Free camping at Bodalla State Forest

Bodalla  Rest Area

Bodalla Rest Area is part of the Bodalla State Park. It is just 9km north of Narooma and 30 km south of Moruya. It is a free camp with mostly large and reasonably sites delineated by bollards and serviced by 2 long drop toilets, a water tap and rubbish collection 3 times a week. There is some phone & limited TV reception without aids. It was about 70% capacity but I have heard that there was no room there just a few days earlier probably over the weekend. There doesn't appear to be a time restriction on length of stay there. 

Glimpses of the lake

From within the park there starts a walk around Mummaga Lake. It is posted as a 2km easy walk with a few steeper parts. The reality is that it seems like a 3km walk. We went anti-clockwise, starting at the south of the park. The grade is slow and gradual with 3 or so groups of steps, which are a little high. (I didn't notice that but talking to one camper who has bad knees, she turned back when she encountered the second set).
 

At the water's edge

Rob with his breathing difficulties managed the whole walk but obviously at a slow leisurely pace taking advantage of the seats along the walk, sometimes to recover some breath, but sometimes we stayed longer just to enjoy the view nestled in amongst the gum trees.

There are a few swans on the lake and a few birds flying around but the rest must have been busy elsewhere during the middle of the day when we took our walk.  We did enjoy the bright colours of at least one Azure Kingfisher.

The bright colours of an Azure Kingfisher are easy to spot

Towards the end of the walk, just when we were thinking it might have been easier to start the walk from the opposite direction, we encountered many long up & downhill sections which were quite draining if your health isn't the best but not actual steps. Still we are glad we did the walk which took us much longer than the average couple.

The concave curve within a tree almost hides half of Rob

Here you can see the concave part of the tree as you look up the trunk

Sadly on our second night there, a nearby camper took ill and an ambulance was called. He was rushed off to hospital. The gossip is that apparently he was airlifted to Canberra Hospital. The police had to come by twice, once to remove his 2 dogs to ongoing care and then arrange for packing and lock up of his caravan and car prior to being taken away for storage. I didn't meet the gentleman concerned, but Rob did and expressed surprised as the gent had every appearance of good robust health. We should know better that you definitely can't judge a book by the cover. Anyway, you just never know when you are going to get ill. so make the most of life while you can!