Sunrise from the esplanade

This day I went down to the beach pretty early - the light was dim and everything I passed - houses, gardens, grass had lost their colour. As I approached the beach from the Esplanade the sun lit the light clouds in the sky with a rosy glow and this tree had a wonderful outline against the colorful sky.

A place to sit and contemplate

Dotted all along the foreshore are fixed tables and chairs and at most smaller entrances locals have added some chairs under the trees, so there is plenty of opportunity to sit and contemplate life, the universe ... and everything!



Or you can just watch the sun play on the water, the waves and the people. So relaxing.

Another visit to Woodgate

Just back from another visit to beautiful Woodgate!

The early spring weather was beautiful - not too hot, not too cold. A few cloudy days and one with a little rain, but for the most part, days that started cloudy soon cleared to warm sunshine. It was great to be able to throw off the winter layers I've been used to at home and wear ONE layer of light clothing!

Lots of posts and pictures to come :)

The beach and holiday skies

Although its been a few months since we were there, I hear that Woodgate is looking quite lush with recent rains and the kangaroos must be thrilled with all the green lawn grass to nibble!

The beach is beautiful though regardless of if has been wet or dry and it goes for miles in either direction from our little entrance ...

To the north:

To the south:


Notice how the beach is almost empty (albeit at an early hour). Only one other walker can be seen in the distance to the south. I'm looking forward to our next visit so that I can walk it again and enjoy the fresh early morning breezes and hear the gentle waves lap the beach.

Take a walk along the Esplanade

The Esplanade is the main street of Woodgate that runs along the beach. And between the street and the beach itself is a wonderfully shady paved path for walking and bike riding.



And every so often (approximately at each street intersection opposite the Esplanade) is an entrance down to the beach.

Found on the beach

I really enjoyed my early morning walk along the beach during our stay. Often getting there just after dawn, I was keen to see what the tide had washed up. (And it was a perfect time to escape while the children were still sound asleep!)

My first view of the beach would often look like this


On closer inspection I might find a pretty shell or two




Or a bunch of seaweed


The variety was amazing when I took the time to look closely!

A variety of houses and a little garden colour

There's not a lot apart from the beach and kangaroos in Woodgate Beach - unless you talk about houses!

From fishing shacks:


to established family holiday cottages:


to alternative, organic-looking houses:


to multi million dollar residences:


There are also houses straight from suburbia, but try as I might I couldn't get excited enough to take a photo of one LOL.

Gardens vary a lot as well. Most are pretty sparse - the kangaroos eat everything green and succulent so unless the house has a keen gardener in residence it can look a bit bare!

There is the occasional dot of garden colour as in this lovely red flower


And some of the larger trees have nice hanging fronds out of the reach of the munching kanagaroos!


Apart from residences, there is a
* bowls club (with restaurant)and community centre (including tennis courts);
* caravan park with an outdoor only coffee shop;
* small centre with a general store/takeaway, real estate agency, post office and dress store;
* (another) real estate agency;
* hairdresser;
* restaurant; and
* pub.

Mind you these are spread out over about 4km along the beachfront area so there is definitely not that built up feel!

There is a newer estate adjoining the established Woodgate Beach residential area with many new houses being built and near to this area is a small centre with a
* mini-mart;
* bakery;
* chemist;
* doctor's surgery; and
* yet another real estate agency.

I guess in areas that are popular with land and house sales as well as holiday rentals, real estate agencies are going to be the most common business to be found!

As you can see you can find the basics, but as it doesn't even warrant a school (children travel by bus to the nearby Goodwood School) it definitely is not a shopaholic's haven - but perhaps it's good for those who are recovering shopaholics with next to no temptation?