Thursday 15 April 2021

Chris, Gay and Ed on the recently graded road to Bogola Head

Beautiful day for a walk

Walking into the view

Ed and Helen

Donna on the edge

Elevated morning tea

Spider web on the track

Spider web fascination

Photos provided by Brian and Helen

Batemans Bay Bushwalkers travelled south of Narooma for this midweek walk.  It’s a long way for our walkers to travel, but our destination was a beautiful little pocket of Eurobodalla National Park featuring a scenic coastal track, a couple of beaches and Nargal Lake.

We started by walking the newly graded Bogola Head Road to the coast, and then turned north onto Plovers Lane which undulates over the headlands towards Handkerchief Beach.  After a long break on a grassy headland opposite Montague Island, we retraced our steps, descended to Fullers Beach and walked south to the dunes behind Nargal Lake.  There we had another long break overlooking the lake and the ocean.

Our return leg was on an old forest track littered with recently fallen trees and festooned with spider webs – something of an obstacle course.  Our circuit totalled about 9 kilometres.

Karen

Thursday 8 April and Friday 9 April 2021

Barry and Ian, our teacher!

The tools of the course

Putting theory into practice

Glenn and Sharon with their maps and compass

Trying to put theory into practice

Karen and Gary looking a little bewildered

So very patient, Ian

So Rob – where to next?

Creek crossing

Peter and Karen finding their way out of the creek

Finding our way out of the creek

Yay we found the cars

Where are we?

Sixteen members of the Batemans Bay Bushwalking Club took part in the map and compass navigation course last week, developed and presented by Ian.

After receiving a very positive response to holding the course, Ian very kindly decided to offer it over two days, so that the groups would be more manageable. I was in the first group and certainly the smaller groups were much better.

Ian took us through the theory of navigating, positioning oneself, planning and following a route, using maps and compass to find our way.  There was more involved than I had expected and it was a good feeling, when one got that ‘light bulb moment’ and it all started coming together.

We put all of our theory and compass practice to the test after lunch, when Ian sent us off into the bush to find our way back to the cars.  With the thick undergrowth and no tracks, I, for one, was certainly glad I was getting the hang of using that compass!

Thank you Ian from all of your ‘students’.  We appreciate all of the planning and effort that you put into developing the Navigation Day and particularly splitting it up into two days to allow smaller group sizes.   In return, we promise to practice, practice, practice!

Gay

Wednesday 7 April 2021

Quiet forest track through regenerating vegetation

Hairpin Banksia – one of the few autumn flowering natives

Morning tea – Business class!

Morning tea – Economy class?

Simeon self-isolating

Luminous ghost fungus

Regrouping on the old highway

Photos courtesy of Karen, Anne-Louise and Gay

Thirteen seems to be my lucky number as again today, I had thirteen walkers for the Sproxtons Circuit walk.  We welcomed one visitor and were happy to see some new members joining us again for their second or third walk.

After the rain last night, the air was fresh and water droplets glistened in the leaves of the trees lining the track.  The 5.2kms was a very pleasant ramble along 4wd tracks east of Nelligen with a few luminous ghost fungus spotted along the way.

We completed the circuit in just under two hours and some walkers were heading off to either treat themselves to a nice lunch in the Bay or a swim, as it was lovely and sunny but a tad humid.  Overall, a very pleasant morning walk.

Gay

Sunday 4 April 2021

Heather and Rodney admire nature’s birdbath

One of the elkhorns spotted living on the trees in Murramarang

Easter Sunday saw more people than usual on the beaches in Murramarang National Park near South Durras, but we generally had the bush tracks to ourselves, apart from a couple of cyclists.

Our 10 km Easy/Medium walk started at South Durras Village and traversed Mill Beach and Wasp Head.  We passed above Emily Miller Beach and Dark Beach, then dropped down onto Myrtle Beach for a morning tea break in the shade.  The group then took forest tracks to the west and then north through dappled shade.  This section of the forest has quite a few large trees and branches down, which we skirted.

