It has caught my attention that people attention has been caught by the apparent rapid rise to fame of the organisation known now to those whose attention has been caught as the Blue Mountains Marathon Clinic (BMMC, or Blue Mts Striders to some). As such I thought it was time to clarify who, what, when, where and why so as to put a stop to any chances that miss conceptions or mr conceptions that may circulated on this group. Particularly given the attention the Illuminati are receiving from the documentary 'Angels & Demons". So what follows is a 'brief history' of the BMMC.
"The First Fleet, which arrived at Sydney Cove on January 26, 1788, not only bought Governor Arthur Phillip, ragged convicts, disgruntled marines, assorted animals and stores, but also Lieutenant William Dawes the first ... [BMMC member] ... He was chosen by Governor Phillip in December 1979 to make a journey into the Carmarthen Hills (the present day Blue Mountains)" Pathways to History: Blue Mountains, Greg Powell. Establishing the CHMC (now known as the BMMC), becoming its charter member and establishing the desire of all future associates to expidate themselves amongst the Blue Mountains. Dawes crossed the Nepean River leaving Captain Watkin Tench (first registered European Low Lander, Boo Hiss) behind and went straight line running towards Mt Hay getting as far as Wentworth Creek near Linden before returning to be home in time for lunch.
The second registered member of the now BMMC of significance was responsible for the recognition of other outdoor pursuits and the expansion of associates beliefs on what constitutes outdoor recreation in the endurance mind set. "Captain William Patterson of the NSW Corps in 1793 found himself on the rounded, water worn rocks at the junction of the Grose and Nepean Rivers. His task to paddle his teams whaleboats up the Grose to pass through the wonderful (his words not mine I heard) Blue Mts and out the other side. Adventure yes, risk yes, unnerving endurance and stamina yes. Success No. Success in passing that is but an infinite change in beliefs for future BMMC members on endurance yes.
In 1795 Matthew Everingham represented the BMMC in his attempt to spread the news of their existence to the Northern reaches of the Blue Mountains. His travels taking him from Richmond to Grose Vale, north to Bowen Mt then west to Mt Wilson. Reputedly doing a bit of reco for the at that time pub conversed footrace between two distinctive peaks seen up that way from the low lands. Unfortunately he ran out of gels and sports drink (combined with his fear of electrical storms) and had to turn around before he finished drawing up the map for the first every Willy to Billy.
In BMMC minds the advert proclaiming "YOUR A GOOSE WILSON" could never be further from the truth. For it was John Wilson who as a retrospective BMMC member, having seen the message passed north, had the foresight to enlist the wisdom of Australia's indigenous population to push it south into the area now labeled Wilson's Wilderness in 1799. Possibly being the first European to cross the Great Dividing range. Though other BMMC members Lawson, Wentworth & Blaxland regularly argue the point of official achievements and those that are achieved when no one else is around to verify them (eg Mr I ran the Bridges faster than anyone else 'in training').
Around 1802 BMMC member Francis Louis Barralier set him self apart in the World of Ultra Marathoners with the blattant disregard he held for statements like 'you cant get to Kanagra from Mittagong without tents and a good spot to camp on the way'. Barralier Country has and never will be the same (partly because you have to swim in now and make sure the water board don't catch you).
And the early European time period goes on with members such as George Caley taking the first recorded descent of Claustral Canyon, the classic Major Mitchell v William Cox's competition to see who could establish the largest number of new running trails all over the mountains and Thomas Junior Brennan who was so infactuated with the epic 3 peaks run that he established his homestead 'Kanagra Flat' at the junction of Whalania Creek and the Cox's River.
More recently, at the turn of the 20th century the BMMC has been blessed with the association of Australia's father and son pairing, the "eco-warriors (that) saved the nation a heritage of mountain's, forests and lakes" Senator Bob Brown. Myles and Milo Dunphy. For without BMMC associate Myles Dunphy the draughtsman and Milo who carried on his fathers work we would not have today the well mapped trails and tracks that current members call their running home.
Today great family names like Donges, Artup & Lucchetti inspire those who carry on the wishes of the colonial origins of the oldest and most retrospectively influential collective of like minded endurance enthusiasts. So please don't be frightened of voicing your association. Carry on the pride that has been taken so far into the wilderness before you. If you have the post code then proclaim it:
No Membership form
No Meetings
No Commitees to Make Decisions
Just Running In Dumphy's Dreamland.
I hope I can run next week or I will have to fill in the details from the early 20th century to today and She Who Must Be Obeyed wont like that very much at all.
3 comments:
One of the most well researched and accurate accounts of the real history of the BMMC and the Blue Mts I have ever come across, thank you Mr scam for writing a definitive early history for future generations of researchers to draw upon.
other quotes I found about this work:
- "Any serious student of local history cannot go past this piece of work", The Times Magazine New York.
- "A true must read for all local running historians", The History Channel
- "Not since the Mein Kampf has a book been so comprehensively overlooked to the detriment of so many" Anon.
Scam. That was epic.
By the way, as well as "No forms" and "No committees" isn't it also "No wimps"?
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