December Outing – High Country

John and Janet Stein would like to invite members to their bush block in NSW, south of Namadgi NP.

Date: Saturday 13th December, with optional overnight camping

Description: Experience a variety of mountain habitats, such as a riparian creek line, wetlands, valley grasslands and woodlands, and forested slopes with granite tors.

Travel: approx 1hr 45min – 2hr 30min drive from central Canberra, depending on the route. There are 2 options – a more direct, gravel road, recently graded (Boboyan Rd), or a mostly sealed road with some gravel sections (via Cooma). The latter is slower, but better suited for a 2WD vehicle.

Arrive: at the property from 10:30 am for morning tea at 11 am, when we will discuss activities for the day. These will depend on the interests and capabilities of participants. Options include pottering about adjacent to the road in the open valley and gentle lower slopes and/or walking up the steep forested hill which is rough and trackless, except for a few animal tracks.

There are limited numbers of bush camping sites for those wishing to stay overnight. There is no vehicular access onto the property, so vehicle-based sleeping would be roadside, or pitching a tent would require carrying your camping gear about 100m to a relatively flat tent site.

Depart: Day visitors – by about 5pm on Sat, to minimise meeting macropods on the road. Campers – before lunchtime on Sunday.

Bring: Please bring everything you will need, including drinking water, sun protection, your packed lunch and afternoon snack for Saturday. Campers will need to be fully self-sufficient for a night in the bush. We will have a sausage sizzle on Saturday night, but please bring your own extras such as salad or an alternative dinner if you prefer or have special dietary needs, as well as breakfast for Sunday. Tea and coffee will be available.

Wear: Sturdy footwear and snake gaiters, if you have them, are recommended. Also have warm clothes, and wet weather gear, no matter what the weather forecast is. It can always get cold in the mountains. The property ranges in elevation from 1140m to over 1400m.

Facilities: Pit toilet (non-flushing), tank water (not suitable for drinking)

Be aware: There is no mobile phone reception at the property, no electricity, no drinking water or shops nearby, and there are snakes, ants, wasps, bees and other stinging insects. Also, please check and clean your boots and other gear to avoid unwittingly bringing along weed seeds, fungal spores or other exotic diseases (How to keep your gear clean in the wild – Invasive Species Council). So far, the property seems to be free of African Lovegrass, Serrated Tussock, Chilean Needlegrass and St John’s Wort, but weeds are a constant battle.

Insurance: Please note that FNAC does not provide Personal Accident Insurance. It is recommended that all participants have Private Health Insurance or, at least, Ambulance Cover in case of accident requiring evacuation by ambulance or helicopter.

Car-pooling encouraged

RSVP: Please register by Wed 10 Dec on the website form opposite, indicating whether you’d like to come for the day or stay overnight, and if the latter, whether you’d like to sleep in your vehicle or pitch a tent. Also indicate if you would like a lift, or could give a lift.
Location and directions will be provided when you register