'MudMaps In The Bush'
December 1994
G'Day . . .
and welcome to the first newsletter from MudMaps for a couple of years.
It's rare to be able to read any tour company's brochure and get a real picture in your mind as to what to
expect. There really isn't the space (or the time available) to explain what's in store when you join a particular
tour.
Some may sound great only to discover you're just part of a mass tourist enterprise being herded around like
cattle. Others sound ordinary yet deliver all sorts of unexpected surprises.
I guess because MudMaps tours never have a fixed itinerary - (they are all adapted to suit the clients at the
time and special features available at the time of travelling), plus we are touring in fairly new areas we find it
a little harder to explain just what it is that you get when you travel with MudMaps.
So, for these reasons and because we just love this country so much we've put together this newsletter to give
you a better insight into us and what's happening in our region. I hope you enjoy reading it and the others to
follow in the months to come, and I wish you all a great Christmas.
Mark
Mountain Muster set for January
Even before Banjo Paterson wrote his famous 'Man from Snowy River' poem a 100 years ago the Australian High
Country has always been synonymous with tough horsemen and women and even tougher mountain ponies.
While widespread Brumby running (rounding up wild horses) has virtually finished, today locals pit their riding
skills against each other at various times each year in a series of mountain race meetings. The Lake Jillamatong
Mountain Muster is one of these race meets. With the date set for 22nd of January 1995 at Lake Jillamatong in the
Snowy Mountains it's shaping up to be another great day.
For the local Cockies (farmers) apart from a rare yearly occasion to catch up with some old mates, hang around
the beer tent and tell lies to each other, the opportunity to out-ride their neighbours is awaited with quiet
eagerness.
The races consist of a series of cross country races and novelty events. Each cross country race last about 15
minutes each and sees entrants bolting down steep hills, ducking under branches, jumping fallen trees, weaving
through native forests and crossing lakes and streams. All as fast as you can go, without falling off your horse
or losing your hat.
Needless to say it's not all serious racing with many locals turning up for the novelty events, demonstration
events, to purchase local merchandise or just the evening bush dance afterwards.
The Australian Mountain Racing Association runs a series of races each summer in a range of other
locations as well including Dinner Plain and Omeo.
Changes to Mlb to Syd Tour in 1995
It's nearly a whole year now since MudMaps have been operating a series of tours originally set up by Monarch
Tours. In that time we've made a good number of minor improvements to all tours. But we feel we the time has come
to make one major change to our Melbourne to Sydney Overland Tour (MAC3).
To bring the tour more into MudMaps style and improve the diversity of terrain this particular tour we will be
re-routed through the Snowy Mountains soon. This means now that clients travelling from either Sydney or Melbourne
get to experience the Australian High Country and some beautiful country.
This change takes effect from 1 April 1995 and we will also be overnighting in the Snowy Mountains at Khancoban
instead of on the banks of the Murray River at Albury.
. . . re-routed through the
Snowy Mountains soon
While Albury is a great place and the Carlton Albury Hotel has treated us very well, we've found that a large
number of our international clients have strong desire to experience more of the majesty of the Australian High
Country.
Khancoban (where we already stay on our SM4 tour) provides a good location from which to spend more time in the
mountains.
MAC3 departs Melbourne each Monday
Early Summer brings Blankets of Flowers
Spring came early this year in Australia.
Some say it's because of a double El Nino weather pattern. Others say it's because of the drought. Whatever the
reason, the early spring led into an early Summer. And Summer in the High Country means FLOWERS!
The high country is alive right now with hundreds of different varieties of native alpine wildflowers. Purple
ones, red ones, white ones, yellow one, multicoloured ones and many more. Covering the high plains like a blanket.
It's a wonderful sight to see and should last into March
WWII and Bowerbirds
Situated about 20 minutes drive from Canberra centre is Blue Range Camp. A pretty picnic spot alongside a creek
in Uriarra pine forest. A single corrugated iron hut still stands with a plaque as a reminder that the area has a
World War II history.
While it was never a prisoner of war camp it was a working camp for Italian nationals living in Canberra plus
some Australian nationals of Italian decent. At the time it was felt that for the personal safety of these people
and the security of the Australian war effort being run from Canberra that it would be better for them to be
situated some distance from the capital.
A community of 50 people or so lived here for the war duration planting and nurturing a whole series of pine
forests in the area. Today the results of their work make a wonderfully relaxing picnic area which is also a
favoured area for many animals and birds.
Out there recently we encountered some Satin Bowerbirds making their Summer nests. Running around our feet
these inquisitive birds were collecting anything blue in colour to make their ground-hugging nests known as
bowers. Local ranger Bill informed us that there were 73 Bower Birds there presently.
Blue Range Camp is a favourite MudMaps site on our daily Wilderness Day Tours & 1/2 day tours. Bower
birds are active in Spring and Summer
Laddies' a popular spot
A few months back we came across an interesting fellow who runs a fascinating art and craft shop. His name is
Laddie Timbery and he is the only aborigine that the MudMaps crew have ever seen who has blue-eyes.
Laddie runs a shop in Huskisson on Jervis Bay which specialises in aboriginal arts and crafts with a difference
- he and his family make all the products themselves. Bird carvings made from cow horns, baskets woven from
natural fibres and hand made didgeridoos are amongst his crafts. With each piece having a different story.
When Laddie is not travelling the world teaching others about aboriginal art and culture he is around his shop
teaching visitors how to throw his boomerangs. Laddie says with a smile "mine are different - they're
guaranteed to return. Not like that other tribe's across the water which don't". With typical Australian
humour he is referring of course to the Frisbee.
MudMaps overnights in Huskisson each week on the Sydney to Melbourne Overland Tours and its derivatives
(codes SM4, SJB3, SC2).
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