Yamba to Nambucca Heads coast walk

I walked most of the Yuraygir Coast Walk in northern NSW as a series of day walks during my escape from covid lockdown in 2020 and I ran most of the Coffs Coast Solitary Islands Walk in 2007 as an ultra. This time I wanted to walk the whole Yuraygir and Solitary Islands trails in one unbroken hike (and perhaps continue south).

8 November I decided to begin in Yamba and walk along the beaches to Angourie, the northern terminus of the Yuraygir Coast Walk, and I made a late start in order to walk at low tide. Several people had advised this. The wide beaches were beautiful and separated by rocky headlands, also I crossed a few rock platforms; it was easy going. At Angourie Point I joined the official trail and went along the cliffs through pandanus and later banksias. I surprised several goannas. This was a swanky new track, a section of trail that was closed when I came in 2020 and not possible on the beach so I hadn't done it. I returned to the sand and after Shelley Beach Head (lunch) I walked along Shelley Beach, the first of the longer beaches. Then another long beach before I came to Lake Arragan. I went on past grey cliffs, over higher red cliffs, more grey cliffs to Grey Cliff campsite right above the beach and with kangaroos hanging around. 19 kms

9 November I walked the beach to Brooms Head at high tide and already hot sun, and had breakfast at the beachside café looking back at the red cliffs. (I had missed out this part of the place in 2020.) I went over the top of Brooms headland (rocks below) and walked the 7 1/2 km beach to the Sandon River mouth. From the north side I got a less than 2-minute boat ride across to Sandon settlement. I clambered around the rocks - slow going - to Sandon Beach and walked the 9 km beach; it was very wide at low tide and had a few 4WDs. The ocean looked stunning.

At the far end I came off the beach for lunch at Illaroo picnic tables. A bush turkey and an enormous goanna (tongue flapping wildly) visited. I had some bush, paperbarks followed by banksia forest, then onto Minnie Water Beach. I walked through the edge of the place, not seeing the shop I had enjoyed in 2020, and then walked the length of MW back beach. It was an incoming tide and I had to walk on softer sand. (I had to keep going so that I can get to Red Rock at low tide tomorrow.) The next bit was rock platforms and small curved beaches, very nice, and a short inland trail to Boorkoom campsite, smallish on the cliff top. 31 kms

10 November I went over Wilsons Headland in bush, stepped over a little brown snake, and down onto Wooli Beach.

It was a muggy grey day with spots of rain. The tide was high so I had to walk on soft sand through seaweed. I glimpsed several dolphins far out. In Wooli I went to the cafe, which was amazingly busy for such a small town. Then I got a boat ride 2 kms out to and across the Wooli Wooli River mouth. This next 7 kms of the trail had been logistically impossible in 2020. It turned out to be quite different from the rest of the trail: small beaches with tiny pebbles and backed by steep hillsides, lots of pandanus, also long rock platforms of sharp granite.

It was slow going and I was glad of some feint paths over the hillsides that avoided the more awkward rocks. I was relieved to reach a sandy beach. After another stretch of rock I came to the curve of sand that was Pebbly Beach and then Station Creek; I waded this and it was just over knee deep. I came onto Station Creek Beach, a huge expanse of flat sand and clearly very low tide. Little islands offshore and the red rock at Red Rock looming prominently. I sped along in sunshine with a tailwind and reached the Corindi River (beside the red rock) dead on low tide. I decided I could cross at the entrance as there were only small waves and the deeper channel was narrow. I packed away all my gear (except my drink bottle) and headed into the water. It shelved gradually to waist deep then plunged to chest deep and I felt a strong undertow but really quickly I was back in shallow water, all ok except that my drink bottle had floated off and soon disappeared. My pack had only let in water where it was torn and my dry bags had done as they're supposed to. I went straight to the caravan park. That's the Yuraygir Coast Walk finished. In the late afternoon I walked up the red rock

and saw that the river crossing would have been treacherous at high tide. I ate at the bowling club. 20 kms

