Wednesday 8 June 2016
Photos by Lesley
No report received, but a big thank you to Jean for leading this Easy/Medium Walk along the Batemans Bay coastline.
Ed
Saturday 28 May 2016
Photos by Karen M
On the coldest Saturday yet, nine bushwalkers headed south on a very crisp morning to climb that well-known mountain rising from the dairy pastures around Tilba. Even on this chilly morning there were several other groups either trudging or running up and down the mountain. And some even driven much of the way up by the vehicles managed by the Yuin people.
Below the summit, our bushwalkers deviated to visit some magnificent granite tor structures. Monstrous rounded, precariously balanced boulders, rising out of the forest along a prominent ridge. Then, on up a bushy steep climb a so-called short cut, to the summit trig. Here the wind howled through the trees adding a wind chill factor which seemed to drop the temperature to about 5C. Lunch was accompanied by an informative geological interpretation of this interesting volcanic area and then, down via the rainforest track, through beautiful Pinkwoods, as the rain began to gently fall.
On the downward track the group encountered a fearless bundle of brown fur on the track, and concluded it had to be rattus rattus, the black rat, after all any marsupial would have fled long before the group stumbled over it. All in all, as the damp group scrambled back into the cars, we agreed that the long climb was well worth it, for the rocks, forest and the reminders of both the old mine workings and the area’s aboriginal heritage. Thank you to our Leader on this occasion, Rob.
Rodney
Wednesday 25 May 2016
Photos by Donna
Ten Batemans Bay Bushwalkers enjoyed the bushland amidst a variety of bird calls as they walked around Deep Creek Dam this week. It was mostly on undulating track.
Above the dam everyone paused to read the information panels about its supply etc. Some admired the pretty shades of green and yellow rushes along the edge of the clear water, others the effortless ease with which a few kangaroos bounded over the top of the fence and back into the surrounding bushland.
The walk concluded with lunch on an appropriate log amongst the variety of native trees.
Pat
Sunday 22 May 2016
Photos by Karen M
Bob T led a group of 17 walkers on a very interesting hike to the abandoned gold mines near Moruya. Bob did an amazing job of navigating us directly to the old workings on a 6km hike with only small sections of track to follow. Everyone was impressed by the extent of the workings and infrastructure built by the miners to store water. We all stopped counting concrete and metal water tanks when it was obvious there were so many. Bob recounted the history of the workings including a boiler, now rusting away but standing over 5m tall, that came from the WW1 light cruiser HMAS Sydney and was used on site to run various equipment. Standing in the middle of a forest of gum trees on the east coast of NSW it was surreal think that this boiler came from a ship that sank the German raider, Emden, on the Cocos Islands in 1914. An old abandoned Chevrolet flatbed truck and aluminium caravan attested to the fact that the site was active up until the 1950’s. The story goes that a hermit lived in the still relatively sturdy huts until the 1950’s.
“Sergeant” Bob runs a tight operation and managed not to lose a single hiker as we spread out over the mining area that must extend to over 2500 sq m. He even had us fan out in a “SES-like” search line looking for an old miner’s grave site (unsuccessfully) before he agreed to let us have lunch. While this site seems so remote and old when you are standing in a moon-scape of rock piles, collapsed mines and rusting mining equipment we were brought back to the present by the sounds of gunfire from the nearby pistol range and a horse rider who appeared out of the forest. All that was missing was the Clark Gang riding along this old bridle trail to rob some unsuspecting miners at a nearby town.
Well done Bob, this was a great hike, educational and oh I forgot to mention the four red tailed black cockatoos that joined us for the morning break that ticks the ‘nature’ box and made this a thoroughly enjoyable day.
Rob L
Friday 20 May 2016
Photos by Linda and Karen M
Thursday 19 May 2016
Photos by Bob M
Betty led us on a 13km tour around Mogo State Forest near Saltwater Road and Saltwater Creek in fine sunny autumn weather. As is usual with Betty’s walks, it was a good leg stretch with some sizeable hills. We just managed to get the walk in before the area is to be logged. Forestry was already harvesting across a couple of the gullies. Saltwater Creek is quite a big body of water which flows into a deep arm of the Clyde River and is tidal, exposing wide mudflats at low tide crawling with little crabs and dotted with mangroves.
