1 October - 5 October 2025 Gabo Island, Victoria

 Organised by our friends from Mallacoota, another 'lighthouse' stay; this time at Gabo Island, about 8km down the coast from the eastern most point of Victoria.

We arrived at our overnight accommodation in Mallacoota late Tuesday afternoon to find KT&GT already in residence. After unpacking the eski into the fridge and freezer we caught up over a cup of tea. Just as were finishing our cuppas P arrived to make sure we had settled in before walking us around to his house where G and her sister M were busy preparing dinner for us all.

Following greetings and introductions some serious discussion ensued between the women to ensure we had, between us, catered adequately for our stay on Gabo. G then informed us that the charter boat was departing at 10.00am from Bastion Point and due to the local rats love of gnawing on wiring no cars should be left at Bastion Point for the 4 nights we would be away.  The men then joined the discussion to figure logistics and thence a departure time from our houses. Provisions and logistics sorted we then relaxed and a most convivial evening followed.

The next morning there were some unforseen delays - in G's case a walk back home to retrieve her jacket which had been left in the car. Luckily our logistics had allowed some leeway and after some grunt work to get our mountain of gear down the dock and onto the boat we cast off only 5 minutes late.

On our way

It was a smooth and enjoyable approx 12km boat ride up the beautiful coastline, passing close to Tullaberga Island and

we arrived at the little Gabo Island wharf at 10.30am  to find Sandy, the Ranger, waiting for us with a Polaris and trailer ready to take all the luggage.  GT and M, the keenest hikers in our group elected to walk to our island accommodation and as the fancy Polaris (which L and GT had, a little enviously, been drooling over) took 5 passengers, the rest of us elected to travel in style.

Upon reaching the cottage Sandy left us to unpack the trailer and buggy. Once we had everything inside we had a quick explore and discovered that the two original Assistant Lighthouse keepers cottages had been knocked into one and now comprised 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living & dining rooms, kitchen, covered in verandah on the northern side and open verandahs on the eastern and southern sides - very spacious indeed. Then it was time to unpack and prepare lunch.

After a spot of whale watching we did the first of many walks, this one only short as we spent so much time oohing and aahing and watching young New Zealand fur seals.

The lighthouse, at 47m is Australia's 2nd tallest

Looking north across to the mainland

Looking back toward the Lighthouse and our cottage.

This young NZ Fur Seal slid of the rocks across the way and swam over

to check us out.

Returning to the cottage for

 some arvo tea whilst whale watching. The time passed quickly and all too soon it was time for dinner followed by teaching Euno to the unintiated.

Following a good nights sleep in surprisingly comfortable beds we arose to find a lavish table set for breakfast - a large bowl of fresh fruit salad (courtesy of GT and as far as L&I are concerned,his signature dish), yoghurt, muesli, weetbix, and courtesy of G and KT a variety of homemade jams and marmalades ready to slather on toast made from G's wonderful homemade bread. And this was how we started every day - bliss.

Then it was more whale watching until everyone was ready for a walk:

to Boulder Bay

and onward, on a path freshly whippersnipped through the kikuyu by Sandy the previous afternoon.

Remains of an old hut. At one stage there were more than 90 people living and working on the island.

After lunch it was time for a tour of the Lightstation with Sandy.

Looking south toward the mainland

The slot in the rocks marked by the blue arrow is where the yacht Gypsy Moth V ran aground. The Gypsy Moth V was the last boat built and sailed by Sir Francis Chichester before his death in 1972. In 1982 she was chartered by lone sailer Desmond Hampton for the first Around Alone race. Failing to wake from a nap on 18 December 1982 Desmond was rudely awakened when the boat ran aground, luckily for Desmond, up the slot. A little after 6.00pm one of the lighthouse keepers was amazed to receive a May-Day signal coming less than 200ms from the lighthouse. Upon venturing out to find the source of the signal he was further amazed to meet Desmond strolling toward him with a cat under his arm.

The boat, stuck fast and having received substantial damage to its hull was doomed. Desmond, along with locals and the lighthouse keepers salvaged everything except the masts and engine.

On 15 May 1853 the steamship SS Monumental wrecked on Tullaberga Island with the loss of 37 lives, 35 of whom were passengers.  This disaster led to the building of the Gabo Island Lighthouse. A temporary stumpy wooden lighthouse was erected on the highest point of the island until the construction of the present lighthouse and three residences, in pink granite quaried on the island, was completed in 1862.

