Rifle Range Walk to Malabar

10:30am, Tue, 23 Feb 2021

  • Event Details
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  • Type of event: Outings
    Start time: 10:30am
    Duration: 3 hours
    Venue: Entrance to Rifle Range track just to the south of South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club
    Description: Rifle Range Walk to Malabar

    The Rifle Range walk at South Maroubra has much to offer the photographer and may not be well known to Northsiders. There are dramatic cliffs, rock formations and ledges, water views, crashing waves when the sea is up, heathland with lovely wild flowers and old WWII gun emplacements near to Malabar Headland. The council has done a great job with meshed pathways over fragile areas (although sturdy shoes are recommended) and signing the way. It’s a pretty easy walk - no hills and only a few well-made steps). The route takes you on the east side of the range close to the coast coming out at Malabar Beach where there is a picnic area, toilets and a cafe. Return, after a short distance by road, there is a path on the western side of the rifle range through lovely heath and bushland back to South Maroubra.


    Getting There and Parking
    Arrival time: 10.30 am
    Depending on traffic, it is approximately a 40 minute drive to South Maroubra from the Gordon/Lindfield area via the Harbour Tunnel, Eastern Distributor then Wentworth Avenue and Fitzgerald Avenue.  Use the South Maroubra Surf Club as your GPS destination.

    Parking during the week is plentiful close to the South Maroubra Surf Club.  Note – there is no decent coffee at the surf club, so if you want a coffee before the walk I suggest you get there a bit early and go along Marine Parade in Maroubra.  The North End Café in McKeon Street is recommended by Fran.

    Meeting Point
    On the south side of South Maroubra Surf Club is a small car park and the entrance to the rifle range track is at the southern end of that car park.  Meet at the entrance to the track.

    COVID-19
    This outing allows members to travel by car and avoid public transport and is a location where it should be relatively easy to maintain social distancing.  NSW restrictions now allow up to 30 people to gather outside in a public place. Restaurant/café bookings are now based on the 4 sqm rule.  Please bring your own hand sanitiser, a mask if you wish to wear one, and follow all government guidelines relating to COVID-19.

    Program
    The walk from South Maroubra to Malabar Beach is about 4 km and takes approximately 1 hour – not allowing for stoppages to take photos.  I suggest we budget on 2 hours.  The return takes about 30 minutes, without photo stops, via a direct route to the west side of the rifle range.


    Lunch
    There is a café at Malabar Beach, and a couple of others close to Anzac Parade.  For more choice there are a number of eateries (pubs, restaurants, fish and chip shops, cafes, etc) along Marine Parade in Maroubra.  I don’t think it’s going to be practical to try to book us all into one place with the current restrictions.  It may be better to try to eat in smaller groups, or take a picnic lunch.  The Bay Hotel serves a great Fish and Chips!

    To join this outing: Please sign up on the club website by indicating your attendance.  Due to COVID, we will not be arranging car-pooling.  If you want to share transport, please arrange it yourself with someone you feel comfortable travelling with.  Contact Nigel Streatfield on outings@ncp.org.au with any questions.