QUEENSLAND BUSHWALKERS CLUB Inc.

Newsletter

PO Box 2199 Sunnybank Hills QLD 4109 Email qldbwc@yahoo.com Phone No (07) 3341 7509 http://sites.google.com/site/qldbwc/

June 2011

Mt Alexander

Club News
Walk Leaders First-Aid Refresher Training
Expression of Interest (Jul / Aug 2011) This is a reminder to all walk leaders to let me know if you would like to do the St John Ambulance refresher First-Aid training for CPR. This course provides the skills to recognise and then manage a casualty who is unconscious and is not breathing. CPR is a life saving technique which can sustain life until an ambulance arrives. St John recommends, in line with Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines, that a CPR refresher program is undertaken every 12 months. Ten QBW members did a refresher course last year. Under the bylaws of QBW any QBW member who leads a walk is entitled to 50% reimbursement of First Aid fees while a leader who leads 5 walks or more in a financial year is entitled to 100% reimbursement. I need an expression of interest to get this going. Please let me know if you want to attend this training and also let me know any preferred / or non-availability dates for me to do my planning. Stuart Mackay Training Officer 22 May 2011

Donations
QBW has received several donations in the last month and would like to thank Danuta Gur who has donated 5 maps of the Great Walks in Queensland and June Greenaway who has donated notes and brochures on walks. The maps and brochures are available to Club members from David Rae. Also the Club has received a donation of the book Walks on Flinders Island from the author Ken Martin, The Gemshop and Whitemark.

Committee Meeting
A committee meeting was held 31/5/2011. Below is a short summary of the proceedings. After reviewing the Club's finances it was decided that the membership fee did not need to be increased for the 2011-12 financial year but that there would be a review of the finances early next year to see if an increase may be necessary for the 2012-13 financial year. If an increase is necessary a General Meeting will be held so that members may vote on the matter. A Steripen has been purchased via the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. This will be available to club leaders on multiday walks. Contact Richard on 3341 7509 for further information. A motion was passed that any new member paying for membership in June will remain a visitor for the month of June and become an Ordinary Member on the 1st of July. Trevor Davern who coordinates abseil training with Stuart Mackay was present at the meeting. Discussions were held about any future purchase of equipment and training days. It was also decided to increase the hiring fees for the use of the Club ropes and harness equipment for both Ordinary Members and Probationary Members. The new charges are: Ordinary Members - $10.00 charge for use of the Club rope and another $10.00 charge for use of harness and accessories . Probationary Members and members of affiliated clubs - $15.00 charge for use of the Club rope and another $15.00 charge for use of harness and accessories.

Leader Training

There was a training session on GPSs at Dave Rae's place led by Richard Kolarski. Members had a chance of using the recently purchased GPSs and learning about waypoints, routes and tracks. Notes on how to use the GPSs were handed out. The Club has 4 of the new GPSs and they will be held by Richard Kolarski, John Brunott, David Haliczer and David Rae. However other members may be able to use the GPSs if any of the four are not using them at a particular time.

Walks Planning

22 May 2011

Following the training session there was a BBQ and members had a chance to add to the walks on the Calendar. The Club would like to thank David and Margie Rae for the use of the house and for preparing a superb salad. If any member wishes to lead a walk, he/she should contact David Rae at david.r.rae@gmail.com

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General Information
Meeting Place
Club meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month starting at 7.30PM. There is no Club meeting in January. Meeting are held at the Little King's Hall on the corner of Carl and O'Keefe Streets, Buranda. Entry is via the gate on Carl St. There is parking within the grounds and in Carl Street. Tea/Coffee and cake/biscuits are provided after the meeting. A coin donation would be appreciated. President Secretary Treasurer

The Management Committee

Gil Gunthorpe Noelene McCay Sue Ward John Hinton David Haliczer David Rae Membership Officer Editor Social Secretary Training Officer Geraldine Burton Richard Kolarski Lynn Nicol Stuart Mackay 0408 980 694 3889 0264(H) 3844 6389(H) 3343 3724(H) 3879 8334(H) 3395 1838(H) 3376 9454(H) 3341 7509(H) 3219 6228(H) 3890 8196(H) Vice President

