Ramblings: Nierinna Creek Tramway Hill Margate Rivulet 2015

Wednesday 4 November 2015

Nierinna Creek Tramway Hill Margate Rivulet 2015

Today we're walking from the bottom of Barnaby Drive in Margate and around several tracks. The weather is cloudy and cool.

Easy parking

The beginning of the Nierinna Creek Track is a grassy stretch lying between the creek and the rear of several properties.

The farther upstream we go, the more bush we encounter.

Nierinna Creek

It's easy walking and there are a couple of small bridges to cross as the creek meanders around.

Soon we're among the trees

Shortly after, the first shout for a photo rings out, an orchid has been found and a photo is required.

I clear away some debris and take the required photo. I fall for it every time because as you can see from the following picture, the rest of the group run off into the bush.

Disappearing act

It took me a while to catch up as the track winds around and I lost sight of the main party. I couldn't even hear them, which is saying something!

I finally found them again just as we are starting up our first climb. This leads up away from private land and is a steady climb. There are log and stone steps in places.

Adie referred to this as the 'Stairway to Heaven'. He didn't do much singing on the way up

The track turns left and turns into a quite easy track for awhile.

I spotted these blossoms about waist height just off the track, all facing downward.

I knew I had to get a photo, so I stripped off my pack and lay down on the ground facing up. Feeling a sting in my right bicep, I shot to my feet, pulled off the two metre Tiger Snake hanging onto my arm, flinging it into the bush before lying down again to take the two photos.

At least, that's the scenario that went through my mind at the time, so I just held the camera upside down and hoped for the best.

Another bridge. The sign directs people and bikes to the right and horses to the left as this track is shared by all

The track is more rocky now

Heading down for the creek

The track turns downhill after a while to head back down to Nierinna Creek.

We're back down next to the creek

Looks like a serious discussion ahead

Behind as usual, I find a discussion about Morning Tea taking place. Seems Tas wants to have it here on the banks of the creek.

There used to be older, larger gums here

The photos don't do this area justice. It's dark, very green with lots of fern and moss. Very atmospheric.

Nierinna Creek. There is a little water running down

Morning Tea

Upstream

Little pool in front of me

Downstream

I had crossed the creek to take the pictures, and when I crossed back I spotted a little nest just at eye level in front of me.

Pointing this out to the others, we asked our resident ornithological expert, Tas, what kind of bird built this.

His considered answer was "The Moss Bird". I, of course, knew of the Moss Bird and asked for clarification.

"Green or Brown?"

"Green" was the response. Peter immediately dubbed it the 'GMB' or Green Moss Bird. I added the 'N' for nest. Thus we have the GMBN shown below.
Seems it's true, you get sillier as you get older.


GMBN

I couldn't get you a Tiger Snake, so you'll just have to do with a leech

I made the comment when we picked the spot for our break that it was a good place for leeches. I wasn't all that surprised that I found one on my arm as we prepared to leave. A skillful scrape with a Swiss Army Knife blade removed the offender, conveniently leaving my arm intact.

Break finished, we continue on and it's a short climb up to Lawless Rd. where we turn left. We're in for a spell of road walking now. I don't mind dirt, but paved roads get boring after a short while.
We walk up to Nierinna Creek Rd, turn right and continue to Tabors Rd. turning off to walk down through Poverty Gully to the entrance of the Tramway Hill track.

Lawless Rd.

Looking back

Tabors Rd.

Our turnoff

We enter the reserve and the start of this part of the Tramway Hill Track and a discussion immediately begins about one of the trees there.

Is it a Tassie native? Or something else.

The tree in question

I'm not sure what the upshot was, but we come to the shelter which gave us something else to look at. In the past this has been the site of Morning Tea, so some of us were familiar with it.

Seize any opportunity to sit down

Now we're on our way

It's a short walk across a field then down a short rocky section which runs next to houses and enters Tramway Crescent. This is followed to Chandlers Rd. which takes us to Van Morey Rd. where we turn left.

Not pleasant walking, but a necessary evil to get to the next track.

I thought it was a strange place for dietary advice until I read it closely

Tramway Crescent

Van Morey Road

Finally, we come to the next turnoff onto Brook Lane which leads us to the next track.

Almost immediately after entering the track we come across this sight next to the walk.

Some people have FAR too much time on their hands!

Tearing myself away, I'm immediately reminded that it's getting close to lunch.

Lunch reminder

The Rivulet track is an easy walk along flat ground before crossing over the rivulet itself.

Crossing Margate Rivulet

Interesting construction on distant hillside

I wonder if these are the stone walls the Tramway Hill Landcare Group are investigating as potentially convict built?

We cross the paddock past the remains of an old road

It's a short climb at the end to the junction with a track that leads to Rollins Rd.

At the top we stop for lunch. We've eaten here before and it offers good views of the surrounding area.

Lunch

The seat was reserved for the 'beautiful people' at least according to Adie.

Lunch finished we walk the short way to Rollins Rd. which returns us to our cars.

The walk isn't finished yet. I take them on a short loop over the land the Tramway Hill Landcare Group is taking care of. See the entry for Tramway Hill Landcare Group.

Everyone was impressed with the beauty of the site.