V o l . 4 N o . 5 April-May 1967
Annual subscription
60 cents
Per copy
10 cents
Registered in Australia for transmission by post as a periodical.
2.
NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION OF THE A. C .
T.
Inc.
"A National Park for the National C a p i t a l "
M r . J . W e b b , 1 Lalor St. , Ainslie (Home ' p h o n e 43661)
M i s s M. S e x t o n , Box 4 5 7 , P . O. C a n b e r r a C i t y
Mr. J . L. S c h u n k e , 26 C l i a n t h u s S t . , O'Gonnor
('phone 7041 6 e x t . 215)
President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Monthly Meeting
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3rd Tuesday of t h e month
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During the p a s t two months w e h a v e had two very s u c c e s s f u l
w e e k e n d camping o u t i n g s t o t h e c o a s t .
T h e February trip t o J e r v i s
Bay w a s a t t e n d e d by 20 members, e i t h e r camping or s t a y i n g the Nowra
Mr. Webb led the p a r t y , f i r s t over the h e a t h l a n d w h e r e
Motel.
C h r i s t m a s Bells and Flannel Flowers were blooming. and then over t h e
s a n d d u n e s to i n s p e c t t h e a t t e m p t s t o h a l t t h e i n l a n d p r o g r e s s of the
s a n d . T h e s e w a l k s were i n t e r s p e r s e d with s w i m s in t h e surf a t three
beautiful b e a c h e s . A s t h i s a r e a is of g r e a t i n t e r e s t t o u s , b e i n g part of
the A . C. T. , i t is intended to h a v e another weekend o u t i n g in June to
i n s p e c t other p a r t s of t h i s Commonwealth Territory.
The March w e e k e n d outing to Pebbley Beach a t t r a c t e d 35 members, most of
Saturday was spent
whom campedat the delightful camping a r e a .
swimming and i n s p e c t i n g the f o r e s t land and Sunday morning w a s o c c u p i e d
with a walk through the r a i n f o r e s t led by Ed. S l a t e r , who s h o w e d u s a
bower bird's' sbower; and a walk around t h e rock platform led by
Dr. J.A. C a r n a h a n , w h o i d e n t i f i e d the o r g a n i s m s i n t h e i n t e r t i d a l
environment.
Tile Committee t r u s t s t h a t a s many members a s p o s s i b l e will
a t t e n d t h e w e e k e n d outing in May to t h e M t . Franklin Area a s i t is
s u r e to prove most e n j o y a b l e .
National Parks A s s o c i a t i o n of the A . C . T. Bulletin, April-May 1967.
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Protection of African Wildlife
3.
An announcement by a Food and Agriculture Organization Officer
of the United Nations:
'Sixty d e l e g a t e s and wildlife e x p e r t s from 20 African countries met i n
Fort Lamy, Chad o n 6th February for a five-day conference on the
future of African wildlife and how b e s t to protect and f o s t e r i t . This
w a s t h e s e c o n d s e s s i o n of a working party o n the s u b j e c t t o b e organi s e d by the Food and Agricultural Organization. The f i r s t w a s held
a t Kampala, U g a n d a , i n September 1965, and g a v e t o p priority to a
proposed draft African convention o n c o n s e r v a t i o n and management of
wildlife. The meeting in Fort Lamy learned y e s t e r d a y that 3 0 African
s t a t e s had e i t h e r approved or s u g g e s t e d amendments to the preliminary
draft. If adopted by s u f f i c i e n t s t a t e s i t c o u l d lead to a radical
e x t e n s i o n of national parks and other r e s e r v e s , and to l i s t s of s p e c i e s
which need s p e c i a l protection ."
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Membership
Just a reminder to intending members, o r members renewing their
s u b s c r i p t i o n s , t h a t the r a t e s a r e a s follows:
Single membership
$2
Family membership
$3
Junior membership
50 cents
We welcome the following new members: M i s s J. Fleming, M i s s
K. Moriarty, and acknowledge t h e following renewals of membership:
S i n g l e membership: M i s s E. Holt, McGrath, Want.
Family membership: Bagnall, Cooper, Lowe, P a t t e r s o n , Frankel,
G r e a v e s , L.O. Brown, M r s . J . , M i s s M. Crawford.
ROADS & RESERVES - Frederic J. Swann
W e whoop for joy when a Government G a z e t t e confirms t h a t a very
National Parks Association of the A. C . T. Bulletin, April-May 1967.
4.
l a r g e a r e a of u n s p o i l t b u s h l a n d h a s b e e n s e t a s i d e a s a National Park.
W e w a n t t o k e e p the Park u n s p o i l t and u n a l t e r e d , b u t , f a c e the f a c t s ,
Some s e c t i o n s might b e k e p t " a s i s " for a time
t h i s is q u i t e i m p o s s i b l e .
b u t the g e n e r a l p u b l i c , who w i l l own the Park, will h a v e to b e g i v e n
a c c e s s and amenities.