Outings Officer

Membership
Probationary Membership A non-member automatically becomes a Probationary Member on his/her first walk after signing the waiver form. There is no fee payable to become a Probationary Member. However a Probationary Member must become an Ordinary Member on his/her second walk by filling out a Membership Form and paying the membership fee. Ordinary Membership A person may become an Ordinary Member by filling out and signing a Membership Form, having a proposer sign the form and handing the form with the membership fee to a committee member or walk leader. The proposer may be a friend (who is a member of the Club) of the applicant, the leader of the walk that the applicant is on, the Membership Officer at a Club meeting or if the Membership Officer is not available, one of the committee members. An Ordinary Member has the right to vote at an AGM or be elected to a committee position. A Probationary Member has neither of these rights. Members of Another Bushwalking Club Members of another bushwalking club which is affiliated with Bushwalking Queensland Inc. (or an interstate Federation) and who are covered by the same Insurance do not need to become a member of our Club to go on our walks. However Club members will have priority if there is a limit on numbers.

Other Voluntary Positions

Equipment Officer Supper Convenor Librarian BWQ Rep BWQ Rep David Rae Mary Sherlock Noelene McCay Stuart Mackay Richard Kolarski 3395 1838(H) 3209 8514 (H) 3889 0264(H) 3890 8196 (H) 3341 7509 (H)

Campsite Monitors
John Brunott Kerry de Clauzel Ann Kemp Richard Kolarski Barbara Makepeace John Shera John & Julie Shera Ken Walters Ballows, Paddys Knob Throakban, Barney Gorge and Lower Portals Spicers Peak (east & west) Running Creek Falls Rat-a-tat, Spicers/Doubletop saddle Rum Jungle Panorama Point Mt Superbus & Rabbit Fence Jct Lower Panorama Mt May saddle & Paddys Plain

Editors Pic

Club Equipment
Compasses Emergency Lights Topo Maps UHF Radios First Aid Kits The above are for free use by members. Contact David at 3395 1838 or email david.r.rae@gmail.com PLBs with inbuilt GPS The Club has 5 PLBs with inbuilt GPS. The PLBs will be made available at each Club meeting and will need to be returned at the following Club meeting. Contact Richard on 3341 7509. Abseil Gear (ropes, harnesses, helmets, karabiners etc.) Ordinary Members - $10.00 charge for use of the Club rope and another $10.00 charge for use of harness and accessories . Probationary Members and members of affiliated clubs - $15.00 charge for use of the Club rope and another $15.00 charge for use of harness and accessories. Contact Stuart at 3890 8196 Back Pack for Hire Contact David at 3395 1838 Bivy Bags For Sale $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00. These bivy bags are 2 metres by 0.9 metres and are bright orange in colour. Use as a pack liner or emergency bivy bag. Contact Patricia Kolarski on 3341 7509. Space Blankets For Sale $2.50 each. Light weight and take up no room at all. A must for all walkers! Contact Patricia Kolarski on 3341 7509. $5.00 charge
Track Maintenance Volunteers

Track Maintenance Weekend

14-15 May 2011

Bushwalking Queensland Inc. held its first Track Maintenance Weekend at Binna Burra over the weekend 14-15 May 2011with six bushwalkers from as many clubs participating. Under the supervision of ranger Steve Ressom, participants learnt how to properly clean and re-profile the graded track inverts (rock drains) and over the two days managed to attend to all the drains between the Main Border Track entrance and the Coomera seat, and beyond for a couple of hundred metres towards Nagarigoon. Participants also tidied up the 20 minute Circuit Track near the carpark. The intention at this stage is to run another volunteer track maintenance weekend in a couple of months time. Kindly Reply to secretary@bushwalkingqueensland.org.au if any are interested. John Marshall, President, BWQ

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Special Coming Events

The Shepherds Walk:
Saturday 16th July 2011 Organised by the Historical Society of Beaudesert Inc. "In memory of the three Chinese shepherds and Aboriginals who lost their lives in the early settlement of the district c1850" Christmas Creek Monument. The Walk begins at the Historical Museum, 54 Brisbane Street Beaudesert, at 8am, where walkers must check in, sign the disclaimer form and pay for the day. Children under 14 must be accompanied by their responsible adult, and his/her name included on the disclaimer form, signed by the responsible adult. Buses will leave the Museum at 8.30am and travel to Christmas Creek to view the Monument, and hear a short address on the historical significance of the day. The walk will then commence at Christmas Creek and walkers will walk over the Jinbroken Range to the Wash Pool on the Albert River in the Kerry Valley On the grounds near the river crossing, Society members and members of the Restored Auto Club will have everything ready for participants to enjoy a real Aussie sausage sizzle, with tea, coffee, cordial and fresh damper and syrup. Buses will return to the Museum about 2.30pm. CHARGES: Adult walker: Bus fare and sausage sizzle: $20-; Adult walker in by private vehicle: Sausage sizzle: $20-; Non walker in private car: sausage sizzle: $5.00 Children Under14 Travelling on Bus $10.00 Bookings and enquiries by 13th July. Ph 07 5541 3740