11 November I set out along the first beach of the Solitary Islands walk, a long one in hot sunshine. After 4 kms there was a slight point, backed by pandanus, banksias, casuarinas and Norfolk Island pines,

and then another 4 kms of Corindi beach to Arrawarra. I'm conflicted over these long beaches: daunting in length as I start out but always beautiful. At Arrawarra I made coffee and continued over the headland to a small beach, another larger headland to Mullaway beach and then Mullaway headland, from where I could still see the red rock and it looked very far away. I had to walk longer Safety beach, with some welcome bush at the start, and then I tried to avoid walking all of Woolgoolga beach by turning inland but I was going to be trapped by the Woolgoolga lake so I returned to the beach, and my next challenge was crossing Woolgoolga Creek estuary. It didn't look much and it was only shin deep but the outflowing current was strong and I had a fight to get across. Another kilometre on the beach and I called it a day in Woolgoolga. I walked around Woolgoolga headland without my pack; extensive rock platforms

and a view of many more long sandy beaches, plus a couple of tiny islands (one with a lighthouse). 20 kms

12 November I walked along a back road (saw 2 kangaroos in the bush and yellow tailed black cockatoos) to Wills Creek which barely reached the beach, and continued on Woolgoolga back beach

then beautiful sandy Sandy Beach. I walked out on the headland - little pebbly coves and sheer cliffs -

and along Fiddamans beach to the park in Emerald Beach. The beaches are such perfect sandy sweeps backed by low grassy dunes and steeper bush covered dunes, but it is hot work. Another headland, Dammerels, with a lovely view of the full length of Look At Me Now headland.

After a short beach I was on that headland and there were kangaroos everywhere.

 

When I came around the point I could see dolphins jumping in the water, and a large pod hanging out beyond some surfers. As I started along Moonee beach (4 kms) the pod was alongside for a bit.

Off shore was an island that looked like it had cracked in two, Split Island. At the end of the beach was Moonee Creek estuary crossing I'd been worried about but I was able to paddle across mid thigh deep. Then Sapphire beach and I stopped to rest under a pandanus. At the campground there I bought an ice block and noodles for lunch, having failed to detour to any of the better stocked shops along the route. I went over Diggers headland, rocks below, and walked a little beach; at the far end I had to scramble over rocks to avoid the incoming swell and I wasn't surprised the trail made a turn inland, sadly through a new housing development. I came back to the beach via creeks. Then a nice cliff top walkway partly in bush and a stretch in rainforest with tangled vines. Lots of bush turkeys. This was already Coffs Harbour. I had another sandy beach, Diggers, and the wind had come up strongly. My heart fell as I saw the length of Park beach, my final beach for today, as the wind made walking unpleasant even though it was a tailwind. I was happy to get to the caravan park half way along. 28 kms

13 November I walked to the marina and out on the breakwater to Muttonbird Island. It was extremely windy, now a southerly. I climbed to the high point of the island, past lots of burrows, for views of ..... beaches I had walked, and a grey hinterland. Soon I was setting out on 6 km Boambee beach, a beautiful stretch of emptiness, going directly into the wind and it was high tide so almost no firm sand. The sole movements I saw were a couple of oystercatchers and 2 planes taking off (the airport is behind the dunes).

At the far end I crossed Boambee Creek on a gangway under the railway bridge and walked around the headland (good views of the long beach) to Murrays beach. Half way along was a perfectly situated cafe. I went into Sawtell to buy food then headed to Bonville Creek. This is the southern terminus of the Solitary Islands walk but I was continuing south. I decided to cross even though it wasn't yet low tide and there was plenty of water in the creek. I was only a short way into the water when I realised it was deeper than I first thought so I took off my pack and swam holding onto it with one hand. I had to battle the current to reach the far bank, which shelved steeply. When I was out of the creek I could see my pack was full of water and emptying out the water on the beach it was impossible not to get everything covered in sand. At least I wasn't cold. I was on a truly deserted beach, 7 kms long, and I couldn't see the far end but the wind was no longer an irritation. I had lots of firm sand to walk on. At the end was Bundagen head, a low headland and rocks, and from there I walked a nice trail through rainforest in the swale, coming onto the beach at a cluster of rocks, Tuckers Rocks. Then a rough track into Mylestom and the caravan park. My gear wasn't as wet as I had feared. 26 kms

