Wednesday 1 June 2022

4WDs in action

On the Zig Zags

The Destination

Brian and Tom on the flat

Morning tea views

Heading Up

Leading the way

The Stairs

The Summit- a trifle windy

Photos courtesy of Amanda, Helen, Tom, Gay and Peter

Finally the day dawned sunny and bright and after a couple of postponements the long awaited walk to the top of Pigeon House Mountain was happening. Eleven walkers met at the Batemans Bay car park on the north side of the bridge and on stepping out into the morning air, realised that it was a little chillier and windier than we had first thought.

With recent National Park alerts recommending four wheel drives for the road into Pigeon House, we set off in three appropriate vehicles. About five kilometres from Pigeon House, the road deteriorated in sections. It was muddy and looked very slippery and boggy, but our three trusty 4wd drivers and vehicles got us safely through. Passengers could clearly be heard breathing a sigh of relief!

After the dramatic entry, everyone was keen to get going on the track to the top of Pigeon House because it was cold and the wind chill made it feel colder. Didn’t take long to warm up! The first part of the track now zig zags for about 1 km and then we hit the ‘big’ steps. Morning tea was a welcome stop but only brief. We were rewarded with a nice long flat section along the ridge stretching out our legs and then it was time to tackle the steps. Just when you think you are at the top, there’s more…. They are relentless, as one walker was heard to mutter!

Spotting the ladders was a relief. Those with gloves easily tackled the 13 ladders as those hand-rails were bitingly cold. Note to self – pack gloves next time!

Views from the top of Pigeon House are spectacular. While it had now clouded over somewhat, we could clearly see Montague Island in the south. But did I mention the cold – it was now 8 degrees with the wind chill factor bringing that down dramatically, so while the views were spectacular we did not stay long on the viewing deck.

We retreated to the bottom of the ladders for a spot of lunch then it was time to head back down the track. Despite the chilly conditions, we all enjoyed getting back out on the tracks again. Oh and yes, our drivers got us safely back out through the muddy slippery ruts!

Gay

Sunday 29 May 2022

Coila Creek cascade

The only way through is to crawl

Magnificent Sydney Red Gum (Angophora costata)

One of the many unusual fungi found in the damp leaf litter

Mauve coral fungus

Another magnificent tree – spotted gum (Corymbia maculata)

Photos from Amanda and Helen

On an absolutely sunny day (a rarity in this La Nina period) 7 walkers visited Upper Coila Creek for a 13km hike. This area did not get burnt in the fires of 2019-2020. It did however enjoy the heavy rains we have experienced since that event and strong growth of the understorey vegetation was expected. A reccie earlier in the week found two of the gullies on the route to be overgrown with head high wattles and weeds so we changed the walk route to avoid this area. This is a Bob T walk created about 15 years ago and follows old & abandoned logging roads, motor bike tracks and about 1 km of the Upper Coila Creek stream bed.

No one, walkers or bikers, have been in this area since before the fires and pandemic lockdowns so we were pleasantly surprised to be able to find the motorbike tracks covered with debris but visible for walking. Hazard reduction backburns by the Forestry Corporation in 2018 along K-Ridge and H-Ridge roads made hiking in this area pleasant with few weeds and open understorey vegetation.

With all the rains we have had in recent months Coila Creek and its tributaries were all flowing well and very photogenic. The warm weather brought out the birds who were noisy the entire walk. I counted five lyre birds who added to the diversity of bird songs during our walk. Ian noted that this is an area of very diversified forest and I gave up counting major tree species at 10. Helen was frequently stopping to photograph fungi which are enjoying the warm moist conditions especially in the well shaded areas along the creek lines.

We all agreed it was good to get out into the forests west of the Princes Highway for a walk that had a little bit of everything that makes us enjoy hiking.

Rob

Thursday 26 May 2022

With the big old Bangalay (Eucalyptus botryoides) on Burrewarra Point

Stopping for views on the Point

Old Man Banksia (Banksia serrata) forest

Big black rock in Guerrilla Bay

New steps to Nuns Beach

Rounding the point at Jimmies Island

Lunch on Guerrilla Bay beach

Photos by Mary, Donna, Bob & Karen

The Guerilla Bay to Rosedale walk is an 8.5 km Easy/Medium grade return hike along the gorgeous Eurobodalla coast, best done at low to mid tide.

It starts at Burrewarra Point in Guerilla Bay and passes the concrete Nissan Hut used as a radar station by the Airforce in WWII; the seal colony viewing platform which also gives views north to Didthul (Pigeonhouse Mountain); and the lighthouse and trig at the end of the point.  Following the track back along the southern side of the point, it winds through waist high lomandra and groves of old man banksias (Banksia serrata), with low bushes of native fuschia (Correa reflexa) just bursting into flower.  Here there are also views south to Gulaga (Mt Dromedary) and beyond.

Heading to Guerilla Bay Beach and its distinctive black rock in the bay, known in the local language as Guarella (meaning big rock), the track then ascends the headland, skirts the newly fenced private property and drops down to a small sandy cove.  This is a tranquil spot to take a break and enjoy the isolated setting between the 2 villages of Guerilla Bay and Rosedale.