Risk Management Guidelines

This will be a continuing series about Risk Management using the guidelines as proposed by Bushwalking Australia. QBW began officially developing Risk Management guidelines back in 2005. However even before then, the Club had in place a few checks and measures to ensure that bushwalking was as safe and enjoyable for everyone as possible. In 2007 QBW developed a full set of Risk Management guidelines when it hosted the Pilgrimage that year. However Risk Management is not something you set up and then forget. It is an ongoing process and all members need to be aware and to be involved. The Basics A risk management program aims to implement actions that reduce the likelihood and consequence of undesirable events. Insurance is the safety net that provides financial protection in the event that something goes wrong These guidelines are only to do with risks to health, safety of persons and damage to property, that is, those events that fall within the ambit of public liability. There are other risks that a club may wish to consider and decide if controls are appropriate. These include risks to the environment, and risks to the public image and standing of bushwalking itself. Duty Of Care And Liability Duty of care has been described as follows: Duty of Care is the responsibility to refrain from causing other persons injury or loss. In terms of bushwalking clubs, the test of an activity leaders or participants duty of care could be: What a reasonably prudent person would do to take reasonable care to avoid exposing fellow participants (having regard to their knowledge, age, experience and skill) to unreasonable risks of injury or loss. Furthermore, in the case of bushwalking clubs there is normally a high level of expectation on the part of club committees and activity leaders that participants will take responsibility for their own welfare and safety in a manner consistent with their knowledge, age, experience and skill. Therefore all participants and leaders need to take reasonable care to avoid exposing any person including other participants to unreasonable risk of injury or loss. In some clubs all or some activities may be peer based Liability occurs when a duty of care was owed and that duty was then breached. Public liability is when the loss, injury or damage is to person or property although these are decisions for courts to make. Risk Management is a four step process. Step 1: Identify hazards A hazard is a situation with the potential for harm to life, health or property. For example bush fire, extreme heat and flooded rivers are situations with the potential to harm life, health or property. Step 2: Assess risks A risk is the chance of this potential for harm being realised. A table or matrix can be used to formally rate the likelihood of risks against the consequences of the risk. This will be explained further next month. Step 3: Control risks Having identified the hazards and assessed the risks of the hazard, determine if the risk should be controlled and if so what an appropriate control of that risk is. Step 4: Review A regular review once a year is important to check that the program is achieving its purpose. It is recommended that this process is documented for reviewing risk management guidelines in the future

Pilgrimage 2011

26 to 28 August 2011

The Pilgrimage is an annual bushwalking and social event attracting members of affiliated clubs from throughout the southeast corner of the state and sometimes further afield. This year the pilgrimage will be hosted by the Sunshine and Glasshouse Bushwalkers Clubs at the Kenilworth Show Grounds between Friday 26th and Sunday 28th August. The Sunshine Coast Bushwalking Club has the BWQ Pilgrimage Information on their club website at: www.sunshinecoastbushwalkingclub.com The Festival of The Walks in the Maleny - Montville area will run separately from the Pilgrimage from 19 to 28th August. http://www.festivalofthewalks.com.au/ However, both organisation committees are liaising with each other to arrange some bushwalker leaders to assist with the Festival during the week leading up to the Pilgrimage. If any bushwalking club member wishes to help out (and attend both events), please contact the BWQ secretary at secretary@bushwalkingqueensland.org.au.

Myrtle Rust
Myrtle rust has now been confirmed at 131 sites in Queensland. Myrtle rust can not be eradicated and will continue to spread in Queensland, as it produces large numbers of spores that are easily spread by wind, human activity and animals. Myrtle rust is a notifiable disease in Queensland and if you suspect that you have seen myrtle rust, notify Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 or call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881. For more information about reducing the spread of myrtle rust in bushland areas, and what to do if you suspect you have come into contact with it, visit the Biosecurity Queensland website at www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au

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Past Walks
Mt Zahel
26 March 2011 John Brunott had put on a Base Camp at Laidley Valley for this weekend. The camp ground was at Centenary Park which was a fairly small park but had toilets and hot showers, all that a hardy group of bushwalkers would need. Some of the walkers went down the Friday night but I arrived on the Saturday morning to find the others had had a rather chilly night out.