In 1886-1888 a telegraph operator's residence was constructed in mass concrete to the design of NSW colonial architect James Barnet - the white house in the back ground that looks the same as the Greencape cottages.  Currently unused I think there are plans to renovate it for further accommodation.

As well as activity connected with navigation, other human activity Gabo has endured is as a sealing and whaling site, a couple of quarries extracting the fabulous pink granite for buildings in Melbourne and Sydney and it housed a WWII radar station.

Whilst descending from the top of the lighthouse a hailstorm struck and the seal pups lying on the rocks set up a wail and many of them took to the water.

Unusual propeller illegally salvaged (the salvagers were nabbed) from a sunken fishing boat

After the tour it was back to the cottage for variously more whale watching, reading, snoozing, talking, and jigsawing.  Then after dinner Euno and the newbies were starting to get the hang of the game.

Starting off Friday morning with another luxe breakfast followed by a bit of whale watching,

 we decided another walk before the predicted gale force winds kicked in.

Having inspected the cemetary G, KT and I headed back by another track to start getting lunch ready,

whilst the others kept going, passed the remains of the WWII radar installion which

was beside the last remainder of the original temporary wooden lighthouse

and onwards,

for the hardy GT and M to the tip of the island,

whilst P and L braved the wind while watching the seas pick up.

Upon the intrepid walkers return they warmed their innards with a bowl of hot soup and then it was time for more whale watching. The wind was strong and the seas were heaving and the whales obligingly kicked off.

Once again the afternoon passed quickly by and some progress was made on the jigsaw, situated as it was, in the sunny and warm covered in verandah, a good place to thaw out between stints of whale watching.

After dinner more Euno and now the newbies were holding their own having learned how to play this viscious little card game.

Saturday dawned and the gale force winds had abated and the skies were blue.

 Another luxe breakfast and I have to say that GT's fresh fruit salad followed by toast made from G's bread spread with KT's marmalade beats eggs and bacon by a mile. Again the whales put on a show for us.

With P and L, both keen boaters in earlier life, we walked down to inspect the slot up which the Gypsy Moth V sailed to her doom and then strolled back to inpsect the stone work of the light house and wall more closely.

These buttresses were added after this section of the wall was partially destroyed by huge seas in, I think, September 1895.  You can see where, in our cottage, they cut holes in the floor for the water to flow out.

The perfect curving stone work at the base of the lighthouse is in stark contrast to the construction of the wall.

Gabo Island Lightstation is architecturally significant for the high standard of its building design attributed to Charles Maplestone. The tower itself is a remarkably well proportioned structure whose finely crafted pink granite is without parallel in Australia. The profile of the ltower was replicated at all subsequent manned lighthouses in Victoria. 

Beautiful

After lunch 4 of our party went for one last walk on the island and three of us stayed behind to float between whale watching and jigsawing. 

Sandy joined us for dinner and he told us more fascinating stories of the island and how he came to be there, a little of which can be read in this ABC article.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-26/gabo-island-lighthouse-keeper-leaves-after-25-years/104490236

After Sandy left (he has to get up at 3.00am every night to take the weather reading) there was just time for a few more rounds of cutthroat and hilarious Euno before we too retired for we had to be up early to get packed up and ready for Sandy at 9.15am. As Daylight Saving time was kicking in at 2.00am (which Sandy warned us about) we lost an hours sleep.  Sandy has also cautioned us that Reinhardt was insistent that the boat was to leave at 10.00am

GT, bless him, arose even earlier than the rest of us to make the fruit salad and we made time to have our last scrummy breakfast on the island. Then we scurried to pack up, clean up and get everything outside ready to load into the trailer. When Sandy arrived he told us he had just heard from Reinhardt - who'd forgotten about daylight saving time so he wouldn't get to the little wharf until about 10.45am.

So we had time to relax, sit in the sun, watch a few more whales go by, watch the seals on the rocks and watch the terns fly by.

A pair of Sooty Oyster Catchers

Seal pup on the rocks below the cottage

Then there was just time for a group pic,

before heading down to the wharf. 

for another smooth ride back to Bastion Point.