14 November I had breakfast on the beautiful beach with a return to blue sky. I had to walk inland from Mylestom to get to the first bridge across the Bellinger River. First I walked closely by the wide river, then I crossed it and walked quiet roads to the Kalang River, another wide one. On the far bank, on the outskirts of Urunga, I saw a cafe so I called in. I didn't stay long in Urunga. I walked the long boardwalk through the mangroves to the Bellinger/Kalang combined river mouth - it looked benign but there were warning signs. (I could see Tuckers Rocks up the beach and my 14 kms morning had clearly been a huge detour). Then I was back on a fabulous beach and walked to Hungry Head; the campground I was expecting wasn't there so I went on, and I didn't mind since it was low tide and I had a tailwind. I went around a couple of rocky points and walked the next beach for several hours. Where it morphed from Hungry Head South beach to North Valla beach there was an isolated rock and a creek that didn't reach the ocean. At the far end I continued over the rocks to some smaller coves beneath a headland and passed some caves, only accessible at low tide. I arrived at the next long beach and soon a creek to cross, wide but shallow. A bit further on I crossed the dunes to a footbridge over the same creek, now deep and 50 metres wide, to reach the caravan park in Valla Beach. There were masses of yellow tailed cockatoos. 28 kms

15 November I watched fish jumping in the creek while I had breakfast then went back onto South Valla beach. The sky had a black patch overhead and soon it rained spottily. It was dead on high tide and I had an unavoidable creek followed by beach works where I had to walk in the water. Right there was Nambucca Heads surf club with good views from the veranda cafe of the hinterland peaks and the line of headlands I've passed. I waited for the tide to drop (it didn't) and the rain shower to finish then walked my final beach, Shelly beach, a short curve of sand and a heron. I crossed the headland to the Nambucca River mouth and followed a path alongside mangroves to my motel, then a quick uphill into the centre of Nambucca Heads, my finish line as there is no way across the river except on the highway far inland. 8 kms, total 182 kms

Some walks in Victoria

I found notes on the internet for a route right across the Dandenongs, the Dandenong Ranges Trail, so I decided to walk it over four days.

8 October I drove to Emerald and took the bus to Gembrook where the route started. This section was on the Eastern Dandenong Ranges trail and followed the Puffing Billy train line closely, mainly passing grassy hills with a few forays into forest. I skirted Emerald Lake and walked through the Nobelius Gardens then followed a ridge line to Emerald. 13 kms

9 October I went by train to Belgrave and got the bus to Emerald. I descended a long way to Menzies Creek and followed this creek, then Sassafras Creek, all really lovely with masses of tree ferns but within earshot of roads, which detracted from the sensation of being deep in the forest. I had a break in Kallista then took Coles Ridge Road, one of my favourite trails, to Belgrave. 20 kms

11 October I went back to Belgrave by train. It was a beautiful day and coincidentally the most scenic part of the route. I took the Hillclimb track into Sherbrooke Forest, looked at Sherbrooke Falls and walked through Alfred Nicholas Gardens back down to Sassafras Creek. I followed the creek to Sassafras and went up to Olinda for a cafe break. From here I had a long descent in ferny forest, contoured Mt Dandenong and started the steepish climb. I took a couple of spur trails to the tv towers and the top of Mt Corhanwarrabul, although the best view (to the cbd, bay and You Yangs) was from the lower trail. Then I reached the summit of Mt Dandenong for more views. All day the birds were wonderful - kookaburras, rosellas, cockatoos, a lyrebird. I descended towards Kalorama through the Hamer Arboretum and ended up at a random bus stop on Mt Dandenong Tourist Road in Kalorama. I took a bus to Croydon station. Whoever had programmed the spoken stop announcements had not given clear enough instructions with the result that (for example) "1234 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road" was spoken as "One thousand two hundred and thirty four megatons Dandenong Tourist Road". 18 kms

