QUEENSLAND BUSHWALKERS CLUB Inc.

Newsletter

PO Box 2199 Sunnybank Hills QLD 4109 Email qldbwc@yahoo.com Phone No (07) 3345 9543 http://sites.google.com/site/qldbwc/

December 2011

Cainbable Falls Walk

Club News
Reciprocal Walks with YHA
There have been further discussions with the YHA Bushwalkers Qld about advertising walks with each other. Any QBW leader who thinks they may not get enough takers for a walk, whether a day walk or a throughwalk just from QBW members may ask that their walk be advertised with YHA. The walk leader would need to give a grading for the walk based on YHA's grading system which fortunately is very similar to QBW's. It is at http://sites.google.com/site/yhabushies/gradings. The leader can email this request to qldbwc@yahoo.com and it will be forwarded on to YHA. Note that for a QBW walk, QBW members would get preference and if there is room, then members of the other club can also come along. For a YHA led walk, YHA members would get preference. If any QBW member would like to check out what walks YHA are doing, their Calendar can be downloaded from http://sites.google.com/site/yhabushies/outings . YHA Bushwalkers have in their by-laws that members from other clubs with the same insurance can join in for 3 walks per year without joining YHA Bushwalkers. The Ipswich Bushwalkers Club have also expressed interest in reciprocal arrangements with our Club and have sought further information. Hopefully as time goes by there can be a more standardised way of having reciprocal arrangements.

Adventure Friends
Adventure Friends is an Australian distributor of high-end adventure sports and outdoor gear. They are offering members of QBW an exclusive discount of 25% on all their products, plus free postage on all orders until Christmas. This is redeemable on top of any other discount offered on their website at www.AdventureFriends.com.au However members must quote the club's unique discount code which has been emailed to members. If you have not received the unique code please email qldbwc@yahoo.com or ring Richard on 3345 9543.

Nominating for a Walk

Members are reminded that the cut-off point for going on a weekend walk is 9.00 PM the Wednesday beforehand. Any member ringing after that time wishing to go on a walk may be disappointed. Recently several members who rang after the cut-off point for a weekend base camp were unable to contact the leader who had left a day early to check out a new walk near the base camp. In another instance the leader had cancelled a walk due to not having enough takers, only to have people ring after the cut-off point asking to come along. Please be considerate towards the leaders and help yourself by ringing early and well before the cut-off point.

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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 Trevor Davern Marion Laban John Hinton John Brunott David Kenrick Geraldine Burton Richard Kolarski Lynn Nicol David Haliczer 0408 980 694 0411 512 202 0405 536 718 3343 3724(H) 0448 761 097 3349 8238(H) 3376 9454(H) 3345 9543(H) 3219 6228(H) 0432 901 030 Vice President

Outings Officer Membership Officer Editor Social Secretary Training 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 Richard Kolarski Maggie Samootin Noelene McCay Gil Gunthorpe Richard Kolarski 3345 9543(H) 0419 739 500 3889 0264(H) 0408 980 694 3345 9543(H)

Campsite Monitors
John Brunott Kerry de Clauzel Ann Kemp Richard Kolarski John Shera John & Julie Shera Ballows, Paddys Knob Throakban, Barney Gorge and Lower Portals Spicers Peak (east & west) Running Creek Falls Panorama Point Mt Superbus & Rabbit Fence Jct Lower Panorama

Editors Pic

Club Equipment
Compasses UHF Radios Steripen 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. Back Pack for Hire Bivy Bags For Sale $5.00 charge $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00. Topo Maps Emergency Lights First Aid Kits

The above are for free use by members.

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. Space Blankets For Sale $2.50 each.
Middle Kobble Creek

Lightweight and take up no room at all. A must for all walkers! Contact Richard on 3345 9543 for any of the above. 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 Trevor at 3890 8196 Page 2 of 8

From the Editor

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year. Enjoy the special 8 page edition of the Newsletter with the 2 pages of jokes sent in by members. Note that the next Newsletter will not be until February 2012

