Day 4 - Taylor's Landing to Surfleet Cove: Overnight near Maclaren Point
We would like to acknowledge the Barngarla people, the traditional owners of the land on which we walk, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are present today.
After our rest day in Port Lincoln, sampling the local seafood and wines, we’re ready to tackle the second three day circuit. We are greeted with more beautiful beaches and limestone cliffs.
This day brings many, many birds and a sheltered campsite amongst the swamp tea trees, a stone’s throw from the beach.
Taylors Landing has a boat ramp popular with fishermen, and we leave our car in the carpark and head to the beach.
The limestone is rough underfoot but there is a new view over every hillock, and around every corner. Wonderful.
Another Eriochilus growing on the clifftop,
just metres from the sea
Once again, all day we have the track to ourselves.
Check tide times when planning your trip. There is a higher track, as well as a scramble through scrub along the top of the dune, but it will be hard going and damaging to the environment.
Plenty of flotsam and jetsam, including sponges, urchins and stinky dead sea cucumbers. I don’t have my long lens, but the birdlife here is fantastic. Hooded plovers, oyster catchers, pacific gulls, dotterels and numerous species I can’t name take wing as we approach, then settle behind us. Twitchers will love this section!
Nearing the end of the beach.
And at the end of the beach there’s
a short easy scramble to the top.
We pause to savour the views. Dozens of islands are scattered all around Jussieu Peninsula.
Briefly back into teatree and eucalypt,
It’s easy walking and the changing scenery adds further enjoyment to the day.
And back to the coastline again!
An onshore compass of bird shit around this marker post, which has a greasy, gory top, and a scatter of scales around the bottom.
For this next section, we are always within sight of the sea. It’s simultaneously restful and exhilarating. And still, we see no one.
The trail here becomes quite tiring due to the rough South Australian limestone, but we are in no hurry. As always, we have plenty of time.
The landscape is pretty rather than spectacular, but there is always something interesting to see – islands, birds, dolphins, plants. And lots of lovely little sheltered coves for a swim in warmer weather.
It’s high tide, so for the last short section we follow MacLaren Track to the campsite.
MacLaren Point has five campsites, four south of the point that are accessible by 4WD, and an unmarked one just north for hikers. We are south of the point under tea trees behind the foredune. We dropped water here as we were incorrectly told there was no water at MacLaren Point (there is, at the hiker campsite, but the staff we spoke to weren’t aware of it). If doing this walk, drive (4WD) to MacLaren Point and bear left. 150 m or so north along the track is the shelter – you will be able to check whether the tank is full.
We setup camp and have a hot cuppa along with Birgit’s obligatory caffeine hit.
Afterwards, we take a short walk to MacLaren Point …. delightful!
A popular spot, it seems! Pacific gulls drop shellfish onto hard rock to crack them open.
Evening light through the succulent groundcovers … and through the melaleuca.