This walk to Little Oberon Bay happened on a grey day in August following a period of wet weather and high tides. Because we only had a few hours available, and I know Bob is not keen on clambering over rocks, I chose a fairly straight-forward track-walk starting near the new Wilderness Retreats at Tidal River.
The track heads South, parallel to but out of sight of Norman Bay. At the southern end when the track reaches the beach we came across a stretch which had been under water in the last high tide and was littered with seaweed and cuttle fish shells indicating a recent strong surge event. You can’t always choose the weather on the days available for special walks, but different conditions allow for a new set of images and memories.
Where the track meets the beach, looking North the scene was shrouded in sea spray displaying a very flat canvas for photos. Following the track signs we started to climb the headland walking on hardwood droppers painstakingly connected to gal. chain every 100mm or so to protect the fragile soils. We were walking through part of the area which had been burnt during the ’05 fire event and the regeneration was fantastic to see. The burn has given a clearer view down to the surf pounding on the granite boulders below and the huge granite slabs of Mount Oberon, covered by a patchwork of lichens, looming above us to the East.
Away in the distance Skull Rock was hit by the sun as the weather showed promise of clearing. We took the side track out to Norman Point, giving us a fantastic panorama from Oberon Point in the South past the offshore islands of the Glennie Group to Tongue Point in the North.
Having regained the main track we were now heading East with Little Oberon Bay on our right once again showing the magnificence of the lichens on the rocks, the white sands on the beach and the stark wasteland of the burnt flank of Little Oberon.
On reaching the beach some of the extent of the ravages of yesterdays weather became evident. Sand dunes had been undermined, rocks exposed and some of the rainfall runoff was reaching the waterline where other smaller streams were fading into the sand.
Unfortunately we did not have enough time to do the complete circuit to Oberon Bay and out via Telegraph Saddle so we had to retrace our steps. We had been alone on our walk all morning and as we approached Norman Bay on our return we could see that our solitude would continue to the end with the beach ahead deserted except for natures stunning display.
