From Margate Museum 2015

Well, the walk was changed again this week. Due to the predicted high winds, bushfires and record temperatures our walk to Mt. Direction has been moved to next week. This means we're walking from the Margate Museum and around Margate on various tracks. This will be a short walk as we want to see the art exhibition at the museum, with works by a couple of our members. Bob was our leader for the day.

It turned out we were starting from Margate Hall, which is just north of the museum. We commence walking through an urban setting until we reach the start of the first track.

Setting off from Margate Hall

Distant Mt. Wellington

Local scenery

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty is said to resemble a reclining young lady. It must have been a long, long, voyage for whoever named it.

Our first track

I didn't take any photos of this track which runs along the Margate Rivulet as we've been there many times before.

When we reached the rivulet, we passed a woman, her teenage daughter and their beagle out for a morning walk. They fell in behind us for a short distance until the mother asked if we knew of a track leaving from behind Pear Ridge, a function centre on the northern entrance to Margate.

None of us at the back knew so we called out to Bob. Unfortunately Bob didn't know of any track, but would "Really like to hear about it if one was there". Keep that in mind.

We reached the Channel Highway, turned south and crossed over to walk along Beach Rd. Suddenly Bob veered off to the left when a gap in the houses appeared. It was fenced off and looked to be a walkway, which it turned out to be.

We reached a green area and turned down what appeared to be a track down the ridge. The walkway and the green area are public land.

Starting down Pear Ridge and begining an unexpected adventure

Flat land leading to swampy area and North West Bay

This is the area the people from earlier had asked about and yes, there were tracks. However, they appeared to have been made either by four footed wool bearing animals or short two footed hopping ones. I wouldn't suggest it for the lady and her family.

Peter thought Bob was going to lend him a helping hand

No, no, no. Get a grip, Peter!

We walk down various tracks until we make our way to the bottom

We continue along a flat area

We walk along what is usually a marshy area until we decide to make our way up again.

If this is public land, Kingborough Council needs to do some work on their ablutions installation

Looking north

It's getting more overgrown

As we walk through the tall, overgrown and marshy area, I  think of the report I saw on the news the previous night. This was an item warning that snakes were on the move much earlier this year and we should avoid wet, grown up places where frogs occur as the reptiles would be hungry.

No matter, we continued through the wet, grown up place and didn't see any reptiles of any variety.

After a while we could see that we would have to go back up on the ridge and travel that way. It was pretty scrubby with lots of loose footing, fallen branches and hostile bushes.

Lots of these shrubs along the slope

We came to one shrub blocking the track and there were shouts for anyone with a Swiss Army Knife to attend to the front. As luck would have it, I possessed just such an item and hurried up.

There was a bush blocking the track that had spikes on it that would worry a  rhino let alone a person, and I was requested to cut off a short section of branch to make it safer for others to pass.

Unfortunately my knife didn't have a saw blade (note to self: pack small chainsaw in the future.), but with the help of Peter I managed to chop off the offending branch.

I have to point out here that Peter sacrificed some of his lifeblood to make it safer for others when he got well and truly stabbed in the thumb.

The danger passed, we continued on and up.

Sue continues safely while Peter recovers from his wound

Climbing to the top

We come to the backyard of a house at the top, this being their boundary fence.

 
As we walk we pass this sign facing away from us. Too late!

The only dog we can see is the Labrador in the window, which we're not too worried about. The only worry with any Labrador we've had as a family is that if you drop something it's unlikely to hit the floor before being swallowed. Magazines, food, small children, it doesn't matter.

Walking on, we come to a descent, again steep with very loose dirt.

There are several ways down. Judging from the hand moves, Sue on the right appears to have adopted the dancing method of descent

Bob waiting at the bottom. Local kids have created a mountain bike challange.

It was only a short walk from here to the Dru Point reserve, where we had Morning Tea.

Shortly after we entered the reserve, the birdwatchers among us became excited, spotting the NBGB in a nearby gum tree. What's a NBGB? It's what Peter and I decided to call it. Noisy Big Grey Bird.

NBGB in circle

Morning Tea

Part of Dru Point

North West Bay

We moved on after our break, making our way slowly towards the Channel Museum and more tea.

Another track

No road is closed to us

I seem to remember something about a footie match on the weekend that was important to some people. I wonder which team this house supports. Someone suggested Essendon, but I think not.




We finally arrive at the museum  where our group is expected and are  welcomed with a large pot of tea and cake for sale at a good price.

But before we do that, we have a look at the art expo inside.

Frightening isn't it? Portraits of myself, Bob at the top and Gordon at the bottom. All by the talented Ron

Bob walking (gingerly) a dog. Some thought Ron had made this up, but it's true and was done from a photo by Carol

Now we get to why we're really here

We had 9 walkers and covered 6.62km in 2.07hrs. It was a short walk, but good for the weather which was heating up (32C when I reached the car) and becoming windy. Finding the track of sorts behind Pear Ridge was an enjoyable bonus.

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