25 Year Membership Anniversaries 2020

2020 sees 3 members attaining 25 years membership of Batemans Bay Bushwalkers:

Karen Cockerill
Ainslie Morris
Mike Reynolds

KAREN joined BBBW in May 1994, and led her first walk in Summer 1998 – Around Milo Trig in Monga NP.  Since then Karen has led a walk or two every quarter (to date 101 walks over the past 21 years).  Back in the day she favoured a  solid 15 km plus circuit, anywhere from the Monga to Ulladulla to Narooma.

She was a member of the Tuesday Exploratory Group with Ian Cargill, Max Griffiths and Bruce Cox, who went out every week to explore old walks, and find new ones, which they would then show to Leaders for the Program.

That particular group is no more, but Karen still regularly goes out on a Tuesday with a couple of Leaders to show them existing walks, and to find yet more new walks.  As a result she has an encylopaedic knowledge of the tracks in our walk catchment.

She’s also co-led camps to Namadji National Park and Smiggins Hole, Koszciusko National Park.

And let’s not forget her Committee duties – Karen has variously been Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, Treasurer, Vice President, Assistant Walks Organiser and Records Officer, a position she currently holds.

Her special interest in native plants means she can usually identify most plants we see on our walks.

 

AINSLIE & MIKE joined BBBW in June 1994, and led their first walk -an overnight camping trip from Maloneys Beach to Kioloa – shortly thereafter in November 1994.

From that flying start they have been leading walks every quarter – 90 of them over the past 24 years.

Mike and Ainslie also introduced combined paddles and walks to the Program back in 1996 – mostly on Durras Lake and at Shallow Crossing on Clyde River.

But they are best known for their bushwalking camps and safaris, and the list is impressive:

  • Overnight camp in Morton National Park – Summer 1996
  • Bush Camp at Tuross Falls, also visiting the Big Hole and Marble Arch – Summer 1998
  • Bush camp at Coolaman Caves in the Snowy Mountains – Summer 2000
  • Victorian Safari to Little Desert NP, the Grampians, Lower Glenelg NP, Otway NP, and Wilsons Prom NP – Spring 2000
  • Camping Safari to Queensland (southern section) – Winter 2002
  • Christmas Mini Camp at Swan Haven near Sussex Inlet – December 2003
  • Christmas Mini Camp at Mandeni Resort near Bournda National Park – December 2004
  • Christmas Mini Camp at Sawpit Creek in Kosciuszko NP – December 2005
  • South Coast 4 Day Walk from Tabouri to Maloneys Beach – Autumn 2007
  • Victorian Goldfields Camp to Castlemaine and Bacchus Marsh in Autumn 2009
  • Kiama Weekend – Autumn 2010
  • East NSW Camping Safari to Dunns Swamp, Coolah Tops NP, Warrumbungles NP, Mt Seaview, Trial Bay, Crowdy Bay NP and Kuringai NP – Spring 2011
  • Blue Mountains Camp – Spring 2013
  • Christmas Mini Camp at Kangaroo Valley – December 2014

Ainslie has served on the Committee as Assistant Secretary, Publicity Officer, Vice President and President.

Mike has held the positions of Publicity Officer and President, and was also the Club’s Public Officer for a number of years.

Ainslie’s knowledge of native plants and local history, and Mike’s knowledge of geology has enhanced many a walk over the years.

Mike has also recorded our bushwalking camps with his trusty video camera, and edited the footage for posterity – currently saved on DVDs in our Library.

Karen M