Maureen's Meander to Melbourne

SYDNEY TO MELBOURNE WALK

STAGE SIX (6 DECEMBER, 2008)

RNP Bundeena to Otford

OH gee!!! 0430hrs, the alarm has sounded and the realization that I have to get ready to catch the train with Garry and head into Sydney to join Maureen and company for stage six of Maureen’s Meander to Melbourne. However, I could not think of a better way to spend Saturday with the visions of walking the coast line from Bundeena to Ottford, approximately 27 kms.

Having made it to Cronulla safely, we boarded the ferry for the Port Hacking crossing to Bundeena. Unfortunately the ferry was approximately 15 -20 minutes late in departing which then put pressure on our time limits to make the required train at Otford. However, we left the Bundeena wharf at approximately 0915hrs with thirteen walkers. After approximately 1.5kms, and at the start of the Park, one of our members decided that he would like to go at a slower pace and so opted to pull out and make his own way.

Advancing into the National Park we progressed along the “coastal walk” track advancing closer to the cliff line as we went. This provided spectacular views of the jagged and rugged sandstone coast line with views north to Cronulla and the headland at Boat Harbour and south to Wattamolla. Because of the coastal contour other views southward were not evident until we moved further on. The sandstone formations with clean colours of whites, browns, reds and yellow were also very spectacular in this area. The erosions provided views of many and varied shapes.

The day was very hot with a forcast temperature of 30o C and I am sure it did reach this temperature. During this first stage we encountered members of the Sydney Striders running club who had started at Otford at 0700hrs that morning and were running through to Bundeena. Very energetic people, both young and old. As we advanced mallee heath, noticeable by the regeneration of “dwarf” multi stemmed eucalypt, banksias and ti tree was encountered up close to the track with a few scattered remnants of blue and purple native flowers from the spring season; very sparse though. As we neared our morning tea destination a small group of returning fishermen (approx eight) were encountered. They were returning from what appeared to be a successful outing as they
appeared to have a good quantity of reasonably sized fish. Oh my dreams did wander away!!

Arrived at Little Marley Beach for mornos where the temperature had definitely soared and the only shade was had under some of the low coastal scrub which appeared to be a mixture of banksia and ti tree. The pig-face ground cover did, however, provide a soft seating for the derriere.

At this point, and after mornos, Helena decided to leave us and headed back along the track aiming for Bundeena. Of interest at this point was the evidence of deer as on entering Marley beach area deer foot prints were observed in the damp sand. Also a couple of beach rods appeared to have been abandoned along the beach, without reels and which I found some-what bemusing! So now eleven of us continued on, heading for Wattamolla where ice creams and drinks were purchased and water bottles refilled.

We then headed on towards Curracarang where we stopped for lunch and a refreshing swim. Some of us swam in the bay area while Dave found, as described by himself, a very pleasant pool in the Curracarang creek and there he also enjoyed a very refreshing swim. At this location Graeme also trod on the skirt of a small sting-ray which did not seem to too perturbed and slowly swam along until it could relocate itself, buried in the sand in the pool in which we were swimming. Once again, another fantastic experience of this walk, seeing the natural and native life in their own environment.

After our lunch break we headed on towards Garie, passing by Eagle Rock formation and Curracarong. The Eagle Rock was most spectacular and did not require much imagination to determine the shape of an eagles head. Maureen definitely had to take a photograph as she stated that she had walked this track several times and had not yet taken a photograph of Eagle Rock. Time was moving on and we really had to pick up the pace a bit to meet our expected finish time and catch the train from Otford back to Sydney.

On reaching Garie another of our group decided to call it a day as he indicated that he was not 100% and thought that it would be better to pull out at this point where he could get transport back to a station to catch a train. ( He later texted Maureen and advised that he had secured a ride with a Nation Parks member and was safely on his way home). I must confess that I was slightly envious of him at this point. It was also at this point that a decision was made to cut back away from the shore-line at Era and head up hill to, I think, the Garrawarra track. We had some very interesting views of the coast line here as we walked over the rocks at the bottom of a cliff around the headland from Garie to Era The decision to cut in from Era was made as we had fallen behind in our time and required to make a little more haste. This meant that we travelled above Burning Palms and Palm Jungle. The track up from Era was steep in a couple of areas but we passed through what could pass as littoral rain forest and other coastal eucalypt scrub and the temperature was a lot more bearable. It should also be mentioned at this point that the forecast southerly had arrived about an hour earlier and the cooling breeze that followed was most appreciated.

Making haste we travelled along the fire trail (Garrawarra track) and then, a couple of klms prior to heading down into Otford, we again met the cliff top where we were able to overlook Werrong Point and Werrong; Werrong, I believe, is one of two legal naturist beaches in the National Park environs, the other being Cobblers Beach at the Bundeena end of the Park. The views south towards Stanwell Park were again, spectacular even though there was a sea mist overlying the ocean as a result of the southerly wind that had come up the coast.

We moved on and arrived at Otford railway station with about 20 minutes to spare, had a leisurely chat and Pam was able to obtain, what sounded like, a very tasty recipe from Lilly to cook at a later date. We will all be interested to hear how Pam’s cooking prowess turned out.

Ah well, now on the train and heading back to Central railway where Garry and I will make our connection and head back to Emu Plains. Although a very exacting day it was, once again, a magnificent trek and made better by the great company and friendship of all who attended.