Illawong Nature Sanctuary

Web Editor

Sunday 24 February 2019

Deborah, Anne, Jan, Nancy and Jane dwarfed by nature.
A lovely nesting site for a lucky bird or perhaps a possum?
Pausing along the track.
This ‘find’ was a little out of the ordinary on a bush walk!
One of two dams we came across.
Walkers disappearing from view.

Photos by Carol, Denise and Mary

Walk leader, Mary was more than a bit stunned when 30 BBBW’s turned out for an easy Sunday morning stroll through the Illawong Nature reserve. Many members had no idea that this sanctuary was hidden behind the trees that line busy George Bass Drive or that it is also an event venue, dotted with secluded cabins and even an iconic caravan that looks some what like a spaceship that has just landed.

Tall trees gave way to lower grassy land before the group wheeled around to go back into the forest. There, another surprise awaited walkers– tucked in between the trees was a Tesla recharge station. The 30 walkers were momentarily silent as they absorbed this unlikely information. Well, you never know what you will find in the bush!

Thank you Mary for such an enjoyable Sunday morning.

Denise

Tuross Head Circuit

Web Editor

Thursday 21 February 2019

Leader Denise tells the group about the history of ‘Tuross House’.
One of the many views of Tuross waterways.
Bev and Carol and some natural flotsam on the beach.
Walkers and reflections.
Different colours at the lake entrance.
Rob provides some hints on navigation using various aids.
Panorama of rocks, beach and sea.

Photos by Carol, Erika and Mary

Denise led 20 hikers on a pleasant walking tour of Tuross Head. It was a great turnout for the first club walk of the season and the weather was kind to us – partly overcast and not too hot.

Being a Tuross native Denise knows all the public lanes between homes that allowed us to see most of Tuross without hiking on the roads. Our first stop was a history lesson, “Tuross House” – the first cottage built in the area by the Mylott family in 1870. Their daughter Eva became a famous opera singer and apparently is the grandmother of the actor Mel Gibson.

From there we hiked to Coila Lake and around to the beach with morning tea at Memorial Park. The hike then took us to One Tree Point and inland along the Tuross River inlet to the Tuross Boatshed picnic area. The walk ended with a stroll through the forested Chatham Park. With all the chatting going on as hikers caught up with each other after the Christmas break no one realized they had done 8.5kms. Well done Denise.

Rob

 

 

 

 

Borang Lake Paddle

Web Editor

Friday 15 February 2019

Borang Lake Paddle Route
Shady lunch beach
Giant staghorn
Another of many

Photos by Karen

Borang Lake is part of the Tuross Lake/River system and can’t be accessed directly because it is surrounded by private property.  We launched at Horse Island Bridge and navigated the narrow channel beside Cambathin Island before finding the opening to the lake.

Borang is a long narrow waterway, quite small and reasonably sheltered with a few bays to explore along the way.  The weather was fine, the breeze gentle, and our group enjoyed a leisurely cruise enjoying some sights not open to bushwalking.  About 12 km.

Karen

 

 

Paddle Durras Lake

Web Editor

Thursday 31 January 2019

Bob out in front.
Lunch in the shade.
Mary and Leader Ian.
Barry, Jenny and Lin.
Erika and Philip.
We beat the forecasted high winds back to shore at the end of another lovely paddle.

Photos by Erika and Mary

Buckenbowra River Paddle

Web Editor

Monday 14 January 2019

Preparing to launch.
Sea Eagle patrolling on the Buckenbowra River.
Leader Ian hugs the river bank while keeping an eye out for fauna and flora of interest.
Kayakers patrolling on a more open, deeper section of the same river.
Disembarking at lunch time.
Lunch on one of the many sandy beaches along the river.

Photos by Erika and Mary

 

 

Christmas Lunch

Web Editor

Sunday 2 December 2018

Committee members Brian, Helen and Joe.
Denise and Carol.
Ainslie and Mike.
John, Jill, Lora and Lyn.
Bev, Lesley, Wendy and Mark.
Christine, Glen, Maggie and Bob.
Leanne, Pat, Karl and Brian.
Betty, Bob, Marlene, Barbara and Jan.

Photos by Carol and Helen

The Christmas luncheon to celebrate the end of another great walking year was held at the The Gardens Cafe in the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens. It was lovely to see so many of our members and especially older walkers keen to catch up with friends and review the year’s walking and camping activities.

Little Forest Plateau

Web Editor

Thursday 29 November 2018

Christmas Bell (Blandfordia nobilis).
Val.
A lovely show. Pink Swamp Heath (Sprengelia incarnate)
Frogs and their eggs in water on the track.
Beetle on Tee Tree
Lunch, Joan, Tim and Lee – What a view!
Austral Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea resinous).
Visitor Miranda.
Tea tree (Leptospermum).
Mary and Miranda on the edge.
Forked Sundew (Drosera binata).
Black Wattle (Callicoma serratifolia).

