Newslettter

Trip Reports... 

Makatote viaduct walk

January 28 2012

Somewhere behind Makatote viaduct there is a flat, level, wide, groomed trail to two waterfalls. We never found where it was though, instead forcing our way through brush, over logs, into “bush lawyer” to get to the viewpoint. Unmaintained, ungroomed tracks have some distinct advantages. They allow one to get closer to nature, for example.  Nature appears to resent this closeness and tries to injure us in revenge, but getting to hug trees, fallen logs and occasionally (inadvertently) the muddy track makes up for the scratches and bruises. The other advantage to rough tracks over groomed tracks is that you’re not only working out your legs walking but the rest of your body too – upper arms, abdominals, and chest muscles. A top-class gymnast would have made short work of the trail. Lacking top-class gymnasts, our group took 3 ½ hours to go 3kms. Going slowly had the added advantage of having lots of time to look at the gorgeous totara, kahikatea, rimu, matai, etc… as well as lovely epiphytes and delightful fungi. Going slowly didn’t stop Peter from getting lost on a couple of occasions but the scenic detours just added to the adventure. The view at the end was worth it too, and a perfect place to stop for lunch. Nobody forgot false teeth, glass eyes or prosthetic limbs this time, although Murray almost sacrificed his camera to the trail gods. Thanks to Murray’s hard work with the secateurs and saw, and Peter’s reccon a couple of days before, the track was well cleared and easy to find by the time we were done with it. It would be a shame to waste all that hard work; another trip should be organized to take advantage of it as soon as possible or, as Peter says, “never again!”

Sara Sutherland


Waitaanga walk

January 21 2012

A beautiful day walk into Te Rerepahupahu waterfall. We all showed up bright and early at 6am to enjoy the walk except for Graeme Croy who showed up 5 minutes late with cries of “what are you all waiting for?” Mark had promised a rather impressive waterfall cascading into a pool of black water full of eels and those of us who had not attempted the trip before were excited to see it. Thirteen people were able to go on the tramp – our glorious leader Peter Panton, Graham Cosford, Murray Wilson, Jan Roberts, Sharrynne Fabish, Jenny Dowle, Graeme Croy, Robyn Croy, Sara Sutherland, Mark Goodwin, Michael Brueck, Sue Palmer and Renata. Following much discussion at the last club committee meeting, Mark purchased a pair of hand-held walkie-talkies to improve communication on the walk. These worked really well when they were turned on, and if the two operators weren’t walking side by side. The first part of the walk was through muddy farmland along the river. Then the trail followed an old tramline, walking on hand-hewn timbers and stopping to look at bits of train machinery, cool trees, interesting fungi and a very friendly robin (not the Croy variety).  Not long after morning smoko we reached the hut where Peter searched long and hard and fruitlessly for a heavy brick to put in Graham’s pack. After the hut the track started a gentle rise through lovely native bush with several different species of native trees and at least 20 different kinds of ferns. Everything was going swimmingly until Jan angered a hive of mutant killer assassin attack wasps which took after poor Jenny with intent to harm and no generosity of spirit. We would have left her to die but Graham and Robyn took pity on her and stayed with her while the rest of us continued the tramp downhill. The trail got quite steep downhill at that point, requiring some of us to descend on hands and knees and occasionally bums to get down safely. Finally at the end we found the rather impressive 60m waterfall cascading into a beautiful clear pool of water that apparently had no eels in it at all. We all had lunch and enjoyed the view, and watched Mark demonstrating that it was possible to walk around the back of the falls (if you don’t mind getting wet). Then the more brave and foolhardy among us had a swim in the pool, at risk of eels, riptides and hypothermia. After all that excitement we clambered back up the slope (with a slight detour to avoid the evil mutant killer assassin attack wasps). By some accident of geography the tramline part of the walk was twice as long on the way out as the way in. Apart from hook grass and the evil, Mafioso, mutant killer assassin attack wasps the trip had everything a good tramp should have – good company, a bit of interesting history, beautiful scenery and nobody airlifted out this time. We were barely stiff and sore (except for Graham Cosford who was a little tiny bit stiff and sore) and back to town for fish and chips (over Robyn’s protests).

 Sara Sutherland.


Te Peka reserve Update

 Thanks to Robert Simpson. Kim Pond and Peter Panton for regular work in the reserve where excellent progress is being made in several areas. Also thanks to all who have attended past working bees.

             On Friday 27th April Peter and I enjoyed a wet morning burning a small mountain of vegetation accumulated from on going clearing in the top west corner of the reserve. A few more days work in this area will see a large area ready for planting in June.

The track in the “Forest of Hidaka,” has been extended with a new track to, and across a gully, to rejoin one of the main tracks to the trig. A large area of the gully has also been cleared and is ready for planting with 28 holes being dug. It was hoped that children attending the April school holiday programme would plant trees but the wet weather kept them indoors.

            In the Cook’s garden area, below the picnic tables under the largest Totara in the reserve, a group of 12 fan palms have been felled and cleared as they were seeding and coming up in the thousands. Trunks have been used for track edging to extend the ATV tracks and walkways. On Saturday 28th April Peter and I had a further working bee to burn another mountain of vegetation in this area. This was very wet and after using all our old oil and diesel and still not getting the fire started we had to recall our scouting skills and start our fire with dry sticks and wood. Once going, everything we threw on it burnt. This area will also need more trees planted in it this season.

            The family of Mrs Lorraine Edwards recently planted a healthy Kauri tree in Te Peka in memory of Brian Edwards. The tree is on the flat area beside the main track, about half way down the hill. A further new track now cuts across from below the vehicle entrance to this new Kauri tree.

 An annoying problem at present is the regular return of goats into the reserve with damage to some trees and complete destruction of others. Fencing would be difficult and expensive. The goats come from land north of the reserve along from the river bank beside SH 4.

We would like to produce a double sided A4 side folded sheet, in colour, with information and photos to promote the reserve. These would be placed in motels and the information centre. We would love to hear from anyone who has skills in this area who would volunteer the time but expenses would be refunded. There are plenty of photos available but who ever takes on the job may like to take new photos.

Please contact Stuart Shaw if interested in this very necessary job.

Te Peka Reserve Landcare Group.

 

                                    
Web master: don.dawson@orcon.net.nz

Taumarunui Tramping Club     PO Box 61      Taumarunui      NZ

LinksNewsletterPhoto GalleryWho's whoHome