A c c e s s m e a n s t r a c k s , p a t h s and motor r o a d s . Amenities mean t e a r o o m s ,
d r e s s i n g s h e d s , t o i l e t s , swimming p o o l s , paddling p o o l s , parking a r e a s
e t c . e t c . , s o o u r Park will not remain u n a l t e r e d .
The p u r p o s e of t h i s p a p e r is to s e t o u t some of t h e c h a n g e s t h a t will
r e s u l t from providing r o a d s and a m e n i t i e s , s o that the Park p l a n n e r s w i l l '
b e b e t t e r a b l e to plan with a view to maintaining a s f u l l y a s p o s s i b l e t h e
d e s i r a b l e f e a t u r e s of the Park.
C o n s i d e r road c o n s t r u c t i o n .
F i r s t t r e e s arid l a r g e s h r u b s a r e c l e a r e d from
the road w i d t h and s o m e w h a t beyond on e a c h s i d e ; then a m a c h i n e s t r i p s
t h e s u r f a c e s o i l , which is s t o c k p i l e d for l a t e r s u r f a c i n g t h e b a t t e r s of
S e e d s i n t h i s s o i l will germinate and provide a v e g e t a t i o n
embankments.
c o v e r for the embankment s l o p e .
N e x t , c u t t i n g s a r e made through the
l t st h p v a l l e y s .
h i l l s and the e a r t h u s e d t o make embankments lin
Following
the formation of e a r t h w o r k s , Ihe. road pavement is built ',ip of cgravelor
c r u s h e d rock free from a l l h u m u s or vegetable m a t t e r , the pavement
s u r f a c e i s c o a t e d with bituminous cement graded to s h e d a l l w a t e r from the
r o a d . All t h e work is d o n e by many t y p e s of m a c h i n e , s o m e of which may
h a v e l a s t worked i n a n a r e a i n f e s t e d by noxious w e e d s w h o s e s e e d s a r e
g i v e n a f r e e ride i n t o the new Park.
A c a r e f u l " w e e d watch" must b e
k e p t for t h e f i r s t t w o y e a r s t o prevent noxious w e e d s from e s t a b l i s h i n g .
As other work p r o c e e d s , d r a i n s a r e c o n s t r u c t e d , w h i c h , open and p i p e d ,
c o l l e c t s u r f a c e and s u b s o i l water and c o n c e n t r a t e i t at s u i t a b l e d i s c h a r g e
points.
The g r e a t c h a n g e h e r e i s that w a t e r i s not now d i s t r i b u t e d
over a l a r g e s o a k a g e a r e a b u t c o l l e c t e d from t h e waterproofed road s u r f a c e
a n d run i n t o new or e n l a r g e d e x i s t i n g c h a n n e l s .
The c h a r a c t e r of the
water will a l s o b e changed.
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N a t i o n a l Parks A s s o c i a t i o n of the A . C.T. B u l l e t i n , April-May 1 9 6 7 .
5.
Rainwater d i s s o l v e s phenols from road surfacing materials.
Somewhere along to drain l i n e s , a peaty area carrying acid water may
have been drained. Rock cuttings may c u t through aquifers, the
water in which may range from a high degree of purity to water
carrying chemicals dissolved from the rocks encountered on i t s journey.
Your drain-discharges therefore may empty into a stream a liquid with
a different pH and of different chemical content to the original run-off
of the area.
Consider climatic changes. Most road surfaces nowadays have a
black coating which affects the atmospheric temperature from ground
level up to considerable heights. Glider pilots report they can notice
upward thermal currents hundreds of feet above a road surface.
A typical temperature reading a t ground level taken a t Canberra
recently is:
Natural ground with g r a s s and weed cover
7 8 ~
Dark grey roadside dust
88'~
Bitumen pavement
9 OF
0
Other readings show that black pavements average 1 0 F warmer
than surrounding brown clay surface. Therefore vegetation bordering
the road is in a different climate to that further back.
Should the
road be some miles long, the term micro-climate seems hardly
applicable. Micro-climate alterations do occur where winds blow
directly onto the f a c e of high rock cuttings, causing a i r compression
and temperature r i s e .
Penetration of wind into forest areas is
affected by the relationship of the direction of prevailing wind and the
direction of the road. The road c a n become a wind tunnel, or a bend
in the road may a c t a s a windbreak. Other alterations in the
aerodynamics of the area should be noted by the Park Planner.
Consider amenities provided.
Roads bring cars; parking a r e a s
are needed. Care must be exercised that the washings from paved
c a r p a r k s and service stations do not c a u s e a n oily nuisance.
National Parks Association of the A. C . T. Bulletin, April-May 1967.
6.
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The d i s p o s a l of s e w e r a g e from t o i l e t s and o f w a s t e w a t e r s from tearooms a n d c a m p i n g a r e a s m u s t b e c a r r i e d o u t in s u c h a manner t h a t t h e r e
i s n o pollution of a n y s t r e a m where toxic s u b s t a n c e s may poison f i s h o r
t h e food of f i s h , and p a r t i c u l a r c a r e must b e taken t h a t there i s no
pollution of swimming o r paddling p o o l s .
