Saturday 6 May 2017
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