Hawks Nest to Anna Bay
23 km (868km) 7 hr
Today was the final day of Stage 6 on the National Parks-featured Tomaree Coastal Walk from Shoal Bay to Anna Bay/Birubi. A fantastic way to wind up the outstanding stretch of the coast on this stage. With a white bellied sea eagle as the symbol to represent the walk, of course, it could do no wrong! A coast walk that packs many, many powerful punches as it weaves around the many headlands, beaches, and inlets south of Port Stephens.
The route makes a superlative, but longish, day walk (the official recommendation is 2 days which would give more opportunity to enjoy the many and varied delights along the way). It would be a perfect walk for anyone wanting to do a long coastal meander without wanting to stray too far from 'civilisation'. The walk has clear signage and plenty of practical and interpretive information. There are also reasonable public transport connections (hourly) along the way which can run you back to Nelson Bay or Newcastle station. There’s plenty more information on the NPWS website for those interested.
There were almost too many highlights to list. Every few hundred metres was another exquisite pleasure. Wonderful Fingal Beach with its half-tide spit to Fingal Island, Snapper Point, Big Rocky and the Cauldron (incredible), Samurai Beach (clothing optional – absurdly beautiful beach but a bit of a 4WD cluster zone), Middle Rock and One Mile Beach, Slot Canyon (totally incredible), Kingsley Beach, Boat Harbour, Little Kingsley Beach, Eddie's Beach and, and, and, and... it's all delightful -another walk where the only recommendation can be ‘just do it’. Such a magical coastal walk along a geologically fascinating part of the coast...
I completed the day and the stage at Anna Bay. I looked longingly out across mighty Stockton Beach, the longest in NSW, with its dunes stretching to 'infinity and beyond'. Stage 7 was going to be grand – as indeed this stage, and every other one has been.
Conclusion
With so many magic moments during this stage, I was reminded of a quote from George Macdonald Fraser’s Flashman:
That's a moment I remember still... as far ahead as the eye could see... [were] fleecy clouds against a blue sky that seemed to stretch forever... And I absolutely laughed aloud - why, I can't tell, except in that moment I felt free and contented and full of hope, with my spirits bubbling as high as they've ever done in my life... There's an exhilaration, a sense of leaving the old, ugly world behind, and that there's something splendid waiting for you to go and find, far out yonder...
And that's about as good a summary as any about how this coastal camino, with all its up and downs and rain and sunshine and sand dunes and waves and headlands and beaches and eagles and whales and dolphins and challenges and magnificence and grandeur and wonderfully ‘simpatico’ folk along the way so often makes me feel…
Happy wanderings one and all...