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  • Maitland Bay Track Bushwalking and a Shipwreck

    Maitland Bay Track Bushwalking and a Shipwreck

    The Maitland Bay Track is in the Bouddi National Park near Gosford on the New South Wales Central Coast. This is one of many walks available locally. We chose this one because it goes down to a beautiful beach with some amazing rock formations.

    Maitland Bay Track Information Centre

    The car park is large but becomes full on busy days. Nearby is a visitor centre which has information about the local area, from the bush walks available to the local fauna and flora. At the back of the building is a room with the history of the SS Maitland , which sank here on May 6, 1898. Of the 36 passengers aboard the Maitland, 24 lost their lives.

    SS Maitland Memorial

    Outside the information centre is a small memorial to the Maitland and those who lost their lives.  The centre piece of the memorial is the Bell from the Maitland.

    Bell from the SS Maitland Bay Maitland Bay Track Bouddi National Park
    Bell from the SS Maitland Bay

    Maitland Bay Track

    The Maitland Bay Track starts from the car park and then descends down a series of pathways and steps to the beach.  Rated grade 3, the track is well maintained, but you will need a reasonable level of fitness at the track is quite steep. Over its one kilometre length, the track descends 146 metres.  This might not sound like much until you have to walk back up.

    Bush Walking Track Maitland Bay Track Bouddi National Park
    Bush Walking Track
    Walking Track Maitland Bay Track Bouddi National Park
    Maitland Bay Track Steps Going Up

    The scenery as you walk along the track is very nice Australian bush, with eucalypts and ferns everywhere. 

    Maitland Bay Beach

    The walking track ends at Maitland Bay Beach. This is a lovely sandy 500m long stretch of beach that is great for a swim or relaxing on. Have a look at the rocks and small cliff faces and you will find some interesting weathering patterns.

    Maitland Bay Beach Bouddi National Park
    Maitland Bay Beach
    Rock Weathering Maitland Bay Track Bouddi National Park
    Rock Weathering
    Rock Weathering Maitland Bay Track Bouddi National Park
    Rock Weathering
    Waves at Maitland Bay Beach Bouddi National Park
    Waves at Maitland Bay Beach
    Honeycomb Rock Weathering Maitland Bay Track Bouddi National Park
    Honeycomb Rock Weathering

    At the north end of the beach is Bouddi Point.  This is the area where the SS Maitland came to grief. We had a look and could not see any wreckage. The volunteer at the Information Centre told us later that it would have to be a very low tide to see much. Still, the rocks were fun to climb over.

    Bouddi Point Maitland Bay Track Bouddi National Park
    Bouddi Point
    Bouddi Point Maitland Bay Track Bouddi National Park
    Bouddi Point

    Walking Back to the Car Park

    The walk back up took us twice as long as walking down because of the uphill grade. We decided to take a detour along the Bouddi Coastal Walk, which takes off to the left as you go uphill.  There was some really nice coastal views along this walk and made the detour worthwhile.

    We enjoyed the Maitland Bay Walk and will be going back to walk some of the other tracks in the area.

     

  • Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking With School of Yak

    Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking With School of Yak

    Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking

    We decided to go on a Kayaking Tour of the Hunter Wetlands National  Park with the School of Yak and had an amazing time. This is a small local tour company specializing in kayaking which gives you a great personalized experience of the wetlands. Glenn the owner grew up in the area and spend much of his childhood kayaking through the mangroves. His knowledge of the swamp and it’s environment was brilliant giving us details of the local bird life, trees and the local ecosystem.

    Safety on the Water

    The tour starts with a detailed safety briefing, to ensure that you understand what to do.  This was great for beginners who had very limited experience on kayaks. Glenn ensured we all had the correct footwear and provided some for those who didn’t.  You will also get wet from paddling and the spray from the water, so dress appropriately.

    Safety on the water is very important and Glenn provides life jackets and makes sure they are correctly fastened.  If you forgot your own sunscreen and hats, Glenn can provide those too.

    The first lesson starts on land, where you are shown how to use the paddle correctly.  You then get into you kayak (single or double seat, depending on what you want) and away you go. As you paddle around, your guide stays close so you have him if you need help.  He also gets you to practise your skills around the entry area to make sure you are happy and confident before the tour begins.

    Kayaking in the Wetlands

    The guide is always watching the surrounding trees and waterways and giving local information. He has a vast knowledge of bird life and species as well as the areas we toured around. From spotting eagles in trees, to sandbanks and old causeways, they are all pointed out to you and explained.

    We stopped on a small sandy beach for afternoon tea. Glenn helped us out of our double kayak, to make sure there were no slips into the water, he helps again to get back in safely.  The food was excellent and we enjoyed our stop there along with a look of an old ship wreck and old ruins from World War 2.

    Glenn pointed out the importance of not damaging the fragile wetlands and helped minimized the impact we had by leaving no rubbish behind. In addition, he collected plastic garbage that had washed up on the shore.