Another delightful Lighthouse stay sadly over. KT and GT had to leave straight away for their home in  South Gippsland, L&I staying to enjoy our friends company for another night and to drop M off at the Merimbula airport the next day.

Here is some crappy footage of whale activity.

We got home on Tuesday afternoon pleased to see the local wildlife still in residence:

A  young goanna beside the driveway

And out the kitchen window, a Rednecked Wallaby and joey

And a kangaroo joey soaking up the sun

It was good to be home.

Monday 15 September 2025 Wallaga Lake Entrance

 Yesterday's paddle was erroneously planned around high tide. So, despite glassy water beckoning all morning we did not set out until 1.30pm by which time the forecast breeze was making itself felt.

Setting off from Payne's Island we headed round the northern end of Honeysuckle Island - the combination of wind and shallow water making it hard going. Seeking out the leads and channels through the shallow waters we wended our way toward the entrance - to find it closed! We could have paddled on glassy water in the morning; bummer.

Still, there was plenty of bird life, wheeling overhead, flying past, perched and hunting along the shoreline to take our mind off the wind.

About halfway along the eastern shore we paddled into sheltered water and started to look for somewhere suitable for a leg stretch.

After our snack and chat - the wind earlier having precluded much talk -  and watching a stingray glide slowly by, we set off into the maze of reed beds.  Here it was completely sheltered and quiet except for the chatter of small birds unseen in the reeds and the occasional noise of startled kangaroos bounding away as we approached. 

Exiting the reed lined labyrinth we discovered the wind had largely died away and headed down toward the beautiful Wallaga Bridge to get around the sand bar that lay between us and Payne's Island.

Reaching our take out at about 10 past 4, we unpacked the kayaks and then sat on the bench, warmed by the last of the sun on our backs and enjoyed the view for awhile before loading the boats and heading home.

6.35kms

Note: You can check the BOM NSW river heights for Wallaga Lake at Regatta Point (as I should have done):

https://www.bom.gov.au/fwo/IDN60234/IDN60234.569032.plt.shtml

This will indicate if the lake is closed or open.

Thursday 14 August 2025 Lake Durras entrance

 Our last day in South Durass and time for a quick paddle before heading home (lucky KT&G, with no other commitments chose to stay another night).  Only five of us took to the water; J had some work to do and R's crook shoulder was making itself felt.

After checking out we headed down to the boat ramp to meet up with KT&G and J. We were soon on the water and paddling against the incoming tide toward the mouth. Finding a way over the sand bars proved tricky but fun as we wended our way toward the entrance. 

Enjoying the clear water

Pulling in to check out the entrance and beach

Looking upstream as we returned to the kayaks.

Floating back up the inlet on the imcoming tide,

we continued on past the boat ramp and on up the lake, leaving the clear water behind us, heading toward to arm J had wanted to explore on our first day.

Three days of paddling and there is still plenty of chat.

There were more shallows, unseen in the murky water, to negotiate at the entrance to the arm. Once through the waters deepened and we were at leisure to enjoy the scenery and birdlife.

Around 11.45m we stopped for some morning tea and L sent up the drone.

All was quite and peaceful until KT suddenly let out a yelp and demanded I light a ciggarette - only the second time KT has done this in our long history (usually it is disapproving looks and long sighs), the last time being some 50 years ago when on a walk to Mt Feathertop and for the same reason. Yes you've guessed it, a leech had latched on for a feast! Fag rolled, lit and leech unlatched peace returned as we enjoyed our surrounds a while longer, albiet keeping a somewhat anxious eye on our feet :)

We then set off to explore the remainder of the arm before heading back. Back through the narrow opening J and G chose wrong lines and had to walk their boats for short distances, just as I had done down near the mouth.

Back at the boat ramp we unpacked and loaded the boats for the last time. J&J invited us back to their place for a cup of tea and a chance to change before heading south. In addition to the tea, there was pea and ham soup, toast, cheese and J's bread and butter pickles - A lovely ending to 3 days paddling in great company. Thank you everyone.

Photos courtesy of KT&G and J.

Trip Notes:

Lake: Open

High Tide at Entrance: 11.56am 1.5m

Water level at gauge downstream of boat ramp: 0.329m

Put In/Take Out: Boat ramp on Lakeside Drive

8.77km

Note: In our limited experience Lake Durras is best paddled when closed and full - then all the nooks and crannies can be explored.

