EARLY Spring’s capricious weather provided challenges for the Thursday Walkers group, although dogged perseverance and a love for nature won them over during September.
The first walk for September was upon a very warm day in our own Myall Lakes National Park, along a route known as ‘Myall Shores to Rivermouth’, following an easy, out-and-back walk through some open forest featuring banksias, blackbutts, scribbly gums and typical Myall scrub.
Unfortunately, wildflowers were few and far between, with the usually prolific and once locally iconic flannel flowers almost non-existent.
“It is a hill-free day,” Ray Hughes explained.
“Starting from Bombah Point Road, it follows a wide fire trail to a riverside campsite accessible only by boaties and walk-in campers where the upper Myall River enters the Broadwater. Hence the name ‘Rivermouth’.”
One group took advantage of the geography, crossing the car ferry at Bombah Point to find lunch all the way up at Bulahdelah Golf Club.
“Next was planned a foreshore and heritage walk along Stockton, but the rains and squalls came in, prompting its cancellation,” Mr Hughes added.
“The ‘Wet Thursday Morning Coffee Club’ reconvened locally instead.”
The route sounds dynamic enough, initially taking in the ‘Shipwreck Walk’ along the Northern harbour breakwall, then wandering through and around the township to look at some of the historical buildings and remnants of the area’s mining history.
The variable September weather continued, delivering hot, summer-like days followed by wintry chills and rain, just not quite regularly enough to plan for.
After a few sunny and surprisingly warm days earlier in the week, Thursday dawned cold, wet and windy, but a small group of Walkers were not to be deterred, meeting at the carpark with the hope that conditions would improve for the walk through and around the northern extremities of the Hawks Nest village and the area known as Swan Bay.
They persisted, skirting the Jean Shaw Koala Reserve, working their way down to the Myall River and back into the bush behind the houses, looping around to the golf course, through to the Surf Club and eventually back to the cars and home.
A proliferation of wildflowers, including a variety of orchids and a predominance of flannel flowers, brightened up the day, despite a few misty morning rain showers.
The final walk for the month was originally scheduled as Dudley to Redhead, a wildflower walk through the Awabakal Nature Reserve.
But, the ever-increasing cost of petrol forced a decision to stick closer to home instead, with the Michael Rowe Memorial Walk in Myall Lakes National Park.
The Walkers explored an easy, flat trek through beachside heath and scrub looping out to the beach and were even able to vary the return trip coming via another track back to the cars.
“Traditionally the Walkers perform a civic duty by pruning back any overgrown vegetation along the track to ensure easy access for the many visitors throughout the forthcoming season,” Ray Hughes explained.
“Unfortunately, overgrowth has hidden and restricted many of the wildflowers that used to proliferate the area, but there is still a colourful collection of varied plants to see.
“It really needs a controlled fire to go through so it can regenerate.”
Planned walks for October include Newcastle East Historical, Karuah Foreshore and Wetlands, Tour the Terrace, Greenpoint Reserve, and Stroll Thru Stroud.
By Thomas O’KEEFE
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