A lovely secluded beach along the Screw Creek Nature Walk
If you happen to be down Inverloch way, there is a lovely walk you can do for an easy leg stretch. The Screw Creek Nature Walk is an undulating walk (2.5 km return) that skirts Anderson Inlet and provides both stunning views and a range of striking vegetation types.
View back up estuarine Screw Creek
Salt marsh grasses
The Screw Creek Nature Walk starts at the far end of the Inverloch Foreshore Camping Ground, so you have to walk from the entrance of the camp ground through the length of it, to the carpark at the other end. The start of the walk is clearly signposted.
The walk is suitable for children, and in fact is a wonderful family walk as there is so much to see and it's not very taxing. The path is a combination of boardwalk and narrow dirt track - in some places you have to walk single file to avoid being hit by vegetation - but it's very easy going all the way.
Coastal forest
Marvellous mangroves
The first part of the walk follows the inlet to the mouth of the creek, then crosses the creek and takes you up a little higher into the dunes and then higher to Townsend Bluff. When you cross the creek and look down at the banks, you'll see the mangroves poking through the mud. If you look into the water, you might spot some fish; the mouth of the creek is a popular fishing spot, as they are carried up and down the creek with the turning of the tides.
Stunning views over Anderson Inlet from Townsend Bluff
Let your imagination run wild with this tree...a home for the elves?
When you reach Townsend Bluff, you can sit on the wooden bench seat and enjoy the magnificent views out over Anderson Inlet. From there, you can see the town of Inverloch and beyond. The track runs in a loop, so you can decide whether to turn back from here, or continue inland a little. It's worth doing the complete loop, to see how the vegetation changes quite dramatically from coastal dunes to low scrubby bush.
Well maintained paths make the walk a pleasure
When you've completed the walk, you'll find yourself back where you started and feeling very refreshed. The only thing that I think could improve this walk would be some information signage along the way, to give you more information about what you're seeing. However, you can pick up a brochure that describes the walk from the Inverloch Visitor Information Centre.
If you feel like you could walk a little more, you might as well leave the camping ground and walk along the beach walking and bike trail to Inverloch township, where you can get excellent coffee at quite a few of the local cafes. It will take you 20-30 minutes to do that, depending on how fast you walk, but it's worth it.
Note: the Screw Creek Nature Walk is not suitable for people with mobility issues as the dirt track is fairly uneven and there is a small amount of uphill walking to be done. No bicycles are allowed on the track.
