October long weekend camping trip.

Day Trip Report.

Sunday 1st October, 2006 – Brindabella Range Trip Report.

After finishing our campsite chores (and some finished a lot quicker than others) we lined our vehicles up on the road behind Wal and Beryl our intrepid trip leaders. Whilst waiting for all to arrive we noticed a lot of hilarity going on at the head of the line. A beaming Wal came down shortly after to announce that I had been given the trip report to do thanks to Anne Hanrahan who drew my name out of the hat.

We finally left camp at 9.29 am and as we drove off we were fortunate enough to see not one but two of the rare and endangered species of maroon, double breasted, triple zoom lensed shutter bugs on the side of the road watching the convoy move off.(Gail and Dale).

On the outskirts of Queanbeyan, we stopped so that Nick and Stella could replenish their petrol supplies and their lolly supplies to keep the boys happy. While the rest of the group waited out on the road, there was a great deal of chatter over the two way from the alzheimers’ group who were reminiscing -----but I can’t remember what it was all about.

Off again to play catch me if you can at all the traffic lights through town. We must have had some very close calls with red light cameras (Got a letter yet Phil?) Morning tea at Casuarina Sands, near Cotter Dam, a very pleasant little spot with good clean amenities for comfort stops. Here we spotted another maroon, double-breasted, triple-zoom-lensed-shutter-bug. Obviously not as rare as John Corry would have us believe.

A little further along the bitumen we turned off onto the dirt road to Uriarra State Forest. We stopped here to lock in our hubs, adjust our tyre pressures and generally just get ready for our drive. Here we counted that there were 16 cars on the trip ---10 diesel and 6 petrol and 10 of these were Jackaroos.

From here on, the actual details of the trip become rather hazy, as I was in car number 12, and consequently, I couldn’t see a thing for dust. All I could do was keep Robyn and Dave’s little “Tweety Bird” wheel cover in view so that I knew where I was going. Not too far into the trip Colin suggested that I should take notice of the names of the tracks we were traversing. Well Colin, at 19.2kms, we were on Dingi track----after that you’re on your own.

I was very interested to learn that what I had always thought were common garden-variety gum trees, were actually Lav-a-trees. Boy didn’t some of them cop a beating. One is never too old to learn something new!!!!!!!

Up till lunch time the roads were good but the country is very dry and the dust, which was very thick, just seemed to hang there. We stopped for lunch at a T intersection (Webbs Ridge and Waterfall trails) where we could get all of the vehicles reasonably well off the road. Ken popped his bonnet open and was instantly surrounded by 6 or 7 budding mechanics.

With lunch over, we continued our way through some terrain that became a little more challenging. Another track I remember, Colin, was “Gentle Annie”. What a misnomer that was!!!! I’d hate to see Rough Annie. During this afternoon period Wal alerted the group that three bike riders were approaching and weren’t stopping for anything. Discretion being the better part of valour, we all found ourselves a spot to stop and wait for the bikes to pass. We didn’t have to wait very long.

Tony announced to one and all that the botanist in him wanted to go and talk to a tree. There was much conjecture and hilarity in the group as to what the tree would say to Tony. The general consensus of opinion was that it would just tell him to “piss off”.

Back onto the Brindabella Road and off to a spot called Bulls Head for afternoon tea. A great picnic spot, but at the time it was beginning to get a little hazy from the smoke from a couple of fires we had seen in the distance during the afternoons driving. The very full drop toilets here did a wonderful job of attracting all the blowflies within a 2 km radius and thus kept them away from our food.

Time now for unlocking hubs, reinflating tyres, and heading back to camp.

Wal and Beryl, it was a great day, thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Thank you so much, for organising the day and for leading us (even though Wal got out of washing all of our vehicles).

Did I hear someone ask, “Did Wal get geographically challenged?” Of course he did---but not in the bush-----on the bitumen with all the signposts!!!!!!! They do get confusing don’t they, especially in Canberra.

- (For Colin's information, I can come to Allen's assistance with the names of some of the tracks we used. Blue Range, Two Sticks, Baldy Range, Dingi Dingi Ridge, Webs Ridge, Gentle Annie and Mount Franklin - Wal.).

Allan McFarlane.
Trip Reporter.