CENTRAL COAST - 22 TO 28 AUGUST 2021

 22 AUGUST

A kayak on Tuggerah Lake.

I launched the kayak from Picnic Point and paddled towards Pelican Island. There were a lot of birds on the island which I slowly circumnavigated. The next stop was Terilbah Island which was very shallow so I couldn’t get too close. The bridge was the next objective which I paddled under. Great view! Along the channel next going under and next to the boardwalk before paddling to the beach on the other side. 

The paddle was fun with the water being clear and glassy. The channel current was a challenge to paddle against.

23 AUGUST

A hike at Bouddi National Park.

We parked in High View Road and walked the steps to Lobster Beach. At the summit of the walk, we turned right and followed the informal tracks towards Wagstaff. There were great views, huge boulders flowers, thick vegetation and large trees along the way. Our plan was to get to half tide rocks which are opposite Ettalong. We took a number of informal tracks and even hiked off track to get to the base of the hill but we weren’t successful. Getting back to the top track was an effort.

A fun hike with some tricky rock climbing.

26 AUGUST

A morning surf check at wamberal Beach.

A short walk along Pearl beach and the rocks.

A beautiful day for a beach walk. We couldn’t get very far as the waves were breaking across the rocks on the point. We managed it to the tidal swimming baths.

A lap of Pearl Beach Arboretum.

We were close by so we tried another walk. This track is flat and was once a farm that has been gradually rehabilitated to become more natural. There were a lot of bird calls and it was very quiet as we wandered around.

28 AUGUST

A hike at Strickland State Forest on the Cabbage tree and Strickland Falls tracks.

I drove up to the top carpark for a hike. The carpark was packed and overflowing. Pre covid, I never saw more than about five cars here. The hike was great. The tracks were a bit more worn than the last time I was here. There were some flowers, trees, vines, large boulders and some views across the greenery. Strickland falls was only a trickle.

STRICKLAND SF- CABBAGE TREE AND STRICKLAND FALLS TRACKS MTB - 16 MAY 2018

PARKING

Drive along Strickland Forest Road and park at the Banksia Picnic Area.

I started this ride at the beginning of the Cabbage Tree Track, which is at the south end of the picnic area.

The track was narrow with steep loose sections, small drop offs, tree roots and lots of rocks. The plants grew a little over the track in parts. It looks like it wallops you but it is actually quite soft.



About half of this track was downhill and the other half uphill.

I continued on and reached the Strickland Fall Track.



This track had a reasonable downhill then it was up, down and very rocky until reaching the falls. I wandered around the falls which were more like a drip today.

After the falls, it was necessary to carry the bike up the steps. The track was slightly undulating from here to the carpark.

A good ride but to me it was about half riding and half walking the bike.

BEACHES, BOUDDI NP MTB, STRICKLAND SF HIKE - 8 NOVEMBER 2017

7 November 2017

A late afternoon bike ride at Bouddi National Park along the Turkey, NW Ridge and Strom tracks. A fast ride as I did not have a camera with me. :)

8 November 2017

A late start check of the surf at Wamberal Beach. The surf was messy.

I continued on to Toowoon Bay but the wind was too strong. And damn the coffee cafe was closed.

Plan C was a hike. so I detoured over to Strickland State Forest. The GPS took me a different way than I normally go from home. It was an interesting drive past farms and crossing two bridges over the main freeway between Sydney and Newcastle.



I parked at the top carpark. there was a guy there and his dog there. We started chatting and he had just returned from working in the bush (out in the far west)).

I hiked along two tracks - the Cabbage Tree track and the Strickland Falls track. They were both great hikes passing between huge boulders and through rainforest. As their names implied, the first track passed heaps of Cabbage Trees and the second lead to Strickland Waterfall.

The falls were flowing lightly but it's the general quietness that is the main attraction to me. Silence that was so profound that it's overpoweringly loud. It seems funny to write it that way but it seemed the best way to describe it.

STRICKLAND STATE FOREST - STRICKLAND FALLS HIKE - 13 OCTOBER 2016

A morning hike in Strickland State Forest along the Strickland Falls Track.



I parked in the top carpark and started along the track to Strickland Falls.

It was an easy track meandering along pass ferns, waratahs and boulders. There were pretty sandstone hewn steps and weathered log retained steps.

The sounds of birds followed me along the track. I had glimpses of them in the distance and close encounter with one medium sized woodland bird that I disturbed when walking around a bend in the track.

The falls were really a trickle but the sound of tinkling water as it cascaded on the rocks was very souring soothing.

The latter part of the hike was along the top of the ridge and the vegetation changed from ferns and cabbage palms to flowers.

The highlight of the walk was the abundance of waratahs. A beautiful plant with a large stem jutting up from the centre of the plant with a huge red flower as its crown.

A pretty and relaxing hike.