Saturday 15 June 2024

Through the mudflats

Through the mangroves

Beside the Estuary

Beach walkers sea and clouds

Walkers at Toragy Point Lookout

Photos courtesy of DonnaG and MaryT. Walk report courtesy Walk Leader KarenM.

Thanks to everyone who turned out for Saturday’s easy 5 km walk around the river and coast at Moruya South Head. Quandolo Island is in the Moruya River Estuary and accessible at low tide by walking across the mudflats and through the mangroves. The smaller River Mangroves were in flower and the Golden Orb Spiders had spun their webs through the Grey Mangrove forest. The views from the Island of the river estuary and mountains are lovely.

The walk then heads along the breakwall to Shelly Beach where we stopped for a morning break, then up the hill to Toragy Point with its historic graveyard and seal spotting platform. No whales, but a few seals lazing in the swell, flippers up to catch the rays. This whole area is bounded by Eurobodalla National Park and we took the mown tracks from Toragy back towards the historic Pilot Station and the start point.

The walk was followed by lunch at the Waterfront Hotel in Moruya, where walkers were joined by several more Club members, packing out the Hotel Bistro.

Wednesday 12 June 2024

Three walkers on the track

On the trail

Gnarl and walkers

Walkers on track

More walkers on the track

Photos courtesy MaryT.      Walk report courtesy Walk Leader MaryT.

A cool day with brilliant sunshine greeted 10 walkers for the Meroo Lake walk. Rather muddy, but pretty forest tracks, were flanked by tall, straight gums. The call of many birds resounded around us. As we neared the lake dark clouds and a strong wind suddenly blew up heralding rain. Sure enough just before reaching the lake rain was falling. However it was gone as suddenly as it came and as we completed the circuit, the sun was shining once more.

Sunday 9 June 2024

A pause for the scenery

In bloom

Mushrooms abound

Beach walk

Walkers nearing Durras Beach

Photos courtesy of Helen and MaryT.       Walk report courtesy of KarenM.

The Durras Forest and Wetlands walk certainly lived up to its name. And after nearly 200ml of rain over 48 hours, it was more wetlands than forest. Our leader Rodney had to action Plan B, as Plan A was somewhat under water. Fortunately he’s a Durras local and was able to switch to other less soggy tracks.

We enjoyed coastal views from the clifftops before heading inland from Dark Beach. The Durras forest is always lovely, but probably more so after rain. There are a surprising number of wetlands in and around Durras Village – all full to overflowing. We stopped by the lake for lunch and finished the walk along South Durras beach, detouring around the swiftly flowing creek to get back to the cars. Many thanks to Rodney for making this walk happen. He also had a Plan C, but we didn’t need it in the end.

Saturday 1 June 2024

Morning tea

Fungi

Lots of fungi

Copious fungi

A fungi view

The crew at large.

Photos courtesy of Helen, Glenn and Rob.     Walk report courtesy Walk Leader Glenn.

Walkers enjoyed a meander through lovely forests and along the crystal clear creek in the Turlinjah area. The recent weather help produce a fabulous fungi display of many colors, red, blue, purple and green, some not generally seen. How lucky were we.

Wednesday 29 May 2024

Morning Tea

Traversing the “creek”

Karen, Joan and Pat can’t wait to get onto dry sand

Gladys, Sean, Karen G and Karen M wet footed.

Ian, Lorraine, Rodney, Mary, Jeff, Simone and Moira on the bridge, Bengello track

Most of the group at the end of the walk

Photos courtesy MaryT, KarenG and Helen.     Walk report courtesy Walk Leader Helen.

On a bright sunny morning there was a good turn out for a 7km walk at Bengello Beach Broulee.
Who would have thought such a straight forward innocuous walk would have been so exciting.
For those who did not join us but have a fear of missing out, well, you did!

Just the logistics of arriving at the right parking area caused problems, the loss of a road sign, no Google Maps to help out and a typo on the programme did not help, so next time I lead this walk I will include a map of Sandmines car park Broulee. (Not Google Maps preference for Sandbanks car park in the south of England, as that is a tad too far out of our area!)

Then the numbers of walkers fluctuated like I have never known. We set off with thirteen, two others caught us up, another two met us from the opposite direction and one more wandered along with us near the end. You might expect to lose a walker or two, not gain five.

