Thursday 16 November 2017

Christine and banksia.

Jill along the rocky coast line.

Walkers in gnarled forest.

Photos by Carol

This was a very scenic relaxing walk which began by visiting the WW2 gun emplacement on Burrewarra Headland and continuing on past the lighthouse with magnificent views south along the coastline and beyond to Mt Dromederry and the Deua National Park ranges.  Amongst this we saw a sea eagle soaring on the thermals as well as two yellow-tailed black cockatoos “talking” up in the Banksia trees.

Following morning tea at Guerilla Bay we headed off over the headlands to Nun’s Beach and Rosedale Beaches.  The lookout and the special access track for the disabled to Ronald MacDonald respite house were a credit to those who organised it.  Then it was along a slightly different track back to Guerilla Bay for lunch.

All agreed the day’s walk over and around the headlands and beaches taken at a relaxed pace, admiring our beautiful coastline was “a gem”.

Pat R

Saturday 11 November 2017

Morning tea in style.

A little rock scrambling at low tide adds a small challenge to the walk.

Paul and Ian full of smiles.

From the headland towards Maloneys.

A fallen log long enough for 19 walkers.

Photos by Carol and Mary T

On Saturday November 11, we woke to a glorious day that provided perfect conditions for the above-mentioned walk. Only 19 people showed up, however, at the starting point in Maloneys Beach we were welcomed by a large number of kangaroos.

Mary led us across the beach towards Long Beach where we stopped for morning tea and snacks of course. Once rejuvenated, we proceeded up the hill into the surrounding forest. At 11 am precisely we stopped to honour our fallen soldiers with a minute of silence. During this minute we remembered them in our own way, whilst enjoying beautiful sounds of the bush. After taking a few photos of the picturesque surrounds, we proceeded on our walk and enjoyed the fresh air, beautiful scenery, glorious weather and chatting along with a fantastic group of people.

One cannot help but feel sorry for people who could not/did not come along for this walk.

We are all grateful to Mary for the effort and for sharing this lovely location with us.

Joe

Wednesday 8 November 2017

Leader Karen and Bob stand on the edge.

Native cymbidium snake orchid.

Karen pays a visit to the wombat’s home.

The group on their way down to the beach via the headland.

A local on the alert.

Rugged coast between Pretty Beach and Kioloa.

Young Yellow Tailed Cockatoo.

Helen and Denise near a carpet of Blue Bottles.

Photos by Brian, Carol, Denise and Mary T

Batemans Bay Bushwalkers headed north to Kioloa village mid week for further exploration of the walking tracks in the area.  Newly emerged cicadas were deafening as the group made its way through the forest and across the lower slopes of Durras Mountain, emerging at Pretty Beach.  The stretch of coast between Pretty Beach and Kioloa is dramatic with tall sheer cliffs and rock platforms and we lingered at the many viewpoints along the way.  We enjoyed watching a young yellow tail cockatoo practising his perching on a lone swaying twig, and came across a flowering native cymbidium snake orchid beside the track.  We surprised a couple of salt licking kangaroos on the rocks at O’Hara Head before settling down to watch the big swell crashing on the shore below at lunch.

After the heavy rains the coastal creeks had been flushed into the ocean and were now looking much healthier.  A very scenic 11 km circuit.

Karen M

Sunday 5 November 2017

Leaders Nancy and Dennis enjoy morning tea with Val and Ainslie.

Fig tree clinging to sandstone rock.

Admiring nature’s architecture.

Barry poses under the escarpment.

Nancy and giant twisted vine.

Rodney prepares to go under.

Strong arms of a mighty Fig.

Lunch near the ‘Hanging Garden’.

Photos by Denise, Mary T and Paul

On Sunday 5th November 17 Batemans Bay bushwalkers tackled a remote forest area close to Conjola.  First of all we were treated to a smorgasbord of giant Birdnest ferns sitting on top of magnificent sandstone boulders. Exploring further into the dense forest one could truly believe you were in a lost world as we gazed in awe at gigantic figs reaching into the sky with age old roots cascading down their huge rock pedestals.

The wonder continued as we passed through  another forest of twisted and tangled vines eventually leading into a secret hanging garden of Birdnest ferns clinging to a solid cliff face.

On the return journey a very cleverly disguised detour was to reveal yet another forest of cabbage tree palms which included some magnificent specimens.

