|
| The houseboats and hire
craft on Myall River at Bulahdelah
|
Bulahdelah
Pleasant town which is a major access point for the Myall
Lakes
Located 242 km north of Sydney and 98 km north of Newcastle
on the Pacific Highway, Bulahdelah is a pleasant town with a
population of 1100 and an elevation of only 10 m. In recent
times it has become a popular departure point for an
exploration of the area's many state forests (still a major
source of timber for the local mills) and the Myall Lakes
which lie to the south.
'Bulahdelah' derives from the language of the Worimi
Aborigines who occupied the area before white settlement. It
is thought to mean 'meeting place of two rivers'. John Oxley
gave the name to the mountain which looms to the east in
1818 and it was later transferred to the township.
Known locally as Alum Mountain it was once an important
source of the mineral alunite used as a fertiliser and in
the textile industry. The mining, which took place between
1878 and 1950, has left its legacy in the form of the
mountain's present profile, the regrowth forest on the
western face and the abandoned quarry sites which can still
be seen. The area around the mountain has been declared a
state forest reserve called Bulahdelah Mountain Forest Park.
People wanting to spend a day mooching around the
Bulahdelah area (and with the forests and the beautiful
Myall Lakes it is easy to do) should visit the town park
where there is a placard listing all the region's
attractions and providing a good map showing how to get to
the various places. The Plough Inn Hotel in Stroud St also
functions as a supplementary tourist information centre. The
Bulahdelah Show and Rodeo is held each November and a
popular fishing festival, The Bass Bash, on the last weekend
of October. A market is held on the first Saturday of the
month at the Plough Inn.
Things to see:
|
| The Court House
|
Bulahdelah Court House
The town's one building of real historic interest is the old
courthouse (1886) on a hill to the east of town overlooking
the Myall River. It has. recently been repainted and
restored as a museum. The cells out the back are worth a
visit. They are remarkably salubrious and spacious. The
museum is open Saturdays or by appointment, tel: (02) 6597
4838.
Myall Lakes National Park
If you are coming from the south, cross the bridge, take the
first right into Crawford St and it is clearly visible on
the corner with Anne St, which takes you the 15 km (mostly
on very bad dirt road) out to Myall Shores private caravan
park, Bombah Point and the ferry across The Broadwater to
Mungo Brush, all within the beautiful Myall Lakes National
Park, a 31 562-ha reserve which combines long beaches, fresh
and salt-water lakes, swamps and rugged headlands (see the
entry on Myall Lakes for greater detail). The branch road to the
Korsmans Landing campground is to your left 11.5 km from the
courthouse. The ferry operates every half hour from 8.00
a.m. - 6.00 p.m.
Boating Holidays
Not surprisingly boating holidays are popular in this area.
There are houseboats and yachts for hire, as well as cruises
of the river and the Myall Lakes. Just follow Crawford St
past Anne St down the hill to the rivers' edge. To access
the natural boat ramp and picnic spot on the western side of
the bridge turn off the highway to your left just before you
reach the bridge, if you are coming from the south. The
river is a good spot to catch bream, blackfish and perch.
Bulahdelah Mountain Forest Park
Access to Bulahdelah Mountain Forest Park is via Meade St,
the third right north of the bridge. At the end of this road
is the State Forestry Commission District Office, tel: (02)
4997 4206. It is worth a visit as they can furnish maps and
a range of pamphlets containing information about the state
forests in the area and outlining drives and walking trails.
Just past the office is the entrance to the picnic
grounds at the base of the mountain. There are information
boards, as well as picnic, barbecue, toilet and children's
play facilities. The Twin Dams Nature Trail heads off from
here on a 650-metre ramble through swamp forest, moist and
dry eucalypt forest and small pockets of rainforest above
Twin Dams, which were built for the alunite mining c.1880.
The picnic area was once an alunite stockpile site. The
ore was transported down the mountain by cable-operated
carriers. A tram line then took skip trucks along Church St
to the river where it was loaded on barges.
A narrow, steep and rocky road (1.5 km) leads from the
picnic area at the base of the mountain. At the road's end
you will notice what appear to be two trails heading off
into the bush, a set of concrete steps near the information
board and another trail on the other side of the picnic
spot. The two trails join up to form one short track which
will take you to the old Tunnel Quarry site.
The concrete steps are a good spot to start the Alunite
Trail. They lead up to a track which takes you past the
Kimberley Quarry and Ladysmith Quarry sites. Follow the path
to the Big Quarry site where there is a lookout which faces
west. The view over Bulahdelah is excellent. When you return
to Ladysmith Quarry, follow the steps down the hill to the
fence. The track which heads down the mountain is the old
tramway. It leads down to the lower picnic area. The track
to your left will take you back to the upper picnic site.
The whole walk is about 40 minutes return.
Another enjoyable track is the Ted Baker Walk which has
views down the coast to Broughton Island, Yacaaba Head and
Tomaree Head.
Other Forest Walks
South of Bulahdelah is Nerong State Forest a haven for local
wildlife as the surrounding area is cleared for pastoral
usage. West of town are Renwick State Forest and Myall River
State Forest. All three can be approached off the road to
Booral.
The Myall Forest is a mountainous reserve which
incorporates Cabbage Tree Mountain, the tallest local peak
at 660 m, the Strike-a Light Campsite, the remains of the
old Blueberry Mill and the Tallowwood Forest Park, where
there is a picnic-barbecue site and the 30-minute Carabeen
Walk through rainforest gullies.
Attractions north of the Town
Stoney Creek Rd weaves its way through the Bulahdelah Forest
joining up with The Lakes Way. There is a signpost inviting
you to drive the 6 km to the 'Grandis' a huge, 400-year-old
flooded gum (Eucalyptus grandis) which, at a height of 76
metres, is said to be the tallest tree in New South Wales.
