.

Weather: Blue sky with crystal-clear air;cold; chilly wind at times.

On day trips aimed at exploring areasbeyond Cootapatamba Hut you need toget there early. In 2015, on the way toKosciuszko South Ridge, Margaret, Maxand I descended from the summit track atEtheridge Gap (NPA Bulletin, December2015, p.15). Mike’s plan on this walkwas to turn sooner, at KosciuszkoLookout, and head west of NorthRamshead to the source of the SnowyRiver (2,000 m ASL, buried in snow),then descend to Swampy Plain River.This we did and reached the Hut at10:45 am for an excellent beginning.

We had convened as usual at Calwellat 6:15 am and arrived in Max’s Outbackat Friday Flat at 8:30, bussed toKosciuszko Express where the Thredbo

Swampy Plain River Card actually worked(lift $39, concession$21) and were on ourway to Eagles Nest. Itwas cold (minus14.2°C at Perisher thatmorning) so wedonned everythingbefore setting out onsolid snow at 9:20, butsoon started shedding.

From the Hut,Victoria’s snowyridges were alluring.With a sense ofanticipation we zippedtoward them and intocountry new to us.First stop wasLeatherbarrel to gaze at the grizzledmight of Ramshead and its contiguousrange. Skeletal trees were arranged inpatterns below. In Skiing the WesternFaces of Kosciusko, Alan Andrewsdescribes ski descents of these slopes.Hey, the climb out!

Turning west from LeatherbarrelCreek, we shuffled up to the end of thekilometre-long ridge south of SwampyPlain River (‘SPR Ridge’), stopping atseveral 1,900+ m peaks on the way. Afield of snow spread west of SPR Ridge,

Burnt Snow Gums, Ramshead slope.

Photo by Mike Bremers.



Bushwalk reports (continued)

adjacent were snow-capped Granuaille(1,420 m) and Youngal (1,516 m).Fifteen-hundred metres below us layGeehi Valley greenery; lines of blueblack hills stretched to the horizon. Likebeing at Teddys Hut, this was BackCountry remoteness. We stayed on thelovely western expanse and had lunch at12:20 pm, sheltered by a massive graniteoutcrop. A solo skier came up the slopebut it was not Matthew.

On its way from Lake Cootapatamba,Swampy Plain River carves a sinuousline past the Hut but after slippingthrough the ridge, disorganises thelandscape and begins a wild descent tothe Geehi. The river and its jumbledsurrounds were mostly under snow whenwe contoured along its southern bankand through the gap – it made a finesight. From there we followed ouroutward path, struggling up the hill instill-firm snow and back to the chairlift,arriving 2:45 pm. 15 km.

By way of symmetry, we arrivedback at Calwell at 6:15 pm after the

usual reviver in Jindabyne and a briefstop at Bredbo to swap drivers. Thissnowshoe outing was the last in a seriesorganised by Mike before his departurefor Europe. Special thanks for theinspiration and organisation. We look

forward to future forays on to AbbottRidge and west of Kosciuszko. I canbarely wait.

Brian Slee

Swampy Plain River heading west. Photo by Brian Slee.

Date: Monday, 18 February 2019Participants: Brian Slee (leader), Peter

Anderson-SmithWeather: Warm, partly cloudy, breezy

NPA’s Sunday outings have been attract-ing small numbers while mid-week walkshave been doing well. So I scheduled thiswalk for a Monday to test the market foran in-between day. Unfortunately, interestwas dampened by the forecast maximumof 35°C. Instead of circling the entirewestern end of Lake Burley Griffin, werestricted ourselves to a section near Com-monwealth Avenue Bridge.

We set out from Lotus Bay, Yar-ralumla, at 9:20 am and spent a while inLennox Gardens, starting with the BeijingGarden. Its enormous tiled gate and otherstructures, opened in 2014, have a brassi-ness that contrasts with the subtlety of theadjacent Japan-inspired Nara Peace Park.Good year for crepe myrtles. Down by the

West Basin, Lake Burley Griffin

Crying Dinghy.

