THURSDAY Walkers laced up their year of trekking around the region with several successful and fair-weather outings during November.
The first Thursday took the Walkers down to the Stockton foreshore circuit.
Blessed with sunshine, blue skies and a light breeze off the water, the group wandered out to the end of Newcastle Harbour’s northern breakwater (aka The Shipwreck Walk) before returning to a pathway skirting the northern side of the harbour, then meandering through extensive parklands.
“The path actually goes all the way to the Stockton Bridge, but there and back proved a bridge too far for the group, so they cut through a bit of suburbia, to keep things comfortable,” Cherry Hughes told News Of The Area.
The group trekked up to Stockton Beach and followed the shoreline back to the Stockton Surf Club for lunch.
There was plenty to take in, like the constant movement of huge coal transports in and out of the harbour, and the ever-increasing gentrification of housing along the shoreside.
The second week of November took them down to the Yuelarbah Track within Glenrock State Conservation Area.
The shining sun was augmented by twittering birds and the temperature was just right for a not-too-long walk from Glenrock to Merewether.
“There were such varied surroundings and scenery, and, with all the new bridges, stairs and handrails, much easier than it used to be.”
The walkers followed Flaggy Creek through the rainforest, crisscrossing it several times and passing waterfalls, then to Leichhardt’s Lookout with the forest above looking down into the valley below, and out to Glenrock Lagoon and the distant beach.
Through more forest they reached Burwood Beach, then rounded both Glenrock and Merewether headlands across sand and rock shelves to Merewether Surf Club for lunch overlooking the ocean.
Their penultimate walk of the year was a warm day “Tour de Terrace”, an easy and interesting loop walk skirting the edges of the Raymond Terrace commercial area.
Starting at the riverside, it takes in some historical sites, some back streets less frequented these days, through the old cemetery, some parklands, some ups and downs, and suburbia on the way back down to the river for lunch.
“The Terrace is home to a surprising number of Jacaranda trees. At this time of the year [they] offer a wonderful purple canopy throughout the town.”
“The final outing for the year is traditionally a twilight walk culminating in a group get-together for social drinks and a barbecue dinner at Mungo Brush camping area.”
The plan usually starts with the rainforest walk from Mungo through to the Dee’s Corner campground, across to the beach to Brambles Green and back to Mungo for the get together,
However, Dee’s Corner campground is still closed following the winter floods, which washed away infrastructure including the public toilets.
The rainforest walk is also closed, so a shortened sojourn taking in the beach and Brambles Green was the order of the day, ending in a nice evening with nice people, a few laughs and lots of chat.
December’s first Thursday will be the Walkers’ Christmas lunch gathering, before the group goes into a summer hiatus through the hot months, before a planning meeting in February ahead of starting the walks again in March.
By Thomas O’KEEFE
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