There’s something to be said about arriving at a campsite several hours after Herb and John. Okay they may have pinched the best campsites and totally overtaken the covered table area but they did have the campfire already going. Although setting up tents on already dewy ground does leave a little to be desired, especially after finding out that the batteries in my head torch had died. Ah yes, I packed spares but they were actually too small. Thanks Laurie for being my saving grace for the weekend.

Mark, Graham and I were busily setting up when everyone else started to trickle in and soon sleepy Urbenville campsite became an almost thriving metropolis which included Laurie, Travis and Clay, Graham, Cathy and Jordan, Wayne, Katrina and Alex, Mark, Nathan, John, Herb and Joan-sy, Cameron, Heidi, Jesse and Oscar and of course, moi (Lindy). And I can’t forget Toby, the hound of the Baxter-villes (Baxtervilles……Baskervilles..….get it….my poor attempt at humour).

It was wonderful to hear the waterfall flowing nicely. I’d been to Urbenville on the club trip in May 07 and the waterfall was not only dry but the water was at least a foot below the road on the other side. So to know that the road was under-water and the falls were flowing was excellent.

Over the roaring fire that John kept adding wood to as though we were going to sit up all night, it was decided that we’d head to ‘The Pines’ the next morning, against John’s advise that it needed more time to dry out.

We started off in the usual area doing the likes of Matt the Energiser Man (15), Don’t Trust the Bunny (16), Who’s the Bunny Now (18) etc etc. The leading was shared around by Laurie, Travis, Graham, Mark, Cameron, Nathan and Cathy. In the afternoon most of us moved further along the cliff and were tackling Ohm Sweet Ohm (16), Itchy (15), Specific Gravity (17). Nathan led his third ever climb……just a measly 21 (not sure of the name).

A good day was had by all and we headed back to camp for pre-dinner drinks and nibbles followed by a pleasant evening chatting round the fire.

Sunday was foggy again and being a short day we decided to go back to ‘The Pines’ and start where we’d finished the day before. John, Wayne, Herb and Joansy decided to grace us with their presence this time and due to the late start (because of the fog), we decided on sheer laziness and drove in (mind you no-one was objecting).

I only did 2 climbs Candle Power (13) and A Sighing Sea of Softwoods Swaying in Spring Sex (12). Graham and Cathy both led Specific Gravity (17) and other climbs included Itchy (15), Eff-A-Reddy (13), Scratchy (18) and Loaded on Lithium (14).

Another excellent weekend, at one of my favourite camping spots with some great climbing and really good company. Thanks to everyone who came.

Lindy Burton

"How Long have you lived in Australia?!"

So there was to be a club trip to Arapiles this year and the word was out for expressions of interest. No mountaineering trips were planned, blame that on the lack of money, the lack of a mountaineering partner and the lack of fitness. A sackfull of "lack of's" actually. So, Arapiles sounded like a damn fine idea. Build up the brownie points and away I go.

There was just one thing. I'd never been before.

"You've NEVER been to Araps. How long have you lived in Australia" came the incredulous reply. `Well, I've never got round to it. There were all those mundane things in life that got in the way after I started climbing. You know, silly little everyday things like getting married, having children and coping with going to the salt mine, sorry I mean work, five days a week. Oh yeah, and a couple of serious and not so serious excursions into the realms of snow and ice and beers in the Mt. Cook pub. Of course I want to go, just so I'll never hear "You've Never Been to Arapiles" ever again.

The BRC with the biggest tent in the Pines

Peter O'Reilly on Ship of Fools (16)

And the road rolled on and on and on. God, Australia is big and flat. If we could hit a couple of koalas that would have to break the boredom wouldn't it. The rest of the world might like to revel in the emptiness of Australia but 2000 kilometres of scrub is still just 2000 kilometres of scrub. This Arapiles thing better be worth it.

The Pines are green from rain, not packed and it does look big. I'm like a kid on the first day at school, full of excitement at a big new adventure and that fear of the unknown. What is the climbing really like? Is it really that good? What's the rock like? The guidebook makes every grade seem a thrilling, exposed, daunting, then up on jugs test piece. I don't know what to expect.

The tent is set up; the rack's in my pack and it's just a short walk to the Organ Pipes with David. Didgeridoo is free so it's up I go. This is really weird rock and it's really steep, sort of vertical actually. Concentrate on the climbing, as I don't all together trust these knobbly rock protrusions I'm putting gear into. It's a jug-fest but do they ever break? Oops! Where did all those jugs go? Smooth rock, I've suddenly got no gear in and it seems a bit exposed and whatever for a grade 11. The top is just there. Pull up, don't fall and hey, my first Arapiles lead. I find out that the exposed top bit is actually Hornpiece, the direct finish, grade 13. That makes me feel better!!!!

