Wednesday’s Batemans Bay Bushwalkers hike turned out to be much more than just an enjoyable walk. It was also an historic event – the last walk Betty Richards was to lead for the Club.
Betty has been leading walks for Batemans Bay Bushwalkers for over 30 years. Being a bushwalking leader not only involves guiding a group of people through the bush. It is also many hours on foot with map and compass, exploring forest roads and tracks and linking them together to make an interesting circuit. Betty particularly enjoys getting off the beaten track, and she usually follows narrow trails made by dirt bike riders through gullies, along creeks and up and down hills. And when she can’t find a track to make a circuit, she uses her innate bush compass to bash from one ridge to the next. Betty has led us to old mine shafts, rocky outcrops covered in rock orchids, along lush creek beds and to the top of mountains for some spectacular views.
However, retiring from leading walks doesn’t mean retiring from bushwalking altogether. In her late 80’s, Betty is a testament to an active life spent outdoors and she will continue to join us on our hikes – she just won’t be the one in the front any more.
Back to Wednesday’s walk – it was a fine day to enjoy Shark Bay, Broulee Island rock platforms, Broulee Beach Lookout, and tracks through the Bangalay Sand Forest behind the beach – complete with a sighting of 4 glossy black cockatoos perched in the banksias.
Click for larger and captions from the website. Photos by Karen
**** This article first appeared on the Batemans Bay Bushwalking website
About the BATEMANS BAY BUSHWALKERS INC. First formed in 1985, we have about 200 members. We are not-for-profit and run by volunteers We are an Incorporated Association with a Constitution and a Committee to oversee administration Personal Accident, Public Liability and Associations Liability Insurance is funded by your annual subscriptions We publish 4 Walks Programs per year, with 2 walks a week of varying grades. Visitors are welcome on walks and are covered by our insurance for 3 walks per financial year Walks are led by volunteer Walk Leaders, who carry a GPS, topographic map, and when appropriate, a safety beacon. We take our safety seriously. Bushwalking is a risky business, accidents do happen, injuries do result. Each walk is graded for difficulty so that you can choose walks to suit your level of ability. Members and Visitors sign a Responsibility Waiver before each walk. We also get together for a variety of social activities and camps, but you have to be a Member to come along to those
