Australia, Blue Mountains Question

[Vfrpilotpb]

Rotorheads please forgive this Non Rotor type question, but I am under pressure to find out some info.

Any of you Aussie's out there care to e me and give me any info on the Blue mountains, my son is currently at Riverview, Tambourine bay, and intends to go camping in the Big Blue's, Mrs Vfr is positivly wetting her thong at the mo with all the talks of bush fire and the like, could any one of you give me a little lo-down that I can use to pacify the dear thing!

Many regards, and sorry for this post

Peter R-B


No need to apologise for the post.
Any responses will be interesting for us all.

Heliport

[Islander Jock]

G'day VFRpilotpb,

I grew up in Sydney which is on the coast about 2 hours away from the Blue Mountains.
Depends on where your son is planning on going camping ie, established camp grounds and on regular walk trails or is he going to try and bush bash it? The biggest problem that occurs out there this time of year is people sometimes get themselves lost and possibly come up against a steep (sheer) climb or drop that they try and negotiate. Without proper experience, many of these people usually end up getting a free ride in the medevac chopper.

THis time of year, bush fire risk is not going to be an issue. It's cold and wet up there at the moment. So tell him to make sure he takes plenty of good thermal and wet weather gear. Plenty of bushwalkers who have had to spend an extra night out have come down with hypothermia because they didn't have the right clothing or eqpt.

It is a beautiful part of the country up there. I always make a point of paying a visit every time I get back to Sydney which unfortunately is not all that often these days.

[Jez]

VFR

Having been fortunate enough to have done my schooling at Riverview and flown EMS in Sydney, I believe that I am qualified to give some pointers.

Firstly, do not go bushwalking with any Joeys boys! They will try and sabotage any Riverview guys (especially if they play in the 1st XV) so they can win the GPS football cup.

Secondly, as mentioned previously, the bush fire threat isn't there at present so tell Mrs VFR not to worry. Not for long though.

Thirdly, provide your son with a personal EPIRB. Such a tiny piece of equipment can help out in a huge way. Make sure you show him how to use it properly. Also, tell someone where thay are going, take a mobile phone (any problems - ring 000 - the authorities will take it from there), drop bread crumbs, etc.

Hope he has a ball.:ok:

[Rotor1]

Having grown up in the Blue Mountaians I concure with the above,
I would also suggest that he tries the six foot track walk, From blackheath to Jenolan Caves ,it is a two to three day walk and encompases all that is what the mountains are about fresh air clean water and magnificent scenery. and it is a well marked well used track, I hope he has a lovely time in Mountains and Mrs vfr relax

[Vfrpilotpb]

Islander J, & Rotor 1 + Jez

Thank you so much for the info and advices on where to go and what to avoid, I will pass all on the Son No3 who seems to want to do everything and go everywhere in Oz whilst he is there as a Gap student looking after the pupe's at Riverview for the next twelve months.
I already told him that he must not under any circumstance trouble the Heli rescue chaps, if you have children you will know the sort of answer that I was given.

Jez:As a gappy my boy is training the under 13s at soccer!, after spending his earlier education at Stonyhurst , one of the seats of English Rugby!! :ok:
Many regards to all of you

Peter R-B

[helmet fire]

vfr,

Its cold up there - tell him to take the woolies. An EPIRB is $250 Oz dollars worth of excellent insurance, there is hundreds of overflights each day to hear it, and there are three or four well equipped twin EMS machines with homers within 30 mins flight time!

Chances of a bushfire at the moment are the same as you lot lifting the World Cup in November - very very slim!:} . Basically, dont worry about it at all, although it might be a good idea to find out about back burning activities by ringing the NSW Rural Fire Service or NSW National Parks & Wildlife directly. Snake bites are also a rarity at this time of year, spiders are no issue, there are no sharks in the mountain rivers, nor jelly fish!! It is a great place to camp and walk, and it is quite frequented year around by walkers and campers, so he wont be too remote.

But watch out for the yowies!! :ok: :ok: :ok: ;)

[sprocket]

vfr: It's a good thing he doesn't have to go a bit further north in the continent. Three nasties lurk in the bush that you have to watch out for.

1. Dendrocnide moroides (Gympie stinging tree)

2. Calamus australis (lawyer vine)

3. Breyniia stipitata (fart bush)

Each one has its own individual horror.

[Vfrpilotpb]

Helmet Fire and Sprocket,

Yet again a big thank you for the help and info,
HF: Sorry but the Cup is comming home!!:ok:

To all of you who have sent something , even those by direct E mail, I have copied the drafts and posted out to my boy at Riverveiw, along with my open permission to you guys, If you have to pick him up, give his backside a good kicking, he has now had enough advice on what to expect, sad thing is I wish I was going with him, sounds like one buewt of a place.
All my regards

Peter R-B
Vfrpilotpb