We took the dog for a walk down the old Woolgoolga Tramway Trail in the hills above Arrawarra. The tramway was built more than 100 years ago, to deliver logs to the sawmill, from where they were shipped from the Woolgoolga wharf to clients in the UK, Germany, Japan and South Africa. The first steam engine powered trip was made in 1907, but the tramway did not operate for more than a few years – World War 1 and other misfortunes put an end to it.
Our dog isn’t much interested in the straight path with its nice and steady gradient, she is far too busy sniffing the ground. Some trails have scenic beauty, others may have a nice hill climb for building fitness, but this one meets our dog’s criteria for happiness: she finds joy poking amongst weeds and splashing in the puddles, with no other trail users to disturb her peace.
I enjoy the glow of the grasses in the evening light, the clash of scarlet dusky coral pea amongst the profusion of purple hardenbergia and the simple pleasure that comes from being active in nature with an excited dog on the end of her lead.
