BRIBIE BUG BLOG

28^th February 2012

Away Bike Ride: Bulcock Beach to Wurtilla

Present:          Sandra Allan (Leader)

                        Richard Allan
                        Bob Stutter
                        Tami Telford
                        Sophia Korst
                        Lauren Tucker
                        Kerrie Weston

A pleasant sunny day enhanced today's ride which started at the Happy Valley Park at Bulcock Beach.  Good meeting point as there is plenty of car parking and undercover bbq tables for lunch after the ride.

 We rode along the coastal walkway/bikeway, beautiful views over the ocean, passing the memorial to the HMS Centaur, Kings Beach, Shelly Beach, Moffat Beach, Dickie Beach and along to Currumundi Lakes.  A few of us ventured on further to Wurtulla Beach.

The Headland Walkway/Cycle Path is part of the coastal pathway and from Shelly Beach to Kings Beach it shows, through a series of plinths, part of the history of Caloundra. Some highlight the story of the original inhabitants and others highlight the involvement of Caloundra during the War. Plaques set into the concrete show the names of people who lost their lives in the service of their Country.

Anzac Park has a special memorial to the Anzacs and is the venue for the dawn service conducted each Anzac day.

The Centaur Memorial was erected as a permanent memorial to those who lost their lives when the hospital ship AHS Centaur was sunk by a Japanese submarine on the 14th of May 1943. The location of the wreck was discovered late in 2009 and thus the annual memorial service held in 2010 was a particularly poignant occasion.

 On the 4th of February 1893 the S.S Dicky was deliberately grounded on the beach during a cyclone to avoid being washed onto the headland rocks. In spite of many attempts to free it the ship proved to be immovable and parts still remain on the beach today. Dicky Beach takes its name after the ship and is the only recreational beach in the world named after a ship wreck.

 There are good tracks all the way along including some quite steep hills in places, a good workout after the flat terrain of Bribie.    There are a couple of areas where we go onto the road briefly until we join up with the track again e.g. Two Way Bridge.  Some of the track areas are a little away from the ocean views but travels through shady bushland, very peaceful, with just the sound of birdsong and some heavy breathing from the cyclists!  A welcomed cup of coffee went down very well at Cocos at Currumundi Lakes opposite the beach, a pleasant outlook.   Refreshed, we went on our way back to Bulcock Beach for lunch.   An easy 25 km ride stopping here and there to take in the views and to keep together as a group.   A very pleasant day.   Photograph taken at Currimundi Lakes.