Wednesday 13 August 2025 Burrill Lake

 As a colder day was forecast with a south west breeze kicking in around midday (which when it arrived came from the south east) we chose a circumnavigation of the more sheltered south east arm of Burrill Lake for todays outing.

Wanting to be off the water around 2.00pm it was an early rise and

departure for the 40min drive to Burrill Lake.

By 9.30 the last of us had launched and

we paddled across the water to begin our circumnavigation.  As the water was shallow in parts it was impossible to edge creep. Still we managed to see a Azure Kingfisher, some White Faced Herons, a bunch of Greater Egrets and a whole lot of Little Black Cormorants.

As we approached the end of the arm we paused at the Western Arm Picnic area - complete with picnic table. However as it was partially shaded L suggested we paddle back 500m to the little sunny beach we had recently passed.

This we all somewhat reluctantly did, the picnic table having looked so inviting, but it was very pleasant to bask in the full sun for 20 minutes or so. Soon after settling down we were joined by this very tame kookaburra (the largest of the kingfisher family don't you know). 

When no titbits were forthcoming - no one having packed any worms, mice, small reptiles or insects for their morning tea - he shat on L's chair cover, narrowily missing G's shiny red kayak. Either optmistic or just enjoying some company he stayed with us until we packed up and departed.

Revived, we took to the water once more and crossed the arm to continue our circumnavigation.

Approaching the narrow opening to the arm a brief confab was held and it was decided that as we still had plenty of time we would paddle a little way up the main lake and look for somewhere to have lunch. After a little over a kilometre we found a sunny bit of grass, sheltered from the cold breeze in a little bay on the northern side of Lakeshore Lodge. 

After lots more chat we set off once more and once we had turned into the main body of the lake we found ourselves facing a cold head breeze and so mostly in silence we steadidly paddled the 2kms back to Barker Reserve, ending our paddle a little before 2.00pm.

Not much GoPro footage I'm afraid - nattering away too much.

Courtesy of G&R we had pasta and a delicious beef cheek ragu (in which our friendly kooka would have glady partaken!) for dinner, after which we retired to our cabins and tumbled into bed replete, happy and pleasantly tired after another days paddle.

Again, thanks to J for the photos.

Trip Notes:

Lake: Open

Lake Level at Highway gauge: 0.25m

High tide:    At Inlet 11.07am 1.5m

                    At highway bridge 11.56am 1.5m

Put In/Take Out: Barker Reserve, Lakeview Drive

9.53km 

Tuesday 12 August 2025 Lake Durras

Yesterday a group of us, KT&G and J&J from Victoria, R&G and L&me headed up to South Durras for a few days paddling. After stopping for lunch at the Boatshed in Tuross Heads

 for some of their famed fish and chips we arrived at the NRMA Murramarang Resort where we were to spend the next three nights. And most salubrious it was - the comfy beds an extra bonus.

Opened the curtains this morning and was immediately transfixed by the view and

a while later, looking up the beach whilst having breakfast on the verandah and 

looking forward to paddling under sunny skies.

 By 9.30am J and G were on the water, the rest of us soon to follow.

Heading up the lake on glassy water,

which was, unfortunately, rather murky due to all the recent rain.

As we launched after the break for morning tea we heard two Sea Eagles calling and we watched as they flew down the lake and landed in a tree across the water.

One of them taking flight as we approached.

Up near the top of the lake a group of pelicans studiously ignored our presence.

Returning back down the lake we found a lovely sunny, sheltered little beach at which to stop for lunch.

After lots more chat and laughter we launched again and slowly made our way back to the boat ramp, ending our paddle a little after 3.00pm.

Here is the edited GoPro and drone footage

By 4.15 we had returned to our cabins, changed and joined KT&G for a cuppa and cake on the deck of their cabin where we were soon accosted by a couple of local thugs noisily demanding a share of the repast and

threatening violence when ignored.

Thanks to J, KT&G for the photos.

Trip Notes:

Lake: Open

High tide at entrance: 10.24am 1.5m

Lake level at MHL gauge downstream of boatramp: 0.35m

Put In/Take Out: Boatramp on Lakeside Drive, South Durras.

