CENTRAL COAST - Lobster Beach - HIKE - 28 July 2009

 

Lobster Beach is located in the south of the Central Coast along a track from Pretty Beach. It is a short bush, beach and rock walk. The steep track path varies from brick, steps, natural and wooden platform.

I parked my car at High View Street, Pretty Beach. There is a small national park sign indicating the start of the track on the southern side of the street.

The walk starts as a paved brick track between houses. Soon there is a junction of tracks that lead to Tallow Beach in one direction and Wagstaffe in the opposite direction. Follow the track upwards along the steps. The houses give way at this point to a pretty bush setting. On the descent to Lobster Beach there are two rest spots with seating.

Lobster Beach is a pretty white sanded beach with a backdrop of trees and bushes. The view from the beach is of Umina beach and the surrounding areas. There are a compost toilets and rubbish bins.

I continued my walk east along the rocks. In some places, the rocks had fallen so that they formed arches to walk or crawl through. There were also many sea birds and the sounds of various birds on the bush side were vibrant.

My intention was to traverse the rocks until I reached Iron Ladder Beach and return via the bush track from Tallow Beach. Unfortunately, the rocks became impassable at a small cove before Iron Ladder Beach. I climbed the small sandstone cliff at this point but the bush above was extremely thick and also impassable. Luckily, the small cliff I had scaled had a concrete survey marker and from this marker there were uninterrupted and excellent views across to Pittwater, Broken Bay and Umina.

I returned the way I came via Lobster Beach and to my car. The journey was appropriately a 1 ½ hour leisurely walk.

Best: views, easy walk, quiet

Warnings: best to walk rocks at low tide, can be slippery in parts, steps are steep