A Dog’s Day Afternoon!

by Dawn Simpson
(Batemans Bay)

This budget day out is keeping us close to home, that is if home is Batemans Bay!
While the weather is still mild enough for us to enjoy the beach environment, I would like to acquaint you with a local icon, DOG ROCK!
"Dog Rock ? I hear you say ... Where the devil is that ?"
Dog Rock is located by a beautiful walk, which follows the beach beginning at Wimbie Beach and terminating at Saddleback Cliff.
To really appreciate the ‘dog’ aspect of the rock though, we must first peruse it from a distant location.
So, park in the parking area at Surf Beach; using our Cartoscope map, go to map 3, map co-ordinates D 10. After parking, stroll over the grassy knoll down onto the centre of Surf Beach, facing out to sea. When you are in the middle of the beach, turn slightly to your right, about 2 o’clock as they say and using this photo as your guide, site the rock, which looks like the head of a ‘Bobbie’ the famous Scottish Terrier, in profile. The very creative and imaginative person can also visualise the head of ‘Pumba’ from the ‘Lion King’ right alongside ‘Bobbie’. So, once again this is a day trip that children young and old can enjoy!
The next part of our journey actually takes us to the site of the rock. Leaving your car in the safety of the car park, stroll to the right along Surf Beach, around the corner and along to the end of beautiful, calm, Wimbie Beach. At the end of Wimbie Beach there is a small track which meanders alongside the ocean for a distance of about 500 metres. As you meander along, you actually pass around the back of ‘Dog Rock’ which as you get closer and closer, loses it’s likeness to anything resembling a dog at all!
This track terminates at a gorgeous little cove, very popular with snorkelers in summer and very different to the smooth golden sand at Surf Beach and Wimbie Beach, due to it’s large black pebbles which form the foreshore. At our back is the Saddleback Ridge or cliff. The VERY adventurous are welcome to climb up and over the cliff to Black Cove on the other side but this would only be for the very fit. After enjoying our morning tea and thermos here, in the serenity and peace of this small, relatively unknown cove, (unknown unless you are a seasoned fisherman), we stroll back to Surf Beach to seek out a tasty budget lunch.

My two suggestions here would be;
Fish cocktail and Chips for $3.80 at ‘Beachside Take Away’, (under new management) or across the road at
‘Piccolo’s’, they have a most delicious new addition to their menu; Calamari Chips at $3.00 per serving.
YUMMO! Drinks extra or is there something left in the thermos ?
OK, so you are still looking for further adventure?
Remembering that we are budget minded, I am going to take you on a treasure hunt to fill in the rest of our budget day out.
Hop back into your car and head south on George Bass Drive, just over the next hill, at the bottom, turn right and follow the directions to the Batemans Bay Re-Cycling Depot; Map 3 co-ordinates C 10 (opposite the turn in to Newth Place). Open until 4pm, this re-cycling depot can be a virtual goldmine for the canny treasure hunter. What are you after? Books? Records? Bric a brac? Timber? Sporting Goods? Armoires? Sinks? Pain? Toys? I have found items still in their original packets here, hidden amongst the antiques of yesteryear. Don’t scoff until you have checked it out. If there is something you can’t buy locally and ebay hasn’t come up with the goods, then why not try the re-cycling depot out? You may be pleasantly surprised!
Always wear sensible shoes and remember to ‘slip, slop and slap, even in the cooler months.
‘Bobbies Date Loaf’
1 cup chopped dates
1 tablespoon butter or low fat margarine
½ cup sugar
1 heaped teaspoon of ground ginger, and cinnamon
1 handful of chopped nuts (optional)
½ teaspoon bi-caronate soda
Put all ingredients in a basin, pour onto them ¾ cup boiling water, then sift 1 ½ cups of SR flour, blend well, put into greased loaf tin and bake for 35 minutes in a Moderate oven. Yummy with a slap of butter or if you are watching your cholesterol, choose Logicol!