Sydney Bush Walkers records, 1930-2000

MLMSS 7074/Boxes 1-2, 5-7
MLMSS 7074/Boxes 3X-4X

fonds

1930-2000

Textual Records, Photographs

413556

1.26 metres of textual material (5 boxes, 2 outsize boxes) includes photographs - typescript, photocopy

The Sydney Bush Walkers was established in 1927. Twelve members of the Mountain Trails Club attended the first meeting held in October 1927 with the aim of establishing a walking club, tentatively named the 'Waratah Walking Club'. A further thirty two people attended the first public meeting held in November 1927, including a number of women. Membership of the Mountain Trails Club, a walking and camping club established in 1913, was not open to women, so the new club was the first walking club in New South Wales to allow female members. Another meeting was held in December 1927 to approve the constitution and the name, Sydney Bush Walkers. The new club aimed to provide for recreational walkers by forming 'an institution of mutual aid in regard to routes and ways and means of appreciating the great outdoors'. It also aimed to encourage in its members, and others, a regard for the 'welfare and preservation' of the natural environment of Australia. The club held regular meetings and activities of the club included organised bushwalking for members, annual reunions, publication of The Sydney Bushwalker, and regular social functions and concerts. Early members devised and developed camping and walking equipment and prospective members were required to complete a number of supervised walks before being eligible for membership. In 1932 members were involved in the formation of the N.S.W. Federation of Bush Walking Clubs. Members were actively involved in the preservation of the Blue Gum Forest and the establishment of Bouddi National Park. The Club supported member Myles Dunphy's proposal for a Blue Mountains National Park. In 1969 the Sydney Bush Walkers purchased ninety acres of riverside land at the Kangaroo Valley named 'Coolana'. In 1975 the club built a shelter for campers on 'Coolana'. During World War II a Services Committee was formed to keep regular contact with members of the club and other bushwalking clubs who were on active service. Letters received from members on active service were transcribed and circulated amongst members. Letters were received from members in many different theatres of war describing their experiences in the armed forces. In 1987 the club published The Sydney Bush Walkers: the first sixty years, recording their activities and reminiscences of the establishment and early years of the club.

SERIES 1:
MINUTE BOOKS, 1930-1959
1930-1935; Minute book, 4 Jul.1930-1 Mar.1935 (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/1)
1935-1938; Minute book, 8 Mar.1935-28 Jan.1938 (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/1)
1938-1939; Minute book, 4 Feb.1938-10 Nov.1939 (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/2)
1939-1942; Minute book, 1 Dec.1939-6 Mar.1942 (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/2)
1942-1944; Minute book, 13 Mar.1942-3 Mar.1944 (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/2)
1944-1950; Minute book, 10 Mar.1944-3 Mar.1950 (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/3X)
1950-1954; Minute book, 10 Mar.1950-7 Jul.1954 (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/4X)
1954-1959; Minute book, 14 Jul.1954-5 Aug.1959 (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/4X)

SERIES 2
PAPERS, 1934-2000
1934-1941; 1967; Miscellaneous correspondence, being ms. and ts. letters (6), including ts. letter sent by Dorothy Lawry, 16 Nov.1934, to the Chairman of the Blue Gum Forest Trust concerning flood damage and including black and white photographs and plant specimens (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/5)
1935-1937; 1992; Miscellaneous papers, being ts. and ms. papers including list of early editions of The Sydney Bushwalker (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/5)
1946-1998; Miscellaneous printed material, including An introduction to bushwalking, 1939; The bushwalker, 1946; Bushwalking & camping, ca.1954, inscribed 'For Mouldy from Paddy with many thanks for a much appreciated contribution'; The Sydney Bush Walkers Inc. Constitution, 1988 (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/5)
1976-1983; 'Walks programmes' (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/5)
1980-1989; Visitors book, being pages of book left at 'Coolana' campsite, signed by walkers and campers with comments (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/5)
1999-2000; Papers concerning the Southern Regional Forest proposal (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/5)
Date unknown; Songbooks, including Campfires burning (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/5)
Date unknown; Pictorial material, being black and white photographs (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/5)

