Illawong Nature Sanctuary/Bangalay Sand Forest Trail, Broulee

Thursday 24 October 2024

Photos courtesy of Gay.        Walk report courtesy Walk leader Gay.

Ten Members and two visitors joined me for the Easy grade walk through the village of Broulee to the Bangalay Sand Forest and Illawong Nature Reserve. Though it could be argued one visitor is not really a visitor? Kay V, a member of the club some years ago has returned to the Eurobodalla and it was a pleasure to meet her today. Perhaps Kay has not walked for some time though, as her boots were disintegrating before our very eyes. One sole fell off before we left the car park, but duct tape came to the rescue.

First stop was the Bangalay Sand Forest tucked in behind Captain Oldrey Park and the netball courts. These sand forests are an endangered ecological community, existing within a few kilometres of the sea on freely draining sandy soils at altitudes below 100 metres. Morning tea was enjoyed in the middle of the little forest and although we noticed several bird boxes up in the trees, no activity was seen. It was all happening down below, as Kay’s other boot decided to lose its sole and Barry and Stan came to the rescue with yet more duct tape!

As we left the Sand Forest a small Echidna was spotted and tried its best to hide from us, but failed. Onwards to the Bower, which is the home of the Illawong Nature Sanctuary and a 2.2 km walk that circumnavigates the Bower property. This is classic Eurobodalla coastal woodland of eucalypts and casuarina and supports a bird community of nectar-feeders. After passing the Illawong wetlands, we turned onto the back straight only to be greeted by a lady on a quad bike on a neighbouring property. She informed us that she was doing a “Weed Check” and was happy to report she had not found any weeds!

On the final section we were greeted by the Bower horses and spotted a large nest in the nearby Mobile phone tower. (Well to be honest, we were given the tip by our friend on the quad bike.) No raptors spotted on this occasion.

To leave the Bower property we followed a sandy track which runs parallel to George Bass Drive. A bit more shady and kept us away from the busy road. The final leg of our 7.5km walk took us along a pretty little local track skirting the banks of Candlagan Creek.

Happy to say Kay’s duct taped boots survived the walk, though we all wondered how she was going to get them off?

A Big Thank You to the owners of the Bower, for once again allowing our Club to complete the Illawong Walk.

Termeil Mountain

Saturday 19 October 2024

Photos courtesy of Amanda and Rob. Walk report courtesy of Walk leader Rob.

The Termeil Mountain Walk is a great opportunity to see vegetation species not seen further south in the Eurobodalla Shire. Five club walkers enjoyed a sunny walk up Old Coach Road to the Communications tower through forest of Turpentine, Sydney Blue Gum and Spotted Gum.

The walk up the ridge line offered great views to the west and east to the coast. The 2019 fires hit this area pretty hard and we could see black burn scars 10m up many trees. We chatted to a local who lost his home on the ridge top and has rebuilt a shed and has plans for a bunker in the side of the hill. From the photo you can see they have already cleared the underbrush in anticipation of the next fire season.

We then used on old abandoned CPT road to come down the mountain to the lower slopes where our walk took us through a rainforest of very tall Turpentine, Sydney Blue Gums and palm trees. When out walking in the forests we are surprised to meet people so you can imagine our shock as a large rottweiler came racing down the track barking furiously at us. We froze on the spot assuming and hoping an owner would be coming soon to control the beast. She arrived shortly and assured us he was friendly. Tell that to my racing heart.

Kioloa to Bawley Point

Sunday 13 October 2024

Photos courtesy of MaryT.      Walk report courtesy Walk leader MaryT.

A beautiful, warm, sunny day with a light sea breeze was enjoyed by 10 members and 2 visitors for the walk from the boat ramp at Kioloa along the beaches, headland and rock platforms to the picnic area at Bawley Pt. A car shuffle was required as this was a one way walk of 9km.

The group walked along hard sand at low tide covering Kioloa, Shelly, Racecourse, Murramarang, Gannet, Cormorant and finally Bawley beaches. At the end of each beach there was relief from the sand as we made our way through sand dunes to headland tracks and then to the extensive rock platforms that are a feature of this part of the coast line. The track passes through the Murramarang Aboriginal Area where a number of interpretive signs explain the importance and history of the area.