Karen M
Sunday 15 May 2016
Photos by Kay
After admiring the serenity of the waters, bird life and distant mountains, seven walkers set off across Wallaga Lake boardwalk in a southerly direction. Thence a coastal forest was entered on a track that weaved in and out of it, for most of the journey.It was a balmy autumn day with hardly a breath of wind. The first view of the ocean was at Camel Rock where the party scrutinised the shape of the rock that gives the beach its name, and watched dolphins surfacing and splashing in the waters.
Further on, leader Kay pointed out two mine shafts that belong to the Montreal Plateau mines and explained that they contain alluvial gold deposits being transported by water, unlike the mines seen on the club’s Mogo walk the previous Sunday. The nearby Montreal goldfield is an intact example of alluvial diggings in the 1880s and the only goldfield in Australia that goes into the sea.
The bush was very dry but there were patches of Epacris reclinata (native heath), Correa alba and Correa reflexa (native fuschias) to give it colour and cheer along with birdsong. Prior to a lunch stop at Keating’s Point the walkers paused and viewed the many water fowl on a reedy swamp behind the sand dunes. Lunch was eaten watching the ocean below, also a pelican, and a white bellied sea eagle that dipped and soared directly overhead.
After lunch the group continued south, veered west onto a track that led the way through a small swamp – home to an escaping Red Belly Black Snake, then on to the footpaths of Bermagui township. Not tempted by the aromas of their famous fish and chips, it was straight on for the gelato shop, and then on via the headland from where seals were spotted, to the end of the ten kilometre walk at the Blue Pool.
Denise
Tuesday 22 March 2016
Photos by Ian B
Wednesday 11 May 2016
Photos by Ken and Karen C
This walk was led by Jill and John and numbered 12 participants including 3 visitors. Conditions ideal, about 21 degrees, sunny and bright. We followed a combination of firebreak roads and bush tracks, a circular itinerary, initially downhill, then uphill on the way back.
The highlight of the walk was the re-visiting of Billy’s hut, where we stopped for morning tea. It is now dilapidated 150-years old stone structure, comprising an old fireplace, where Billy, from County Cork in Ireland, lived a solitary life in the 1840s/1870s. He built the hut himself, using boulders from the creek, and mud. The spot is now overgrown but one can sympathise with the life this recluse might have led, with weekly walks to Nelligen (approx 20 km away) to pick up his mail. The Club has visited Billy’s hut at other times in the past, on longer walks, including the first recorded walk of the Batemans Bay Bushwalkers in 1985.
The walk took about 3 hours, covered a distance of approx 7.5 km and finished before lunch. Thanks Jill and John for leading us back to this secret spot.
John M
Sunday 8 May 2016
Photos by Karen M
Despite ominously clouded skies, Geoff & Elizabeth bravely accepted the conditions and the company of 11 other members to lead their walk into the forest west of Mogo.
Serenaded at times by the chatter of Rainbow Lorikeets, and possibly some Swift Parrots, (I’m sure I heard 21) we marched through the hills until we reached the area of old gold mines in Mogo State Forest. As there have been people cutting away the heavy barriers on mines, which protect both resident bats, and people from the risks of entering old mines, the access road to Kellys mine now has numerous earth barriers and logs blocking vehicle access. Nimble Bushwalkers, we were undeterred, and enjoyed our lunch break at Kellys mine.
After lunch for us and some leeches, we set off through the lovely forest along the creek, and found a beautifully woven bird nest, which we thought may have been made by a Scrub Wren. However, while later trying to identify the species, I was bewildered by the many possibilities, and will retreat behind the conviction that it was the nest of an LBB (Little Brown Bird).
We then enjoyed the relatively short walk back to the cars, having only had to suffer light drizzle at morning tea and lunchtime, there being little of it as we walked.
Bob T