BATEMANS BAY BUSHWALKERS INC.

Thursday 9 June 2022

Starting off

Through the gully

Finding a way through

and over the debris

Today’s group photograph

The 2017 photograph from the same area

The now open canopy

Ian amongst the damage

the destruction is apparant

before – the rainforest in 2017

But life still hangs on

Photos courtesy of Amanda, Philip and Erika with past photos from Ian

Following last month’s failed attempt to visit the three areas of Monga’s rainforest, this revisit concentrated on entering only the largest patch. We used a new route through the surrounding regrowth scrub, proliferating after the catastrophic 2019/20 bushfire, and it yielded a perfect result – hardly any bush bashing.

Once under the remains of the Pinkwood (Eucryphia moorei) canopy, it was immediately clear the fire had burnt most of the rainforest causing significant damage.

It was a sorry sight. The general view through the area was of dead trees. Although some of the Pinkwood had relatively undamaged crowns, many were dead. Many had a killed crown but the stump is now shooting coppice regrowth. Although the coppice may eventually form a new tree stem (many decades) it will have to compete with the fast growing Brown Barrel (Eucalyptus fastigata) seedlings, prolific wherever a remnant has shed its seed load.

In stark contrast to our visit five years ago, the forest floor was no longer a mossy floored park land missing only elves and goblins but now littered with recently fallen trees. Much of the ground’s soft spongey organic layer had burnt.

Many of the previously scattered very large Brown Barrel remnants were now gone, burnt, fallen or killed. A few survive. We found two of our favourites – the “photo tree”, still alive, and the standing remains of the “hollow” tree, now a dead shell. We took photos for old time’s sake.

Our exit up the gully line to the north was a little more promising. This narrow strip of rainforest and tree ferns, although damaged, was still relatively intact. A few tree deaths and fallen trees have created some openings in the canopy but in other places, mainly in the wet gully bottom, the rainforest was still as lovely as it always was.

In summary, although the walk was interesting, seeing the fire damage was very disheartening. Approximately 90% of the rainforest burnt. Possibly 50% will eventually survive as rainforest but it will take decades before the Pinkwood canopy reforms. The other 50% will now become a eucalypt forest. The 10% which survived is mainly in the northern gully line, a reminder of what was here before.

In this one small area, an aesthetically pleasing and interesting ecological system, which took thousands of years to evolve at this place and, until very recently, a survivor of a prehistoric era, has now almost disappeared.

Ian

Saturday 4 June 2022

One happy group

Stairs to Myrtle Beach

Heading south on Myrtle Beach

Tom and Gay enjoying morning tea in the sunshine

Through the lamandra

Lunch at Oaky Beach

Capturing that shot

and that one as well

Photos courtesy of Amanda, Helen, Brian, Tom, Philip and Erika

From the start at Wasp Head carpark we followed the trail through the bush and down onto Emily Miller Beach. There was little wind, the sea was calm, the day was sunny and we walked under a cloudless blue sky. These beautiful conditions had attracted a couple of naturists who hastily left the beach upon seeing us.

At the end of Emily Miller Beach we went inland and made our way through the forest and around the headlands, past Dark Beach, and down onto Myrtle Beach. At the end of the beach we paused for morning tea at a pleasant grassy spot, before heading back inland and continuing further south. As we meandered along the low winter sun created beautiful light and shadows throughout the forest.

After walking along Richmond Beach and passing Little Oaky Beach, we pushed our way through an area of thick lamandra onto Oaky Beach where we stopped for lunch at yet another beautiful spot. After lunch we went back inland, then onto Honeysuckle Beach and finally to North Head.

Before the walks end at North Head carpark we stopped at the viewing platform to look back over the cliffs and headlands to the north and to admire the expansive ocean view. We were pleased to spot a couple of whale spouts in the distance.

At various locations during the course of the walk we encountered one small snake (type uncertain), two red-bellied black snakes, several kangaroos and a couple of wallabies. Thanks Brian for leading us on a very fine walk.

Philip

Thursday 2 June 2022

Nancy and Bob enjoying the perfect conditions on the creek

In a narrowing Clyne Mallowes

The fleet at rest

Which way up – Dock over river.

Nancy gliding past and enjoying the scenery

Mangroves and their reflections

Exploring one of the creek tributaries

Photos courtesy of Mary and Karen

Five members and one visitor met in Nelligen to paddle Cyne Mallowes an off shoot of the Clyde River.

