Sometimes you don’t have to venture too far from home to be transported to somewhere pretty special. Tucked away between beachside houses and the sand dunes that border Goolwa Beach in South Australia is one such place, Tokuremoar Reserve. This peaceful little patch of scrub is an ancient remnant Tea tree reserve that has a wide path for walking or riding through and forms part of the larger Encounter Bikeway trail that runs between the towns of Goolwa and Victor Harbor.

The pathway leads into a boardwalk area over a wetland which is enveloped by native trees and plants. This section of the bikeway goes for a distance of around 3 kilometres one way between Goolwa Beach and the outskirts of Middleton.

One nationally endangered and 14 state bird species that are rated as either rare or vulnerable have been recorded as living in the habitat. As well as being a habitat for birds and butterflies it also contains some vulnerable and rare plant species amongst its total area of around 70 hectares.

This reserve area is managed by a committee which includes the local council, the Department of Environment and the local coast care group. The indigenous Ngarrindjeri people are also still active participants in the protection of the cultural and environmental value of the reserve too. It contains some of the last and least disturbed indigenous cultural heritage sites on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Over the years the area had been used for sheep and cattle farming and in the early 1800s it was the site of a brewery. In the 1960s and 70s the reserve and adjoining dune areas leading to Goolwa Beach were the playground of dune buggies which caused a lot of damage.

Thankfully today it is a picturesque place to wander through and see the ancient paper barked melaleuca trees, (many of which are over 500 years old) the woodland and wetland area. A wonderful place to take a walk and as the sign says, use your senses! Watch, listen, smell and feel. If you’re lucky you may just spot some of the local permanent mob of western grey kangaroos hanging out too.

Enjoy the great outdoors.

Glenys