Rap off and it's back to the tents before dark.

Keith Hannan testing the gear on Kachoong (21) (Keith climbed the route in style on the next attempt)

CRUNCH! Nothing like some delicious cashews after a climb. Not all is well though. That last crunch didn't sound right. More like a tooth than a cashew. Damn right it was a tooth. I DON'T believe it. It's only the start of my climbing week and I'm feeling so pissed off at the stupidity of breaking a tooth and keeping my dentist in golf club fees for another couple of years.

Later that night the Gods must be on my side. The rain comes down all through the night and continues to pour the next day, so it's off to Horsham for real coffee, and a dentist. Sweet-talk them into fitting me in that day, a well-priced cap and the mindset is ready for the tomorrow. I have got to stop trashing my teeth on climbing trips though.

A 1965 test piece grade 14 falls easily and this rock is pretty great isn't it. Fun in fact. Then it's seconding up a "tough for the grade" (according to the guide) two pitch 13. Actually the moves are all there when you get used to it. Dave tops out on pitch two and then the rain comes down. Saturated and cold, this has shades of mountaineering as I start up. Orange smooth Arapiles rock isn't such great climbing in the pouring rain. Just to prove a point to myself and the rock, a lot of ego energy gets me up without peeling off. Another climb for the experience book. Back to camp and its dry out and coffee time.

The next day turns into a climbing feast. Gunther and I, the Arapiles first timers, swap leads all day on the Organ Pipes. This is FUN. I like this idea of only climbing things with two or three stars. The climbing is just fantastic, if only Gunther would stop farting at the belays. You head up a climb and we all know hot air rises. No more beans for him. The climbs just seem to go on and on, with bomber gear and jugs everywhere. I could climb here forever without ever pushing the grades. Climb these three star beauties at 70 years old, now that's a tempting goal. Yeah, let's do Piccolo to finish the day off. Halfway up and cruising. Time to look around. Ooh, that looks awesome. A threesome doing something hard up the side of the D Minor pinnacle. A young lady is heading up from a hanging belay and it looks steep. But what's this. As I'm on the next climb I can observe the moves. Except the moves are all happening at the belay. I suppose you could call his tongue down her throat a gear placement. Well back to the climbing and it's steep but just so great. Gunther comes up and tells me the pash session turned into a grope session just as the leader called out "Are you paying attention". I haven't laughed so hard in ages. Coming down we find out our neighbour happens to be one of the guidebook authors (no names due to litigation, just in case Simon decides to sue). It's obvious there are untold advantages to being a published rock climbing guide guru.

The next day Gunther and Keith are off to do battle with Shakespeare, but the Bard thing conspired against them. So I offered to second James and bloody hell! He wants to do the same climb on D Minor as yesterday's pash session. If he even looks at me on the hanging belay out comes the number 11 hex. Just joking James. He does a magic lead and it's really nice to follow up a grade 18 to see what it's like. Then it's off to the Atriade and James leads Surface to Air (17). The next trip is looking like an awesome one, as these grades feel really within reach.

Gunther and Keith are back from literary heaven, except the Bard got the heave ho due

to some minor slowpokes. They had a great time though on some other gems.

Keith and I decided to do the motivational thing and finally headed out that afternoon to indulge in some Australian bird-life - aka Brolga. I'm glad Keith is leading, as it's all very smooth with not a lot of gear, and so glad he's got some aliens. A pitch and a half up and its discussion time. The gear is thin, it's getting dark, we haven't got headlamps, the top of the second pitch is oozing water and the easy bypass is positively dripping water. The decision is too easy. Over to the rap station and down. It feels

good to be climbing with someone who knows when to back off a climb. Anyway, Keith's happy with the climbing he's done and it looks like awesome climbing around these walls as well. Next trip. Around the hibachi fire that night, James and Keith decide to Kachoong-Kachoong tomorrow. Steve and Allison appear to be succumbing to the decadence of modern living after being surrounded by 2 burner camping stoves, spacious tents and the delights of pyromania, hibachi style. It's just too good! No wonder people stay here for months.

As the photo brigade for Kachoong head off, I talk the recently arrived Michael Freemantle into letting the family go to the movies in Horsham while seconding me up some 14's. We head up to Mantis and the climbing is again just fantastic. Then it's off to the first pitch of Libretto and the second pitch of C.S. Concerto. I am falling in love with these climbs with atmospheric exposure and jugs that defy imagination. Now I'm aware of the magic of Arapiles there are just so many climbs that I want to do. Jenny, my regular climbing partner is back in Brissie with a crook back. Boy is she going to be jealous. The only downside is that I'm leaving tomorrow. RATS!

