Beguiling Drawing Room Rocks
1 Dec 10
I was born in a small village in south east England called London.
After living there for 28 years I thought it was time for a change so in 1968, as a ‘ten pound pom’, I came to Australia.
In the 1970s I travelled around the country and lived in the Northern Rivers NSW, Canberra and Kangaroo Valley. I live at the Woodhill end of Wattamolla Road below the distinctive Bluff, known as ‘The Wedding Cake’.
Now I have retired and enjoy participating in TAFE and U3A Courses, helping around where I live and love a good walk.
My favourite is the ‘Drawing Room Rocks’, 600 metres above sea level and not far from my home.
I walk up regularly to this lovely place and enjoy taking friends and overseas visitors, including Wwoofers, to appreciate the beauty of the scenery and the Australian bushland.
In 2009, I was overseas for six months and upon my return, on of the first things I did was to walk to ‘Drawing Room Rocks’.
The track was very overgrown and new ones had been made by bush walkers, so some damage was done to the sensitive bush.
So I took it upon myself to gently clear the track so walkers could more easily find their way up and down.
While engaged in this activity I was able to appreciate the sounds and colours of the bush and enjoy the birds and small animals.
The odd snake, [Red Belly Black], showed no interest in my presence, the Echidna and Wallaby likewise but the leeches were very attracted to my blood!
There are lots of lizards and a few ant mounds and the sound and sight of the lyre bird doing its display to attract a mate was a special treat.
One time, I was treated to a duet by a couple of King Parrots that perched on a branch above my head and continued the concert for more than 15 minutes.
The first part of the track is on private land and the owner has cleared a path beside his fence to assist walkers.
Here there is a sign ‘Drawing Room Rocks Bush Walk’.
In parts the track is steep and rocky, then levels out at ‘Barren Grounds Nature Reserve’, before continuing from the southern end to ‘Drawing Room Rocks’.
In this area there are beautiful coloured rocks, orchids and tree ferns and on the left of the track there are steep drops to the valley below. As the walker follows the zig zag path, old gnarled Banksia trees grow in profusion.
The sandy track is rocky in places and has been eroded by heavy rainfall so care is needed proceeding through the thick Ti-tree scrub to the more open bushland.
The track is fairly narrow with rocky outcrops of different and intriguing shapes and the wild flowers in the Spring are beautiful.
Boronia and Native Fuchsia mingle their scents with the gum blossoms and native orchids and pink, red and white fungi cling to the rocks and trees.
The Ti-tree oil colours the pools of water
brown and along the track wombat turds stacked carefully on each other are evident.
‘Drawing Room Rocks’ lookout is beautiful.
These formations have been weathered for thousands of years, making this place seem like a place of tables and chairs. There is even a high chair, perched right on the edge of the cliff.
Years ago I came up with friends to see the sun rise and enjoy a champagne breakfast.
Doesn’t get any better than that!
I have heard of adventurous couples being married here.
The views, providing it is not misty, are wonderful. Behind is Barren Grounds, and looking in a clockwise direction are Gerroa, Seven Mile Beach, Coolangatta Mountain, Jervis Bay. Below is Broughton Vale and Berry and in the distance Nowra and the Shoalhaven River.
On a clear day Pigeon House Mountain in the Budawangs is visible.
To the right is Broughton Head, [‘The Bluff’ or ‘Wedding Cake Mountain’] and beyond that Cambewarra Mountain, Red Rocks and Mount Scanzi The foreground is Woodhill and Wattamolla and Kangaroo Valley and far right the escarpment of Budderoo and Broger’s Creek.
Truly a magnificent and all encompassing panorama.
Many people walk to this lookout including overseas tourists and I am pleased to say little rubbish remains from their visits.
All seasons the track is open but in windy weather it can be dangerous with falling branches and sometimes trees.
Early morning is lovely, especially for the sunrise and with the mist and dew and the silvery spider webs, it is magical.
The Kangaroo Valley, in the winter, appears as a white lake of cotton wool flowing over the rim like a waterfall at Woodhill and dissipating into thin air over Broughton Vale.
Just awesome!
In the summer the sun comes up over Seven Mile Beach and in winter over Barren Grounds. On warm summer evenings, with the moon and the stars the atmosphere is dreamy and romantic.
I never tire of walking to ‘Drawing Room Rocks’ with its beauty in all weathers and seasons.
It is quiet and peaceful in the bush and there is a sense of wonder and a time to contemplate and dream and at the top to quietly meditate.
This beautiful walk takes 30-45 minutes, but there is no need to rush, you might miss something that nature has thoughtfully placed along the track.
Allow a couple of hours and really enjoy a magical experience to cherish forever.
Hobbit John Davis