Currarong; the top of Beecroft

A typical view from one of the walks through bushland to the east of the village; see map below, where the dense vegetation is clear.

Currarong is at the northern end of Beecroft Peninsula, which encloses Jervis Bay, a much better known part of the world. These maps might help.

The general location of Jervis Bay, on the south coast of New South Wales, is indicated by the red arrow.

Currarong is clearly marked (twice, courtesy of Google Maps!) at the top of Beecroft Peninsula, which is mostly controlled by the navy and, despite its nominal designation as a reserve is used as a firing range, so access is limited to weekends. Accordingly, despite it being a spectacular part of the world, very few of the photos in this blog were taken there.

Most of the rest of this post is in the form of a photo-essay to share some of the many pleasures the area has brought us. Most people go there for the sea, so I'll start with some coastal memories.

A classic view across the ocean bay (ie not Jervis Bay) from Currarong north-west to Mount Coolangatta near the mouth of the Shoalhaven River. It was named for Alexander Berry's property, established in the 1820s at its foot, which he based on a local name. He in turn also named his ship for it, which was later wrecked in southern Queensland, where the better-known town of Coolangatta later took its name.

Common Bottle-nosed Dolphins Tursiops truncatus are regular visitors off the beach.

There are some very nice sandy beaches (see the last photo below) which are mostly taken over by human visitors, but there are other inhabitants there too, many of them much less conspicuous.

Amphipods comprise a huge order of crustaceans, which are prominent in just about any wet environment - including beaches. Comparing this one's size to the grains of sand, it's not hard to see why we mostly overlook them.

Ghost Crab Ocypode cordimanus; I think I've got that right.

Mostly the beach crabs disappear down their burrows when we approach; the tracks give an idea of how busy this home is!

One of the reasons for the crabs' caution. Silver Gull Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae; by far our most abundant gull, and the only one in most of the country. It is not uncommon to see one with a missing leg (they seem to manage quite well however). Abandoned fishing lines are probably to blame for some of these injuries, as are predatory fish attacking from below.

Rocky platforms are also significant coastal features.

Rock platform, northern Beecroft Peninsula. These are very important habitats for a wide range of plants and animals.

Great and Little Black Cormorants (and a Silver Gull) loafing and drying out on a shelf off the beach.

Typical scenery along one of the sandy walking tracks.

Coastal Banksia B. integrifolia is the dominant species.

True to its name, Coastal Banksia grows right down to the sea.

Swamp Banksia B. paludosa is lower-growing and doesn't mind wet feet.

 In extensive areas the banksia woodland opens out into low coastal heathland.

Coastal heath is a very rich habitat, especially for wildflowers.

Here a few other plants that have caught my eye over the years.

Port Jackson Mallee Eucalyptus obstans is at its southern-most limits at Jervis Bay; it grows north along the coast to the northern suburbs of Sydney.

Curly Sedge Caustis flexuosa; I love the name, but love the plant even more.

Coast Wattle (though it has a lot of other names in its extensive range) Acacia longifolia is dominant in many coastal habitats in south-eastern Australia.

Jervis Bay Grevillea G. macleayana is found almost only in this area, where it flowers in spring. It used to be included in G. barklyana, but that species is now only recognised from a small area east of Melbourne.

Box-leaf Waxflower Philotheca buxifolia. (Memo - must get a better picture!)

Villous Mintbush Prostanthera densa is a Threatened Species which grows only on a few sites between Jervis Bay and Nelson Bay near Gosford. The population next to Currarong seems to the only one south of Sydney however.

Coastal Rosemary Westringia fruticosa, on the hand, is a widespread and familiar coastal plant, including on exposed cliff faces.

Christmas Bells Blandfordia nobilis are truly a bush favourite in summer.

Snow Heath Woollsia pungens, a name which might seems surprising. Indeed it took me a while to recognise this one when I first saw it in July this year - we're not usually there at that time. The penny dropped when I finally learnt that there is a red population of this normally white-flowered species just on Beecroft Peninsula.

And finally some animals, of which of course there are many, most of which are unnoticed by the majority of the commuters through the bush to the beaches.

Bull Ant Myrmecia sp. One that's certainly worth noticing; a sting from one of these magnificent insects is guaranteed to ruin your whole day!

A cicada which I've been hitherto unable to identify; I'm hoping someone might be able to help.

This is a small animal that people do tend to notice in summer, when the orb spider webs seems to be almost continuous between bushes along the main track. Some people might be alarmed by them, but as long as we stay on the track where we belong there should be no interactions between our species.

A close-up of one of the big females with her carefully wrapped larder alongside. A cautious male, tiny in comparison, is trying his luck just above her. He will almost certainly not survive the tryst if he is successful in it.

This spider wasp was busily digging out her burrow to receive a paralysed spider (with her egg laid on it) at the edge of the track as passersby tramped obliviously past, fortunately missing her. The shadow shows that it was reasonably early in the day. She's in the Family Pompilidae, and I'd hazard a guess at Sphictostethus.

On the other hand I can't begin to hazard a guess at the identity of this lovely moth. Again I'd appreciate any assistance on offer.

Varied Swordgrass Brown Tisiphone abeona.

Jacky Lizards Amphibolurus muricatus are small dragons which skitter off the paths in summer as we approach...

... as do the Yellow-bellied Water-skinks Eulamprus heatwolei.