High lights of the day was a sea eagle gliding above us during our morning tea stop and then in a bay below the Trig station, which is the start of our last rock platform, a mother whale and her youngster were spotted. They put on a spectacular display of breaching and tail thwacking, for me the longest time I have seen such an exhibition. I can only think this may have been because the youngster needed more lessons and practice? Two other whales had been spotted earlier further out to sea. Lunch was at Bawley Point picnic area before the drivers retrieved their cars for the return drive to the Bay.

Murramarang, Big Tree, Coast Circuit

Thursday 10 October 2024

Photos courtesy of Brian, KarenG and KarenM. Walk report courtesy of Walk leader KarenM.

It’s always a good bushwalk when the sun shines, the weather’s cool and the Leader doesn’t get lost. That’s how it went on Thursday for our Medium grade 12km excursion through a section of Murramarang National Park south of Durras.

Leaving the village we took a network of local tracks through some gorgeous forest to find the Big Tree – a huge spotted gum spared by early-day loggers. On through more forest tracks to North Head Road, where we then turned toward the coast. After having lunch above Dark Beach – where there was a whale slapping his flipper just offshore – we joined the Murramarang South Coast Track and headed back towards Durras village.

Although it is a well used and signposted public trail, this is the most confusing part of the walk. Local tracks crisscross the coastal strip and signposting is less than adequate. Fortunately, we had made all of our mistakes on the reconnaissance, so this time we easily found the well hidden lookout over Wasp Island and the steps leading down the cliff to Mill Beach and on back to the cars.

Corang Arch Pack Walk

8 – 11 October 2024

Photos courtesy of Philip, Erika and DonnaG. Walk report courtesy Walk leaders Gavin and Denise.

Nine walkers and a camp manager (thank you Tony) met on the afternoon of Tuesday October 8th at the Morton National Park Wog Wog Campground.

We were surprised to see some 10 other cars in the campground. These represented walkers who were out in the Morton National Park somewhere. Dinner was enjoyed around a fabulous campfire that Tom had constructed. Day light savings resulting in extra daylight in which to debate our departure time the next morning.

On Wednesday it was 8.30 for a 9 o’clock departure with everyone feeling the weight of their packs filled with tents, stoves, water and food. The walk to our camp spot at Burrumbeet Caves was 15km. We summited Corang Peak after lunch and climbed all over Corang Arch making Toyota (jumping for joy) ads in the afternoon.

We arrived at camp around 4pm and after some scouting around, found good flat tent spots in among the conglomerate outliers and waist high bush. The towering cliffs of the Burrumbeet Brook Valley surrounded us. We did our best to stay up until 7.30 but once the sun left the valley the temps dropped and so did we.
It was a chilly 4 degrees overnight and we stirred around 6.30 to find the valley blanketed in fog. At 8.30 we left our packs and walked further up the valley to the main Burrumbeet Cave. It was empty of people, but we all agreed that it was not suitable for a group our size to camp in.

Around 9.30 we picked up our packs and headed back to the Wog Wog Campground the way we came. We arrived around 3pm to find the camp manager had done a super job of keeping the home fires burning. Our final night was spent telling tall tales around the campfire.

Highlights of the walk were the spectacular arch, the remoteness of the area, the palpable presence of our indigenous ancestors and the magnificent floral display of spring flowers. Despite the number of cars in the carpark, we only came across a few other walkers along the way.

Cyne Mallows Creek Paddle

Monday 7 October 2024

Photos courtesy of Max. Paddle report courtesy Paddle leader MaryT.

A subset of the Batemans Bay Bushwalkers is the paddle group, and the promise of warmer weather marked the return of the paddle group to the local waters. Nelligan was the launch site for six members and one visitor.

The first outing was into Cyne Mallows Creek, a mostly sheltered part of the Clyde River. After leaving the wider entrance to the creek at a rising high tide, we were able to meander most of the way up, where we had morning tea, and then back along to explore another short arm of water. So enticing was the high water, we ended up paddling 16 km; rather longer than programmed and a little challenging for our first day back in our kayaks.

On our return to Nelligan the wind picked up making the waters somewhat choppy, but the group rose to the challenge and upon our return the cars were a welcome sight.

Maloneys Beach to North Head Beach – Return

Wednesday 2 October 2024

Photos courtesy of Helen and Max.       Walk report courtesy of Walk leader KarenM.

