Budawangs Logbooks

[RasAlt3]

Hi all,

I'm planning a bushwalk to the Budawangs over the Easter long weekend and was wondering how many of the peaks have log books? I'm aware that The Castle, Donjon Mountain and Mt Owen have logbooks, but what about Mt Cole, Shrouded Gods Mountain, the Seven Gods Pinnacles, Mount Nibelung or Mount Mooryan? And if so where roughly are the logbooks located?

Cheers,

Rasmus

[ribuck]

Mt Cole doesn't. I don't know about the others.

[sandym]

Don't remember one on Shrouded Gods.

[paul8]

Hi RasAlt3,
There is no log book at the northern-most and smallest pinnacle of the Seven Gods Pinnacles called Rumdoodle.

But what I am most interested is which one of the Seven Gods Pinnacles do you intend to climb ?
(I am most interested to know which one is climbable aside from Rumdoodle.)

[davidp]

The Mt Currockbilly logbook was placed there in 1970 and is still in active use. Yes the same identical book! It was "lost" for several years hidden by thick scrub. It survived two bushfires and an ants nest. Here is an article I wrote about it and the older 1964 log book.

50th Anniversary Celebration of the placement of the New Currockbilly Mountain Logbook - Saturday 14 November 2020

According to reports it was a warm clear day 50 years ago when seven hardy employees of the Atomic Energy Commission (now ANSTO) at Lucas Heights in Sydney climbed Mt Currockbilly in the Budawangs with a special mission in mind.
1970 was a Bicentennial year and Don Rice the founding club president of the Sydney Bush Ramblers, organised the placement of metal containers and visitor log books on the mountains of Pigeon House (named by Cook in 1770), Talaterang and Currockbilly.
The log book on Currockbilly states that it was placed there on Saturday 14th November 1970. Amazingly it is still there in perfect condition and still in active use – possibly the oldest active log book in Australia. For about five years it was considered “lost” – hidden in thick undergrowth. Then in November 2013 a major bushfire swept through the mountain revealing it from its dense vegetation. Despite being infested as part of an ants nest it was still intact. Incredibly it has also survived the latest devastating November 2019 (November seems an auspicious month for this log book!) bushfire. Even the plastic bag it was encased in melted but the book itself was not harmed. Its survival owes much to the ingenuity of the team of nine who, given their experience at the Atomic Energy Commission, clearly knew how to make bomb proof containers.
So 50 years later on Saturday 14th November 2020 some thirty five enthusiasts climbed Currockbilly to celebrate this rare living episode of bushwalking history. The log book immortalises names such as the famous conservationist Val Plumwood (who campaigned for the Monga Forest and Corn Trail), and the eccentric botanist Ernest F Constable who used to tour around NSW on a bicycle collecting specimens.
However the anniversary revealed another gem; the existence of an even older log book on the nearby summit trig station. Unfortunately this one, housed in a thin aluminium tin, has been extensively damaged and is in tatters but the date 1965 is still barely legible as is the signature of the famous bushwalker Colin Watson. Visible too is the hand drawn logo of the Canberra Bushwalking (corroboree) Frog. It has been removed for preservation and is being conserved by the National Library Of Australia. (Their reference number is NLAacq86005 )

Thanks to David Poland and the Canberra Bushwalking Club and to Shaune Walsh President, Sutherland Bushwalking Club for organising this celebration. Rarely do we get to read about Australian Bushwalking History.

[RasAlt3]

Thanks everyone. The plan is just to have a look and see how we go. Will post a trip report/any useful beta on this forum.

[wallwombat]

There used to be one on Mt Owen, down the southern end. I visited it on a trip in about 1983.

Edit: Just saw it mentioned in the original post.

[Huntsman247]

I'm actually curious myself as to what is the acceptable procedure for replacing logbooks? There are a couple in the Budawangs that could use being replaced. The biggest killer is moisturise from plastic bags being broken.

Can anyone provide some insight?

There are additional log books at Watson's pass, the CC on the way to Camping Rock Creek, Mt Talaterang. I have a feeling there's another but can't quite remember... Or maybe it's an ettrema one im thinking of.

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

I'm actually curious myself as to what is the acceptable procedure for replacing logbooks? There are a couple in the Budawangs that could use being replaced. The biggest killer is moisturise from plastic bags being broken.

Can anyone provide some insight?

There are additional log books at Watson's pass, the CC on the way to Camping Rock Creek, Mt Talaterang. I have a feeling there's another but can't quite remember... Or maybe it's an ettrema one im thinking of.

Only Ettrema one I can think of is Possibility Point? None down in the valley from memory?

[Huntsman247]

Only Ettrema one I can think of is Possibility Point? None down in the valley from memory?

Nope. And there are others in that area.