13 October I returned to Croydon station and hopped on the same bus back to where I left off. Sadly the bus I was on did not go along the same road and I ended up back in Olinda. As the 2 kms section of trail in Kalorama I had been about to embark on was fenced off (I noticed this yesterday) I elected to cut my losses and do an alternative 2 kms return to the main route from Olinda, bypassing the closed section, after a coffee; it was raining and cold. The rain wasn't stopping so I headed out and walked through the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden, stunning with all the magnolias, rhododendrons, camelias and azalias in flower. When I wanted to exit the gardens I found only a locked gate and I contemplated climbing it, just then a park ranger turned up and I asked if he could unlock it, which he kindly did. I descended deep into the forest and followed Olinda Creek which was lovely despite the rain: gums, tree ferns and quiet. The bird life was muted today, just a couple of crimson rosellas. Sylvan Reservoir park was closed so I turned for another crossing of Olinda Creek and after a brief time on the pipeline trail (which I remembered not too fondly from the Trailwalker) I was on the Mt Evelyn Aqueduct trail. The rain stopped briefly. This was a pleasant stretch of bush and took me into Mt Evelyn. I had coffee and sat out a heavy shower. I stayed on the trail to a large area of wetlands and remained in urban bush by a swollen Olinda Creek to Lilydale Lake (which was much larger than I expected). When I reached Lilydale it was again pouring so I got the train straight away. 22 kms

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

I was overdue for some coastal walking and I read that it was possible to walk from Warrnambool to Port Fairy along the beach.

16 October As a warm up I walked to the breakwater on the bay in Warrnambool and set out from there heading east on the beach. It was windy and not warm. At the end of the bay was the Hopkins River mouth. I crossed on a bridge and walked on paths to Logans Beach whale watching platform. No whales. I returned along the beach to the bridge then followed the path above the beach back to Warrnambool and my motel. 17 kms

17 October My motel was far from the beach so I had a 4 kms walk to the starting point of the route to Port Fairy at Thunder Rocks. There was a boardwalk above the rocks then a sandy trail, and a couple of small beaches where I had to cross headlands on the scrub covered cliffs. I surprised a snake. At the 5 km mark I came onto the sand. It was mid tide so the sand was ok for walking but I passed a few places that would force you onto the soft sandy dunes at high tide. After a while the sand changed from yellow to beige and the sky changed from cloudy to completely blue. I saw flocks of hooded plovers, a few oystercatchers, gulls and a few fairy terns. Few shells and a lot of seaweed in places. Around half way there were patches of volcanic rocks on the beach and an offshore reef so the ocean became calm. The dunes alternated with flat scrub and the beach was mostly broken into indistinct bays until I passed Killarney and embarked on the final very large bay; I could see Port Fairy lighthouse way in the distance. Coming into Port Fairy I had nice wide beach to walk on and I stayed on it until I had to cross the Moyne River to get into town. The town was unusually quiet. 29 kms

18 October An interesting day. I wanted to walk west along the coast from PF and the tourist centre woman had said it was possible to walk to the Crags and on to Yambuk (for a bus back), even to Portland, although this seemed unlikely to me. At the first beach I asked a local how far I could go along the beaches and she said only a few kilometres because I would have to detour onto private land. Later I asked another local and she said I could go quite a way, to a cliff top cafe (which I never saw). I walked across several lovely pale beaches, noticing far more large swathes of volcanic boulders than yesterday, often with little tracks enabling a way through. The tide was out, the shore birds were chilling and the sun was shining. Ten kms along I crossed a stream and I could see a woman ahead; when I caught up to her I asked about the feasibility of my walk and she guided me through her property, saying I could get to Yambuk quite easily on the beach from then on. Unfortunately this wasn't accurate. After I left her I had a difficult stretch of volcanic boulders and I went across some patches of deep grass (hidden snakes?) on private land. Eventually I reached a footpath and it led back to the beach. This was a long beach of yellow sand with sheer sandy cliffs and yellow rocks dotted around the sand.

I could see flat topped Lady Julia Percy Island out to sea. But at the end of the beach I could see no way of getting past the high rocks and when I climbed onto the cliffs it was all dense bush.

I poked around but I could go no further west so I reluctantly turned back. I had made it 13 kms from PF. I saw a rough trail heading inland and followed it to avoid the awkward boulders and private land, ending up walking a little on the highway. I came back to the beach by the woman's property, crossed the stream and walked the beaches back to town. 27 kms

Northern Grampians

When I went to the Grampians in April I was surprised how beautiful the area was so I decided to go back there for an overnight walk in the northern part. On my drive there Tash announced she had gone into labour; it was such a lovely day that I continued on but curtailed my planned walk to get home sooner. 

