Recently a list of Australia’s 100 living national treasures was published. I was very surpised to see that there were no bushwalkers on the list.

So to rectify that omission I would like to suggest that Confederation publish our own list of living NSW bushwalking treasures. I invite other readers to each nominate up to, say, 10 appropriate people, giving their reasons for the nomination.

To kick off the NSW section of the list I wish to nominate Dot Butler, Alex Colley and Wilf Hilder, all of The Sydney Bush Walkers, along with Alex Watson of The Coast & Mountain Walkers. As these two clubs are among the longest established NSW clubs it is only natural that they will be well represented on the list. I’m sure that I have done neither club justice in nominating so few members. However, other members of those clubs can rectify that situation.

In NSW there are currently 67 clubs affiliated with Confederation. Some of these clubs are reasonably newly established. However, don’t let that deter members of those clubs. There is no reason to be bashful about singing the praises of your members.

As a member of Sutherland Bushwalking Club, we are now well into our third decade of existence. One of our founding and current members is affectionately known to us as The Godfather. Don Rice (alias The Godfather) is my nomination as a living national treasure from one of our younger clubs.

I trust that some readers of The Bushwalker will pick up this particular ball and run with it and get lots of nominations for our very own living national treasures.