With only one walker at Turramurra, it was looking like a very quiet walk, but with another eight waiting at the trackhead it turned into a congenial walk for 11. The Aboriginal rock engravings proved interesting - not least because a Government Surveyor - probably in the mid-1800s - decided that the clear elevated rock shelf would make a suitable trig station site and carved a very large drill hole with broad arrow in the same rock shelf! (just as well it wasn't recent - or he'd be looking at a very large fine indeed (upwards of $200,000).
The Elvina fire trail proved not very interesting - the adjacent bush having been recently burnt in a hazard-reduction burn - so we didn't take long to reach the Elvina Bay settlement which we walked through to our morning tea stop on the beach at Lovett Bay (although at high-tide, it was a pretty thin beach!). Suitably refreshed, we looked at the historic property 'Ventnor' - built in 1862 on 40 acres granted to the Oliver family in 1842. The Olivers were orchardists and timber-getters and amazingly, transported their produce to market in Sydney by bullock dray, travelling overland via Lane Cove (and thus avoiding the tolls on the M2). Sadly, their young son Frederick died in 1867 after falling from his horse and is buried in what was once part of the Oliver's property - the gravestone still in existence beside the track.
A short return walk took us to Lovett Bay Falls - after recent rains they were flowing quite well - a sheer drop of 50m (?) from the top of the escarpment to the rocks and rainforest below. Then came the climb from water level back up to the top of the escarpment - this time following the steep and rough in places Elvina Track. Our reward at the top was a lunch stop with splendid views over Lovett Bay - and Pittwater generally. Replete after lunch, another short side-track took us to Lovett Pools - the very source of Lovett Bay Falls we'd recently been at the bottom of! Then it was the final return leg to the cars - this section of the track being badly eroded and something of a water course.
Coffee, of course, was enjoyed at the now very familiar to HVB, P'neenies, at Terrey Hills, where JohnM - in a wildly generous moment - treated everyone to coffee to celebrate his recent retirement. Thanks John!
Thanks also to Bill S who stepped in to do the recce with the leaders when it seemed that JohnG would be doing jury duty on the day of the walk and so Bill was there in the wings in case it happened (except it didn't!).
The leaders brief the group 
Looking at rock engravings (Aboriginal and European)
Heading down the track to the water
At morning tea at Lovett Bay and the views over the water
At Lovett Bay Falls-60 metres high and some of the more adventurous walkers who liked to get close up
Historic "Ventnor", home of the Oliver family.Frederick Oliver's grave - he fell off his horse and died at a young age
Black-eyed Susan(Tetratheca ericifolia) "Old Man Tree" Frill edge iris or Fringe lily
Christine conducts a lunchtime seance (everyone with eyes closed) but the rest of the group-seemingly unaffected!
View of Lovett Bay from the lunch spot
Coffee at Terrey Hills to finish!
Walkers: John and Ros led nine other walkers-Mike, Martin, Andy and Sue, Helen L, Lyndy, Christine McA, John M, Wendy P. Tail end Martin. First Aid Lyndy and Christine.
Photos: Ros G (2,6,9,11,15,16,17), Christine McA (1,3,4,5,7,10,12,14,18), Lindy (8,13)
Words: John G