Johnny Boy's Walkabout Blog

Saturday 26 November 2022: Snake Awareness and Snake Bite First Aid training for leaders. Safety and first aid presentation, including application of pressure bandage and immobilisation. Up close and personal with an eastern brown and tiger snake, under close supervision by qualified Wildcare trainers.

Photographs Photographs are available here.

Training Notes

Allan Donnelly (CBC member and qualified snake handler and trainer) presented the session, along with other members of Wildcare.

This session, along with Allan’s pressure bandaging demonstration on 1 Oct 22 (this trip report includes a video) and his best practice web page, has totally changed my attitude and response to snakes. To such an extent that I stood still as an eastern brown slithered between my legs this morning!

I strongly suggest you read the web page and absorb the snake bite protocol.

The takeaway line (apart from the fabulous experience and all the other information passed on by the trainers and handlers) was that, over the past several years, ABS data provides 2 deaths in Australia from snake bite and 110 deaths by bathtub drowning.

Snakes are not naturally aggressive and will try to escape, unless cornered or threatened by sudden movement. So I stood still!

Pressure bandages could be purchased (the printed rectangles turn into squares when the bandage is applied at the appropriate pressure). Do you have one in your first aid kit?

Huge thanks to Allan and team!

Saturday 26 November 2022: Eastern Point of the ACT ! – S/E-M,ptX. A quick trip to the eastern most point of the ACT.

Summary

From Richard’s GaiaGPS recording – Distance: 3.7km | Climb: 50m | Time: 1:10 | Grading: S/E-M,ptX; E(4).

Photographs Photographs are available here.

gpx File (thanks Richard) The gpx file is available here.

Track Notes

I was last in this area on 1 Feb 11, which was an interesting day – we skirted the ACT Nudist Club, were accosted by the AFP down near HQJOC. I wrote a pome about it:

Walking the border in Sheaffe’s steps one day,
I was with some mates out off the Kings Highway.
It was to be a special – no, make that spatial – walk,
Soon we were off with no time for talk.

Armed with GPS stuffed full of data,
Thanks to Alex Petrow from ACTPLA we knew where we’d be later.

First to the east-most point of the ACT,
Marked with a near 100-year blaze still on a tree.

As a ‘man of the cloth’ the next part filled me with fear,
We were to pass by the ACT Nudists’ club, very near.
I called to my mates “Avert your eyes, I say
Or else I’ll have to spend time on my knees and pray.”

Past that temptation our next goal was the rail line,
Searching for border markers from time to time.
Arriving, no rail nor train was in view,
Explanation from a mate “You’re standing on top of a tunnel – you goose, you!”

We found the rail tracks where they emerged from the hill,
And followed them along until
Cameras and lights and sharp barbed wire announced where we be
Crossing the road leading to secret HQJOC.

On the railway easement we gave it a wide birth
Not intending to disturb soldiers, they’re the salt of the earth.
So following the surveyors we continued on our way,
By now near Kowen Forest, well east of the Kings Highway.

To my trusty companions I said “There’s a mile marker somewhere there”
And snapped a pic of them searching, bums in the air.

The next thing to happen certainly gave us a stir
As up pulled behind us the AFP “What are you doing here sir?
I must see that map you’re holding in your hand.
What are those markings, so near to our land?”
“We’re hunting border markers” I said.
I reckon the cops thought I was gone in the head.

No spy could dream up a scheme so weird … so they sent us on our way with a polite “Good day”.

Well, that’s my story for today and it’s the gospel truth
No doubt you surveyors have led such field excursions in your youth.

Today we parked at the top of the hill on the Kings Highway at a layby into the Brooks Hill Reserve.

Walked along a bit of fire trail, then into the open woodland and handrailed fences. First stop was the border marker D7 blaze.

That mark and tree is nearly 120 years old. No sign, as in 2011, of the border corner marker.

Next was E7. Maybe remnant lockspit stones and certainly a blaze tree. This is the eastern most point of the ACT.

As on the previous trip in this area, no F7, G7, H7, I7 or J7 could be found. But a couple of nice big butts.

We wandered down the rail line easement track until the cutting was turning into an embankment and got onto the rail line. U-turned and walked up to the tunnel. The following photo is to prove I do have long trousers.

I dislike walking in long trousers. Also, jeans are not recommended for bushwalking as they do not dry quickly after becoming wet. But they were recommended, along with non open-weave boot uppers, for the morning’s previous activity.

Richard’s photos are pretty smart too. Taken via (I assume, or interfaced somehow with) the GaiaGPS app, they are date-time labelled. A waypoint including that metadata is included in the Gaia gpx file. See the My Photo … waypoints in the map segment below.

The Brooks Bank tunnel was opened on 8 September 1887. The great egg-shape of similar tunnels on the line.

Immaculate brick work.

We walked through the tunnel and NE along the line until we could scramble up the cutting.

Back the same way to our cars and on with the rest of the day.

Track Map

Here’s where we went. On Bungendore 1:25000 map © BKK Enterprises Pty Ltd, Mona Vale NSW 2103 www.gpsoz.com.au Used with permission.

Party

2 walkers – Richard M, me.

Information Bit(e)s

I’ve had a lot of assistance from walking friends recently. By way of paying a bit back, I’ll publish a few bites of information that may help someone. Today’s is ‘12 ‘About’ Bearings‘.

Johnny Boy’s Walkabout Blog FaceBook Page

I’ve started up a FaceBook page. Each trip report posts to it. So it’s another way to get some info to get out and breathe a bit of fresh air. Why not pop over and give it a Like.