BATEMANS BAY BUSHWALKERS INC.

Thursday 28 April – Tuesday 3 May 2016
Words by Rodney, Photos by Karen M and Rodney

On the Thursday afternoon thirteen campers arrived at the beautiful campsite at Micalong Creek, a stunningly picturesque spot on a tributary of the Goodradigbee River, west of Canberra across the Brindabellas. Upstream of the site, within two hundred metres were swimming holes and limestone cliffs, and the colours of the turning autumn trees brought vivid colour to the surroundings.

Autumn comes to Micalong Creek campsite

Camping bushwalkers

Micalong Creek upstream from campground

Bob at Micalong Creek swimming hole

Glen and Rodney at Micalong Creek cascades

Kay, Karen and Glen at the cascades

Over the following four days the walkers explored the Hume and Hovell walking track, including a visit to the summit of Mount Wee Jasper, and traced the footpaths beside the Goodradigbee River, over rock and and the trunks of trees washed down by storms and through blackberries.

Morning tea on the way to Mt Wee Jasper

Exiting the pine forest from the summit of Mt Wee Jasper

Glen enjoying the damp grass trees after a night of welcome rain

Bob and Susan climb through lichen covered rocks

View of Wee Jasper valley

Rodney, Bob and mossy rocks after rain

Weathered fluting on limestone caused by rain dribbling down the rock and dissolving grooves

Len finds one of the hundreds of large and small limestone caves in the area

While storms lashed the campers at night the daytime weather was delightful, bright and cool, ideal for walking in the region but, as the nights became cooler and cooler following a cold front, the evening campfire was a welcome opportunity to defrost. The whole group is looking forward to revisiting this delightful spot.

Goodradigbee River

Final day’s walk along the banks of the Goodradigbee

Goodradigbee River

Pat wading across the junction of Micalong Creek and Goodradigbee River

Len opted for the log bridge crossing

And Kay tested the garbage bag option.

Grateful thanks to Camp Leader Len who spent the day before we arrived re-exploring the walks and clipping back the worst of the blackberries from some of the tracks.  He also transported a heap of wood to the camp so that we could have a blazing fire every evening at Happy Hour.

Thursday 5 May 2016

Group photo at Clear Point

Taking in the view at Snake Bay

A low tide made the rockhopping most enjoyable

Headland above Pretty Beach

Look this way everyone

Murramarang coastline

Photos by Brian and Karen M

Thursday dawned a clear bright day and thirteen walkers travelled to Pretty Beach to enjoy a walk in the iconic Murramarang National Park. It might have been a chilly start to the day, but very soon layers of clothes were shed as we warmed up on the hill which is Mount Durras.

We lingered around the old farmstead area, marvelled at the huge trees and cabbage palms, enjoyed the extensive views of coast and hills, caught glimpses of kangaroos in the undergrowth and a few of us disturbed a couple of sleepy black snakes. Clear Point made a lovely spot for lunch, Snake Bay a beautiful rest stop.

Returning by the beaches and rock platforms a geology lesson was to be had, noting where a discontinuation of sandstone gave way to basalt and observing where rocks were stained with iron deposits. A few members checked out alternative routes around the foreshore and probably walked more than the 14kms the rest of us did. The sea was turquoise and inviting, but no-one took the plunge, maybe next time.  Thank you Brian for another great day out.

Helen

Saturday 30 April 2016

The group at Moruya south head

Irene at the old shipping jetty

… and setting a cracking pace to the weather station

Photos by Bob T, Irene’s daughter and granddaughter

On 30 April, one of our venerable leaders took a group of enthusiastic walkers around the Moruya Heads area.

At only 87, Irene set a brisk pace, while showing us the bower of a male Satin Bower bird, then explained the odd aerial roots and seeding process of estuarine mangroves, took us past the remains of a coastal shipping wharf and dry dock, then up to the old Pilot Station where the weather man gave us fascinating information on the history of the estuary and shipping, then spoke in detail about weather records and his part in taking them.  If that is a breathless sentence, then it reflects the pace she set.

On to the lookout on the headland where several graves of sea-lovers were laid many years ago.  It would be nice to say they were undisturbed, but a few decades ago, drunken vandals smashed most of the headstones.  But the view, as always, is glorious, to Broulee, Burrewarra Point and the Budawangs in the north, and to Bingie and Tuross Head in the south.

For a relatively short walk, it was packed with much of interest, and was enjoyed by all.

