Bundanoon Things to Do

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Our top priority was to have a coffee at Ye Olde Bicycle Shoppe. It’s been there for many years and, while the main subject of conversation once may have been “how are your spokes?”, it’s now “how do you want your coffee?” ! Yes, coffee culture is alive and well in Bundanoon and they do a fine job of producing a flat white here! More specifically, we had arranged a meeting with VTer Wal (Adagio1).

When we arrived Wal, who is a local resident, was waiting for us. Fortunately he had managed to capture a table, as the place was near full. Our time together flashed by very quickly, as always seems the case when VTers meet and chat … As we left, Wal gave us some directions for our travels (photo 2)

Coffee prices were about the standard $3.50-4.00 AUD and the quality was excellent. No wonder the place is kept busy!

Bundanoon is just a wonderful place for people who love to walk. There are serious bush walks through Morton National Park. Do let the ranger or someone responsible know where you are going and when you expect to get back. Around the village there are many short walks an unusual one is to the Glow Worm Glen. At the end of this walk you come to an open ended cave where glow worms can be seen twinkling in the darker areas.

As many of the residents are very property proud those visitors interested in gardens will be pleasantly surprised.

For me I think the most fun thing you can do is hire a bike and wander along the many roads and pathways. The local cemetery is quite interesting in an historic way.

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Bundanoon is just a wonderful place for people who love to walk. There are serious bush walks through Morton National Park. Do let the ranger or someone responsible know where you are going and when you expect to get back. Around the village there are many short walks an unusual one is to the Glow Worm Glen. At the end of this walk you come to an open ended cave where glow worms can be seen twinkling in the darker areas.

As many of the residents are very property proud those visitors interested in gardens will be pleasantly surprised.

For me I think the most fun thing you can do is hire a bike and wander along the many roads and pathways. The local cemetery is quite interesting in an historic way.

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The opening shot gives you a good indication of the carpark there though it doesn't show the toilets which are convenient but not all that well maintained.
The next shot is a telephoto looking down to the river which you can access by walking the spur trail (pic 4). It's a fairly strenuous walk so unless you're fit you wouldn't want to descend the almost 500 vertical metres to the water.
Pic 3 gives you some idea of just how rugged some of the country is and why it pays not to stray too far from made tracks.
Of course, if you're like us (pic 5), you can simply put on the kettle and relax inside your comfortable motorhome.

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The spectacular overview of the Shoalhaven River looking from Bungonia Gorge down towards the coast is well worth a diversion as shown in the previous tip.
There's more to look at than just that however and the dimunitive wild flowers that dot the Australian bush scene are on view here though somewhat sparse around the lookout itself.
It never ceases to amaze me how some of these delicate plants, especially like the bush orchid in picture 3, cling to survival in this tough landscape.

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There was a lookout on the map that looked enticing. It was somewhat south of Bundanoon and its name was Long Point. Apparently it has better facilities than the one I ended up at because it's in the Morton National Park.
In fact, the one I ended up at had little publicity for that very same reason. What was even sadder was that I asked at least three people at Bundanoon and no-one knew anything about them.
So I ended up taking pot luck, as one does, and some times you come up with the goods.
Badgery's Lookout was a find.

I'd tried to get a shot here the first time I came. Cloud, rain and drifting mist served to negate this option. All that after I'd risen early. I wasn't happy.
A lookout with such a name must be a worthy sight I imagained.
In truth, when I returned in more favourable circumstances, it was just an average lookout. Worth a stop but not much more. I could vision that, with certain cloud formations, it might be something worthwhile but there were certainly better ones nearby.
At least you can drive right there so you don't waste a long walk.

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This is your classic Aussie bushwalk, albeit a relatively short one.
We were a little put out to see people coming back who said it was too much for them but, as one of them required a cane, we realised eventually what had happened.
It transpires that there's a steepish tricky section of bush steps but it can be traversed by anyone who can walk reasonably.
The trail takes you to Mount Carnarvon but, to be quite frank, we found it a little disappointing. There's no grand overview like the nearby Echo Point and the joy is more in the walk itself, particularly in spring when you can enjoy the wildflowers as shown in my other pictures.