Wednesday 16 August 2017

Dreaming forest tracks

Mary & Stan and the Dreaming Coast

Dreaming deserted beaches

Photos by Carol and Phillip

Though dark clouds were threatening rain at our meeting point in Batemans Bay, by the time we reached the start of our walk at Congo, blue skies prevailed.  From here, fifteen walkers set off from the northern end of the “Bingi Dreaming Track” heading toward Mullimburra Point for lunch.

Traditionally these “Dreaming Tracks” or ” Link Lines”  joined places visited by local Aboriginal people whether to access campsites, trade sites, freshwater and coastal food sources.  These were often extended to connect other places utilised by neighbouring clans.

The  walk wanders through coastal habitat including, heathland, forests and lake shores.   Meringo headland offers an  excellent vantage point, not only for  views both up and down the coast, but also whale watching.  Though walkers were hoping for a whale sighting, the strong winds had whipped up a sea of “white caps” making sightings difficult.

After a pleasant 5km walk we arrived at Mullimburra point, from here we headed down to Honeymoon Bay for lunch, before retracing our steps back to the cars.   The Bingi Dreaming Track is a well signposted track and offers much for visitors to our region.

Mary

Sunday 13 August 2017

Bengello Beach

Bushwalkers outnumbered by surfing dolphins

Photos by Phillip

On a beautiful winter’s day 13 walkers set off from Broulee for a walk along Bengello Beach to Moruya Airport and back.

Travelling down along the beach we were accompanied for three kilometres by a large pod of active dolphins surfing companionably the calm conditions of the beach as we enjoyed the winter’s sunshine. Conditions couldn’t have been more perfect for realising the beauty and charm of nature we are so fortunate to have in the Eurobodalla and its pristine environment.

Reaching the wind sock at Moruya Airport we turned inland to walk through the Bangalay Eucalyptus Sand Forest along the flat shaded track back to Broulee.

We were especially fortunate on this walk to have the pleasure and privilege of the company of one of our long time members Bev Paris who first pioneered and led this walk over twenty years ago.

Phillip

Thursday 10 August 2017

Boyne Trig on Termeil Mountain

Historic Old Coach Road

Ian waiting for group to catch up

Stan and a barely there Blackbutt

About to enter the Turpentine forest

Photos by Denise & Karen M

Despite most of us being aware of Ian’s reluctance to over-rate the grade and difficulty of his walks (note – forked tongue in both cheeks), 15 presented at the meeting place to offer ourselves as lab rats and join him for the event, half expecting that we would, as usual, end it exhausted but happy.

Whether out of curiosity to experience his new walk, or to what level of exertion we could put our bodies, there was an air of expectation, because it was unlike Ian to be leading what appeared to be a walk of less intensity than his usual.   Scepticism of the grade was almost unanimous.

On setting out up the Old Coach Road, it became apparent that he was leading at a relatively relaxed pace, pausing often to provide extensive and interesting information about the particular trees in the area, and forests generally.  Giant Blue and Spotted Gum, rare Red Mahogany and later, Turpentine were features.

The views widened as we climbed, eventually achieving the top of Boyne Trig, now sharing its elevated position with a transmission tower.  Although partially obscured by trees, there were dramatic views of the coast eastwards and the mountains westwards.

More in keeping with his style, we then plunged down the side of the mountain, where as had been wagered, he remarked on the need for a hazard-reduction fire.   The worst part of the heavy litter was the chance of slips, trips and falls, but nothing serious occurred.

As we wound our way through lower forest and gullies, with Ian providing fascinating insights into the identification of species, ecology and management of forests, it became clear that this was another of his very interesting and enjoyable walks, greatly enhanced by his wide and deep knowledge of our forests, and his much appreciated generous sharing of that.   As usual, well worth the effort.   Thank you Ian.

Bob T

Here is a link to a presentation Rob L made to our January Quarterly Meeting about Topographic Maps.

