Wednesday 19 April 2017

After lunch at Reef Point Beach

Quiriga Beach, east of Maloneys Beach

Photos by Joan B and Philip I

An absolutely perfect day for this beautiful walk.  There were 15 walkers including a couple not seen for a while and also including a visitor.

During our recent camp to the Victorian High Country, Ian was moved to pen his Ode to Mount Buffalo

Well, hello
Beautiful Mount Buffalo
It’s been some time since we last climbed
Your slopes and rocky topped plateau

Since last, we see your forests burnt
Oh, we hope some lessons learnt
We’d hoped you were protected better
Despite the many laws and letters

The furry Alpine Ash and Snow Gums
Are sprouting from white skeletons
But though the catastrophic fires have harmed
We can see you still have charms

So we are here to walk your sights
A bunch of walkers, primed for heights
All the way from Batemans Bay
Just for you, a week to stay

You’re made for us, for we’re not baulking
Short strolls, long treks, keep us walking
Under boulders, over bridges
Even up your endless ridges

We love your waterfalls and more
To gaze on granite walls and tors
To walk your skin of snowy grasses
And weave our way through lofty passes

When near the Chalet we did look
Upon the charms of Crystal Brook
The Oval, Gorge, and just for a shiver
We even peeked at an underground river

Through the Galleries’ tunnels and cracks
Pushing through, scraping our backs
Emerging again so pleased as punch
To Lake Catani for a well earned lunch

Now time to go, your weathers test us
But we managed without much fuss
Those humid days did make us sweat
And rainy days, they kept us wet

Ye Gods, the next forecast was snow
But in the end we have to go
We’ll come again we’re pleased to say
Goodbye Mount Buffalo, till another day

Ian B
March 2017

Sunday 16 April 2017

Leader Karen M talks to the group at North Pebbly Beach

North Pebbly Beach

Rest break at Clear Point

Snake Bay rocks

Lunch on the rock platform at Snake Bay

Walkers in the spotted gum forest

‘If you go down in the woods today’ or rain forest with Ian you may see a…

Photos by Karen M, Karen C and Mary T

Twenty Nine Batemans Bay Bushwalkers chose to spend their Easter Sunday outdoors, enjoying the glories of a perfect Autumn day.  Easter celebrations mean different things to different people, but to bushwalkers there’s nothing better than surrounding themselves with the wonders of Nature.

Leaving Pebbly Beach the group trekked north along the coast through spotted gum forest, stopping to admire the small deserted North Pebbly Beach.  The track ascends over headlands with views along the coast and descends through creeks and cabbage palm gullies.  There is a fine viewpoint at Clear Point, a favourite stop for morning tea.

Then on to Snake Bay for lunch on the rocky steps watching the surf break over the headland.  Half of the group then explored a rainforest gully inland from the track before rejoining the rest of the group for the return journey.

Back at Pebbly Beach which is now a busy National Park tourist mecca with its accommodation facilities full for Easter, we tried to imagine how it used to look.  Most of the forest was cleared and there was a sawmill behind the beach.  Horse drawn trams took the logs across the dunes on wooden tram tracks to the loading facility on the northern rock platform.  There a flying fox was used to load timber onto the waiting steamers. The large pole that supported this flying fox is still on the rock platform.

Karen M

Thursday 13 April 2017

Walkers with leader Brian at Honeysuckle Bay

Oh what a view

Lunch, North Head Rockpool

Gary contemplates surf pounding into rockpool

Lunch perches at North Head Rockpool

Track meanders through fascinating twisted spotted gum forest

Emerging at Honeysuckle Beach

Photos by Donna, Karen M and Brian

This walk was led by Brian Mercer and numbered 15 participants including one visitor. The convoy of 4 cars travelled up the Durras Road then branched off on to the dirt road to North Head (road much degraded). From there we took a coastal track at about 9 am heading for Honeysuckle and Oaky Beaches.

Brian gave the group the interesting experience of “Forest Bathing”, (in Japanese “Shinrin Yoku”); for the first 10 minutes walking at a slow pace, observing nature  on right and left, in absolute silence. This took us to the magnificent lookout between North Head and Honeysuckle Beach.

The coastal track then re-joined the road between North Head and Durras which we took in the direction of North Head.  The walk  continued along the beach and rock platform from North Head  and arrived at the rock pool which had been designated for an optional swim; because of the high seas the swim was cancelled and the group stopped for lunch. An excellent walk in ideal conditions. The walk took about 3 hours and covered a distance of approx 9 km.

John M

Wednesday 12 April 2017

As a passenger in the car of Ian and Lyn as we headed for the 7.30pm rendezvous with other members at Mogo Hill, I can honestly say that the strong rain on the car windscreen as we drove through Batemans Bay caused murmurs of possible disappointment if the walk needed to be cancelled.   HOWEVER, on arriving at the rendezvous point at Mogo Hill in the darkness there was not a drop of rain to be seen and happy smiles of relief.  Very soon two cars arrived from the Mogo group and 10 happy night walkers with very good torches began the first ever unique night walk in the club’s history.
As we walked we were advised to shine our torches into the tall tree tops with hopeful sightings of creatures of the night, amongst the hopes were a possible wombat, possum, quoll and owl.  And we were not disappointed because after walking down into a gully and then on the upward track the group were rewarded with sighting of pairs of small red eyes high in the tree canopy – all up four greater gliders, some micro bats, a couple of large flying foxes and a fascinating group of luminous white fungi on a tree stump seen clearly when all torches were switched off.