Bob T

Wednesday 27 April 2016

Jane shows walkers the unknown grave

Heading across the paddocks

Photos by Mary T

A group of six walkers were led by Ian H for the midweek club walk. We had been invited to enjoy this beautiful, working property on the Buckenbowra River by its owner, Jane. Our walk started near the main homestead and then across large fenced, grassy paddocks, the site of many tall gum trees, with a backdrop of the distant mountains. Jane pointed out the damage deer are causing to the bark of the trees.  We stopped along the way to read the inscription on a monument to Browne’s Hut and Stockyard. This is the first known habitation in the Shire of Eurobodalla. The track took us past an unknown grave and on down to the Buckenbowra River. This was the start of our fence ‘hopping’ or rather crawling!

Ian had a delightful spot picked out for morning tea complete with a table and benches. The majority of the group declined the comfort of these facilities to sit in the shade on nature’s own chairs, hard rocks. Reluctantly the break was over and we had to leave this peaceful setting. Fortunately we were continuing along the riverbank for some distance, so were able to enjoy the river with dappled sunlight and perfect reflections until the homestead came into view again. This was not the end of our walk. We passed the property manager’s home and set out up and across paddocks with yet more fences to be negotiated. Our leader found the exact place needed to scale the last fence and meet up with a 4-wheel drive track that took us up to the top of the ridge, the boundary for the property. From there it was downhill back to our cars safely parked out of harm’s way from two curious horses.

Lunch was on the way out at another lovely, shady river location on the Quart Pot Road. Three sleek, black cows grazed amongst the ferns on the other side of the river.  They too must have appreciated this cool spot on what was a very warm day for the end of April.

Thank you Ian for leading us on a delightful walk in a beautiful part of our Shire. Especial thanks to Jane for generously permitting the members of the Batemans Bay Bushwalkers to walk on her property.

Mary T

Sunday 24 April 2016

Mummaga Lake

Lunch at Brou Lake

Finishing the walk on Brou Beach

Photos by Mary T and Karen M

A group of eighteen club members were led by Karen M for the Anzac weekend club walk. We started at the Dalmeny car park near the bridge and entered the Eurobodalla National Park.  The beginning of the walk meandered through quite heavy undergrowth and sand dunes with few tracks and then around the lake shores of Mummaga and Brou. Morning tea by peaceful Mummaga Lake included a good view of the resident eagle atop its nest. Inland tracks took us to the mouth of Lake Brou where the beach and the ocean meet.

Lunch was a delightful spot on the lake offering not only great views across the water but excellent facilities for those using the camp sites and walkers like ourselves. A new track running parallel to the beach was an added bonus giving us spectacular views of ocean, beach and Montague Island. With good timing on the part of our leader Karen, low tide allowed us to enjoy the last few hundred metres walking on firm sand along the ocean shore.

Thank you Karen M for leading us on a delightful walk in perfect Autumnal weather.

Mary T

Thursday 21 April 2016

Sharon and tenacious Spotted gum

By Durras Lake

Colourful bunch of walkers

Red belly black

Pat with gnarly gum

Photos by Karen C

9 walkers enjoyed some easy walking through old logged areas, now part of Murramarang National Park, among crazy twisted and multi trunk Spotted Gums.  Great spot for Cymbidium suave and maybe Rats Tail Orchids on the casuarinas in Spring and possibly Ironbark Orchids as well, and all so very accessible. We had two close encounters with Red Belly Black snakes, one we almost stepped on.   It didn’t move and we thought it might have been dead till its tongue flickered.  The other was down by the lake and was much more active but we still managed to get a photo. We had a short walk both to the west and east along the lakeshore and then lunched overlooking the water which was like a millpond.

Thanks to Sharon for another enjoyable bushwalker outing.

Karen C

Wednesday 13 April 2016

Durras Lake

Cabbage palms and ferns

Entry gate to Discovery Trail

Bev soaks up the scenery

Carol, Bob and Elaine

Bowerbird bower

Photos by Donna and Karen

Mary T led 11 walkers on a very pleasant 15km hike along the shores of Durras Lake. The well-defined trail took us through some majestic Spotted Gum groves with numerous sites where we met the shoreline and a number of walkers reached for their cameras. While we tend to be a noisy crowd it did not stop the birds chatting continuously as we moved through their territory.

The trail skirted along the edge of the caravan park and back into forest where we emerged at the lake edge for lunch. Apart from a few noisy fishing boats moving about the scene was idyllic with paddlers providing a splash of colour on the water. We had the mandatory sea eagle fly by inspecting things.

On the return trip Mary showed us a bower bird structure adorned with every blue bottle top and peg the male could steal from the caravan park. I trust the females were impressed. Everyone agreed that this was a very enjoyable walk and with no hills would be an ideal walk for our Easy and Medium members to enjoy.

Rob