23 October I parked at Troopers Creek and started walking towards Mt Difficult, passing three lightly cascading waterfalls. The weather was perfect and the flies abundant. My eyes constantly stung with sweat. I was heading for a cliff line protruding from the thick forest. After reaching the first tier of cliffs I headed for a further line and I was increasingly climbing on rocky steps, sometimes passing between boulders. I dumped my pack and detoured to Briggs Bluff, several times losing the trail and ending up bashing through prickly scrub. The trail was often on huge rock slopes which was fun. The view from the bluff was towards the Wimmera plains. I returned to the main trail and went through bush and over rock to Gar campsite where I again dumped my pack. I went another kilometre to the summit of Mt Difficult (Gar) with a lot of walking on lengthy rock flows. The view from the summit was over the entire Grampians range and local lakes, and quite stunning. I rejoined my pack and put up my tent, by which time it was dusk and the sky was turning red. From the campsite I had a fabulous view across the lower forest towards the western peaks. 12 kms

24 October In the night a really strong wind came up making a huge din. I had breakfast inside the ultra luxurious Gar hut because I couldn't possibly have boiled water outside in the wind. I descended on the rock and steps enjoying the absence of flies. I wanted to stop at one of the waterfalls to make coffee but it was always too windy. I got back to the car and drove to Beehive Falls trailhead then walked the short distance to the falls and found a sheltered spot for coffee. 11 kms

Wilsons Prom 

It's a gap in my walking resume that I haven't properly done the Prom, so I went there.

1 November It was really cold as I set out from Telegraph Saddle and walked the gravel road down into the valley, passing a couple of little waterfalls. I saw a wallaby and huge noisy black cockatoos. Beyond the next junction I was in banksia bush with nice views over the whole forested Prom. At the water's edge, the base of the forest, are huge granite boulders with orange stains. I came to Waterloo Bay with a wide white beach than Little Waterloo Bay with a smaller but equally white beach. From there I was in ferny rainforest crossing an headland until I reached dry tea tree forest. I detoured to Kersops Peak for a view over the many bays but there were better views of multiple beaches and forest on the descent to Refuge Cove. This was a deep cove with two pretty beaches and my campsite among the trees. I made coffee (by the toilet for shelter) and when I got back to my gear a raven had got into my pack via the zip, bitten into my food bag and torn open the flavour sachet from my noodles so there was powder everywhere in my bag. (Later I saw the bird fly off with a hiker's chocolate bar and peck at someone else's bag.) I walked to North Refuge Beach for a nice and peaceful sit on the boulders. The day never warmed up but nor did it rain. 20 kms

2 November I walked back to Waterloo Bay and had breakfast with a view over the bay. Shortly after I saw it sleek wombat chewing away.

I walked the length of Waterloo Beach, so bright I had to put on my sunnies. Then I followed the coastline before having a long climb to get across a headland; at the top I could see the lighthouse two more headlands away. It was pleasant walking, lots of flowering correa, some orchids, with the ocean always there. I walked up to the lighthouse where it was extremely windy (of course, lighthouses are always in windy locations).

I looked around the museum then continued along the coast and when I came to a boulder at the top of the climb I had lunch with a view over the lighthouse's bouldery headland. 

The trail turned inland, going steeply up and down to Roaring Meg campsite beside a (tranquil) creek. It was busy so I had coffee then went on following a vehicle track. A wombat darted across the road. After a few kms I had an extensive view over the western side of the Prom and double humped Norman Island. I stopped at Halfway Hut campsite where there was a school group and little yellow birds. 27 kms

3 November At Telegraph Junction I turned off for Oberon Bay and walked a sandy track through banksias, grass trees and tea tree. I walked the length of this big beach - it was very low tide.

Looming over the end of the beach was towering Mt Oberon. Then the trail followed the coastline to curving Little Oberon Beach and up over a headland towards Tidal River. I detoured to Norman lookout for a view towards islands. The trail ended at huge Norman Beach so I walked that one, then crossed a camping area and made the final (uphill) road walk back to my car. 17 kms