Events

Base Camping @ New England National Park.  Sept 25 to Sept 28 Rating:- Grade 4. The New England National Park is home to World Heritage Gondwana rainforest. As we will be staying in the same area for 3 nights please bring all the goodies, including firewood (to share) & water for yourself. Toilets, barbecue facilities, unpowered sites and picnic tables are available. Depending on where you’re coming from, allow at least 3.5hrs transit time to Thungutti Campsite. Book your campsite here https://tinyurl.com/bddn4n2v as soon as possible to secure a spot. Arrive & set-up on the Friday afternoon. Saturday and Sunday will be spent walking some of the various tracks including the Lyrebird track, Wrights Track, Cascade Track, Weeping Rock Falls (depending on track conditions) and an early (short) morning walk to Point Lookout to see the sunrise. Walk Leaders: Bob Brockhill 0456 462 813 Libby Kelly 0429 387 352

Byron Hikers' committee meetings are open for others to sit in on from 6 to 7pm and then we spend until 8 talking about previous trips that members have done recently.  We make some pizzas during the meeting and byo beer or wine. All welcome.

From Koonyum Range Rd we have a new loop along the escarpment and cliffs of Upper Wilsons Creek with views into the Valley and the headwaters of the Wilsons River. We pop out to a lookout over Main Arm and the Tweed Valley, and back through the Crack. Bring lunch, 1 litre of water, long sleeves, long pants. This is a half day walk and you could skip lunch and leave before the rest of the group. Parts of the track are new so maybe grade 4 and the rest is grade 3. We should be finished by around 2:00pm. Leader: Martin 0403 522 830 / Assistant Leader: Cass ‭0402 503 540‬

Minyon Falls walking track offers the opportunity to experience a range of forests, pristine creeks and a spectacular waterfall in Nightcap National Park. Winding through Nightcap escarpment, in northern NSW, this beautiful track will challenge and delight bushwalking fans in equal measure. Leading through dense rainforest, be sure to lookout for the spectacular stand of old-growth brushbox trees on the western side of Repentance Creek. Stop for a tranquil picnic lunch along the fern-lined creeks. The walk from the wet sclerophyl forest at the top to the dense cool rainforest at the base of the Falls gives a great transistion betwen the two extremes. Opportunity for a swim at the bottom and a picnic lunch at the finish. Unless all are confident climbers, we may not do the extra walk to the base of the waterfall.  Grade 3, Leader Kerrie, 0432 872 148

Please join us and contribute to your club at the AGM, bring along your enthusiasm and ideas. The AGM will be followed by our social evening with walk presentations by; Dave Frogatt- “A few short walks in the Lake District – United Kingdom.”  followed by our special guest and member  Telmeg (Meg) Erdenekhuu- “Trekking Among the Nomads”  Meg has been working in tourism in Mongolia for over 20 years and now resides in the Northern Rivers. Meg will present a personal introduction to her home country, vast landscapes, nomadic traditions, and what it is really like to travel and trek through Mongolia. We will see a glimpse of the Mongolia beyond the usual tourist image — the vast open landscapes, horses, wildlife, people, traditions, silence and incredible sense of freedom you experience when travelling through this beautiful country. Don’t miss this opportunity!  Please bring along a plate of food to share and your own drinks. We will be gathering for the AGM at 6pm and presentations will commence from 7pm.  Venue: Byron Community College-(Room 2) 6/8 Burringbar St, Mullumbimby All members and guests are welcome 

The route follows the hind dune trail to Salty Lagoon, an ICOLL where you may spot Black-necked storks or other waders. Broadwater is a refuge for migratory shorebirds, a hunting ground for birds of prey and habitat for a broad range of birds that inhabit the park's various plant communities. These include threatened species such as pied oystercatchers, little terns and beach stone curlews. White-bellied sea eagles can also often be seen trawling the coastline. we will return along the beach. This is the peak season for northern migration of whales, in case you haven't caught them yet this year. We will meet at the end of Broadwater Beach Road and have a quick look at Broadwater Beach Lookout to marvel at the size of the sand dunes formed thousands of years ago. Easy Grade 2 walk. Leader Sandy 0415239620 sandylpimm@gmail.com

This route loops around the serene Richmond River Nature Reserve in South Ballina. You'll follow an unsealed road through coastal heathland first enjoying the riverside views and then reaching around to South Head, where you can appreciate the 360° panoramic views of the Ballina coastline. The way back is an optional beach return. Bring water, snacks and lunch. Grade 2, leader Jenny 0429333913.

We will paddle through the nature reserve along canals covered with water lilies. The vegetation is dominated by large paperbarks and swamp oaks which become inundated in wet weather. This is a great paddle for bird enthusiasts with ducks, black swans, whistling kites, pelicans, royal spoonbills and the shy comb-crested jacanas to be seen. Binoculars assist.  Parking is limited so car pooling recommended - list of participants to be sent.  Grade 2, 5km plus - depending on how paddlers are feeling, there are plenty of canals to explore. Leader Sandy 0415 239 620 sandylpimm@gmail.com You will need your own kayak for this one as all the spare kayaks are booked.  

We will launch from Pioneer Park on Kennedy Drive, Tweed Heads South and follow the high tide up into the estuarine broadwater, then turn into Cobaki Creek for a look. We will return around the other side of the broadwater, which contains many scattered islands. Expect fish, potentially dolphins and a number of raptors with their stick nests. Cobaki Creek is the most northern in NSW. We will be quite close to Gold Coast airport so may have some planes landing or taking off nearby (occasional only). Confirmation email to be sent the week of the paddle. Grade 2 easy paddle but may be some boat traffic. Leader Sandy.

Save the date. Our party will be at the most spectacular home in the Shire, perched on the edge of the cliff overlooking Main Arm and Mullum. The action starts with a short walk around some secret cascades further up the Range, returning for a BYO lunch at 12.00. Or you can skip the hike and arrive at noon. More deets closer to the event. Organiser, Libby 0429 387 352 

Departure Sept 1 From Manali (2200m) we begin with a short trek in the mountains surrounding the beautiful Kullu Valley to acclimatise to higher altitudes, and then follow the Grand Shepherd’s Traverse from Kullu to Kangra Valley. The trek is through one of the most remote corners of Himachal Pradesh, following an ancient and remote shepherd’s trail between the Kullu and Kangra Valleys. Beginning in dense forests and alpine meadows above Manali, the trek crosses the KaliHind Pass to the ancient Gaddhi village of Bara Bhangal in Kangra, the most scenic valley in Western Himalaya. Each trekking day is a delight with tremendously varied landscapes and a great variety of Himalayan flora and the possibility of seeing fauna such as brown bear, black bear, fox, snow leopard, musk deer, monkey and the Giant Indian Flying Squirrel. On the trek we pass through remote Gaddhi villages isolated by heavy snowfall for most of the year. There are spectacular views of the rugged Dhauladhar Range especially crossing Thamsar Pass but then on descent, another world; a softer landscape of meadows, forests and the cascading waterfalls and tiny villages hanging on the sides of the mountain slopes. We finish at Bir, a small Tibetan village with a monastery. From Bir we drive to Dharamsala, the home of the Dalia Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile.           Book a 'ticket' below as an expression of your interest and phone Steve to express this interest 0414312917