Photos by Ainslie, Donna, Joan and Mary

What a surprise it was for me to see far more flowers  now in summer than we have seen in spring. We only saw a few Xmas Bells which demanded attention with their bright red and yellow colours. There were masses of Teatree with large pink flowers, and along the tracksides clusters of Slender Yellow-Eye. It was one of three species not in our record of plants collected on Little Forest Plateau for the Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens. The other two were Callicoma serratifolia or Black Wattler, tucked down in a gully among the rocks where we had our lunch while gazing out at the marvellous view of the Budawangs. Pigeonhouse and The Castle dominated the skyline.

The third previously uncollected species here was the Grasstree, which had tiny white flowers all up their tall spikes. After all the rain the previous day, we had to walk around numerous puddles on the sandy track, with one offering a clear view of frogs mating.

We had a sunny afternoon with wonderful  views, and enjoyed that of the whole coast from Pointer Gap Lookout.

Ainslie

Smiggin Hole Camp

Web Editor

Sunday 18 – Saturday 24 November 2018

The mountains in spring time glory.
A change in conditions as Gunuma takes on a wintery look.
Winter snow melt swells the Snowy.

The second club camp for the Spring quarter was held at Smiggin Hole, Koszciusko National Park in the beautifully situated and equipped Gunuma Lodge. Our host for the week Wal, made us welcome and assisted with local knowledge and the smooth running of the lodge, making our stay one to remember with great pleasure.

Dead Horse Gap and Valley walk.

The group starting out on our first walk to Dead Horse Gap.
Betty, Christine and Brian on Thredbo Chair.
Bev, Mary and Rob on the way down from Dead Horse Gap.
Bev, John and Heather ahead of the group on the way to Dead Horse Gap.
Distant vista.
Slipping and sliding along.
Betty leads the way across the snow.
Snow gums in a hug.
Thredbo River on the Valley Track..

Stilwell Walk

Rob, Maggie, Leader Barry, Glen, Brian and Sharon Mount Stilwell walk.
Brian.
Yellow carpet with walkers, Mount Stilwell Walk.
Stilwell walkers.
Barry and snow drift.
Sharon, Glen, Maggie, Rob and leader Barry.

Porcupine Rocks.

Geoff ahead on the track to Porcupine Rocks.
Leader Betty on the ascent to Porcupine Rocks.
Geoff with monolith.
Mike and Ainslie relax in the sun on the way to Porcupine Rocks.
The valley from Porcupine Rocks.
Heather shows the way when leaving Porcupine Rocks.
Highland Copperhead.

Rainbow Lake

On the way to Rainbow Lake.
Crossing the outlet stream at Rainbow Lake.

Island Bend

Walkers on the Island Bend walk.
Camp leader Karen.

Illawong

Jim, Sharon, Glen and Mary on the Illawong track.
Leader Barry on swing bridge.
No hands, Sharon on the swing bridge.
Rob before crossing the swing bridge, Illawong track.
Looking down to Illawong Hut.
Sharon trying out the Illawong emergency shelter for size.
The Snowy making its way.
Glen and Sharon dwarfed by the vegetation.

Gunuma and around.

Quiet time in Gunuma.
Wal digs us out!
Heather in the well equipped kitchen.
Ros tries snow shoes for size.
Nothing stops the BBBW from getting their daily walk in!
Sharon brightens up a snowy day.
Ros on snow shoes.
Camp Leader Donna braving the snow.
The weather didn’t stop Liz’s BBQ.
Christine on snow shoes.
Enjoying the sun after the snow.

Photos by Ainslie, Amanda, Brian, Donna and Mary 

 

Barlings Beach to Burrewarra Point

Web Editor

Wednesday 21 November 2018

Bob, Mark, Judi, Martin, Mandy, Stephanie.
Cymbidium Suave.
Martin and Mark at Burrewarra Point Lighthouse.
Echidna.
Coastal view.

Photos by Helen

Seven walkers met at Barlings Beach where Mark led us on a 9.5 km walk through old Banksia groves, along beautiful clifftop paths and beaches to Guerilla Bay and back.

Long Nose Point and Burrewarra Point provided excellent views of the rocky coastline and bays and despite the cloudy day the spring flowers made a good show including Blueberry Ash, daisies and fan flowers. Plenty of birdlife and an Echidna enjoyed the sanctuary of the wildlife refuge on private land.

Our only complaint was the humidity prior to the cool change making the hills appear higher and longer!

Helen