Warblings Out West
Warbles from the Editor. West Auckland District I look forward to receiving notifications or Tramping Club reports from trip leaders, photographers and anyone who has taken part in the activities of the th Newsletter no. 413 October 2014 Club. Cut-off date the 10 of the month please.
Contents Club calendar
President’s report
Trip reports What’s coming up? Letters to the editor Committee
New Members
The intrepid paddlers at the Waikato River – Brian, Sue, Denis, Louis, Peter and Mike.
Report to follow
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Reminder of pot luck dinner Saturday,18th October 6.30 pm Bring a plate and join in the fun. Theme “Young at heart” - dig out an old school tie or grandma’s hat and bag to get in the mood. Venue: Waitakere Gardens 15 Sel Peacock Drive Henderson – parking inside the gate. There will be games, prizes and a chance to boogie. This is also a great way to catch up with fellow trampers if you don’t get out often. Please let Wendy know by Wednesday 15th to assist with planning, phone 832 2869 or 021 156 0140.
Mataia 19 October Glen Eden Post Office @ 8:30 am Lynne Flood 8175178 Chances are you have seen the distinctive “M” roofed homestead on the Kaipara Coast Highway. Check out Mataia Walks for inspiration to join a day on the farm. We have visited this property once before and know the owners are well organised with maps and a pre-walk talk about the property. The Mataia 1 day circular walk is approximately 12km in length – around 4 to 5 hours with breaks. Based on the surrounding 1400ha Mataia Farm, the Mataia Walks offer a rare experience of a working farm run in conjunction with a privately-owned intensive conservation project. Traverse rolling farmland, explore coastal forests and saltmarsh wetlands, and enjoy stunning views of the Kaipara Harbour from cliff-top walkways. Please advise leader if you are intending to go directly to Mataia. Costs: $10 to restoration project + $10 to your driver or $15 if non member. 2791 Kaipara Coast Highway, Glorit, RD4, Warkworth.
Tuesday, 21 October -Club Night 7.30pm Come along and bee informed by Carol Downer, past President of Auckland Beekeeping Club about these amazing creatures that are so important for our food chain. Their product will bee on sale. Carol Downer, a reputable speaker and Past President of Auckland Beekeepers. We should all be aware that honeybees worldwide are having really serious health problems which greatly reduce colony numbers and have the potential to seriously disrupt the world’s food supply. These problems are symptoms of much larger problems of health in world ecosystems and our society. Can we do anything about it? Carol may have the answers.
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22 October Wednesday Night Walk - Henderson 6.45pm
Henderson Creek Walkway with Steve Newson. Meet in the Falls car park to do a loop down the walkway to the motorway and back up the other side of the river
Labour Weekend away in the Waikato Oct 24 to Monday 27 Oct Contact Peter Tuohy for late bookings 828-3274 or 027-438-9944 Based at the Kea Motel in Pataruru we will use this base for day walks. Do as much or as little as you want.
26 October Home Tramp - Cascades Area Waitakere Ranges 9.30am
Cascades Starting on the Auckland City Walk then the Upper Kauri track followed by a couple of other little tracks. We’ll then make our way along the Fenceline to the dam for lunch. We will have great views, toilets, no rain (!) and good company. After lunch we will make our way down the Cascades track and back along Auckland City Track with a nice hill to finish on back to the cars. Refreshments at the Swanson Railway Café on the way home. Approx 4 hour – slow pace. Please advise leader if intending to go straight to Cascades.
Wendy Bassett 832 2869 021 156 0140 $7 members, $12 non members
29 October Wednesday Night Walk - Tamaki Drive Area 6.45pm
Meet by the big fountain in Mission Bay for a stroll around the area as I don’t walk too fast paced these days! My usual one for those who have been before. Drinks in a local café afterwards for those who would like to.
Wendy Bassett 832-2869 / 021 156 0140
2 November Goldie Bush Scenic Reserve 8.30am
Come and enjoy this beautiful bush walkway. We will travel down Goldie Bush Walkway and return via the Makora Stream and Falls Tracks. This tramp is about four hours. Please note there has been a rock fall at Makora Falls and we will be staying well clear of the area below the falls.
Pam Goldie 838 5186 $5 members, $10 non members
5 November Wednesday Night Walk - Oakley Creek Walk 7.00pm
Meet outside Peter’s house - 1/23B Cradock Street, Avondale at 7pm. Peter will take you up Oakley Creek (without a paddle), around Unitec and back home for a bit of supper.
Peter Tuohy 828-3274 / 027-438-9944
9 November Peripatus Revisited 8.30am
Due to popular demand (don't know why, I obviously let you take it far too easy last time). Meet at Glen Eden 8.30am, drive to the end of Christian Road, up East Tunnel track, loop Anderson and Fenceline, along Waitakere Tramline and Peripatus. A good tramp with heaps of variety.