11.8km

Tuesday 29 July 2025 Baragoot Lake

 Yesterday afternoon I checked the weather forecast as it was time to wash the sheets. Upon doing so I discovered that today was the last day for the rest of the week suitable for drying the sheets and it was also most suitable for a paddle. 

Choosing somewhere to paddle was easy; Baragoot Lake, brimming and the only ICOL in the area that hadn't opened during the last couple of rain events has been looking most inviting.

So it was up early and turfing L out of bed to get the first load of sheets in the washing machine. As we were hanging out the second load S&V drove by on their way to meet us at Baragoot.

When we joined them they had decided to put in on the south side of the lake and we chose to carry our kayaks down the track on the northern side.

Meeting up again on the water we saw,  I think, a Maned Duck  following S&V across the water. They said it had followed them from when they had launched. It only broke off as L & I joined them. Very strange.

We paddled down the northern side of the lake and across the top of the lake and headed up the creek where, at one point, an Azure Kingfisher nearly flew into my face. 

After poking up the creek as far as we could go we stopped for an early lunch and much discussion of the atrocities being committed in Gaza, the Zionist long term plan and our gov'ts appalling lily-livered response and the extremely biased Special Envoy's Plan to Combat Antisemitism.  Where is the Special Envoy's Plan to Combat AntiPalestineism? Remember the Cronulla Riots.  Isn't, after I don't know how many years and how many reports, tackling Aboriginal deaths in custody, or violence against women far more important. We had to leave vivisection of the spectacularly stupid AUKUS deal for our next paddle.

 We then headed back down the creek exploring a couple of side lagoons as we went. After emerging onto the lake we paddled up the southern shoreline disturbing flocks of Eurasion Coots, Grebes and Cormorants. Halfway up the lake a Whistling Kite flew out of the trees just ahead and as it climbed into the sky it was joined by another and they engaged some lazy aerial combat - enchanting only remembering to turn on the GoPro as they ended their display ):.

Together with the aforementioned birds we saw Pelicans, Swans, small flocks of Black Duck, White Faced Herons, Little Pied and Black Cormorants, a few more Kingfishers, Wattlebirds and New Holland Honeyeaters.

Back at S&V's launch spot we parted ways and L&I continued on past the bridge - no way of getting under it now - back to our launch site to end a most pleasurable little paddle.

6kms

Friday 18 July 2025 Bermagui River

 We had planned to paddle on Thursday however the thin and wispy cloud layer covering the sky and the subsequent chill in the air meant we stayed home and by 10.00am the fire was lit.

On Friday the winter weather on the Far South Coast had reverted to type - blue skies, warm sun and largely windless. Around 12.30pm L came in and announced we were going paddling. As high tide at the entrance was 2.14pm (1.6m) it was a bit of a scramble but we made it onto the water around 1.45pm.

 As this was to be L's first paddle after receiving the all clear from the surgeon we intended it to be a short paddle and to be off the water by no later than 3.30pm before it got cold. We had a lovely poddle up river on the last of the incoming tide.

 Around the 4km mark L wanted a break for lunch and to fly the drone.  He managed to find a not so desirable site to pull in. As you will see at the end of the drone footage the spot he picked came with, what I subsequently dubbed, a hole from hell.

Whilst L was mid drone flight I returned to the kayak to retrieve our lunch. Stepping back from the boat one leg went down the hole - all the way, only my left leg splayed out on terra muddy prevented me from going further. It was at this moment, with inner leg muscles stretched to the limit and screaming that I was bitterly reminded why, years ago, the CKC barred L from choosing landing sites. So with L  occupied with droning and totally ignoring my plight it was up to me to extract myself from a situation in which no overweight old woman should find herself. Suffice to say there way much gasping, groaning, having and hauling, getting covered in mud before extraction was successful.

Having taken awhile to recover and clean up a bit we stayed longer than intended. We packed up, carefully avoiding the hole from hell as the warmth was leaching from the air. We launched onto an outgoing tide and paddled on glassy water, back down the river keeping in the golden afternoon sunlight wherever possible. Past some of the egrets we'd seen going upriver, now joined by a large flock of Masked Lapwings. 

Finishing the paddle at 4.30pm it was with some relief we got in the car, still warm from the sun, just after 5.00pm and turned the heater on, very happy to have got back out on the water again.

Trip Notes:

High tide at entrance: 2.14pm 1.6m

Put In/Take Out: Slipway beach

8.16km