The Bush Club

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The Bush Club is an Australian bushwalking club founded in 1939 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.^[1]

The club, since inception, has provided a wide range of walks of all difficulties and durations both locally and internationally, as well as regular cycling, kayaking, and canyoning activities.

The Bush Club has hundreds of members located in and around Sydney, and is affiliated with Bushwalking NSW, and through them, with Bushwalking Australia.

Foundation and early history[]

The club was founded by two well-known conservationists and bushwalkers, Marie Byles and Paddy Pallin, in 1939.^[1]

Originally, the Bush Club concentrated on day-walks. In the club's earlier years, this focus was quite different from other clubs, such as the Sydney Bush Walkers Club, that had both an emphasis on longer, more difficult walks that involved overnight camping and rigorous entry tests screening out less able membership applicants.

Byles and Pallin—who were friends and both early and prominent members of the Sydney Bush Walkers—had seen the need for a new club that allowed people to be introduced to bushwalking and the Australian bush, without overnight camping or entry tests.^[2] Relatively large National Parks—Royal, Ku-ring-gai Chase, and Blue Mountains National Parks, and other bushland reserves, such as Lane Cove Park—lie within easy reach of Sydney, providing ample scope for day-walks.

Many of its earlier members were pre-war refugees from Nazi Germany and Austria. Although these members were refugees, many still had German or Austrian nationality and were classed as 'enemy aliens'—needing to report to police regularly and therefore unable to participate in overnight camping activities. The Bush Club provided outdoor activity on its day-walks, as well as introducing these refugees to their new country, its flora and fauna, and to a welcoming network of new friends with a common interest.^[2][3] The club played a significant role in integrating pre-war and, later, post-war European refugees into the broader Australian community, at a time when insular and xenophobic attitudes to such refugees were quite common in Australia.

The club also provided an outlet for older walkers, keener on nature observation than adventure, who did not wish to undertake arduous walks with overnight camping.^[2]

Geographical area of activity[]

Since inception, the club has organised walks in all national park areas around Sydney. These include The Royal National Park, the Blue Mountains, and the many national parks of the Hawkesbury River region. A number of urban and heritage walks are regularly scheduled in the inner parts of Sydney, as well as walks interstate and overseas.

Membership[]

Membership is open to anyone over 18. Prospective members need to complete at least three qualifying walks from the Walks Programme.

Leadership and management[]

The club is run by a Committee of volunteers. Activity leaders are all volunteers from within the Club membership, and new members are encouraged to lead walks when they feel confident to do so. First aid training and navigation skills are encouraged for all members. Optional Leadership training is also available.

The Bush Club provides an extensive programme of walks to its members. Those members can suggest and volunteer to lead specific walks which are then advertised in a quarterly electronic newsletter and programme. Walks are graded according to Bushwalking Australia guidelines, from easy to hard.

As of November 2021 the club had approximately 800 full and Prospective members.

Established - 1939

President - Kevin Yeats

Membership - John Hungerford

Home Base - Sydney, NSW, Australia

Membership - Approx. 800

Founders - Paddy Palin & Marie Byles

Homepage - www.thebushclub.org.au

Photo Gallery - see homepage

See also[]

• Sydney Bush Walkers Club
• Caloola Club

References[]

1. Looking Back - Walking On (1989)

2. Bush Club website at http://thebushclub.org.au

3. Bushwalking Australia http://www.bushwalkingaustralia.org