Cabarita Beach to Hastings Point Bush & Beach Walk November 2008

In this post I share a video I took prior to moving over to the United States.

I used to watch this whenever I thought of home. It's about 10 minutes long.

The value I hope you get from watching is an appreciation of how beautiful and rare the space we have between Norries Headland and Hastings Point including the Caba heath is.

Hope you treasure this as much as I do.

Cudgen Lake Walk

On Saturday 28-7-12 Luke, Nick, Chris and I went for a walk down to the lake from the Camp Wollumbin Entrance, then across to Tamarind Ave.

Here is the map of the route we walked, bashed, slushed through.

Down by the Lake is spectacular and there are a number of other trails to explore in the area heading to the north from the lakeside and up near the gate to Camp Wollumbin.

I think there is also a trail that parallels the road but we walked alongside the road to get back to our cars.

Would have been better crossing over to the bike path.

Chris told us of some of the rich history from some of the original owners going back thousands of years. Something like 13 major sites in around the Kings Forrest side of the lake.

When we walked south from the lake it was under a canopy of trees that Koala's use. Didn't see any but there was we assume fresh K-poo on the ground.

That is the sensitive area and I guess it is a short stretch that a track goes west of to avoid. I don't know as I 'm not qualified to say.

It is very boggy in areas and the ground is surprisingly uneven with steps ups and down and plenty of rock on the ground.

When you get close to Tamarind Ave you pick up a well used track that kids and others must frequently use.

Here the shots I took on my phone..

Village Precinct - Northern Perimeter Trail

BIRT- Village Northern Perimeter Trail
            Grade 2 difficulty but no directional signs.
           1.2 km (one way) 25 minutes or
           allow 50 minutes for the return walk
           so that you can read the interpretive signage
           alongside the car park at the lake.

View BIRT - Village Northern Perimeter Trail in a larger map
 

The trail commences without fanfare at this "Road Narrows" sign at the northern edge of the village

The trail down the slope is barred by a steel pipe barrier. This is obviously designed to deny access to motor bikes and vehicles but allow recreational walkers to enter.

Close to the Tweed Coast Road the residents keep the buffer zone in neatly trimmed condition

While residents are happy to do the work National Parks and Wildlife are rigorous in ensuring that no dogs are allowed to walk this trail. A $300 fine is a fair deterrent.

Fire damage from 2009 fires is still evident but the biodiversity of this region ensures quick recovery

 

 

The grasses make a quick recovery

Work on the drainage in this area is almost finished. (July 2012) Pipes have been laid under this area and grass should be regrowing quite soon. This clump of trees will often reveal a koala and credit to NPWS for ensuring these trees were not felled.

The newly laid pipes are directing the water from the Tamarind Avenue area into the Cudgen Nature Reserve

Some pinus species have grown in this region probably regenerated by seed dispersed by birds. The grass understory is home to an amazing variety of finches

The grassed area adjacent to the Lakeside Apartments is private property so I veered slightly north westerly toward Cudgen Lake.

This trail should be discussed with NPWS. There are some bollards ensuring walkers do not continue toward Camp Wolumbin so I went to the edge of the lake and then around the southern shore.

 

 

A joy to spend some time with this serenity

 

 

A view includes Woolumbin on the clear days

Lake views

The purple swamp hen

 

A very wary spoonbill (2 seconds later it was airborne)

 

The carpark at the end of the Trail has some interpretive signage and its worth going a few extra metres to view the connection from the lake to the Friday Island canal. A wonderful kayaking area.

Norries Headland, Maggies Beach and Inland Trail

(As described by Graeme, Elaine and Ron)

This trail has been created to avoid any possible conflict with the location of a future caravan park precinct or the area designated as out of bounds due to sewage works.

The walk commences at the entry to Lions Park, just off the Coast Road/Hastings Road roundabout. The 1.6 kilometre walk includes the recent track prepared by Dune Care for National Tree Day.

The trail leads through an interesting variety of vegetation types.

A significant feature is the Banksia forest.

Kookaburras enjoy the forest as well.

Brightly coloured Bracket Fungi are located along the trail.

As you get closer to the beach the vegetation changes.

The entry to Maggies Beach.

Once on Maggies Beach, turn north and walk to Norries Headland and ascend the walkway.

The view from Norries is spectacular no matter which direction you may be facing. The photo shows Maggies Beach to the immediate south.

Descend the boardwalk and walk through to Lions Park and across to the point of entry for the walk.