Beach trip report
| General Location | South of Evans Head |
|---|---|
| Aboriginal Tribe/Language Group | Bundjalung people |
| Access to beach | 4WD onto beach |
| Beach Classification | Wave Dominated – Intermediate – Transverse bar and rip |
| Start Date/Time | 28 May 2017 06:41 |
| Start Location (inc Lat/Log) | S29° 21.552’ E153° 21.720’ |
| End Date/Time | 28 May 2017 17:10 |
| End Location (inc Lat/Log) | S29° 12.639’ E153° 23.674′ |
| Mode of Travel | Bike and 4WD |
| Distance Travelled | 19.77km/12.28miles |
| Location of Sand Sample (lat/Long) | S29° 15.112’ E153° 22.004’ |
The mile beach project just keeps coming up with new unusual and exciting twists with each beach we encounter. Ten Mile Beach certainly presented a new twists to the project.
Ten Mile Beach is actually 17.6 miles or 28.5 km long. All the beach and adjoining barrier system lies in Bundjalung National Park. Access to northern end of the beach is restricted by the presence of a RAAF bombing range. There is a great big sign informing “person who without lawful excuse trespasses or goes upon any prohibited Commonwealth land shall be guilt and pay $1,000”. Interesting it also states that “Proof whereof shall lie upon HIM”. My guess is they just assume that all females trespassers are not stupid enough to go wandering around on a military bomb littered range.
The dilemma; should I get special permission from the Minister of Defence to cycle the northern end of Ten Mile Beach, in a Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) suit or given the fact that there was at least 19.77km or 12.28 miles of the southern end that was accessible would this be enough for this 10 Mile Beach. I have set some stringent conditions for this project, including travelling end to end on each mile beach, however I have no intention, remote as it might be, in risking having my leg blown off or worse. I certainly was not disappointed or regretful faced with this dilemma at all, in fact it was one of the most enjoyable and spectacular mile beaches to date.
The two days camping at Black Rock National Parks Campground were truly exceptional; swimming at the beach, exploring the coffee rock beach landscape, kayaking Jerusalem Creek, a 6.4km dawn cycle (Black Rock Campsite to RAAF sign) and a dusk 13.17km 4WD along the southern end of the beach. The only access onto the beach for 4WD vehicles was at the very southern end near Iluka. To get there it took a 64km road trip from Black Rock Campground. We then drove back along the beach to within 100m from our campsite, turned around went back down the beach in the dark exited the beach and drove 64km back along the road to again return to our campsite. It must be a sign that the we are relaxing into holiday mode as neither Joanne or myself became agitated by this impediment.
