BATEMANS BAY BUSHWALKERS INC.

Saturday 2 April 2016

Karen leads the way

There’s a track here somewhere

The top of the hill

One of many hurdles across the track

Finally, some obstacle free walking

Photos by Karen & Bob M

Wednesday 30 March 2016

Sharon with the unusual stand of Rigid Bottlebrush in the creek

Karen peers down one of the barred mineshafts

Glen, Sharon, Bob and Rob at another of the mineshafts

Comfy granite outcrop for lunch

Sharon in the rock with a hole

Abandoned wasp hives among granite boulders

Photos by Mary T

On Wednesday 30th a happy band of BBBWalkers  explored a section of Mogo State  Forest.  Ably led by Rob, we bush bashed (gently) for one and half kilometres, crossed creek beds, climbed interesting rock formations and  “rediscovered ” a line of Callistemon rigida (Rigid bottlebrush) rarely found in these parts.  Following bike tracks and forestry roads we investigated what remains of many old mines and  imagined lives long past.  It was lovely to see so many plants in flower. The Banksia spinulosa (Hairpin banksia) were especially stunning.

Reaching the cars, having walked just under 10kms in beautiful surroundings,  we all felt renewed and invigorated.  So do come and join us.

Sharon

Sunday 27 March 2016

Postponed due to insufficient number of walkers.  Re-scheduled on the next Walks Program

Thursday 24 March 2016

Deep gully between Pig Road and No. 4 Logging Road

Mary, Karen and hollow termite mound

Len in the creek

Bob and Rob in the creek

Beautiful end to a great walk

Mary concentrating on our new GPS

Photos by Karen & Bob M

A group of four eager club members were led by Len for the Thursday club walk that started at Pig Road in the Currowan State Forest area. Pig Road is a good forest road that ascends steadily and then rather steeply in some parts, past large Blue Gums and vistas of the forest and the distant ranges. The road follows the valley formation below until reaching the apex of the valley, an interesting feature well illustrated on this walk.

We left the dusty road and commenced the descent along No 4 Logging Road, (where are No 1, 2, and 3?). This is a disused forestry road; now more a track over grown with young She-Oaks and other juvenile native trees and shrubs. On the side of this track we encountered Banksias with golden flowers standing upright a little like lanterns to lighten the way. Delicate ferns, two varieties new to this writer, grew under the deeply cut out sidewalls.

We met up with the creek and began what was for the group the highlight of the day, a walk along the creek bed that would take us back to our cars. The creek started out being dry but as we progressed along its course we encountered water and with it magnificent walls of rock. Filtered sunlight shone on the numerous huge slabs of rock, home to interesting plants and much to our amazement, big trees that appeared to literally sit on the rocks seemingly with very little soil to retain their roots.

The creek meanders along its course and for the most part we were able to stay in it sometimes having to hop over rocks to keep our boots dry and at others diverting a little higher to avoid the inevitable fallen tree across the water. As the light faded due to an overcast sky, the creek and the surrounding area took on a somewhat sinister air that reminded this writer of childhood fairy tales.

Reluctantly we reached the exit track and our leader announced we had to leave the creek and take a good forest track past a property with mowed paddocks to the Western Distributor Road and Pig Road junction where we had parked our cars.

Thank you Len for so ably leading us on another perfect day made possible by our proximity to such an abundance of local walking areas and the Batemans Bay Bushwalkers Club.

Mary

Saturday 19 March 2016

Ian and Mike

Margaret, Ainslie and Barbara

Butchered tree ferns in Penance Grove

Mike proves platypus spotting is a blood sport

Photos by Kay

9 happy walkers set off from Batemans Bay to visit the plumwood trees in bloom at Monga National Park at the top of the Clyde Mountain.  We parked at the Mongarlowe River Picnic Area and began the first part of the walk to Penance Grove.

The path wound its way through beautiful tree ferns, delicate ferns, eucalyptus and plumwoods (also known as pinkwoods), and the petals decorated the undergrowth like confetti.  The path was overgrown and had many fallen trees and branches and seen through the dappled sunlight, added to the magical effect of being in the bush.

Penance Grove is where many magnificent tree ferns had in earlier times been stolen, but there are many still remaining and there are good examples of how the plumwood seeds drop onto tree fern trunks and feed off them and climb over them until they are totally consumed.  This is a very ancient landscape.

We continued along a dirt track, stopping to look at trees, shrubs and the occasional echidna until we completed the circular walk at Mongarlowe River.  The platypus did not conform and so we continued to the barbecue area for an alfresco dinner before saying thank you and goodbye to our great leaders, Ainslie and Mike.

Barbara

Wednesday 16 March 2016

Morning tea

Heading towards Surf Beach

Wimbie Beach

Photos by Bob and Karen M

Brian and Chris led a select group of Batemans Bay Bushwalkers on their local walk through the wilds of Surf Beach mid week.  Walkers ducked and dived up streets, through bush reserves, behind house, over a creek, eventually ending up at Wimbie Beach for morning tea.

Walkers then headed north on Wimbie, Surf and Denhams Beaches, over a cliff, up the road, through more bushland and back to their hospitable Leaders’ home for lunch on their back deck.

Bob M

Sunday 13 March 2016

Walk cancelled due to injured leader.  Our best wishes for a speedy recovery Val!

Thursday 10 March 2016

Photo by Karen M

Betty led 10 walkers on a very pleasant 8km hike in the Mogo State Forest off Runnyford Road.  The weather was kind to us and remained overcast, keeping the temperature down.  This was an easy paced walk along good tracks and forest roads with only a few small hills.

Spotted gums and dwarf bottlebrush dominate the bush, making it a very scenic walk.  This is a good walk for those who like good tracks with easy terrain and close to home.

Rob L

Tuesday 8 March 2016

Never been here before

So far so good

Impassable reed bed

Getting narrower

Burned out blackbutt

Wetland margins

Photos by Karen M

Sunday 6 March 2016

Upper reaches of the Deua River

Val, Pat, Bob, Elaine and Philip

Pinkwood petals on moss

Camouflaged yabby

Secret gorge

Photos by Bob T

Though the forecast maximum temperature for the day was high, in the upper Deua River and Pinkwood Creek, the air was in the low 20’s and the water in the mid teens – perfect for our excursion.  As we walked and waded, the cascades chuckled, the brook babbled, the Spinebills trilled, and gentle showers of Pinkwood petals fell silently, decorating the rocks like confetti, and forming carpets in the pools.

Beauty was revealed at every turn and we marvelled at the landscape, surrounded by trees of all sizes and shapes, logs of former giants lay about, and the tree ferns added their texture to the scenery.  We saw numerous small yabbies, rich chestnut brown to emulate rotting leaves and bright stones in the pools, as they crawled on the bottom or scooted through the water.  Our fears of teeming leeches were unfounded, as the recent heatwave had forced them to hide, and only a few found us.

As we discussed the walk at the end, we agreed that it is one of our best, and a fine example of mountain watercourses.

Bob T