In March 2017, Trevor Jones led Bruce Hood and me (Ben Trainor) on a 14-day walk traversing the Western and Eastern Arthurs, in the wilderness of the Southwest National Park, Tasmania. Soon after discovering overnight hiking in around 2012, I read about the Arthur Range and marvelled at its jagged peaks and alpine lakes. Photographs by famous Tasmanian wilderness photographer Peter Dombrovskis and prominent Sydney Bushwalker Dave Noble inspired me to dream of exploring the range.

In late 2016, Trevor posted on ...

Envenomation First Aid Reviewing The Pressure Immobilisation Technique Garry Tretheway provides here a critical review of the use of compression bandages in the treatment of venomous bites. The opinions expressed are those of Garry. We would welcome some response to the article.

Australian Snake Bites

In Australia there are about 3,000 snake bites per year, resulting in about 500 hospital admissions (Weldon, 2017). Many receive antivenom; on average two per yearwill prove fatal. About half the deaths are due to bites from the brown ...

In late March this year Trevor Jones and Bruce Hood undertook a 13 day walk and paddle in an attempt to get to Vanishing Falls, in the SW National Park in Tasmania.

At Vanishing Falls, the Salisbury River flows over a dolerite plateau underlain by limestone. The river flows over the edge of the dolerite sill, a 70m drop, and drains straight into a cave system in the limestone. The above-ground channel downstream of the plunge pool flows only during floods.

The ...

Having become a regular hiker over the last few years, I felt the need to stretch myself a little further and try out some solo hiking. I have had the urge to go back to Tasmania after several trips had always left me feeling the desire to experience more of this beautiful part of the world. So when I had the opportunity to tackle the Three Capes Track in Tasmania alone – I jumped on it.

The trail is a 4 ...

Glenelg R cruisin’

Just as Charles Ryder “revisits” Brideshead castle in Evelyn Waugh’s famous novel, we were revisiting the Glenelg River, some 30 years after our initial sojourn. Ryder develops a close relationship with Brideshead, as we also had with multiple visits to the Glenelg River over the years. Our initial courtship started on a full moonlit night at Easter, and we had a midnight paddle on the limpid waters at Moleside camp that time.

Initially a group of 4 ...

The Australian Alps Walking Trail (AAWT) begins in Walhalla, Victoria and traverses the high peaks and plateaus of the Australian Alps to finish at Tharwa near Canberra covering a distance of about around 700kms. The trail passes through five remote wilderness areas with some parts undefined or overgrown and poorly marked so good navigation skills and equipment are essential.

There are no general stores or accommodation along the way apart from Mt Hotham and Thredbo Alpine resorts and there may be ...

Roger on a rock pinnacle above Lake Pedder

John Bartlett asked if I could provide some notes on a trip I did to Tasmania in my early years, with a special mention of Lake Pedder, to complement his article about the wilderness photographers Olegas Truchanas and Peter Dombrovskis. Both these remarkable men died well before their time while taking part in the activities they were passionate about.

Many of you would have seen Bob Mossel’s presentation to the club about ...

Because of my great fondness for bushwalking in Tasmania, and because of my overall love of the island, I have always relished in the photography of Olegas Truchanas and Peter Dombrovskis. I began walking in Tasmania when I was twelve in 1946 whilst living in Hobart, and after leaving to come back to Adelaide in 1952, I have been back 23 times. I went walking on most of those return trips, and I have had the good fortune to complete ...

Like many of you in the Adelaide Bushwalkers, my partner and I love nothing better than walking in the Northern Flinders Ranges. I first visited the ranges by car in 1977 when the Gammon Ranges were still part of Balcanoona Station, and during Easter 1984 I completed my first bushwalk in the Gammon Ranges National Park. By 1990 I had become so inspired by the area that I published a book on walking in the Northern Flinders Ranges. I was ...

Light weight backpacking has become a form of obsession in the world of bush walking, and for good reason. As the weight on our backs goes down we can move faster and further, spend more time exploring and less time resting. As we age the reduced weight gives new life to our backs and knees, in turn filling us with the type of trail lust and vigour we had in our youth… ok maybe that’s a stretch but it has ...

