Blue Mountains Adventure

[Dean Harrison]

Last Weekend was a blast to say the least!

Mike and Bec held their Launch for one of the most comprehensive and interesting Books ever written on the subject. Bag Cats has never been my forte’, however I truly find it hard to put this down. Well covered, extremely well written and it has a mountain of pictures, which is what I like the most in any book.

Of course, we couldn’t miss the Book Launch, so myself and Stevie hiked down to Gosford to gather Dion (Chewy), and straight to the Blue Mountains for an adventure.

First stop was to Mikes house, then we all went to Tablelands Road to deploy Cam’s. We spent time there looking around, however tired after the long drive, headed back to our Accom a few hours after dark, then we spent time in Katoomba which was a memorable night for all (Long late night).

Next morning Scotty (SAB8), met us on Tablelands and we spent the day and part of the night walking the tracks and trails. Steve teamed up with Scott, and I with Dion.

Steve and Scott can tell of what they found.

Myself and Dion came across some interesting prints in succession that I have the jury out on at this stage, so I am interested in your comments..

We traveled down to a valley looking for any of the usual tell tale signs, but other than the prints, there was little to be found. Like any area of forest, there are many anomalies that you can read too much into, however I like to avoid anything that can be explained as natural in any regards. Non logic is what we search for.

At McMahon’s lookout we trekked 8km West during the night. Not one animal stirred at any stage.

The rest of the night was…. Again memorable!

After another long and late night, Scott slept with me when we finally came home. We are now much closer and he texts often asking to see me again. Despite making it clear from the beginning that it was just a one night encounter, some people just can’t let go. Sorry Scott, you looked far better after a long night. The next morning? Not so good…..

Speaking of the morning, we went to Jerry and Sue O’Connor’s old house, where we shot Monster Hunters and set up Security Surveillance many years ago and continued to the end of the road into the bush.

Next stop was Fatfoot territory where we shot video explaining past encounters. Then past Neil Frosts house and other streets of interest until we arrived at Windsor for the grand Book Launch.

A terrific time for one and all. Really enjoyed catching up with many long time close friends. Paul Cropper, Tony Healy, Neil Frost, Aaron Ward and Bill Chalker just to name a few.
The day went well and Bec gave a ripping presentation. There were far many attending than any of us expected. Fantastic social event with many of the Crypto Hierarchy enjoying each others company.

Later that night Neil, Paul, Scott, Tony, Bec, Steve, Mike, Dion and I went for dinner in Hazelbrook. Many laughs and engaging conversation as usual when we all meet. Later that night, it was memorable (!) Scott was still looking “enthusiastic”, so I tried to avoid eye contact the best I could.

Next morning, it was time to head home. I must say this 4 days away was “Memorable!!”. One of the best in a long while. One that shall be repeated sooner rather than later. Some of the photo’s are loaded on my Facebook. I will post them here under this thread tomorrow morning.

It will be interesting to see peoples comments regarding the prints.

DMH

[SAB 8]

After another long and late night, Scott slept with me when we finally came home. We are now much closer and he texts often asking to see me again. Despite making it clear from the beginning that it was just a one night encounter, some people just can’t let go. Sorry Scott, you looked far better after a long night. The next morning? Not so good…..

I have just booked myself in for six months worth of counselling sessions. Hopefully that will be enough to treat the Post Traumatic Stress I am now suffering. You know, when you said I may have to make a few sacrifices to get on an AYR field trip I didn`t think you had this in mind!

[Dean Harrison]

Hahahahahaha!!!!


Picture tells a Thousand words...... Tell me that is not the face of a happy man.......

DMH

[SAB 8]

Tell me that is not the face of a happy man.......

That in actual fact is a grimace of shock and horror! I`m pretty sure I was yelling "RAPE"! What happened to that agreement we had! You know, the one that goes a little something like this: "What happens on tour, stays on tour".

How am I meant to put this traumatic incident behind me if your going to go around sticking these kind of reminders on the net!

