Table of contents for Issue 149, Sep-Oct 2015 in Wild

“I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” - NETWORK, 1976 In Australia, many people have the luxury of being aware of their good fortune and are generally satisfied with the status quo. Those who are not satisfied frequently strive to make positive change, where positive change is possible. These are the positive stories we see reported and, sadly, there are many more examples that go unreported. Unfortunately, there are also a great many people who are unsatisfied with the way things are; yet they also feel completely incapable of effecting the change they seek. Sadly, these stories are only reported when some noteworthy event occurs to highlight it (a lone sportsman hurls an invisible spear at a howling crowd), or because a researcher uncovers…

Information that was once contained solely within the domain of books and other hardcopy formats is finding a new home in digital formats, where it can be presented and manipulated in more interactive ways. Now, even outdoor education resources are beginning to appear online and in mobile apps (read: applications), as is the case for a new project dubbed the ‘Outdoor Ed APPbag of Tricks’. Not satisfied with having published guidebooks and articles for outdoor enthusiasts and educators alike, Ro Privett envisaged mobile software that would act to compile practical information on how to conduct safe, informative adventures with young people, with a view to inspire more people to get out and experience what’s on offer in the Australian wilderness. “There are so many talented and passionate staff working in…

The wind-bowed palm trees disappeared in an explosion of foam as another vast Pacific breaker pitched onto the shore. Beyond the trees, a sullen murk lingered over the lumpy sea and rain fell in swathes. Apart from a few skittish dogs that scampered just beyond the sea’s reach, the coastline was lifeless. Any more hiking was beginning to seem unlikely: the storm was now vicious enough to put the islands of New Caledonia on Orange Alert and to earn the inappropriately tepid name, 'June'. The online weather tracker showed the extent of the tantrum June was having over the Pacific - she was now an intense red, curled like a spiral galaxy, and hundreds of miles across the sea. Then the computer screen turned black; the power had gone out.…

It was one of those early Friday evening spur-of-the-moment decisions, where we threw everything into a pack and drove to a nearby track head for a weekend walk. Not far from the city’s hum and rumble we began sweating up a slope and into the wilds. Soon, the clamour of the city was left behind to be replaced with only the rhythm of our laborious breathing. We were now in the wilds and although they were not pristine, it was refreshing. Around us was evidence of a populated past in the form of paths, channels and, most notably, weeds. Wild fringes are often choked with them and on this particular trip it was too often the despised blackberry. On occasions blackberries are the curse of the bushwalker as their spreading…

BERGSTROM’S ORANGE by Carolyn Little (Short Stop press, $24.99) With a career as a Sydney-based science teacher, Carolyn Little became passionate about the Daintree after visiting her son in Cairns. By opting to write her first book in a fictional framework, Little hopes to gain interest in the plight of the rainforest from a broader group of readers, yet still manages to include a great level of detail and factual information nevertheless. The plot follows photographer and ex-ranger Jason McNeil, who comes to meet Nils Bergstrom, a Swede searching for the cure to a tropical disease that happens to occur in the Daintree. As the narrative continues, McNeil comes to realise there are greater interests involved in the rainforest, which proceed to manifest as the very modern concept of biopiracy.…

Issue 148, Jul-Aug 2015 LETTER OF THE ISSUE Andrew wins a Therma-Rest TREO valued at $179.95. This camp chair has a realistic seat height and width so that it’s no hassle to get in or out of, while still packing away into its own tripod base. BUSHWALKING WITH KIDS Having kids can really slow you down when it comes to enjoying outdoor pursuits, but as soon as you and your children are ready, get back into it! I’d like to share our experience of undertaking a longer bushwalk with our 13-monthold boy. In June 2015, our young family completed the 8.5 hour return slog to the summit of Mount Dalrymple (1227m), Central Queensland’s highest peak, in Eungella National Park near Mackay. Along with our son Harrison, our group consisted of…

Having overcome great hardships from a very young age, para-alpine skier Mark Soyer’s career continues from strength-to-strength, recently securing an ambassador role with Gondwana Outdoor Clothing. After suffering from leukaemia in two separate occasions as a young child, Soyer went on to have a robust career in school-level sports and athletics. However, in 2004 a motorcycling accident saw the 26-year-old athlete sever his spinal cord, an injury that would put an end to the careers of many other sportspeople. “Even though I wasn’t well as a kid, I have always been active and playing sport of some kind,” Soyer said in a recent interview with Wild. “To my parents’ credit, there were simply no excuses for not participating and competing as an equal.” It is this attitude that Soyer embraced…

What is ACR, how long has it been in operation and how has it evolved over the years? ACR Electronics is survival technology gear company that has been active since the 1950s. In fact, ACR is the maker of the penlight that Apollo 11 crew used to keep the shuttle lit after having some power failures. ACR, in partnership with General Electric, also developed the camera that was the first to take pictures of earth from outer space. Emergency beacons are a significant part of the ACR business, but there’s more than that - can you tell us about some of your other offerings? Building on the mention of the penlight used on Apollo 11, emergency lights are also a significant part of our business. ACR offers boat searchlights, rescue…