Members
As at 30/11/2011 we have 90 financial members

Christmas Party 2011

QBW Christmas Party
9-11 December 2011 This year our Christmas Party will be held at Binna Burra at Grooms Cottage and the Bunkhouse, near the camping ground. Cost will be $45.00 pp for the weekend. Accommodation will be in the Bunkhouse, bunk style beds, bring your own bedding. Hot showers and kitchen facilities available. Saturday walks will be organized and in the evening we will share in a barbecue. The Club will provide the meat and as in the past, members will provide the nibblies, salads and dessert. Once again we will have a costume theme, so get your thinking caps on for A Country of the World costume for you to look your best. We will also have the Photo Competition and Sunday morning Richard and Patricias Quiz before we pack up, clean up and head home. Lots of prizes for all. Also seeing it is a Christmas Party please all bring a Christmas Gift to the value of $10.00. A Unisex gift, nothing inappropriate and no chocolates please. A lot of fun with a twist. Hoping to see lots of our members for this fun weekend. An attendance and catering form will be available in the next couple of months. Any questions. please call me on 3219 6228. Lynn.

First Aid Steps Over 95% of snakebites occur on the legs and arms, with over 75% on the legs. This makes the pressure immobilisation technique practical to use in the great majority of cases. In every case check for any danger to yourself, i.e., is the snake still there? Be wary that the mate may be nearby! Bites To The Lower Limb As soon as possible, apply a broad pressure bandage from below the bite site, upward on the affected limb (starting at the fingers or toes, bandaging upward as far as possible). Leave the tips of the fingers or toes unbandaged to allow the victims circulation to be checked. Do not remove pants or trousers, simply bandage over the top of the clothing. Bandage firmly as for a sprained ankle, but not so tight that circulation is prevented. Continue to bandage upward from the lower portion of the bitten limb. Apply the bandage as far up the limb as possible to compress the lymphatic vessels. It is vital to now apply a splint. Bind a stick or suitable rigid item over the initial bandage to splint the limb. Secure the splint to the bandaged limb by using another bandage, (if another bandage is not available, use clothing strips or similar to bind). It is very important to keep the bitten limb still. Bind the splint firmly, to as much of the limb as possible, to prevent muscle, limb and joint movement. This will help restrict venom movement. Seek urgent medical assistance now that first aid has been applied. Bites on the Hand or Forearm As soon as possible, apply a broad pressure bandage from the fingers of the affected arm, bandaging upward as far as possible. Bandage the arm with the elbow in a bent position, to ensure the victim is comfortable with their arm in a sling. Leave the tips of the fingers unbandaged to allow the victims circulation to be checked. Bind a splint along the forearm. Use a sling to further prevent limb movement. Keep the patient still. Lay the patient down to prevent walking or moving around. Bites To The Trunk If possible, apply firm pressure over the bitten area. Do not restrict chest movement. Keep the patient still. Notes Research stresses the importance of keeping the patient still. This includes all the limbs. Bring transport to the patient if at all possible. Even if the bitten or stung person is ill when first seen, the application of pressure-immobilisation first aid may prevent further absorption of venom from the bite site. If the bandages and splint have been applied correctly, they will be comfortable and may be left on for several hours. They should not be taken off until the patient has reached medical care. If the snake has been killed, bring it with the patient, but do not waste time, risk further bites or delay application of pressure bandage and splint by trying to kill the snake. Things Not To Do DO NOT cut or excise the bitten area. DO NOT apply an arterial tourniquet which cuts off the circulation to the limb. It is potentially dangerous, and is no longer recommended for any type of bite or sting in Australia. DO NOT wash the bitten area. The type of snake involved may be identified by the detection of venom on the skin. If the snake can be safely killed, bring it to the hospital with the victim. DO NOT give alcohol to the patient. DO NOT give food and only non-alcoholic clear fluids may be used for drinks.

Snakebites
With the warmer weather there have been more snakes seen on bushwalks so it might be timely to refresh our information on what to do and not to do. In the Brisbane region alone there are eight snakes that can be lethal, the Death Adder, the Small Eyed Snake, Tiger Snake, Coastal Taipan, Spotted Black Snake, Red Bellied Black Snake, the Eastern Brown Snake and the Rough Scaled Snake. Though some deaths are sudden, it is uncommon to die within four hours of a snakebite so there is time to apply First Aid. The information below is mostly taken from The Australian Venom Research Unit and the University of Sydney. Prevention of Snake Bite While Bushwalking Leave snakes alone. If a snake is seen, walk away quietly. Do not attempt to catch or handle snakes. Wear stout shoes and adequate clothing, including long trousers. Do not wear sandals or thongs. Never put hands in hollow logs or thick grass or under woodpiles, building material etc. without prior inspection. When stepping over logs, carefully inspect the ground on the other side. Take care around campsites on warm nights, as snakes may be active at this time. Use a torch and wear adequate footwear. Phone or send for medical assistance. In a remote area, set off a PLB if one is available. Reassure the patient and encourage them to remain calm. Have the patient remain as still as possible. Do not attempt to catch or kill the snake. Apply a pressure bandage to the envenomed limb. If the bite is to the trunk, apply firm pressure to the bitten area. Do not restrict chest movement. Splint or sling the limb to restrict movement. Where possible, help should be brought to the patient rather than moving the patient.