The start of the walk crossed a couple of paddocks before ascending a steep slope up onto a ridge where there was a walking pad. We followed this along towards Beau Brummel and it was obvious that his section was used regularly, probably by a nearby Outdoor Eduction Centre. The final ascent up to Beau Brummel was up a steep slope but ropes had been strung between trees and they were a help to get up the slippery sections. There was a small saddle just before the two peaks of Beau Brummel and there was evidence that it had been used as a camping area. From the summit there were terrific views all the way round and we enjoyed a lengthy lunch before starting our return. Our return route was down a different ridge and we were fortunate enough to spot two koalas in the trees along the way. On reaching the road someone had to go back to retrieve the cars and give some of the walkers a lift back. However others still had the energy to walk back to the park. Again many thanks to John for putting on this walk. Richard

Mt Alexander

3 April 2011

Mt Alexander is in the Kerry Valley and is on private property. However Norm J knew the landowner and we had permission from him to do this walk. Ten of us met up in Beaudesert and then drove down the Kerry Road to Darlington Park, the start of the walk. The park was full of campers for the weekend and we had to skirt round a few tents to get to the walking pad. John B had done this walk several times before and he led us slowly up a ridge. There was a faint walking pad to follow with views of the surroundings. At the top of the ridge there was a large rock cairn where we stopped for a rest and to have a look at the maps to check our position. We walked along the ridge and came to a fence, the National Park boundary. We continued past the fence and further on we had views of Duck Creek Road as it wound its way up to O'Reilly's from the Kerry Valley. After reaching a small knoll it was time to turn back and retrace our steps. On the return there was a small diversion to find a cave that Norm had been to many years ago but it could not be found. The final part of the walk was along a dirt track on the border of the creek which took us back to the camp ground. Afternoon tea back at Beaudesert helped to finish off the day nicely. Many thanks to John B for leading and to Norm for getting permission to do the walk. Richard

Mt Zahel

We started the walk from the park and walked along a dirt road to a farm gate. John had already received permission from the landowner to traverse this section of private land. We followed a rough dirt road for a short distance but then went across a small ridge to ascend another grassy ridge. This led us to a dirt road and we made steady progress up to another ridge line. At this stage some were feeling the effects of the ascent and the hot day and two decided to return back to the park. Perhaps they knew something of what was to come as there were more steep sections including a small rock scramble before reaching the top of Mt Zahel. Here we gratefully sat down in the long grass in the shade and had our lunch. We returned via another ridge that John knew. This ridge offered some great views but it was steep and grassy and most went down it sliding on their bottoms. On reaching a small saddle we detoured and found a 4WD track. We followed this road down which made the going a whole lot easier. We had a rest in the shade in a small creek before walking the last section back to the park. Many thanks to John for leading this walk and for showing us a new way to descend from Mt Zahel. Richard

Mt Ngungun and Mt Coochin

10 April 2011

These two mountains are part of the Glasshouse Mountains and both give great views of the surrounding countryside. We met up at a small park on the Steve Irwin Way and then drove to the Ngungun car park. This small mountain is popular with the public as part of it is on graded track and is signposted. However the second half of the walk is rough and can be slippery when wet. We met a few people along the way. Some were doing it for exercise, some to get fit for other events and some just a family group. We did meet a mum and dad with three kids but they had to carry two of them! At the summit there were terrific views in all directions. We did a short walk along the top plateau and found some abseil anchors over the high cliffs. The walk was fairly short and we were back at the cars by 11.00am. After some discussion it was decided to do Mt Coochin as less people had done this walk than Mt Tibberoowuccum. We drove to the start of the walk at the base of Mt Coochin and began up a grassy slope. We soon came upon a small walking pad and we followed it to the first summit of Coochin. It was then a walk down to the saddle and up the other peak. We had lunch in the shade overlooking one of the fast developing estates in the Glasshouse Mountains area.

Mt Beau Brummel

27 March 2011

This walk was the second walk to be done on John Brunott's weekend basecamp at Laidley Valley. Again the route was over private property but John had received permission from a friendly landowner.

