Thursday 25 November 2021 

On a day with threatening skies, seven members set off from Captain Oldrey Park in Broulee.

We started our walk by exploring a forest of Burrawang on the western side of the Park. The blackened trees were a reminder of how close the fires of 2019 came to Broulee before they  stopped by that southerly change, but the Burrawang are now prolific in this area.

We then made our way north walking the grassy tracks between the houses and admiring the gardens.

At Cullendulla drive we followed the track by the creek that took us to the Candlagan bridge to then cross to the Mossy Headland. We enjoyed spectacular sea views as we walked the grass track and then down the stairs past the boat ramp and on to the Mossy Café, where we enjoyed a well-earned coffee.

It was then walking back to the cars when the rain started but we were home dry, having enjoyed a 6.4km walk.

Jan

Thursday 25 November 2021

Sweaty group at the top of the climb

Heading off pleased there is no rain (yet)

Our first obstacle

Bob and Ed just before the climb at ‘Turnip junction’

Arriving at the top

Even Rob worked up a sweat on the climb

Rod telling a story at morning tea

Snake Gully in all its glory

The swinging tree

Rob just can’t resist approaching the swinging tree

Where did you say our leader was?

Photos courtesy of Bob, Karen G and Gay

Twelve walkers managed to squeeze a morning bushwalk in before the big rains promised this week. New Leader Peter also welcomed 3 visitors on their first BBBW walk.

We set off from Hawdons Road in Wandera State Forest just north of Moruya and followed various forest roads to Golden Gully with its creek swollen by recent rains. Then we sweated our way up a long humid climb to the top of the ridge, where we had a well-earned rest and morning tea break.

On our descent to Snake Gully, we had distant views of Moruya township and the river, bridge and surrounding farmland. Snake Gully saw us following a winding, narrow track, overgrown with lush regrowth. There, as we had seen from an earlier walk this year down Snake Gully, was ‘the swinging tree’ – still there, hanging in mid-air, having been caught by its neighbour when it fell in the fires. Rob, of course could not resist having a closer look. From there we emerged back on Hawdons Road, a stone’s throw from our cars.

Thanks to Peter for carefully leading us this walk. This, and the Broulee Ramble, also done today, were our last walks for 2021  – the walking year starts again on 17 February 2022.

Bob

Wednesday 17 November 2021

Winding along the bike track

Morning tea at the old diggings

Kangaroo Apple Flower

All looking at the camera

Double-headed Hawk-Moth caterpillar

Ascending Pollwombra Mountain

Almost at the top

Group at the trig

Fantastic scene- almost an oil painting

Lunch at Granite Creek

Strange but interesting rock formations

A great place to rest

Photos courtesy of Max, Donna, Erika and Philip

Ten walkers set out on a lovely day with perfect conditions for bush walking. The Pollwombra Circuit walk is a brand new walk in the Mogo State Forest and it proved to be a great substitute for the cancelled Narrawallee Nature Reserve hike. Surprisingly, Pollwombra Mountain, on the northern outskirts of Moruya next to the Moruya industrial area, is an area that is seldom visited by the club.

We started the walk along a well maintained motor bike trail, north of Pollwombra Mountain, which has obviously been lovingly restored by the ‘bike boys’ following the fires. The regrowth along the trail is vigorous and extensive so it was a relief to be able to walk along a track without having to watch your every step. We continued on towards Pollwombra Mountain and stopped for morning tea alongside an old trench that was obviously evidence of gold exploration activities from long ago.

After morning tea, we headed along the northern contours of the mountain. This area of the mountain is really quite something. There are stunning granite outcrops everywhere with beautiful grassy gullies and healthy burrawangs, grevilleas and banksias, to name a few. We made our way to an area where the bike track meets an old cpt. road. We have nicknamed this area ‘death adder corner’ owing to the fact that the same death adder (pregnant female) was seen in the same spot on consecutive days just a month or so earlier on previous reccies. Thankfully on this particular walk none of her offspring or any other relatives, for that matter, were sighted.

We made our way uphill towards the summit, passing by more granite boulders, some with rock orchids that have survived the fires. We also observed a large vibrant green hawk moth caterpillar on a leaf, which was well spotted by Erika. Shortly after, we arrived at the Pollwombra trig and took in some lovely views out towards Broulee to the east. The obligatory group photo was taken at the trig and then we made our way back down the mountain.