All in all a very spectacular walk which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

Nancy

Thursday 2 November 2017

Signage describing the way of life of the Dhurga speaking people.

Geology lesson at the rock shelter.

A drink stop on the track.

Lake view

Walkers pause on the shores of the lake.

Photos by Amanda, Carol and Denise

Our Burrill Lake 14 km bushwalk led by Stan and Mary M is one of the most scenic along our coast. In the morning we enjoyed lake, and later on, beach and ocean views. But what made this walk different to most bushwalks was the new track recently made by the indigenous custodians of Burrill Lake.

It is easily accessed by car to several points along the track on the west side of Princes Highway. Beautiful and informative signage at these points gave us all a greater appreciation of the way of life of the Dhurga speaking people who belonged to the Budawang and Murramarang groups. Tribal elder Owen Carriage supplied detailed knowledge about how a canoe was made from stringbark with clay on the floor where a fire could be lit to cook fish, eels or prawns. Men used spears and  women used line and hook from the shore to catch sea food.

The rock shelter or bimbala meaning cockle shell had been occupied for 20,000 years and archaeologists have found stone tools pre-dating more recent types of tools. When the sea rose 5,000 years ago the people retreated inland and occupied this huge rock shelter.

Ainslie M

Sunday 22 October 2017

On the descent.

David with his find.

Val and Rob negotiate the last few metres to the first mine site.

Pat and Amanda at the entrance of the first mine.

Pat, Val, Amanda and David at morning tea.

Rob with mine relics.

Rob inside Bumbo No. 2 mine.

A practical use for an old relic.

Photos by Amanda and Mary T

David led 5 club members to the site of the Bumbo No 2 mine in an area near Nerrigundah in the Deua National Park. A little rain early in the morning soon cleared up into an overcast day and mild temperatures. The descent down to the first mine site was steep and slippery due to loose stones and forest debris. Near the end of this old track David found an exploded incendiary pellet perhaps dropped from a helicopter in a back burning exercise? Soon after the relatively good track disappeared and then followed some serious bush bashing down through a dry landscape ending up in a beautiful rain forest with tall tree ferns.

The first mine entrance, hidden between the side of a hill and what we decided were rocks excavated from the mine, was rather wet preventing deep exploration. We were pleased for the morning tea break taken near by in a dry creek bed.

As we explored further towards the site of Bumbo No 2 we passed relics of those mining days, metal wheels, rods, metal ‘bricks’ and cable guides imprinted with the marks of cables. There was much conjecture as to what had been pulled and where and the use of this equipment. The steepness of the terrain would have required some mechanical help with moving material as even oxen and horses would have found the area difficult to work in.

Nature had taken over the abandoned pieces of metal providing ideal homes for miniature ferns and fungi to grow and thrive.

A short climb took us to Bumbo No 2. As the mine was dry exploration was possible and several members of the group took off into the dark. On emerging they reported they had ventured about 40 metres in and the tallest member of the group, Rob L had been able to stand up most of the way with the occasional stoop.

David, beating the bush before us, led us down into a tributary creek bed that contained an intermittant flow of water and we bashed our way along under tall tree ferns, over fallen trunks passing rocks and trunks covered with miniature fern gardens, so pretty with the dappled sunlight reflected in the trickling water of the creek.

Eventually we reached the Bumbo Creek where we had lunch accompanied by a few leeches. All too soon David stirred and we knew the respite was over and it was time to start the steep climb back up to the cars passing the site of a stamping battery. Thankfully the overcast skies persisted for the 400+metre climb.

Thank you David for a great day which ticked all the boxes, beautiful country, interesting destinations, a very good work out with an excellent leader.

Mary T

Thursday 19 October 2017

Brian, Wendy, Pat and Chris.

The initial ascent, Pat, Wendy and Chris.

Chris and Brian at morning tea.

Leader Brian surveying the valley from the summit.

Photos by Brian

Perhaps it was the forecast of hot weather which led to just a small contingent of members taking up the challenge of this favourite local climb.

A select party of four adventurers ( Pat, new member Wendy, Chris and Brian) set off in mild conditions under clear skies. Before long, it became apparent to some of us that the mountain had mysteriously become steeper since the last time we’d tackled it. The initial stage is a tough beginning to a walk.

