Bushwalking in the Eurobodalla

Have you been bushwalking within the Eurobodalla?

Venture out for a bushwalk on the Nature Coast with one of many walks in the Batemans Bay region. You can walk around scenic lakes and lagoons; along one of the Nature Coast’s unspoilt beaches; or through the magical forests of the Murramarang, Clyde River, Deua and Eurobodalla National Parks; and Mogo, Benandarah, Wandera and Bolaro State Forests.

The tranquillity within the National Parks sets a pleasant scene. The noises of civilisation are substituted for those of the wildlife, ensuring peaceful and serene destinations. For the more adventurous, there are many bushwalks through tall open stands of Spotted Gum and pockets of rainforest where you can encounter the enormous diversity of native fauna and flora.

Coastline Walk

Walk the spectacular Nature Coast with this nature-based adventure following the beautiful South coastline within the southern point of Murramarang National Park. Featuring some of the most unspoilt, coastline and beaches on the South Coast, the Coastline Walk can also be applied to kayaking, cycling/mountain-biking, diving, snorkelling, and swimming.

When bushwalking within Murramarang National Park and the Batemans Bay region take plenty of drinking water and refreshments with you.

Don’t forget to SLIP! SLOP! SLAP! and wear comfortable footwear, as you will be traversing rocks, uneven tracks, gravel roadways, and beach sand.

Cullendulla Mangroves Walk

(2 kilometres, 45 minutes return – rated easy)

To get there take the Surfside turn-off from the Princes Highway just north of Batemans Bay. Follow east along Berrima Parade, Palana Street, Wallerah Street and Myamba Parade to the carpark adjoining Surfside Beach.

A short bushwalking track, the Cullendulla Mangroves Walk takes you on a raised boardwalk through the 126 ha Cullendulla Creek Nature Reserve, home to one of the largest stands of grey (or river) mangroves south of Sydney.

The initial boardwalk section takes you through to Cullendulla Beach where you will find some interpretive signage of the reserve’s features. Walk along the beach past dozens of uprooted trees, the victims of erosion, until you round a bend and pass some tidal flats. Now if you head over towards the grassed area you will find the seat and marker. It is from here that a track enters the bush and meets up with another boardwalk section built through the mangroves. There is further signage along this section of the walk as well as seats for rest stops.

Once the boardwalk ends and the track resumes, turn left at a road pushing through coastal woodland and across a cleared patch covered by bracken growth. You will arrive at a “Mangrove Loop Walk” sign where you can return to the beach and then the carpark approx. 400m away.

Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens

(easy: 2 tracks with limited mobility access, 6 tracks from 500m to 2km – 6 km in total, from 20 minutes to 2 hours)

To get there: travel south 5 km of Batemans Bay, turn east off Princes Highway.

The Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens is situated on a 42 hectare forest site five kilometres south of Batemans Bay. The Gardens offer various bushwalking trails and displays plant species that occur naturally in the Collecting Region. There are also display gardens, picnic and barbeque facilities, an herbarium, information centre and café.

Open: Wednesday to Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and every day of the NSW School Holidays except Good Friday, Christmas Day & Boxing Day. Please contact them before you visit to verify the current opening hours on (02) 4471 2544 or http://www.erbg.org.au/.

Broulee Island Walk

(4 kilometres, 2 hours, rated moderate)

Broulee Island Nature Reserve is accessable all year round south of the main beach by a permanent sandbar. With a wonderful display of native plants including coastal banksias, red olive plum, casuarinas, lilli pilli’s, coastal wattles and westringia. It’s also a wonderful place for marine birdlife – including the superb fairy-wren and white-bellied sea eagle. Making it not only a great walk but it is also a very popular spot for photographers.

The Island is also a great vantage point to spot whales during their southerly migration from early September to late November, take advantage of the serenity and sit for a while, you might just be surprised.

Banksia Walk

(1.5 kilometres return, 50 minutes, rated easy)

To get there: from Batemans Bay CBD, travel south along the coast road approx. 19km, turn left off George Bass Drive to Burri Point Road, follow to the carpark.

This bushwalking track will take you through a mature Banksia forest with views up and down the coast and west to the hinterland. Large grey-green flower spikes of the banksias open in autumn, attracting a variety of nectar eating birds. It is also a great vantage point for whale watching over spring.

NOTE: the cliff edges are not fenced, it is not recommended for small children

Pigeon House Walk

(medium to hard, 3-hour return walk)

Named by Captain James Cook on the 21st of April 1770 because of its resemblance to a square dove house with a dome on top located approx 25 km North-west of Lakesea Caravan Park at South Durras. Pigeon House was climbed in 1822 the spectacular walk is now shared by more than 8000 visitors each year. A panoramic view stretching North to Point Perpendicular (Jervis Bay) to Mount Dromedary (Bermagui) in the South. The rugged cliffs, gorges and seemingly endless bushland surrounding Pigeon House make this bushwalking track unforgettable.

The three-hour return walk has four main sections:

1: A steep hard climb will greet you from the car park following a ridgeline for the first 800 meters.

2: This stage is the easier section with the track becoming an easy flat stroll giving the legs a break and a chance to enjoy the abundant wildflowers and lush vegetation.

3: The track begins to steepen. You will notice a change in vegetation from the smaller shrubs in the plateau area to taller denser vegetation with a wet forest closer to the Pigeon House cliff tops. This stage ends at the base of the “Dove House”.

4: The last and more difficult stage to the summit. This section is a weaving trail up the sandstone cliff faces consisting of 4 steel ladders, which can be a little nerving for some. At the 720-metre summit, you will agree the spectacular 360-degree views are all worth the 2-hour walk. The descent back to the car park will take approx 1 hour.

Want more? Check out the rest of the amazing National Parks in the Eurobodalla area here.