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| Fabulous tree in Abraham's Bosom Reserve |
Friday June 14th
The rain did not eventuate overnight so I could have camped after all. However, I did cook a very nice medley of roast vegetables and I couldn't have done that if I was camping.
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Whale Poin
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I don't think I'd recommend the place at which I stayed. It would probably be best described as original retro. On the plus side they provided two nice thick bath towels and two varieties of herbal tea, both of which are sampled. and a coffee pot machine with pods. While I don't really approve of pods on environmental grounds, I understand why they would be provided in short term accommodation, and I used them. It also provided wifi.
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| At this point I retraced my steps |
I spent a little time over my morning coffee planning where I might be that night and I started my day still unsure. I headed out to the Beecroft Peninsula, specifically Abraham's Bosom Reserve which seems to be a compact area with lots of walking tracks and a few lookouts.
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Caladenia picta
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I found plenty of signs about where people may walk their dogs and where they have them off lead and what sort of marine life may be collected but finding a map of the walking tracks proved more interesting.
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Aboriginal Rock Shelter
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I found a map that wasn't terribly helpful but a couple of locals suggested I do the wreck walk then up to the next point but avoid little Little Beecroft Headland as there's work in progress on the track. I set off with an open mind. They did say, despite what the map advice said, that Coomie's walk isn't really too challenging, but has steep section and mud and water on the track in places so I set off with a very open mind about my plans.
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More of the Aboriginal Rock Shelter
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I started by heading out to the site of the 1928 wreck of The SS Merimbula, 'the finest vessel that ever ever traded the south coast ports' and 'splendidly equipped for ... passengers with .. 96 saloons' and then proceeded around to Whale Point which is quite a nice rocky point. From there onwards towards whatever the next attraction promised but as the track became more like a creek I resolved that I may or may not do the entire biz walk Coombie's walk.
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Banksia
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I wimped on the washout with step sides: risk assessment number 93. I had not desire to risk breaking an angle or needing to paddle through the narrow wash out for an unknown distance.
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Granite Falls
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So I retraced my steps, something I seem to be getting good at, and walked back through the rather lovely forest that I had come through.
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| Granite Falls |
I decided to go out for a little way on Coombie's track to as far as the Aboriginal rock shelter. I stopped at one point to check the map and what should demand my attention other than a delightful painted finger orchid, Caladenia picta (probably, thanks to a messaging conversation with Eddie for an identification) and then there was another one, and more as I returned. There will also Acianthus leaves, and it looked as if their flower stems had been someone's lunch.
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| Banksia |
I reached the rock shelter and reflected on hard hard a life it must have been. There's not a lot of space but there was there was a significant build-up of shells, fire ash, etc from thousands of years of use. I decided I did not want to continue on the track to enjoy the view from the trig points. The track is very Rocky and I needed to pick my way very carefully to be sure of my balance so I once again retraced my steps.
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| On the Granite Falls Track |
Next I headed to Granite Falls in Morton National Park. There was quite a bit of tree debris after I left the Princess Highway and travelled along 12 Mile Road. As I turned onto Tin Mine Road, a sign warned me not to play with any UXO I might find. I think I can manage to not go looking for any and not to touch if I happen across any.
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On the Granite Falls Track
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Granite Falls was a most worthwhile diversion. A very small area of granite - unusual for the region, apparently, with a very picturesque waterfall. The walk there and back through lovely forest was most enjoyable too. |
| Flannel flower (?) on the Granite Falls Track |
And, even in winter, there were some lovely wildflowers.
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On the Granite Falls Track
One of the Fabiacea
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I was joined briefly by a local chap who'd just come for a walk in his lunch break!
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| On the Granite Falls Track |
I returned to the car reflecting that I had just completed a short walk with no puddles or mud!!!
I pulled over in Ulladulla to check with Brian from SCUDA about the conditions he'd encountered on the day's dive. He said the visibility was good but it was surging and he'd just cancelled the weekend diving because the swell is forecast to pick up.
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On the Granite Falls Track
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He did, however offer me accommodation for the night in their little flat - for those of you who have experienced it in the past, think the Divers' Den at the Bicheno Dive centre - except more comfortable. At just $50 a night for accommodation (and noone to share it with) (and the rain is still forecast to arrive in a reasonably serious way) the place is at least as as acceptable as last night's AIRBNB at $165. I decided I needed to travel no further that day.
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| In the Ulladulla Wildflower Reserve |
Brian suggested an option of a shoredive at an old pier the following day, about 25 minutes drive south of Ulladulla but I wasn't keen on doing that solo and there's not much other diving that would be sheltered in the following day's weather.
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| Acianthus fornicatus |
He did suggest a couple of bushwalk options, including Granite Falls! I started to head out towards Mount Bushwalker, which sounded rather nice and easy for the rest of the afternoon, but Google maps told me it was a 35-minute drive to get there so I decided that it was a bit too far to be going at 3pm, when it is substantially dark by 5pm.
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| Acianthus fornicatus |
I had a look at what was close and ended up at the wild flower reserve in Ulladulla. I saw many of the flowers I had already seen on the walk to Granite Falls, but I also found an Acianthus sp orchid in profusion but was a little puzzled by the underleaf colour - green instead of dark red - however Eddie (via messenger) identified it as Acianthus fornicatus - one of a series of 6 very similar species in a complex. (that's bristly mosquito orchid or pixie caps for those of you who don't do scientific nomenclature!)
And around 6pm, the rain set in! Glad to be in an indoor space for the night.
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