Photos by

Brian Slee.

lake a pair of ducks led a pair of fluffy‘dumplings’ across the bike path,confident that traffic would screech to ahalt. It did.

Continuing north, we crossed theaforesaid bridge into newly constructedHenry Rolland Park. If properlymaintained, it could become a popularmeeting place. Hanna Hoyne’s ‘CryingDinghy’ is an eye-catching piece of art:one can comfortably lie on it, completewith a stone pillow sprouting metalgramophone horns. Contrary to itsplayful appearance, the accompanyingplaque provides a lachrymose explana-tion for the ‘spirit recharge vessel’.

The enterprises that once studdedWest Basin have mostly gone, pendingredevelopment. So it is easy to imagineone is in a remote part of the city as thepath continues west to the NationalMuseum. The dirt track next to the

shore is home to a darting herd of waterdragons.

But my thoughts were straying; theMuseum Café sells Eccles cakes and Ilove these stodgy lumps of Lancashirepastry encasing succulent currants. Withtea, yum. The café now occupies thelovely space that was once a restaurant.

After our break, and with high cloudflowing in from the west, we walkedthrough the casuarinas on the other sideof the peninsula, now blessedly free ofparked cars. We checked out thesculptures on the southern border of theANU before returning via the outwardpath. Back at the cars at 11:40 am,before the day got hot. 7 km. Goodshort walk, worth repeating on thelonger route during the cooler months.

Brian Slee


A Short Walk in the Tuggeranong Bush

That decision, so difficult for manypeople: when to retire? I’ve enjoyed myworking life, mostly. But I have feltstressed in the last year or two: a youngthrusting manager; pressure to bring infunding; no time for yoga orbushwalking. I’m ambivalent.

I decide to take some long serviceleave, and think about it. And to gobushwalking. I venture out on my firstWednesday walk. A dozen of us from thethree walking clubs climb up Mount Rob

is unavailable. The group isdisappointed, but I’m glad. I’m in shockand don’t fancy being winched up. ALand Rover comes in, cutting throughfences, and the ambos give me morphineand take me to the Woden Hospital.

A couple of weeks later, the doctorsuggests that I go back to work oncrutches. But I don’t want to; I need toheal, to look after myself. And I don’t goback. I resign from the job. My body hastaken over and retired me.

It’s twenty years now, and I’ve donea lot of walking in that time, but not theGreat North Walk. And I haven’t beenback to Mount Rob Roy.

ah … the ridge

my world is on both sides

behind it

in summer haze

the hills lie waiting

Gerry Jacobson

Roy, at the back of the Tuggeranongsuburbs. Coming down the hill I’mengrossed in conversation with D aboutplans for pack walks. How about I joinhim for a couple of weeks on the GreatNorth Walk? My foot slips on the steepgravel track, and I’m writhing on theground. I know it’s a sprained or brokenankle.

The group pauses, and the leaderrings for a helicopter rescue. But it’slunchtime at the base and the helicopter

Clearing mist, Rob Roy Nature Reserve. Photo by Philip Gatenby.

If you come across a European Wasp nest when outwalking and are able to get its co-ordinates by GPS orsmartphone, send the location to the Namadgi NationalPark Visitor Centre’s email address

[email protected]

or log the location on

https://ewasp.com.au/ewasp-mobile-app/

The European Wasp (Vespula germanica) is a stoutwasp, about 15 mm long, with a bright yellow and blackbanded abdomen and a pair of black spots on eachyellow band. Their legs are yellow and they have twopairs of clear wings with the first pair larger, blackantennae and fly with their legs held close to the body.The nest is usually in the ground and may be noticedbecause of the comings and goings of the inhabitants.

European wasp sightings

Close-up of the European Wasp.

A wasp trap in Namadgi National Park; wasps attracted to suchtraps can alert rangers to the presence of a nest in the area.


Heritage protection summarilyremoved

Around Australia conservationists areincreasingly aware that past gains inheritage protection are under siege.Unfortunately, in one important case, themove has gone past that stage andheritage protection has been removed.On 21 June 2018 six environmentallysignificant coastal reserves on NorfolkIsland were removed from theCommonwealth Heritage List withoutany prior public notification and withoutany opportunity for the public tocomment.