Well it's up before dawn and off. We didn't take out any Koalas or kangaroos but we did pass the Deniliquin muster starting up. Keith and I have never seen so many utes in one place at one time. Gawd damn, break out me hat, me ugh boots and point me at the beer tent. But no, we just turned up the Angels and rocked on down the highway. The next day we're finally in QLD and what's this, more bloody utes. Goondiwindi is alive with them.

Its another B & S and they are coming out of the woodwork. Give me Brisbane or give me death.

So that was Arapiles! Now that I've made it sound so good Jenny is badgering me, "When can we go to Araps?" How long have you lived in Australia? And you've never been to Arapiles!!!!

Graham Baxter

Michael Freemantle rapping off the back of the D-Minor pinnacle (Photo: Graham Baxter)

Armidale - It's not the Verdon!

It's not often at the age of 36 that you get to have many new experiences all crammed into one weekend. But as a visiting English guest on my first BRC trip (and first trip to Australia) I even amazed myself at my own ignorance. I think I can be excused for never having heard of the Easter Bilby, but I definitely wish I'd never heard of any of the other dangerous Australian fauna - especially on a trip with a load of cheeky climbing chappies who are just looking for excuses to wind up the Pom, pointing out spiders I hadn't even seen and telling me that iguanas were baby crocs.

The visiting author (Emma Hilditch) at Gara Gorge.

As a friend of Steve's from college (well aware of his parsimony) I was not at all surprised to be taken to the cheapest eatery in town - my first dinner in an RSL was..... interesting. Even though I hadn't seen him for 8 years, Steve hadn't changed a bit, on the way up to Armidale we had to drive for over 2 hours to get a FREE coffee at a Driver Reviver (another great Australian institution), rather defeating the object, as Steve was nearly asleep at the wheel and we had passed more than one perfectly acceptable cafe!

Who says access is a problem!? Steve Waite on Sucking Faces (19), Ebor Gorge.

He hasn't lost his Midas touch with the weather either. Coming from a chilly drizzly UK spring, I was basking in the heat of a Brisbane autumn - until we got out of the car 3 hours into the journey and found we should have packed a few more jumpers! Thanks Steve.

James Pfrunder starting up Sucking Faces (20) (Mike Freemantle belaying)

I realise I've not mentioned the climbing, but I'm afraid it's because I was too fat to get into my harness (which I haven't worn for 10 years) and Steve was still too depressingly good at it to inspire me. But everyone else seemed to have a great time (once we found the crags!) despite the overgrown cracks [at Ebor Gorge - Editor] and massive spiders (I think you get the picture!) If it's just climbing you want stick to Frog, but for a jolly good weekend away with a great bunch of people - the Armidale trip couldn't be beaten.

Emma Hilditch

Clips from Brooyar

Thanks to Herb there are now many excellent bolted routes at Brooyar. This was a brilliant club trip (there are also new loos at the camp site!!)

Steve on the test piece start of Hovercraft Full of Potatoes…followed by Alison (and Jenny)

The Zulu drums seemed to echo across the valley as we walked across the dry paddock. My family had come up from the lowlands and was ensconced happily back at the campsite. Heading up into the forest I could feel the tension building like an Englishman’s finger on his Springfield rifle. Then, there it was before me, Rourke’s Rift. The drums were only my heartbeat. This was the “get back on the bike” climb after my big confidence breaking fall at Kaputar, a few weeks before. Jenny was her usual chatty self, not realising that I could have happily thrown up at this point. But it was no use letting the mind demons get in the way of a good climb, so it was gearing up time and lead away McDuff.

It didn’t take long to get into the groove of Rourke’s Rift (bad pun) and the climbing was so enjoyable. 50m up on a thin belay ledge, with the sun shining and a cool breeze blowing across the rock, isn’t life grand.

Graham on Rourke’s Rift

I brought Jenny up and continued on. After topping out, we wandered up to the summit and checked out the views as a chill wind gave us a gentle hint of alpinism. We headed off to the descent route with Jenny increasingly nervous at the potential fall lines on the granite. My navigational skills were spot on once again to Jenny’s disbelief.

It was a motley, but eclectic crew that headed up to Girraween in 2002. In fact we even had an international flavour, with a holidaying Kiwi on board and a returning expat who flew in from Canada, just so he could join the club and go to Girraween. Expat Patrick was the sort of loveable Aussie larrikin that belay bunnies could fall in love with. A been there, done that smile together with a million hilarious stories made for a great climbing partner and campfire raconteur. He was also a damn fine climber.