Paper and Digital Topographic Maps

The link will also appear in the Mapped Walks Section of this website – password needed.

Wednesday 2 August 2017

Tracking the wildlife at Dolphin Beach

South Head forest track

Bev dwarfed by a joint burrawang and birds nest fern

Val, every bit the elegant bushwalker

Heinz’s Paper Road

Bob at Heinzs Road

Photos by Carol, Shirley & Bob M

27 bushwalkers assembled on South Head Road in the fresh rain-washed morning air to start an interesting and varied 10 km walk led by Bob T.

First stop was Dolphin Beach where Bob pointed out the many tracks left in the sand by numerous birds and animals. Morning tea was taken on a sandhill with a view of the vivid  blue ocean bordered by crashing white surf.

The group then entered park like open forest with sheoaks, swamp mahoganys, banksias and spotted gum amongst the many trees on show. Lunch at Newstead Pond was preceded by a couple of stiff climbs out of the forest to whet our appetites. Thanks Bob for an inspired bit of leading.

Bob M

Sunday 30 July 2017

McCardys Road

Carol and a big ex tree

The Leader says this is the last big hill

Wreck of the Blitz – some sort of timber hauling machinery

Photos by Denise, Carol & Bob M

On a beautiful winter’s day, 19 walkers set out on this energetic 10 km walk through the Currowan State Forest. We had the pleasant company of 4 new walkers who joined us to try out the Bay Bushwalkers on our visitor’s option.

Starting off down Blitz Road we checked out the wreck of the post war vehicle that gave the road its name, when it hauled timber up to Black Flat Road. We continued our downward ramble all the way to McCardy’s Creek where we shared another story about a dark past. Then we all walked up and up McCardy’s Creek Road and as we went higher and higher became ever less confident that our walk leader was being completely honest with us, telling us the climb we were on was “the last big hill”.

All the effort was worth it though for the views from the road all the way back to the coast and patches of the Clyde River. At one point we also found a rare spot from where it was possible to see both Gulaga and Didthul (Pigeon House).

Finally after a short drive to Nelligen we stopped for a pleasant lunch by the river and passed around lots of suggestions for future walks.

Phillip

Thursday 27 July 2017

Rare Brogo Wattle (Acacia blayana) coming into bloom

Easiest way down the hill

Bob and Val at Deep Creek Dam

Joan and Karen with native orchid in Sydney peppermint (Eucalyptus piperita)

Jane tries out hollow tree for size

The mob beside one of the Garden’s lakes

Photos by Carol & Karen M

26 members and visitors walked 7 kilometres of tracks through native bushland at the Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens last week.  The Gardens have a variety of walk tracks, which bushwalkers strung together to make a circuit from the Visitors Centre, past the Bird Hide and Sensory Garden, beside Rees Creek, around the lakes, over Deep Creek, and through Frog Hollow to the viewing platform overlooking Deep Creek Dam.

All tracks lead back to the Gardens Café and freshly made scones with lashings of jam and cream, whilst sitting in the sun watching the antics of the blue wrens and swamp hens, and enjoying the company of old and new friends.

Karen M

Saturday 22 July 2017

The navigational brains trust

Martin, Brian, Dave, Rob, Amanda & Ian at the summit

Finding a way down

Amanda & Brian admire the only feature of the walk, apart from forest, and more forest

Photos by Brian & Ian

Six BBBW members – Dave, Rob, Amanda, Ian, Brian, and guest Martin – walked to the top of No Name Mountain to see perhaps why it is named No Name Mountain.  The verdict?  Well, we’re still wondering.  But then, it was a perfect winter’s day for climbing mountains so what the hell?

We left the coastal valleys, heavy with frost, and drove to the upper Buckenbowra River area where we left the cars at 200 m asl.  After a short jaunt up a forestry road we launched into a ridgetop Silvertop Ash forest and walked up a main ridge southward to the Mountain’s summit of 720 metres.  There was no clear commanding view, only filtered glimpses of the Monga range to the west and surrounding Gollaribee, Wandera, Bolaro and Misty Mountains.

