Sunday 9 October 2016

Fossils everywhere

Volunteer geological guide Phil

Looking for fossils

Waratah in Ulladulla Heathland Reserve

Photos by Mike and Joan

On Sunday October 9th our scheduled walk was a bit different to the usual club activity.  Fourteen participants travelled to Ulladulla, where we were met in Brodie Park by Phil Smart, a volunteer guide with the Gondwana Coast Fossil Walk Project

Phil began with a brief outline of the Geological history of our part of the world, with clear diagrams and pictures as aids.

We then moved down to the foreshore rock platform on the north side of Ulladulla harbour, where Phil was able to point out and explain geological phenomena such as evidence that the rocks we were walking on were once shallow ocean water sediments on the continental shelf of the ancient super-continent Gondwana around 270 million years ago.

We saw “drop stones”- rock material carried in glaciers to the edge of the land, carried out to sea in icebergs, and then dropped to the sea bed when the icebergs melted in the warmer sea water.

We saw fossils in abundance in the black and grey rocks of the Wandrawandian Siltstone  formation. There were two common types of shells- Bivalves and Brachiopods, as well as Crinoids (sea lilies) which were not plants but were animals related to sea urchins and star fish, and Bryozoa (sea fans) with their delicate network structure.

With a rising tide we had to abandon the beach, and Phil then took us to the Brodie Park Time Walk – here the volunteer group, with help from grant money, have created a 255 metre Time Walk where 1 metre of path represents 2 million years of time. Starting at 510 million years ago the walk takes the visitor through geological time to the present, with examples of significant rock types, and explanatory notices along the way.

It was all a fascinating experience, greatly enhanced by the enthusiasm of our very knowledgeable guide Phil Smart.

After lunch we drove to the South Pacific Heathland Reserve where the paths traverse various vegetative communities  including flannel flowers, grevilleas, wattles, banksias, orchids.  With the help of Nicki (a member of the Reserve Committee who was out for a walk with a friend) we even managed to locate some waratahs which were in bloom.  Rennies Beach and South Pacific Lookouts provided panoramic views of the coastline areas from Rennies Head, Warden Head and lighthouse in the north to Bawley Point and Durras Mountain in the South.  Pigeon House Mountain was also visible as we followed the path back.

Thanks go to Ainslie and Joone for organising Sunday’s walks which were both informative and scenic.

Mike

Thursday 6 October 2016

Flowering cabbage tree palms

ANU Kioloa Research Campus strawbale building

Lunch on O’Hara Head overlooking Kioloa Bay

Lush gullies by Dangerboard Road

ANU does a really nice morning tea log

Photos by Helen and Karen M

It was perfect weather for a brisk 16 km walk as Mary led eleven members east along Bucks Road towards Kioloa beach. The forest rang with bird song and the winter rains have encouraged a profusion of wild flowers, even the cabbage palms were flowering.

We stopped for morning tea at a spot Mary joked she had especially set up with logs atop of rocks providing very comfortable seating.

Greeted by a friendly and well informed employee of ANU when we reached the research facility, he explained the history, current uses and ongoing maintenance issues of the establishment.

Lunch was at Kioloa beach on rocks overlooking an almost waveless, clear blue ocean. We then headed through more lush forest, up the slowly inclining Dangerboard Road. This unique name came about from the “Danger” board (sign) about 2 km from the sawmill where horses pulling the log trolleys were unhitched and the loaded trolleys rolled down the road to the mill using the gradient.

Thank you to Mary for a really enjoyable day.

Denise

Thursday 6 October 2016

Recording the BBBW visit in the Visitors Book

Sharon leads the pack along the Budawang Range

Looking north over Wirritin Basin to Pigeon House and beyond

The western ascent of Mt Currockbilly

The Pinkwood rainforest of Mt Currockbilly

Pat with one foot in dry scrub and one foot in lush rainforest

All present and accounted for

Photos by Ian and Bob T

When setting out to climb Currockbilly Mountain, we expected to work for it.   Our expectations in that regard were greatly exceeded.     Approaching from the west, we toiled up increasingly steep inclines, to the top of a small knoll, jokingly named “base camp 1”.    Then a small saddle before a steeper climb to “base camp 2”, and a more demanding battle through thick scrub and loose scree to “base camp 3”.    At each knoll we looked up at the challenging slopes above us, knowing that we had only begun to taste the “delights” of this mountain, and the assistance given to this old body was deeply appreciated.

Our leader generously allowed frequent rests as we toiled, so we could enjoy the abundant re-growth following the big Wirritin Ridge fire a few years ago, of which this area is part. The western slopes are thick with banksia, wattle, eucalypt and rapier sedge, and grass trees with the thickest flower spikes I’ve ever seen.

Then we made the final ascent of the steepest slopes to the top, near the trig, where the ridge is only a couple of metres wide, and in one pace we stepped from stunted scrub down into lush rainforest.   Given time and effort, there would be many places of beauty and wonder to be found on the eastern slopes of this magnificent Budawang Range.

After lunch we stood on the narrow ridge, gazing at the enormous panorama to the east, identifying landmarks from The Castle to the clearly visible Batemans Bay.  An about turn then revealed the vast plains of the Shoalhaven, and across to the Great Dividing Range.   An experience I savoured and will long remember.    Having taken many photos, we then bent to the task of descending, many details of which I will conveniently forget, save to say that we enjoyed reaching the vehicles.    Thank you to all my sturdy companions, especially our leader Ian.

Bob T

Saturday 1 October 2016

Bob, Helen and Roger in the creek

Helen’s parasol

Joan and Mary

Simon

Rob navigates through the mint bush (Prostanthera sp)

Photos by Mary, Donna, Karen M

Rob led the weekend club walk to the Upper Coila Creek Catchment. 18 members drove south to the Western Boundary Road to energetically walk forest roads and bike tracks, the latter obviously not used in recent times. We descended fairly steep tracks to creek beds where good-sized pools were fed by sparkling water gently moving over the rocks. The forest rang to the call of birds as we passed huge fallen trees covered in soft green moss. We disturbed a sleeping black snake that slithered back into the undergrowth.

What goes down has to go up and the tracks in the Coila are no exception! Half the group opted to take the last 1.5 kms back to the cars via the high road while our leader continued on with the willing to the end via two more creek crossings.

Thank you Rob for finding an extension to an existing club walk in a lovely part of our shire.

Mary

Wednesday 28 September 2016

Betty and Ainslie in front of orchids

Some of the many rock orchid flowers

Looking downstream to Rob and Ainslie

Looking upstream with the sun gleaming on granite

Exploring upstream

Feral pig skull circle

Skulls with tusks and incisors

Photos by Mike, Mary, Karen M

The object of Wednesday’s Batemans Bay Bushwalkers excursion was to locate a remote creek in the Currowan State Forest and see if we could find some flowering rock orchids.  Our leader Betty  had been there many times before and led us unerringly along an old fire trail, abruptly turning off into the bush after about 4km and heading down the hill to the creek.

And there were rock orchids, and they were flowering.  Although many people grow these plants in their gardens, there’s nothing to beat enjoying them in their natural setting, clinging to mossy granite rocks often in secret, shady spots.  The creek was also fun to explore, with a smooth continuous bed of granite plunging down the hill.  After lunch by the water and among the orchids, Betty led us up the creek bed to a tributary, which we also explored before breaking out to rejoin the fire trail and our path back to the cars.

Along the way we found a circle of feral pig skulls at the base of a tree.  Our identification was confirmed by the discovery of some tusks and incisors remaining in a couple of skulls.

Karen M