When we arrived back at death adder corner, everyone was still feeling fresh and strong so we made the decision to detour back to the cars via the beautiful granite creek. We headed along more bike tracks where eagle eyed Phillip spotted quite a large echidna crossing the track up ahead of us. We walked down to a tributary of Lynches Creek that we have dubbed granite creek, owing to its stunning granite formations, hoping that the recent rains would facilitate a good flow. We weren’t disappointed. There were a number of cascades along the creek and it proved to be a great place to have lunch.

After lunch we continued on, past the remnants of a long abandoned drug crop, basically just a water tank and chicken wire, back to the cars. All in all, it was a great day with great company.

Donna G.

Wednesday 17 November 2021

The happy little group of walkers

The remains of ‘The Bridge’ from yesteryear

Photos courtesy of Pat 

It was very pleasant walking amongst the tall trees on the Bridge Creek Track circuit led by Bob.

There were plenty of pink and white blueberry ash flowers in bloom, the pretty Rosewood shrubs in the rainforest area, had nuts opening for the birds and a couple of trees had large white arrows pointing into the bush, which mystified us.

And, of course “The Bridge” and its very old remains on the very old Durras Road was a highlight of the walk for me. The few remaining rotten main logs plus a few of the joining boards were a stark reminder of the modest means of travel all those years ago. There were also the remains of a small causeway beside the old bridge so that people could cross the narrow steep-sided creek.

We also saw quite a few remaining old tree-butts from the old-time timber-getters many years ago with their tell-tale choc-cuts on them.

The track’s soft layer of leaves and litter made for easy walking, so thank you Bob for a very nice walk in the bush.

Pat

Sunday 14 November 2021

Carol, Mike, Ainslie and walk leader, Joan

Photo courtesy of Karen

Joan had only four of us on her walk on Square Head. We felt for all those members missing out on a real gem. As we walked out to the end of the point, we had spectacular views north to Long Beach looking ‘long’, and Maloneys Beach looking ‘sandy’. At the cluster of bright yellow everlasting daisies, we returned on a parallel track with views of Batemans Bay and Surfside to the south. As we strolled along among giant Ironbarks and Burrawangs, we reminisced about all the great camps like Kay Vine’s at Wallaga Lake, and the McClintocks’ & Carpenters’ camping safari in the Victorian Alps.

Ainslie

Saturday 6 November 2021

Tom, Barry, Donna & Rob descending the first steep hill on Lynchs South Firetrail

Swamp on Wamban Creek

Rob & Tom on Lynchs South Firetrail

Wamban Creek

The helpful tree

Donna and Barry use the fallen tree to cross Wamban Creek

The second crossing of Wamban creek was a ‘boots off’ affair

Photos courtesy of Amanda

Five walkers enjoyed a sunny hike in the Lynchs Firetrail area west of Moruya, sandwiched between two rainy days. The walk starts off with some very steep hills before progressing through forest and down to Wamban Creek. The creek flats show disturbing evidence of wild pig activity. After all the recent rain we could hear Wamban Creek long before we saw it. At the crossing point, mapped out during our recce of this area months ago, we found the regrowth, rocks and fast-moving water daunting. Imagine our surprise when we looked downstream twenty metres and saw a huge tree that had recently fallen across the creek that allowed us to cross without getting wet. We had seen this tree standing upright on our recce months ago with its burnt out base and knew it would eventually fall. From the photos you can see the size and length of this giant.

Our second crossing of Wamban Creek was a lot more civilised but with no fallen trees to assist it was a boots off and wade affair. The return trek took us along an old abandoned logging road that was heavily overgrown at the creek crossing but we could still see evidence of an old bridge made with stacked logs by the foresters more than 50 years ago. We emerged onto Sugarloaf Road for a short hike back to the cars.

Great work by Donna and her recce team creating this walk.

Rob

Saturday 6 November 2021

Philip, Bob, Lesley, Erika, Mary & Stan

A lizard keeping an eye on the walkers

Back into the forest

Heading toward to beach

One of the coves south at Mullimburra

Cleaning the mud off the shoes

Looking back from Meringo

Bob and Philip

Leslie and Erika in the open bushland

Skirting Meringo Creek

Black Snake passing by

Photos courtesy of Donna, Erika and Philip

There is no question that the unpredictability of the weather this spring has certainly impacted on the Club’s walk program. As a bushwalker, if you wake to a drizzly wet morning, then you have a decision to make – head out on a bushwalk, or stay at home?

