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Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Diggers Camp Beach + Wilson's Headland














With the outskirts of Wooli in sight we realised we had missed the turn off! 
 "I think it was just after the Minnie Water turn" someone volunteered. We backtracked keeping a close eye on our surrounds until we found the overlooked intersection. As we headed seaward off the sealed road we found ourselves on Diggers Camp Road, right beside Lake Hiawatha, less than a km past the Minnie Water turn off as you're heading towards Wooli.

As we followed the corrugated dirt road the vegetation changed several times and after five or six km we were at Boorkoom Campground, just before the tiny village of Diggers Camp. There is a self-pay station ($8 fee per vehicle) as Boorkoom Campground is part of Yuraygir National Park. From Boorkoom we strolled a short way along the Wilsons Headland Walka track Miss N had guided us nearly a year ago when she was involved in environmental work in the area. 


Once more we enjoyed the rugged coastline views and boardwalks mingled with grassy headland viewing areas. This time we had our elder Miss E with us, still home on uni break, who had not been to this site before. It is an easy mostly flat walk, however young children would need close supervision as there are many grassed cliff edges without fences. 


This time we didn't venture as far as last time so we saw no bull ants, but Master T did spot a large spider! In several grassy seaside areas the ground was dotted with pretty little pink flowers, like miniature morning glory mingle ing in with the grass. I had not seen this flower before but have since discovered it is a small native vine called Pink Bindweed or Polymeria calycina.

As it was a warm summer's day it was decided that a beach walk and possibly a swim was next on our agenda. Miss G suggested we go to Diggers Camp Beach, just up the road a few hundred metres, which she visited some months ago with. So off we drove....

I love this description of Diggers Camp -

"DIGGERS CAMP

If you thrive on “latte culture”, don’t go to Diggers Camp, 6km from Wooli down a gravel road. If however solitude and unparalleled peace and quiet are your bag, Diggers has just 15 houses, all of which supply their own electricity through solar power and use only rain water. To make up for a lack of sophisticated facilities, breathtaking nature is at your very door – best of all, you don’t have to share it with holiday crowds. "
















None of us except Miss G had ever been to 'Diggers' and now we are all keen to return! Unfortunately the hoped for swim didn't last long as many small stinging blue bottles were seen in the water. The rock pools/platform weren't visible being high tide and it appears that there are mangroves in the beach shallows too, but again they were largely submerged when we visited. Would love to visit again on a cooler day at low tide!

We found ourselves looking for shade from the hot midday sun and found it under the large pandanus palms right near the beach access. As we snacked on our packed lunch some of our children wandered along the beach collecting funny round, clear jelly blobs, affectionately named by our family as 'blobbies'. I think these jelly blobs are remains of harmless jelly fish as they are disk shaped with spots which possibly once had tentacles attached. Some sources suggest they may be fish egg sacks but those jellies are usually crescent shaped. Either way, the blobbies are quite fascinating.

Others enjoyed playing in the sand, redirecting the fresh water runoff, beach combing (not allowed remove any finds) or climbing the pandanus. I took opportunity to photograph my recently completed 'summer' hand stitched fabric block. I'll share more about my current sewing endeavours soon.

There is a wonderfully cool spout of water coming from a pipe sticking out of the side of the land bank near the beach entry. Definitely not for drinking and sometimes contaminated, we found out later it's not recommended for bathing but I suspect most people rinse off in it's crystal clear, cool water after time at the salty, sandy beach, just as we did!





All too soon it was time to head home. However as I was driving past the coastal heath I couldn't resist pulling over to jump out of our family minibus and take some quick photos of this beautiful countryside and the stunning red-orange Australian native Christmas Bells (Blandfordia grandiflora - Northern Christmas Bells). To my surprise many of these Christmas Bells were pure yellow! So striking amongst the mixed heath with its tall black boy/grass tree spikes.

All in all, a wonderful short day out before heading home for music and a cricket game.....never a dull moment.


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17 comments:

  1. What beautiful photos! It sounds like a lovely trip.

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  2. This was quite gorgeous! What an amazing place and the beauty goes on and on...
    Thank you for sharing a part of your beautiful world with us.

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  3. Que beleza de passeio e fotos e lá na natureza o teu lindo trabalho! bjs, ótima semana,chica

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  4. Our favourite beach, with a very special energy. There is a beautiful Laguna with low tide, our kids can float and play there for hours. Never did the walk over the headland though! For next visit... ;-)

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  5. Oh beautiful! We really must visit

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  6. Beautiful place you showed that you visited. Walking on the beach, blue water and you are there. It is a pity that you can not be sure to bathe in the hot day. I greet with winter still my country.

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  7. Thank you for sharing this beautiful day trip. How wonderful to be able to enjoy this lovely, peaceful place. It is gorgeous as is the fields on the way back home.

    Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

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  8. Lovely place Karen! Thank you for sharing! Ingrid

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  9. Thank you Ingrid, I'm sure I'll refer back to this post for details before visiting agin - then we hopefully won't miss the turn-off!

    :)

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  10. The rocks with the sea looks nice. Very brave to hold the jelly fish. It was a while ago but I am trying to blog again.

    Greetings,
    Filip

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  11. Charlotte has been studying Australia in her geography book recently. What a beautiful country you live in...how far back did your family settle there and from what country did they come to Australia. (if you don't mind me asking)
    I loved seeing you photos, such clarity and richness. And the children too...smile.

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  12. Hi Cathy,

    We DO live in a vast and beautiful country of many contrasts. Within the last few weeks there have been record breaking heatwaves (where we are and many other areas in eastern Australia), yet also floods in Western Australia and snow in some of the southern areas - in mid summer!

    My ancestors all arrived three and four generations ago. From Ireland, Scotland and England on my fathers side, mostly seeking new opportunities and farmland and from Germany on my mothers side, seeking religious freedom.

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  13. What a wonderful trip, Karen, and your photographs are truly beautiful.

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  14. OI KAREN!
    PASSEANDO POR MEU BLOG, TE VI POR LÁ E RESOLVI VOLTAR AQUI E TE DEIXAR UM ABRAÇO E TE DIZER QUE ADOREI TUAS FOTOS.
    LUGARES LINDOS.
    ABRÇS
    http://zilanicelia.blogspot.com.br/

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  15. What gorgeous photos, Karen! I love how you document your family days out. Great information on a lovely area!
    Have a blessed weekend!

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  16. What a fabulous way to spend the day with family. That beach is a hidden gem. Pity the road is corrugated gravel but I guess that is why the beach is isolated and not crowded. It sure is a beautiful place as are your photos and sewing piece.

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  17. Such extreme beauty you have access to! Love seeing your family and that is quite a spider you photographed!

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