12 minute read
The joy of wild swimming
In this extract from Lonely Planet’s new book, we visit the rugged watering holes of Australia and New Zealand, just in time for summer
LAKE WILLIAMS, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Solitude, wide skies, fringing forest When to visit—December and January
Float centre-stage in a granite amphitheatre in Western Australia
Lake Williams absorbs all the attention you give it. On first sight, its stillness is contagious, inviting a slow, contemplative walk to the shoreline. As the shady access track gives way to an open expanse of lake, with eucalyptus residue lingering in the humidity, the air smells and even tastes different, somehow.
Stillness doesn’t mean silence, though: listen attentively and you’ll hear faint sounds of ripples from waterbirds on the lake’s surface; the calling of raptors overhead, and songbirds in the bush; the breeze coming and going across land and water and rock.
The feel of smooth granite and the soft silty shoreline is a blessing to bare feet and has been for generations— the traditional Aboriginal Australian owners of the area are the Minang people and pieces of their ancient stone tools have been found at nearby Lights Beach. It’s easy to imagine this place being used as the perfect spot to camp, hunt and gather long before colonisation—it wasn’t until the 1830s that William Bay and the lake were named after the British Arctic explorer William Edward Parry.
Swimming in silk
Those first tentative footsteps into the lake are bracing. Its water—chill in winter, cool even in summer—is filtered through the soil of paddocks and the roots of karri, marri, sheoak and peppermint trees. Depending on seasonal rainfall, it flows or trickles or seeps into the lake like caramel-coloured silk. Softened by the vegetable tannins it gathers on the way, it feels great on the skin.
There’s zero visibility in the water, which makes it mysterious, slightly disconcerting. Feeling your way through the shallows, towards the centre, is a tactile experience. You’ll feel the squishy silt underfoot, unless you wear rubber sandals, and there’s an occasional underwater branch or boulder to navigate. As the water deepens and you become weightless, it’s as if the lake is bottomless. If vertigo sets in, roll over and float, outstretched, eyes wide open, taking in the natural palette of blue sky, green bush and rustcoloured granite.
On the lookout
Back on dry land, lolling on that granite, look up, down and around. In pools and puddles, especially in spring, frogs and tadpoles are everywhere. A scratchy sound of reptilian claws reveals the presence of King’s skinks— lizards that can grow as long as a person’s forearm— emerging to sunbathe on the rock.
The translucent wings of dragonflies dip down on the water. Square, grassy pellets of poo in gullies on the rock, and along the tree line, indicate that western grey kangaroos come here to drink at dawn and dusk. It’s rare to be absolutely alone in the bush.
Get there
There is no public transport to Lake Williams. Drive to Lights Beach, 13km from the town of Denmark. From the car park, walk or cycle the 1.5km track to Lake Williams. Hikers on the Bibbulmun Track will also pass by the lake.
MOUTOHORĀ, BAY OF PLENTY, NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND
Geothermal power, birdwatching, seclusion When to visit—year-round at low tide
Dig your own hot tub in the sand in New Zealand
From the moment you set foot on Moutohorā (Whale Island) in the Bay of Plenty region, you’ll wonder if you’ve travelled back to another place in time. The island reverberates with the sound of birds calling out across the native forest canopy—an unfortunate rarity through much of the country today. Tūī fill the air with their distinctive clicks and pops, and bellbirds chime out to one another from the treetops. Fur seals dive off rocks and into the cool waves below, while on the rocky edges, pōhutukawa trees bloom bright red, signalling that summer is here. Rare species are the island’s main attraction, but Moutohorā is also where you’ll find one of the country’s most unique wild swims: here, you can dig your own personal oceanside hot tub in the sand.
Pest-free paradise
Once a complex volcano system, Moutohorā is now a sheltered enclave for native species—but it hasn’t always been this way. Over the last 200 years, the tiny island off the coast of Whakatāne has been the site of a whaling station, a sulphur mine and a rock quarry. The land wasn’t just stripped of its natural resources—it was also devastated by the introduction of goats, rats, cats, and rabbits.