Finally, and I did warn you before we set off, there was the excitement of Bengello Lagoon being full and open to the sea. Was this the first time BBBW had a creek crossing on an “Easy”
walk? Yes, it required removal of boots and paddling through chilly ankle deep water and included lots of muttering. But isn’t that why we like to get out in the bush, to become one with nature and live a little dangerously?

After all the “to do”, morning tea was relaxing watching the waves in warm sunshine as we let out feet dry, while the dappled shade of Bengello track was inviting and easy going. It wasn’t all bad, at least the visitors who joined us were keen to join us again and I got the timing of the walk right!

Sunday 26 May 2024

Contemplation

Dewy web

Delicate Fungi

Morning tea

It’s the vibe!

Crossing the mighty stream

Lunch on the Woodleigh Firetrail

Rob and Ian working on their dance moves.

Photos courtesy of Amanda and Philip.     Walk report courtesy of Walk Leader Rob.

Despite being listed as an Exploratory Walk, which means the conditions of the trail are unknown, 17 walkers turned up for a walk along a firetrail in the Monga. The day started off very foggy as we drove up the mountain from the Bay but the moment we emerged from the cars so did the sunshine.

The walk started at Monga Mountain and follows a firetrail 11 kms downhill, with a few undulations, to end at the Kings Highway. While the walk is in forest the entire route we are high enough to be afforded great views of the plains to the west towards Braidwood.

As we dropped over 400m in elevation the vegetation and tree species kept changing and Ian Barnes counted 8 different Eucalypt species. At the end of the walk we had to cross Northangara Creek which was racing due to all the rain we have experienced over the last few weeks. Everyone managed to leap the creek with assistance and only one boot got wet.

This walk will be mapped and added to our database as a Medium DD22 and offered to other club members next year.

Saturday 18 May 2024

Rock hopping

Circumnavigating Broulee Island

Sand blown up by the southerly on South Broulee Beach

Donna and Glenn enjoying the cold start

Liz and Kate looking a tad cold

Mary is happy to be on the warm side of the island

Sandmines beach art work?

Kate and Mary..first time at the Canoe tree

Photos courtesy of Gay, Donna and KarenM.        Walk report courtesy of Walk Leader Gay.

After a lovely week of sunshine, a storm passed through overnight bringing a cold southerly wind to the area and while it felt like déjà vu for three of the group, the weather did not deter 9 club members joining me on the Broulee Isand and bush circuit. Three years ago I led this walk and the wild wind then, whipped the sea into a frenzy and it was considered unsafe to complete the circuit of the island. Today fortunately, while cold and gusty winds buffeted us on the south side, it was not as bad as first anticipated. We were rewarded with a lovely sunny walk on the north side of the island and had an early morning tea to soak in the rays.

Back into the wind on South Broulee beach for about a kilometre before escaping into the bush where it was surprisingly calm and pleasant walking. A few hikers had not been in this area nor had they taken time to stop and inspect the Canoe Tree. One to tick off the list!

The 9 km circuit was completed before lunch. A good morning’s bracing hike.

Wednesday 15 May 2024

On the way to Brooks Lookout

Funny fungi

Morning Tea at St Georges Head

Blacks Waterhole

Looking back toward Blacks Harbour

Shady track back to the cars

Negotiating a log

Coastal vista

Temporarily aquatic animal

The inlet

Rocky Island and the coastline.

Photos courtesy of Philip, Helen, Mary and Barry.    Walk report courtesy of Walk Leader Donna.

The Booderee Circuit is a 15.5 km walk in the Booderee National Park, formerly known as the Jervis Bay National Park. This park is jointly run by the local indigenous community at Wreck Bay and A.C.T National Parks. This walk was run as a day walk with the expectation that participants would take advantage of staying at nearby accommodation options. Most of the eighteen participants did so with nearby hotels, motels, caravan parks and even friends houses providing adequate places to stay. Of course there were the usual camping cohort who took advantage of the campgrounds within the National Park, making good use of the hot showers and fire pits within.

This walk was essentially a test case to see if an `Out of Area Day Walk’ would be something that members would support. Fortunately we were not disappointed! The weather leading up to the walk was, frankly, abysmal, however all of those who put their name down for the walk held their bookings and turned up for the walk on the day and what a stunning day it was. The sun was out, there was no wind and we were rewarded with great walking weather.

