BATEMANS BAY BUSHWALKERS INC.

Saturday 3 June 2017

We commenced our walk following the Discovery Trail with 16 walkers, heading towards Durras Lake.  The Lake was looking quite spectacular, with absolutely no wind it allowed a picture perfect mirror image to reflect the shore line.  This sight tempted many of our group to start clicking with their cameras, phones or anything they could use to take a snap of the scene.  We continued along the trail passing a number of interesting vegetation forms as well as the odd ground orchid or lily adding a spot of bright colour.

After a pleasant morning tea break beside the lake we continued on and stopped for a good look at the historic loggers tree.  An information platform, which allows an interesting insight into the past lives of the wood cutters, is located adjacent to the remnant tree. The walk also followed the path through an area that is reminiscent of tropical rain forest with cabbage tree palms and tree ferns.  Having recently rained, the area was looking brilliant.

After lunch, once again enjoyed lakeside sitting on various logs (one of which allowed an uninvited leech to try hitching a ride with our walk leader) we continued along the track back to the cars.  Everyone thanked Lesley for leading us through such a pretty and varying walk.

Deborah

Wednesday 31 May 2017

Morning tea viewpoint

Pretty Point

Photos by Joe

When we arrived at McKenzie’s Beach car park we were not only warmly welcomed by our walk leader Bev, she also arranged for our amusement,  a number of dolphins to put on a show not very far from the beach. A great start for a wonderful walk.

A total of 12 attendees then set off towards Pretty Point going up a gentle hill and some scrub, but most of the track was in a very good condition with lots of wonderful views of the beach, often surrounded by rocky cliffs. The track narrowed at one point where some of us predicted that in years to come Pretty Point may end up being an island, if this rate of erosion continues. Great picture opportunities and for those of us who did this walk for the first time it was glorious.

After our morning tea, we continued towards Malua Bay beach, walking at the back of some properties, which were impressive and some of us were remodelling them in our mind. What a great location that cannot be seen from the road, hence walks like this provide a whole new perspective and opportunities to truly see and enjoy an area.

Lunch was enjoyed at a beach and after lunch we gently proceeded back to our cars. The walk was not very demanding, hence it allowed us time to stop and enjoy the scenery which it provided. Overall a glorious day.

Joe

Sunday 28 May 2017

Karl, Roger, Rob, Andy and Pat at Mogood Trig

First toe in the Bimberamala River

Crossing Bimberamala River

Lunch in the river valley bottom

Photos by Rodney

A crisp sunny wintery morning, and six walkers started from Mogood Trig for the long descent to the Bimberamala River deep in the valley between their starting point and the main Budawang Range. Four experienced walkers and two visitors made a convivial group which maintained a spanking pace down the Penders Hill Fire Trail to the first River crossing.  Then it was boots off for comfort and knee deep across the chilly river followed by a short break in the valley bottom.

Then off to pick up the Cattlemans Fire Trail before a lunch in another picturesque meadow-like area further upstream beside the river with plenty of mud, leeches and tree ferns. Then came the second river crossing followed by the long, steady and sometimes steep climb through the Blackbutt and Stringybark forest back to the summit of Mogood Trig. The wind became fresher and the odd shower signalled the passing of a minor cold front. “An excellent cardio workout” was one comment when the group reached the cars after a 12.5 km walk with a 300 plus metre climb out over 3 kilometres. The comment was well supported by the two visitors who had decided to join the Club as soon as possible, on the basis of the company, the scenery and the exercise.

Rodney

Thursday 25 May 2017

Morning tea break overlooking Pebbly Beach

Val and the two Bevs on the rock platform

Photos by Bob B

Another absolutely perfect day when 27 bushwalkers led by Joan and Bob could not resist the 8 km walk from Depot Beach through bushland to Pebbly Beach.  The walk began at the rainforest loop walk car park at Depot Beach, and then followed the road back up to North Durras Road where the bush track began to the right and up the hill for half a kilometre, where at the top a gravel Parkview Road was followed leading to Pebbly Beach for morning tea with beautiful views.

At this point a short interesting history of the early 1900s sawmill at Pebbly Beach was told to the group.  The sawmill settlement once had 200 people and was closed in late 1920s when timber loaded by the remaining flying fox pole on the northern rock platform ceased being used to load timber onto steam ships.  The land became leased to a couple who built cabins to rent and in 1975 the Murramarang National Park was created to include the area at Pebbly Beach.  In 1978 another couple leased the southern area and their father, Jack Higgins, managed the camping ground for National Parks for 25 years.

After morning tea the walk continued back to Depot Beach around the foreshore rock platform due to the required low tide which gave a chance to see the variations in the rock formations in that area and to walk across the beautiful pebbly ground cover in that area.  Back at Depot Beach there much enjoyment for lunch, and then a short walk back in time through the remnant of a coastal 50 million year-old littoral rainforest before arriving at the car park after a most interesting walk.

Joan

Saturday 20 May 2017

Cancelled due to wet weather.  To be rescheduled later this year.

17 May 2017

Leader Bob indicates water in abundance

A ‘soft’ log after lunch

Bob, Glen, Mary and Betty

Philip strides out in a wide section of the creek bed

Photos by Bob T, Philip and Mary T

Members understand that our leaders never deliberately mislead us about the walks they offer but sometimes ‘surprise’ walkers on the day. Today’s walk was one such occasion. Bob T led a walk along the Mullendaree Creek in the Mogo State Forest.

Bob had advertised it as a dry creek in unspectacular terrain with a grading of medium hard suggesting a good work out.  Bob, the grading was spot on, the rest a delightful surprise!

