BUSH-WALKING SPORT

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28802, 24 January 1959, Page 12

BUSH-WALKING SPORT

Australian Man’s Description

Bush walking in Cairns. Northern Queensland, is the chief sport of Mr G. C. Young, a chemist, of Cairns, who arrived in New Zealand this week. Bush walking in Cairns is the equivalent of rock climbing in New Zealand. While in New Zealand Mr Young intends to do as much climbing as possible. His ambition is to climb Mount Cook before he returns to Australia in about 12 months. In Christchurch yesterday Mr Young spoke of areas in Cairns where he had done bush walking. The two highest mountains in Queensland Were, he said, Mount Bartlefrere, one mile and seven feet, and Mount Bellenden, 5100 feet high. Both these mountains were covered with a thick growth, mostly trees. Until about 1955 Mount Bartlefrere had not been climbed. Today there is a good track up the mountain. Mr Young said that he and several other climbers comprised one of the first parties to climb the mountain. Mr Young recalled the trip. He said the undergrowth had been very thick and the trees were as close together as those in a jungle. The stinging tree had caused the party much pain. The stinging tree was very much like the stinging nettle in New Zealand. v It had taken the party nearly three days to make the summit of the mountain. Of this time there had been about 30 hours of actual climbing, Mr Young said. Today the mountain could be climbed in less than five hours —there is a perfect track there now—and there was no danger of being stung. The remnants of an American Liberator bomber were littered about half way up Mount Bartlefrere, said Mr Young. Although he l had not climbed up to the wreck, which was a good way from the track, a friend of his had been to the site several times. Mr Young said the aeroplane had been flying in cloud when it crashed into the side of the mountain. There were no survivors.