Saturday 10 November 2018

Len, Heather, Carol, Denise, Lesley, Moira, Marilyn and leader Bev.

Pelicans and walkers Moira, John, Marilyn and Bev.

Admiring a memorial anchor at Broulee.

The clear waters of Candalagan creek.

Cymbidium Suave.

John recaptures his inner child.

Photos by Denise and Donna

It was a balmy Spring morning as 13 Batemans Bay bushwalkers set out on a 6.5 kilometre walk from Candlagan Creek. Those sentiments were obviously shared by Broulee residents and holiday makers as many children ran and splashed at the waters edge, others dug energetically in the sand and their parents took time to rest watchfully. Further out about 20 surfers waited patiently, legs dangling either side of their boards, becalmed on the serene ocean.

Bev, the walk leader took the group of hikers along coastal tracks, through Casuarina forests and along the southern banks of the Tomaga River. Many birds were vocal and a pair of striated pardalote were spotted by one keen eyed walker. These birds are normally found high in tree tops but, had ventured down to feed in lower branches. Spring flowers were in abundance both in local gardens and the adjacent bushlands, dianella, cymbidium suave and the ingenious trigger plant were some of the species identified.

There is an interesting video clip from the Melbourne Botanical Gardens that can be found by Googling trigger plant, the presentation explains the reason for the plant’s common name. It makes you wonder how plants come up with such unique and strategic solutions to pollination when supposedly they can’t think.

The crystal clear water had walkers trying to spy marine life on the bottom of the river and creek, it also enticing kayakers out in numbers.

It was such a “good to be alive experience” that after the walk, many of the group decided to stay for lunch.

Denise