Lake Tyers - April 19th to 22nd, 2016

Simon and I had been planning to go back up the Murray River to paddle the next leg, Echuca to Swan Hill. Unfortunately the blue-green algae outbreak caused us to alter our plans. Sometime earlier Simon had suggested we try out Lake Tyers. Despite having spent a lot of time on the Gippsland Lakes I had never been to Lake Tyers which although part of the lakes system is not connected to the other lakes.

I arrived at Bunyip around 10.00 am to collect Simon and we headed down the highway stopping at Sale for lunch at the bakery cafe we have visited previously. After there was another stop at a supermarket in Bairnsdale before finally arriving at Lake Tyers Beach around 3.00 pm. We were advised that there was  a better launch spot around the corner at Fisherman's Landing so we drove around there and commenced loading up the kayaks. Finally on the water at 3.30 pm we headed up the lake looking for a campsite that was marked on the map.

The lake itself was beautiful and we had a helpful tailwind. After about an hour we reached the spot we expected to find the campsite on "Trident Inlet". However there was no sign of an official campground. We decided to head around to a beach area we had spotted 200 meters away and set up our tents on grassy area near the water.

Dinner was Uncle Ben's Special Fried Rice that came in a foil-sealed pouch. I decided it was definitely not special, definitely not fried but was probably rice! Another camping meal option ruled out for the future. It was a magnificent evening we did spent some time staring up at the Milky Way as the sky was brilliantly clear.

The next morning I was up early so I went for a walk and found the official campsite. It was up on the hill just behind where we were camped. It was not set up for kayak camping though as it was too far from the water and we could not have dragged our gear that far.

After breakfast Simon and I wandered back up the track and he spotted these amazing mushrooms in a tree stump.

On the water we had perfect paddling conditions and we enjoyed the winding journey up the lake. There were plenty of twists and turns and the scenery was magnificent. The lake is forested down to the water for 90% of the way.

We stopped for morning tea the Cameron's Track campsite. There was car parked over the other side of the Inlet with some people camping but they were the only people we saw apart from a couple of fisherman all morning.

There were lots of pelicans and cormorants around the lake. It isn't easy to get good bird close-ups without a telephoto lens. This is a spoonbill that was near the waters edge.

We reached Nowa Nowa at the head of lake in time for lunch at the The Big Root Cafe. There were lots of cyclists there having lunch and getting themselves organised. They were all in their 60s & 70s and it was great to see such a vibrant and active group of "Crusties". Nowa Nowa is a stopping point on the East Gippsland Rail Trail. Simon, Tony and I have cycled the trail ourselves on the last occasion 6 years ago. Both of us would like to do so again (soon!).

Tony missing out again!

After lunch we set out to walk to Mount Nowa Nowa.It was a lovely walk past some nice houses with well kept gardens and a couple of houses populated by "ferals" with car bodies and rubbish all over the place. The walk up to lookout got more strenuous as we neared the top. Unfortunately the lookout is fenced off because the view would have been magnificent. We had a drink and a muesli for refreshment while we were there. Sadly I left my red baseball cap up there. It was a very battered, much travelled object but once we were halfway back to Nowa Nowa there was no going back.

Back down the mountain and a nice shower before dinner at the pub. When we walked in we were the only patrons. Later we were joined by a couple cycling the trail. He was a school principal on the point of retirement. His partner was younger and afterward we speculated that he had wooed one of his staff (possibly a student teacher). He was also a kayaker and was interested in our trip.

Simon had bangers and mash for $10 that he felt was a bargain. I had the fish which the hotel owner said was locally caught however the cooking was disappointing. The accompanying salad was very good though.

Day 3 we woke up to tents that were very wet with dew. Breakfast at the cafe and then after packing up we headed down to the water.  The sun had come out and we had another perfect day for paddling.

The big highlight of the morning was seeing an eagle carrying a big snake which it dropped 50 meters ahead of us. It appeared to fly out of the forest but I think it actually came around a corner of the lake. I paddled over to try and see the snake but it had disappeared. Simon wasn't so curious! We were both thrilled  to see wild nature in action.

The paddle back to Fisherman's Landing took about 4 hours with a stop at The Glasshouse campsite. Lake Tyers occasionally breaks through the sand bar and flows out to sea but at the moment the entrance is like a huge sand dune.

