At Murramarang National Park

Another short break was fun to plan, especially so soon after the last one. However, I reminded myself that I have not had a holiday in 2 years, so 2 short breaks one after the other were a good idea. The plan was to go down the south coast of NSW and spend a few days exploring. The day started of pretty grey with drizzle. This time we had been smart and bought a nice cool box. We were staying at Murramarang Nature Resort. This place has chalets with cooking facilities. While I had no intention of starting a kitchen, it was handy to take some milk and porridge for breakfast. Also the cool box allowed us to take some cheese, fruit and drinks. By the time all this, and of course clothes, was packed it was 10 am and we were ready to roll out.

We decided to take the Hume highway and cut across towards Wollongong and then take the Princess Highway, which is aminly a coast road. As we sped off down the highway and came up to the Wollongong exit, my husband who had googled the route says not this one. He says there is one that says Mittagong and that’s where most probably we exit. However, that exit still did not show Princes Highway, so we carried on. By now I am checking the map to see where this mythical turn off is! The one we should take was exit to Moss Vale on A48 or else we would be right into Canberra and then go down to Batemans Bay. 

As we turned off the exit, we realised this was the Southern Tablelands. Also upon reaching Moss Vale we could continue on the A48 and go towards Wollongong (in the opposite direction for where we wanted to go) or take the smaller road towards Nowra. This is fairly high and lovely views all around which were not seen at the start, as we were actually among the clouds. The visibility was pretty poor but as we started going downhill the beautiful green colour spread out, as far as the eye could see. The road was hair pins bends going down into the Kangaroo Valley and then up the next hill to get to the coast. Sadly, not a single kangaroo was sighted. Very much like nil kangaroos in Kangaroo Grounds near Melbourne. The tall trees reminded me of the Dandenong ranges in Victoria. The trees were not as thick and therefore old as those in the Dandenongs, but there were more ferns here. Since we were following a lorry and only doing about 10 km per hour, it was nice to be able to look around. I was enjoying it so much that I forgot to take any pictures. I am not sure how good they would have been any way as it was raining and windows had to be shut. 

Eventually we emerged on to the Princess Highway near Bomaderry in Shoalhaven. At last we were near the coast. The air changed for clear but damp mountain air to salty sea breeze. We were looking forward to reaching Nowra as we remembered it from the past visit. We had taken some photos when we stopped for lunch there. The view from high up on the hill of the coast was beautiful. 

 

View from top of the hill Narooma (not Nowra)

Narooma  and not Nowra high street

Alas both our memories proved wrong. We did remember the Woollies we visited but the view from the lunch place certainly did not belong to this town! The lunch stop was Woollies as we also had to pick up some porridge which after all the fuss I had forgotten to pack. Veggie burger and chips were for lunch at Oporto’s. Please people! do not get them to add chilli sauce as this is just a plain burn in mayo which killed off my taste buds. I was done before the burger was! 

Back to the road and onwards to the next place, Milton after passing though the Conjola National Park. We bypassed the Jervis Bay which was reserved for the return journey. Going through Milton the coast fell away and we were higher on the cliffs. A we came into Ulladulla, we felt the area was familiar but it turns out that we were still wrong. It was actually Narooma, a lot further south.

The road is fairly quiet and mostly through the various forests till we get to Batemans Bay. The place we were going to is 8 km off the highway to the village of South Durras. The nature resort is situated within the Murramarang National Park.

The resort was new when we had first visited it in 2009. They now advertised as having wifi hotspots and phone network top. This resort is pretty isolated except for the village. There are good walking trails behind the resort going into the forest. We arrived just as many guests belonging to a wedding party were checking in. There was going to be a wedding tomorrow so the restaurant would be closed to public, we were told at the reception. But the take away hatch and the bar would be open as normal. Our chalet was among the gardens and one of 6 set in a circle. There is a lovely veranda with table and chairs shaded by a net awning to sit and relax. There is a big lounge with a kitchenette on the side and two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. The sofa can be converted to a bed and thus the chalet sleeps 6 people. Having put away the food in the fridge, and had a cup of tea, we decided to go for a walk on the beach and reacquaint ourselves to the place. 

As we walked back towards reception (to ask for more tea bags and coffee) there they were…. the kangas were lolling about, nibbling grass in the gardens. The beach beyond the next line of chalets is still pretty with clean white sand. The sky was still grey with clouds and the water dark blue. The waves were rolling in and first time I saw my husband actually wandering in the water without having to be coaxed in. I, however, did not wish to get cold so stayed out. 

 Geologist on the beach!

 And his best freinds

 

 Rock Strata of the cliffs

 Cliffside coming down to the beach

We walked along the beach and stopped to look at the sea birds. This place has got so many birds and animals about. I took a few photos of cormorants both black and pied, seagulls, oystercatcher and kookaburra.  I was hoping for pelicans but then they are on the other side of the mouth of River Clyde. 

 Sea Gull Convention

Pied Cormorant watching for its mate out at sea

 Oystercatcher

We walked over the side of the rocks and on to the public beach of South Durras. This side of the beach we found shells. Not the usual bivalves and broken bits of various shells but actually whole small ones. Now have a look at the link I have made with the word shells and you can see the pictures of all the ones available in NSW. I started a new shell collection. I was most upset when I had to leave my old collection behind when I moved to Australia. In fact my niece gratefully inherited it.

Walking on the sand seemed to set off my sciatica. So it was time for dinner and rest. It was nice watching the birds flit about and kookaburra laugh while we had a drink and waited for the pizza from the take away. 

 Kookuburra does not always sit on old gum trees!

We carried that pizza back, to sit on our veranda and enjoy it in the quiet, with a bunny and a kangaroo nibbling at the grass in front. The idyllic was broken when the kanga decided to visit the opposite veranda and drive the lady reading peacefully, on to the lawn. She was shushing it to move on and looking towards us for help. HAHA, I thought, you are looking in the wrong direction. My husband would be the first to run in if the kanga was to turn this way. My leg aches and so I am not happy to even stand up right now. By the time we finished the pizza the kangaroo came to explore our side of the grass and we bade a quick retreat to watch TV. A nice end to a coolish but lovely day.