As the temperature climbed towards 28 deg C, we stopped at the top of a hill for lunch, and then it was an easy meander back to the village.

Karen

Thursday 1 April 2021

Coming back to life

A happy group

Reflections

Morning tea

Enjoying the tracks

Many ants nests were seen along the tracks

Photos courtesy of Helen

A perfect Autumn day for a stroll around the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens. Jill greeted 10 walkers in the car park and after the usual Covid registrations all 11 headed off.  Three members enjoyed ‘back to childhood’ rides on the slippery dip and then we all observed how the bush is regenerating after the fires. So much has been done clearing tracks and burnt trees. Well done to all who have achieved so much to date.

It was wonderful to hear the bird life and see 2 kangaroos who preferred to observe us from a distance.

We enjoyed our morning tea snacks in picnic style. After the recent rains the contrast of the brilliant green vegetation and the charred trees was wonderful, and witnessed many ants nest along the tracks.

Some walkers decided a coffee at the Gardens was a perfect way to end a delightful morning.  Thank you Jill.

Helen

Thursday 1 April 2021

Charcoal shard of a large eucalypt destroyed in the bushfires

Relaxing in our Helinox lightweight chairs at morning tea

What is Rob up to?

Discussing options for crossing the creek

Photos courtesy of Karen and Helen

Thirteen Batemans Bay Bushwalkers were very happy to be out and about hiking in the bush behind Lake Tabourie on what was shaping up to be a glorious autumn day.  The Sun was shining, the air was fresh and clean after all the recent rains and it was just good to catch up with friends again on the track.

The bushwalkers wound their way through the bush – along fire trails, mountain bike trails, two short stints on gravel roads and some smaller tracks down near the creeks which fortunately we were all able to cross without getting our boots too wet.  The undergrowth was pretty thick which made the hiking very pleasant as it was all green and the burnt trees didn’t quite stand out as much.

No snakes to be seen but loads of cobwebs across the track and incredibly one very industrious spider had already spun a new web across the track for our return leg!

All in all a pretty straight forward 10.3kms hike with a few long slow hills to get the heart rate up and with the bit of humidity about we all enjoyed stopping for morning tea and lunch to cool down.

Gay

Monday 15 – Friday 19 March 2021

Helen, Rachael, Gay, Mary, Donna, Glenn and Karen at the Round Mountain carpark

Heading off

Round Mountain campsite – first night

Where’s Donna? In the heath on the way to Mt Jagungal

Gay and Rachael enjoying the view from Mt Jagungal

Gay getting close to the top of Mt Jagungal

Derschkos Hut

Mary has finished! Looking pretty happy with herself too…

Mary, Karen and Helen

Last night at Three Mile Dam – enjoying our Back Country meals

Photos courtesy of Rachael, Donna, Glenn, Helen, Mary and Gay

Seven keen Batemans Bay Bushwalkers headed off in to the Snowy Mountains last week to undertake a recce of the Jagungal Wilderness Walk.  It’s a 44 km circuit starting from the carpark at the beginning of the Round Mountain trail and we did it over three and a bit days!

It was my very first backpack walk over a few days carrying what felt like everything bar the kitchen sink in my pack!  I haven’t been sure if I was really into this type of overnight multi day hiking but have to say, I am now hooked!  We were very fortunate with the weather – light misty rain overnights but good walking weather during the day – or as Donna, would say, Perfect!

This was an opportunity for those of us inexperienced hikers to ‘have a go’ with some like minded hikers with no pressure and lots of discussions on equipment and general hiking tips and advice.

It was about a 6 hour drive from Moruya to the carpark with a lovely stop in Nimmitabel Bakery for morning coffee and lunch at the Adaminaby Bakery.  On Monday afternoon we walked 1.5kms to the Round Mountain Hut campsite arriving about 4.30p.m.

