We were greeted at the trailhead by an Australia brushturkey, busy scratching up forest duff for nestbuilding. A colorful and similar looking bird to an American turkey, but not related at all.

We looked back at the Tacking Point Lighthouse as we started down the track, going from beach to beach back into the main area of town.

At every beach we stopped to watch the whales passing by, sometimes breaching, but mostly fin-slapping the water, like this one above the furthest rock, just below the horizon. You can just see the small splash as the fin hits the water surface. We spotted 9 whales at one lookout point!

These pandanus trees growing on the rocky cliffs along the beaches are fascinating! Growing in tropical and subtropical zones in the Pacific mainly, they are used for everything from food to shelter, woven baskets, and clothing. The ‘stilt roots’ grow down from the branches to stabilize the tree.

We completed our hike at the tiki bar in town at the end of the coastal walk. Refreshed with a beer, we walked through the Kooloonbung Creek Reserve and got another good look at the bats!