AFTER 50 years of advocating for the environment and bushwalking, the Ulitarra Conservation Society (AKA Coffs Coast Bushwalkers) wound up at the end of last year.

The group’s name came from Ulitarra, the all-powerful Aboriginal guiding spirit who created the Gumbaynggirr nation.

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Abusing the environment is said to invoke the wrath of Ulitarra.

Members of the Ulitarra Conservation Society began bushwalking together in 1980, exploring local parks and wilderness on a diverse range of walks and campouts.

In the 1990s they published ‘Making Tracks’, a guide to walks in the Coffs Harbour area and beyond.

Stephen Filewood joined the Society in 1986.

He said that, over the years, the Society campaigned for the establishment of Bongil Bongil National Park, Solitary Island Marine Park, Coramba Nature Reserve and the Ulidarra National Park at Sealy Lookout.

Society members also campaigned for the Botanic Gardens to be established and some of the Society members were inaugural members of the Friends of the Gardens.

They planted koala feed trees in Toormina and formed the Jetty Dunecare group where volunteers worked on restoring the degraded and weed infested Jetty foreshores.

They also helped establish the Coffs Harbour Landcare group in 1998.

Mr Filewood remembers when there were water restrictions in the 1990’s and there was a proposal to install wells south of Sawtell.

He said that the Society President asked “Why not just raise the dam wall at Karangi?” and this is what eventuated.

Mr Filewood said, “Ulitarra was originally set up as a local conservation group, but has essentially been operating as a walking group for a number of years.”

Many of the new Coffs Hikers are former Ulitarra Conservation Society and Coffs Coast Bushwalkers members, who continue to explore the bushland trails around the Coffs Coast.

Mr Filewood said that because hiking had become the focus of the Society, “It seemed easier to wind it up and form a new hiking group.”

The Society’s remaining funds were donated to the Friends of the Botanic Gardens for a mutually-agreed project.

Information about Coffs Hikers can be found on their Facebook page.

By Andrew VIVIAN