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Hi everyone,

A beautiful blue sky, fluffy clumps of white clouds & lovely calm, high water greeted us at Tom Dick’s Hole last Sunday. Both groups enjoyed glasslike conditions, a great run in tide & a cool breeze in this pristine environment. After gliding around the various bays the top lake ( aka Shallow Bay ) stretched out before us, wide, open & inviting with barely a ripple on the surface. It was visually serene & silent except for the rhythmic splash of our paddles breaking the surface & a distant chorus of cicadas, muffled by the vegetation. We entered the creek, simultaneously entering a totally different landscape with bushy river mangroves spilling across the water, their grey mangrove relatives standing tall behind them. Tall timber towered overhead, birds flitted between the branches & elk ferns decorated many tree trunks. Here & there the thick forest like vegetation was broken up by open salt grass meadows & shafts of sunlight slicing through the treetops highlighted the soft greenery below the canopy. We paddled in & out of the shade being pushed along at a good pace by the run in tide. While there were few obstacles, the moving water made for some tight, quick turns. From open areas to winding sections & magical tunnel like sections, this paddle has it all, culminating in the remote beauty & solitude of Saltwater Lake at its extremity. After drifting around on the lake for awhile, we paddled back to the old scout camp ( which is sporting a few new additions ) for a relaxing lunch. The return paddle was pleasant & a nice breeze pushed us across the lake.
Just a little bit of history about Limeburners for those who are interested.
Limeburners was declared a Nature Reserve in 1971…the first on the north coast of NSW. It was re categorised to National Park status in 2010. One major reason for this was to protect a butterfly found only in this area, the Tisiphone Abeona Joanna. It also contains two distinct scientific areas: 1. The area encompassing Saltwater Lake : 2. The estuarine communities & islands at the south end of Limeburners Creek. Furthermore, an area of 8360ha within the national park has been declared wilderness. Most of the park is an extensive wetland with 70% identified as coastal wetland. Eight distinct wetlands have been identified within the park. Limeburners contains a range of vegetation communities & 12 plant species were identified as either listed in the threatened species conservation act at the geographical limit of their range , or have restricted distribution on the north coast of NSW. The park contains a number of threatened animals & important Aboriginal sites. The known period of occupation is 5-6000 years.
Limeburners National Park extends from Port Macquarie to Crescent Head. During the Pleistocene period, Point Plomer, Big Hill & Queens Head were islands separated from the mainland by higher sea levels. They are now joined to the mainland as a result of the deposition of sand. Limeburners acquired its name  as a result of Europeans burning enormous quantities of oyster shells to produce building mortar. This denuded the area of oysters for many years. The next major activity was gold mining & the area around Limeburners Creek was proclaimed part of the Orara Gold Field in 1881. In the 1970’s the coastal sands immediately to the south of Point Plomer were mined for rutile, zircon & other minerals. Barries Bay was once the site of a whaling station. Big Hill also has its share of stories. During the Great Depression a small number of men lived isolated lives in this area. One was Kevin Hill ( allegedly a large man ) after whom Big Hill was named. He lived on the NW slope of the hill beside the creek where some of his hut’s foundations are still in existence. Another man lived on the southern slope while a third lived in a hut on the edge of Limeburners Creek. Apparently this hut still remains. (Information courtesy of the Limeburners National Park Plan of Management).
Hope you enjoyed your paddle in this truly beautiful & environmentally special area.
Cheers
Caroline

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Hi everyone,
Last Sunday another early start to beat the heat saw eight of us on the water at 8am for our paddle from Blackmans Point around Little Rawdon Island. Our old faithful Bulldog friend came to see us off from the ramp, disappointed it was too early for a snack!
The water was like glass & we slipped effortlessly past rolling farming land with cattle grazing contentedly in the cool of the morning. The slightly hazy looking hills of the Comboyne & Bago provided a lovely vista ahead of us.
At the second bridge we practised wash riding in a formation of two groups with a rear spotter for each to keep the line true & the pace suitable. This practice is invaluable…insurance for a day when the conditions could be the exact opposite to what we were enjoying.
We veered right into Munns Channel & enjoyed the sense of freedom & space that comes with paddling on big, wide stretches of water in calm conditions. We headed up towards the sweeping bend, past Hughes Inlet before veering left into Casswell Channel which runs between Quetta Isl. on the right & Little Rawdon Isl. on the left. It was quiet up here & we had the water to ourselves. We veered left into Rawdon Channel & went under the Little Rawdon Isl. bridge where a lone fisherman was enjoying the solitude of this lovely part of the world.
We decided not to stop at the old ferry ramp as it was very muddy but kept going, re-entering Munns Channel & then back into the main Hastings with the two bridges ahead of us. A nice steady breeze was up which kept things cool as the day was starting to warm up & we felt it as soon as we were back on land. The grass underfoot was crackly & the crunching of fallen leaves & bark added to the summer sensations of heat & lack of rain. Waiting for us at the water’s edge were Ray & Richard & Maria who had brought their new German Shepherd puppy Florence along to meet the crew. She is a beauty but would need her own kayak when she grows into her paws!!
After washing kayaks & loading up we adjourned to nearby Ricardoes for morning tea which was indulgent & delicious!
Thanks to those who joined us. We hope you enjoyed the early paddle.
Cheers
Caroline

