07 November - Regular Walk: Botany Bay / Sans Souci to Arncliffe

For the last walk of the year, 7 walkers met at Central Station (Illawarra platform) to get the train to Kogarah station.  We then took a bus to Fountainbleau Street, Sans Souci.  It was a short walk, past St George sailing club, to the walkway that goes along the western shore of Botany Bay up to the Cooks River.

Unfortunately one of the leaders Claude D could not make the walk due to illness.

Briefing at San SouciView of Georges River and Captain Cook Bridge from Sans Souci

The pathway is flat all the way but is a shared cycle path in parts.  At first it goes past houses at Sandringham and Dolls Point and then next by a thin strip of parkland through Ramsgate, Monterey, Brighton-Le-Sands and Kyeemagh. The parkland is quite pretty with for the most part good tree canopy.  The weather was overcast but warm and humid.  We were fortunate that there was a breeze off the bay that kept the temperature down.

Cactus GardenKangaroo PawView of walkers walking along Sandringham waterside path

Fishing on the bayMorning TeaWalking the bay with City in background

Ancient looking Pinus Pinea Stone Pine in Cook Park Sans SouciLarge fig tree with branches reaching across the road

At Brighton-Le-Sands we visited the First Fleet memorial.  This is a statue of sails on a base that has the names of all First Fleet passengers.  We were surprised to learn that one of our walkers Don has an ancestor who was on the First Fleet and he kindly gave us some information on her life.

Cannon near First Fleet statueFirst Fleet StatueDon pointing to the name of his ancestor

We had lunch at Keemagh with a great view of the plane traffic at the airport.  After lunch, at the recomendation of the leader, 5 walkers didn't do the remaining published walk around Muddy Creek and through Barton Park.  They went a shorter route to the station through residential streets.  This is because it was a warm day and the actual distance was slightly more than what was in the programme.  Being one of the walkers that did the longer walk I would advise that, if you have the time and energy, the extra kms are worth the effort.   

Lunch at Kyeemagh with airport behindFunky statue near lunch spot

Leader:  Clive

Walkers: Annette Ell, Audrey, Don B, Grace, Mary, Phyllis

First Aider: Mary

Words: Annette Ell

Photos:  Annette Ell 1,6,7,8, 13,14     Audrey 2,4,5,9,10        Grace 3,11,12,15