Trish Hopkins 835-4405 $5 members, $10 non members
12 November Wednesday Night Walk - Titirangi 7.00pm
Meet in the Titirangi Library car park for a walk around the area, ending up with a coffee option.
Val Ellis 817-6813
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16 November Parau and Huia Walk 8.30am
A lovely 4 to 5 hour walk in the bush to Huia. Just a hill or two and maybe some mud. As the Farley track is closed we will car pool to Huia and then start the walk from the Panto track 200 m east of the Cornwallis Road turnoff. Walk up to the Parau track which will take us back to Huia.
Astrid Crouth 817 5552 $5 members, $10 non-members
18 November Club night
A representative from ECO Matters who will talk about the Twin Streams Project in the Oratia Henderson area
23 November Hakarimata Walkway ` 8.30am
First we travel to Taupiri Mountain and climb through the bush to the summit. Great views which include the Wind Farm near Raglan. Back down another track. This takes about an hour. These tracks are away from the sacred burial grounds. Aficionados of ramshackle, corrugated iron farmyards filled with happy animals will love the one we see here from a distance. I certainly do. There is also a lovely green wharenui. Then 15 minutes drive to the Kauri Loop Track on the other side of the river. Clean boots for this please. The track takes two hours or so and includes two lookouts over the Waikato and many, many, many steps. Caution! Do not read the sign at the start telling you how many steps there are. It's actually quite an easy walk, popular with the Waikato locals. Bags of gravel may be waiting to be carried. Then to the cafe at Mercer and home.
John Miller 622 0436 $20 members, $25 non members
28 November Social event
Another great night is planned at the Titirangi RSA. “The Las Vegas night” is in town with some legendary performers. Austin Powers, Neil Diamond, Elvis Presley, Tuxedo Boys & Tracey Brown. These nights are awesome and always loved by all that attend - ONLY $15 for Titirangi RSA Members & $20 for Non-Members. Wendy has secured 12 tickets on a 1st come first served basis. Preshow dinner is planned for those who want it. Wendy Bassett ph 8322869 (before 8.30pm please)
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President’s Report October 2014
Hello Members
Don’t you just love daylight saving with these longer evenings. We have small groups enjoying our Wednesday night walks (I haven’t got there yet!).
Many thanks to Steve Newson and Ralph Lyon who offered us the use of their screens for Club nights. Possibly thanks to an appeal from Christine to the Council we now have one provided.
Christine has kindly donated a couple of books to the Club. “Up Front Out There Westies,” by Bob Harvey is an entertaining profile on 60 Westies from all walks of life, including recently deceased Ewen Gilmour. This book, the “Waitakere” book and “Mountains Of The South” can be borrowed by members . Just write your name and the date in the notebook in the box on club nights.
Trish has done a marvellous job re-typing our current Club Rules. With constant photocopying they had become very tatty and hard to read. A copy will be sent to members shortly. In future when the Rules are updated this will enable everyone to follow anticipated changes before approval is sought.
Hope to catch up with some of you at the Pot Luck Dinner. Jill E
Trip Reports
White’s Beach 14th September . Pam Goldie
The day dawned and the rain poured. Only four intrepid trampers braved the elements. And guess what? The wind still blew but then the weather cleared and the sun came out. There is nothing like a wild, windy west coast day to invigorate and rejuvenate the body. We negotiated our way out to White’s Beach and Anawhata while the wind whipped up the waves to a frenzy. We enjoyed our lunch break looking out over the fierce sea. When we returned to Piha beach we watched a little girl playing with the foam which looked like snow all over the beach. Some of the grown up trampers decided that it was fun and they played with the foam too. A really special day. When it is raining I often think it is easier not to bother going on a tramp, (This time I had to because I was the leader) but after the tramp I have never regretted going. Thank you to the members who came. It was a really amazing day.
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Tawharanui Regional Park 21st September Ralph & Lyndell
Despite the doubtful weather seven trampers turned out for this day tramp that turned out to be a day of multiple changes from warm sunshine to cold rain as we explored a selection of the tracks including the Ecology Trail in the eastern section of the park. By the middle of the day we were out at Tokatu Point visiting the lookout and the marine reserve marker point where there is a project underway to attract sea birds including gannets to set up breeding colonies on the steep hill face and rocky projections at the shoreline. We chose to take advantage of a warm sunny spell to have our lunch stop amongst the shelter of the manuka along the track out here. The loop track on the point took us past the carpets of flowering prostrate manuka - however we did not linger there to admire them as thunder was rumbling in the distance and one of the cold rain squalls had arrived. After a short loop using some of the tracks in the western end of the park we opted to finish the day‘s tramping and rounded off the day with a pleasant coffee stop in Matakana. Despite the less than ideal weather the bellbirds were still to be heard and seen. Apart from the bellbirds our bird sightings included fantail, tui, grey warbler, kereru, saddleback and gannets. We could also hear kaka but could not see them. A signs of spring was the clematis in flower along with the manuka. Those out to day were Lynne L, Yvonne C, Tim D, John M, Colin, Lyndell and Ralph
Six Volcanoes of East Auckland 28th September Christine Major.