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Hi everyone,
Just running behind with our trip report for Sunday 30 December which was Connection Creek.
This beautiful paddle gets you in right from the start with a stunning reflection right across the water from where we launch.
The Maria River Rd. was in good condition & the Christmas Bells were still flowering, although many had been harvested.
Given the heat, we were on the water early at 8am & enjoyed paddling up on the shady side while taking in the scenery & reflections on the sunny side of the creek. I never get tired of this paddle with its mesmerising reflections & graceful overhanging branches & fallen timber which are like strategically placed sculptures along the way.
Connection Creek runs parallel to the Maria River Rd., petering out into dense rushes before Crescent Head Rd. It is flanked by beautiful tall trees, including melaleucas, casuarinas & eucalypts all stretching towards the sky, competing for their place in the sun. Look into the understory & there are wonderful outcrops of elk ferns scaling the trunks & branches of their host trees, some draped down like a ballerina’s skirt. Vines & creepers cascade down from above, some resting gently on the surface of the water or moving gently in the breeze. White flowering swamp lillies, feather duster topped rushes & vivid green grasses line the banks & there were some pretty outcrops of blue waterlilies opening up. There are some magnificent old trees with thick, nobbly white trunks & here & there, the sunlight highlighting them amongst the greenery. In the shade were patches of delicate, flowering ground cover violets. Birds & insects added background sound effects & paddling in the early morning was very peaceful & comfortable.
The old timber bridge is still hanging in there as well as a couple of private wharves.
Bill went to explore the Upper Maria to check on blockages & when he caught up to us reported that there were more then previously & were not able to be surmounted. Such a shame as this is also a beautiful paddle. Maybe the next flood will clear some of the debris away & open it up once again.
Back at the clearing we washed & loaded our kayaks & sat down to enjoy lunch beside the creek. You could tell it was the tourist season as normally no-one else comes here but us, but upon arrival one tinnie was launching & just as we were finishing lunch another arrived!! Roll on February!!
Thanks to those who joined us; we hope you enjoyed the paddle.
Cheers
Caroline

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Hi everyone,
A bit of a lull in the wild, windy weather we have been experiencing lately saw a “fearless five” hit the water yesterday, keen for a paddle.
Due to the forecast we relocated from McMillan Dve. to the ramp at Fernbank & had a beautiful, calm & sheltered paddle up the creek, making the most of the high tide. It was lovely in here & the high water saw us ducking under branches & gliding through narrow areas. The mangroves looked magnificent with plenty of water through them & some lovely reflections & shadows.
When we re-emerged we paddled up towards the Dennis Bridge. The westerly was buffeting but not unmanageable & we decided to explore the little inlet just before Birdons. This turned out to be a hidden gem. We have not been in here before, either striking it at low tide or being en route somewhere else. Once through the open area you enter a beautiful mangrove forest which is quite easy to paddle through & not quite as dense as other mangrove areas. Very photogenic. After this we mooched around Birdons where they were starting to load up the Island Trader for its trip back to Lord Howe Isl.
As the water ahead was quite choppy, & we had had an enjoyable outing, we decided to head back with the wind behind us & a few runners to catch. Bill & I had a ‘challenging’ trip back across the junction of the two rivers as the southerly hit just as we reached it!!! The others were safely on land at Fernbank! I was very glad to set foot on Riverside. Thanks Greg for leading the paddle.
Hopefully we have seen the last of those winds for awhile & can look forward to some calmer waters.
Happy Christmas everyone.
Cheers
Caroline

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