Great South Coast Walk Tips

In September 2020 we walked just over 400 kilometres of the Great South Coast Walk. We skipped Ulladulla to Bateman’s Bay as the Murramarang and Meroo National Parks were closed. We ended in Eden because the Light to Light walk in Ben Boyd National Park was closed, and because of Covid 19 border closures we wouldn’t have been able to go to Mallacoota.

As a guide we used both the GSCW website https://greatsouthcoastwalk.net/ and Alltrails https://www.alltrails.com. We also relied on local advice. Alltrails has most of the local walks that make up the GSCW. In the tips below there are links to our saved alltrail maps where we suggest track variations.

1. Accessing the Illawarra Escarpment: We went up to the Escarpment via the northern end of the Wodi Wodi Track which starts behind the Stanwell Park train station. This is a tough track which hadn’t been cleared for a while. Locals suggested that it would have been easier to get to the Escarpment via the southern entrance of the Wodi Wodi Track which starts south of Stanwell Park (about 2km from Stanwell Park Train Station).

2. Port Kembla: Getting around Port Kembla was the only section of the walk that was unpleasant. There is a walking/cycle path but it follows a busy road for about 6 km before you can get back on to the coast. In retrospect we would have bussed this industrial section. Bus 51 leaves from the Wollongong foreshore and goes all the way to Windang, or you could get off beforehand and re-join the track for the last beach section to Windang.

3. Minnamurra River crossing: The website includes a track variation to swimming the Minnamurra River which involves walking across the bridge. We did a slight variation on this because we camped at Killalea State Park Camping Ground. You can’t walk west as there are private recycling centres in the way, so we headed downhill (NNE) and then north-west from the campsite across the golf course (a pleasant morning walk) which brought us to Dunmore Road and we could then follow the cycle path across Minnamurra River bridge into Minnamurra. Map details: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/gscw-day-6-0cd60ef

4. crossing: There is a school bus that goes from Shoalhaven Heads to Nowra around 7.30 am from outside the post office (we were offered a lift before the bus arrived). And from Nowra Bus Station a Kennedy Bus Service (111) goes to at around 8.30am.

5. Hyams Beach to Sussex Inlet: The GSCW track goes along Hyams Beach for a bit and then cuts inland to try to find a four-wheel drive track. A number of walkers indicated trouble in finding the track which requires some bush bashing. Instead of doing this we followed the main road in Hyams Beach (Cyrus Street) to its end where a well-defined (and very pleasant) track through the national park takes you to Naval College Road where you turn right and go for about 200 metres before turning left onto Ellmoos Road. This is a dirt road through lovely forest that goes initially up and then down to Kullindi Homestead and Christian Minde’s (about 10 km). Map details: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/afternoon-hikegscw-49ae49a

6. Sussex Inlet crossing: The guy at Sussex Inlet Marine (44412086) was really friendly and helpful but was keen to pick us up before knock-off at around 4pm. He also said preference is to pick up at Kullindi Homestead which is immediately north of the Christian Minde property as at the time of our walk, the pier at Christian Minde had been damaged in recent flooding. The number to call for Kullindi House to ask permission to use their pier is 0428496048.

7. Changing water crossing conditions: In general, it is good to note that water channels are constantly changing. We found the water often higher than expected and a number of lakes that were previously closed to the sea were open due to the winter rains. This will probably continue in 2020 and 2021 given the anticipated La Nina. At the time of our walk , and Wallaga Lake which are normally closed had been opened by flooding or local councils. We easily waded Lake Wollumboola at low tide (but is reportedly more challenging at high tide); Lake Conjola we got a jet ski lift (but it could be waded at low tide); and at Wallaga Lake we walked around the northern end to cross the road bridge.

8. Crossing: We caught a taxi from Moruya Airport on the north side of the river to Moruya Heads on the southside. It cost just over $40 and was very quick and efficient. Phone number is 4474 3455.

9. Armond Beach: The GSCW track description and map differ: the former describes an inland route to Murrah Lagoon; the latter shows a route around the coast to the Murrah Lagoon. We went the inland route which involved a bit of bush bashing (not too bad) for about 200 metres before we found a reasonably well defined track which went up the ridge to join a four wheel drive track down to Murrah Lagoon. Map details: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/mimosa-rocks-coast- walk-234e691

10. Aragunnu Campground in Mimosa Rocks National Park does not have drinking water. There may be creeks but we did not see any – the ones we crossed were dry. We asked another camper for water but it is bit risky to rely on this.

11. Merrimbula Headland: We found the sand on Short Point Beach (from North Tura to ) soft and difficult to walk on (it may be better at low tide). Hence, we took an alternate inland route which started from Tura Beach (about halfway down Short Point Beach). The track runs inland but parallel to the beach before following the shores of Back Lagoon and crossing a very sturdy bridge into the suburbs and re-joining the GSCW just before Merimbula. This cuts out the Merimbula Headland and a deal of beach and road walking – and is a very pleasant walk in its own right. Map details: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/sapphire-coast-walk-fc325d4

12. Crossing: We read and were advised by locals that there are bull sharks around the mouth of the Pambula River. A friend gave us a lift around to Ben Boyd National Park on the other side.

13. Marlin Avenue lake access Eden: The track from Ben Boyd National Park into Eden runs into a new housing estate. We entered the estate on Tuna Way which runs into Trumpeter Avenue where you turn left, and then first right into Marlin Avenue. After about 50 metres on the left there is a marked pedestrian access track to Curalo Lagoon where the GSCW track continues. Map details: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/ben-boyd-national-park-walk-0887f1a

Jenny & Andrew