Basic Principles of First Aid For Snakebite

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Past Walks
Best of All to Kennedy Lookout
2 October 2011

The walk up Middle Kobble was great with small pools and cascades plus a small gorge which we either had to negotiate around or through. Slowly we made our way up and then had to climb around two high waterfalls to reach the campground. Here we met a photographer who had the biggest telephoto lens on a camera I had ever seen on a bushwalk. From the campground we walked up the Lepidozamia Track a short distance before turning off onto a disused forestry road. At the top of a knoll we sat down thankfully for a rest and lunch. We had reached the highest part of the walk and now it would mostly be downhill. After doing some checking that we were following the correct ridge, (Tim still doesn't believe in GPS's) and finding a First Aid Kit we began the unknown section of the walk. As it turned out it was a relatively easy walk as there was evidence that there had been a snigging track along the ridge. We had some views of the surrounding ridges and soon we were back into Middle Kobble and then North Kobble. Back at Samford we stopped for a well earned coffee. Many thanks for my fellow bushwalkers. Richard

Best of All Walk

Dave Kenrick led this walk up on the Springbrook Plateau. Ten adventurous members came along on a fine day to share the experience. Starting from near the communication tower at the end of Repeater Station Road, David led the group along a taped trail through thick rainforest which took them to the edge of the escarpment and a small stream with a waterfall. Continuing along the top of the escarpment there were several more small streams including a very picturesque one where the group took the opportunity to have a rest. Further along the group met up with another lot of bushwalkers who seemed to have taken a different route lower down. The views from Kennedy Lookout were somewhat marred as there had been a treefall. Back up on the road, the group walked the 2km back to the cars along the road. Richard

Cainbable Falls

30 October 2011

A group of fifteen (the magic maximum) arrived in good time at Canungra. After dropping a car (Kens people mover) at Romeo Lahey Memorial, all fifteen squeezed into three cars for the 5 km run to OReillys car park. Off to Python Rock for the view that wasnt. Leader temporarily lost when a tree needed to be rounded, but Tim Lee set him straight. (Just follow the track, Norm). The cloud was eerily interesting, but the geographic notes were a waste of time. A short back-track of 500 meters (navigated the tree OK on the way back), then skipped across to the Pats Bluff track and off into the cloud, again. Walking conditions great. Cool air and soft underfoot. Pats Bluff was judged (somewhat undemocratically) too early for morning tea. After a short review of the same cloud, the team moved on towards Lukes. Ken, Haylee, Tim, Anne and Charlie opted for early snacks. A short stop at Bridal Veil Falls (more cloud) then on to Lukes farm, en route to the Bluff. Morning tea at last! Thanks to Gerry, Aileen and Hilary for keeping morale high at the tail end and thanks to Muriel for keeping the leaders morale up at the front. The coffee at Lukes bluff is particularly good. Took a while however to get some of the trekkers started again. There was some irreverent comment about the Pope and Coffee, but not reported here. Off to the start of the track down to head for the Stockyard Creek (the Cream Track), where the pink ribbon marker was noted and thence over to and under the fence at Stockyard Creek Falls (Ding Bing Falls). A steep climb out of Ding Bing Falls and the GPS was totally on song for our first great navigational challenge. Yes, we climbed due north and found Duck Creek Road! At this point in time we were ahead of schedule so we spent some extra time in cross-navigation and GPT-interrogation. Loosely interpreted this is an exercise in walking in zig-zags until a pink ribbon is found. A great way to burn excess food consumed over morning tea. Thanks to Aileen and Tim (Lee) for their assistance in bringing this exercise to a successful conclusion. Once settled on the ridge it was all downhill until we reached Cainbable Creek. The longest leg of the walk, but the rainforest was cool and the walking mostly soft. (Bob Hammelswang backtracked to check out a small waterfall that wed passed on the final steep descent to the creek-bank. The tail-end ladies made sure Bob didnt get lost.)

