Dingo Dell – 18th to 19th August 2007

Everyone arrived in camp on a very chilly Friday. Glen and Katrina were the last to arrive, travelling down the privately owned Kowmung Fire Trail in the dark. Introductions were made and dinner eaten around the welcoming campfire.

Saturday morning everyone was up and fed and ready to get to work at 9am. Nigel and Dave arrived with the tractor and all the bits and pieces needed to build the fences. The workers organised themselves into two groups, with Nigel, Dave, Howard and Barry digging the post holes, and Matt and Glen dragging the strainers and stays up from the wood pile (or losing them on the way!!).

ll the strainers in place, Dave, Matt and Glen were left to line up and hammer in the posts.

Meanwhile Nigel, Howard and Barry set off to start digging for the second fence line. Venesser, Kerry and Katrina set about bringing the strainers and stays up from the woodpile to the fence line.

Unfortunately the second fence line was not as easy as the first! The post hole digger was beaten by an underlying layer of fairly solid rock. This meant all the holes were going to have to be completed by hand.

Being confronted with such a big task lunch was declared, and since the other team had completed all the pickets, everyone congregated around the campfire for a well earned break.

After a long lunch the first team headed off to dig out the strainer holes for the second fence by hand, while the second team headed back to string the fence wire and barbed wire on the first fence.

Many hours later the second fence line had all the strainers in place ready for the wire to be strung the next morning, and the first fence was complete. Nigel finished off the day by hanging the chain on the finished fence, and locking the padlock.

After a hard days work it was back to the campfire, for (more than) a few drinks, lots of lively discussion, and a hearty meal.

A peaceful night was sadly interrupted just before 2am when a four wheel drive came through the property with the stereo blaring.

Sunday didn’t start so well…it had rained overnight, and the rain had pretty much set in for the day. Nigel and Dave once again turned up at camp around 9am and sat for a chat before starting the day’s work.

Again the workers split up into two groups, however the ladies declared working in the rain was not in their contract. While the ladies spent the day around the campfire Dave, Matt and Glen went off to hammer in the star pickets and string the fence wire and barbed wire on the second fence line.

Nigel, Howard and Barry set about starting work on the long drop. Using the tractor they dug out the hole, and after much discussion finally decided on what size the hole needed to be. They then set off up to the farm house to get the old water tank to be used as an underground frame. On returning with the tank they laid it in the hole and set about back filling to hold it in place.

The second team finished most of the second fencing, but declared the working conditions a little precarious to complete the job – they weren’t walking up and down the steep slippery hillside in the rain.

Given the weather and the amount of work completed a unanimous vote declared lunch and the workday over.

After a long lunch and a final campfire chat everyone went about packing up their gear in the rain, and mid-afternoon everyone headed for home.

The next working bee will be held on October 20/21. If you are available, please consider coming along. It is a great weekend working in the outdoors, and does much to improve the relationship between land owners and four wheel drive clubs.

Part of the erosion damage being created The signs being ignored.
by four wheel drivers abusing the property.

REMEMBER – ALWAYS RESPECT PRIVATE PROPERTY !

For more information on Dingo Dell and Tuglow Creek Caves go to www.glenreef.com.au/tuglowhole.htm.