PhotoJournal – Sunshine Coast - Goat Tracks & Coastal Hills

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Goat Tracks & Coastal Hills

Sharonlee Goodhand

Since I have explored this immediate area, walking along bush and tracks and beach, I thought I would wander further afield.

I caught the bus out of town, beyond the furthest point I have previously walked, getting off, after a short trip, at a random bus stop on a hill above the ocean. I couldn’t see the water at this stage, but I could faintly hear it over passing traffic on the arterial coastal highway.

To my delight I stepped off the bus at an interesting looking path… and what’s a girl to do, but follow and see where it leads.

 

 

The way we are facing, there is the highway, David Low Way, on the left

And coastal scrub on the right; I’m facing back the way I came and will make my way in a homeward direction.

 

 

I don’t know what these are… I did a bit of research and up blank. There are an abundance of plants that have small green berries and not knowing the ripe color, I couldn’t identify them on leaf shape.

As I suspected…. The path led to dirt track… in this case, leaf-strewn;

My feet crunched and crackled as I walked along…. And the sound of passing traffic

Faded in the distance.

 

Scattered carpets of leaf-fall drew my attention at every step; the air was richly imbued with tree-scents… woodsy, fragrant leaves, and decomposing organic matter… leaves and dead trees and fungi.

A few Grass Tree’s dotted the area. These grass trees grow a white flower spike from the center of the clump.  The flower spike can grow up to 2 metres high and is loaded with nectar.

The leaf-strewn path led on to a sandy path… still roughly angling towards the ocean, just visible through the twisted trees.

 

In parts the track came close to the coast, but I was yet to find another path leading down.

 

Onwards and forever onwards, lol….  The track started to veer in a downwards directions

Tantalizing glimpse of the ocean were visible through thinning areas of the bush.

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And then I across this and realized the track was disintegrating rapidy. 

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The view was worth the effort.

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Down I go.

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Of course, by now I could hear the oceans roar and breath in cool briny sea air.

I hadn’t seen a single soul and only a few birds so far.

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I thought it odd how this tree seemed deliberately placed across a small ledge….

And found a little lean-to built on the side of the cliff.

There was even a candle in there and a rusty hammer, few empty bottles of beer.

Nice view from here.

 

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The track gradually got worse… but that’s half the fun eh?

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Agave with an ocean view.

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Looks like a few  trees fell down at some point… but I can see the track stretching of on the other side, so onwards I go, over hill & dale & fallen trees lol.

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And even here…. Deep in coastal scrub, reminders of the world of modern noisemakers.

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Just when I thought perhaps this track ran along the coast and didn’t led down to a beach

I came upon this….

 

 

And somehow clambered down it…

 

 

 And at the bottom…. This is what I found…

The Pacific Ocean massaging weather-worn boulders ...

Geometric shapes decorated the landscape….

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And tumbled onto the beach like excited children. 

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A sure sign that someone’s been here before me.

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Along this Coolum stretch of coastline small beaches are broken up by these natural walls of rock… from pebble to boulder to huge monoliths. 

 

I wandered along 2 of these small secluded beaches, clambering over the rock walls that separated each….

In parts a track hugged the rocky hill

The scenery never failed to impress...

I walked on until I reached a peninsula that jutted out into the waves…

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I guess you could call this a hillslide eh?

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And then I took a path that led straight up...

No leaf-strewn track this time…. Stairs that seemed to on forever!

…. Half way up I pause and turned to bid the ocean goodbye and was rewarded with a beautiful vista.

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Peace & Greetings

Sharonlee Goodhand