The public reserves removed fromthe List were Anson Bay, Ball Bay,Bumbora, Hundred Acres, Point Rossand Two Chimneys Reserve andEscarpment that had all been added tothe Commonwealth Heritage List on22 June 2004 under the EnvironmentProtection and BiodiversityConservation Act 1999. They wereremoved from the List on the basis thatthe land was no longer owned or leasedby the Commonwealth. No managementplans had been developed under theCommonwealth legislation for any of thedelisted reserves.

The heritage significance of thesereserves is considerable both in terms oftheir history and their contribution to theprotection of Norfolk Island’s flora andfauna. The first major coastal reserve inAustralian history was that establishedby the Norfolk Island SuperintendentLieutenant Philip Gidley King.Explaining his decision for establishingthe reserve, King wrote in his diary howsome of the settlers had cleared groundnear the coast and how it was thereforenecessary to forbid any more clearing to‘have considerable space left betweenthem and the sea in order to shelter themfrom the blighting effects of the SeaWinds’.

The removal of the majority of thepublic reserves on the Norfolk Islandcoast from the Commonwealth HeritageList seriously reduces the level ofheritage protection available for both thecultural landscape and their natureconservation values. Regardless of theissue of ownership, and whether it can beargued that the Act did not require publicconsultation for the transfer anddelisting, clearly such a significantprocess should be more transparent.

This issue should be of particularinterest to conservationists and historygroups in NSW because up untilfederation in 1901, Norfolk Island was apart of the Colony of NSW. It is also

worth mentioning that the NSWStrategic Framework is now beingapplied to the long term planning ofNorfolk Island.

Nature NSW, Vol. 63, No. 1(Autumn 2019)

Is it time to make national parkstruly national?

We know national parks andconservation areas are popular.Statewide polling commissioned byVNPA in November 2018 showed thataround 73 per cent of the communitysupported a comprehensive network ofnational parks and conservation areasacross land and sea. Of these, 37 percent ‘strongly supported’ and 36 percent ‘supported’. A further 14 per centwere ‘undecided’ and 5 per cent‘strongly opposed’. So you would thinkwith these high levels of support itshould be an opportunity for politiciansof any party or jurisdiction to talk aboutsomething different and positive to afairly jaded electorate.

The Australian Governmentmanages and provides funding fornational parks in territories andoffshore – so places like Kakadu,Uluru, and the Great Barrier Reef areresponsibilities of the Commonwealth,though some parts may be jointmanaged with territories, adjoiningstates and Traditional Owners. Nationalparks in the states are stateresponsibilities, though areas withWorld Heritage or National Heritagestatus may get financial support, andsome national oversight in limitedcases. Roughly 70 per cent of nationalparks and other publicly-ownedprotected areas in Australia are in thestates.

So while they are called NationalParks, they are really creatures andcreations of state government.However, the federal government hassigned up to the InternationalConvention on Biological Diversity,which does give it a legal role inoversight and support for managementof national parks and conservationareas. We are not talking about somesort of ‘take over’ from the federalgovernment of state territory here,because that is unrealistic and likelycounterproductive; but rather thelegitimate role of the AustralianGovernment to help manage our uniquenatural heritage on behalf of all of us.Essentially, the logic goes, theAustralian Government hasinternational obligations to protect theintegrity of national parks – but what

can it do if a state government goesferal and wants to damage, develop ordestroy national parks? To date, notmuch.

VNPA and other national parksassociations around the country, as wellas community conservation groups,have developed a package of policyproposals through the National ParksAustralia Council (NPAC) whichexplore the options and opportunitiesfor the Australian Government toensure our national natural heritageestate is protected.

NPAC has produced a series ofbackground briefings and discussionpapers on some of these key areas.They include:• National parks – a matter of national

significance• Maintain the values of the national

reserve system• Completing Australia’s national

reserve system• Enhancing landscape connectivity• Marine protected areas.

