Currarong; the top of Beecroft

We're now back from a wander around New South Wales; like pretty much everyone in Australia (and indeed most of the world) we're in a COVID-induced cage at the moment, but NSW is a big and diverse cage and we're better off than many. My Amboseli posts that I left for you didn't raise a lot of interest, so this time I'll offer you somewhere nearer to home (but there'll more from Africa and South America in the future!).

The village of Currarong is one of my partner Lou's very favourite places, and we go there for a coastal break at least a couple of times a year. Here's a taste of what it's about - bays and lovely heathlands.

A typical view from one of the walks through bushland to the east of the village;
see map below, where the dense vegetation is clear.

Currarong is at the northern end of Beecroft Peninsula, which encloses Jervis Bay, a much better known part of the world. These maps might help.

The general location of Jervis Bay, on the south coast of New South Wales,
is indicated by the red arrow.

Currarong is clearly marked (twice, courtesy of Google Maps!)
at the top of Beecroft Peninsula, which is mostly controlled by the
navy and, despite its nominal designation as a reserve is used as a firing range,
so access is limited to weekends.
Accordingly, despite it being a spectacular part of the world,
very few of the photos in this blog were taken there.

Most of the rest of this post is in the form of a photo-essay to share some of the many pleasures the area has brought us. Most people go there for the sea, so I'll start with some coastal memories.

A classic view across the ocean bay (ie not Jervis Bay) from Currarong north-west to
Mount Coolangatta near the mouth of the Shoalhaven River.
It was named for Alexander Berry's property, established in the 1820s at its foot,
which he based on a local name. He in turn also named his ship for it,
which was later wrecked in southern Queensland, where the better-known
town of Coolangatta later took its name.

Common Bottle-nosed Dolphins Tursiops truncatus are regular visitors off the beach.

There are some very nice sandy beaches (see the last photo below) which are mostly taken over by human visitors, but there are other inhabitants there too, many of them much less conspicuous.

Amphipods comprise a huge order of crustaceans, which are prominent in just about any wet
environment - including beaches. Comparing this one's size to the grains of sand, it's not hard
to see why we mostly overlook them.

Ghost Crab Ocypode cordimanus; I think I've got that right.

Mostly the beach crabs disappear down their burrows when we approach; the tracks give an
idea of how busy this home is!

One of the reasons for the crabs' caution. Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae;
by far our most abundant gull, and the only one in most of the country.
It is not uncommon to see one with a missing leg (they seem to manage quite well however).
Abandoned fishing lines are probably to blame for some of these injuries, as are predatory fish
attacking from below.

Rocky platforms are also significant coastal features.

Rock platform, northern Beecroft Peninsula.
These are very important habitats for a wide range of plants and animals.

Great and Little Black Cormorants (and a Silver Gull) loafing and drying
out on a shelf off the beach.

I most look forward on any visit to Currarong however to the walks in the always beautiful and busy heathlands and low forest which surround the village. These can easily be accessed on foot from pretty much anywhere, though the best walks start from the short road running east of the village along the northern edge of Beecroft Peninsula to access beach carparks.

Banksia shrubland dominates much of it.

Typical scenery along one of the sandy walking tracks.

Coastal Banksia B. integrifolia is the dominant species.

True to its name, Coastal Banksia grows right down to the sea.

Swamp Banksia B. paludosa is lower-growing and doesn't mind wet feet.

 In extensive areas the banksia woodland opens out into low coastal heathland.

Coastal heath is a very rich habitat, especially for wildflowers.

Here a few other plants that have caught my eye over the years.

Port Jackson Mallee Eucalyptus obstans is at its southern-most limits at Jervis Bay;
it grows north along the coast to the northern suburbs of Sydney.

Tassel-rush, or Plume Rush Baloskion tetraphyllum subsp. meiostachyum.
Thanks Casey!

Coast Wattle (though it has a lot of other names in its extensive range) Acacia longifolia is dominant in
many coastal habitats in south-eastern Australia.

