Wednesday 19 April 2023

Corn Trail starts with a crossing the Mongarlowe River -boots off

Boots back on, and heading through the trees

If only that had been the only obstacle to step over!

Amongst the trees before the (long) descent

Ian agrees to use a walking stick to come down the steep slopes

The eucalypt regrowth in the mountains leaves an interesting pattern

Lunch as we arrive at the Buckenbowra River

Crossing the Buckenbowra River at the walk end – who cares about wet feet now

Great views from the top of the trail

A shot taken by the drivers as they awaited the walkers at the Buckenbowra River at the end of the track

Photos courtesy of Ian, Rob, Peter, Donna and Karen McL.

Eight walkers adventured down the Corn Trail on a sunny day. This walk has not been done since 2017 so we were keen to see the effects of the bushfires and the trail clean-up done by NSW National Parks. Full credit to the Park Service as the trail is very traversable especially at the top end.

Many sections of the trail up on the plateau were only lightly burned but the heavy rains we have had in the last two years have produced incredible growth of wattle trees and eucalypt saplings. The wattles were in full bloom and humming with the sounds of honey bees.

The lower half of the trail, down in the valley close to the Buckenbowra River, is heavily overgrown with post fire vegetation growth and the trail is covered in weeds making hiking a slippery endeavour.

For those of you who have walked the Corn Trail before, you are aware that the usual car shuffle adds over two hours to the total walk time. Special thanks must go to Karen and Tony who drove the walkers to the start of the walk in the Monga, then met us at the end of the trail on No Mountain Name Road. Eight tired walkers were very relieved to be heading directly home and not back to the Monga to collect cars.

Rob

Sunday 16 April 2023

Heather, Susan, Max, and Denise on the track

The group at morning tea

Max, Tony and Jim an shores of the inlet

Stopping to admire a healthy burrawang

Group at base of the ‘big’ fig tree (rain gear on)

Photos courtesy of Mary and Max

Eight members joined leader, Mary to walk around the tracks of Wagonga Inlet just south of Narooma.

We took a chance on the rain holding off and it obliged, at least until rather aptly, we were on the track down to a small gully hiding a pocket of rainforest. This gully is a short diversion off the main track but is not to be bypassed. There, there is a grove of fig trees; one of immense size and age. Amongst their branches several bird nest ferns.

Morning tea was enjoyed by the shoreline of the inlet. And lunch was eaten in Narooma where some enjoyed fish and chips from the local outlet.

All in all, a good morning’s walk.

Mary

Thursday 13 April 2023

An easy walk off track

With a not so easy ascent

Distinctive luminous fungus (Omphalotus nidiformis) on deadwood

One of several green gullies

Resting in a Sheoak grove

Photos courtesy of Bob, Karen G and Ed 

A group of 12 bushwalkers met on an overcast morning by the river at Moruya. The 7km Easy/Medium grade walk started after a short drive south to Western Boundary Road.

We were soon deep in an interesting mixed forest containing the occasional bright grove of Sydney Red Gums. The track crossed some small creeks as it undulated amongst the trees. Light rain did not dampen the mood, and as usual the bush lifted spirits with its beauty and varied scents.

Thanks to Ed and Karen for guiding us so well.

Bob

Sunday 9 April 2023

Heading up those stairs at Maloneys Beach

Views and more views

A good way to pop in for a picnic on the beach

Karen showing the Canoe Tree

Back down those stairs on the return leg

Photos courtesy of Karen McL and Donna G

The Easter Sunday bushwalk started at Long Beach on a blustery day. The group of 15 walked north past Maloneys Beach, up the new metal staircase onto Acheron Ledge and then inland to follow a series of local tracks to Judges Beach.

After a break on the grassy verge behind Judges Beach out of the wind, the walk continued to the old farm stockyards, onto the indigenous canoe tree and then to Quiriga Beach. There we took the new sandstone steps back up to Acheron Ledge and then followed the newly cut Murramarang South Coast Track over to Maloneys Beach.

This is a 10km Easy/Medium Circuit takes in two well known beaches and two remote beaches, plus some indigenous and colonial history, right on the doorstep of Batemans Bay.

Karen McL

Wednesday 5 April 2023

Coondella Rd

Gallery Firetrail

Water in creek

A breather at the top.

Lunch amongst the Angophera costata

The descent

The group at the creek

Photos courtesy of Amanda and Mary

The Mungerarie Circuit was substituted for another walk due to access issues and it was pleasing to see that 11 walkers, including a visitor, were interested in a hike that had not been done by the Club previously. The group was warned prior to the walk that there was no promise of stunning waterfalls, interesting granite formations or even unicorns, however what they would get was 12.5km of hills and bush tracks! Following the mention of ‘hills’ the grins immediately disappeared, however they reappeared when everyone was informed that there would be no leeches on the walk and little to no water involved in the creek crossing.

