Lloyd Trig View West
Great walks, stunning views and a wonderful display of flowers were enjoyed by the twenty four happy walkers on a perfect winter’s day in the Muogamarra Nature Reserve. Leaving the Visitors Centre we all set off together for our first stop at the J D Tipper Lookout with an extensive view over the Hawkesbury.
Hawkesbury River and Brooklyn from the J D Tipper Lookout
Continuing on we descended to the fire trail to the start of the Peats Bight Trail. It was now decision time. The first of the day! Seven walkers elected to take this trail to Peats Crater and Peats Bight (Hawkesbury River) while the other seventeen decided on the Deerubbin Lookover/Lloyd Trig track. Farewelling the seven walkers Deidre and Sue S led the walkers to the start of the loop track to the Deerubbin L/O and Lloyd Trig. We admired the beauty of the flowers along this bush track which took our minds off the steep ascent leading us to our morning tea spot. The leaders offered walkers the option to go up to the trig summit or walk to the clearing beneath the trig. Ten walkers decided on the trig. Both were perfect spots to enjoy the sunshine and a break before the next ascent to the Deerubbin L/O.
We descended to the fire trail Farewell to the seven walkers ready to depart to Peats Bight
Morning tea beneath the trig and nine of the ten walkers at the trig summit
Leaving our morning tea spot we headed off up to the Deerubbin L/O where we were surrounded by a wonderful display of flowers whilst enjoying another view of the Hawkesbury.
Walkers amongst the flowers Ascent to the Lookover Leaders Deidre and Sue S
A chat amongst blossoms at the Lookover Another view of the Hawkesbury A meadow of flowers
Views west and east from the Lookover
Retracing our steps a short distance we took the track to the Visitor Centre via Holiday Pass. All walkers managed the steep and in places wet and slippery descent to join the Peats Ferry Fire Trail returning to the Peats Bight Trail. It was now time to make a second decision. Eleven walkers elected to take this trail to Peats Crater and six walkers returned to the Visitors Centre for lunch and another shorter walk. The heritage lunch spot for the eleven walkers under the line of exotic Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) trees, running north-south across Peats Crater. These trees had been planted along the boundary between two portions of alienated freehold land that were taken up in the mid to late 19th century. The land was cleared, grazed and farmed up to W W 2, and grazed to 1969. (Sue S)
Descending a rubbly section of the Peats Ferry Firetrail and a second parting of the ways
Lunch spot under the line of exotic Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) trees Colourful wood of the Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) tree
Descent to Peats Crater View on ascent from Peats Crater We made it!
A selection of photos from the group of seven walkers who walked to Peats Bight, the Lloyd Trig Summit/Deerubbin L/O and return to the Visitors Centre
(1) Morning Tea at Peats Crater (2) dwarfed by Cabbage Tree Palms (Livistona australis) whilst walking through the rainforest area between Peats Crater and Peats Bight after morning tea (3) still water and reflections in the mangrove environment of Muogamarra Creek as walkers headed closer to Peats Bight. (Hazel)
(1) Peats Bight - the end of the track where Muogamarra Creek joins the Hawkesbury River (2) all seven walkers at Peats bight with Bar Point and Hawkesbury River behind us (3) all the group after lunch at Peats Crater. (Hazel)
Walkers climbing up the rocks to reach the Lloyd Trig summit View from Deerubbin Lookover Tessellated rocks on the Peats Ferry Firetrail
A selection of flowers on the Peats Bight Trail and the Deerubbin L/O
(1) Pink Wax Flower Eriostemon australasius (2) Drumstick Isopogon anethifolius (3) Pink Spider Flower Grevillea buxifolia (4) Waratah Telopea speciosissima (5) Erect Violet Hybanthus vernonii
(6) Showy Parrot-pea with beetle Dillwynia Floribunda (7) Silky Hakea Hakea sericea (8) Coral Heath Epacris microphylla (9) Long Leaf Smokebush Conospermum longifolium (10) Sydney Boronia Boronia ledifolia
(11) Slender Spade Flower Hybanthus monopetalus (12) Prickly Moses Acacia ulicifolia (13) Small Waxlip Orchid Caladenia minorata (formerly Glossodia minor) (14)
With all walkers safely back to the Visitors Centre most of the walkers enjoyed refreshments at Pie In The Sky before heading home. Thank you to all walkers for another great day out with HVB!
On behalf of all the walkers I would like to express a VERY BIG ‘THANK YOU’ to Mary for her perseverance, determination and the fielding of many phone calls and emails to and from NPWS. Today wouldn’t have gone ahead without Mary’s dedication to make our day at Muogamarra Nature Reserve the success it was.
Walking with Deidre and Sue S were Anne G. Audrey, Barbara, Bert, Celia, Cleona, Clive, Don B, Elizabeth, Grace, Hazel, Janet, John and Ros, Karen, Kas, Leah, Louis, Michael and Sue, Vreni and William. Thank you to Barbara: First Aid and Tail End Charlie: Karen.
Words: Deidre
Photos: Barbara (1, 4, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20), Audrey (2 11, 31), Deidre (3, 6, 8, 21), Sue S (5, 10, 17, 18, 37-43), Grace (11, 32, 33), Ros (7, 12, 15), Kas (9), Louis 22, 29, 30), Hazel 23-28, 34-36)