A MUCH longed for rain free day and the Thursday Walkers headed south to Newcastle to enjoy walking in Blackbutt Reserve. 

With over 182 acres of bush land in the suburb of New Lambton, Blackbutt Reserve started life as a Depression era subdivision that was doomed to failure.

The then New Lambton Council purchased the land for a public recreational reserve and in 1938, on the inception of Newcastle City Council, it was placed in their trusteeship where it has been ever since.

Much work and many improvements since then have resulted in today’s fabulous family playground and tourist attraction.

Our walk took us through wooded areas of significant remnant vegetation and a restored rainforest providing habitats for a range of wild fauna including Brushtail Possums, Grey-headed Flying Foxes and Powerful Owls.

There were a few steep climbs and my activity app tells me that we walked up the equivalent of 22 floors.

So a good cardio workout as well.

We walked the boardwalk to find birds including the Australian King Parrot, mammals like the Brushtail Rock Wallaby, Koala and Wombat and even reptiles such as the Eastern Long-necked Turtle, Diamond Python and Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard to name a few.

The Thursday Walkers meet at the library car park in Tea Garden at 8.30 on a Thursday morning.

 

By Helen WATKINS