10. One last Sydney stop and South to Jervis Bay

Church Point views

Church Point views

At the close of the last post, we hadn't quite finished our time in and around the Northern Beaches. Difficult to pass over a two day visit with Pete's mate Graeme and his wife Ruth. We parked our van in a rare flattish spot opposite their driveway. Anyone who knows the lay of the land, congestion of houses and people, and the width of the roads around thum thar hills, will know that park was a rare find. We hung out at their lovely Church Point House overlooking the southern end of Pittwater. Their house has long been Pete's Sydney home away from home. Their grown children and grandchildren are very warm and present in each other's lives.

Old friends

A set of twins is soon to join the grandy ranks and a new love interest for a special young lady. 

I never get bored with the view of my old stomping ground; Scotland Island and the Newport Arms, moored boats and all classes of sailing races gliding this way and that. Sunrises and sunsets, king parrots and other native birds flitting among the trees at eye level. Graeme was recouperating after an ankle replacement! My Dad would have benefited from one of those if they'd been available back in his day. We live in wonderful times when it comes to what can be done medically.

First view of our end of Green Patch beach

Further up the beach

Green Patch camp fire place

Up near the Naval Academy - no go zone

On 13th November we were Jervis Bay bound, via Grand Pacific Drive which travels around the coast past Wollongong. Green Patch in Booderee National Park was to be our home for the next five sleeps; about three hours drive from the Northern Beaches of Sydney - on the bay next to Royal Australian Naval College, HMAS Creswell. This small peninsula around Jervis Bay is under ACT governance - largely because the Australian Capital decided it needed a port in 1915 - and so the NSW govt handed this area over. It is noticeable how well the area is maintained - roads and infrastructure. And the local Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council are partners in the management of the Booderee National Park.

Green Patch Camp

I have heard of Vincentia and Huskisson many times but never visited that I can remember. We did holiday on the south coast many times as children - Sussex Inlet, Lake Conjola, Dalmeny and Narouma are all places that sound familiar.

Crookhaven Heads

kangaroos in our camp

Two surfers in the middle of nowhere
on the south tip of Jervis Bay -
Cape St George

Tilbury Cove

Cape St George Historic Lighthouse

Cape St George Historic Lighthouse

behind Huskisson Sea Pool

Cape St George Historic Lighthouse

Cape St George Historic Lighthouse

behind Huskisson Sea Pool

Kangaroos everywhere

Cape St George Historic Lighthouse

behind Huskisson Sea Pool

Caves Beach

Currarong Boat Ramp

Currarong Boat Ramp

Stony Creek

 

Caves Beach

Tilbury Cove

Surfers on the south tip of Jervis Bay under
Historical St George Lighthouse

Caves Beach Camp ground

Caves Beach

Currarong

Jervis Bay was beautiful - so much water everywhere. My bearings were a bit out a lot of the time - had to keep locating myself on the map. 

 

The weather was a balance of windy, rainy, cloudy most of the time - but the day before we left was a proper summer kind of day. We donned our wetsuits and snorkelled the rocks between our Green Patch beach and Bristol Beach just around the corner to the south. I tried to take some underwater shots with the camera that Pete bought with our masks - but none of them worked out! The colour of the water when the sun comes out in these waters is picture perfect turquoise blue.
 

 We had lovely neighbours at our camp site - Shane and Nia and two young teenage girls - turned out they were from Brunswick Heads near where we come from on the Far North Coast. Very lovely family - had spent lots of time in Tassie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took lots of lovely drives and walks, became familiar with Club Jervis Bay - had a beer and dinner another time there right on the inlet. We walked around Caves Beach and heaps of residential water ways. We particularly liked Currarong. 

 

 

 

 

We visited Cape St George Historic Lighthouse - where we sat on a rock ledge looking at two daredevil surfers catching waves below the cliff beside a rock shelf. 

 

 

We followed Elmoos Road down the Jervis Bay side of Sussex Inlet and found Lone Pine reserve where we sat and Pete fished for a bit. Pete didn't catch any fish in the Jervis Bay area - not even a bite that he can recall. Nobody else seemed to be having much luck either. 

We were un-powered so not much computer - although Pete charged it one sunnier day with his panels and inverter in the car. I managed to get a blog started there using that power on a rainier day.

 We had a constant flow of kangaroos bounding through our camp, and a resident possum who came to check out what he could find to eat after we'd closed up shop each night. On the roof, the awning and the camp table among the washed up dishes. 

 

 

 

We had intended to walk around the Booderee Botanical Gardens but weather and time didn't permit in the end.

I was very keen to see Cressida Campbell Exhibition at National Gallery in Canberra, so Pete kindly offered to go inland after Green Patch. I looked for camping options over that way and discovered Bungendore Showgrounds - power, water and not too far out of Canberra. 😎🎨 I also thought we could try our SUP/Kayaks on Lake Burley Griffin and walk around the National Botanic Gardens. Fingers crossed for that! 🤞

Resident rascally possum

Pete in his happy place at Lone Pine,
Booderee National Park opposite
Sussex Inlet