Back at Fisherman's Landing we loaded up the car and headed off to Swan Reach . Caravan Park where we stayed overnight.

Day 4 we drove down to Johnsonville Jetty on the Tambo River. The plan was to paddle down the river and across Lake King and then into Metung. The area around the jetty was shrouded in mist when we arrived but the sun came through strongly and the mist retreated rapidly.

We had a very pleasant paddle down the river and across the lake. There were some sea eagles in a dead tree adjacent to the river mouth but they flew off as I tried to photograph them.

Crossing Lake King we paddled through a patch of Blue Blubbers (jelly fish). I grabbed one and put it on my kayak half-deck to try and get a photo. It was very slippery and exuded a "snot-like" liquid.

Across the lake we stopped at Tambo Bluff for a break before paddling into Bancroft Bay and on the sandy spot just near  the main jetty next to Metung Pub.

Early lunch was from the bakery before a paddle around to Chinaman's Creek. There is a free camp spot with toilets in the old Hot Springs site but it looked a bit crappy so we decide to return to Johnsonville. The return paddle took a bit longer and was a bit of a slog toward the end.

We loaded up the car and headed down the highway for an overnight stopover at Simon's favourite free camp Marlay Point on Lake Wellington. Dinner was some excellent sausages in bread purchased on our way through Bairnsdale supplemented with Fat Yaks! Another peaceful night beside the water.

Our last morning we walked around through the reserve behind the campsite and enjoyed the views across the lake as the sun rose.

Another Trip to the Gippsland Lakes - October 3rd to 5th 2015

Simon and I took another trip down to the Gippsland Lakes as training for the next leg of the Murray River.  We were gratefully using the public holiday provided by the State Government for celebrating the the AFL Grand Final.

I stopped by Simon's house to pick him up on the way from Mebourne so we only needed 1 car for the weekend. We drove to Paynesville and arrived about 11.00 am. We purchased sandwiches from the bakery and then launched the kayaks across Lake Victoria and headed to Point Wilson jetty on Sperm Whale Head.

A pair of Black Swans flying in sync over Bunga Arm.

 On a sunny day with little wind it didn't take us long to cover the 4 km from Paynesville. We pulled up on the eastern side of the sandy spit that runs out from the shore not far from the jetty and ate some sandwiches while enjoying the view back to Paynesville and Raymond Island.

A Black Swan family passing by with the tower of Ocean Grange House in the background

After lunch we headed around to Rotamah Island just 1.5 km around the corner in the entrance to Lake Reeve. Arriving at Rotamah we landed the kayaks and tramped for 30 minutes to the 90 Mile Beach. Although it was a lovely sunny day we were not tempted to have swim. Even at the height of summer the water here is very cold and it was still early Spring so no chance!

Back at the kayaks we ate more sandwiches while chatting to some boaties who were visiting the island. From there we paddled around to Ocean Grange through the shallows around Rotamah Island and Little Rotamah Island. This area has been a favourite of mine for a long time. It was always a destination when sailing with Barry Styles and John Dyrac in the 80s & 90s.

Pelicans on a sandy point in Bunga Arm

We had a quick look around and set off down Bunga Arm in search of the campsite I had booked. Although we didn't find the the actual campsite we found others and happily pulled up. There was young couple camped right on the edge of the lake not in an official campsite. They seemed unaware and unconcerned about the requirement to book sites.

The 90 Mile Beach at Sunrise near Gannet Campsite on Bunga Arm

The next morning we headed out down Bunga Arm. For me this was a journey of discovery because I had never been down to the end when we sailed here. Bunga Arm is 14 km long and finishes very close to Lakes Entrance although it does not connect at that end.

Simon with a Pelican ahead!!

Just as we reached the end Simon spotted a large bird on the nearby shore eating a fish. Unfortunately I wasn't able to zoom my camera focus enough for a good shot of a mature White Bellied Eagle however you can see it was a majestic bird. You will need to zoom in on the next 2 photos!

White Bellied Eagle eating on the shoreline

The eagle took off as we got closer

As we had reached the end of Bunga Arm we decided to get out for walk.

I tried to sneak up on the eagle which was now perched high in a tree. I didn't succeed in getting closer, much to Simon's amusement. 