They can be viewed onwww.vnpa.org.au/npac

Park Watch (VNPA), No. 276(March 2019)

Singleton Army Base brumby cull

The protests that arose over theRSPCA-approved, humane aerial cullof feral horses at Singleton Army Baseagain reveals the extent to which publicconcern for animal welfare is used totwist public sentiment into opposition.Pro-brumby activists have called thisaerial cull of feral horses barbaric. Yetthese horses lived with the real andconstant threat of live bombing,shooting and unexploded ordnance.Anecdotal evidence from past nationalparks rangers who worked in the Hunterregion point to the dire plight that theseferal animals faced. Horses werewitnessed living with wounds/injuriesfrom shrapnel, and in some casesmissing a leg from explosives.

A media release from the DefenceDepartment on the issue of theSingleton Army Base aerial cullclaimed ‘the feral horses habitually livein an area where live firing takes placeand where there is unexplodedordnance’. These animals have beensuffering awfully cruel and painfulexistences, but the ideological andpolitical goals of brumby supportgroups sought to limit an outcome thatwould result in the least amount ofanimal suffering. Claiming the aerialcull of these horses is inhumane, and

PARKWATCH



the wrong course of action, is false. Feralanimals shouldn’t be living in theseareas, particularly when survivaldifficulties were compounded by therecent drought which has gripped theHunter region. The horses were puttingthemselves and soldiers using this areain harms’ way.

These appear to be anti-nationalparks views that seem to be a growingpart of the National’s policy platform,which is also evident in the debatearound feral horses in the SnowyMountains and the passing of theHeritage Horse legislation. There is alsoa contradictory aspect to the brumbyargument. On one hand, there is asentiment that feral horses should be leftto their own devices, with activistsclaiming that suffering of these animalsin the Snowy during the period ofdrought in 2018 should be met with noresponse. This is claimed to be all in thename of ‘natural processes’. On the otherhand, in Barmah on the Murray Riverand Singleton, pro-brumby groups calledfor intervention. This was portrayed inreports of activists illegally feeding theferal horses in Barmah National Park, aswell as just outside the park. If this is theonly way to maintain their health, then itis clear these animals are not suited toliving ‘wild’ in national parks.

The key alternative proposed to theaerial cull in Singleton, rehoming, canonly account for small numberssuccessfully removed and rehomed.Given the nature of where these feralhorses live, this was never a viableoption. As outlined by Defence:‘In 2014, the Department of Defenceundertook a trial to capture and re-homea number of the feral horses in the area.The trial was unsuccessful due to thetrauma and stress suffered by the horsesas a result of exposure from the live fireand bombing activities on the range. Thistrauma makes the horses more difficultto train in an attempt to re-home them.’(Defence Department, 2018).

Re-homing is presented as a political‘solution’ acceptable to brumbysupporters. It is a distraction which thepublic then latches onto in the beliefthere are viable alternatives to aerialculling. Feral horses on an army basecan’t be mustered. It’s unsafe. Immuno-contraception is another alternativesuggested. Horses live long livesfollowing sterilisation, meaning they willstill suffer in drought conditions, destroythe environment and potentially comeinto harm’s way on a live firing range.These alternatives aren’t real solutions.

Colong Bulletin, No. 274(February 2019)

21st century wilderness

Wilderness must become a keyconservation debate as the threat ofclimate change shall bring a greaternature conservation focus to reservemanagement so that wildlife survives. Inrecent years, a wilderness ‘purity’ debatehas become a proxy for competingdemands such as resource development,vehicle access and horse riding and hasled to all sorts of compromises. Settingaside wilderness from development andexploitation, and managing these landsfor nature conservation, as legislationintends, should ensure optimal outcomesfor wildlife.

Unfortunately, political decisionshave resulted in areas excised forlogging and mining and easementsretained for off-road vehicle use. Despitethis, for the last 20 years, protectedwilderness in NSW has been relativelysafe from further assault, apart fromrecent incursions by horse riders.However, as we have seen with severalrecent tourism development proposals inSouth West Tasmania, we cannot becomplacent. Wilderness is important. Itis the only place where we canphysically escape our highly structuredand rapacious growth-based society.

