HAWKS NEST, TEA GARDENS, MYALL LAKES NP - 15 TO 19 JANUARY 2023

 HAWKS NEST

15 JANUARY

Hawks Nest – Reflections Bennetts Beach - $316 4 nights powered site.

We woke, had breakfast, packed the van and were off for Hawks Nest.

The drive was easy with only minor traffic. Before we knew, we turned off the highway for Hawks nest/Tea Gardens. Our first stop was groceries then we checked out the waterfront at Tea Gardens and the Bennetts Beach in Hawks Nest. It was very windy. We checked into the camp area and drove over to Tea Gardens for lunch at the pub. The fish, chips and salad were good especially as they were washed down with a couple of cold beers for me and wine for Jacinta. We drove back to camp, settled in and I had a short sleep.

Later in the afternoon, I had a mountain bike ride around Hawks Nest. A few short tracks and some great views. Jacinta had a few walks to nearby Bennetts Beach even later in the afternoon.

 
After sunset, we had a walk along the beach.
 

A great first day.
 
16 JANUARY
 
Hawks nest - reflections Bennetts Beach
 
A great night’s sleep. Woke just before sunrise.
 
A walk to the beach along the track from the camping area. The wind was a moderate on-shore so it wasn’t very inviting for a swim.

 
Back at camp for breakfast. Afterwards, we drove to Jimmys Beach. The wind was much lighter and the water looked very inviting. We spent the morning there. I have a short snorkel and a couple of swims.

 
Next stop was Tea Gardens for coffee and cake. We sat on the waterfront, ate and enjoyed the view.

 
We drove over to Mungo Brush in Myall Lakes National Park. We did a short hike on the Rainforest Track. It was cool under the shade of the tree. 

Afterwards, we had a swim in Myall Lake. Well really a dunk. While there we saw a juvenile goanna and a number of ducks and lapwings.

 
Back at camp, we swap sites for a shader position and settled in for the afternoon.
 
A late afternoon walk along Bennetts Beach.

 
17 JANUARY
 
Hawks nest - reflections Bennetts Beach
 
I woke early and rode around the Hawk Nest tracks. I stopped for ..awhile at the surf club to watch the sunrise but he cloud cover on the horizon was too thick and high. Still, it was nice to watch the changing of the light. I followed a great track to Jimmys Beach and saw two groups of XXXX. Further on I followed another track to the bridge over the Myall River. There was no wind and it so pretty watching a fishing boat motor under the bridge ccausing small waves on the glassy surface of the water.

 
Back at camp and we drove to Tea Gardens to meet with an old college of Jacinta. We had breakfast at the Boathouse. Such a great view!
 
Next stop was Jimmys beach where we enjoyed the sunshine and had a few dips in the water.
 
18 JANUARY
 
Hawks nest - reflections Bennetts Beach
 
Windy day. We drove over to Tea Gardens where I had a kayak and Jacinta a walk. It was very windy on the unprotected side of the river islands. I paddled upriver then put on the kayak sail and had fun going down wind. There isn’t much control of these sails. They pick up the wind and I use my sail as a rudder. A bit of a balancing act.

 
Afterwards, we had a swim and a laze on Jimmys Beach. The wind had picked up stronger, so we headed back to the camp.
 
19 JANUARY
 
We woke to light cloud that gradually thickened and turned to a light shower, drizzle and rain.
 
We dropped by to see Rolf and Kerrie before we left Hawks Nest. A nice catch-up. Groceries and petrol and we were on our way north.

MYALL LAKES NP - KAYAK, BEACH AND REST - 28 SEPTEMBER 2017

Another warm and sunny morning.

I took the kayak off the van and had a paddle along the shore of the lake from the camp site at Mungo Brush.

The wind had died down considerably and the surface of the lake was reflecting the sky and the shore vegetation. Pretty. It was a nice paddle through the reeds and under a couple of overhanging tree branches.

