Cross Country drive back to Shoalhaven Heads + a few walks : March 22 2024

Got organised early to pack the car and meet up with the Bike Friday riders before their ride for the day. Got a clear blue sky for the drive across country to Shoalhaven Heads

Nice routing from GPS back to Hume Highway on roads not driven before. Changed up the stops on the way back vs the trip down. Stopped at Tarcutta. Was not that long ago the road went through this town and the local copper got super busy.

Coffee shop ads on the highway got me into town. Lovely Italian owner full of chat while he made my coffee

Got to say the brownie was horrible - too much sugar. Nice touch was the Italian newspaper. All that sugar is not good for staying awake

Plan for day was to drive across country North of Canberra to walk sections of Morton NP. Step one was to get to a fuel stop - picked Bungendore

Found a namesake inn. Lots of towns with a Carrington connection as he was governor of NSW in the early days.

A little country style - could not get the boots in the photo. They were the best part - pure style

Turned the trip into a bit of pub photo trip - Tarago pub - snapped from the car window on a quick stop

Neriga Pub - chose not to have a beer with 60 kms to go and some walking

Church in Neriga opposite where I had my lunch

Walked a few sections - first along the gas main next to the road - fab flowers - pea flowers to start

Sundew I think - photo came out well for a tiny flower

The gas main view

Dampiera purpurea

Tear drop flower

Purple fan flower

Trigger flower with pollinator

View down the valley from Tianjarra Falls

View from the track behind the closed off fence - top half of the falls. Did walk to the lookout

Full view from the lookout

A corner of the lookout had been left open with lattice steelwork - 200 metre vertigo shot.

Black topped mushrooms

One turned up to see the underside

Did the car park orchid check. Banksia flowering

Drove down the road a bit to next access point into Morton NP

Billabong formed on a side track

Did find signs of orchids - bonnet orchid leaves. Always good to find signs on a track not walked before

Midge orchids seeded

More than one plant is always a win - found 3 or 4

Where was I? Twelve Mile Track fire trail - also known as Tianjarra fire trail.

50 kms drive home. Met up with a friend in local bowling club for a few beers. Not been in the club since we moved in. Place is 50% fuddy duddy and 50% young people. As it is walking distance - worth joining.

Came home early and cooked simple pasta dinner. Brought a nice end to 10 days away.

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