There was also the sneaky group, those that don’t actually work five days a week, who had got there early enough to head out to Turtle on the Friday and get some climbing in. Although, from the stories that night it was more of Jenny leading and you lot can just second up behind me.

Whilst they Turtled, I kept my promise and Ashley (nearly 6) had her first summit attempt on the 1^st Pyramid. For Lauren on her 3^rd trip up, it was a case of “over here Ashley, go that way or this is the steep bit." Well Ashley was just fine and gained the summit no problems. Summit fever couldn’t be genetic, could it?

While Jenny and I were climbing Rourke’s Rift on the Saturday, Steve was taking some people up Dead Eagle Crack. His comment on the climb, “the hardest bit was getting round the dead tree branches.” Umm, Dead Eagle Crack Steve, with an emphasis on the Dead Eagle bit. Patrick and his Saturday partner in crime Gunther, climbed up the 2^nd Pyramid in fine style only to realise neither knew the way off. After a few abortive attempts of gazing down very, very steep slopes, they eventually found a rap descent gully. Patrick’s description of this descent was somewhat colourful in a truly literary sense. Saturday night was another entertaining star-studded Girraween night, with campfire marshmallows supplied by Lauren.

Patrick on Rourke’s Rift

Sunday dawned fine and the climbing hordes headed off in various directions. It was a case of “Please take a ticket and wait your turn” for Rourke’s Rift and then onto various other climbs on the 2^nd Pyramid for most of the group. Meanwhile Michael Freemantle guided the climbers of the future off to find Aztec Pyramid.

The future climbing gang

Patrick was keen to see Turtle so the two of us headed out there. We had an entertaining time playing “find the bolts when you’re already halfway up the climb.” It was a magic morning, with nobody else around and watching a wedge-tailed eagle glide the thermals. Dead tree branches can’t fly, unlike live eagles, hey Steve.

Then it was back to camp, pack up time and back down to the lowlands.

The Zulu war chants seemed to whisper through the gums ‘Come back soon.”

Graham Baxter

Mt Kaputar – Rain Hail or Shine

The Easter break promised, and delivered, its usual load of good rain. Driving down from Goondiwindi on Thursday, we could see masses of grey clouds ahead, lit by frequent lightning. The news on the radio of severe storms in the area the day before (Toowoomba was still blacked out in parts), and the water lying in deep puddles along the road, made us think about alternative accommodation, rather than camping that night. At lunchtime in Moree, there was a genuinely torrential fall, with little streams coming out of the light fittings as we walked under the shopfronts, and a lightning strike, "just up at the corner" according to the chatter of the locals. Fortunately, it eased a bit after that, and we caught occasional views of Kaputar as the clouds kept streaming north. We decided to press on.

Of course, by the time we got there, it was raining steadily. Impressive little creeks were running across most of the campsites at Bark Hut, so we eventually picked the one dry looking spot under some trees. As I struggled to put up our big tarp, Gabriella strolled over to where Laurie and Clay were sitting in their van, with Jenny Tannoch-Bland alongside. They had got in earlier. Jenny, thinking the rain had well and truly set in, had already set up her tent in the car park next to the van, and was waiting for the interior to dry out. Eventually the rain eased, and I kept repeating the forecast that it was supposed to clear for the weekend.

Later that night, most of the rest of us rolled in: Steve Waite and Alison Greenhalgh, along with Dennis Reaves; Mark Gamble as well as his cousin and nieces; James Pfrunder and John de Bont. And by Friday 10 am, Graham Baxter and family. The rain had stopped, although there were plenty of threatening clouds. We took over the shelter shed for breakfast and decided to vist Lindesay Rock Tops as the spot most likely to dry out fastest. And in fact, they were pretty dry, so foregoing top-roping (well I set one up on Slip, Slop, Slap), everyone started leading up a range of climbs from Thanks for the Mammaries (15 m 10, "all natural") to The Hippy Hippy Shake (18 m 21, 3 BRs). The only disappointment was that Mis Led was too wet. As the day progressed, three parties, from the Sydney Rockies, and Guy and friends joined us. Coming back to camp, we found it had been raining there for the previous hour or two, while we had been nice and dry up at the top (Bark Hut camp is at 1200 m, and Mt Lindesay about 1400 m, by the way). My in-laws (Ian and Margo) had also arrived, a day early; they had been the last car through a flooded section of road between Inglewood and Goondiwindi before it was closed.