Bruny is an hourglass-shaped island south of Hobart that has become famous for its relaxed lifestyle, rugged coastal scenery, golden beaches, bushwalking, wine, cheese, truffles and fudge. It is reached by a 20-minute ferry ride across the D’Entrecasteaux Channel at Kettering. On its seaward side is magnificent Adventure Bay where Captains Cook, Bligh (he planted Tasmania’s first apple tree) and D’Entrecasteaux all anchored in the eighteenth century. Bruny’s peaceful Lyluequonny people had no concept of the onslaught coming their way in the nineteenth. One incident began with young Truganini and her husband accepting a lift across to Bruny with sealers who pitched the man out halfway across and, when he tried to clamour back into the boat, cut off his hands. But that’s black-armband history so let me fast forward…

The vast majority of Australians live in suburbia. Our cities aren’t that large when compared to many other developed nations and elements of the natural world cut deep swathes into industrial and residential zones. You’ve recently moved to the inner suburbs and discovered your home lies not far from a bike track that leads directly into the hidden leafy heart of civilisation. Without time to explore during the day, evening or early morning outings are the only option, but that means travelling after dark. Not one to be deterred, you soon find yourself wandering the fringes of two worlds. It’s a borderland of electric lights and deep shadows, and who knows what those shadows may be hiding. Crime statistics in Australia are readily available and often discussed in the media,…

1 Moraine Plus GTX $279.95 Scarpa’s latest mid-cut hiking boot incorporates Nubuck leather upper with a Gore-tex membrane. The rubber toe rand is shaped to protect the foot from accidental impacts. outdooragencies.com.au 2 Merino Fusion Long Sleeve Crew $79 Incorporating a hybrid natural-synthetic weave, Wilderness Wear’s new range of base layers are ideal for wearing in cold weather even during highenergy activities. wildernesswear.com.au 3 Stout 75/Amber 60 $329.95 Gregory’s top-loading pack design weighs in at 1.8kg, but its suspension will support up to 25kg in gear. It also features a full suite of pockets as well a removable hydration sleeve. frontierequipment.com.au 4 Women’s Ashford Active Jacket $74.95 Constructed with 100% polyester this jacket offers an athletic design, multiple pockets and flat lock top stitching at the seams. Light, flexible and…

As a student I enjoyed cycling for fitness and always dreamed of travelling, but never imagined what I could achieve on a bike until after university when I travelled to the UK, initially playing hockey. It was there that I first tried a short cycle tour of Ireland. Over the next two years I pedalled a total of 15,000 kilometres through Europe for my personal exploration, from Spain to Turkey, through to the Nord Kapp, Norway, the most northerly point of mainland Europe. Travelling by bicycle suited me because I was able to combine my natural interest in geography with my physical and mental strength, ability to focus, self-discipline, persistence, ability to work under pressure and competitiveness. Travelling by bike gives a close and personal connection with the people and…

Wild reader, Anja Füchtbauer writes: Here’s Olivia Grover-Johnson climbing at Point Perpendicular. Never sure where to look when climbing at this awesome spot – down to the climbers or out to the whales? Taken with a Canon EOS 500D. Anja wins a Down Sweater from Patagonia, courtesy of Paddy Pallin. This classic design features a polyester ripstop shell and is insulated with premium European goose down. Prize colour may vary from that displayed in image. Valued at $279. For your chance to win a quality piece of outdoor kit, send your humorous, inspiring or spectacular shots to wild@primecreative.com.au. To be considered for the November/December Wild Shot, submit your best photo by September 25. Photographer’s checklist: Shooting in civilisation • Sometimes you want to head out to capture some stunning images…

The Great Koala National Park (GKNP) was born of serious concern for Australia’s most iconic species. Once abundant, koalas have declined sharply—to the point that, in 2012, the koala populations of NSW, Queensland and ACT were listed as vulnerable under commonwealth legislation. In NSW, koala numbers have fallen 30 per cent in just 20 years. On that trend, koalas will be extinct in NSW by 2055 if nothing is done. Causes of the decline are varied. Drought has had a serious impact with koala populations in the Pilliga Forest crashing from tens of thousands to just hundreds. On the coast, koalas compete with humans; the more fertile soils on the coastal flats provide good koala habitat, but most humans live there too. Unfortunately, our planning system has been unable to…

Between 1991 and 1998 I bushwalked from Sydney to Melbourne in a series of long-distance treks along a route I dubbed ‘Federation Track South’ as it connected the Federation Pavilion in Sydney’s Centennial Park with the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, the site of the first sitting of the Australian Federal Parliament. For the next few years I managed the IBM Technology Volunteers at the Sydney Olympic Games and in 2001 retired for the third time and moved to the Blue Mountains. I thought my long-distance walking days were over, but a phone call from Ian Edwards, who also walked Federation Track South, re-ignited the old flame. I had mapped out a potential route in the early 1990s so this was all the excuse I needed to buy more 1:25,000…