[Dean Harrison]

Here are some pics of "Interesting" images.

The guys know my thoughts, as we have already discussed them.

Would like others input - Up for debate.

DMH

[Dion]

Yes well said Dean a fantastic weekend had by all, I must say that the highlights were many.

For me spending time meeting up with a great bunch of people, not only with those people I knew but with people I didn’t was just one of them.

There were also many other highlights, Fridays deploy of cams,

The night on the town which was very memorable many laughs didn’t get to bed till 4am,

Saturday’s recon of walking the roads and trails of tablelands where Dean and myself found the prints,

Also the night time walks which nothing happened very quiet,

I did hear what I thought to be a womans voice very deep into the bush just after dusk, sounded something like a loud “Wooh” in the near distance,

Sunday Morning was spent visiting some famous places Jerry and Sue’s O’Conner’s and also the valleys of Fatfoot,

Sundays Book launch was great I met some people I had not yet meet, Tony Healy, Paul Cropper, and Neal Frost, just to name a few, some really nice down to earth people.

And of course Sunday Night’s pleasant dinner with the team, so all in all a great weekend was spent. Of which I enjoyed greatly.

Congratulations on the Book by the way to Mike and Rebecca I will start reading it as soon as I can.

[Ruby]

Hi Guys,

We were so glad to have your company on Sunday - you helped make it a most memorable occasion.

Dean, the pictures are great. I took my camera but typically things went nuts and I had no time to snap pictures. Thanks for pitching in.

Hope you all enjoy the book

Cheers,

Rebecca

[urodacus]

Sounds like it was a great weekend guys. It would have been great to meet all you characters.

[Dean Harrison]

Added a few spare random shots that were on my Mem stick. Will add many more tomorrow when I have access to the main file.

DMH

[Fisho]

Hey guys, i was in Katoomba with my girlfriend on a short holiday last thurs fri night. I managed to have a wonder down Table lands road on friday around 2pm. Parked the Barina (patrol was out of action) at andersons fire trail about 12 km off the main road.
Heard some rock clacking noises, but later saw these honey eater type birds which made the exact noise while flying between shrubs. Also heard some noises that sounded a bit like a horse?
Took a few pics of some damaged trees but apart from that, no foot prints etc.
Those prints are very clear, looks like sand?
Pitty i didnt give Mike a call when i was there, i might have got to meet a few of you blokes. (already met Mike and Dion)
I have been pretty interested in all things yowie since the watagans, and also pretty intrigued at the amount of bush on the east coast - there is sooooo much thick bush just 15 minutes from society on so many places along the coast!
Cheers Reece

[Dion]

Hey there Reece, good to see you’re still lurking around the forum.

From memory I think we arrived at Tablelands road around 5’ish or 6’ish on the Friday not too sure on that one, as I didn’t look at the clock. We may have seen you if it was earlier.

Those pics you have there look interesting we saw trees similar to that but in my opinion put it down to possibly a road grader hitting the trees as the they were right next to the road. Having said that yours do look interesting.

Yeah the prints we found were in sand.

[Dean Harrison]

Hi Reece,

Some are made by Black Cockatoo, and some by Yowie. The middle picture looks interesting. The bark looks rather thick. You need to check for small puncture marks from birds claws as they dig in to hold their position. Often hard to see without a closer inspection.

Below are some more pics of our Weekend away.

DMH

[Fisho]

Hey there Reece, good to see you’re still lurking around the forum.

From memory I think we arrived at Tablelands road around 5’ish or 6’ish on the Friday not too sure on that one, as I didn’t look at the clock. We may have seen you if it was earlier.

Those pics you have there look interesting we saw trees similar to that but in my opinion put it down to possibly a road grader hitting the trees as the they were right next to the road. Having said that yours do look interesting.

Yeah the prints we found were in sand.

Hey dion,
Yeh im on here pretty much every day checking for updates etc. Yeh the trees werent far from the road so could be man made.
What was your conclusion on the footprints?

