Nana creek, you'll walk under patches of Bangalow palms, massive white gums holding stags, elks and bird nest ferns. Another trail just off to the left of the creek will take you to some old relics, pieces of machinery that will make you stop and wonder how did they get ever get this in here. A massive old boiler still stands proud in the ground, and right next to it an old stone wall maybe 6 feet high rises out of the ground, supporting several solid steel rods that were used to support other important pieces of machinery. If you scratch around here a bit more, there are other relics laying on the ground, pulleys, rods, stone steps, an old brick or two and evidence of a mine shaft that has collapsed over time.
Retracing your steps back to the top of the track turn left, then 100 meters up the road turn left on to Battery forest road. Here you need only to travel 500 metres until you come to a hole in the side of a rock wall on your right. Now this mine is safe to enter, as you get past the first crouching 4 foot entry point, most people of 6 foot high can comfortably walk the 70 or so metres to the end. I did say safe, but, just be wary of the huge moths that accommodate the first half of the mine, and the endangered Eastern Bent-wing Bats that are some times startled by noise and the torch light. As you spend time in this mine, you really notice how cool it is and the effort that must of gone into digging this mine by hand.
A further 500metres past the mine is a turn to the left,sign posted with a yellow W, here is a wonderful, cool spot to stop for a cuppa and maybe soak your feet in the refreshing water that flows across this causeway. Here at the serenity of this creek many sounds of the forest can be heard and seen. A walking track up the creek gives you a wonderful insight to a natural untouched waterway.
Back up on Battery forest road it is only 3 kms along a well maintained forest road until you start coming into farmland. Some care should be taken here as dust billows behind you and the farmers don't take to kindly to this. As you wander through the farmland the dirt road soon turns to tar, and a short 4 kms brings you to the Orara Way. With only two options here, turn right and head to Coffs Harbour which is 25 mins away, or turn left, and head to Nana Glen, only 5 kms away for a afternoon cuppa.
No comments:
Post a Comment