 Simon on the 90 Mile Beach

Our kayaks pulled up on the beach at the end of Bunga Arm.

White Bellied Eagle in tree overlooking Bunga Arm.

On our way back to the boats we examined the remains of the fish the eagle had been eating. It had been a big fish judging from the size of the head that remained. After this we  paddled back down Bunga Arm to our campsite. The wind picked up and it was long paddle. After  28 km of paddling we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon.

Sunset over Bunga Arm

The next morning we packed up our tents and headed back to Paynesville the long way around Raymond Island. We stopped at Resides Jetty for morning tea after crossing Lake Victoria. From here you can look across Lake King toward Metung in the East and and towards the mountains in the North.

Jetty near Point King with Crested Terns

Finally we paddled around past Point King and headed into to Paynesville. Another adventure on the lakes completed. There is so much more still to explore!

Cape Horn Winery to Echuca - 10th November 2015

With only 24 km left to paddle there was no rush however we packed up, had breakfast and were on the river pretty much as usual.

We passed Horseshoe Bend and pulled up on a beach for a muesli bar break where we chatted with a Western Australian lady with a South African accent who was camped there with her husband.  They were on 5 weeks holiday and had crossed the Nullabor. As she said, if you live in the West you have to drive long distances.

From there we passed a primary school group visting an historic punt site. I was hoping they would give us a wave but alas they were actually listening to their teachers.

Finally after 11 days of paddling (for Simon and I) we reached the Port of Echuca which was busy with paddle steamers catering for tourists.

Once off the water we booked into the caravan park and Tony and I caught a taxi to Yarrawonga. At $281.50 it cost us almost $2 a kilometre to get to Tony's car. He then drove me to Albury to get my car and then we returned to Echuca. 

In the evening we went to the Shamrock Hotel and met up with Pam and Geoff and Peter Philips. Peter has paddled to the whole of the Murray as well as the Goulburn. His blog is excellent echuca-murraymouthkayakjourney.blogspot.com.au

Dinner was very good and it was a lovely evening with fellow paddlers. Can't wait to to start paddling the next leg Echuca to Swan Hill or perhaps Mildura. 

Picnic Point to Cape Horn Winery - 9th November 2015

With only 87 kms left until Echuca we took the decsion to have a big day and leave a shorter distance to cover tomorrow. Setting off early we were anticipating an exciting paddle through "The Narrows". This is an area where the river exits the Barmah forest and turns North-South. As the name suggests the river is narrower here and Pam and Geoff recalled many paddlers being tipped out when they did the Murray Marathon in 2009.

Given Tony's experience last year there was some anxiety however when we reached "The Narrows" we were underwhelmed. It was a very tame paddle perhaps due the the water level being higher at this time of year. The area was quite lush and green compared to other parts of the river.

This picture gives you an idea how low the river banks were through the Barmah forest

On the river where the Broken Creek runs into the Murray. Broken Creek is an arm of the Goulburn River near Barmah Lake.

We were all impressed with the area around Barmah Lake. It looked like a super camping area and certainly worth a visit. After this we reached the township of Barmah. Just after the road bridge there was boat ramp so we pulled up there. This seemed to be the closest spot to access the town although there wasn't much there just a pub and a general store. We wandered up to the general store to get some lunch. Unfortunately the pies hadn't been in the warmer very long. I was hungry so even though the pasty I bought was cold in the middle I ate it very quickly.

Back on the river the landscape had changed significantly. The river banks were much higher and the surrounding country was quite dry.  At the afternoon break we pulled over to a muddy ramp on a cattle farm. From the bank opposite an old bloke ranted at us that "the bloke over there has a gun". Fortunately we didn't see anyone with or without a gun.

After the break we were aiming for Cape Horn Winery which had Tony and Geoff salivating however we arrived there after a long hot paddle to find it wasn't open on Mondays. 

Tony approaching our campsite near Cape Horn. The fallen trees are typical of much of the river banks through this stretch of the river.

From there we paddled a short way to a lovely spot where we set up our final camp before Echuca. From my tent I had a magnificent view and when I woke during the nght there was a beautiful star-strewn sky. I fell back asleep instantly, it had been a long day and we were all tired. 

