PARADISE ROCK


This walk takes in one of the best trails in Booderee National Park at Jervis Bay. The walk will take us through coastal heathland and along old fishermen's trails to visit some incredible coastal scenery. There is some Fire Trail walking and a couple of short off track sections, but the views make this most worthwhile. There is also the historical element to be seen in the Cape St George Lighthouse ruins. Allow a starting time of no later that 10.00am as this walk is approximately 18 kilometres return.

The park requires a vehicle permit to enter and visitors can pay about $5.00 for a day pass or around $20 for an annual visitor's pass. These should always be placed/stuck onto your car's front windshield as rangers do spot checks of all carparks in the park and will write out infringement notices for any vehicles not showing passes. You drive through the gate and follow Jervis Bay Road straight ahead for a few kilometres, passing turn-offs to the Botanical Gardens, Jervis Bay Village and Greenpatch Picnic Area until, at the end of the road, you arrive at Murrays Beach car park. There is ample parking space here and the area has a sheltered boat ramp. There is also a toilet block not far from the track to Murrays Beach.
 

Murrays Beach

At the far corner of the car park is a small signposted boardwalk that crosses a small swampy area before using wooden steps to climb up to a small track which runs through some coastal forest for about 100 metres before coming out at a fire trail just above Murrays Beach. If time permits, the short stroll to the beach will reveal Jervis Bay's famous white sands, crystal clear blue waters and views of the nearby Bowen Island, a protected refuge for local fairy penguins. Returning to the intersection you take the track on the left - you will return via the track heading straight ahead. The left track gradually ascends through coastal forest, giving nice views down to Murrays beach and Jervis Bay. It isn't too long before you come to a fork in the track. Here you can go straight ahead to meet up with the main track to Murrays Hill, or take the left track to take the short detour to Governors Head.

Governors Head has cliff top views across the small strait of wild churning water to Bowen Island. On calm days if you look down to the rocks below, you may be rewarded with views of fairy penguins frolicking in the deep pools. Retracing your track you now ignore the trail you came in on and walk straight ahead through the forest to meet up with the other track coming from the car park. This intersection is marked with brand new signpost that features aerial views on the immediate area. There are about 12 of these in the Murrays Walk area and each sign has been allotted a number which is marked on the map, along with the general route and location of other signs. They are quite impressive and with their "You Are Here" red arrows everyone should be able to know exactly where they are without checking a topographic map.
 

One of the new signposts

The sandy trail now undulates its way south through heathland, passing many old fishermen's tracks to the cliff edges just metres into the high scrub on the left of the track. These tracks are signposted with warnings for the unwary as many follow dangerously narrow and stony trails along and down the cliffs to the rocks below. The tracks were created by rock fishermen long before this area became national park. They are now being allowed to overgrow and in the future may well be fenced off for the public's safety. The track south soon opens up as you come to Devils Elbow. The track, just metres from the cliff edge gives you excellent views down to the small inlet with its towering yellow and brown cliff face and sea caves at its base. This is one of the photographic highlights on this walk. During days when the sea is rough, the inlet is a maelstrom of white surging water which obviously has helped create the sea caves. During the migrating seasons in May to July and October to November you may get to sight whales from this view point.
 

A great shot of Devils Elbow

Continuing the walk south the trail now starts to ascend, still only gradual and the small pimple of Murrays Hill can be seen up ahead. Take the opportunity to stop and turn around for some wonderful views north across Bowen Island and Jervis Bay to Point Perpendicular and the coastline beyond. Not far from here is a signpost that informs you that this point is the only one where you can get coastal views of both Point Perpendicular Lighthouse in the north and the ruins of the Cape St George Lighthouse in the south.

As you arrive at Murrays Hill you will notice small tracks heading up to the top. The rocky summit is only 20 metres above the trail and 82 metres above sea level, but it makes a great spot to stop and enjoy a snack and rest break while enjoying 360 degree views. Bushfires came through here in the early 2000's and cleared much of the impenetrable scrub, making access that much easier - though the scrub is growing back fast. Some members of the Shoalhaven Bushwalkers have had trouble with ticks here, so beware.
 

Shoalhaven Bushwalkers enjoying a break ontop of Murrays Hill

The trail continues for about 300 metres before reaching another intersection. This is the other trail coming up from Murrays Beach and it will be the route back to the car park later. Turn left and follow the wide trail heading in a south-west direction. In season you will notice the seed stalks of many grass trees (Xanthorrhoea) off to your left and right throughout the heathland and after about 500 metres you will pass another trail to your right. This is the Paperbark Creek Track which will take you back to Jervis Bay Road not far from the car park for Hole In The Wall on the shoreline of Jervis Bay. Ignore this track, there are many such trails throughout Booderee as the area was once used as a pine plantation and many of our tracks were once logging roads now becoming overgrown.

Just over one kilometre after the intersection near Murrays Hill pass a locked gate and step out onto Stony Creek Road. Turn left and head east being vigilant for traffic, especially on weekends as the nearby lighthouse ruins are a popular tourist attraction. As you pass by the lighthouse road, Stony Creek Road turns southwards and descends past the Moes Rock turn-off. Moes Rock is a popular fishing spot, also referred to as 'Green Rock' due to the sea grasses and weeds that festoon this triangular rock at low tide. This spot has a good view of the cliffs to the north with the lighthouse ruins visible.
 

