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Lilac Lily – Schelhammera Undulata
There is something so cheerful and hopeful about spring wildflowers. An October walk on the Bundian Way Story Trail from Cocora Beach to Quarantine Bay in Eden, on Australia’s Sapphire Coast, was an absolute balm.
“I sit here beside Gudu the ocean, and watch the light glimmer and sparkle on the water. The sea breeze wraps around me and I am reminded of the stories the old people have told me, about Gudu, and how we have been here since the country changed from warm to cold and back again.”
It is spring in the southern hemisphere – a time of warming temperatures, new beginnings, and hope.
I’ve just returned to Australia, after an extended period in a Northern Hemisphere autumn, and have been suffering post-trip malaise. So, more than ever, the flowers on the jacaranda trees have been a welcome sight – lifting my spirits and sending me back to old photo-files from springs past.
While I was away, I was walking many kilometres a day: exploring cities, markets, and remote mountains. As I’ve said before (see: The Pambula River Walk), when I’m at home I have the tendency to hike much less: usually simply walking out-and-back on the boardwalk along my estuary, and only sometimes going the extra five minutes to reach the ocean!
I was pleased to rediscover a rare folder of almost-forgotten local photos from a short walk I made along the Story Trail section of the Bundian Way.
The Bundian Way is an ancient 365 km (227 mile) pathway that Aboriginal people from Yuin, Ngarigo, Jait, and Bidawal Country have used since time immemorial. It has been pushed into the background by new highways and modern rhythms, but once upon a time it allowed these different peoples to gather on the shores of Turemulerrer (Twofold Bay) in the spring for the whale migration, and to meet at ceremonial places near Targangal (Mount Kosciuszko) to collect bogong moths (Agrotis infusa) in summer.
I first learned about the Bundian Way by reading On Track, a book by the author, naturalist, and walker John Blay, telling of his search for the old pathways through that wild and rugged landscape between Australia’s highest mountain and the ocean. His work, in conjunction with local Indigenous communities, lead to the pathway being listed on the NSW State Heritage Register in 2013 for its cultural, historical, and wilderness significance.
There are plans to develop the Bundian Way into a long-distance track – but at this point in time, only short sections are formally open to walkers. One of these sections – the 1.8 km (1.1 mi) Story Trail – is literally in my backyard. It opened in 2016 – so I’m a bit ashamed that it took me so long to check it out!
The trail starts at Cocora Beach, a short drive from my house, and leads through native bushland up over Cocora Point and to Budginbro Lookout, along Bungo Beach and finishes at Quarantine Bay. It hadn’t occurred to me to pack the cameras, so all these photos are taken on my old iPhone12Pro.
Come and smell the sea air and enjoy the flowers!
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Pigface – Carpobrotus Glaucescens
Endemic to eastern Australia, pigface or iceplant is a succulent that loves the sandy soil along our coastline. The flowers always make me smile.
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Nature’s Artworks : Seagrass on the Sand
Waves and a Rock Formation
Cocora Beach is a stretch of sandy beach on the shores of magnificent Twofold Bay.
Cocoro Point
The craggy rocks at southern edge keep the family-friendly waters sheltered and calm.
Weecon Cove
A number of pleasure boats make their home here in Twofold Bay (see: On Eden Waters).
Rocky Textures and a View
Over the lichen-covered rippled rock, we look back across Eden Harbour and to the Eagles Claw.
Gum Trees
The trail winds up through native bushland to the Budginbro Lookout, …
Budginbro Lookout
… where there are views over Quarantine Bay to Mount Imlay in the distance.
Almost Abstract : Water Colours
Below the Budginbro Lookout, the crystal clear waters show off the patterns in the sand and rock.
Selfie on the Path
Tiny Treasures : Libertia
The evergreen Libertia is a small perennial plant native to South America, Australia, New Guinea, and New Zealand.
Mangaema Creek
Common Heath – Epacris Impressa
Natures Sculpture : Folding Rocks into the Sea
The jagged rocks of Oman Point at the south end of Bungo Beach jut out into Twofold Bay.
Nature’s Sculpture : I See Animals In The Rock
At the north end of the beach, the boulders look to me like creatures.
Sunshine in My Eyes …
High overhead, the sun shines through the gum trees.
Ferns on the Sandy Path
It’s an out-and-back track. As I turn around to retrace my steps, I can’t help but marvel at how different the path looks from the other side!
Bush Daisies – Olearia Gravis
Clumps of native wildflowers line the walkway.
Nature’s Bouquet
A tangle of purple (Hovia) and yellow (Pultenaea) endemic flowering peas add a splash of colour.
The Sheoaks are Singing – Listen to The Wind In The Trees
More Pigface – Carpobrotus Glaucescens
Patches of cheerful iceplants are everywhere.
View over Quarantine Bay
A Creek through the Tangled Undergrowth
Back on the Bay
Before long, I’m on Cocora Beach again, overlooking the boats on Weecon Cove …
… and smiling.
“We are taught all spirits must be treated with equal respect…. The spirits of our country are powerful and it is our responsibility to treat them with care, if we wish to be provided with their gifts. We also know our strength as a people is not in the sinew of our muscles, or in mastery of country, but in the collective knowledge of our stories.”
Photos: 04October2021
