Week 8
The next section of the journey is up there with my favourite days of hiking. The weather was very suss’ and after umming and arghing about the looming rain that was plaguing the east coast, my friend Sean (who had joined us for a couple of days) and I, despite the threatening rain, decided to set out for the day and tackle a day’s walk to Narooma.
This is a spectacular stretch of lush paddocks that literally roll into the shoreline. Cows speckle the sea cliffs and vast farmland stretches out as far as the eye can see. This walk was a patchwork of beaches, bush, and countless headlands. Wallabies and sea eagles were common sights and miraculously the clouds had cleared during the day for us to be able to fully appreciate the colours of the ocean as it churned with magnificent, variegated shades of deep blues and greens.
The next day from Narooma to Tuross Head was another fantastic walk. It wraps around the Bila Biliba Creek in a jetty-style, over-water walk through the Narooma inlet. Sticking again closely to mainly the beaches, large orange and red streaked clay rocks and cliff faces cloaked the coastline making climbing the headlands extremely difficult because the rock faces disintegrated in your hands when you bore too much weight on them.
Once nearing Tuross Head I met another local oyster farmer aka ‘Binnsy’ who had volunteered to drop us across Tuross Head Lake. He surprised us with a gift of local oysters to take with us and an oyster knife and glove but before we parted ways he gave us an obligatory lesson in how to open and shuck them.
Tuross Boatshed & Cafe….. A pearler of a spot that I highly recommend for an afternoon bevvy following a full day of hiking
The uninterrupted view from the deck of the Cafe where we watched a seal playing in the water just off the headland…. A magical part of the southeast coastline to have a drink and a feed and watch the sunset.
For the next stretch, from Tuross Head to Moruya, I headed north along Coila Beach and joined up with the Bingi Dreaming Track.
Bingi Dreaming Track is a stunning coastal walk that traces the ancient Song Lines of the ‘Yuin’ Aboriginal people. It is 13.5km in length and winds closely to the shorefront. This walk offers stunning views and wildlife in every direction you look! I highly recommend it because as the name suggests, on a sunny day, it truly does feel dream-like!
I had actually been reached out to, by a local woman who resides in Tomakin, and who had heard me on the ABC radio. This gorgeous woman’s name is Bernadette and she had organised a canoe crossing for me at Moruya.
Oyster farms at Moruya
Arriving at Moruya heads I saw two gentlemen unpacking a canoe from the top of their car and took an educated guess that they were my saviours. James and Lothar (two awesome surfy locals) paddled me across the Moruya river, where Bernadette waited with a thermos full of tea and homemade cake on the other side. It was so fantastic meeting this group of educated environmentally conscious humans! Bernadette works as an environmental education officer at the local council and she and her team contribute greatly to the marine conservation and sustainability efforts of the surrounding areas.
The next day, and starting on the other side of the Moruya river (where we had parted ways with James and Lothar the day before), mum joined me for another 15km hiking day towards Guerilla Bay.
This was a gorgeous opportunity to spend time with my mother. We had a blast hiking bush tracks and we had copious laughs as we tripped and stumbled sporadically throughout the day. Bernadette had lined up a group of her close friends for me to meet who had also been following my trip with her. They expressed so much warmth and enthusiasm for what I have achieved on my journey so far, which was so encouraging and very much appreciated. This time Bernadette had roped in another volunteer, the gorgeous Shannon, to take me safely across the Tomaga River on his canoe where we had the opportunity to yarn on our way across. I felt privileged by his comfortability to have initiated a personal conversation about some of his own mental health experiences. A truly beautiful soul and humbling experience.
From Left: Shannon, Jo-Jo, mum, Me, Anita & the legendary Bernadette at Tomaga River
Shannon dropped me at the southern end of this beach (Tomakin Beach). I’m the black speck walking towards mum and Bernadette for us to continue the hike together toward Guerilla Bay
The gorgeous Bernadette and I before we parted ways with her. <3 Mum and I then pressed on to Guerilla Bay.
On the other side of this headland was a steep downhill track where mum executed an exceptionally graceful bum slide. I have no shame in saying I filmed her instead of helping and of course the footage was too worthy not to share on socials, for others to also get a laugh out of ……… btw, you are welcome! (and also…….. I have accepted my fate of “going to hell”).
@ Guerilla Bay and rehydrating from my pretty depleted bladder by the end of my day. Also proud of my Mumma bear who had completed her first ever 15km hike!!!
Another day, another mission accomplished!