Thursday 24 June Shell Point Ringlands Track weeding, instead of a bushwalk today, annually the Dalmeny Narooma Bushwalkers with the help of ESC Landcare Co-ordinator Emma Patyus, go to Shell Point at the east end of Ringlands Walk to do some weeding. Today 10 walkers met Emma, and after gathering gloves, bags and information they set off. The first bit of track was fine, one lantana and some little lantana’s were quickly delt with, then they hit the Mother of Millions and the pulling began.
Some Asparagus weed, too, Cape Ivy, everyone was pleasantly surprised by the lovely tall grasses, salt bush, and natives out at Shell Point. After about 40 minutes, they had morning tea, sheltered from the n/w winds. Then back to the weeding. Another hour, backs started to ache, 20 bags were filled, and with the clouds moving in, all decided to call it a day, and head back to the cars.
Here Emma was thanked by the walkers, we all learnt a thing or two about our vegetation on the Ringlands Track. The walkers are hoping to go back later in the year and do a bit more.
Sat 26 June, 12 walkers meet up at Noble Park and headed out to Cobra Mountain, about 30 minutes drive west of Narooma, a beautiful winters morning too, no wind. We started well, heading down Mt Long Road, now a bush track, almost overgrown with new vegetation after the bushfires, after about 1km we found an old car wreck, then an old bee hive area, and to the right a cage where something was grown before the fires! Proceeding along towards a forestry trail we had morning tea, then things got a bit harder, bush bashing down a trail and the bush kept leading us south, and we needed to go east, more and more vegetation logs, holes, rocks, but we kept going, came to a gully, eventually, climbing out of there, to an old mining area, perhaps gold was mined here. The walk leaders Amanda and Jan decided to head back up to Mt Long which would be easier instead of more bush bashing down to the creek. Lunch was had once we arrived at the top. It was decided to do Mt Misery trail at the top for views, then made our way back to the cars. A short but hard 7km, however we all arrived back safely with a grin on our faces, and Amanda and Jan were thanked for taking the walkers out to this little known walked area.
