Here’s where we started from the expansive stretches of 90 Mile Beach where the pipis thrive. What I learnt is that their larvae drift as plankton with the currents for 4-8 weeks travelling long distances before being deposited onto a surf beach. They then bury themselves in the sand but move along the beach in search of algae their major food source.
That is the distance on the short route - us? We Took the loong route and then some, as you do!
As I write this, my main man is pan-roasting a shoulder of pork. What a champ! In the meantime while I wait for this scrumptious meal, let me tell you about Point Smythe Nature trail in the Cape Liptrap Coast Park - or is that trial! We took this walk 4 weeks ago!
We thought it was going to be a 6-7km walk but we ended up walking almost 10km. But that’s us, deviating back and forth looking looking looking, poking about in the scrub - and we also took a wrong turn and had to double back 😩 All I can say is thank goodness for MapsMe, again! and don’t always trust the mud maps ‘they’ sketch out (we’ve been mislead many times).
Looks like a walk in the park - little did we know!
Coastal banksia
And dunes!
Quite imposing these coastal banksias with their rose colours bark
Wheel tracks? Not an option for us. These are for the park managers
The walk, or rather we, meandered through a very diverse patch of coastal vegetation on a narrow spit of land between the open sea and Anderson Inlet. Salt marshes, coastal heath and quite magnificent banksia woodlands - the tallest banksia I can recall having seen, but sometimes one is not so observant.
We saw lots of interesting plants and some wildlife. It was a great walk which had us bush bashing to get past flooded paths.
Sweet kangers not fussed by our presence There was quite a family bog them including a pregnant mum.
Checking to see who’s coming for dinner!
Coast Beard Heath (Leucopogon parviflorus). Also know as white currant. This sweet flowering bush is everywhere coastal it seems. It produces tiny fruits which have a lemony taste - try them if the birds don’t beat you to it!
I adore their furry little petals. I’ve photographed them over and over but their size makes it hard to get a clear pic up close.
Well of course there are flowers! From the experts (I asked the Australian Native plants FB group) it is most likely a Hibbertia sericea
Not sure about this one.
Kennedia prostrata, commonly known as running postman, scarlet runner or scarlet coral pea. Whatever the name it is an eye-catching little specimen
At the end of the peninsula the track got a bit up and downy and we crept along in some parts.
Finally we broke out onto the almost tip. Lindsay tried to get around the tip to photograph the surf but the sand just kept on and on!
Interesting to watch the play of the tide - being mindful we didn’t want to be caught on this wee beach.
On the way back from the Point we hit marshland and the path?? We took to the scrub with hope that we might rejoin a track at some point.
We did find the path but hmmmm rather soggy.
Again we headed for the scrub. It all added to
the ‘adventure’!
After having climbed up and down dunes, albeit not particularly high ones, I was plum wore out - again. Must be good for me - right!
It was sooo good to see the car!
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