Middle Kobble Creek

5 October 2011

This was a Wednesday walk to explore the Kobble Creek area in D'Aguilar National Park. Kobble Creek among bushwalkers can be divided into the North, Middle and South Kobbles. South Kobble is perhaps the nicest but Middle Kobble has some beautiful cascades and pools to discover too. On the walk were two visitors, Tom and Arif. Tom was from BBW while Arif was a member of Redlands. Also on the walk were Tim and Gerry. I had chosen to do a relatively easy way to explore the creek by entering via the bottom section into North Kobble, crossing a small ridge and entering Middle Kobble Creek. We would then walk up the creek as far as the campground and return via a ridge between Middle and South Kobble Creeks. It was the last section I had not done before so I was well prepared with maps and a GPS. After meeting up in Samford we drove towards Samford and turned off to get to Hawkins Road which has public access to North Kobble. We walked along the creek and along the old North Kobble Road before turning off and crossing a small ridge which took us in to Middle Kobble.

Middle Kobble Creek

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The promised lunchbreak was deferred to allow us to reach the Falls. Nasty tumble for Helen. Trust no after effects, Helen, and Ken you were the perfect gentleman. We picked a good place for lunch; smack amongst the leeches. Reasoning was that there was more space at the creek crossing rather than the falls lookout. (And anyway, the leeches took our minds off the ticks.) After lunch, off to the lookout and behold, the cloud had cleared! Photos all round. A bit of cliff-sitting by Grahame to remind Julie how much she loved him, and back to saddle up for the long haul out of Cainbable Creek to Romeo Lahey Memorial and the people mover. The short sharp finish was to test Bruces fitness. Sorry mate, Im a bit deaf and didnt hear your heavy breathing. I could also smell that coffee at OReillys. For the drivers it was all over. For the non-drivers there was an extra kilometre to walk up the road before the cars returned. The drive from Romeo Lahey Memorial to OReilly's car-park made me realise how much wed achieved. About 13 km, and add another if you wandered aimlessly in the bush while the pink ribbons were discovered. Thanks all for your company. A great social outing. Norm Johnston 8-9 October 2011

The campsite is my favourite in Girraween. It has clear views to Mt. Norman and Mallee Ridge to the west, and alongside there are extensive slabs leading to the top of the waterfall and a pool for collecting water. It was a good place for a relaxing dinner until the main rain event for the day finally arrived just on dusk, forcing an early retreat to the tents for the night. Next morning dawned sunny, but the descent of the escarpment to get to the valley below the falls was harder than normal because of the still wet and slippery conditions. However, we all made it down safely and continued down the valley of Racecourse Creek until the rocky ridge to the west gave out and we could cut across to the Mt. Norman Road (still closed after the floods). We followed this to the Mt. Norman day use area, then picked up the graded track which would take us over Mt. Norman to park HQ. However, once on the slabs approaching the mountain we dropped packs and headed up to the top of Mallee Ridge. Most of the route we chose was open slabs, but there was a short belt of scratchy scunge to negotiate. There were good views of much of the park from the top, but we didn't linger long because it was very windy. We arrived back at HQ around 2 p.m. and, after a short car shuffle to retrieve the other cars, set off for home. It was good that everyone had seen at least some new things during the weekend for some most of it was new. Those who went with me were Tim Apelt and Marion Laban, and from BOSQ there were Neil Gray and Di Thornthwaite. Neil Douglas