On day 2, we walked from Round Mountain hut to O’Keefe’s Hut campsite – approximately 13.8kms including a river crossing!  Mary tried the garbage bags over her boots but alas it was not very successful.  The rest of us had croc type shoes which did work well and were light to carry.

On Day three, we walked 5kms to the Mt Jagungal trackhead at Tumut River.  Three of us were keen to walk to the top and left our packs at the trackhead while the others walked on the 2.3kms to Derschkos Hut and had an afternoon of rest and relaxation.  The walk to the top of Mt Jagungal was 5.7kms return in a very diverse environment – head high heath, some rocky scree to negotiate, a lovely ridge but in gale force freezing winds, and then the clouds over Mt Jagungal.  Well worth the effort and once the clouds cleared, the views were amazing.  We eventually joined up with the others at Derschkos Hut around 4p.m.

Day four and our final 14.5 kms to complete back to our cars and given it was all on good tracks (except for a few surprise hills!) we were back at the cars by 1p.m.

Our final night was spent at Three Mile Dam and then after a very quick pack up in the morning due to the inclement weather, we headed to Adaminaby Bakery for brekky and Cobargo for lunch arriving back in Moruya around 2p.m.

Everyone was really happy with their achievements and I, for one, can say that I am ready to do more multi day hikes!

Thank you Karen for organising, Mary for inspiring us, Donna, Glenn, Rachael and Helen for being part of this awesome team. And if you are like me and are interested in multi day hikes but not sure whether its right for you, don’t hesitate to talk to us.  We would love to regale you with our experiences!

Gay

Wednesday 10 March 2021

Remains of old cattle yard

Magnificent triple trunk Spotted Gum

Photos courtesy of Leader, Joan

Undeterred by horrendous cyclonic conditions (elsewhere), nor even the minimal threat of a little drizzle (here), we 16 stalwart Bushwalkers ventured into the remote forest near Maloneys Beach.    Following a vague track used only by thousands of walkers, riders and “bush-bashers”, we enjoyed the freshness of the bush after rain, with glistening jewels of water on the casuarinas, and happy birds singing to their fellow neighbours (“keep away, keep away”) as we also occasionally do.

Some of the area’s history was evident from the primitive log fence (to keep out motorbikes?) and the old cattle ramp for loading stock onto trucks.    Earlier evidence was in the big old stumps left after logging.     Scenic views from one, then another headland, (several of which jut into the bay like spears in a palisade), across the bay and onto the beaches below enhanced the walk with variation.

As we returned, the relaxed mobs of kangaroos were lazily re-arranging their scattering pattern, undisturbed by our visit.   Lunch was the usual mixture of stimulating conversation and comparison of ailments.

Bob

Sunday 7 March 2021

Descent to water level

Judith’s front yard

Rock platform clambering

The group near Pleasurelea Park

Photos courtesy of Brian

Today, Brian led 13 walkers on a 10km stroll starting from his front garden to Judith’s place via the scenic route of Denham Beach and cliff top. After admiring Judith’s garden we clambered down the goat track to water level and began crossing the rock platforms towards our destination of Corrigans Beach.

When not negotiating tricky outcrops, we were able to admire wonderful bay views to the backdrop sounds of breaking waves. Sunshine Bay and Caseys Beach were easy, firm-sand walking which allowed us to pick up our pace a little. We took a shortcut along the road to have “coffee and cake” at the markets at Corrigans Beach.

Retracing our steps, we took the cliff top walk from the end of Casey’s Beach through to Pleasurelea Park and then cross country to Hume Rd and back to the cars. Thanks again to Judith for providing the access point, and to Brian for reminding us of a lovely walk right on our doorstep.

Chris

Saturday 6 March 2021

A quiet spot on the lake

Jane enjoying the paddle

Nancy and Ann

Bob and Sharon

Ian striking out on Mummaga

Ian, Sharon and Nancy having morning tea

Photos courtesy of Mary