Recreation is only one benefit thatwilderness brings – we can’t afford todisregard its intrinsic values –maintenance of wildlife, safeguardingthreatened species, catchment protectionand scientific research are just asimportant. The goal of wildernessmanagement, however tempting, is notto freeze national parks in some sort ofimagined historical fidelity of arcadia.Maintenance of ecological diversitymust be sought by science and securedby effective, adequately funded reservemanagement. To avoid widespreaddegradation, human intervention mustcome with a light touch.

With regard to fire management, nosimple prescriptions or formulae such as‘five per cent of the state must be burnt ayear’ will deliver good conservationoutcomes. If a wilderness hasn’t beenburnt for 30 years, managers mayperhaps let a wildfire burn, or they mayput it out as soon as possible, when itthreatens a mega-fire or ecologicalcatastrophe. One thing for sure, effectivemanagement is not as easy as tossingincendiaries out of a helicopter window – detailed knowledge of ecosystems,historical records of fire frequency andintensity are required. The reality is thatthere must be limited selectiveintervention.

The first priority is to think. What arethe key biological vulnerabilities for rare

and special habitats sensitive to climate-driven disturbance, like swampssuffering intense drought? Better notburn a swamp if it destroys its dry peatysoils developed over millennia. Firemanagement must protect remnant oldgrowth, not only forest types but allancient vegetation types, includingolder shrub lands. Wildlife requires anage class diverse habitat to thrive. Thehistorical range of growth stagevariability may prove a poor model ofsustainability in the face of climatechange, but it remains the only modelwe have of the dynamics of theenvironment that has sustained theecosystems we now have.

Sustaining whole collections ofecosystems in wilderness and pushingback against the effects of climatechange may ultimately prove amanagement impossibility, but it willbuy nature time. Management of fire-prone ecosystems must ensure theseenvironments are more resistant todrastic change. Resilience thinkingmust be based on ecosystem health andfunction, and ultimately comes back towilderness. Like all species, we evolvedwithin nature, we belong to nature andwithout it we might as well be dead, sowe’d better get wilderness managementright. We are still learning these skills.If we can retain wilderness for athousand years, and truly learn to readthe landscape, listen to it and respect it – our Indigenous brothers and sistershave much to teach us here – we might,with humility, survive.


Burning forests worse thanburning coal

The Australian Forests and ClimateAlliance recently advised that ‘we are atthe point where emissions reductionsalone cannot meet our climate goals andwe must also draw carbon back out ofthe atmosphere.’ Natural forests do thisvery well but ‘Forest protection andstopping land clearing are notsubstitutes for radical reductions insociety’s carbon emissions’.

Ecologically sustainable sources ofelectricity do not emit greenhouse gasesor threaten biodiversity. Burning forestsis promoted as a means of reducinglogging waste, but production of nativeforest waste will drive higher loggingrates, just like clear-fell logging arosefrom the production of woodchips.Burning forests creates a carbon debtthat will not be repaid by regrowthforests for decades, if ever, as inputs of

PARKWATCH (continued)

(continued on next page)


fossil fuels through tree felling, haulageand processing are not adequatelyfactored into the carbon equation.Carbon retention in native forests ismaximised when they are not logged.

An Australian National University‘Green Carbon’ research reporthighlights that Australia’s naturaleucalypt forests store more carbon andare more resistant to the impacts ofclimate change than plantation forests.The logging of natural forests results inthree times more carbon dioxideemissions than previously estimated, andif left to regrow, natural eucalypt forestswould remove an amount of CO2 fromthe atmosphere each year equivalent to24% of Australia’s total greenhouse gasemissions in 2005 (B.G. Mackey et al.,2008, Green Carbon: the Role ofNatural Forests in Carbon Storage,ANU Press). The coal industry promotescarbon capture and storage technologywhere CO2 is liquefied and pumped athigh pressure over two kilometresunderground with considerable energyexpense.