Girraween TW

This walk was held jointly with BOSQ. At one stage it looked like being too successful, with 10 definite nominations, one likely and another turned away, but in the end there were lots of cancellations and we were only 5 in number when we assembled at the Girraween Park HQ early on the Saturday morning. We got word of heavy thunderstorms further east and the weather at Girraween certainly looked gloomy, but the rain ended up holding off until mid-afternoon. Because of the threat of rain, I reversed the order of the walk so as to do the slabs of Mallee Ridge and Mt. Norman on the second and hopefully drier day. So we set off by car to the Robert's Waterhole carpark to start the walk. First we took the graded track to the Underground Creek. It was soon obvious that the area had had some good recent rain the creek was flowing very well, the bush was green and the wildflowers were out. After watching the water churn through the channels at the top of the underground section we headed off track to the Aztec Temple, a small hill of huge granite columns not far away. From there it was cross-country once again to the foot of Billy Goat Hill, which we ascended without packs. This gives impressive views of the central part of the park, new to the majority of the people in the group. An aggressive tiger snake was encountered on the way. We then had a few kilometres of walking along fire trails to the vicinity of West Bald Rock, stopping at the Racecourse Creek crossing for lunch. West Bald Rock was climbed without packs via a route on the western side that I had remembered from my previous visit some years before. This is open slabs at first, but a belt of thick scunge was encountered further up worse than in the past as there had been no recent fires. Neil G found a good way through, though, and we were soon up on the rocks on the crest of the ridge that led easily north towards the main summit dome. The cloud was breaking up by this time, and there were good mostly sunny views east as far as Barney. Back at the packs, we retraced our steps a short way before leaving the fire trail for another cross-country section to our campsite at the top of Racecourse Creek Falls. On the way the weather deteriorated once more and we had a thundery shower as we approached the campsite. Fortunately it passed on and we were able to make camp in dry conditions. The sun appeared again intermittently until sunset.

The Queensland Great Walk Experience

Last month Neil Douglas talked about the three Great Walks that he considered were the only ones worthwhile to do in their entirety. They were the Carnarvon, Cooloola and Fraser Island Great Walks. Here are his views on the other Great(?) Walks.

Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk

This Great Walk has the disadvantage of significant sections of road walking, but to compensate for this much of the rest of the route is on purpose-built graded tracks. Thus the off-road sections do have quite a few scenic features in the way of lookouts, waterfalls and deep valleys in varied types of forest.

Thilba Thalba Campsite

One of the campsites, Thilba Thalba, actually has a reasonable view. It is not as good a view as the one from Brahminy on the Cooloola walk, but it is the only other one on the Great Walk system with a significant outlook (although there is a lookout not far from the Bloodwood camp on the Whitsunday walk). All of the off-road sections of this Great Walk are worth doing, but the parts south of Mapleton are best done as fragmented full or half-day walks with car shuffles between each end.

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The part north of Mapleton is mostly in circular form and so lends itself to a weekend throughwalk, with the best camp being at Thilba Thalba. However, care needs to be taken with where vehicles are left because thefts and break-ins have been reported as a problem. Campsites are in the segregated tent site style.

There are some lookouts along the Eungella graded tracks, but otherwise there are only glimpses of views through trees at a few locations when descending the western escarpment and approaching Mount Britten. The campsite on top of the escarpment also has restricted views of the coalfields to the west. The campsites are of the open plan type but are otherwise poor. The first one is poorly designed and was becoming weed infested when I did the walk inviting an unfavourable comparison with the nice grassy day use area not far away. The second is outside the run down Crediton Hall, lacking both modernity and a wilderness setting. The third is on top of the western escarpment beside a fire trail, but long grass was taking over when I was there. The last one is on the site of an old homestead (now gone) and is in an uninspiring and mostly shadeless location (dont arrive too early) but it does have limited views of the volcanic formations of Mount Britten a few kilometres away. This is a one-way walk with ends widely separated by road, making transport logistics difficult or expensive unless special arrangements with locals can be made.

Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk

This Great Walk does not have a lot to recommend it, particularly as a throughwalk. The two ends, OReillys and Springbrook, are a long way apart by road and of course there is no public transport to either these days. Starting at OReillys, the first day comprises the existing Main Border Track in Lamington National Park. This is possibly the most uninteresting of the major tracks in Lamington, as all of it is basically a tunnel through rainforest. Some of the former viewpoints along the parts that follow the border have been allowed to grow over. The section from Binna Burra down to Numinbah is partly on existing graded track as well, then on a fairly nondescript fire trail which does however provide a change to more open forest. From there the route follows the fairly busy Numinbah Valley road for several kilometres, being perhaps the most uninspiring (and potentially dangerous) section on any of the Great Walks. Once the route leaves the road it follows a mixture of farm roads and purpose-built track up onto Springbrook to eventually link with the existing Purlingbrook Falls graded track. The specially constructed sections have some scenic features which make them worthwhile as day walks the whole route from Purlingbrook to Numinbah can be walked in one long day with a car shuffle.

