Saturday 28 October 2023 Cuttagee after the bushfire

 Our first chance to paddle since the Coolagolite fire, 25 days ago.

We drove through devastation on our way to the lake and were happy to find the scrub lining the shoreline of Little Cuttagee hardly touched by the fire.

It was a different story however when we made the turn and looked up the lake.

After the 60mm of rain it was difficult to tell the track of the fire - the dark green of the new growth being the only indicator.

At the Far End boundary - it burnt 'cool' through here.

Another shot a little further into the park.

We poked along the shoreline quietly observing - the fire having burnt with greater or lesser intensity in different spots - the silt jetties at the entrance to the creek having been particularly hammered.

After stopping for breakfast up the creek (where we had the pleasure of watching a kingfisher repeatedly dive for fish) we returned to the big bend and headed up the backwater for a looksee - how did that house survive? We saw our first Sea Eagle since the fire - I'm guessing from its plumage, a 1-3yo. Unlike our previous paddle, beside the occasional swirl there was not a fish to be seen.

As we returned down the creek we found the forecast wind had arrived and decided to skip paddling to the top of Cuttagee and crossed the lake to return home by the most sheltered route possible.

Here's the vid. Rather long, I'm afraid (and boring for those who don't know the lake) - even with L being ruthless and cutting my edit down by half. The couple of roos we saw got the chop, as did most of the swans and other bird life. I think the glimpse of the wombat went too. Though Aafke will be pleased to hear that Rob's Seat survived - the fire and the cutting room!

Looking south from Far End, taken on 26th October.

11.3kms