Camping at the Coast

We continued with our tradition of heading to the coast for the last week of summer holidays when NSW and VIC kids have started school. Only this time, we chose to camp mainly because we were too busy to organise a house and stay for 3 nights rather than a whole week.

It was a very relaxed departure on Wednesday morning as we were not on a time schedule and there were no other families to co-ordinate with. So after briefing Alice, one of Andy's PhD students on all the intricacies of our pets and house, and stopping by Little Oink for a coffee we were on our way.

Normally when we are going to the coast, it's after school/work and we are trying to get to 'where ever' by dinner. Today was not the case. In fact we earmarked to stop at Monga National Park located just outside of Braidwood prior to heading down the Clyde for a picnic.

It was a short drive off the Kings Highway into the park, where we checked out the Dasyurus picnic area only to continue on to the next one, Mongarlowe River picnic area. We wandered down the short loop train through the cool temperate rainforest to the Mongarlowe River. The recent rain gave the forest a soft and relaxing feel. Ella was excited spotting and attempting to photograph a variety of interesting birds. A nice place for a picnic lunch.

 

Bird photography by Ella . Can you see it?

Before continuing on to the coast, we decided to drive a little further to Penance Grove much to the displeasure of both girls who stated they weren't getting out of the car. The very short drive took up though massive tree ferns all hints of what was to come. On pulling up we were instantly amazed by all the tree ferns with a boardwalk disappearing into the grove. Funnily enough both girls were suddenly interested!

Penance Grove gained it's name from a sad crime that occurred over 30 years ago prior to Monga attaining National Park status. One morning locals discovered that illegal tree-fern cutters had taken scores of old tree ferns out of this grove probably to sell at Sydney markets. Unfortunately as tree ferns grow only from the tip, the remaining stumps were dead looking like skeletons in the forest.  Despite it's sad history, this little grove is a special place to visit and I'm so glad we stopped by plus we even saw the largest moss in the world, Dawsonia superba, growing wild!

  

It was a little over an hour still listening to The Enchanted Wood (by Enid Blyton) which certainly kept the girls enchanted and content in the back before we pull into our campsite at Pebbly Beach located in Murramarang National Park about 20km north of Batemans Bay. We quickly set up camp before heading down for some fun at the beach despite the overcast conditions.

 

   More bird photography by Ella.