Jervis Bay Grevillea G. macleayana is found almost only in this area, where it flowers in spring.
It used to be included in G. barklyana, but that species is now only recognised
from a small area east of Melbourne.

Wallum Heath Epacris pulchella
(Thanks again Casey. Memo - must get a better picture.)

Villous Mintbush Prostanthera densa is a Threatened Species which grows only on a few
sites between Jervis Bay and Nelson Bay near Gosford. The population next to Currarong seems
to the only one south of Sydney however.

Coastal Rosemary Westringia fruticosa, on the hand, is a widespread and familiar coastal
plant, including on exposed cliff faces.

Christmas Bells Blandfordia nobilis are truly a bush favourite in summer.

Snow Heath Woollsia pungens, a name which might seems surprising. Indeed it took me a while to
recognise this one when I first saw it in July this year - we're not usually there at that time.
The penny dropped when I finally learnt that there is a red population of this normally white-flowered
species just on Beecroft Peninsula.

And finally some animals, of which of course there are many, most of which are unnoticed by the majority of the commuters through the bush to the beaches.

Bull Ant Myrmecia sp. One that's certainly worth noticing; a sting from one of these
magnificent insects is guaranteed to ruin your whole day!

A cicada which I've been hitherto unable to identify; I'm hoping someone might be able to help.

This is a small animal that people do tend to notice in summer, when the orb spider webs
seems to be almost continuous between bushes along the main track.
Some people might be alarmed by them, but as long as we stay on the track where we belong
there should be no interactions between our species.

A close-up of one of the big females with her carefully wrapped larder alongside.
A cautious male, tiny in comparison, is trying his luck just above her. He will almost certainly
not survive the tryst if he is successful in it.

This spider wasp was busily digging out her burrow to receive a paralysed spider (with her egg laid on it)
at the edge of the track as passersby tramped obliviously past, fortunately missing her.
The shadow shows that it was reasonably early in the day.
She's in the Family Pompilidae, and I'd hazard a guess at Sphictostethus.

With help from some generous readers I now know that this is a Splendid Ochre Skipper
Trapezites symmomus. Thanks for your assistance.

Varied Swordgrass Brown Tisiphone abeona.

Jacky Lizards Amphibolurus muricatus are small dragons which skitter off the paths in summer as we approach...

... as do the Yellow-bellied Water-skinks Eulamprus heatwolei.

And finally the birds of course; here are just a couple from the very familiar to the considerably less so.

Laughing Kookaburras Dacelo novaeguineae are common in Currarong, as almost everywhere.
Despite the species name it does not occur in New Guinea (though the Blue-winged Kookaburra does).

We've stayed in various accommodations around the village. One was quite a way from the water but had
a panoramic view from the balcony. From it we watched this distant family proclaim its ownership of its
suburban territory.

Rainbow Lorikeets Trichoglossus moluccanus are also ubiquitous, but I liked the pose of these two
on the magnificent grass-tree flowering spike Xanthorrhoea sp.

White-cheeked Honeyeaters Phylidonyris niger are moderately common in the heathlands, though
are heavily outnumbered by the similar New Holland Honeyeaters.
Further north however the White-cheekeds rule.

Finally a bird I'd never satisfactorily photographed until this year. The three species of bristlebirds are ancient Australians which are champion skulkers in dense vegetation, including the heaths around Currarong. This was one of a very curious pair.

Eastern Bristlebird Dasyornis brachypterus, an Endangered Species which can readily be heard
and sometimes even seen around Currarong.

Our darkest time at Currarong was at the end of last year when most of eastern Australia (and some of the rest of it) was ablaze. We were there in the last days of 2019 and it was a time of stress and grief.

Morning sun through the smoke, 29 December 2019.

Such days will come again, but meantime I prefer to remember Currarong as a place of refuge, where we've spent many happy hours. We hope there are many more to come.

Sunset at Currarong.

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