Buckenbowra Farm Walk

Web Editor

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

Dalmeny, Mummaga and Brou

Web Editor

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

Tasmanian Safari

Web Editor

Thursday 18 February – Monday 22 March 2017

Photos by Donna, Gerri, Rodney, Helen and Lesley

Led by Jill and John, the 5 week Tasmanian Safari commenced at Launceston, and headed down the east coast to St Helens and the Blue Tiers, starting with a series of shorter walks suitable for all participants.  The group then moved further south to Coles Bay where they explored the Freycinet and Douglas-Apsley National Parks, and then on to Triabunna, the jumping off point for Maria Island walks.

Boardwalk through Tamar Wetlands to Tamar Island near Launceston
Group at St Helens
Geoff, Xiou, Annie and Bob on Mt Amos overlooking Wineglass Bay, Freycinet National Park
Heather, Kay, Gerri, Dave, Lesley, Elaine, John and Donna at Wineglass Bay Lookout, Freycinet National Park
John, Helen, Barry, Lora, Sandra, Lyn and David on track to Wineglass Bay Lookout, Freycinet National Park
Dave and Jan at Little Gravelly Beach, Sleepy Bay, Freycinet National Park
Elizabeth, Bob, Denise, Heather and Susan in Apsley Gorge, Douglas-Apsley National Park
Maria Island
Helen and Joan on Maria Island
Painted cliffs on Maria Island

Next stop was Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula and the wild cliff and coastal walks of Tasman National Park.  The next camp at Snug just outside Hobart gave the group an opportunity to explore the delights of Tasmania’s capital and the Huon Valley, and also take the ferry over to Bruny Island for the day.

Then it was on to wilder country in Mount Field National Park, with its marvellous waterfalls and alpine tracks.

Towering stone column at Cape Raoul on the southern most tip of Tasman Peninsula
Donna at Cape Raoul
Dolomite pillar cape of Cape Raoul
On the track to Bivouac Bay coastal and cliff walk
Bivouac Bay, Tasman National Park
The Isthmus on Bruny Island
Iconic Tasmanian scenery at Russell Falls, Mt Field National Park
Helen and Bob at the small cirque Lake Nicholls in Mt Field National Park
Tackling the Tarn Shelf in fog, Mt Field National Park
One of the string of tarns on the Tarn Shelf, Mt Field National Park

Next stop, Cynthia Bay on Lake St Clair which is the end of the famous Overland Track and features many watery walks.  From there the group travelled to Strahan on the west coast and the wild Gordon River.  No trip to Tasmania would be complete without a visit to Cradle Mountain National Park where the Overland Track starts, and where there is a bushwalk for everyone.

Last section of the Overland Track from Echo Point to Cynthia Bay
Elizabeth, John, Elaine, Geoff, Jean and Lesley on Shadow Lake Walk, Lake St Clair National Park
Giant tree on Shadow Lake track
Rodney at Forgotten Lake, Lake St Clair National Park
Safari Leaders, John and Jill with Bob, Lesley, Elizabeth and Geoff on the Gordon River near Strahan
Dave takes time out from bushwalking to try some local theatre in Strahan
Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain
Group sets out for Marions Lookout in Cradle Mountain National Park
Elizabeth and Jill do some track maintenance
Stan on Cradle Mountain above Dove Lake

The two final stops were at Stanley near walks in the Rocky Cape National Park and then Mole Creek, the nearest town to the wild and remote Jerusalem Walls National Park,  and the waterfalls in the Mole Creek Karst National Park.

The Nut, Stanley
View from the top of The Nut, Stanley
Cathedral Rock Circuit, Rocky Cape National Park, near Stanley
Geoff, Elizabeth, Jill and Bob on Cathedral Rock Circuit, Rocky Cape National Park near Stanley
Happy Hour at Mole Creek Campsite
Gillian, Sarah and Helen on track to Westmorland Falls in Mole Creek Karst National Park
Geoff, Rodney, Stan, Jill, Bob and Mary at Trappers Hut on the track to The Walls of Jerusalem
Walls of Jerusalem National Park located on a high plateau in the centre of Tasmania, and inaccessible by road
One of a string of mountain tarns called Solomon’s Jewels in Walls of Jerusalem National Park

This Safari is John and Jill’s third for Batemans Bay Bushwalkers – they have previously led Safaris to New Zealand and Western Australia.  They also co-led a Safari to Victoria with Margaret and Hugh about 11 years ago, and we are very grateful for all the worry and work they put into making these expeditions so enjoyable for all the participants.

 

Upper Durras Lake and Benandarah Creek

Web Editor

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

North Durras Lake Walking Trail

Web Editor

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

 

Long Beach, Square Head Circuit

Web Editor

Thursday 7 April 2016

Approaching Square Head
Len, Bob and Ian

Photos by Donna

Ten Bateman Bay Bushwalkers set out from Long Beach on Thursday morning, walking along the coast toward Cullendulla.  After the previous day’s mid 30’s temperatures the weather was just about perfect for bushwalking. The scenery, as normal for the Eurobodalla coast, superb, with the sound of the bay water gently breaking against the shore. The view across the bay to the Tollgates, made the walk worthwhile, and added to by the black swans and small mob of kangaroos.

A most enjoyable walk, and back home for lunch for those who didn’t stay to picnic.  Thanks Ian for a lovely walk.

Denise

Monga Forest Walk

Web Editor

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

 

Maulbrooks Road, Mogo State Forest

Web Editor

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