Tales from our Heritage:

Glasshouse Mountain Record Climb

In June 1952, the news story read – A small team of Rovers have established a new record climbing three of the Glasshouse Mountains.  Three members of the Sandgate Rover Crew, Jack Webber 20 (on left), Stan Franz 20 (in middle) and Angus Dickson 21 (on right), set out to break the record for climbing the three peaks in the darkness of night – Mt. Beerwah (552 m), Mt Crookneck (356 m), and Mt. Tibrogargan (353 m).

After hitch-hiking up to the Glasshouse Mountains from Sandgate, the party commenced the climb at 9pm first climbing to the peak of Mt Beerwah where they lit a flare which was answered by lights from neighbouring farmhouses.  After descending Beerwah, they hiked across to Crookneck which they then ascended.  They signed the log book which was at the peak of Crookneck prior to then advancing to their final climb of Tibrogargan.  The Mt Crookneck (Coonowrin) log book which was signed by climbers is now exhibited in our Heritage Centre at Baden-Powell Park.

Their records of the trip state – It was hellishly cold; the going was a bit tough as the boys were getting weary at times; and the westerly wind made progress a little harder.  They were assisted with the brightness of the moon until it set whilst they on the last peak of Tibrogargan and therefore had to complete their adventure descending this last peak by torchlight.

The previous record had been set by three University students; the Rovers succeeded in beating this record by 55 minutes completing the adventure in 7 hours 35 minutes.  The Adventure in Scouting continues today.