Peace & Greetings
It’s been a week since I went on a decent walk, not counting trips to the shops and chasing Willow ‘round the yard.
I
decided it was past time for a walk; normally I cross the main road
outside my unit and go right; I either head to the beach or the nature
corridor that runs through coastal trees and overgrown shrubbery. This
way also ultimately leads to the beach and the Pacific Ocean that washes
up on the uncluttered sand.
Today I went left.
I
followed the main road north out of town, avoiding the path on the left
of the highway. The road is called David Low Way but locals on the
Sunshine Coast just call it The Coast Road. Since I’ve lived in various
communities in this area for most of the last 20 yrs I’m finally calling
myself a local.
Stumers Creek
The
Coast Road runs along the Sunshine Coast region, meandering up and
down, around and through a group of coastal communities that all face
the ocean. It’s a very beautiful area; I have seen better and I have
certainly seen worse. Coolum, where I live is one of the bigger
communities. Some of the smaller ‘villages’ are simply homes and a bus
stop, no shop, library ect.
Stumers Creek
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So,
I wandered along The Coast Road heading in a northerly direction,
sticking to the bush side. I’m not good at estimating distance; however
the bush I was walking alongside was somewhat thick and far enough away
from the beach that I couldn’t hear the surf.
I
had noticed on one of my many bus trips to my daughter’s (25 km away)
that there was a banksia forest just out of town and some distance along
a small tree-bordered clearing to a National Park Nature Reserve. This
was my destination
.
The
banksia forest was fascinating, I don' recal ever seeing them grow
quite prolifically. The tree's themselves cavorted in all manner of
sharpe and form, dropping their ancient looking pods all over the
ground.
There are over 150 types of tree in the banksia family and they produce lots of nectar;
banksias are a essential part of the food chain in the Australian bush.
They are an important food source for all sorts of nectarrific animals,
including birds, bats, rats, possums and stingless bees .
the banksia cavorted in intimate dance
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The
National Park entryway was a good deal further than I had estimated; I
passed a woman who walked along holding an apricot hybiscis to her nose,
an elderly man who wore both a bandana & a hat, dragging a vinyl
shopping cart and walking a dog.... and a young family out for some
exercise, she jogged, the young son rode a bike and the dad rode a bike
with a toddler in an enclosed trailer.
They looked happy.
The
only other things to pass were half dozen bike riders and about 100
cars, trucks & buses... but finally I reached the opening to the
nature reserve.
The
clearing itself was small... enough for say, 6 cars; and one path lead
off in the general direction of the beach, so I followed the path.
It was a very pleasant walk through coastal heathland and what appeared to be saltmarshes.
The path seemed to go on forever....
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And on & on I walked
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I kept an eye out for snakes... I probably should have worn better shoes... but these are my favorites and so comforable
I finally came to an arrow...
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Pointing me along another path...
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And out onto the beach...
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More Jellyfish
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Bluebottle Jellyfish - I think