The view from my tent

Sandy Beach to Picnic Point - 8th November 2015

Following our usual schedule we were back on the river around 7.00 am and continued paddling throurh the Barmah forest. Although there wasn't much variety in the landscape I really enjoyed paddling among the Red Gums. This area is among my favourite parts of the river so far.

Another picture from Sandy Beach

At the end of the day we arrived at Picnic Point where there was a caravan park. As we arrived there was a young dickhead showing off his Jetski skills near the boat ramp. He was doing donuts and figures of 8 creating waves and generally making a lot of noise. The last thing you want when you are trying to land a kayak is this sort of idiot playing around. The inconsiderate fool paid no attention to our presence despite speed restrictions and warnings about creating wash on the river banks.

Fortunately we all landed without drama. The caravan park was nice and we were able to get fish and chips for dinner from the kiosk. The cook heated up his cookers just for us. Completely different attitude here to the people running the Yarrawonga Holiday Park where "anything was too much trouble". Unfortunately the noise from the jetski persisted until dark.

Just near the boat ramp a huge eucalypt had fallen over 2 cabins. Apparently it had only been checked by an arborist the week before. This should reinforce that you should never camp under these trees along the Murray. They fall over and drop limbs and there have been many fatalities over the years from these "widow-makers".

Tocumwal to Sandy Beach near Lugmans Camp - 7th November 2015

The previous night we decided we would paddle across the river to town to get fresh water and have breakfast in the bakery cafe. It was lovely sunny morning and I was able to photograph Simon as he approached the landing spot.

After breakfast we launched down the river. The railway bridge at Tocumwal has a central span that could be raised to allow paddle steamers through although the more recent road bridge prevents them proceeding up river. There was another example of this sort of bridge at Cobram. At Tintaldra and Jingellic only the distinctive pylons remain of their rail bridges.  

Most of the day we spent catching and then being overtaken by Pam and Geoff as they and then we took rest breaks. The Barmah National Park that we were paddling through is beautiful and we marvelled had how low the banks were. It would have only taken a minor rise in river height for water to be flooding through the forest. 

We also saw lots of birdlife including lots of Nankeen (Rufous) Night Herons in the trees along the river. Tony and I last saw these at Tumbling Waters  near Berry Springs  N.T feeding on scraps of chicken being fed to Johnson River crocodiles. Other birds we have seen on this trip, Kookaburras, Cormorants, Pelicans, and Kingfishers (both Azure and Sacred varieties).

 View from the lunchspot

The lunchspot was on a bend in the river and when we got out we could see some water on 50 metres away. At first I thought it was a billabong  however it was the river turning back onitself. We had to paadle 2 kms to reach that point on 50 metres from the lunchspot.

Tony had some difficulty getting back into his kayak after lunch. Note the dirty shorts!!

In the afternoon the wind sprang up as we paddled toward the campsite we had agreed with Pam and Geoff. We paddled past some good spots and were disappointed to find there was nowhere to pull up at Lugmans. Pam and Geoff were already there and decided to continue downstream to find another site. There wasn't anything obvious on the map so we decided to backtrack 500 metres to a sandy beach we had come past. It was exposed to the wind but it was a nice spot and on the map it was shown as "Sandy Beach".

View from Sandy Beach campsite

Tom's Beach to Tocumwal - 6th November 2015

Not long after launching we caught up with Pam and Geoff who had stopped to have breakfast. Usually they paddle for an hour before breakfast. They had camped only a couple of bends in the river downstream of us. In their Pacific Raider fiberglass kayak they paddle faster than us. They seemed to take more rest breaks so we were passing them and then they would pass us.

A couple of kangaroos came down to see what we were up to when we took a break at Dick's Island. They seemed unfussed by our presence.

It was a long day paddling. At lunch Geoff and I had consulted our maps and agreed to camp at Pebbly Beach just opposite Tocumwal however we couldn't see Pam and Geoff when we finally hit the beach. They had stopped at the Town Camp on the NSW side of river. They had called out to us as we paddled past but we hadn't heard. In the end I think we were happier at Pebbly Beach as it was closer to town.

After setting up camp and having a quick swim we went to the pub for dinner. I had herb crumbed barramundi with salad and chips.  After a few beers we headed back to camp and a good sleep. Another 50 km completed.