Sunset over Mt Kosciuszko

Just finished talks with National Parks Directors Steve Redden and Dave Darlington, about how to go through with what must be a really crazy idea……..!

The beginning of this story is a very good place to start!

Last October 2006, a local woodwind orchestra called “The Sydney Windjammers” decided they wanted to play some recently re-discovered musical pieces composed by the great war hero and freedom fighter, General Thaddeus Kosciuszko, at the top of the Aussie mountain named after him – Mount Kosciuszko, in the Snowy Mountains of NSW.

Why? Because it just seemed like such a wonderful idea!

Add a Polish Folkloric Dance Ensemble called “Lajkonik” for colour and energy, some ballads about the explorer Sir Paul Edmund Strzelecki by singer/song writer John Hospodaryk, some poetry on the subject, and what do you have?

A unique, most interesting and unprecedented event in the Snowy Mountains that absolutely captures one’s wildest imagination!

The National Grand Premiere of Kosciuszko’s rediscovered musical compositions played by The Sydney Windjammers as part of a Concert for FREE-DOM also featuring poetry, ballads, and folk dance.

The above historical event will take place at Charlotte Pass on Sunday 18th February. It is sponsored by the Polish Embassy and the Ashfield Polish Club, and is part of a series of events in a Week of Polish Culture being held in anticipation of the 170th year of Polish settlement in NSW in the year 2008.

Two years on, we will be celebrating the 170th Anniversary of the discovery and naming of the Mountain by Sir Paul Edmund Strzelecki. More cause for celebration!

We come to the conclusion that a reconnaissance mission is critical to identify and co-ordinate logistics associated with bringing to fruition this unusual event.

Initially I was supposed to meet with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) representatives on 19 January, but due to bushfires and other reasons, the date of the meeting was suddenly and without warning brought forward to 12 January. I had to “pull out all stops” to get my car repaired and serviced, and buy 4 new tyres and just go!

With two Windjammer “musos”, my husband Andrzej and I set off last Wednesday to Jindabyne, staying at the comfortable “Vaski Lodge” on the shores of Lake Jindabyne. We met up with the NPWS Directors for coffee in the beautiful Visitors Centre in Jindabyne, and explained our project plans and ideas to them. “OK” they said, “lets go and have a look, and we’ll work out what’s possible and what’s not.” They were so kind and obliging, we started to feel positive.

And this is the storey from here:

We drive to Charlotte Pass, where we jump into NPWS 4-wheel drive vehicles. Packed in like sardines, we start off on the Tourist track with our guides using special keys to remove barriers preventing vehicular use of the track. This road up to Rawsons Gap is quite narrow. At this point, we leave the vehicles, and make the remaining 1 ½ km trek on foot. The track is circular and therefore not too difficult.

The sun is shining, but a strong wind blows our caps from our heads. Everything is soooooooo dry!

We eventually make it to the top. Here we find a crowd of people, including lots of children, talking happily and taking photos at the commemorative plaque which tells you that the mountain was discovered by Sir Paul Edmund Strzelecki “Polish Scientist and Explorer.”

With Dave and Steve: summit on the summit

The wind keeps whistling around us, and I note that to play Kosciuszko’s music here, I am going to need special wind-proof microphones! Would it be wiser to use playback? How will I get the sound equipment here? And what about some members of the Windjammers, one of whom is disabled and the other of whom has a pacemaker? How do we get these people here to the summit? All of these questions keep milling around in my head. Is what we want to do, at all possible?

Suddenly, dark clouds appear to be gathering in the west, and I see lightning. Dave Darlington is anxious, because, every lightning flash, every clap of thunder, means a potential match to a haystack. Here, in the Snowy Mountains, we live from bushfire to bushfire. A dark cloud will dump a whole lot of water on you before you have time to take your raincoat out of your backpack. And when you do, it will be too late, because the sun and wind will dry you off in a few moments.

“So now you can see that the weather here is unpredictable” says one of the Directors, and we nod our heads in compliance. On the way we talk more about back-up plans and what would happen in the event of bushfire or rain, and before we know it we are back at Rawsons Gap, at the site of the “highest toilets in Australia.”

"Fairidge", builders of the "highest toilets in Australia"

Upon further discussion we find out that our proposed adventure will only be possible thanks to the building of these famous toilets by the Fairidge Company. It turns out that the work trucks which bring 8 workers to Rawsons Gap 6 days a week are the means, and the only means, by which the transfer of equipment, instruments and costumes from Charlotte Pass to as far as the Gap, becomes a possibility. We are so grateful that the project, when explained, captures the imagination of the Company’s workers, and the Company is willing to help.

[It is explained to us that rehabilitation of the Park and prevention of erosion is a statutory objective written into environmental legislation affecting the Kosciuszko National Park, and, as a result of this, vehicles were banned from the Park 30 years ago. For the same reason, the “Old Track”, which led directly up to the Summit, was closed in 1978, and a circular access route was constructed. Steel mesh walking platforms were built in sensitive parts of the access road from Eagle’s Nest to Rawsons Gap.]

Any similarities? The Kosciuszko Mound in Cracow. Photo Marcin Olesinski

Mt Kosciuszko as seen from Thredbo track

Back at Charlotte Pass, the Directors bring our attention to a timber viewing platform from which a spectacular view of Mount Kosciuszko and neighbouring mountains can be enjoyed. “You could have a Sunday concert here for the Australian Media and there would be no problem with access for any of your artists” they said. They then had to rush off, having heard that a bushfire had broken out somewhere in the Park which needed their urgent attention. They invite us back to the Visitors Centre later in the afternoon for more discussions.

And so, this is what has been arranged……..

1. Overture of Kosciuszko’s Music, at The Summit of Mount Kosciuszko - Saturday 17th February at 11am; 2. National Grand Premiere of Kosciuszko’s Music and Concert for Free-Dom - Sunday, 18th February, Charlotte Pass, 11am.

Returning back home, at Vaski Lodge, we open the doors and windows because of the intense heat and carry a table and chairs out on the balcony, thinking of all that we have seen and done, all the arrangements that have been made, and all the arrangements that still need to be made ……insurance, media releases, filming licences, all should have been done yesterday!

I have to try to get some sleep….. because the next day I am going to try and test out the walk from Charlotte Pass. Can I do it?

Ernestyna Skurjat-Kozek
Translated by Ursula Lang

Is that the flower Adyna Turno got from Paul Edmund Strzelecki?

All photos but one by Puls Polonii