Mapping the Blue Labyrinth - Harry Whaite

[Allchin09]

I was reading through some old bushwalking magazines today, and came across this article on page 50 of "The Bushwalker - 1940" - http://www.bushwalking.org.au/bushwalki ... Annual.pdf

It is called "Mapping the Blue Labyrinth" is it talks about how some members of the Warrigal Walking Club were going about mapping a large section of remote bush that hadn't been properly mapped before. It's quite interested to read how detailed the techniques used to obtain accurate positions through triangulation with compass, and I liked their method of naming features. It sure makes you think how much easier the whole thing is these days with GPS and aerial photography!

A question I do have however is, does anyone know if they actually ended up producing a map, or was the exercises more of a survey of the land? It would be great to have a look at the map that was used in their work!

[icefest]

That's the second article I've been linked to about Thoreau in the past 15 minutes. (Page

I'm flabbergasted.

Regarding the article:

I'm surprised they managed even without a theodolite...

[jonnosan]

Katoomba library (and other places as well perhaps) has a book called "History of the Blue Labyrinth" by Bruce Cameron which also describes this mapping activity. My hazy recollection from that book is that before they got around to publishing their map, the defence dept had done an aerial survey and created decent topos rendering their work superfluous.

[DaveNoble]

Katoomba library (and other places as well perhaps) has a book called "History of the Blue Labyrinth" by Bruce Cameron which also describes this mapping activity. My hazy recollection from that book is that before they got around to publishing their map, the defence dept had done an aerial survey and created decent topos rendering their work superfluous.

Bruce Cameron's excellent book will be reprinted soon (and much revised and extended). It should be out later this year (mid year?)

Harry Waite worked for many years as a volunteer at the Environment Centre, looking after their library, back in the 1970's. He was a very nice bloke. I know he had to give up active bushwalking when he was about 85, when he knees started playing up. He passed away a few years back. Perhaps his information was passed on to Myles Dunphy? (he was a friend and lived nearby. Myles called Harry a "Greek scholar") Myles did produce a Blue Labyrinth map (in several versions) - and the information was later incorporated into the official "Blue Labyrinth" map published by the Lands Department in the 1960's. This map had lots of names and features, but no contours (it used hachures for the ridges).

Dave

[Allchin09]

Sounds like I'll have to get a copy of the new book when it comes out.

Dave - I had a look at a Blue Labyrinth map drawn by Myles that you mention, dated 1961. It shows all of the watercourses for the area, but it isn't contoured or hachured, except for major cliff lines such as those of Narrow Neck and Mt Solitary. There are however named Mts and hills indicated in region south of the Highway between Wentworth Falls and Woodford. Maybe these were the result of Harry Whaite's efforts? This map I think was more of a place-names map, then a bushwalking / topography map. Is this the one that you are referring to, or was there a different one drawn?

[juxtaposer]

Harry never finished the map that was intended. I spoke with him several times about this, he said he was more interested in the process than in any finished product. He got as far as a roughly contoured sketch map of the western side of The Labyrinth only; Bruce Cameron is familiar with this and there is a good chance it will appear in the forthcoming revised edition of his book.

[Allchin09]

Looks like Bruce Camron's revised book is being released on the weekend - http://www.bmwhi.org.au/wp/?p=1650

[JenniferMay]

I am Harry Whaite's daughter. Before his death I taped his life story for the family. He said that at the beginning of WWII the politician W. C. Wentworth, worried about a Japanese invasion. wanted the Blue Labyrinth mapped. He approached the various bushwalking clubs and asked that members who were not serving in the Armed Forces for help. Dad said that most of the volunteers for this quickly lost interest, but he and his friend, Jack Gibson, continued with the project.
One result of this is that there are Mounts Whaite and Gibson near each other just out from Wentworth Falls. Dad named Mt Gibson after Jack and Jack named Mt Whaite after Dad, as neither would have been crass enough to name a mountain after himself. Jack got the higher mountain. They named another mountain after a third member of their party, but then decided that he hadn't done enough work, so withdrew that name.
Then, according to Dad - the Army came in and mapped the area so they never had to finish their work.