Our mid week walk was a 9km Easy/Medium stroll through the southern section of Murramarang National Park. We wove our way through shady forest, enjoying the flowering grass trees and filtered sunlight. The track passes 2 isolated coves, and several lookout points over the ocean with views back to Batemans Bay.

This area of the National Park is much easier to negotiate with the recent building of the Murramarang South Coast Track. The stairs leading straight up the cliff at Maloneys Beach make access to Acheron Ledge a breeze and there is now access through the old Judges property and across to North Head Beach.

Tarourga-Brou Lakelands Walk

Sunday 29 September 2024

Photos courtesy of MaryT and Tom. Walk report courtesy of Walk leader DonnaG.

Nineteen walkers set off on a nice day for this new walk. We started from Tarourga Road and headed along forest tracks towards the southern side of Tarourga Lake. Along the way an unexpected tree down, along a washed out ditch, made for some interesting manoeuvres to get to the other side. However, everyone made it through unscathed, which is always a bonus!

We made our way to the southern edge of Tarourga Lake after our morning tea and headed for the coastline. An old scooter parked nearby provided a very real temptation for me, the leader, to quicken the pace of the walk however maturity (kind of) and sensibility (sort of) prevailed so the scooter was left where it was found.

After a short walk behind the dunes, we continued on to where we skirted around the northern shores of Brou Lake. Dozens of black swans were spotted as well as distant views of Gulaga so it made for a very pretty walk along this part of the lake. After walking through, over and around Casuarinas at various times, we eventually made our way to our little out and back lake side lunch spot. Of course, as leader, I was at great pains to inform the group, on more than one occasion that the one hundred meter out and back deviation was very deliberate because everybody knows that walk leaders never make navigational errors! Well none that they admit to anyway!!

After lunch we headed back to the cars for the conclusion of the walk. Everyone agreed that it was a nice walk and one that would be nice to repeat in the future.

Lynches Wamban Firetrails

Saturday 21 September 2024

Photos courtesy of Denise and Tom. Walk report courtesy of Walk Leaders Denise and Gavin.

Thirteen hardy members took off at around 9.30 for this mostly fire trail walk. It began with a series of very steep uphills and downhills. Morning tea was around 10.30. Once fortified we headed off trail and down a steep shaly track to the first Wamban Creek Crossing. The bracken was high in sections and several fallen trees needed to be straddled. We came to the creek and some pursued the big log crossing but thick vegetation repelled their efforts. It was shoes and socks off and wade across to the other side whilst avoiding the stench of the dead kangaroo in the creek.

Once on the other side Gavin led the way through vines and undergrowth back to a fire trail and onto the second creek crossing which was a dawdle in comparison to the first. From there the terrain mellowed out and lunch was on the intersection with the North Lynches Fire Trail. Following lunch one more steep climb led us back to Little Sugarloaf Road and onto the cars.

Although only 9.5km some thought that the DD of 23 needed recalculating as the climbs were arduous. Everyone ended the walk with a smile and a sense of satisfaction for pushing themselves beyond their normal comfort zone.

Spring Creek Firetrail (Betty’s Orchid Walk)

Wednesday 18 September 2024

Photos courtesy of Helen, Philip and Erika, Peter and Amanda. Walk report courtesy of Walk leader Rob.

In Late August a reccie showed us there were flowering native orchids to be seen on the creek off the Spring Creek Fire Trail. The flowers were just buds and we were told to go back in mid -September to see them in full bloom. Twelve hikers set off anticipating a flower show along with a nervous walk leader who had seen wallabies near the orchids on the reccie and was wondering if any would be left to see. We were not disappointed and there were many orchids in full bloom, enough to keep all the cameras busy. What is interesting about the orchids is that they are all found on granite outcrops along the creek bed, many in close proximity to fig trees and almost all on rocks with an easterly aspect (morning sun and afternoon shade).

As walk leader I would have declared the day a success but to add to the excitement we encountered two large male red-bellied black snakes engaged in a fight for mating rights with a female who was unseen. The two males were intertwined and constantly trying to push the other snakes head down in a show of dominance. They seemed oblivious to us standing less than two meters away. While lots of photos and videos were taken I’m hoping for a few good closeup shots of the fight. After ten minutes we left them to their business and headed downstream to see more orchids.

This is why we are bushwalkers !!