paddling

Hi everyone,

14 of us enjoyed a picturesque & tranquil paddle last Sunday which had a bit of everything starting with a beautiful 7 kms forest drive through soaring stands of timber to the wide expanses of Queens Lake & the more intimate environs of Bob’s & Limeburners Creeks which run off the lake.

The drive into Queens Lake Nature Reserve along Bob’s Creek Rd. is one of the nicest rural roads you could find & along the way are very interesting historical signs detailing the history of the area with photos of original settlers, their homes & other interesting memorabilia. Every now & again clusters of tall, white trunks of ghost gums stood out from the shade of the forested areas. All the trees are ram rod straight & tall, an indicator of what the original timber in the area must have been like. Glimpses of Bob’s Creek could be seen through the lower vegetation with the sun illuminating the tanin coloured water. When we pulled into the reserve the lake in all its glory was an enticing sight through the trees along the shore. It was a clear, calm winter morning & the view across the lake from the little timber jetty was breathtaking, with North Brother perfectly reflected straight across the lake. After unloading & launching we paddled to our left up Bob’s Creek until stopped by timber blockages. Although just a short paddle it was beautiful & very atmospheric with tall trees surrounding us on either side & Mother Nature’s landscaping all around us.

Back out of the creek we paddled around the northern perimeter of the lake, past little rocky headlands, enjoying the vista all around us. While the other side of the lake is comparatively flat, heavily timbered banks with rocky sections climb steeply upwards on this side. We paddled across the openings of two small bays before entering Limeburners Creek which was lovely & easy to navigate. Last time we were there the water was covered with a dense carpet of casuarina leaves which made paddling almost impossible. We managed to get all the way up the creek, once again enjoying all the timber surrounding us, before heading back with the wide open spaces of the lake stretching out ahead of us with clouds & North Brother perfectly reflected in the dead calm water. All in all a very pleasant two hour paddle in perfect conditions.

Back at the reserve we enjoyed a picnic lunch looking across the lake which was even more calm than when we were paddling.

The area around Queens Lake was declared open to free settlers & up to the 1850’s it remained the southern outpost of Port Macquarie with industries such as lime burning, cedar cutting & bush grazing being the main activities. In the late 1800’s the area was settled by a number of pioneer families, some of whose descendants are still in the district. They made their livelihood from timber. Trees were felled & conveyed to Herons Creek wharf & taken by steam punts to Laurieton. Eventually land was cleared & agriculture commenced with maize being the main crop. Gradually farming & dairying began. I have attached a photo of one of the original houses belonging to the Latham family.

If you are interested, take a drive out here, check our the historical signs & also take a detour down Roseneath Rd. which leads to Herons Creek Winery & the creek.

Thanks everyone for joining us & we hope you enjoyed the morning.

Cheers
Caroline

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Well the rain held off long enough for Bill V, Bill & myself to enjoy a very special paddle last Sunday on Saltwater Creek & Lagoon at South West Rocks.

This unassuming little creek is accessed from the beach just below the surf club & is a real gem. It is one of 130 estuaries in NSW & is classed as an ICOLL (Intermittently Closed & Open Lake or Lagoon ). Estuaries like this ( & Killick Creek at Crescent Head ) form the foundation of the coastal food chain & provide important habitats for a variety of marine & terrestrial plants & animals. There are 24 naturally occurring vegetation communities in this area.

The water is a darkish colour as a result of tanin from the melaleuca & other trees growing along the creek, & sometimes in inundated areas. It contrasts with the pale sand & rocks of the beach at its opening. Dunes & rising, sometimes rocky terrain features on the eastern side of the creek with flat areas on the town side. Initial views up towards Arakoon & the hills disappear as the trees close in, only to open up again when you emerge into the lagoon with Hat Head National Park in the distance.

Back in the creek the melaleucas have to be the contortionists of the tree world. Twisted trunks with flaking bark &  buckled boughs reach out across the water like bleached skeletons. Tall feathery topped grasses swayed in the breeze, forming moving corridors while the more rigid grass of the saltgrass meadows formed a dense carpet in places. We paddled under three footbridges & easily manoeuvred our way through the  arbour, enjoying the reflections, the seclusion & the myriad shapes of the fallen trees…a gallery of timber sculptures. I spotted several azure kingfishers darting through the foliage as well as groups of ducks & a lone swan trying to keep ahead of us. As we emerged onto the lagoon, which was teeming with birdlife, we encountered at least 30 black swans. But my biggest thrill was sighting a cormorant rookery on one of the little islands. I almost missed it as their nests & the birds themselves were perfectly camouflaged in the maze of white, bare branches of drowned trees.
We spent about two hours paddling along the creek & around the lagoon, exploring all the little ponds & shallow areas. It is an oasis in what is a popular sea change township.

After our paddle we adjourned to a sunny table at an outdoor café on the main street & indulged in coffee & their all day breakfast.

Cheers
Caroline

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Six of us enjoyed a few pleasant quiet days up at Gumma last week. While it is always lovely at this reserve, the campground has been spruced up & a new amenities block is due to be built.

George & Betty, Colin & Marion, Bill & myself & ‘Billie’ ( our little dog ) enjoyed warm days & cool nights with only a little rain.

The mornings were crisp with light, ghostly water vapour rising up off the creek, highlighted by the morning sun. The days were balmy & blended seamlessly into cool evenings around the fire with a huge full moon rising up above the tree line casting a pale light   across the camp. As night descended on the campground, cloaking everything in shadows, the chilling cry of a solitary catbird, the lonely honking of swans, the shrill shrieks of plovers & the background hum of night insects provided nature’s soundtrack for the evening. During the night, the sound of the surf crashing in the distance across the creek echoed across the reserve. It was a quiet camp, not crowded & perfect for a relaxing few days.

We did some paddles close to Gumma itself which was good training for Billie who is still on her paddling ‘L’ plates, but showing all the signs of becoming a proficient paddling pooch!! It is picturesque paddling & brought back memories for George, Betty, Bill & myself of the first time we explored Warrell Creek many years ago now.  Both Bill & Colin paddled up past Scotts Head & Bill paddled down to the opening at Nambucca & found the landscape very different to what we have seen in the past. There is a largish bay now where we used to pull over onto the sand bank & the sand has also extended out & across from the other side. Bill also paddled up to the road bridge & was rewarded with the sighting of a huge osprey & a sea eagle. The wedge tailed eagle’s nest is still there, but Bill did not sight him. Bill & I & Billie paddled from Talarm up to Hells Gate which was beautiful, particularly right on the high tide. We then enjoyed a free hot shower & lunch at The Pub With No Beer at Taylors Arm. This is a quiet neck of the woods ( only the local dogs wandering around ) with a few classic old cottages.

Back at Gumma we were treated to the sight & sound of a group of about 12 black swans on the creek, as well as two smaller groups which did daily fly overs. They look so elegant gliding along.

Thanks to those who joined us; we trust it was an enjoyable break.

Cheers
Caroline

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