The track then ascends a second headland and drops again to another small sandy cove called Nuns Beach.  This was named after the Nuns’ Retreat cottage overlooking the beach, owned by the Sisters of Goulburn as accommodation for holidaying nuns between 1965 and 1979.

Then it is a short easy rockhop around the point at Jimmies Island to South Rosedale Beach. The walk heads inland on local tracks off the beach, up the hill and through the very soggy gully at Rosedale. It’s hard to believe that Rosedale was once a farm with widespread clearing of the bush for grazing at both South and North Rosedale.  Today the area is a subdivision tucked into spotted gum forest.

To return we retrace our steps back over the headlands and follow a couple of different local tracks along the clifftops through Guerilla Bay back to the start.

Karen

Saturday 7 May 2022

Lookout over Broulee Beach

Remains of shell grit wharf

Overgrown bush on the island

Grave site

Elizabeth Malebar’s headstone

Photos by Tom and Elizabeth

Seven club members braved an early chilly start to do the Broulee Island Grave walk. Setting out from the Broulee Surf club we made our way along Shark Bay beach to the Island.  While it is still referred to as an island it has not been so since 1988.

The tide was low so good time was made crossing balsalt rock rather than having to traverse a pebbly path. Morning tea was had near an old 1920s site for shipping out shell grit with views to North Broulee beach and across towards Mossy Point and Guerilla Bay.

Since the club last did the walk to the Grave there has been considerable regrowth and many trees downed in storms. As a result paths were not readily visible and there was quite a bit of bushbashing to reach the Grave of Elizabeth Maleber, who died in 1842 making it one of the oldest grave sites on the South Coast.  Her husband was a sea captain who operated the punt on Moruya river. Much of the attraction of the grave and the island is its colourful  history. A hotel, built there 1840-1841 by Captain Oldrey, was leased by an Irishman called Macauley. He named it the Erinn go Bragh  (Ireland Forever). The hotel was dismantled and moved to Moruya following a huge storm which opened up the mouth of the Moruya River making it the preferred port.

Karen

Wednesday 4 May 2020

Billys Hut disappearing into the undergrowth

Billys stone wall pioneer hut

If you didn’t know it was there, you’d walk right past it

A break by Currowan Creek

Billys Hut crew

Photos by Max & Karen

Thirteen club members were on Pat’s Billy’s Hut walk held on a lovely sunny day.

The bush was very pretty in the sunlight, amongst the variety of bird calls.  The track has been quite eroded due to all the rain we’ve received, and combined with the post fire regrowth, it eventually required a bit of careful picking our way through the high regrowth down to the beautiful creek.

Once over the creek it was just a little more regrowth and then we were up beside Billy’s Hut.

The stone walls of the hut had been washed clean with all the rain and looked suitably interesting for a 140 year-old remote stone hut.  It conjured up many interesting theories of how Billy lived for so long on his own,  what he ate etc, and did he find any gold worth his while …….

After morning tea we moved on up towards the fire trail and road and back to our vehicles. On the last stretch back, we inspected a small copper-head snake that had unfortunately been run over.

Pat

Sunday 1 May 2022

Crossing a very muddy Lemon Tree Creek

Not so much a mud puddle – but a mud lagoon

… requiring deft feet!

Up through the trees

Niamh, Phil, Rob, and Ed discussing – take the road or get wet feet on the side track?

…decided to take the wet side track!

Photos courtesy of Karen McL. and Peter

Thirteen bushwalkers enjoyed a beautiful autumn walk on an 11 km circuit around Lemon Tree Creek near Lake Tabourie.

There was plenty of evidence of recent heavy rain in the large puddles which we carefully skirted, but we still managed to collect our fair share of mud. This did not dampen spirits as the forest, also benefitting from the rain, was lush and green, and enhanced with the appearance of the first wattle flowers. There were a couple of unexpected obstacles on the track, which were easily overcome with some bushwalker teamwork.

Thanks to Philip for leading us safely through a lovely section of bush, despite the muddy puddles.

Bob

Wednesday 27 April 2022

Max, Ian, Sharon and Nancy heading out under cloudy skies

Max and Nancy full speed ahead

Sharon and Nancy nearing the rain forest

Max and Nancy in rain forest area

Sharon disappearing into the rain forest

Photos courtesy of Mary

The paddle group is back on the water again after a long hiatus!

Five members of the paddle group met at Quota Park in Narooma to paddle the Wagonga Inlet. The day started out cloudy with the chance of rain but the by mid morning the sun was shining. With no wind, the Inlet water was like a mirror reflecting the trees and patches of brilliant green on lawn like paddocks running down to the water’s edge.

The Sea Eagle was sighted soaring on a thermal and Ian spotted an eagle’s eyrie high in a large tree by the water.

We covered about 9 km around the inlet and took a break on the way to view the small area of Rain Forest, home to a colony of Flying Foxes. Ian and Sharon walked into the forest on fairly good tracks guided by the chatter of the Flying Foxes to see them hanging in the trees.

Lunch was on a grassy peninsula in the sun. We hope to see more of the group on the next paddle on Monday 9 May when we will navigate from Moruya to Yarragee. If any members would like to join us, contact me, Mary as the ‘Paddle Coordinator’.

Mary