SERIES 3
SERVICES COMMITTEE PAPERS, 1941-1942
June 1941-Dec.1941; Services Committee correspondence, being carbon ts. letters sent; carbon ts. transcriptions of excerpts of letters received (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/6)
Jan.1942-July 1942; Services committee correspondence, being carbon ts. letters sent; carbon ts. transcriptions of excerpts of letters received (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/6)
1941-1942; Letters received, being ms. and ts. letters received from club members on active service. Correspondents include: Peter G. Allen (5); D.K. (Gunner) Anderson (1); George Archer (4); Arthur W. Austin (3); Doug Beattie (1); Bob Binks (3); Harry P. Black (2); A.J. Bremner (1); Harold M. Buckland (2); William H. Burke (12); A.H. Carruthers (1); Jack Debert (3); Basil Dickinson (1); Hugh C. Dickson (1); W. Ross Easdown (6); I.J.W. Edwards (1); Norm Fallon (1); Elsie Finlay (1); John Glover (1); Ken H. Grenfell (1); Allen Hardie (1); Brian G. Harvey (1); G. Hunter (1); Geoffrey V. Hume (1); Hillary A. Jackson (1); David M. Kernohan (5); Harold Lade (1); James K. Lillyman (3); Rory H. Lofts (2); D.G. Martin (1); Frank Freeguard (2); G.D. McIlveen (1); M. Mitchell (1); Quenton Moloney (3); Tom Moppett (2); Rob Morrison (1); J.W. Mullins (4); Albert T. Palmer (1); E Paterson (1); Vince G. Petrich (1); Marjorie Price (1); D. Arnold Ray (2); Russell D. Reid (1); Charles D. Roberts (2); H.A. Salmon (5); R.W. Savage (17); Norman Scott (1); Gordon A. Smith (2); J.N. Spain (3); M.M. Stephenson (7); S.G. Thornley (2); John N. Walker (1); A.J. Waters (1); Alf Watts (2); W.T. Whitney (2) (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/6)
1941-1942; Monthly reports, being ts. and carbon ts. lists of letters received and letters sent (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/7)
1941; Christmas cards, being black and white photograph Christmas card designed and made by photographer Ray Bean, member of the club, for distribution to members on active service (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/7)

SERIES 4
PAPERS CONCERNING SYDNEY BUSH WALKERS, 1939-1985
Date unknown-1985; Papers of Joseph V. Turner concerning the Sydney Bush Walkers, including carbon ts. articles on history of the club; printed maps of Newcastle, Flinders Ranges and the northern area of South Australia [Maps Locn No.:M Ser 4 000/1 MLMSS 7074 Maps 2-4] (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/7)
1978-1981; Papers of Joseph V. Turner concerning the Dungalla Club, being newsletters (2) [The Dungalla Club was established in 1968 with the aim of maintaining friendships and social contact between senior members of the Sydney Bush Walkers. The club was named after the Dungalla Swag, devised by Myles Dunphy and Herbert Gallop and carried by pioneer bushwalkers] (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/7)
1963-1970; Papers of Joseph V. Turner concerning Walter Tarr, being papers and letters received concerning Walter Tarr, a foundation member of the club, known to members as Taro. Correspondents include Walter Tarr, Hector Carruthers, Ray Wenban and Arthur J. Wade. (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/7)
1939-1943; 1987; Printed material of W.H. Hall, being miscellaneous brochures and printed items including The Sydney Bush Walker: the first sixty years, 1988; map 'Snow leases and permissive occupancies:counties of Selwyn and Wallace shires of Snowy River and Tumbarumba', Dept. of Lands, 1943 [Map Locn No.: M Ser 4 000/1 MLMSS 7074 Map 1] (Call No.: MLMSS 7074/7)

Author/Artist entries:
Allan, Peter G.
Anderson, D. K.
Archer, George
Austin, Arthur W.
Bean, Ray
Beattie, Douglas
Binks, Bob
Black, Harry P.
Bremner, A. J.
Buckland, Harold M.
Burke, William H.
Butler, Dorothy, 1911-
Carruthers, A. H.
Debert, Jack
Dickinson, Basil
Dickinson, Hugh C.
Duncombe, W. E.
Dungalla Club
Easdown, W. Ross
Edwards, I.J.W.
Fallon, Norman
Finlay, Elsie
Freeguard, Frank
Glover, John
Grenfell, Ken H.
Hardie, Allen
Harvey, Brian G.
Hume, Geoffrey V.
Hunter, G.
Jackson, Hillary A.
Kernohan, David M.
Lade, Harold
Lawry, Dorothy
Lillyman, James K.
Lofts, Rory H.
McIlveen, G. D.
Martin, D. G.
Mitchell, M.
Moloney, Quenton
Moppett, Tom, 1912-
Morrison, Rob
Mullins, J. W.
Palmer, Albert T.
Paterson, E.
Petrich, Vince G.
Price, Marjorie
Ray, D. Arnold
Reid, Russell D.
Roberts, Charles D.
Salmon, Horace A.
Savage, R. W.
Scott, Norman J.
Smith, Gordon A.
Spain, J. N.
Stephenson, M. M.
Tarr, Walter, 1879-1969
Thornley, S. G.
Turner, Joseph V.
Wade, Arthur J.
Walker, John N.
Waters, A. J.
Watts, Alf
Wenban, R.
Whitney, W. T.