If you continue to follow the increasingly steep highway
north towards Taree after 1 km you will come to Wang Wauk
Forest Way on your left. It will take you into the
Bulahdelah and Wang Wauk State Forests (18 800 ha). Forest
Drive signs will direct you to Shortys Camp (5 km) and the
old trestle bridge where there are picnic, barbecue and
toilet facilities.
Just beyond the Wang Wauk Way turnoff is a short
side-road to the left (signposted on your right) which will
lead you into the O'Sullivans Gap Flora Reserve rest area.
Amenities are provided and an information board indicates a
half-hour (1.25-km) walking trail through some truly
beautiful and untouched rainforest.
Another way of accessing the trestle bridge is by taking
the scenic 6-km walk along the old tramway route west of
Wootton. As you pass the houses adjacent the highway at
Wootton the road climbs a hill then veers sharply to the
left.
Wootton Historical Railway Walk
9.8 km from the Flora Reserve rest area, is a small sign
denoting "Wootton Historical Railway Walk". The light
railway was constructed in 1890 to cart timber from the
forests to the Coolongolook River and to Mayers Point on
Lake Myall where it was placed on punts. The wood was used
in the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the
Melbourne docks. Logging began in the Bulahdelah forests as
early as the 1820s. Bullock trains were first used. They
were changed for a tramline, initially horse-drawn but later
pulled by steam locomotive.
4.4 km along Squires Rd is an intersection and an
information board. Bangalow Rd, to your left, heads back to
the highway 4 km south of the Squires Rd turnoff. Continuing
along what is now Worths Creek Rd, 500 m will bring you to
Sams Camp picnic area where a little letterbox has pamphlets
outlining the walk. A little post with a red plaque and
white train symbol indicates the start of the 6-km trek. The
Forestry Department's Wang Wauk Forest Drive is another way
of exploring this whole area.
The Lakes Way
Another major road associated with Bulahdelah is The Lakes
Way which will take you east through some delightful scenery
out to the coast, around the lakes, north to Forster and
back to the highway a little south of Taree. The Lakes Way
can be accessed by heading 1.8 km north from the hill at the
northern end of Bulahdelah. It will take you down to a major
campground within Myall Lakes National Park. 7.6 km along
The Lakes Way is the other end of Stoney Creek Rd which
leads the 5 km to the 'Grandis'. 23.5 km along The Lakes Way
is the pretty little village of Bungwahl. At its eastern
edge is the Seal Rocks turnoff (see
Seal Rocks).
Sugar Creek Toymakers
2.5 km beyond Seal Rocks Rd (27.9 km east of the Pacific
Highway) you will come to Sugar Creek Rd which is on your
left, clearly signified by a large, attractive sign
advertising Sugar Creek Toymakers, who specialise in
exquisitely crafted wooden toys. All of the toys are
hand-made on the premises, some of local corduroy beech (one
tree lasts them 7 or 8 years). There is also a little
luncheon section that is tasteful, clean, and tidy.
Wallingat State Forest
This road leads into Wallingat State Forest which covers the
area east of the Wallingat River and west of Lake Wallis. A
series of blue arrows with a white leaf inset on white
circular discs indicate the route of the Wallingat Forest
Drive (25 km), as outlined in an accompanying pamphlet which
directs you to the sites of greatest interest, including the
Sugar Creek Flora Reserve (7 km) and Wallingat River Forest
Park (10 km) which has a campsite and picnic area. There was
formerly a small community in the vicinity of the latter
which supplied timber for the punts headed upriver to timber
mills at Coolongolook and Tuncurry (1855-1954). The picnic
area was once a log dump and the camping area a bullock pen.
At the Sugar Creek Flora Reserve is a picnic area and a
rather beautiful 30-minute walking trail. It is well worth
investigating the Whoota Whoota Lookout (15 km) which is
also indicated on the Forest Drive pamphlet. There are
outstanding views over Wallis Lake and south-east down to
Hawks Nest and the offshore islands.
The park's birdlife is prolific and includes rare species
such as the little tern, the sea eagle and the wampoo
pidgeon. There are also bandicoots, kangaroos, koalas, tiger
cats, possums, wallabies and gliders. A warning however, the
road is unsealed, rough and hopeless when wet.
Coomba Bay
Continue for 7 km along The Lakes Way and you will come to a
turnoff to the left into Coomba Rd which runs around the
western shore of Wallis Lake up to the boat ramp and picnic
area at Coomba Park, a farming district adjacent the rural
tranquillity of Coomba Bay (22 km).
Broadwalk
Business Brokers
Broadwalk Business
Brokers specialise in General Businesses for Sale, Caravan Parks for
Sale, Motels for Sale, Management Rights & Resorts for Sale, Farms for
Sale, Hotels for sale,Commercial & Industrial Properties for Sale.
Phone:
1300 136 559
Email:
enquiries@broadwalkbusinessbrokers.com.au
AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES FOR SALE
COFFS HARBOUR BUSINESS BROKERS
BROADWALK BUSINESS BROKERS
GOLD COAST BUSINESSES FOR SALE
BRISBANE BUSINESSES FOR SALE
SYDNEY BUSINESSES FOR SALE
CARAVAN PARKS FOR SALE
BUSINESSES FOR SALE
MOTELS
FOR SALE
HOTELS
FOR SALE
Disclaimer
We advise prospective purchasers that we take no
responsibility for the accuracy of any information in the business
provided by vendors or their professional advisers and that they should
make their own enquiries as to the accuracy of this information,
including obtaining independent legal and/or accounting advice
Bulahdelah
