Morisset Hospital

I headed up to Lake Macquarie for a bike ride in the State Conservation  Area. I parked on the Lake at Morisset Hospital and rode out to Bird Cage Point and back. Just under 7klm all up.

Part of an old stone jetty? where I parked.

With Black Swans nearby.

Pourmalong Creek

As I rode from here out to the Point my eyesight went fuzzy and while I was puzzling this I rode into a black cloud of mosquitoes. Peddling up a slight hill I was breathing heavily and inhaled quite a few mossies and came to a sudden stop gasping and choking. My arms had turned black with them all  and I struggled on through the swarm trying not to breathe. After 100 metres they disappeared and it was clear again,while they patiently waited in the same spot for my return. My mother didn't raise no fool so I learnt to keep my mouth closed and pedaled through at speed but had to stop once past to clean them off my glasses. I have never seen such a storm of mossies like this.

Out on the point I could ride a loop along the foreshore.

With views across to Vales Point Power Station.

Once back at the car I had a coffee and biscuit with a solitary and well behaved kangaroo. While here an ABC reporter and cameraman were there to do a story on the kangaroos attacking tourists. On the way into the hospital I had noticed 30-40 kangaroos with tourists walking through the middle of the mob. The reporter told me that people had been badly cut on the face and stomach. Signs were everywhere to not feed the kangaroos.

I then went for a walk with the bird lens along the lake.

The old baths.

When I got back to the car a carload of chinese tourists pulled up and a mob of kangaroos appeared from nowhere. Can they recognise tourists?  The driver came down to talk to me and I warned him of the kangaroos behaviour.  After this one of the girls was feeding the roos and taking selfies. The big make kangaroo (who could stand taller than me) muscled in a demanded food. He grabbed her around the head and scratched her face. As her friends all rushed in to drag her away the roo stood back on his tail and gave her a good kick in the stomach. They all quickly jumped in the car and sped off. The roos all then wandered off and left me on my own. 

An interesting morning.

Newcastle to Blacksmiths

With an early start after about 5 hours sleep, I drove to Blacksmiths and caught a bus into Newcastle and was walking by 0830. The forecast temp was to be under 30 and the day started out cloudy. I had not however expected the strong southerly wind which I was pushing into all day. 

The Hunter River 

Nobbys Beach for my morning coffee to kick start the walk. 

Then under Flagstaff Hill to Newcastle Beach. Last time I had walked here in may 2015 big seas were breaking over the Newcastle Baths. Today they were closed and full of sand. 

looking back over Newcastle Beach as I head up through Prince Edward Park to Shepherds Hill 

The Anzac Walkway on Shepherds Hill 

Views from the walkway back over Newcastle Port 

and south to Bar Beach and Merewether  

The headland on the horizon is Red Head and the half way point of this walk. 

From Merewether looking north to Shepherds Hill 

Then on to Burwood Beach 

which joins Glenrock Beach. 

A exposed coal seam and whats left of an old railway on the edge of the beach. 

Glenrock Lagoon

Little Redhead Point at the end of Glenrock Beach. 

Starting the climb ip Little Read Head looking back over Glenrock. 

Through a stunted Spotted Gum forest 

and down to Dudley Beach 

Dudley Beach rock platform with Shepherds Hill and Flagstaff Hill on the horizon. 

Through Awakabal Nature Reserve at Red Head 

Finally down to Red Head beach for some nice fish and chips for lunch at the kiosk.

Leaving Red Head its a long walk south to Blacksmiths on Nine Mile Beach with the wind still strong from the south.

Looking back to Red Head 

Crokers Creek lagoon 

The end is in sight. The wind had dried the sand  and it was a hard "soft" walk on the beach. 

The breakwater at the entrance to Lake Macquarie 

Looking across at Swansea Heads 

From here it was only a short walk back to the car at Blacksmiths and the end of this 32klm section of the coast.