Descending a separate ridge to the east we encountered one of the few highlights of the walk, a large rock outcrop with an appropriate population of epiphytes, and enjoyed an open tall forest of Yellow Stringybark and Mountain Grey Gum.

Bouncing out onto the No Name Mountain Fire Trail we quickly lost 500 metres elevation and found our cars for the journey home.

This was a pleasantly strenuous walk, mostly ridgetop, with light undergrowth but often with a heavy litter layer.  It cleaned out the cardiovascular plumbing nicely.  Some might say scoured.

Ian

Wednesday 19 July 2017

Reedy Creek

Ferny undergrowth

Climbing out of the gully

Bob refusing to climb any more hills

Assistant Walk Leader and Donna

Casuarina regrowth over the old trail

Group by the creek

Photos by Donna and Brian

The day started well, with the sparkling Tuross River and the rolling hills along Eurobodalla Road providing some of the best scenic driving in the area.

Initially, the walk took us through knee-high undergrowth with just occasional glimpses of where a track once existed but soon we arrived at Reedy Creek, an attractive stream with sand bars and crystal clear water.

Near here, we marvelled at some impressive stands of trees, which included the Blue Box. This eucalypt is unique to the South Coast and not often seen on our walks. It is characterised by small, almost fully circular leaves. Other trees which towered above us included bark-decorated Stringybarks, Woolybutts and River Peppermints. Picking our way through increasingly open forest, we began a long, slow climb up a spur, which took us to the Tuross River Road before turning left down another spur for our descent. After lunch, the track became increasingly less distinct as the young Casuarinas became thicker and more challenging to negotiate, but we found our way back to Reedy Creek for a group photo before returning to the cars.

This was a very enjoyable walk, made more enjoyable by the light-hearted banter between the ten participants and also by the company of a local dog, who joined us near the start and stayed throughout.

This jet-black Kelpie, which some of us named “Blackie”, was very much like a modern-day incarnation of Henry Lawson’s “The Loaded Dog”. Like the canine from the story, she was good-natured and fearless, with boundless energy and a keen sense of fun.  Even more than this, she turned out to be an excellent and reliable navigator, racing in advance of the group to recce the territory ahead, then returning with a wagging tail and a look in her eye that said, “Follow me! I know the way!”

Indeed, Blackie was quickly given due respect as Assistant Walk Leader. One minute, she would be in the lead and seconds later be snapping at the heels of any stragglers at the rear. How many walk leaders do we have with the ability to be Leader and be Tail-end Charlie simultaneously?

Now I’m not saying that the human Walk Leader was superfluous. That would not be fair… Thanks Rob, for your organisation and co-leadership.

This walk is a great addition to the club’s program.

Brian

Sunday 16 July 2017

The 2 Bobs up to no good at the back

Murramarang Canoe Tree

Taken by Fred Kruger in Coranderrk Victoria in 1883, Aboriginal men in canoe

View from the headland

Isolated cove

A big turnout to enjoy this surviving piece of indigenous heritage

Photos by Carol & Karen M

A sunny crisp morning encouraged 26 members to head out with leaders Bob and Joan to make our way from Maloneys Beach into the Murramarang National Park.

The track led through attractive forest where we stopped for a morning tea break, and then made our way to a headland with fine views of the coast.

From there we headed cross country to find the promised surprise of an indigeous canoe tree where many photos were taken.  The theory is that the bark for the canoe was cut by one man standing on the shoulders of another to remove the bark with a stone axe and wooden mallet as he defined the edges with stone wedges. Bark canoes were used by Aboriginals for fishing in calm waters or for crossing rivers, and holes in the bark were patched with glue made from Xanthorea grass trees.

The group then headed back through the bush and down to the beach for lunch before returning to the Maloneys Beach via a clifftop track.  A most enjoyable walk in great company.

Joan