Moes Rock

View to the ruined lighthouse on the clifftops from Moes Rock

Stony Creek Road continues south and passes another locked gate on the right. This is Cabbage Tree Track and you will come out here on the return journey. Eventually Stony Creek Road ends at a small car park at Cape St George. There are two tracks heading off from the car park. The one closest to the road will take you to the rocky coastline just north of Cape St George. We will take the southernmost track which descends to Stony Creek via some bush steps. Stony Creek is mostly very shallow and can be crossed almost without getting your feet wet. There are some nice views of the Cape from here and the coastal rocks can be explored if time permits. Seals have also been seen where the deeper water at the mouth of Stony Creek enters the ocean.
 

A view of Cape St George after crossing Stony Creek

One option now is to cross over the rocks and follow the coastline over the headland to Paradise Rock. The track is faint but easy to follow. However, a much nicer walk is to take the tea tree forest. After crossing Stony Creek headÝwestwards through some long grass just past some rocks and you will find a small track heading steeply uphill into a tea tree forest. At the top there is a level section where trees have been blown down and the track can easily be lost. Recently some bushwalking friends have been doing regular maintenance walks in this area and are working on the track. If you find it beforehand you've done well and will come out onto the edge of a sandy ravine. If you miss the forest track just keep to the left and you will come out onto theÝgrassy headland where you will find a minor track heading along the cliff tops which will meet up with the track from the forest.

The track along the edge of the ravine is short but narrow. Extreme care must be taken along here as there is no safety fence. The sandy track will often reveal animal and bird tracks for those interested. The track hugs the 'V' shaped inlet below and at the bend you can descend carefully to the shoreline for a quick look around or a meal break. The track continues along the cliff top, surrounded by scrub and trees, occasionally you will get views of the shoreline of Wallaby Rocks below or back to Cape St George. Originally this track was created by rock fishermen who frequented this area prior to it becoming a national park. The Fishermen's tracks now allowing us access to some wonderful coastal scenery.
 

Looking down the 'V' Shaped ravine at the main bend

Looking back to Cape St George from a break in the vegetation on the track

The track continues southwards through forest before opening up on a scrubby hillside. Continue following the almost level contour ignoring the descending tracks at intersections. Several tracks have been created along this section though our track will eventually descend to a large rocky area and you arrive at a flat grassy area on top of the sea cliffs. The towering rock face across the inlet dominated by sea caves is known as Paradise Rock and it's one of my favourite views in the entire park. This viewpoint is the perfect lunch spot, the cliffs provide excellent sea views, excellent for whale spotting during the two annual migrating seasons and to the north we could look back to the rocks of Cape St George.
 

Paradise Rock

We now head northwest away from the coast and uphill through the grass to the edge of the woodland for our most difficult section of the walk. There is a bit of scrambling and bush bashing for the next approximate 300 metres as we make our way northwest through untracked bushland. I've found the best idea is to keep heading towards the lighter areas of bushland while keeping that northwesterly bearing, staying out of the gully to the left and before you know it you will step out onto an old forestry road. Once on the road there are two options, turn left and follow the road for about 300 metres to a side track that will take you to a rocky area on top of Paradise Rock where you have great coastal views. This makes a great spot for lunch if time permits.
 

View south from the top of Paradise Rock

If you turn right follow it for 300-400 metres and turn right onto what the topographic map calls Cabbage Tree Trail. You will descend again to cross Stony Creek as it flows through a culvert. You now ascend to meet up with Stony Creek Road not far north of the Cape St George Parking area, or follow the old Swamp Track on the left. Although well overgrown, this short cut track will take you back to Stony Creek Road just 200 metres from the Murrays Hill Trail. We now follow the road back to Murrays Beach car park, taking the option, should time permit, to do the side trip to the Cape St George Lighthouse ruins. We walk the short distance to the lighthouse car park where there is now a new toilet block, then followed the bush track to the lighthouse remains. Not far from the site is an open platform which looks down on a small bay that often hosts migrating whales. You may even get a bonus of seeing one or two white bellied Sea Eagles soaring up on the coastal thermals.
 

Cape St George Lighthouse ruins

The Cape St George Lighthouse was originally built in 1860 and was active until 1889. The location of the lighthouse caused much controversy as the Pilots Board (The Controlling Authority of the day) was not consulted and the maps used were later found to be inaccurate. The light from the lighthouse was not visible from the northern approach to Jervis Bay and barely visible from the south and the contractor built the lighthouse 4 kilometres north of the intended site as it was closer to the quarry he was obtaining stone from. Between 1864 and 1893 there were 23 ships wrecked on the South Coast in the vicinity of Jervis Bay and in 1899 a new lighthouse was built at Point Perpendicular to replace this older light. However, confusion still reigned due to the two lighthouses close proximity to each other and was considered a shipping hazard, especially in daylight during foul weather. The Cape St George lighthouse was used by the navy as target practice between 1917 and 1922 and was subsequently destroyed. The site is now heritage listed and cared for by the staff of Booderee National Park.

Returning to the road we head back to Murrays Hill trail, remembering to take the left fork at the intersection to Murrays Hill. This left fork will take us the shorter route through coastal heathlands and then eucalypt forest back to Murrays Beach car park. During the late afternoon along this section you may come across Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Swamp Wallabies and possibly an Echidna crossing the track. Several species of birdlife that would include Crimson Rosellas, King Parrots and Black Cockatoos may even be seen. Enjoy another side trip to the white sands of Murrays Beach before returning to the car


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