Sydney YMCA A proud tradition in bushwalking

by Jack Clarke Brisbane Water Bushwalking Club

A Ramblers Club as a part of the Sydney YMCA was formed in the 1920’s and operated for some years. It organised camping trips and weekend walks. This would have made it one of the first bushwalking clubs in NSW but it ceased activities after a number of years. A Ramblers club was active within the Melbourne YMCA and the Sydney YWCA had a walking club which was active in the 1930’s.
Credit for the formation of the YMCA Ramblers mostly due to Harry Black. He had been a keen hiker as a youth but was introduced to “real” bushwalking in 1936. He was friendly with Bruce Symonds who was also a member of the YMCA. On most week-ends they went away bushwalking. They walked in various areas but mostly in the Blue Mountains. An initial attempt to interest three other members in forming a club was unsuccessful so they continued walking as a group of two. In time, other members of the YMCA joined them on walks and the club slowly built up. Then in 1938, the club was formed.
To join any of its clubs, a youth had first had to join the YMCA itself. Some of the clubs mentioned in its magazine “Youth” were the Vikings Club, the YY (containing members of both the YMCA and and the YWCA), the Spartan Club (a devotional club), the Dramatic Club and the Invincibles. Older members could join the Y’s Men club.
Girls could not join the YMCA but joined the YWCA instead. For the first year or two, the club was entirely male. Then some of the members’ sisters asked to be included in its activities and a “Ladies Auxiliary” was formed.
War was declared in 1939 and a number of Ramblers joined the armed services.. They mostly kept in touch by writing to the club and when in Australia on leave, some joined the club on its walks. Two of the Ramblers were killed during the War.
I joined the Club in 1942 but for the first few years only did occasional walks since I was doing a part time course at the Sydney Technical College. Participating in its activities was a major interest in my life. I described bushwalking in those days in an article “Bushwalking in the 1940’s”.
Lightweight gear for bushwalkers was sold by Paddy Pallin and we found it indispensible. Initially we hired some of our gear but we soon saved up and purchased our own equipment.
Few members in those days had cars and we mostly travelled to Katoomba by train for the start of a walk. Having made a round trip, we returned to the same station. At other times, we finished our walk at a nearby station such as Blackheath, or Wentworth Falls.
Some of the areas that we favoured for our walks were the Wild Dog mountains, Mt. Cloudmaker, Kanangra Tops, the Coxs river, Breakfast Creek, Mount Solitary, Blue Gum Forest, Kangaroo Valley via the Barren Lands and Woodhill. We came up from Megalong Valley either through the Devil’s Hole or up Taro’s Ladders at the end of Narrow Neck. There was no fire trail along Narrow Neck in those days, just a track that seemed interminable. At times we would stop and look back at Mt. Solitary and the distant mountains.
A satisfying walk of two or three days was from Central Burragorang Valley to Kedumba Creek then up the steep Kedumba Pass to Kings Tableland and on to Wentworth Falls. I did this walk with a friend a year after I joined the Ramblers.
In the warmer months we camped instead of walking. Some of our camping weekends were spent at Era, Bouddi, Nortons Basin and Boatharbour, near Gosford. A favourite spot for some of us was Burragorang Valley. This was long before they flooded the valley.
We camped one Christmas at McArthur’s Flat on the Nattai River. In those days trains ran on the loop line past Hilltop and Aylmerton. We started at the latter station and returned along Starlight’s Track to Hilltop, past deserted farm houses and over rolling hills. That year, there was a plague of flies which were so numerous that they formed a dark mass on the back of our rucksacks.
The Federation of Bushwalking Clubs was formed in 1932. Soon after its formation, the Ramblers affiliated with it, and became a keen supporter of its aims. Its members took part in its training weekends and went on a number of emergency searches organised by the Federation.
When I dropped out of the Ramblers in 1949, few of the persons with whom I had walked were still active with the club. By the early 1950’s membership of the club had fallen drastically. Bruce Symonds was persuaded to take on the role of President with Gordon Hunter as Secretary. Under their combined efforts the club was soon thriving again, with a later generation of members

Harry Black continued bushwalking and outdoor activities over the years. In 1948 he was transfered to the YMCA in Canberra and organised a number of outdoor groups. In 1951 he founded the Canberra YMCA Ski Club and in the early 1960’s was one of the founders of the Canberra Bushwalking Club. He led thirteen treks in the Himalayas and in 1957 and 1960 led ANARE expeditions to Antarctica.
Married life imposed its priorities on the earlier members and few of them were available for two day walks. However, a group of married Ramblers formed a group called the “XY’s Club” consisting of some ex-Ramblers and their families. They organised day walks and other activities. Ross Webb formed a club within the YMCA called “The Hobnail Club” which encouraged young people to take up bushwalking.
In 1984 I joined the Brisbane Water Outdoors Club and resumed bushwalking after a break of 35 years. I did more walks in 1986 than at any previous time in my life. I was doing fewer walks in 1991 and starting to find that the hills were becoming steeper. I now mostly do one day walks.
The history of most clubs is that they thrive for a while under the enthusiasm of the original members. There is usually a constant change in membership as older members drop out and newcomers join the club. If membership falls too low, the members may decided to disband the club. Then, some years later, a new club with similar aims may start again within the same organisation.
This was the case with the YMCA Ramblers. In October 1982 there was a major fire in the YMCA building in Pitt Street and the building was abandoned. Since facilities in the building were no longer available, some of clubs active at that time ceased to function. However, a new club called the Sydney YMCA Bushwalking Club was formed in 1993 and met in the Sydney YMCA. Membership in this club also dwindled and it ceased to function.