Currently there’s virtually no take upof this technology by the world’s fossil-fuelled power stations. Plants, however,pull carbon out of the atmosphere at amuch greater scale – expansion of forestplantations is a proven method to do justthis. Done well it also produces woodproducts, good jobs and profits.Protecting natural forests and expandingforest plantations are an integral part ofan ecologically sustainable solution toclimate change. It will buy us time whilewe reduce emissions from other sectorsof the economy.


The impacts of commercial walks innational parks

Multi-day walks in national parks arebecoming increasingly sought after –especially commercial ‘supported’ walksrun by private contractors. Walkers carryonly a day or light pack, asaccommodation and food are typically

provided, as well as guides. Two suchwalks are presented as examples toillustrate diverse models of such walks,with noticeable impacts and experience.

• Three Capes Walk, TasmaniaThe commercially operated Three Capeswalk along Tasmania’s remote andscenic south-east coast has only beenavailable since late 2018, offering a walkfor groups capped at 14 people.Accommodation is in well-designedcabins, with 2-bed rooms offering cleansheets and comfortable bedding. Cabinsare not visible from the main track andpublic walkers would not be aware oftheir presence. Grey water is filtered anddischarged. All toilet waste is collectedin sealed containers. Theaccommodation is serviced byhelicopters for all maintenance,including food. The noise anddisturbance from helicopter trips wouldnegatively impact on the hikingexperience for all.

Although the cabin design is lowimpact, the standard borders on ‘luxury’,with a plunge pool and massage service.Food and alcohol were also of a veryhigh standard. Although such comfortsare welcomed by many, they are notnecessary to appreciate the naturalvalues and landscape. This also has theimpact of placing the walk into a higherprice bracket which would make itunaffordable for some.

• Larapinta Trail, Northern TerritoryLocated west from Alice Springs, theiconic 223 km Larapinta Trail traversessome of Australia’s most spectacularinland topography. Although the wholetrail takes around 16 days to walk,commercial operators offer shorterversions of the most spectacularsections. A 6-day walk was based in acampsite located in the sandy bed of theFinke River just outside the nationalpark boundary. The base campsite wastemporary with no permanent structures,and is removed before the wet seasonsets in and the rivers run high. A smallbus was used to transport walkers to the

start and finish of each days walk. An impressive feature was theeffort taken to ensure a lowimpact of the site. All waste wassorted. Toilet arrangements wereinteresting. The motto was ‘everytree is a lavatoree’, and peoplewere encouraged to urinate in thebush surrounding the camp intothe sandy river soil, which isflooded in the summer wet season.

Toilets were lined with plastic bags andall toilet waste was bagged to beremoved from site and composted.

Water is scarce and was supplied bytwo 3,000 L tanks. Its use was tightlymanaged; a small tin was supplied towash hands after toileting andshowering was a splash down from asmall bowl. Beds were swags in a tent,although many opted to put their swagsin the river bed to experience theamazing night sky. All power for thefridge and lights was generated throughportable solar cells. There was nodining room, but seats around an openfire, with wood brought in. Novegetation was cleared around the camparea. The group was capped at 8 people.An explanation of Indigenous valuesand connections to country was givenby a local Aboriginal woman at the startof the walk.

Both walks used guides, who alsoprepared meals. The tendency forguides to place themselves at the frontand back of the group also means youwalk as a ‘pack’. However, on bothwalks, a strong low impact culture wasset by the guides, with a clearexplanation and continuedreinforcement of appropriate behaviourwhile on the walk.

In summary, it is clear thatcommercial walks can be designed andmanaged for low impact, particularlyaround the behaviour of walkers, andthe location, design and servicing ofaccommodation. They do play a role inmaking such walks accessible to morepeople. However, an emerging issue isfor commercial walks to increasinglypitch more toward the luxury end of theecotourism market. This means a higherlevel of servicing (extra traffic), plusmaking it unaffordable for some. Anequity issue arises about having suchfacilities on publicly-funded nationalparks which, in principle, are accessibleto all. It also, of course, maycompromise the cardinal principle ofnational park management.

