Stage 4 - Across the Shoalhaven to Jervis Bay |
Gerroa to Shoalhaven Heads
|
After a complimentary cappuccino from the congenial owner of Café Amoré at Gerroa, we crossed the footbridge over Crooked River and stepped onto the beach. Footwear was quickly discarded as we strolled down the low-tide walker's super highway of firm flat sand, to our left the steady low roar of the surf, to our right the low dunes and strip of coastal forest and heathland that form the Seven Mile Beach National Park. We walked in splendid isolation, apart from the occasional surfer or fisherman at areas where a track through the Park provided access to the beach, and the unexpected sight of several horses pacing along the beach, buggies and drivers in tow, on a beach training run. |
|
Crossing the Shoalhaven River |
|
|
Sand bar blocking the Shoalhaven's original exit to the sea |
Shoalhaven Heads and Mount Coolangatta |
The solitary surf fisherman |
This island is part nature reserve (on the eastern coastal strip), part dairy farm (on the western inland side). A good dirt road runs down the western side, but to get to it we needed to wade across a tidal marsh and find an overgrown walking track through the swamp casuarinas. The ability of our GPS unit to do this in this habitat was confidence-inspiring. |
|
|
Shoalhaven wetland habitat |
Our island vehicle arrived and we crossed the canal, heading south to follow it along a narrow farm track built on the dykes and crossing flood canals that have transformed this marshland into fine dairy country. It was pleasing to see that quite a lot of mangrove swamp and wetland areas have remained, to the benefit of the many species of water bird (including cranes, herons, ibis, egrets, plovers, ducks, pelicans and a sea-eagle) that we saw on this stage. |
Swamp cows |
Portrait of a local |
Old man mangroves |
|
The sandpiper, who visits our shores every year from Siberia |
Our lift across the Crookhaven estuary |
Pelican formation flying team |
|
|
|
|
|
Many other water bird species also call Lake Wollumboola home. |
The little tern is an endangered species - its breeding sites are protected at the lake |
Dotterels |
Egret |
Feather lined shores of the lake |
We were following what the map described as a 4-wheel drive track; maybe ten years ago, but as soon as it left the lake shore we found ourselves in a dense tea-tree thicket with no obvious route. Thankfully, our confidence in the GPS was high from its previous day's track-finding skills. This time it led us along a mythical black map line through dense tea-trees and thick low heath until eventually evidence of a track became more obvious and gradually developed into a good bush road. |
Two black cockatoos wondering why a pair of humans are walking through trackless scrub with eyes fixed on a piece of high tech equipment while swearing at a map |
Old farmhouse on the southern shore of Lake Wollumboola |
Crossing the sealed Currarong Road, we entered taller eucalypt forests, the first time that we had encountered the dry sclerophyll forests of the South Coast. Here, we again followed tracks that were still indicated on the map, but which barely existed, having been ripped and had tree branches dropped across them by the National Park authorities to prevent vehicle access and help restore the native bush. We appreciated the sentiment and our GPS unit's ability to guide us through (the moral is to trust your technology, but not your maps). |
|
Blue + white = Jervis Bay |
The beach at Hare's Bay |
|
Boats moored at Callala Bay |
Our transport across the mouth of Huskisson Harbour |
Just a short walk from the dock, the iconic Husky pub beckoned. The cold beers on the deck overlooking the bay and the thought that we were to spend a few relaxing days in the beauty and calm of Jervis Bay were a sweet way to end a long hard day. |
|
R & R in Jervis Bay |
|
|
Late afternoon on Huskisson Beach |
|
|
|
|
Snorkelling on the reef |
Wobbegong hiding in kelp bed |
Sea anemones |
Nudibranch grazing on seaweed |