Effluents from s i m p l e s e p t i c t a n k s s t i l l carry p a t h o g e n i c b a c t e r i a , ancl
o t h e r o r g a n i s m s d i f f i c u l t t o d e t e c t , and f i l t e r b e d s and o t h e r m e a s u r e s
a r e n e c e s s a r y to prevent b a t h i n g a r e a s b e i n g c o n t a m i n a t e d by b a c t e r i a ,
v i r u s e s , protozoa a n d worms that cause - ?d i s e a s e i n man.
W a s t e w a t e r s from a b u s y tearoom c a n c a u s e trouble if d i s c h a r g e d
Here d e t e r g e n t s a r e the troublei n t o a s m a l l o p e n drain o r s t r e a m .
m a k e r s , a s they u s u a l l y c o n t a i n phosphorus i n s o m e f o r m , which
s t i m u l a t e s a l g a l growth to the e x t e n t that an overqrowth of a l g a e c a u s e s
m a s s e s of t h e s e p l a n t s t o d i e and putrify in t h e w a t e r .
Detergents
a l s o c a u s e foaming which i s v e r y hard t o c o n t r o l a n d which c a n b e
damaging to s t r e a m f a u n a .
S n - our new Park s e t s s o m e problems f o r u s t o s o l v e . W e h a v e t o
compromise b e t w e e n the s u d d e n c h a n g e s c a u s e d by making the Park
a v a i l a b l e for p u b l i c u s e and the s u r e , s l o w , natural c h a n g e s t h a t a r e
and h a v e b e e n c o n t i n u o u s throughout the a g e s .
I urge all National Parks A s s o c i a t i o n s t o c o n t i n u e to s t u d y and
record a l l f a c t s regarding Park r o a d s ancl o t h e r f a c i l i t i e s and theeffectt
of t h e s e on the natural f l o r a a n d fauna o f t h e a r e a s o t h a t a l l
N a t i o n a l Parks s h a l l b e of the g r e a t e s t p o s s i b l e v a l u e t o a l l p e o p l e .
Frederic J . Swann.
N a t i o n a l Parks A s s o c i a t i o n of t h e A . C . T .
B u l l e t i n , April-May 1967.
EYES OR NO EYES No. 21
This beautiful red-streaked "Greenhood
Orchid" is found in the eastern ranges and
tablelands areas of New South W a l e s . In-the A . C . T . it is found on the Brindabella.
and Tidbinbilla Ranges.
The specific name is derived from the
latin "coccineus" meaning deep red or
scarlet and its full botanical name is
Pterostylis
coccinea.
The long drooping point on the dorsal
sepal is usually shorter than in the
specimen illustrated.
The species belongs
to the group of Greehhoods in which the
basal leaves are absent from the floWering"'
stems
R . D . Fitzgerald, who first described
the s p e c i e s , wrote: "Its beauty is
detracted from by the strong resemblance
itbears to a boiled
prawn.
M.G.
8.
MEETINGS
A
JirJ
Date:
Place:
Feature:
T u e s d a y 18th April
-' p . m .
I n s t i t u t e of Anatomy
"A Look a t t h e S e p i k D i s t r i c t , New G u i n e a " - a t a l k
b y S a n d y Brand. A s h o r t c o l o u r film a n d s l i d e s
will i l l u s t r a t e .
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Miv
Date:
Place:
Feature:
T u e s d a y 16th May 1967 a t 8 p . m .
I n s t i t u t e of Anatomy
An i l l u s t r a t e d t a l k , g i v e n by Prof. J.D. Smyth,
Professor of Zoology, A. N . U .
The s u b j e c t :
" P a r a s i t e s - w i t h particular r e f e r e n c e to outdoor
activity."
Keep t h e J u n e meeting in mind, a s w e a r e p l e a s e d to s a y t h a t
v i n c e n t S e r v e n t y h a s agreed to a d d r e s s u s .
OUTING
Date:
Place:
Feature:
Saturday:
S a t . night:
W e e k e n d 27th & 28th M a y , 1967
M t . Franklin C h a l e t and surrounding a r e a .
Members w i l l g a t h e r a t t h e C h a l e t by noon on S a t u r d a y ,
I f s t a y i n g o v e r n i g h t , a c h a r g e is m a d e - bring
b l a n k e t s , f o o d , cooking a n d e a t i n g u t e n s i l s .
A w a l k around the a r e a l e d by Dr. Story.
A campfire d i s c u s s i o n . Sunday: A walk t o G i n i n i
This i s a r a t h e r
F a l l s l e d b y Mr. A . Bagnall.
s t r e n u o u s walk through thick b u s h .
N a t i o n a l Parks A s s o c i a t i o n of t11e.A. C.T. B u l l e t i n , April-May 1967.