In the 1960s, conservation of Moutohorā began in earnest, first with the replanting of native trees, followed by the painstaking eradication of invasive mammals. Today, it’s a predator-free sanctuary that gives a chance to thrive to various threatened species such as tīeke (North Island saddlebacks), kākāriki (redcrowned parakeets) and tuatara, an ancient reptile that coexisted with dinosaurs.
On the island’s northern shores, you can watch the colony of grey-faced petrels dive-bomb headfirst towards their cliffside burrows, while the plumes of nearby Whakaari/White Island (an active marine volcano) rise in the distance. It’s a reminder of the region’s volatile volcanic underbelly—which is also to thank for Moutohorā’s geothermally heated waters.
A geothermal wonder
Moutohorā is far from the only place in New Zealand (Aotearoa) that you can experience a hot water beach, but it’s one of the most exclusive. Due to the island’s conservation status, only 24 tourists per day are permitted to land on its shores as part of a guided tour. After birdwatching, you’ll be led past the scalding pools that were once used by Māori to cook tītī (muttonbirds). Steam rises off the white and yellow rocks, while the smell of sulphur permeates the air. Upon arrival at Onepū Bay/ Sulphur Bay, you’ll see the gentle crest of white sand, underneath which hot springs bubble to the surface at low tide. Then, all it takes is a shovel and some determination. You’ll be rewarded for your hard work with your own personal spa in the sand, where you can lie back and watch the waves lap at the shore. The water will be much hotter than you expect, but there’s no need to worry—a cooling dip in the ocean is only a few feet away.
Get there
Located about 9km off the coast, the island of Moutohorā is a 15-minute boat ride from Whakatāne in the Bay of Plenty region. Because of its conservation status, visits to the island are heavily regulated, and there are only a handful of tour operators permitted to land on its shores.
GREEN PATCH BEACH, JERVIS BAY, AUSTRALIA
Native species, First Nations culture, bushwalks When to visit—February and March
Wade at a wildlife rich, indigenous-owned park in New South Wales
There aren’t too many spots where you can swim in the presence of wildlife that you won’t encounter anywhere else in the world. At Green Patch Beach, tucked within Aboriginal-owned Booderee National Park, you can do just that. Before you even wet your feet, you may come face-toface with kangaroos, wallabies, parrots and rosellas, which roam free in the bushland.
Rare flora and fauna
A vast range of habitats, from southern mahogany forests to seagrass meadows, is responsible for Booderee’s biodiversity. It’s home to more than 460 different native plants, 200+ bird species and at least 30 native mammals. Avian aficionados should keep their eyes peeled for the hardto-spot eastern bristlebird, threatened nationwide but thriving here thanks to efforts to reintroduce some of the country’s most at-risk endemic species. One of the rarest is the long-nosed potoroo. While it’s doubtful you’ll spot this shy nocturnal relative of the kangaroo, you can improve your chances of seeing animals active only at night—pitch up at Green Patch’s campsite and you can sleep for real among these curious creatures.
Swim in crystalline seas
The walk to the beach, through a forest of blackbutt trees, has been filled with the beautiful cacophony of foraging crimson rosellas, rainbow lorikeets and Australian king parrots—but as you cross the eucalyptshaded wooden bridge to the crescent-shaped beach, it fades. All you’ll hear is the sea gently lapping onto shore, and the sound of frolicking kids. The smell of the salty breeze and sizzling barbecues vie for olfactory attention. From here, take in all of Jervis Bay, the cliffs of Point Perpendicular and Bowen Island. Like a comforting embrace, the bay protects the beach from the ocean swell. Sink your feet into the blindingly white, soft sand and immerse yourself in the sun-warmed aquamarine waters. The East Australian Current, carrying warm water from the Coral Sea, mixes with cooler water from Bass Strait, delivering sparkling clarity. Swimming here is a deeply restorative experience. It feels like you’ve stumbled into one of Australia’s last great wildernesses; it’s incredible to think it’s within such easy reach of urbanity.
