Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Camping at Mungo Brush is close to the shores of the Myall Lakes and has delightful little bays for swimming, boating and exploring where the overhanging paperbark trees shade the water and the scary water weeds prevail. Parks and Wildlife manage the camping areas.
Dingoes prowled around as this was the off-season. They were timid yet would steal from the camp site while the back was turned. Massive gonnana lizards are cheeky visitors in the summer months.
Other visitors were the French tourists in the camper van.


Mungo Brush Walk is a simple pleasure.
A grey strangler fig is visible, above, in an early stage of growth.

MUNGO BRUSH seems to be a small area of littoral rainforest between the sea and the lake. The canopy is quite low with relatively few species of plants such as strangler figs, vines, mosses and ferns that have adapted to the harse, salt ladened winds off the ocean.
The rocky hill, Mungo Brush, was one of the off-shore islands once before geological change set in. The waters have risen and fallen and big sand dunes have also formed far and wide disguised under the vegetation.
Sand mining for minerals was undertaken relatively close by and concern led to action to curtail mining activity and preserve and extend the domain of the park. The Worimi people occupied the lands living a fisher-hunter-gather lifestyle. Middens and other evidence of their occupation has been found.

The path through Mungo Brush is cool.


From the easterly shores.
A short distance to the north, a very narrow point in the lake has a vehicular ferry crossing with a tow line.
Crossing the water leads to Myall Resort and water activities, more popular in warmer weather.

Myall Shores Resort has cabins, caravans, camping and restaurant and grew from the legendary Leggs Camp.


Return north-west by the circular route on a gravel road follows the Myall River to Bulahdelah where house boats can be hired for a jaunt around the lakes. Navigating the narrow but tranquil river to the lakes would mean all hands on deck and advice and assistance is only a phone call away for the seafarer adventurer.