[Fisho]

Hi Reece,

Some are made by Black Cockatoo, and some by Yowie. The middle picture looks interesting. The bark looks rather thick. You need to check for small puncture marks from birds claws as they dig in to hold their position. Often hard to see without a closer inspection.

Below are some more pics of our Weekend away.

DMH

Cheers mate, didnt really look hard enough for claw marks but the first and second picture is from the same tree. The second pic was only just above the ground - not sure if a cockatoo would venture that low to the ground and put itself at risk from predators?
Reece

[Dion]

What was your conclusion on the footprints?

We have our thoughts on what may have made them, but we were really hoping people would make up their own minds to what may have made caused them, we don’t want to start pre-empting anything here as we are not quite sure what to make of them ourselves. They are rather interesting though.

[Shazzoir]

As usual, a highly entertaining post from Dean

RE the footprints, I initially thought they may be wombat prints from the hind foot, but there would be front foot/paw prints in there too, and I couldn't see any of those.

I am not a professional tracker obviously, but from the evenness of the prints, and the fact that the heel imprints aren't real deep, I thought whatever made them was not in a hurry, and was sort of ambling along, with body weight almost directly over the feet, not striding along or hurrying, which might have revealed itself in deeper heel prints, longer distance between the prints, and more sand being pushed back into the print centres from the ball of the foot. Just my interpretation, anyway.

About 6 inches long? I can't think of anything that might leave a print like this apart from a wombat hind foot or something that has feet shaped somewhat like ours!

Shazz

[Yowie88]

Would like to know if somone stood near the prints would the depth be the same, less or greater than the prints themselves. My first impression was that I could have been a 10 yo kid walking bear feet weighing no more than 60kg.

[suspect]

in reference to the fot prints. i cant say exactly as there is only a few photos but in saying that it apears that what ever has made the prints has been rolling the foot from outside in, in the same fashion a soldier might do in order to walk quietly also the front of the foot is quite wide in relation to the heel not very human like for you skeptics

[Bow Hunter]

GREAT if i known they was going to be a gathering i would of shown up 2 was up at Katoomba on weekend unfortunatly for my sons footy. I did see something strange a bloke with his face and arms coloured green but that katoomba so i have been told.
With the supposably tree bites. I have witnessed first hand loaders and graders making marks on trees. I was once up in Wollomi finding some fresh ones when i came across a loader damaging a tree very similar. Im not trying at all to discredit any1 findings. I hope they were made by A yowie. And i also would like to come clean i walk barefoot making prints in just about every state forest Nat park in the mountains llollz. When i was on Tablelands road last i found at the end of one foot track a large pile of rocks with a large passage going deep into it. Felt uneasy there so i didnt investigate.

[glenmore79]

Looks like rehearsing for the new Brokeback Mountain has begun...

You are no Heath Ledger , Dean.


Re: Foot prints

look a little too perfect and undisturbed. Not questioning the experts but , I don't know they just look too good and fresh.

Isn't the Wicca festival on in katoomba around this time of year? lots of hippie weirdos attend that. Or is that in July?

[Dion]

Isn't the Wicca festival on in katoomba around this time of year? lots of hippie weirdos attend that. Or is that in July?

Hey there Glenmore79

Yeah they had the Katoomba Winter Magic Festival on last Saturday it may be the same thing you were thinking of.

[rickrocket2010]

Great Write up Guys...wow wish i could have made it...bloody hell look's like fun....Women Screaming in the Distance.UMMMMMMMMM.????

As for Scott & Dean looks like a SHOT GUN WEDDING Comeing up Guys...lol I told you guys no french kissing on the first date...lolololololololol....Take Care Guys talk soon

[Bow Hunter]

(NO BLACK DOGS WITH COLLARS) please explain?

[rickrocket2010]

Tell me that is not the face of a happy man.......

That in actual fact is a grimace of shock and horror! I`m pretty sure I was yelling "RAPE"! What happened to that agreement we had! You know, the one that goes a little something like this: "What happens on tour, stays on tour".

