Kioloa

As always last weekend seemed short but the more I think about writing this post I realise we did quite a lot.

Last weekend we spent a couple of nights in a cabin in Kioloa right next to Kioloa Beach. The site was cheap and it was only after booking it that I discovered why. There was only tank stored water (no mains) and only shared shower facilities. No worries though. For a quick trip why should that matter? Still, I need to read these things properly in future before booking…

We even saw stingrays coming in close to the boat ramp whenever a small fishing boat returned. They have learned that when there is a catch, some fishermen cut up the fish before pulling their boats out of the water and throw body parts overboard.

Mobs of Kangaroos

The holiday site was a great place for watching kangaroos. There were plenty of them. There seemed to be one large ‘mob’ (yes that’s what you call a group of kangaroos) – or maybe two – that just seemed to like hanging around on this site. I nearly tripped over one at one point. I didn’t see it until it jumped up and bounced off. It had been lying in the dust and was almost the same grey/brown colour.

In fact this would be a great place for anyone wishing to make a wildlife documentary about the life of kangaroos or anyone who simply wants to study their behaviour etc… Take note animal lovers and check out the link below.

Batemans Bay

A little further south lies the town of Batemans Bay. It cannot be described as pretty. It is modern and functional but definitely not as attractive as many places we have seen. The bay itself is long and wide and there are some picturesque spots to be found.

Maybe the immediate area needs a closer look? Hard to say with such a quick stopover. This is now the furthest south we have ventured in NSW.

Back via Jervis Bay

When it was time to head back to Sydney we drove via Jervis Bay. The last time we were here was for a holiday over the Easter period. That was just as the travel ban and ‘lockdown’ had kicked in so it was very quiet and most of the shops and businesses were closed back then. It certainly looks a busy place now though and I am sure it will be crowded during the rest of the spring and summer.

The last time we were in these parts the Booderee National Park was closed to the public. It sits at the southern side of the bay and it was now fairly busy. We headed for one of the many beaches in the park area – Cave Beach. So called because there are a couple of caves at one end of the beach. Nothing clever about naming conventions here eh?

After that we went to see an old lighthouse – or what was left of it more like. The Cape St. George lighthouse is sadly a classic case of how public money was (and still is) wasted. It has its own bizarre story… I will do a separate follow-up post on this one.

Good old Google Maps!

Thanks to google maps we decided to change our return journey via a longer but less crowded route that took us via Kangaroo valley. We never stopped there but it looks a really nice place. One for the near future for sure. It was a scenic route with plenty of those hairpin bends to get up and over the mountains. The journey then took us past the Fitzroy Falls. Now if there is one thing I like to see on my travels, wherever I have been in the world over the years, it is a good waterfall…

Fitzroy Falls

This impressive waterfall leaps from a 120 metre escarpment in the Morton National Park. The official height of the falls is noted as 81 metres – which must be the just first (main) drop as there is a second drop into the valley below. Either way it’s bloody high when viewed from the top.  The setting is perfect with the waterfall and the path of the river below framed with lush green valleys and stark sandstone rocks.

They have even made a walkway that goes almost right out over the drop of the falls. Very nice if you have a head for heights. But you can also get another – perhaps better – perspective  from opposite with a short walk through the forest.

 

The first European settler to see it was Charles Throsby, in the early 19th century. The waterfall was named in honour of Sir Charles Fitzroy, then Governor of New South Wales, when he visited the area in 1850. Fitzroy Falls became is a popular stopping point for tourists travelling towards the Southern Highlands; an area that definitely warrants further exploration.

And just for good measure here is a short video of the falls…

Not the best or biggest waterfall I have seen in terms of either height or volume, but a beautiful one all the same. And, up to now, the best one I have seen in Australia…

Link

In case anyone is interested, here is a link to the place we stayed: http://kioloabeachholidaycabins.com.au/