Ready to start the end of year celebrations?  It’s been a big year, notching up 80 years of walking, so hope you are looking forward to a combination of our favourite activities, walking and eating …

Join us for a Christmas circuit walk in the Macedon Ranges and lunch at the Mount Macedon Hotel, 694 Mount Macedon Rd, Mount Macedon.
There are three options: Option 1 – public transport & longer walk;  Option 2 – car-pool & shorter walk, Option 3 – self driving, no walk.

Lunch will include pizzas and an interesting selection of finger food.

Bookings are required – cost is members $18 non-members $38

We will also be presenting the Jonas Lea memorial award.

Enquiries & more details on the event page: https://yhabush.org.au/events/xmas-function-2019/
Bookings will open for members 30th September & non-members 7th October.

Annual General Meeting outcomes

Many thanks to all the members who took the time to vote either before or in person at the meeting. As a result we now have a new set of Operating Rules, which have also been approved by YHA Australia and a new Code of Conduct June 2019.

We have also changed our year end from 31 March to 31 December, so this will be a short year, ending 31 December 2019.

Our next committee meeting will be on 7 August, so if you have any burning issues, please contact us via

President: Kris Peach

Handy tip – whitelisting club emails

As our booking system notifies you of actions needed to finalise your booking by email, please check you have “whitelisted” emails from yhabush.org.au   We don’t want you to miss out on a walk because of emails going to “spam”. More help

Photos needed

If you have any great photos from our events please send them to Photos@yhabush.org.au

Upcoming events

Regent Honeyeater Tree Planting Weekend on August 10th – 11th

Have a weekend away and help plant trees to assist in restoring habitat for  threatened species like Regent Honeyeaters, Grey-crowned Babblers, and Squirrel Gliders.  More information & booking

Bunyip State Park – Post Bushfire Track Recovery 9-11 August 2019

Parks Victoria is looking for volunteers and team leaders to help with track recovery works.  More details

80th birthday celebrations on 8 September, 2019

Hard to believe, however we turn 80 this year, as does YHA Australia.  Did you know the very first hostel site was at Warrandyte?  So there is no better place to celebrate than the place where it all began. Join us for a morning tea with YHA Australia, followed by some bushwalking.  More details

It’s the annual Cake Walk, but why is leader Chris on the phone while the others look on anxiously?
Download the latest newletter, Yeti #52, to find out.(photo: John Morriss)

Happy 2019

I hope everyone has had a very Merry Christmas and is now looking forward to a new year of walking adventures.
Should you need a little motivation, try and have a chat to your fellow walkers.
From where I sit, it’s clear that everyone has a story to share and we are all the better for hearing it.

There is the story of Sharon and Rafal, who took their young children on an overnight hike along the Great Ocean Walk. It was not all smooth sailing, but their tale of preparation and determination is inspiring to say the least.

Then there’s the satisfaction of setting yourself a goal and achieving it, as Leona did on completion of a pack carry trip to Mt Cole State Forest- Beeripmo Circuit last November, reaching her target of 52 hikes a year a month ahead of deadline. These are but two of the awesome experiences shared by our members. I hope we will get to hear and share more in the months ahead.

As always, email your stories to yetieditor@yhabush.org.au

Fifi (editor)

Alternative meeting points to Flagstaff station forecourt will be trialled on some Sunday walks during the Winter and Spring 2018 programs. This is in response to occasional difficulties in getting enough car drivers at the regular CBD meeting point.  The new meeting places will be at major train stations in the direction of the start point of the walk, making it convenient for the majority of walkers to meet there. Leaders will be discouraging anyone from driving directly to the walk location unless they really do live closer to it than the new meeting point. Car-pooling will be arranged – there is plenty of car-parking at the stations, so even if you do have a car, you are encouraged to either give others a lift or leave your vehicle behind and travel up with someone else in groups of 4-5. Please take note of the new petrol-sharing policy below.

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