The day started out with high clouds and rather chilly. By mid morning the sun was out and what a display we were treated to. The reflections in the water were mirror like.

Clyne Mallowes starts out as a wide section of water and the further we paddled, narrowed to quiet water, tall trees with some green paddocks . As the tide was high the group were able to journey well up the available navigable water, reaching further than we have done before, about 12 km.

As so much of the land around the water edge is private property, the only way to experience this gem on the Clyde River is by water craft. This is reason for it being so quiet with little to disturb the truly incredible reflections.

A sunny spot was found for morning tea with lunch back on the river bank at Nelligen.

Mary

Wednesday 1 June 2022

4WDs in action

On the Zig Zags

The Destination

Brian and Tom on the flat

Morning tea views

Heading Up

Leading the way

The Stairs

The Summit- a trifle windy

Photos courtesy of Amanda, Helen, Tom, Gay and Peter

Finally the day dawned sunny and bright and after a couple of postponements the long awaited walk to the top of Pigeon House Mountain was happening. Eleven walkers met at the Batemans Bay car park on the north side of the bridge and on stepping out into the morning air, realised that it was a little chillier and windier than we had first thought.

With recent National Park alerts recommending four wheel drives for the road into Pigeon House, we set off in three appropriate vehicles. About five kilometres from Pigeon House, the road deteriorated in sections. It was muddy and looked very slippery and boggy, but our three trusty 4wd drivers and vehicles got us safely through. Passengers could clearly be heard breathing a sigh of relief!

After the dramatic entry, everyone was keen to get going on the track to the top of Pigeon House because it was cold and the wind chill made it feel colder. Didn’t take long to warm up! The first part of the track now zig zags for about 1 km and then we hit the ‘big’ steps. Morning tea was a welcome stop but only brief. We were rewarded with a nice long flat section along the ridge stretching out our legs and then it was time to tackle the steps. Just when you think you are at the top, there’s more…. They are relentless, as one walker was heard to mutter!

Spotting the ladders was a relief. Those with gloves easily tackled the 13 ladders as those hand-rails were bitingly cold. Note to self – pack gloves next time!

Views from the top of Pigeon House are spectacular. While it had now clouded over somewhat, we could clearly see Montague Island in the south. But did I mention the cold – it was now 8 degrees with the wind chill factor bringing that down dramatically, so while the views were spectacular we did not stay long on the viewing deck.

We retreated to the bottom of the ladders for a spot of lunch then it was time to head back down the track. Despite the chilly conditions, we all enjoyed getting back out on the tracks again. Oh and yes, our drivers got us safely back out through the muddy slippery ruts!

Gay

Sunday 29 May 2022

Coila Creek cascade

The only way through is to crawl

Magnificent Sydney Red Gum (Angophora costata)

One of the many unusual fungi found in the damp leaf litter

Mauve coral fungus

Another magnificent tree – spotted gum (Corymbia maculata)

Photos from Amanda and Helen

On an absolutely sunny day (a rarity in this La Nina period) 7 walkers visited Upper Coila Creek for a 13km hike. This area did not get burnt in the fires of 2019-2020. It did however enjoy the heavy rains we have experienced since that event and strong growth of the understorey vegetation was expected. A reccie earlier in the week found two of the gullies on the route to be overgrown with head high wattles and weeds so we changed the walk route to avoid this area. This is a Bob T walk created about 15 years ago and follows old & abandoned logging roads, motor bike tracks and about 1 km of the Upper Coila Creek stream bed.

No one, walkers or bikers, have been in this area since before the fires and pandemic lockdowns so we were pleasantly surprised to be able to find the motorbike tracks covered with debris but visible for walking. Hazard reduction backburns by the Forestry Corporation in 2018 along K-Ridge and H-Ridge roads made hiking in this area pleasant with few weeds and open understorey vegetation.

With all the rains we have had in recent months Coila Creek and its tributaries were all flowing well and very photogenic. The warm weather brought out the birds who were noisy the entire walk. I counted five lyre birds who added to the diversity of bird songs during our walk. Ian noted that this is an area of very diversified forest and I gave up counting major tree species at 10. Helen was frequently stopping to photograph fungi which are enjoying the warm moist conditions especially in the well shaded areas along the creek lines.

We all agreed it was good to get out into the forests west of the Princes Highway for a walk that had a little bit of everything that makes us enjoy hiking.