Mt Beau Brummel

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Tasmanian Walk Report

Continued from last month Long Walk #2 This walk was in Mt Field N.P. ski fields which features a number of moderate to long day walks. This area is a 16km drive up the mountain from the Mt Field NP campground (The campground area features several interesting short walks & an abundance of wildlife). The walk I completed was around 25 km & went along the Mt Field West track out to Mt Field West Peak, returning to K Col & taking the K Col track followed by the Tarn Shelf track back to the carpark.

On top of Ngungun

Searching around I found that the summit had been used as a camp site in the past and a vuvuzela had been left behind. Of course we had to try it out and the peace and silence was shattered by the noise from the instrument. We returned back to the cars via a different ridge and had afternoon tea in the township nearby. Many thanks to Kerry for putting on this walk. Richard

Kennedy Lookout

17 April 2011
Mt Field

Kennedy Lookout is on the Springbrook Plateau and can be approached either from the Natural Arch in Numinbah Valley or from the Repeater Station Road on the Plateau itself. I chose the easier way from the plateau and seven of us drove up to Springbrook on a cloudy day that threatened rain.

I started from the carpark a little after 0700 & returned around 1520. It was a big day & I swear that the hardest part was the walk uphill from the carpark to the start of the walking trails which took me the best part of 30 minutes. It was a cold morning with moderate winds but as the day progressed it got warmer and the winds lightened off. I took a little under 3h30m to reach Mt Field West Peak, leaving at 1045 after a good look around, lots of pics, an early lunch and a phone call to my wife. This first part of the walk features around 45 minutes of rock hopping out to K Col, followed by a relatively easy track walk to the top of West Peak. Upon my return to the K Col intersection I was delayed for 30mins by NPWS who were carting bags of rock by helicopter from near The Watcher Peak to my section of the track.

On Springbrook in the Cloud

As we drove up to the plateau it became cold and we were enveloped in cloud. We found the start of the walk and we followed a trail of tape through rainforest along a barely there walking pad. On reaching Kennedy Lookout we were still in cloud and there were no views, just a blank wall of white. It was here that Patricia found she had lost her day pack cover and so decided to go back and find it. The rest of us continued on along the escarpment, hoping the cloud would lift and give us the views. There was still a trail of tape to show the way but the foliage was all wet from the cloud and a fine rain. We crossed over a few streams which flowed over the escarpment but we were unable to get views of the falls or the valley below. After about an hour and a half of walking we stopped beside a stream and had our morning tea. We returned the same way and met up with Patricia. She had found her pack cover practically right at the start of the walk and then walked back to meet up with us. Back at the cars we drove to a rest area and had our lunch under cover just as it started to rain. Of course we couldn't miss out on afternoon tea so we stopped at a cafe and enjoyed a hot drink to warm us up. Many thanks to my walking companions. Richard
Tarn Shelf

I had completed the remaining part of the walk in early 2008 in what I would describe as blizzard conditions so I was keen to see what the views were like on a good day. This part of the walk starts as a relatively level track walk, followed by a moderate descent via Newdegate Pass to Lake Newdegate then returning via the Tarn Shelf. The walk is certainly worth doing but from my point of view, is clearly the least spectacular compared with all the other areas of Tassie that I have walked. However dont let me put you off as everyone has a different opinion on scenic beauty. Go for it, as it is a great walk with mountain views, interesting rock formations & vegetation plus lots of tarns & lakes.

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Would I do this walk again? No, but I am glad I did & would recommend walking in this area to others. I plan to return one day to complete the Mt Field East circuit which I have not yet done. Long Walk #3 - Set in the Mt Freycinet N.P., this was to be the longest day-walk at around 32 km, taking around 9h 30m to complete, although I could have saved 15 to 20 mins if I hadnt missed the unmarked track turnoff to the summit of Mt Freycinet. The walk I completed was the Freycinet Peninsular Circuit plus the summit of Mt Freycinet. I left the carpark at 0610 and walked across the saddle to Wineglass Bay then along to the southern end of the beach where the track up to Mt Graham begins. It is a moderately easy walk to the top of Mt Graham where I arrived at 0910 after a few short side tracks to take advantage of great views over Wineglass Bay & The Hazards to Cape Tourville. The summit of Mt Freycinet was reached at 1016 but would have been a little quicker if I hadnt got lost.

again experienced hail for about 15 minutes on the way down. After this it was fine weather all the way home.