However, refreshed by morning tea, our trek continued along the middle, relatively flat section, where there was time to enjoy colourful wildflowers, including Boronia, scattered amongst the dominant Tea Tree.

The last stage to the summit involves sturdy, steel stairways and ladders, much resembling an adult play gym. These negotiated, there is just a short, steel bridge to cross before reaching the peak. The views here are truly wonderful, a 360 degree vista of the Budawangs and the coast and towns beyond.

Thankfully, the forecast heat was tempered by a cooling breeze and after photos and a leisurely lunch we made our way carefully back down to the carpark.

Brian

Sunday 15 October 2017

Starting off into the bush.

Scrambling across the slope.

Go high, go low?

Leader David onto something.

Engine parts

Inspecting strewn wreckage.

Wreckage hidden in the bush.

More wreckage

Photos by Amanda, Erica and Philip

Nine club members (David, Betty, Philip, Simon, Rob L, Barry, Amanda, Elaine & Bob T) participated in this short but in part steep and rugged walk.

The aircraft was an Avro Anson which crashed into the south side of the lower part of Pigeon House Mountain on 9 September 1943 killing all three crew members.

What remains of the aircraft is a large number of door sized sheets of aluminium, various other metal parts and the two engines with bent propellers.

More details on the aircraft and why it crashed can be found in the report on the first club walk (June 2014).

Davis S

Saturday 14 October 2017

Walkers on the trail to Black Diamond Mine.

Val leading the group down to the creek bed.

Erica looking into the mine entrance.

See anything Elaine in the deep excavation?

Leader Val at a digging

Photos by Erica, Philip and Mary

On October 14, nine Batemans Bay Bushwalkers traversed across a range of bushland – damp forested gullies and dry stony tracks – towards the Black Diamond Mine in the Currowan Forest.

It was found to be a very well preserved mine adit, but only a few of the group ventured into the muddy tunnel.

The mine was worked between 1890 and ’91; 1894 – ’95; and 1912 – ’15, but unfortunately no records are available on the workings, the miners, or the production.

There were other diggings and big holes in the area including a lonely rock chimney from a long gone building.

There had been a bushfire in the mine’s area not that long ago which left a stark scene and some spotted gum trees with very colourful orange-red bases, but as yet no regrowth on the ground.

All agreed it had been a very interesting day’s walk.

Pat R

Wednesday 11 October 2017

Wendy rounding a trail switchback.

Settling into lunch by the Buckenbowra River.

Walking through vines, ferns and cycads.

Pat and the group pausing for a drink in the shade near the Buckenbowra River.

Lone Orange blossom orchid (Sarcochilus falcatus).

Bush bashing around sawn logs.

Photos by Denise, Karen and Rosalie

With great anticipation, 16 walkers led by Mark N set off on the 13km return lower half of the Corn Trail in the Monga National Park. This historic walking track was originally used by Indigenous people on their seasonal travels between the coast and the tablelands, then later by European settlers on pack horses carrying supplies. The first part of the walk passed through cycads, cabbage palms, tree ferns, towering eucalypts and many blueberry ashes. Birdsong filled the air. After clambering over a fallen tree it was time for morning tea at a dry creek where a number of us commented on the warmth and high humidity.

The sound of cicadas rose as we headed on and into the rainforest. It was like entering into another world – trees cloaked in moss, ferns and climbers, and thick vines twisting their way up to the sunlight.  Bob T pointed out a stinging tree with plate sized leaves – we didn’t touch them to check his identification skills!  A community of birds nest ferns was happily living at various altitudes on accommodating trees – some ferns were enormous. Mark N spotted a solitary orchid keeping company with delicate ferns on a tree branch.

Lunch by the Buckenbowra River was lovely. It is the classic river with round pebbles worn smooth over thousands of years by the crystal clear water. An eel darted off under the rocks, little insects skated around on the mirror-like surface and friendly leeches and a tick joined us for lunch. The rock orchids clung to the rock face but there were few flowers due to the dry winter – we’ll just have to come back next year! Rob L found a dark grey rock with many fossilised shells easily visible – we could only marvel at how long it had been there.

On the way back, the group was less chatty than on the walk in. Perhaps the warm humid day had taken its toll – or maybe we were just in quiet contemplation of the beautiful, peaceful place we had just left behind. Thank you Mark for leading a truly memorable walk.

Rosalie G.