We started the walk at the Steamers Beach car park and headed off to Brooks Lookout which provided nice views out to the sea and also to the north. We then made our way to our morning tea spot at St Georges Head. On the rocks we were able to enjoy distant views out to Pigeon House Mountain and observe nearby seals and dolphins making the most of the lovely conditions. After morning tea we traversed a lovely coastal track which provided great views down to Kittys Beach, Black Harbor and Whiting Beach.

We soon arrived at our lunch spot at Blacks Waterhole. Even though recent rains submerged our prospective lunch logs, we were able to find some suitable nearby spots for lunch. Serenaded by happy frogs and birdlife it was time to conquer the final three kilometers of the walk and return to the cars. A few boggy areas were able to be safely skirted around without the need to remove our boots so that also proved to be a bonus!

Thursday 9 May 2024

Burrawang in seed

Pedro Point Beach – Helen Simone and Jeff

Happy Morning Tea – Simone Jeff Helen and Martin

The beach at Pedro

Martin and Peter on the track

Fungi and walkers

Peter, Simone and Jeff on the track

Photos courtesy of Helen and Peter. Walk Report courtesy of Walk Leader Peter.

With this walk having to be cancelled last quarter due to high temperatures, it seemed it would have a similar fate but this time, due to inclement weather. The past rains with continued forecast rain certainly put a dampener on members’ enthusiasm to venture out.

However this was not the case for the four intrepid souls who joined me on the walk. Despite the weather forecast, there they were, all rearing to go! And they were rewarded with, amazingly, a completely rain free walk. This was a circuit walk of near enough to 9km, taking us through the spectacular forest country in that part of the Eurobodalla National Park at the very southern end of Moruya South Heads.

The first 2km of beach walking was surprisingly enjoyable. The cloud cover overhead and the roaring seas to our left distracted us on our march along the sand. There was not a soul to be seen. That is if you do not count the many waterbirds scuttling out of our way.

We turned west to head into the trees next to Congo Creek, stopping for morning tea at a creek meander. We then followed the track before diverting down an old National Parks side path. This headed further inland and around the ‘invitingly’ named ‘Pedro Swamp’. This section of the track was also surprisingly quite dry given the conditions. From there it was a pleasant stroll amongst the spotted gums and burrawangs, many in seed.

It would be wrong to say we did not get wet feet. This last part of the track had us dodging, not too successfully, pools of water as we followed what must have been the natural water course after rain!
We opted not to stop for lunch, not wanting to be out when the heavens opened. We were finished before midday anyway.

This turned out to be a very enjoyable (and rain free) walk. It was flat walking, on tracks of various descriptions that took us through three separate forests of Bangalay, Blackbutt, and Spotted gum.
I thank those that challenged the weather forecast to join me, and who, from their comments afterwards, seemed to have enjoyed the walk.

Saturday 4 May 2024

The crew on the stairs

Joan, Lorraine, Lesley, Kate, Elaine, Stan, and Carol

Carol, Elaine, Mary, Kate, Lesley, Lorraine and Stan

Photos courtesy of MaryM, StanM and Lesley.    Walk report courtesy of Walk Leaders MaryM and StanM

Though the heavy overnight rain had eased, and grey skies still warned of more to come, eight keen walkers decided it was the right day for a brisk walk.

Starting at the northern end of Corrigans Beach we soon felt the force of the cold wind, so with jackets zipped up, we increased our pace. A very low tide, and a wide expanse of firm sand made for easy walking, so it wasn’t long before we were heading up the steps at the southern end of the beach and out to Observation Point. Observation Point has become a major tourist attraction, providing excellent views not only east to the magnificent Tollgates, but west towards the new Batemans Bay Bridge. Also of great interest is nearby Snapper Island, which is home to a small penguin colony.

Snapper Island was named by Lieutenant Robert Johnson who was sent by Governor Macquarie in 1871 to explore the Bay. Lt Johnson, who was born in Australia, arrived in the Bay on the cutter “Snapper” naming the island after his ship, and naming the Clyde River, which he and his crew explored in a longboat, after the River Clyde in Scotland. Another interesting fact is that Lt Johnson is the son of Lt Colonel George Johnson who was famous as the soldier who arrested Governor Bligh during the Rum Rebellion.

From Observation Point, it was time to head to Batehaven for a “cup of coffee’, before returning to the beach for the walk back to our cars at Batemans Bay Marine Rescue Headquarters.