Phil's Drought Breaker Frazer Park Run
23 February 2014 / Phil Mayo
Sunday 16 February 2014
This run had previously been done 3 years ago lead by Helen Mayo when I attended a Club Track day and it was enjoyed by everyone who attended. So it was planned again when a picnic at the beach was the right idea for the hot February weather we had been experiencing. However my last run broke the last long dry spell and the weather forecast heralded another wet Sunday. My red NA was out of action as a new clutch was not working as it should so we were lucky to be able to borrow Jen & George Boyko’s black NB. Thank You Jen & George.
Despite the forecast and grey skies, 15 cars were at the meeting place at Beresfield with picnic essentials in their boots. After a briefing we headed south towards the Central Coast via Kurri Kurri, The Gap, Cooranbong then along the Hue Hue Road and along Sparkes Road to Toukley.
Our first pit stop was at the Toukley Information Centre on the shores of Tuggerah Lakes, it also has an art gallery attached so everyone had a browse and some were even keen to start morning tea but were encouraged to wait to the next stop only 5 kms down the road.
Morning tea was in the Norah Head Bush Street Reserve which has views up the coast towards Bird Island. It is also opposite the Rock Pool Retreat Cafe who were able to be a backup in case it was raining and supply coffee and cake to those who weren’t picnicking.
Historic Norah Head lighthouse is only 500m down the road so after morning tea we all headed to the busy carpark and proceeded to walk down to the lighthouse with it’s lovely lighthouse keeper’s cottage. Unfortunately the rain decided to settle in for the day so the inspection was hurried the decision was also taken to have lunch at a club.
From the lighthouse we travelled north to Budgewoi turning off before the town to enter the Munmorah State Recreation Area. This beautiful area is crossed by a network of bitumen roads with lots of MX5 corners best experienced with the top down to take in the natural bushland.
The scenery changes from open bushland with Banksias, Scribbly Gums, Bloodwoods and Angophora then into closed bushland with Cabbage Tree Palms, Lilli Pilli and Ti Trees and finally opens out with Coastal Heath land followed by the vista of the headlands, enclosed surfing beaches and a lagoon.
Unfortunately the rain had increased so we did not get out of the cars just driving the loop past the beach, the rain did not stop a local surfing contest at Frazer Beach.
From the park we headed east to the Pacific Highway and then to the “Doylo”, Doyalson RSL to have lunch in the Bistro and then make our own way home into a heavy deluge making its way up the coast.
Maybe I should plan a run out to Western NSW and up through Western Qld to break their drought.
