Walkers ready to brave the weather at the start of the Bairn TrackWith both the Ezy & Regular walks cancelled this week due to weather conditions it was great to have 8 intrepid Plus walkers arrive at the Basin track head for this two-part walk. After a short car shuffle to the Bairne track head, we walked along the fire trail with quite a few stops to photograph the beautiful display of wildflowers. We decided not to go to the Lookout on the left this time but continue to Soldier's Point to catch the 9.10am ferry.
It was a tricky descent to Bennett’s Wharf via a slippery wet track covered with casuarina needles and an even more slippery creek crossing on a wooden bridge to reach the wharf just in time as the ferry was now pulling in. The ferry took us to the Basin where we had morning tea under cover at a new picnic shelter, with an audience of some bold noisy miner birds and tame wallabies nearby.
The climb out of the Basin is on a long and steep concrete track & it was here that we saw our first waterfall roaring down the hill. At the top, the concrete becomes a pleasant fire trail, with more wildflowers and a detour to view aboriginal rock carvings. Here we met a very knowledgeable National Parks Guide.
Ferry at the Basin Wallaby entertainment at MT Aboriginal emgraving -man and fish
Leaders Hazel and Celia at the entrance to the Aboriginal engraving site
Looking at Aboriginal art in the rain
Group of walkers near the engraving site After reaching the cars which had been left at the entrance to the Basin Track, we drove to the Resolute Picnic area for part two of the walk. We took the fire trail down to Resolute Beach, checking out a large rock platform with some more aboriginal rock carvings on the way. There was a great view over to Pittwater & Barrenjoey Lighthouse, which was eerily shrouded in clouds. The track then went down steeply again but a lot of work has been done on this section of track including some stone steps as well as a set of metal ladders which had to be brought in by helicopter according to the National Parks guide, we spoke to earlier.
Once on the beautiful secluded Resolute beach we decided to have lunch and were very lucky to have a dry spell whilst enjoying the lunch break. A couple of very bold crows waited patiently near the group to enjoy the leftover crumbs once we stood up to leave. The group made a wise decision not to tackle the rough track to Mackerel beach as the rain had now started again.
After a group selfie on the new steps, we began the climb back up beside the pretty waterfalls & encountered a couple of challenging creek crossings which had not been difficult on our recce. We stopped on the large rock platform near the top to look back across Pittwater before continuing to West Head Lookout where the new improved Lookout gives great views towards Lion Island and the Central Coast as well as to Barrenjoey Lighthouse & Palm Beach.
Water cascading down beside hte track Crossing a swollen creek Tree that appears to be growing out of a rock
Pink Wax Flower - Eriostemon Australasius
Waratah bud beside the track - Telopea speciosissima We then took the little track on the left which heads back up the hill to Red Hands Cave & the cars at the Picnic area. By now this track was very wet with lots of water flowing down the hill so it was quite slow going. Most of the rock art at Red Hands Cave has faded so it was difficult to pick out especially in the wet conditions.
Lunch at Resolute Beach Looking towards Barrenjoey at lunch Leaving the beach on the new steps
Track leading up to West Head Lookout Ochre rock painting at Red Hands Cave Uphill Red Hands track with steps full of water
It was decided to meet for our post walk refreshments at Pattinsons at St Ives. It was wonderful to see that everyone came for a hot drink and debrief after the walk which was very pleasing for both the leaders.
Thanks everyone for another great walk.
Walkers: Hazel and Celia led Alan, Janet, Leah, Polly, Nick S & Rick.
Photos: Hazel (1,3,4,6,7,8,10,11, 12,13,15,16,17,18), Rick (14,19,20) and Nick S (2,5,9)
Words: Celia