    Pace of the Tour

    If you are a beginner, or novice kayaker, Glenn will tailor the tour to your ability.  Glenn can also tailor tour to suit what you want to see, ensuring that you get the most enjoyment out of your time on the water. The tour is undertaken at a  relaxed pace, so there is plenty of time to look around and enjoy the scenery.

    You will not be paddling for the full tour as the water often gently moves you forward. Glenn used the tides to  advantage to help take us in the direction of travel.

    What did we Think?

    The tour was excellent and we came away feeling we had gained a lot of knowledge about an area we drive by regularly. We soon became confident in our ability to kayak and manoeuvre through islands. One of the highlights of our Hunter Wetlands National Park kayaking tour was going down very narrow waterways, through overhanging trees and feeling completely enclosed by the mangroves.

    Hunter Wetlands Mangroves Hunter Wetlands National Park With School of Yak Kayak Tours Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking www.destinationsjourney.com
    Hunter Wetlands Mangroves
    Small Channel by Kayak Hunter Wetlands National Park With School of Yak Kayak Tours Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking www.destinationsjourney.com
    Small Channel by Kayak
    Mangroves in the Hunter Wetlands Hunter Wetlands National Park With School of Yak Kayak Tours Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking www.destinationsjourney.com
    Mangroves in the Hunter Wetlands
    Hunter Wetlands National Park With School of Yak Kayak Tours Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking www.destinationsjourney.com
    Hunter Wetlands

    We had a fantastic day, finishing late in the evening which enabled us to get great pictures of the sunset.

    Remains of the Ajax Hunter Wetlands National Park With School of Yak Kayak Tours Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking www.destinationsjourney.com
    Remains of the Ajax

    School of Yak’s local knowledge of the swamp areas and other locations in the Hunter Valley  gave us a great insight into the Hunter Wetlands, its fragile ecology and beauty.

    Our Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking Tour was an amazing experience and we came away thinking about another adventure we would go on with him.

    The Hunter Wetlands at Sunset Hunter Wetlands National Park With School of Yak Kayak Tours Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking www.destinationsjourney.com
    The Hunter Wetlands at Sunset
    Pelican at Sunset Hunter Wetlands National Park With School of Yak Kayak Tours Hunter Wetlands National Park Kayaking www.destinationsjourney.com
    Pelican at Sunset

    To see what else there is to do in the Hunter Valley, please see some of our other stories.

  • Hunter Valley Zoo

    Hunter Valley Zoo

    Getting There

    The Hunter Valley Zoo is located in the vineyards near Cessnock New South Wales. There is a small car park near the entrance as well as parking on the road outside.

    Although a small zoo, it has a wide range of animals ranging from native Australian to lions, cheetahs, meerkats birds and reptiles. If you are local or an international visitor it’s a fantastic place to visit.

    The staff were all friendly helpful, letting us know what was available to see and when various displays were happening. A map of the zoo is included in the entry fee, to help find your way around.

    Food

    There is a good variety of food and drinks available inside the admission building. A spacious grassed area is available for visitors to use, and has a free gas BBQ.  Families are encouraged to being eskies and have a picnic in this outside area.

    Feeding the Animals at Hunter Valley Zoo

    The admission building sells animal food so that kids and adults can feed animals. Staff will tell you which animals can be fed, but generally it was any enclosures that you could enter.

    There is a petting zoo where visitors can get up close to some animals and feed and pat them. Animals here ranged from kangaroos and deer to farm animals.

    Getting Around the Zoo

    All tracks at the Hunter Valley Zoo are dirt and grass and constructed to make them wheel chair friendly. As it’s not very big, getting around is very easy.

    All enclosures have steps for the kids to stand on to see animals better. This is a great idea, even for shorter adults.

    During the day there are scheduled shows for different animals. These are great as they give an inside into the animals and there needs.

    Koala Hunter Valley Zoo www.destinationsjourney.com
    Koala
    Cheetah Hunter Valley Zoo www.destinationsjourney.com
    Cheetah
    Lion Hunter Valley Zoo www.destinationsjourney.com
    Lion
    Ostrich Hunter Valley Zoo www.destinationsjourney.com
    Ostrich
    albino kangaroo hunter valley zoo www.destinationsjourney.com height=
    Albino Kangaroo

    Animal Encounters

    The zoo offers encounters with the meerkats and some of the smaller monkeys. For a fee, you get access to the enclosure with a guide for twenty minutes. Participation is limited to groups of four. We went into the meerkat enclosure and had a great time. They climbed all over us, ate from our hands and even perched on top of our heads. If you can afford it, we highly recommend the experience.

    Meerkat Encounter Hunter Valley Zoo www.destinationsjourney.com
    Meerkat Encounter
    meerkat encounter hunter valley zoo www.destinationsjourney.com height=
    A Meerkat on Lookout Duty

    Other Facilities

    The toilets were clean with disabled access and change tables.

    There is a good souvenir shop near the entrance.

    The zoo is busier in school holidays as families take the opportunity to visit with their children.

    To see what else there is to do in the Hunter Valley, please see some of our other stories.