Protected (NPAQ),Issue 24 (Autumn 2019)

Compiled by Hazel Rath

PARKWATCH (continued)

We are looking for new members

If you receive a printed copy of theBulletin you will also receive a copyof the NPA brochure. Please pass iton to a friend or acquaintance whomight be interested in our activitiesand possibly join our association.Thank you.Cape Pillar, Three Capes Walk.



The NPA welcomesthe following new members

Valerie Oliver (re-joiningmember)

We look forward to seeing youat NPA activities.

NPA noticesNational Parks Association Calendar

Public holidays

General meetings

Committee meetings

Gudgengy Bush Regeneration 2

June

Mon 10

Thurs 20

Tues 4

Sat 8

July

—

August

—

September

—

Thurs 18

Tues 2

Thurs 15 1

Tues 6

— Sat 10

Thurs 19

Tues 3

Sat 14

Further details: 1 Annual General Meeting; see notice page 2.

2 GBRG. Meet at Namadgi Visitor Centre 9:00 am. Note there is no work party

scheduled in July.

Contributions for the NPA Bulletin

This Bulletin was prepared by:

Editor, Philip Gatenby

Copyeditor, Ed Highley

Presentation, Adrienne Nicholson.

Membership fees are due atthe end of June

All members will be receiving a letter formembership renewal and donations in June,either as a digital document (if we haveyour email address) or as a printed copythrough Australia Post.

The letter shows the data we store confi-dentially on our membership database aboutyou. Please check the information andamend your details if necessary; send thewhole form with your membership dues(and donation if possible) back to the officeby post together with cheques or moneyorders. The completed form can also bescanned and sent to [email protected] email.

You can also pay on-line by bank trans-fer or by using the payment facility on‘Trybooking’ – your letter contains detailedinstructions. Please still send the completedform back to the office with an indication ofpayment method after paying on-line.

Thank you for your cooperation.Sonja Lenz, Secretary

Volunteers needed

We always need new volunteers to take over from members who have volunteered for a long time and need a break. Pleaseconsider putting your name forward for any jobs you think you can spend some time on for the good of NPA. It can be tohelp organise events for our 60th anniversary, setting up the meeting room or the supper for our general meetings, selling ourbooks at public events or helping with office work.

If you can help please send an email to [email protected] or leave a message on the office phone (02) 6229 3201.

Cover photographs

Front cover

Main photo. Illawong Bridge, Kosciuszko National Park. Photo by Mike Bremers.

Insets. Left. A Yerrabi butterfly (see walk

report page 23). Photo by Max Lawrence.

Centre. Narjong Water Healing ceremony

(see article page 7). Photo by Cynthia Burton.

Right. Members forum. (see article page 4). Photo by Rod Griffiths.

Back cover

Top. Cime Campestrini and Pizes de Furcia Rossa,

Dolomites. (see page 19) Photo by Jan Gatenby.

Bottom. Waterfall, headwaters of Nursery Creek. Photo by Barrie Ridgway.

NPA books available from some bookshops (e.g. ANBG), or contact the association office.

Contributions of articles, letters, poems, drawings and photographs are

always welcome. If possible keep contributions to no more than

1,000 words. Items accepted for publication will be subject to editing and may also be

published on the NPA website. Send all items to the Bulletin Team, email

[email protected], or to the NPA ACT postal address (see page 31).Deadline for the September 2019 issue: 31 July 2019.


General MeetingsThird Thursday of the month, (not December or January)

8.00 pm, Uniting Church hall, 56 Scrivener Street, O’Connor

National Parks Association of the ACT Incorporated

Inaugurated 1960

Aims and objectives of the Association

• Promotion of national parks and of measures for the protection offauna and flora, scenery, natural features and cultural heritage in theAustralian Capital Territory and elsewhere, and the reservation ofspecific areas.

• Interest in the provision of appropriate outdoor recreation areas.

• Stimulation of interest in, and appreciation and enjoyment of, suchnatural phenomena and cultural heritage by organised field outings,meetings or any other means.