First Nations know-how
What really makes Green Patch special is the fact that Booderee lies in the hands of its traditional owners. The park was conferred onto the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council in 1995, who co-manage it with Parks Australia. The Yuin People, who have resided here for millennia, named it Booderee—‘bay of plenty’ in the Dhurga language.
Today, Elders continue to pass on knowledge in nature’s classroom, maintaining their spiritual bond with the land and water. As you bathe in these glorious waters, take a moment to pay your respects to the First Australians, the saltwater people of past, current and future generations.
Get there
Green Patch is around three hours’ drive south of Sydney. Shuttle services operate between Sydney and Jervis Bay, from where taxis are available. Trains run between Sydney and Bomaderry. From there, buses depart for Huskisson and Vincentia, an easy cab ride away.
LAKE TAUPO, NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND
Cold water, geothermal sands, mountain views When to visit—December to February
Plunge into a crater lake overlooking snowcapped mountains on the North Island, New Zealand
Lake Taupo is so large, the locals call it an inland ocean (Taupō Moana in Māori). It’s likely that you’ll be overwhelmed by its scale when you first set eyes on it, and you’ll need a few moments to take stock. Beyond its broad expanse, you’ll see the snowcapped peaks of Mount Ruapehu, Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Tongariro, blending together in a muddle of blues.
A dip for every mood
At 616 sq km, the lake is big enough that it takes on a different character at different spots around its perimeter. At the stretch of beach near Taupo town centre, families frolic. Just a little further south at Waipahihi, there’s a hot water beach—you’ll feel geothermal heat rising through the pumice sand as you sink your feet into it. Then there’s Acacia Bay, where you can head out to the pontoon and dive, bomb and leap into the clear azure water. And, for strong swimmers, it’s an adventure to strike out to the giant Ngātoroirangi Mine Bay Māori Rock Carvings, chiselled into the cliff face by artist Matahi Brightwell in the 1970s. Whichever you choose, a dip here is revitalising for the body and the spirit. Once submerged, the epic scale of those volcanic mountains and the sheer vastness of the lake make one’s worries disappear, and the world becomes magnificent again.
Volcanic creations
There are more wonders if you look down. The water is so transparent there’s visibility up to 69ft (21m). Around Taupo’s headlands—between the shifting reflection of the sun off the water—you can see the greywacke sandstone disappearing into the lake depths. The caldera holding Lake Taupo is the result of a giant volcanic eruption 27000 years ago, and the water is low in nutrients that would otherwise support plants and algae. That’s why it’s so clear to the eye. The water temperatures are less consistent. A cool 10°C (50°F) in winter, the top strata warm up over the summer and, by February, it can feel like swimming in a heated pool, with temperatures up to 20°C (68°F).
From lake to ocean
There’s variety on the surface, too. On a calm day Lake Taupo is fairly tranquil. Fishing boats bob offshore, its occupants chasing the lake’s famous wild trout. Waves gently lap the sand, until a passing motorboat sets them tumbling onto the lake shore with a rhythmic urgency.
Come on a windy day and you’ll not recognise it. Waves whip into a frenzy, and the breeze sends sailing boats dashing across the rolling water. Entering the lake now feels more like stepping into the sea. As the waves slap your face, you’ll truly understand why the locals named it an inland ocean
Get there
From Rotorua city, it’s a 1.5-hour bus ride to Taupo town, or an hour by car. If you have wheels, you can get to remote spots more easily. Otherwise, the town is right on the lakefront—just head down to the water and get swimming.
Edited extract from Lonely Planet's The Joy of Wild Swimming, now available to purchase from shop.lonelyplanet.com
MAIN IMAGE: Jervis Bay (with Bowen Island) is a popular spot for whale watching
