South West Rocks to Black Head Bay

Brian went for a ride at 06:30 for exercise [15k] and site seeing see photo of Trial Bay Jail.

SW Rocks – Trial Bay Gaol

Judy went to a Chiropractor at 9:15 as she had put her back out bending down to pat a dog because she missed her puppy dogs.

Then we both went to Trial Bay Gaol and had a look through. The Gaol was originally built in the late 1800’s by criminals to house themselves while they were assigned to building a breakwater. Several years later when the breakwater was washed away, the gaol was abandoned until the 1st world war, when it was re-opened to house German men due to paranoia at the time about German spies.

We then went to Smokey Cape Lighthouse which is the oldest and tallest lighthouse in NSW. There are B and B units here which have a magnificent view.

There were what appeared to be very big kangaroo droppings but no roos were seen.

There was a lush rainforest camping area below the cape which had little in the way of facilities but it was right on the beach and very Fraser Island like.

12:30 Arrived at Crescent Head and had lunch. Bought some Tee shirts for Axel and Henry and posted them off. Watched the seegulls fishing in the lagoon entrance during the tide outfall [photo] and also took photos of supposedly one of the best point breaks in Australia, although it wasn’t working too well while we were there.

Crescent Head – Seagulls catching fry going out of creek

Crescent Head – Viewed from lookout

Crescent Head – Point Break

3:30pm Arrived at Black Head Bay Caravan Park [North of Foster]. The park was right on the beach but the grounds were very dry and sandy from too much camping over Christmas. None of the van parks we have visited so far are at all busy and there is never any need to book ahead.

We had a wade in the ocean but the water was cold and seas rough with blue bottles as well, so the pool complex was far more attractive. The area is very hilly with no bike tracks, so no riding here. We sat and uploaded the photos on the laptop under a shady tree with the sound of the surf from one side and the kids playing in the pool from the other and a kookaburra on the bludge in the tree above.

Black Head Bay – Kookaburra

6pm went for a beach walk to the other end of the bay, to Black Head, where it looked more civilised, perhaps to have a meal but the one shop in the whole area was about to close and could only sell fried food, so we had a chiko roll and prawn cutlets, evil but yummy. We also found a tidal swimming pool at the Surf Club and then walked back North to the other end of the beach, Red Head. Total walk around 4km.

Black Head Bay – Black Head

Black Head Bay – Red Head

Black Head Bay – The Shop

Black Head Bay