Mungerarie is an area within the Deua National Park, just to the west of Moruya. It is an area that is rarely visited by the Club, so it was a great opportunity to tackle some hills and grab some nice views of the mountain ranges to the west. Many of these views were previously obscured by trees prior to the fires. Everyone agreed what a beautiful sunny autumn day it was but towards the end of the walk and after many meters of ascent, the day did warm up and everyone was looking forward to the cars.

But! There was one little obstacle 100m from the cars – beehives. Many beehives had been set up on either side of the track and there were quite a few bees who were interested in our presence. It should be noted that the generous walk leader had opted to walk the circuit in an anti clockwise direction, therefore leaving the running of the bee gauntlet until the last 100m. After all, it is better to be stung at the end of the walk, rather than the beginning! Thankfully, everyone survived the beehive stretch and made it back to the cars unscathed.

All in all, it was a great day, lovely weather and a great bunch of walkers.

Donna G

Sunday 2 April 2023

Regrowth after fire

Flowers emerge (Clerodendrum tomentosum or Lolly Bush)

Some slippery patches

Amazing fungi

Lush rainforest

Tall gums and burrawangs

Donna crossing a new bridge

Heading back to Pretty Beach

New signage

Photos courtesy of Philip and Erika

Starting at Pretty Beach carpark we walked up the Durras Mountain Track to the top of Durras Mountain. The first section of the track was fairly steep and badly eroded, but towards the top the grade reduced, and the condition of the track improved considerably.

On reaching the summit we stopped for morning tea at one of the weatherworn tables near the old homestead water tank. After a short break we followed the much narrower, and winding track down the mountain. The vegetation on this side of the mountain was thick and lush and encroaching on the track in some places.

At the bottom of the mountain track, we met the Murramarang South Coast Walk at Clear Point. There we stopped for lunch on a nearby rock shelf, with a picturesque view of the coastline to the north and a rainy outlook eastward over the ocean.

Following lunch we scrambled over the rocky shoreline for a while, then made our way back onto the Murramarang Walk. The track weaved its way around headlands and inlets, along beaches, over rock platforms and boardwalks, to finally reach Pretty Beach. At the end of Pretty Beach, we ascended the newly constructed sandstone steps, to a welcoming party of kangaroos, and returned to our start point at the carpark.

Philip

Thursday 30 March 2023

North Head Beach from the campground entrance

Denise, Rob and Gavin at Wobbegong Bay rock platform

Lunch at Oaky Beach

New sandstone steps near Richmond Beach

After the rain, an interesting fungi

As good as a painting

A stunning coast

A scarred tree

Photos courtesy of Chris

This walk covers some very familiar territory for the club, so we weren’t expecting any difficulties as we climbed the giant staircase at Maloneys Beach and headed off to Quiriga and Judges Beaches on a bright, crisp morning. The walk is the the southern section of the new NPWS South Coast Trail, and we were walking it in reverse through to Murramarang Resort at South Durras.

However, we soon realised that a track looks very different in reverse and without detailed signposts we needed club maps, both electronic and paper, to find what we hoped was the NPWS’s new route from Judges to North Head Beach. After a cliff top cuppa near the viewing platform we headed on to Honeysuckle Beach where we again found ourselves hunting for the overgrown start of the next leg.

From there it was clear walking along well marked new track, complete with sandstone stepping stones across the gullies, and plenty of healthy burrawangs and open forest above Little Oaky Beach, heading for lunch at the newly constructed camp grounds at Oaky Beach. Following the widened track through the lemandra down to the beach we looped back up to the creek. In the past this has not always been easy to cross, but two new wooden bridges and a raised walkway made this short section easy!

Next was Richmond Beach where we were reminded how hard sand walking can be. New and well-marked cliff top track led us past more stands of burrawangs to Myrtle Beach, a long beach walk, and then stairs up to the Dark Beach link. New track here has scattered sandstone steps to ease the gentle climb and quite quickly we found ourselves at Emily Miller Beach where the beach walk we were expecting has been replaced and walkers are redirected behind the beach to eventually reach the car park at the top of Wasp Headland. This was another section where we took a path we knew as signage was not up.

The rock platform at Wobbegong Bay looked lovely in the afternoon sun as Rob gave us a quick geology lesson before we headed back to the car. We had stretched 17 kms into 20, but had a wonderful day of beaches and bush, cliff tops and headlands with the occasional family of wallabies, several smallish goannas and a lone sea eagle to add variety. Thank you Denise and Gavin for your company, and Rob for your last-minute leading of our outing.

Chris