Mt Rufus Peak

The track winds through Richea Valley which features beautiful gardens of pandani & flowering scoparia plants. You would swear that it had been especially planted, it is so beautiful. The views of nearby peaks & lakes along with the variety of weather conditions I experienced made this an absolutely stunning experience. On a high & on a mission to get home quickly, I fell heavily on the way down nearly knocking myself out. I thought I had broken my leg but thankfully I escaped with a twisted knee, badly bruised thigh & sore head. After drugging myself with two panadiene forte & a muscle relaxant I limped home with the aid of a stick, finishing in 7h 15m. They say to allow 7hours but without mishap I would have completed it comfortably in around 6 hours. This was probably the most scenic day-walk that I have ever done. I think I could see as far north as the Du Cain Range & The Acropolis. The varied weather conditions from bright sunshine to snow & hail certainly enhanced the visual experience. There are both close & distant views of many rugged & not so jagged peaks. There are lakes both large & small, nearby & in the distance. It was just a great day. On a positive note, even my fall & struggle home added to the challenge & experience. PS Julie & Kerry If you think I was whinging on the South Coast Track you should have heard me cursing my stupidity most of the way home to the carpark. Luckily no-one else had to listen. Would I do this walk again? Yes, again & again. It is just one of those walks that you do if the timing is right because, on a reasonably clear day, the scenery will always be great (If you are really lucky you may even get snow). Short Walk #1 - The walk to the summit of Hartz Mountain is a relatively easy walk of 3.7 km from memory. It took me 65min to reach the summit from which you get views all over the south & south-west of Tasmania. It is a well formed track nearly all the way to the top and there is only one short steepish section about 1 km from the top but it is still only walking not scrambling. There is about 200 metres of rock scree to walk over as one approaches the summit. I did this walk very early in the morning & had relatively clear weather. To the south I am convinced I could see Precipitous Bluff, to the west Federation Peak & peaks of the Arthur Ranges, to the north I believe the Mt Wellington area and to the east coastal areas including Bruny Island. Would I do this walk again? Definitely yes because of the interesting distant views of both mountain peaks & coastal areas plus it is a short relatively easy walk which I would do at a different time of the day just for a change. The walks I have reported on were the highlights for me on this trip and I hope that some of the info may assist others who are considering visiting & walking In Tassie. Before leaving Tasmania in mid March I hope to have another crack at the daywalk to the summits of Barn Bluff & Cradle Mountain taking the easier OT route on the way out. Hopefully fine weather will provide the opportunity. Safe travels & happy hiking. Greg Mackrodt

Freycinet Circuit Walk

A couple of young English hikers, who were doing the circuit over 3 days & had a proper map & compass, steered me back uphill for 400m or so to find the unmarked but relatively obvious track. The views from the summit of Mt Freycinet are about as good as it gets when it comes to a combo of mountain, island & coastal views. These 360 degree views go on forever on a clear day like the one I experienced. Scenery wise, the remaining part of the walk through forest & along beaches was relatively uneventful & for me quite monotonous but I was glad to have completed it as part of the Circuit. This would be a great 3 day walk with an early start providing an easy day 1 finishing at Cooks Beach to camp then spending the afternoon down at Bryans Beach. With a full pack, the next day would be a good workout with around 7 to 8km of uphill to the summit of Mt Freycinet (Mt Freycinet is about 1 km off the main track & mainly a walk with minimal scrambling to the top. I took 35 mins to the top & 28 mins coming down -got lost a couple of times) then over Mt Graham. It is then around 6km downhill to the Wineglass Bay campsite. The next morning could be spent exploring this beautiful area before an easy walk back along the beach & over the saddle to the carpark. Would I do this walk again as a day-walk? No, not the full Circuit. However if the body is still capable next time I visit, I plan to do the first part of the walk to the summit of Mt Freycinet & then return the same way for stunning views all day long. Medium Walk #1 This walk was located in Lake St Clair NP which is at the southern end of the Overland Track walk. I found the Mount Rufus circuit at 18.5km & a 680m climb, a comfortable medium length walk. It is basically a well formed track all the way with any steep sections featuring rock steps. I had an absolutely magical day for a Queenslander. I started the walk in windy & cold conditions with occasional periods of sunshine. Within the first hour I experienced 3-4mm hail followed by about 30min of snow. It then cleared for 30 minutes or so until I reached the top of the ridge where again it snowed. I phoned my wife from here to share this memorable experience. It then cleared for the next hour & after reaching the summit (Telstra service available at the time) & finishing lunch, I

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