• Cooperation with organisations and persons having similar interestsand objectives.

• Promotion of, and education for, conservation, and the planning oflanduse to achieve conservation.

Office-bearers

President Esther Gallant 6161 4514 (h)[email protected]

Vice President Cynthia Burton 0488 071 [email protected]

Secretary Sonja Lenz 6251 1291 (h)[email protected]

Treasurer Hannah Conway 0439 962 [email protected]

Committee members

Chris Emery 6249 7604 (h)[email protected]

Steven Forst 0428 195 [email protected]

Rod Griffiths (Immediate Past President) 0410 875 [email protected]

George Heinsohn 6278 6655 (h) [email protected]

Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h)[email protected]

Conveners

Bulletin Working Group Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h)[email protected]

Cultural Subcommittee Quentin Moran 6288 9840 [email protected]

Environment Subcommittee Rod Griffiths 0410 875 [email protected]

Outings Subcommittee Steven Forst 0428 195 [email protected]

Publications Subcommittee Kevin McCue 6251 1291 (h)[email protected]

Publicity Subcommittee Allan [email protected]

60th Anniversary Subcommittee Cynthia Burton 0488 071 [email protected]

Work Party Co-ordinator Martin Chalk 6292 3502 (h)[email protected]

The NPA ACT office is in Unit 14 Lena Karmel Lodge, 26 Barry

Drive, Acton, together with the Conservation Council. It is staffed by

volunteers on an irregular basis. Callers may leave phone or email

messages at any time.

Phone: (02) 6229 3201 or 0429 356 212 (if urgent)

Website: www.npaact.org.au

Email: [email protected]

Address: GPO Box 544, Canberra ACT 2601

Facebook:www.facebook.com/NationalParksAssociationOfTheAct

Membership subscription rates (1 July to 30 June)

The subscription rate is $22, which includes a digital copy only of ourBulletin.

If you want to receive a printed copy of the Bulletin, the subscriptionrates are:

Household membership $44 Single members $38.50Corporate membership $33 Full-time student/Pensioner $22

Note: All the above subscription categories reduce to $11 if a

donation of $100 or more is made.

Advertising

The NPA Bulletin accepts advertisements and inserts. Contact

the NPA office for information and rates.

Printed by Instant Colour Press, Belconnen, ACT.

ISSN 0727-8837 (printed copy); ISSN 2209-6256 (digital copy).

Thursday 20 JuneArt Weeks at Gudgenby Cottage

Adrienne Nicholson

NPA ACT Member

Together with Hazel Rath, andpreviously Christine Goonrey,Adrienne has for many yearsorganised Art Weeks at GudgenbyCottage for NPA members. Not allmembers consider themselves artistic,but some have been surprised at theirabilities to appreciate an overnightstay, or just a day visit, to this NPA‘outing’. Adrienne will illustrateparticipant’s activities and some of theproducts of Art Weeks over the years.There will be some works on display.

Thursday 18 JulyHiking and paddling the

Upper Murray

Mike Bremers

NPA Member and Bushwalk Leader

The upper 150 km of the Murray Riverflows through diverse environmentsranging from the very remote andinaccessible parts within KosciuszkoNational Park to dairy farms. Mike andcolleagues hiked the top 150 km in2013 and then hiked/paddled it againin 2017. Mike will talk about theseadventurous journeys and explain howthe river environment changes as onetravels down it.

Thursday 15 August

Annual General Meeting

followed by

Members’ reminiscences

Members are encouraged tooffer a 5 minute talk on a topicof interest to other members(please notify Kevin McCuebeforehand), following whichwe will share a supper providedby members, so bring a plate –sandwiches, scones or cakes.Bring your friends as well.

For information on NPA ACT activities, please visit our website http://www.npaact.org.au

and follow us at www.facebook.com/NationalParksAssociationOfTheAct

Documents

National Parks Association of the Australian Capital ... 56 No 2 Jun 2019.pdf · National Parks Association of the Australian Capital Territory Inc. Volume 56 Number 2 June 2019