U3A Ballarat Hikers

 U3A Hike No 273 Hike Report by Anne 11 walkers gathered for the short drive to Shelly Beach Car Park. Three koalas were spotted as we scanned the tall trees surrounding the car park. We set off through the beautiful forest and tree ferns down to Shelly Beach, where we spent some time exploring the beach and marvelling at the patterned rocks. Tina spotted 2 starfish sheltering under a rock in the sand. We walked back up from the beach and rejoined the track heading to Marengo. Andrew told us Marengo was named after a ship that foundered on a reef off the coast of Marengo. Gordon told us that Marengo was a Napoleonic battle which was the origin of the dish Chicken Marengo. Geoff thought it possibly came from someone asking “Where did my meringue go”? We continued through coastal forest until we came to Three Creeks Beach. We huddled on the rocky beachside in the lee of the wind and had our morning tea break. The walk continued along the beach until we came to the path that led steep

 U3A Hike No 272 Hike Report by Janet Our group of hikers congregated at Forrest, in good spirits, looking forward to for our first hike of the week around nearby Lake Elizabeth. Lake Elizabeth was formed in 1952. Flooding caused a landslide and the valley and forest were covered by water creating the lake. One of the few known places where platypuses can be seen in the wild. (Yes, this is the plural of platypus!)  What a gem! Most of us had not visited before and after walking along a narrow undulating trail that meandered through thick forest and lush tree ferns, we were delighted with our first view of Lake Elizabeth. Such a beautiful and tranquil place, calm waters surrounded by a lush wall of ferns and tree ferns and backed by magnificent eucalyptus soaring high in the sky. All reflected spectacularly in the still, tranquil waters of the lake punctuated by the petrified trunks of trees,  a reminder of what was once a heavily treed valley before the flooding, and giving the lake a