RIP Rick Jamieson

[DarrenM]

Sorry to hear Rick passed away last Thursday. He wrote the "Canyons near Sydney" book and helped many get into the sport.

RIP.

[kanangra]

I did not know Rick personally. What was his story?

K.

[DarrenM]

I didn't know him personally either Kanangra. He was tied up with the scouting movement and know a few people including my brother, that were taught abseiling/canyoning etc by him. Controversial at times so it seems but a loss none the less.

[snailbate]

I have Just found this site i have been looking for news of Rick for some time after i retired but could not fid anything
Rick and i met in middle 1950s we were in a Scout Rover crew in a town in NSW called Sefton He lived in Beralla NSW He went to SYDNEY UNI and became a MATHS Teacher He was also a member of the Sydney uni Rover crew and all things Caving, rock climbing etc etc He owned a 1930 A model Ford with on side windows in which we would go to Jenolan Caves and cave in the Mammoth Serpentine and a few other adventures also Tuglow cave and a few more as we could in the 50s we spent many nights under the great Australian skies with others i think he was a way every weekend doing somthing or other Thank you for putting hes Name on this forum I forgot he was also part of the SYDNEY UNI kANGRA BOYDE TRAIL RIP RICK

[geford]

"snailbate", since your entry is on an internet forum,permit me to make some amendments about Dr R.A. 'Big Rick' (Jamieson), Feb1941- Oct2013.
His family address was Kibo Rd Regents Park (not quite Berala), and from Sefton High (in Chester Hill) he came to uni (1959) where he and I became close friends in the SURC (Sydney Uni Rover-Scout Crew). With his dad's support he developed "back yard" activities like canoe building, boomerang making and with me "bushman" skills (learnt from my dad). Rick's first book (on outdoor Scouting) included my bushwalking notes.

Yes, for the 1960s SURC Gundungura Project - map, Uni Rover Trail, guide book, he was the best mate anybody could have. In his SUBW book "Press On Regardless", Dave Noble published the 1996 story (I'd written at Rick's behest) about Gundungura. Find it online (from SUBW)! Twenty years later, I'm trying to get more of the SURC material into the Public Domain (for archiving).

With 2 others from SURC, we challenged the then impenetrable Southwest Tasmania to climb the inaccessible Federation Peak in summer 1961/62. After I'd gone to live in Tasmania, he'd come and visit, even doing a record-breaking unique walk with me (another story). On finishing his engineering degree, Rick went on to complete in 1968 a Ph.D. - rare in those days, and then went overseas. The Obituary from the Bowen Mtn wake, in Hawkesbury Gazette, omitted his fascinating life away until he returned twenty years later. For example, he wrote to me about climbing Mt Blanc, highest mountain in Europe. He wrote a book on "meditations" when in a Congo prison (not having correct visa).

Few people knew all the facets of 'Big Rick'. (A mate not to be got out of his sleeping bag too early in the morning!) Someday, he will be the subject for a book of a Great Life!
geford

[David M]

Sadly, I am seeing this news about ten years too late. Rick was a maths teacher at All Saints College, Bathurst, when I was there as a student in the mid to late 1970's. Apart from teaching maths, he was also head of the Outdoor Activities program which included bush walking, caving, rock climbing, rock scrambling / bouldering and many other activities. He introduced me to my life-long love of such things. He was a great man, a giant, both figuratively and literally. Rest in peace.

[rcaffin]

Rick was a very genial friend.
Vale.

[yellowdog]

Gone nearly 10 years.
I think the book that he wrote in the Congo Brazzaville prison was called "Religion without God" or at least that was part of the title. He lent it to me around 1975 and it was an interesting read - as you would expect from Rick. He was working at a software house called Datec at that time. I was nominally in charge of Rick on some projects - but who could ever be in charge of Rick? ... and I mean that in the nicest way as he was a generous soul in every way. Last time I saw him, he was charging through the forest in the dark on the way back from Closet Canyon on a NPA trip. Happy days.
Mike N.