Conondale Range Great Walk

This was one of the last of the Great Walks to be opened but has little to recommend it. A saving grace is that it is one of only 2 of the Great Walks that is fully circular, so that transport arrangements are easy. The track is mostly a tunnel through regenerating rainforest or wet sclerophyll forest, with some nicer, more open forest on the last day. There are no views, apart from those from the Mount Allen fire tower reached via a side track on the last day. The only significant features of interest along the walk are the Breadknife, Summer Falls and Mount Allen. Leeches come out in myriads if it rains, except in the open forest. Campsites are of the segregated type, with the official tent sites at Summer Falls being surrounded by high weeds. Fortunately there is a nice open area in eucalypt forest near the top of the falls where you can camp unofficially. Tent sites tend to be muddy, especially at the camp near the Breadknife. Some of the route follows old fire or logging trails, but there is a lot of new construction. In theory this should have allowed the flexibility for more features of interest to be included, but unfortunately none appear to exist in the area. Wet Tropics Of all the Great Walks, this one easily wins the booby prize. The walk starts at Wallaman Falls and uses existing tracks to view this very impressive feature. However, after leaving the falls on the new section, there is virtually nothing further to see. Most of the walk follows old forestry roads through regenerating rainforest or weed-infested open forest, and there are no real features of interest. The best views are on the drive in and the drive out. The first official stage is very long, over 20 km, unless you break it up by staying off the record at the site of an old forestry camp about half way along. This has a pleasant shady clearing, although you have to walk some distance for water. The first official campsite was shockingly overgrown when I did the walk, but we were lucky that the small unpublicised tank attached to the toilet had some water in it water is very necessary in the hot climate and there were no other sources around. The next camp was pleasant, with short grass and a creek nearby for water. However, much of the track between the camps was disgustingly overgrown. In places it was impossible to see where it was, as there were no markers on trees or posts to show the way. The track seems to get hardly any use and might as well be closed. The money saved could be put into upgrading north Queenslands real great walk, the Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island. Neil Douglas

Whitsunday Great Walk

At 27 km long, this is the only one of the Great Walks that can feasibly be walked in one day (as I have done). It is essentially a walk through a tunnel of regrowth rainforest, with no real points of interest apart from 2 lookouts on the stage between the last camp and the finish. It has little to recommend it, although a saving grace is that it is directly accessible at one end from a relatively major tourist centre (Airlie Beach). The two campsites are unsegregated, and the first one is actually quite grassy and pleasant. Food lockers are provided to protect against vermin. The track is closed in summer and there does not seem a lot of justification for persisting with most of it. The section from Airlie Beach up to the 2 lookouts could be retained to provide walking opportunities for those staying at Airlie Beach.

Mackay Highlands Great Walk

The first 2 of the 4 main stages of this Great Walk make use of the existing Eungella graded track system, and so incorporate some reasonably interesting features such as lookouts, cascades and lush rainforest. However, most of the rest is on public roads or pre-existing fire trails and lacks great scenic interest. The one part with new pedestrian route construction, a link of about 4 km between the Crediton road system and fire trails further south, is a very poorly done job. When I did it a few years ago, about a year after the official opening, this section had become so overgrown that it was hard to find where it left the road! Despite the fact that this track was often not obvious on the ground, there were only a few intermittent red arrow markers on low wooden posts to show the way what was really needed was a lot more markers attached to trees. Once the fire trail system is met the whole of the rest of the walk is on vehicle tracks. While still up on the plateau these are fairly pleasant to walk along, but after the western escarpment is descended the fire trail becomes a wide and rocky bulldozed road that has no wilderness appeal at all.

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Jokes
A Little Christmas Story When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre-Christmas pressure. Then Mrs. Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more. Then he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where. Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered. Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drunk all the cider and hidden the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom. Just then the doorbell rang, and an irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?' And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree .... Not a lot of people know this.

Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow. The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon. This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin. Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done. The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday. Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door. The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy. Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance. The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.

Ponderisms
I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes. Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway. There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead. Life is sexually transmitted. Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die. The only difference between a groove and a grave is the depth. Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing. Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to? Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism. In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal. How is it one careless match can start a bushfire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire? Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?' Who was the first person to say, 'See that chicken there? I'm going to eat the next thing that comes out of its bum. ' If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him? If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests? Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup? Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride; he sticks his head out the window? Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle? Do you ever wonder why you gave me your email address? Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat? Whose idea was it to put an s in the word lisp?

