Shoalhaven Bushwalkers Inc.
Wednesday Walkers visit Yalwal in Winter 1987 - by Dawn Evans
A very cold morning saw a group of walkers meet at the aeroplane for a full days trip to the Yarramunmun Valley at Yalwal, with leaders May Leatch and Rick Kelly (The Donkey Man of Foxground).
Two cars left Nowra, a small group, with Rick Kelly and friend in an open top car, having already driven down from Foxground in the same. Cars were left near the Yalwal Cemetery and we headed downhill with May Leatch carrying the customary bottle of Port, for Rex Fletcher, honorary Ranger and resident of Yalwal.
We followed the badly eroded and overgrown track down to the Yarramunmun Creek, passing the Aboriginal sharpening groove site (now disappeared) near the telephone mast, and stopping near the junction of Dean Creek and Yarramunmun Creek (property now owned by the Usher family). This particular flat was one of a number used by Rick Kelly for his Donkey Trek camps, and fitted out with a corral for the donkeys, as well as a picnic table and seats and fireplace with billy and frying pan nearby.
After boiling the billy, we headed off downstream, following the old road along the Yarramunmun Creek. Numerous remains of old shacks were seen, and old fences, one in particular would have been part of a stockyard. We also stopped and looked at Deans Flat, which Rex Fletcher assured us was the site of the old Racecourse for Yalwal. We arrived back at Nowra around 5pm after a very full day.
Some walkers were-- May Leatch, Rick Kelly and friend from Foxground, Ursula and Don Turner, Margaret King and Dawn Evans.
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