Up and Downers Bushwalking Club
THE UP AND DOWNERS BUSHWALKING CLUB INC
About the Club
Our History
The Up & Downers BWC Inc was formed in 2000 by Herb Lippmann as a spin-off from courses he ran for many years for Macquarie Community College. We are a small club of approximately 40 members, mainly from around the north/northwest area of Sydney. Moderate day walks within a 2 hour drive radius from Sydney are held most Saturdays. Generally the meeting time is 8.30am and we aim to finish our walk around 2.30-3.00pm. As the travelling time to and from the meeting place can be as little as 15 minutes or up to 2 hours, and there is usually the option of socialising over a cold drink or coffee at the end of the walk, it is a full day. Herb and his wife Yu Hua were tragically killed in a bus crash in Tibet in April 2003, whilst out there adventuring. We aim to continue their legacy of love for the bush, outdoors and life.
Leadership & Management
The leaders of club walks are all volunteers from among the membership. We encourage any member who feels confident to do so to lead walks with support from more experienced members. There is a main committee responsible for the management of club affairs. In addition there is a Walks Sub Committee.
Becoming a Member
People’s definition of what bushwalking means may vary widely, and it is important that people considering walking with us appreciate our Club’s position and viewpoint. The group dynamic of the Up and Downers Club is one of enthusiasm for bushwalking and the natural environment combined with the enjoyment of sharing these experiences with others. Our members are men and women from many and varied backgrounds and are aged from 40s to 70s. We enjoy lively discussions during the day and a sense of fun is a necessity. The main attribute we seek in new members is enthusiasm for bushwalking. Our Membership Enquiries officer will forward our guidelines for new members to you on request.
Bushwalking can range from a stroll along a maintained path to a trek through untracked scrub right through to difficult challenges requiring a high level of fitness, stamina and a head for heights. Quite often all the above aspects can be encountered within one walk. Bushwalking is a fairly strenuous activity, so people who have not been exercising regularly or who have a medical condition affecting their fitness are urged to consult their doctor before walking.
Transport
Car sharing is strongly encouraged and the leader for a specific walk can usually help you to contact others with whom you can share. There is currently no club recommended formula for cost sharing, but members should always check with the driver of the car they are in as to what is expected. This could be paying the walk fee for the day for the driver, or shouting them a cup of coffee afterwards.
Training
We do not run any formal training programs but experienced members are always happy to pass on their knowledge of bushcraft, map reading, flora & fauna, geology, etc.
Walks Program
Our walks cover the Blue Mountains, Royal National Park, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, Central Coast, Southern Highlands, and anything scenic with a good walk in between!
We aim to include a wide variety of bushwalks in our program and are always keen to receive requests or suggestions from members.
An Activities Guide setting out the details of forthcoming walks and any social activities is issued to members regularly.
Fees
There is no fee for Temporary Membership. The annual subscription for full Members is currently $30.00. This covers our affiliation to Bushwalking NSW Inc, insurance coverage for public liability and personal accident and a small amount towards our administrative costs. In addition, there is a fee of $5.00 per member or temporary member charged for each walk. This fee boosts our ability to cover administrative costs and any surplus is either used to subsidise social activities or is donated to a number of worthy causes. The Rural Fire Service, Careflight, The Foundation for National Parks and Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue are amongst those that we have contributed to in the past.
Contact Us
For further information, contact us at upanddownersbwc@gmail.com.
Walk Gradings
For each of these grades, adverse weather conditions (hot, wet, windy, cold) will obviously increase the degree of difficulty and expected weather on the day should be considered before making your decision to join a walk. The leader of a walk has the final say as to whether they feel the walk is within your capabilities.
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Disclaimers etc
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