WALKING has become an apt pastime with recent world events, and the Thursday Walkers group has relished the regular return to their long-established perambulations from the beginning of March.
“A nice afternoon, warm but not too hot, welcomed the walkers for their first walk of the new year after the summer break,” recounted coordinator Ray Hughes.
“[It was] an easy twilight meander out to the Corrie Island channel from the Winda Woppa picnic grounds, with some on the access road and some on the beach.”
Both groups converged on the famous sand stockpile, noting any changes resultant of last year’s dredging, before they returned along the beach with a welcome breeze coming off the bay.
A social gathering followed, affording members the opportunity to catch up over an evening barbecue.
In the second week of March the group reverted back to the normal start time of 8.30am at the Tea Gardens Library carpark, and joined up to carpool to Tanilba Bay, where they walked through Tilligerry Habitat and around the southern end of the bay through parklands overlooking the waters.
“Forest gave way to suburbia, then we found an extended boardwalk skirting the bay on one side with the Habitat on the other before settling in for a picnic lunch beside the water,” Ray explained.
“The Habitat is a flora and fauna reserve sitting on the edge of the bay with some easy pathways and boardwalks passing through heath, grasslands, woodlands and wetlands.”
The next week brought rain, and lots of it, though it was relatively light and consistent.
A smaller group set out to brave the elements, although their enthusiasm waned significantly before long.
Commencing at the Boomeri Campgrounds off Mungo Brush Road, the group members followed the Old Gibber Road before turning off to a fire trail down Johnson’s Beach upon the shores of Boolambayte Lake, for an out-and-back walk surrounded by some magnificent trees, palms and other flora.
“It is mostly flat with a few undulations but there is a short push up a saddle at the base of Johnson’s Hill, which comprises a long incline of about 750 metres and any who decide to do the climb are rewarded with vistas overlooking the nearby lakes.
“However, when the question was asked, the resounding answer was ‘been there, done that’, heading back for a damp morning tea before returning to the cars and home for lunch,” Ray said.
On the final Thursday of March the walkers visited the newly enlarged and refurbished Newcastle Art Gallery, with the lower level opened last September and the upstairs level opened just last month.
“The ground floor features a series of individual artist’s collections whilst the first floor features a variety of temporary exhibition galleries, both with a mix of paintings, sculptures and other art installations, something for everyone,” Ray explained.
“April’s walks are already planned and some completed, including a local Tea Gardens discovery to explore the streets, parks and waterways of the village, then out to Medowie’s macadamia farm, then Sandy Point to Mungo Brush, exploring tracks along the coastline with some forays onto the beach.
“Later we plan to revisit Newcastle Harbour via Stockton’s ferry, follow the harbour-side promenade to Throsby Creek then loop through Carrington on the way back to the ferry, and more visits to beautiful spots within the local Myall Lakes National Park.”
By Thomas O’KEEFE
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