The bird life on the lake as prolific - heaps of black swans and masses of ducks. The ducks would fly off on mass upon any disturbance. I also a saw number of small woodland birds close to shore and a large white bellied sea eagle put on a majestic show for me.

Back at camp, we packed and drove to Bennetts Beach, where we had an ocean swim and a bake on the beach. The surf was small and close to shore but the water was warm and inviting for a swim.

Next stop was Tea Gardens, for a cappuccino and lunch on the quiet waterway.

We were feeling weary so we drove back to Bennetts Beach for a snooze on the beach.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at Banksia Green. We read, rested and wandered to the beach a number of times. The sunset was spectacular with a pink strewn across the clouds and a deep blood red where the sun was disappearing over the land.

MYALL LAKE NP - MTB, BEACHING, RESTING - 27 SEPTEMBER 2017

I woke and walk the sandy track to the beach at Banksia Green. I was greeted by sunrise, whales and dolphins.

Back at camp, Jacinta and I had breakfast then we unloaded the bikes for a mountain bike ride along the tracks of Tomboi and Bennetts Green.

We cycled along the road a short distance to the start of the track. The ride was relatively flat and stated along a rough service trail and to the fishermen's town of Tomboi. from here, we backtrack and then followed the track to Bennetts Greeen camp area. the track passed over a number of raised wooden paths, trails, tracks and at times guess where the track was. The camp site was on the edge of the waterway with only two camp sites and no facilities. the rest of the track became a trail until it reached the main road. We then followed the road for 4 km back to our camp site. A fun and varied 12 km ride.

We drove to Bennetts Beach for a surf check - the surf was onshore - and settled for coffee. Next stop was Jimmys Beach, which was less windy. We baked in the warm sunshine and I had a couple of ocean dips.

Next, we drove back to Myall Lakes NP and camped at Mungo Brush. The wind was very strong but we were relatively sheltered.

NORTH AVOCA, MEDOWIE, MYALL LAKES NP - SURF, MTB, HIKE - 26 SEPTEMBER 2017

Back in the water surfing yesterday at North Avoca. Good and fun left and right handers. One short barrel off one of the lefts. After all the virus, I was expecting to surf poorly but I was happy with my effort - throwing myself into some hard takeoffs, a few cut backs, a couple of races down the line and feeling tight on the backhand.

I had an early surf again at North Avoca. Just a couple of other guys out but plenty of good waves. A fun surf.

Back home, to wake Jacinta and off north in the campervan to Myall Lakes National Park.

We had done most of the packing the night before so it was just a few small packs and off we went.



The first stop was Medowie MTB tracks. This was a single 10km track through dry eucalypt forest. Luckily for me, there were a couple of young guys there who guided me to the start of the track (there were a number of tracks to follow) and away I went. It was an easy track in that the gradient was low but their were some fun obstacles to test myself on.

I did about 8 km of the track. I don't know where the other 2 km were but I had fun and felt great.

Our next stop was Tea Gardens. We bought some cappuccinos at the Mangrove Café and sat on the waterfront overlooking the massive waterway. Very pretty.

Next, we had a short stop at Bennetts Beach in the town of Hawks Nest to check the surf. The surf was small and breaking close to the shore. Once again were pretty.

Next stop, was Hole In The Wall. This is a beach inside the Myall Lakes National Park. Once again the surf was of a low quality but the scenery was so pretty. Just a long and empty of people beach.

We drove onwards to Mungo Brush camp area, which was next to the lake, where we stopped for lunch and then a had a hike through the rainforest.

The hike was through dry rainforest with dried cabbage palm leaves covering the track base in places. About halfway through the walk, we had access to the lake and much to our surprise there was an Eastern Bearded Dragon lizard trying to look invisible on the tree root.

Next, was a short drive to Banksia Green camp area. We set up camp and after awhile we met a local couple who told us a short history of the area - rutile mining and shacks on the beach.

We sat on the beach watched the surf, a couple of whales and the changing shadows of the sand dunes as the sun set.