At 1160m, Pompey Pillar, with the aboriginal name of Wildya Ngulhindanha (I wonder what that’s worth at Scrabble), is the second highest peak of Wilpena Pound after St Mary.

On the June long weekend of 2017 John Callinan led a group of ten club members to the peak of Pompey Pillar on what proved to be a hugely enjoyable and challenging adventure.

After the late night/early morning arrival at Wilpena Pound Campground and subsequent lack of sleep it was a welcome relief ...

Bruce Gregor is a member of ABW and the Adelaide Canoe Club. At the October general meeting and most people in the conversation thought the clubs have a lot in common (not competition) so an article in Tandanya about the canoe club would be a great idea.

“Bushwalking on water” is how kayaking is often described, and when you are skimming across a mirror-flat stretch of water with the seabed gliding beneath you, you can see the appeal!

Kayaking and canoeing has ...

Living near the sea, walking along the coast has become one of my favourite pastimes.About 11 years ago, My wife Mary and I built a house at Brighton, about 800 metres from the beach. Mary died seven years ago, so I live with just my lovable companion Snowy who is a small, white Maltese cross. He was nearly two when I moved to Brighton, and he has accompanied me on most of my walks in this area.

Walking is my main ...

One wouldn’t think there would be interesting canoeing in this area, but a glance at the river maps shows a whole series of lagoons downstream from Lock 1 at Blanchetown. A beaut beach at the Riverside caravan park was a good launching point for Trev Moyle and myself. It was late June, cool but fine as we set off downstream past spectacular cliffs (that are a feature of this section of the River Murray). The days were short and we were ...

Our annual photograph competition and Christmas social meeting was held this week, and we had a great selection of photos from members. Each category winner received a $25 gift voucher from the Scout Outdoor Centre.

Here are the winners from each category.

Landscape 2nd – Ben Trainor – Arthur Range Traverse TAS

OPEN 1st – Dean Johnson – Baird Bay

OPEN 2nd Prize – Stephanie Russell – Luang Prabang

People – Dean Johnson – Oladdie Hills

Selfie ...

For the ABW beholder, splendour might well hide in a sunset or beam from a face, be held in hand or stir in a heart, be borne by the light of a campfire or be seen on the hues of a vast mountain vista. Whatever one’s persuasion might be, I suspect that splendour is a state best shared. And perhaps July’s 2017 ‘Flinders Spectacular’ event would be the event to find this out?!

On the Thursday night, sixteen keen ABW trekkers ...

ABW is currently in the process of surveying the water resources of potential interest to bushwalkers in the northern Flinders Ranges (north of Parachilna-Blinman-Wirrealpa) with the hope that it will make it easier to plan multi-day walks in the region especially in years of average rainfall or lower. The area of interest is covered on all or part of twelve 1:50,000 topographic series maps. In addition to the areas very popular with bushwalkers, the survey also covers adjacent less popular ...

“Remote” for remote first aid purposes is defined as anything more than an hour from para medic attendance-and Adelaide Bushwalkers are often in this situation even on walks not far from Adelaide

We attended the “Remote First Aid” Course that was held at Morialta Conservation Park on the 17th 18th and 19th July 2017.

It was run by Survive First Aid which is a highly regarded provider of First Aid Education based in Victoria. We wondered if the time would drag but ...

On top of Mt. Kosciuszko, it was still, and there was only thin, high cloud in the sky, and for all six in my group, this day was an experience never to be forgotten. I was on the summit of our highest mountain in August 1987 with my companions from Adelaide Bushwalkers. We hadn’t walked up, but ascended on our cross-country skis as part of an eight-day ski touring trip from Kiandra, 70km to the North, and the day on ...

Over six weeks, from late September to early November 2016, my wife Phillipa, and I, walked a large chunk of the ancient pilgrim trail, the Via Francigena. The original route, from Canterbury to Rome, was walked by Sigeric the Serious, ordained Archbishop of Canterbury in 990 CE. He kept travel diaries and these are considered the most authoritative source for the direction of the route. The trail starts at the Canterbury Cathedral, runs through Northern France, Switzerland, down Italy and ...