The Mullendaree Creek is flowing with a plentiful supply of crystal clear water, and deep water holes with numerous signs of yabbies inhabiting its banks.  The area is splendid with many impressive features.

A backdrop of ferns, fallen trees, vines and magnificent Spotted gums high light the moss covered boulders and rock platforms both in the creek and on the steep surrounding slopes. As on other recent walks fungi abounded in many beautiful colours and sizes reminding us that winter is not far away.

5 walkers enjoyed both morning tea and lunch on rocks near the creek bed. Cooler temperatures assisted the scramble over rocks and negotiation of steeper sections while the sun filtering through the trees provided just enough warmth to keep us comfortable.

A car shuffle is required to negate the need to walk too far back along the forest road. As we made our way up out of the creek to the car, a Lyrebird in full song mimicked an impressive repertoire of birdcalls serenading us and giving the impression that the forest abounded with many bird species. Sadly it was just out of reach and sight.

A great new walk for our club. Thank you Bob, a memorable day.

Stop press.  We took time out during the day for a short detour to investigate a side tributary with a view to a future exploratory walk. Keep your eye on the calendar for another walk in this area.

Mary T

Sunday 14 May 2017

On the track

Bob, Elaine and Molly enjoy morning tea on a ‘comfy’ log

Lunch by Paradise Creek

Donna, Molly and Betty by the lunch time creek

Photos by Mary T

Although we perceive Paradise to be “up there”, our leaders started the walk from the top and led us down, to the well-named Paradise Creek. This was an unusual move, but quite welcome, as we warmed up gently and then found a pleasant spot for a cuppa, overlooking part of the grazing property to the west. Various mountains in the distance had us vying to identify them as we moved on, glad that we hadn’t aimed to ascend them.

The old track led us down to the pretty valley, where we strolled beside the creek and then stopped for lunch, seated on a granite reef in the middle of the creek, with the pleasant burble of a small cascade for company. The circuit was completed by ascending an old track which wound up a gentle slope and took us finally back to the cars on top of the ridge. That’s the nearest I’m likely to get to Paradise.

Bob T

Thursday 11 May 2017

At Elizabeth Malabar’s grave

Smoke haze and morning tea on rock platform

Lunch on North Broulee beach

Photos by Donna and Mary T

Another perfect autumn day welcomed 24 bushwalkers led by Bev Brazel on an adventure of walking to the top of Broulee Island to find a historic grave.  This is the grave of Elizabeth Malebar who died 27 June 1842, aged 45 years.

Elizabeth was the wife of Abraham who was a convicted sea captain on conditional pardon who made a living punting goods up and down the Moruya River and occasionally from the river mouth to Broulee.  The grave is one of only a few known graves of this age in the south coast region.

The walk began from South Broulee Surf Club and climbed the nearby road to the top lookout with a lengthy view of Broulee Beach, after which the track led behind headland houses where a local resident welcomed us to another path to views from another lookout – a new feature on this walk.

Once down on the sand the walkers went along Shark Bay and then began the foreshore, sometimes rocky, track around the island, and were thrilled to watch a seal splashing in the waves, also two dolphins and sea eagles.

Soon the track up into bush leading to the top of the island was followed and the large size of the land on top was a surprise to most walkers.  As well as finding the historic grave there was a search for any remaining signs of the hotel which once existed in this area of the island and seen by a member there back in the 1950s.

Once back down on the sand the walkers enjoyed lunch on North Broulee Beach and then made tracks back to the surf club car park.  Thank you to Bev for a most enjoyable and interesting walk.

Joan B

Saturday 6 May 2017

Walkers around the old Spotted Gum

Little used track

Lunch on Myrtle Beach

A chat after lunch

Omphalotus nidiformis

Photos by Donna, Karen M, Erika and Mary T

Fifteen walkers set out on this tramp through the forests only a few kilometres from South Durras. The departure point was on Skid Ridge Road which the group then followed beyond its junction with North Head Road before turning off onto a bush track that had not seen walkers for many years. Some of the old forest tracks in this area remain passable, and are well worth exploring, but have become difficult to follow in the valley bottoms where recent rains have obliterated the track and new vegetation has spread across it.

The route zig-zagged through secondary growth forest with plenty of fallen timber ready to trip the unwary, until eventually we arrived at the big old spotted gum which is such a landmark in the forest. Then the walkers headed uphill towards Myrtle Beach for lunch, where we watched sailing kayakers out at sea heading towards Batemans Bay. Then up the slope to the enchanted forest of twisty trees that line the paths on the headland. The grouped worked its way back to Skid Ridge Road by another little known track, now overgrown in many places skirting the old Durras settlement. By the track there was evidence of sugar-gliders on nearby gums. It was a lovely cool, if humid, morning for a classic Murramarang Walk in our delightful hilly forested coastal environment.

Rodney H

Wednesday 3 May 2017

Meriel makes her selection

Stan in good form

Geoff, Elizabeth, Grant and Meriel watch the action

Bowlers in the alleys

Photos by Karen M and Mary T

Wednesday was an afternoon Ten Pin Bowling social activity at the Dunn Lewis Centre in Ulladulla. 20 club members started the fun off with lunch at the Servo Club before meeting up at the bowling centre. Elizabeth had organised 2 games and afternoon tea with home baked scones and jam all made by the ladies at the Dunn Lewis Centre, delicious!

Some of us were definitely less than stellar but all of the group had great fun and agreed this is an event worthy of an encore. Thank you Elizabeth.

Mary T