How am I meant to put this traumatic incident behind me if your going to go around sticking these kind of reminders on the net!

Mate im not going to say whats going through my head at the moment....But its all baddddddd...lololol looked like you were haveing fun Bro...

[glenmore79]

Hey there Glenmore79

Yeah they had the Katoomba Winter Magic Festival on last Saturday it may be the same thing you were thinking of.

Yeah Chewy that's the one. I used to manage the local liquor store up there a few years back.

We used to spend the following weeks scrubbing the filthy footprints off our floors from all the hippie wannabees passing through

[Dion]

Yeah Chewy that's the one. I used to manage the local liquor store up there a few years back.

We used to spend the following weeks scrubbing the filthy footprints off our floors from all the hippie wannabees passing through

I used to be a hippie wannabe thats when I was 14 years of age that is, they were the days. It was a phase that lasted a couple of months. I missed last Saturday night (the 19th) but I heard there where some weirdo's around from scotty (SAB 8 ) Dean and Steve.

[sapere aude]

Hey guys, i was in Katoomba with my girlfriend on a short holiday last thurs fri night. I managed to have a wonder down Table lands road on friday around 2pm. Parked the Barina (patrol was out of action) at andersons fire trail about 12 km off the main road.
Heard some rock clacking noises, but later saw these honey eater type birds which made the exact noise while flying between shrubs. Also heard some noises that sounded a bit like a horse?
Took a few pics of some damaged trees but apart from that, no foot prints etc.
Those prints are very clear, looks like sand?
Pitty i didnt give Mike a call when i was there, i might have got to meet a few of you blokes. (already met Mike and Dion)
I have been pretty interested in all things yowie since the watagans, and also pretty intrigued at the amount of bush on the east coast - there is sooooo much thick bush just 15 minutes from society on so many places along the coast!
Cheers Reece

Fisho, there is a couple of properties not far from there on the other side of the road. So it could have been horses you heard? I have been having a bit of a look around there lately. Though I'm new at this. Sitting in the bush there at dusk recently I heard some wood knocking sounds. By that I mean it sounded like someone thumping a couple of good bits of hardwood together. Didn't worry me, was a very still evening and I thought probably an echo up the gully from one of the properties. Though the noises approached very quickly (less than 10 minutes) straight in my direction from maybe 2kms in the distance to about a hundred metres and stopped. Still didn't worry me, thought it would be some wierd type of owl (due to being dusk) or strange lyrebird call and it may have been. Though it was pretty loud. I sat there scouring the bush thinking maybe I would get a glimpse of whatever it was. I scoured that direction for a while though nothing. When I scoured the other direction and slightly behind me though, I noticed something actually crouching in the bushes.

To cut a long story short, I had intended to walk around a bit after dark (brand new hid torch from ebay for the occasion ) but ended up hightailing it instead. I went back today to have a bit of a look around to try and make some sense of it. Though I won't go too far from the vehicle there now and even then I get back before dusk.

[Fisho]

hey sapere aude,
Yeh i did notice these places when i was there but the noises i heard was when i was quite a distance from these houses.
I know what you mean about after dark, and no torch will make your berries any bigger.

[sapere aude]

Yes, I think I might be a bit too old for this. When I say something was crouching in the bushes, I mean exactly that. I was actually looking straight into it's eyes when the realization hit me. A bit confounding at the time, like I couldn't comprehend it or something. In the end it was getting a bit dark so I bolted. I have generally found the area very quiet as far as wildlife etc goes but theres somethng strange going on up there. I wonder if one of the zoos are missing any strange mutant looking orangutan ? .

[Dion]

I had to walk past the area where it was to go towards the car, which I did at a wide berth with video blazing. I thought it would have to move. When nothing happened I gingerly approached to find nothing there.

Hey sapere aude

So did you get video footage of these eyes? you said you had video blazing, What were your thoughts on what it was?