Jenny T-B: All abreast on Thanks for the Mammaries

Saturday, we went down to Euglah Rock. John had offended his neighbours, he thought, on Friday morning by complaining that they made too much noise early in the morning (they of course were on NSW time). After checking with the ranger, and being told that 7 am was a reasonable time to start making a racket (this I heard myself), they retaliated by banging all their pans together at precisely 6 am Qld time. Fortunately, John had already moved his tent, while Lauren and Ashley (Graham's kids) had already woken us up asking whether the toilet block could be moved a little closer.

Sunday, the clocks were all turned back, but there was no repeat performance. James and John headed off early, and constructed a second cairn in the middle of the fire road at the turnoff to Euglah "just in case". They should have known that we never get lost. Those two immediately headed around to do Yummikins (33 m 17, apparently living up to its name), Bridge over Troubled Waters (30 m 17) and Swiss Made (30 m 17), being joined by Mark later.

The team, contemplating the days climbing at the bottom of the Governor

The rest of us, arriving in a more leisurely fashion, wandered around the more easterly sections first, where some cracks were a bit wet. There was still plenty of "Scotch mist" wrapping around the Rock, making it almost an alpine experience. Graham and Jenny set off up Wild is the Wind (35 m 14), while Dennis and I strolled up Lost World Layback (25 m 12, 2 p). The latter (described as "harder than it looks") was complicated by not being able to get into the lost layback crack because of a small tree, and the leader dropping a ringtail possum, mother and baby onto the second, probably from said tree. Dennis yelled "rock," and I was very pleased when the impact onto my back was so gentle. Mother and baby are well (ran off, baby looking back at me).

up and up……	Steve and Alison enjoying the delights of Kaputar	Alison & Dennis with Governor behind

Steve and Alison worked over Too Pooped to Pop (50 m 20) and Joys of the Flesh (47 m 22). In the afternoon, we moved around to where the track hits the rock: Dennis and I went up Devilled Sloth (28 m 17, 2 p) where I managed to pull off and then catch the biggest flake I have seen for a while. The audience below were kakking themselves as I yelled out "bloody BIG rock" before dropping it a few seconds later. Fortunately I was standing on the big tree trunk that comes out horizontally half way up the second pitch. John led the adjacent Protocol (27 m 17) as one pitch: the bottom was quite strenuous and some other climbers who had been up it earlier suggested that section might be that of a 20 (Crack the Gripper). Everyone who followed up thought the top was pretty hard too.

Sunday was spent at the Governor. The weather became finer and finer, so we were getting hot on the rock now. Graham and Jenny powered up the obligatory Patient Scruff (30 m 16), which Dennis and myself then repeated. James and John started on the enjoyable Clandestiny (72 m 16), while Steve and Alison did the adjacent three-star Sago Entree (75 m 19). This was followed by musical chairs, with Graham and Jenny on Clandestiny, James and John on the Sago. Graham had a couple of falls, no harm done but a bit unsettling. Dennis, Mark and myself went up Guided Missile (80 m 17, 3p) at Alison's recommendation. After spending too much time setting up the first belay, the afternoon started slipping away. Jenny, wanting to get back into it, came up the first pitch, at which time we realised that we would really need three ropes. So, first Jenny rapped off, then cunning Dennis, seeing a late exit looming, slipped away as well. Fortunately, I had enough presence of mind to remind him that if he wanted a lift (Jenny and Gabriella were planning to walk back), he might wait for us with a torch. As a result, although we finished after dark, it was an easy stroll off with our trusty guide, who also had shuttled our packs from the base of the climb up to the tourist track (a most civilised epic).

Monday, Mark and I retrieved a piece from the evening before, then went up Sunset Strip (60 m 17, 2 p), Mark taking the brunt, as the second 15 m pitch included several metres up a grassy gully! Despite having two stars, I thought it nowhere as nice as GM. Steve and Alison went up Iconoclast (80 m 20 ***) and scurried off home after lunch. Graham and Jenny did some more leads at Lindesay, including the delicious Madrigal. Laurie returned after a visit to her brother that evening, and we all headed home Tuesday uneventfully, except for Graham puncturing his tyre on an echidna!?

Graham going Wild in the Wind

A good time all round. The only bad occurrence was that both Gabriella and Graham lost their wedding rings, Graham possibly at Lindesay. My brother-in-law, Ian, suggested maybe two wallabies were having a secret ceremony (exchanging rings) even now, the thought of which made Graham want to gag. The Narrabri NPS office worker was slightly bemused to get two reports of lost rings, but said one of the staff was a climber, and would tell all her mates to keep an eye out for Graham's on the rock! My only complaint is I still haven't been to Yulludinida Crater despite three climbing visits now. Or Mt Ningadhun (as seen on television, see P 30 of guide). Or...

David Duffy