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Tag: track

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Seaham Swamp Nature Reserve

Seaham Swamp

Seaham Swamp Nature Reserve

Managed by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Seaham Swamp Nature Reserve, is a small, but important park. Located 40km north of Newcastle, it contains colonial heritage and an important bird habitat.

We parked in a car park near St. Andrew’s Church, which let us walk to Tom’s Cottage and to the swamp and its bird hut. The walk is graded as 5, implying that it is difficult, however, this is due to a lack of signs. The walk is flat, but you need to follow the tracks made by previous visitors as there is no signage.

St. Andrew’s Anglican Church

Built in 1860, St. Andrew’s Anglican Church is an interesting little church, notable for being one of the few buildings in Seaham to escape the 1939 bushfires. We parked nearby in the car park, so spent a few minutes wandering around looking at it.

  • St Andrew's Anglican Church Seaham
    St Andrew’s Anglican Church Seaham
  • St Andrew's Anglican Church Seaham
    St Andrew’s Anglican Church Seaham

Tom’s Cottage

Seaham Swamp Nature Reserve is home to a historic slab cottage known as Tom McLellan’s Cottage, or simply Tom’s Cottage. This is an example of a typical colonial era rural dwelling which was moved to its current location in the early 1900s. Though it’s named for Tom, the cottage was actually first built as a retirement home for his mother, Mary McLellan.

  • Track From St Andrew's Anglican Church to Tom's Cottage
    Track From St Andrew’s Anglican Church to Tom’s Cottage
  • Tom's Cottage
    Tom’s Cottage
  • Tom's Cottage
    Tom’s Cottage
  • Inside Tom's Cottage
    Inside Tom’s Cottage
  • Inside Tom's Cottage
    Inside Tom’s Cottage
  • Seaham Swamp Near Tom's Cottage
    Seaham Swamp Near Tom’s Cottage

Seaham Swamp

An important bird habitat, Seaham Swamp provides refuge for migratory waterfowl. Depending on the time of year, different species are present, but during our visit, we only saw a few ducks. It was still an interesting walk because the swamp and trees provided interesting photos opportunities.

Only 300m one-way, it is an easy walk, but no signage means you need to keep track of where you are.

  • Seaham Swamp
    Seaham Swamp
  • Seaham Swamp
    Seaham Swamp

Birdwatching Hut

The birdwatching hut is an all-weather bird hide allowing you to watch from a platform, ensuring you get great views and photos of the birds without disturbing them. Identification photos show the species that frequent the swamp, along with information boards explaining about the local wildlife.

  • Inside the Birdwatching Hut
    Inside the Birdwatching Hut
  • Information Board Inside the Birdwatching Hut
    Information Board Inside the Birdwatching Hut
  • Seaham Swamp From the Birdwatching Hut
    Seaham Swamp From the Birdwatching Hut

What Did We think?

These two short but interesting walks were fun. Not only did we see an old colonial slab hut and the swamp, but were able to see an old church too. Simple to find with easy parking, it made for a fun morning out.

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Cape Baily Track Kamay Botany Bay

Sea Cliffs and Waves Cape Baily Track

Cape Baily Track Kamay Bay National Park

Getting There

Located in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, the Cape Baily Track winds along coastal cliffs with amazing ocean views. The track starts at the end of the park’s road, past Cape Solander. A car park next to a helicopter landing pad provides easy access to the start of the walk.

The Cliff Under the Car Park
The Cliff Under the Car Park

Cape Baily Track

The track is well maintained and in many places is a formed board walk, which makes the hike easier than walking over rough terrain. As we walked, the surroundings changed from coastal scrub to bare sandstone rock. Several areas had steps, but these were in excellent condition and easy to climb and descend.

At 4 km each way and often exposed to strong winds and heat in summer, remember to take plenty of water and sunscreen. There are no facilities on the track, so take what you need for the walk, which takes around 2.5 hours.

  • Board Walk Through Coastal Scrub Cape Baily Track
    Board Walk Through Coastal Scrub

Ocean Views

The amazing sandstone cliffs which line the ocean side of the walk are beautiful. Lookouts along the walk provide great vantage points to see them, but obey the signs and don’t go near the edge.

We might be biased, because we’re local, but in our opinion they are far better than the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. Not only are they high with vertical drops to the ocean, but they are not as crowded and more scenic.

