Sunday 29 September 2024

An unplanned obstacle.

The alternative mode of transport

A wonderful view

Into the gully

A bit of practice…

Lakeside

A brief stop for the view

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.

Saturday 21 September 2024

Shoes off!

Group shot

The creek

Along the trail

Workaround?

Trying a bypass

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.

Wednesday 18 September 2024

Lucky for Rob the orchids were blooming

One of the many hills

Fighting Red Belly snakes

Checking out the fighting snakes

A lot of orchids to see

Lunchtime

Not all orchids grow on rocks!

A local

Boulder Creek

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 !!

Sunday 15 September 2024

The Group

Sandy Trek

Morning Tea

A perfect day

Should we jump in? Nah.

How good is this!

Photos courtesy of Tom, KarenG and Helen.         Walk report courtesy of DonnaG.

An impressive twenty four walkers joined Jenny for her inaugural walk as a walk leader for the Club. It was a great way to kick off the start of the final program of the year and the walk didn’t disappoint. The coastal leg of this circuit walk is the final part of the newly constructed Batemans Bay Coastal Headlands Walking Trail, which stretches from Batehaven to McKenzies Beach. We started at Malua Bay Beach and headed south. The surf was quite rough following a storm the previous evening which meant that a deviation was required to take us over the headland rather than along slippery smooth rock platforms. As well as being a route that many of the walkers had not walked along previously, we were also afforded some spectacular views from the cliff line of the huge swells out to sea. We made our way down to Pretty Point Bay and along some dry rock platforms until we arrived at a lovely protected area for morning tea.

Following morning tea we continued up to some stunning lookouts at the aptly named Pretty Point. Along the way it was obvious just how much work has been done to construct walking platforms, bench seats and viewing platforms for the new walking track. It was also pleasing to see the regeneration of native vegetation that had been decimated in this area following the fires.

Before too long we made our way to McKenzies Beach (the end of the Batemans Bay Coastal Headlands Trail) where a crossing of George Bass Drive was required to make this walk into a circuit. Jenny did a stellar job, ably assisted by Margaret our Tail End Charlie, getting twenty four walkers across the road and into the adjacent bush without incident. Of course no walk is complete without a little undulation so with a bit of huffing and puffing we headed up an incline where we continued along some nice bush tracks. These tracks joined a street with lovely elevated views to the east of Malua Bay which led us back to the start at the beautifully renovated Albert Bamman Memorial Park for lunch.

Many thanks to Jenny for showing us some new areas on your first walk as a leader. The impressive feat of completing the walk with the same large number of walkers that started was duly noted and we look forward to you leading more walks in the future!

Thursday 24 September 2024

Time to start walking

Apacris

Hanging Mountain mist

Enjoying the “view”.

Misty trek

Striding out

Photos courtesy of DonnaF, Amanda and Elizabeth.       Walk report courtesy Walk leader Rob.

After a month of sunshine and no rain the weather gods lulled us into a false sense of security. The group drove up into the coastal foothills to the lookout at Hanging Mountain (800m ASL) expecting panoramic views. As we approached the summit the rain started and didn’t stop till we were heading back down. Nevertheless most of us had rain gear or umbrellas so headed down the 1km track off Little Sugarloaf Rd to the new steel viewing platform built after the wooden one burnt in the 2019 fires.

On a clear sunny day the ‘white background’ in the group picture would show a fantastic view south to Gulaga and east to the coastal towns of Bodalla and Tuross Heads. The misty conditions did make for some great photos of the silvertop ash forest trees on the ridgeline.

Next program we plan to try again and hopefully show a group photo with a stunning panoramic view backdrop.

Wednesday 4 September 2024

The Crew

Economy Class Seating

Business Class Seating

A Hill Climb

Made it to the top

Oh those hills!

Rob explaining the tracks signs

Photos courtesy of DonnaF, Gay, Peter, and Helen.     Walk report courtesy Walk Leader Gay.

With a chilly start to the day and not a breath of wind, conditions were in our favour for a hike in the bush tucked away between the Princes Highway and South Durras.

Eleven members and two visitors completed the 8.5km circuit. The group wound its way through magnificent tall trees, up and down gullies, along fire trails skirting a few fallen logs and in one particular section doing their best to avoid being tripped by vines or hidden logs among the thick leaf litter.
The last uphill hike brought us back to the cars and all agreed it is a delightful area for hiking and enjoying our local flora and fauna.

Thursday 29 August 2024

Beginning of the lesson

A geological walk through time.

Down at the harbor

Discovery time

A find

Peaked interest

Caught in time

Rob sharing the news

From another time and life

Photos courtesy of Tony and DonnaG, Helen and Martin, and Max. Walk report courtesy of Walk Leader Rob.

After a blustery week perfect weather arrived for the Ulladulla Geology and Fossil Walk. This is a Social Walk that mixes an Easy walk, a bit of geology education and a pub lunch. The walk is located in Brodie Park , Ulladulla and consists of a ‘time walk’ where large pieces of geologic rock from different locations on the south coast have been positioned along a paved walkway, separated by a distance to represent their formation over the last 500Million years. Each sample is well documented and information signs give readers a good description of what was happening at each period of time. I think its safe to say everyone learned a few new facts about the geology of the south coast and peppered the walk leader with many interesting and challenging questions.

We then headed down to the harbor next to the sea pool for an exploration of the fossils seen in the siltstones exposed at low tide on the wave cut platform. Once the walk leader had shown the walkers what the fossils looked like they were off like excited school kids finding many good examples across the platform. Many of the walkers were surprised to hear that when the fossils were sea shells and corals alive on the floor of a shallow sea this part of the Australian coastline was located at about 65 degrees latitude south and the water temperature was less than 5 degrees. Glaciers and melting icebergs ‘dropped’ rocks into the sediments that were then covered by over 800m of sedimentary rock which has eroded away over the last 200Million years to be now seen today on the shores of Ulladulla Harbor.

Everyone now knows the lost microplate ‘Zealandia’ that broke off from Australia 100Million years ago is under the waters of the Tasman Sea and its parting act was to create the stress fracture pattern seen on the shores of the Ulladulla harbor rock platform.

There will be a test at the Christmas party but the crib notes can be found at www.gondwanacoastfossilwalk.com.au.