Rob

Thursday 26 May 2022

With the big old Bangalay (Eucalyptus botryoides) on Burrewarra Point

Stopping for views on the Point

Old Man Banksia (Banksia serrata) forest

Big black rock in Guerrilla Bay

New steps to Nuns Beach

Rounding the point at Jimmies Island

Lunch on Guerrilla Bay beach

Photos by Mary, Donna, Bob & Karen

The Guerilla Bay to Rosedale walk is an 8.5 km Easy/Medium grade return hike along the gorgeous Eurobodalla coast, best done at low to mid tide.

It starts at Burrewarra Point in Guerilla Bay and passes the concrete Nissan Hut used as a radar station by the Airforce in WWII; the seal colony viewing platform which also gives views north to Didthul (Pigeonhouse Mountain); and the lighthouse and trig at the end of the point.  Following the track back along the southern side of the point, it winds through waist high lomandra and groves of old man banksias (Banksia serrata), with low bushes of native fuschia (Correa reflexa) just bursting into flower.  Here there are also views south to Gulaga (Mt Dromedary) and beyond.

Heading to Guerilla Bay Beach and its distinctive black rock in the bay, known in the local language as Guarella (meaning big rock), the track then ascends the headland, skirts the newly fenced private property and drops down to a small sandy cove.  This is a tranquil spot to take a break and enjoy the isolated setting between the 2 villages of Guerilla Bay and Rosedale.

The track then ascends a second headland and drops again to another small sandy cove called Nuns Beach.  This was named after the Nuns’ Retreat cottage overlooking the beach, owned by the Sisters of Goulburn as accommodation for holidaying nuns between 1965 and 1979.

Then it is a short easy rockhop around the point at Jimmies Island to South Rosedale Beach. The walk heads inland on local tracks off the beach, up the hill and through the very soggy gully at Rosedale. It’s hard to believe that Rosedale was once a farm with widespread clearing of the bush for grazing at both South and North Rosedale.  Today the area is a subdivision tucked into spotted gum forest.

To return we retrace our steps back over the headlands and follow a couple of different local tracks along the clifftops through Guerilla Bay back to the start.

Karen

Saturday 7 May 2022

Lookout over Broulee Beach

Remains of shell grit wharf

Overgrown bush on the island

Grave site

Elizabeth Malebar’s headstone

Photos by Tom and Elizabeth

Seven club members braved an early chilly start to do the Broulee Island Grave walk. Setting out from the Broulee Surf club we made our way along Shark Bay beach to the Island.  While it is still referred to as an island it has not been so since 1988.

The tide was low so good time was made crossing balsalt rock rather than having to traverse a pebbly path. Morning tea was had near an old 1920s site for shipping out shell grit with views to North Broulee beach and across towards Mossy Point and Guerilla Bay.

Since the club last did the walk to the Grave there has been considerable regrowth and many trees downed in storms. As a result paths were not readily visible and there was quite a bit of bushbashing to reach the Grave of Elizabeth Maleber, who died in 1842 making it one of the oldest grave sites on the South Coast.  Her husband was a sea captain who operated the punt on Moruya river. Much of the attraction of the grave and the island is its colourful  history. A hotel, built there 1840-1841 by Captain Oldrey, was leased by an Irishman called Macauley. He named it the Erinn go Bragh  (Ireland Forever). The hotel was dismantled and moved to Moruya following a huge storm which opened up the mouth of the Moruya River making it the preferred port.

Karen

Wednesday 4 May 2020

Billys Hut disappearing into the undergrowth

Billys stone wall pioneer hut

If you didn’t know it was there, you’d walk right past it

A break by Currowan Creek

Billys Hut crew

Photos by Max & Karen

Thirteen club members were on Pat’s Billy’s Hut walk held on a lovely sunny day.

The bush was very pretty in the sunlight, amongst the variety of bird calls.  The track has been quite eroded due to all the rain we’ve received, and combined with the post fire regrowth, it eventually required a bit of careful picking our way through the high regrowth down to the beautiful creek.

Once over the creek it was just a little more regrowth and then we were up beside Billy’s Hut.

The stone walls of the hut had been washed clean with all the rain and looked suitably interesting for a 140 year-old remote stone hut.  It conjured up many interesting theories of how Billy lived for so long on his own,  what he ate etc, and did he find any gold worth his while …….

After morning tea we moved on up towards the fire trail and road and back to our vehicles. On the last stretch back, we inspected a small copper-head snake that had unfortunately been run over.

Pat