The walk concluded back at the cars where everyone switched off torches and enjoyed supper in the quiet, peaceful stillness of a moonlit night under the stars.  Thank you to Ian for this most enjoyable night walk.
Joan B

8 April 2017

Morning tea on Don Moir

Telegraphic Post

Dam and pump

In the Spotted Gum forest

Look out, leaning tree

Philip, Erika, Charles, Heather, Donna and Karen at lunch on Kioloa Beach

One giant leap for mankind (Mike) Steady as she goes (Ainslie) Karen watches on

Photos by Donna F, Erika and Mary T

The Saturday walk this week was a revised version of Don Moir Hill. Due to wet conditions the previous week, the start was from the north end of Kioloa Beach .

19 walkers set out with leader Mary T through the ANU Research Station facility to meet up with the track to Don Moir Hill. The main feature, other than views across the forest and rocks to the sea is an old Telegraphic Post from WWII. The stonewalls remain with a couple of posts. Morning tea was enjoyed from the elevated spot before the descent to continue our walk through pretty winding bike paths to the back of the village and onto the beach. Lunch was on the rocky outcrops or the sand. Fortunately the sun was slightly covered by high clouds and a light breeze blew to maintain a pleasant temperature.

The final stretch of our walk was via a ‘hop and jump’ across the water inlet and along the beach to the cars.

Thank you once again to the ANU for permitting our passage through their property. A walk to definitely keep on our calendar for the future.

Mary T

Sunday 2 April 2017

See anything Bob?

Philip, Leader Dennis and Denise

The bash to the creek and lunch

A shelter if needed

A shady spot to rest awhile

Photos by Mary T

The walk on Sunday was to the Coles Creek area led by Dennis assisted by Nancy. 8 club members set out in mild conditions for the drive north of Milton. Once we left the cars the track into the creek area deteriorated rather badly and the first point of interest was a large sinkhole right in the middle of the track. We all agreed that with crumbling sides, driving a vehicle any further would have been very foolish.

We soon left the relative comfort of the forest road to bash our way along and through the vegetation above the creek to the second area of interest, a good sized overhang of rocks, an ideal spot to shelter had it been raining

We continued along the same contour lines to a pleasant rocky spot overlooking the flowing creek where lunch was eaten. After consultation with the map it was decided that our return to the car would be possible by crossing the creek and climbing a fairly gentle incline to the track where our cars were parked.

Thank you Dennis for another interesting club walk.

By Mary T

Wednesday 4 April 2017

Watching the army of crabs on the Boardwalk

Lunch at Batehaven playground

Photos by Erika and Mary T

12 Bushwalkers led by the very capable leader, Karen started our walk at Cullendulla.

We made our way around the boardwalk viewing the tiny army of crabs in Cullendulla Creek, back to Surfside beach and walked down the beach, around the rocks to the carpark at the bridge where we had morning tea.

We did not time our walk well across the bridge, Innes boat decided to make its way up the river so we had a short wait while the bridge opened, no one complained just enjoyed the views. In no time we found ourselves walking along Corrigans beach, finishing the 11km walk at the newly constructed children’s playground at Batehaven, where we had lunch. All enjoyed the walk and pleased we did not get rained on, thank you Karen.

Lesley

25 March 2017

Bob, Carol, Denise and Simeon at Surfside Beach

Photo by Joan

After recent days of uncertain weather with afternoon downpours but on a clear lightly overcast morning there were five walkers keen to get out and about on the walk led by Bob and Joan.  Beginning from the car park at the bridge the group began the walk along the shoreline behind the caravan park and on to the sand around to Surfside Beach where many uprooted casuarina trees were seen left as the result of high and rough seas.  Also surprisingly there was a large group of seagulls and sooty oyster catcher birds relaxing together on the beach to entertain those passing by.  Morning tea was enjoyed on the boardwalk seating area as several black swans were seen in the distance and also very much closer the antics of the many many little crabs which live in the mangroves of that part of Cullendulla Creek.

22 March 2017

Barbara, Joan and Denise rock scrambling on Broulee Island

Photo by Bob B

Sunshine and high spirits surrounded four intrepid walkers led by Barbara as they left Broulee Surf Club and headed up the hill to the viewing platform of the coastline south towards Moruya Airport and beyond. The gentle walk then proceeded to the beach and along to Broulee Island which fascinated us with the surrounding rock formations. As the morning advanced so too did the temperature and the four intrepids voted to enjoy the invitation by Barbara to have our lunches on her home back deck complete with a magnificent view of bush, ocean and island. Thank you to Barbara for telling of the fascinating history of the island and for a most enjoyable walk.

Joan