  • Sea Cliffs and Waves Cape Baily Track
    Sea Cliffs and Waves
  • Ocean Views and Sea Cliffs
    Ocean Views and Sea Cliffs
  • Cape Baily Track Ocean Views and Sea Cliffs
    Ocean Views and Sea Cliffs

Tabbigai Cliff Dwellers

Fishermen built dwellings on some of the cliffs and lived there from 1920 until the 1960s. As can be seen in the photo from that time they were precariously perched on the cliffs, although some were quite extensive. We had not heard of these buildings before the walk and found out about them from the information boards on the trail.

The Department Of Lands ordered their eviction and removal of structures in the 1960s.

  • The Tabbigai Cliff Dwellers
    The Tabbigai Cliff Dwellers
  • Gully Where the Cliff Dwellers Lived
    Gully Where the Cliff Dwellers Lived

Cape Baily Lighthouse

At the end of the track the Cape Bailey Lighthouse sits high on the cliff, warning ships of the rocks. It isn’t a particularly interesting building, being plain and functional. There are many more lighthouses of note around Sydney, such as Macquarie and Hornby Lighthouses. We didn’t do the hike for the lighthouse but for the scenery, so we’re not disappointed.

  • Cape Baily Lighthouse
    Cape Baily Lighthouse
  • Cape Baily Lighthouse
    Cape Baily Lighthouse
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Wyrrabalong National Park

Fallen Trees on the Lilli Pilli Loop Track

Wyrrabalong National Park

Getting There and Parking

Located on the Central Coast Highway near Norah Head, Wyrrabalong National Park is an hours drive south of Newcastle. We parked in a small car park just past the Pelican Beach Road turn-off, which was small, but well maintained. Signs and an information board provide information about the park and its tacks.

  • Entrance Sign
    Entrance Sign

Lilli Pilli Loop Track

The day we visited was wet and overcast, but this added to the fun of the walk, making the trails very atmospheric. The Lilli Pilli Loop Trail meanders through coastal rain forest along narrow bush tracks. The tracks are often made of sand, but have been reinforced with wooden boards to prevent erosion of this fragile environment.

This is one of the few remaining intact areas of rainforest on the Central Coast, which makes it a very special place. An information board on the lake side of the track details the forest and its wildlife.

The damp conditions encouraged mushroom to grow on dead trees which let us see some beautiful ones as we walked by.

  • Typical Walking Track
    Typical Walking Track
  • Fallen Trees on the Lilli Pilli Loop Track
    Fallen Trees on the Lilli Pilli Loop Track
  • Lilli Pilli Track
    Lilli Pilli Track
  • Mushrooms Growing on a Fallen Log on the Lilli Pilli Track Wyrrabalong National Park
    Mushrooms Growing on a Fallen Log on the Lilli Pilli Track

Red Gum Loop Track

The Lilli Pilli Loop Track joins the Red Gum Loop, at this point you can either return to your car or continue on. We chose to walk the new track, because the vegetation changes to red gum forest, from the rainforest we had just walked through.

The path down to the track is steep, but reinforce with sturdy wooden sleepers, making it safe to walk down. This also prevents erosion of the sand dune, so is environmentally safe too.

The forest in this area is more open with less undergrowth, making views of Tuggerah Lake possible in places. Lookouts have been built in places where the views are best, but it was overcast during our visit, so the lake was not visible. On a clear day, the view would be great.

  • Steep Descent on the Track Reinforced With Wooden Sleepers Wyrrabalong National Park
    Steep Descent on the Track Reinforced With Wooden Sleepers
  • Lookout and Seat on the Red Gum Loop Track
    Lookout and Seat on the Red Gum Loop Track
  • Red Gum Loop Track
    Red Gum Loop Track
  • Red Gum Trees
    Red Gum Trees

What Did We Think of Wyrrabalong National Park?

Both of the loop tracks in the Wyrrabalong National Park were fun to do, because of the different vegetation. We were also pleased we did it while it was wet and damp, as this added to the fun and the environment we passed through.

  • Sign Post at the Intersection of the Tracks Wyrrabalong National Park
    Sign Post at the Intersection of the Tracks
  • Information Board Wyrrabalong National Park
    Information Board