Church Bulletins
Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services: The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals. The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.' Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands. Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you. Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help. Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs. Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get. Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days. A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow. At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice. Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones. Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children. Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered. The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.

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Puns for those with a higher IQ

A man's home is his castle, in a manor of speaking. Dijon vu - the same mustard as before. Practice safe eating - always use condiments. Shotgun wedding - A case of wife or death. A man needs a mistress just to break the monogamy. A hangover is the wrath of grapes. Dancing cheek-to-cheek is really a form of floor play. Does the name Pavlov ring a bell? Reading while sunbathing makes you well red. When two egotists meet, it's an I for an I. A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two tired. What's the definition of a will? (It's a dead give away.) Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. In democracy your vote counts. In feudalism your count votes. She was engaged to a boyfriend with a wooden leg but broke it off. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion. If you don't pay your exorcist, you get repossessed. With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress. The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered. You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it. Local Area Network in Australia - the LAN down under. Every calendar's days are numbered. A lot of money is tainted - Taint yours and taint mine. A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat. He had a photographic memory that was never developed. A midget fortune-teller who escapes from prison is a small medium at large. Once you've seen one shopping center, you've seen a mall. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead-to-know basis. Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses. Acupuncture is a jab well done.

Doctor's Advice
Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true? A: Your heart only good for so many beats, and that it. Don't waste on exercise. Everything wear out eventually. Speeding up heart not make you live longer; it like saying you extend life of car by driving faster. Want to live longer? Take nap. Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake? A: No, not at all. Wine made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that mean they take water out of fruity bit so you get even more of goodness that way. Beer also made of grain. Bottom up! Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio? A: Well, if you have body and you have fat, your ratio one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio two to one, etc. Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program? A: Can't think of single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No pain...good! Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you? A: YOU NOT LISTENING! Food are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they permeated by it. How could getting more vegetable be bad for you?!? Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle? A: Definitely not! When you exercise muscle, it get bigger. You should only be doing sit-up if you want bigger stomach. Q: Is chocolate bad for me? A: Are you crazy?!? HEL-LO-O!! Cocoa bean! Another vegetable! It best feel-good food around! Q: Is swimming good for your figure? A: If swimming good for your figure, explain whale to me. Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle? A: Hey! 'Round' is shape! Well... I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets. AND.....

Repent O Scottish Sinner

There was a Scottish painter named Smokey Macgregor who was very interested in making a penny where he could, so he often thinned down his paint to make it go a wee bit further. As it happened, he got away with this for some time, but eventually the Baptist Church decided to do a big restoration job on the outside of one of their biggest buildings. Smokey put in a bid, and, because his price was so low, he got the job. So he set about erecting the scaffolding and setting up the planks, and buying the paint and, yes, I am sorry to say, thinning it down with water. Well, Smokey was up on the scaffolding, painting away, the job nearly completed, when suddenly there was a horrendous clap of thunder, the sky opened, and the rain poured down washing the thinned paint from all over the church and knocking Smokey clear off the scaffold to land on the lawn among the gravestones, surrounded by telltale puddles of the thinned and useless paint. Smokey was no fool. He knew this was a judgement from the Almighty, so he got down on his knees and cried: "Oh, God, Oh God, forgive me; what should I do?" And from the thunder, a mighty voice spoke. "Repaint! Repaint! And thin no more!''

Confucius Didn't Say

Man who want pretty nurse, must be patient. Man who leaps off cliff jumps to conclusion. Man who runs in front of car gets tired, man who runs behind car gets exhausted. Man who eat many prunes get good run for money. War does not determine who is right, it determines who is left. Man who fight with wife all day get no piece at night. Man who drive like hell is bound to get there. Man who stands on toilet is high on pot. Man who live in glass house should change clothes in basement. Finally CONFUCIUS SAY A lion will not cheat on his wife, but a Tiger Wood!

Blonde Joke
A blonde was mowing the lawn in her garden and accidentally cut off the tail of her cat that was hiding in the grass. She rushed her cat, along with the tail, over to Coles! Why Coles?? HELLOOOOOOOOO! Coles is the largest re-tailer in Australia !!!

Did you know that...?

No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple. Dreamt is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt". There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."

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