12 November 2012 - Milton Showgrounds, Shoalhaven, NSW

This morning we woke to sunshine and the knowledge that the rain was well past, at least for now. I was given the task of planning the day, a common task and one that requires some research. As we often say to people, particularly our children, travel is hard work, albeit a great pleasure. Our offspring tend to scoff at such suggestions however we will stick to our story.

We were also toying with the possibility of extending further than our two paid up days however only if we had a clear idea of how we would spend those extra days. We called into the Information Centre in Ulladulla and discussed driving trips and walks with the volunteers there. We came away with photocopied pages from books otherwise for sale and confident that there was still heaps to do in the area.

We spent a little time wandering about the shopping area, standing in a Post Office queue which is a time consuming activity here just as it seems everywhere else in the world then buying decadent pastries for lunch. Ulladulla does have excellent services, very comparible with Batemans Bay. The population here is noted at the entrance as being 13,406, somewhat less than Batemans Bay, however the Bay’s population probably includes all those in the coastal settlements as far south as Broulee.

The Ulladulla Wild Flower Reserve looked interesting, and so we headed to this twelve hectare area of urban bushland and set out on the longer walk of the two on offer, a mere one and a half kilometres of easy grade, wending our way through and around five kinds of eucalypt and an understorey of at least eight different species of scrublike plants. There were laminated sheets of coloured illustrations depicting the flowers we were likely to encounter, a list that is updated each month as the seasons change. What a fabulous idea! We identified Rice Flowers,  Mountain Devils, Guinea Flowers, Fan Flowers, Love Creepers and Drum Sticks. This left a further eighteen somewhere out there or simply missed by our poor exploration. We replaced the plastic sheet and left a complimentary message in the visitors’ book. Good on the Garden Club for sharing this wonderful facility.

From here we headed the four kilometres or so out to Kings Point, a small settlement on the north eastern edge of Burrill Lake. We parked by the water ski club and walked along the shore through bush, along the beaches, and over some rather soft ground, recently submerged from higher water levels. We walked for about twenty minutes before turning back; our hunger was telling us it was lunch time.

After lunch we drove around the settlement which is devoid of any services whatsoever, but  still a rather attractive residential spot. We then returned to Ulladulla and drove on through and down to Mollymook, the seaside part of Ulladulla, just to the north. Yesterday we had seen the smaller beaches that Ulladulla boasts of as its own and lovely they certainly are. Here at Mollymook, the beach is an extensive sweep of white sand and surf. I have read the words “beachside paradise” in conjunction with Mollymook, and I can see that many would think this. Personally I prefer more intimate beaches, in smaller coves with shade trees or rocky outcrops to add character. This afternoon the wind was whipping straight on to the shore, and our quick walk from the car park and back again was quite enough. It did remind me of Bondi, although is less commercial. I imagine it is immensely popular mid-summer.

We pressed on to Narrawallee which also has an expansive sandy beach, behind which is a wide green reserve, full of picnic places and trees. At the northern end sits the Narrawallee Inlet and it was here we parked and wandered firstly toward the creek entrance and then back up the inlet enjoying the walk and wildlife about. Pelicans are just about a certainty these days and they were here in the shallows contemplating the rising tide.

From Narrawallee, one can return directly to Milton up the strangely named Matron Porter Drive. This we did, pausing in Milton to track down the large Fig Tree, one of the many features of this charming town. The tree is reputed to be 180 years old and is apparently 120 high and has a girth of 35; one can only assume that these measurements are in imperial feet. It is indeed an impressive tree although there is one at Pahi on the Kaipara Harbour in New Zealand that is larger and even more impressive, in our opinion.

It was from here we finally came on home to find no further Australian cricketers had been bowled out and the score climbing up toward that of the South African team’s yesterday. We also learned that our grandson had survived a bee sting at school, only through the intervention of medical services. We are confused as to why the teacher didn’t simply administer his epipen instead of following school protocol. However there is not much we can do from here; we are just glad he is okay and will be well enough to enjoy his tenth birthday in a couple of days.

We also returned to find a caravan wedged in between a small shed and our van, trespassing on any privacy we had; an outrage given the great expanse of showground park vacant and inviting campers. We are not amused, will not make any concession to their proximity when it comes to controlling our noise output as we would in a caravan park when there is little option but to park in close proximity with one’s neighbours. We will not smile, greet or offer them advice of any sort. May they learn from our huffy attitude that this is not acceptable behaviour!