Maloneys to Batemans Bay

10 km (1443 km) 4 hrs

A shorter half day walk to finish off Stage 12 around the northern foreshore beaches of Batemans Bay. Very pleasant and a gentle contrast to the Ulladulla coast and the Murramarang.

Long Beach, around the cliffs from Maloneys was looking a little eerie in the early morning overcast gloom. A narrowish bayside beach leading to Square Head which is large and well-forested. There is a trail a couple of hundred metres inland from the beach (not marked on google maps) that leads up to Square Head #1 Trail which then goes out along the ridge to the tip of the headland for a great view of the bay.

I retraced my steps to Square Head #2 Trail and followed it down to Cullendulla Creek - calm but reasonably wide and deep for an estuarine inlet. I guess wadeable chest to neck deep on a lowish tide, but I had to swim as it was close toa high tide. I whipped out my trusty swim float for my pack, but a thick garden rubbish bag would work just as well for the short swim. A serene crossing with very clear, clean water.

The Cullendulla Walk on the other side was also most pleasant - I'm a sucker for a good board walk and this little one is just great with plenty of reminders along the way about the importance of mangroves. Also, for trivia buffs, this is the only location of chenniers (ridges of sand parallel to the shore on a mud flat base) south of North Queensland - who knew?

All in all, both the Cullendulla Nature Reserve and the Creek were real hidden treasures well worth exploring - suffering, I suppose, in the fame stakes from their proximity to the Murramarang further north.

Next it was the hop around Hawks Nest Headland and along Surfside Beach to Pinnacle Point, and then up the stairs to the newish Clyde River Bridge (I do miss the beautiful old one!)

I love ending a stage with a bridge across a waterway - always reminds me of the sage advice - 'the most important thing in life is deciding which bridges to cross and which ones to burn'! 

And so into Batemans Bay town with the promise of some delicious local seafood to celebrate the end of Stage 12. Plenty of pelicans and a huge stingray at the jetty to farewell me.

Thanks for following along. As always big thanks to my patient surfing support crew. Can't wait for Stage 13 in a few weeks' time. Happy sauntering one 'n' all...