Well, on this morning 7 club members decided that inclement weather was not going to stop them. So, with raincoats in their daypacks, off they set on the first section of the Dreaming Track at Congo. The Dreaming Track, which winds its way between Congo and Tuross Head, is around 14kms long, though it can be undertaken as several shorter walks.

Personally, I enjoy walking in the bush straight after rain. The trees and plants appear refreshed and the smell of the bush is enhanced. Of course, there can also be small challenges, like the track becoming slippery or black mud building up under your walk boots. However, this is, after all, bush walking! Whether a walk is considered “easy” or “hard” any individual walker may, from time to time, find themselves being challenged. It’s accepting these challenges, big or small, as they present that help us to develop and grow as bush walkers.

As for the “rain”, well by the time we stepped onto the Dreaming Track, the clouds had lifted, and the sun was shining. Indeed, towards the finish of the walk the day had become quite warm and we were all rather grateful for the sea breeze. The return walk today was from Congo to Mullimburra Point, a 10 km walk, taking us through a variety of coastal habitats including forest of stunted black ash and rough barked apple gums, open headlands, and heath communities of flowering dagger hakea and seeding wattles.

Sighting of wildlife was somewhat limited. Though one walker, whilst taking a rest stop, felt she had seen “more than enough wildlife” as she watched a red belly black snake slither past.

After a morning tea stop at Mullimburra Point, where a sea eagle had taken to the sky, we headed back to Congo and, as promised by our Walk Leader Donna, we were back at our cars before lunch.

Mary

Wednesday 3 November 2021

Donna G with Bob in the wattle re-growth

Distinctive split rock beside the track

Extreme zoom of the red belly black snake

Granite creek

A burned teatree trying to regenerate

Photos courtesy of Karen and Donna F

Nine walkers set off on a lovely day for a brand new walk. This walk is a 10.5 klm circuit in the Mogo State Forest. It starts on Misons Road and follows bike tracks and initially travels alongside the upper reaches of Dooga Creek, on the western side of Pollwombra Mountain. Whilst this area was affected by the 2019/20 bushfires, the damage to surrounding vegetation is not as significant as found in other areas of the Mogo State Forest. There is still a substantial canopy and the regrowth is steady without being completely overwhelming and impenetrable. It is a really beautiful area that has, surprisingly, been rarely visited by our Club.

After following Dooga Creek, we headed east where we then headed up the western face of Pollwombra Mountain and then followed more bike tracks along the contour of the mountain. We walked through a lovely spotted gum forest and made our way along the northern contour of the mountain. The bike tracks in the Pollwombra area provide an excellent opportunity for hikers to navigate around the expansive granite outcrops and the views are amazing. We then headed to a beautiful watercourse which we have christened ‘Granite Creek’ owing to the granite rock surrounding the whole area. It was encouraging to see rock orchids, perched atop huge granite formations, that have survived the fires. Whilst conducting the reccie for this walk we even spotted a yabbie in the pools of this creek.

We then continued along the bike track, past the remnants if an old drug crop, a water tank and chicken wire enclosure, back to Misons Road and to the cars. All in all it was a great day with great weather and great company. Another beautiful day out in the bush.

Donna G

Wednesday 3 November 2021

Bron, Carol, Joan, Deb, Lesley and Niamh on the boardwalk platform at Cullendulla Creek

Photo supplied by Lesley

Six bushwalkers joined me for an easy 5km walk.

Meeting at Surfside, we cut through the bush reserve to the Cullendulla Creek boardwalk which runs through the mangroves.  The weather was perfect for a morning tea break and catch up on the boardwalk platform overlooking the creek.  Returning to Surfside Beach, we followed a different route via the streets back to the start.

Lesley

Sunday 31 October 2021

Sharon, our leader

The small group of walkers

Cut notch to insert a plank on which the axemen stood to fell the tree more than 80 years ago

Rob impressed with the history

Photos courtesy of Amanda

Four walkers explored the Big Bit road area of the Boyne State Forest. Being a local, our walk leader Sharon knows this area well and assembled a really interesting walk along the creeks, bike trails and old logging roads. A highlight was Benandarah Trig Station on Big Bit road which at 232m ASL provides a unique 360 degree view of the region. As our walk was on a Sunday we ran into a number of weekend bike riders. These guys were really friendly and it reminded us that their trails make great hiking routes for our club.

At lunch on one of the creeks we discovered two old tree stumps with notches made by loggers 80-100 years ago. A great hike with a historical feature thrown in to make it a great day. Thanks again to Sharon for leading this walk.

Rob