Only Colin, first-timer Janey and I managed the less appealing get-up time thanks to the Daylight Saving changeover. Little Rangitoto, diminished by quarrying, was our first volcano and it was a short trot downhill to Orakei Basin, volcano number two. Kepa Bush provided a bench and view for morning tea after which we followed the stream up the gully as far as the ASB Stadium. The green space of Madills Farm provided relief in the street bash to Tamaki Drive from where we walked along the St Heliers promenade, up Cliff Rd and over to Glover Park, volcano three. From the high path there is a very pleasant view of Rangitoto and Browns Island framed by flowering vegetation. The path along the western border of Churchill Park was an unexpected delight with the sub-tropical private gardens merging with each other and the stream meadow. Glendowie Park which had once been mistaken for a volcanic crater punctuated the trek to Taylors Hill, volcano four. We sat just below the summit out of the breeze for lunch enjoying the view of the Tamaki. We should not have joked with Colin that he needed a table and sun umbrella to go with the chair that folded from his pack, because within minutes the first shower of fine droplets assailed us. This was the first of several in the afternoon and we soon learned to not bother with coats as the rain was so insubstantial. Thanks to the holidays Sacred Heart College was a quiet shortcut on our way to join the Point England Walkway at Lyndhurst St for a long coastal section. We spotted some children and dogs enjoying a dip at a sandy beach and then watched the same dogs rolling joyfully in the grass - spring is coming! After Point England we continued alongside the Tamaki River in Riverside and Dunkirk Reserves where we old Westies impressed some young Easties. Off the grass and onto foothpaths for the final stretch to Panmure Basin, volcano five and then we faced the traffic clamour of Lagoon Drive and the Panmure roundabout. We took the pedestrian track from Mountain Road up to the expansive views from the trig atop Mt Wellington our final and highest volcano and we were back to the car at 3.15pm after an excellent day.
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Waikato River Kayaking Report 21 September – Peter Tuohy
Having observed the annual Cambridge to Hamilton boat race last year I was keen to partake this year. Having mustered another 6 keen kayakers and 4 well-wishers, we headed to Cambridge. Saturday afternoon saw us kitted out with kayaks from The Boat Shed at Lake Karapiro followed by a visit to the new Valodrome just north of Cambridge. What an impressive venue. As the timing of our visit was between races, we were allowed to go inside and watch cyclists in training and marvel at the facilities before a lovely dinner at an Irish pub beside a roaring fire.
On Sunday morning the banks of the Waikato River at the Cambridge Domain was a sea of colourful kayaks, stand-up-paddleboards, outriggers and other vessels. Following a list of announcements and safety instructions we were off. Most of us had entered into the (untimed) “cruisers” division as we were just out for a pleasant paddle and weren’t too bothered about racing the clock. The trip is very scenic passing some rather impressive homes along the way. It was not long before the serious paddlers powered past us fully focused with sweat dripping from their brow. We saw the odd person capsize, mostly being the stand-up-paddle boarders. It took us about 2 ½ hours to reach Hamilton central and a great sense of achievement having tackled something new. It was a long wait until prize giving with George getting the prize for the oldest participant. An impressive array of prizes and spot prizes were handed out before we headed for home. With this being an annual event, it would be fun to do again another year. Such fun!
Kayakers were: Peter Tuohy, Sue Russell, Brian Kettle, Louis Allerby, George Venemore, Mike Denyer, Dennis Badan.Support crew: Wendy Bassett, Marcia Clarke, Kathy Badan & Mike’s mate Lenny.
Kaimais Backpacking Weekend 3 to 5 October Ralph and Lyndell Lyon
It was a busy weekend in Te Aroha as the town was celebrating Cruising Day with the presence of Classic cars and motorbikes so we were fortunate to be able to get some accommodation in the large and somewhat character filled Mokena Hotel.
Saturday saw us up early and, with a shuttle organised by Chrissy, the manager of the hotel, we were all at Waiorongomai starting on the gently rising Low Level Track by 8.45am.
This gentle ascent came to an abrupt end at the foot of the Butler Incline. The general opinion of those who had climbed it before was that it had not got any easier in the intervening years. After a morning tea stop at the top of the incline we continued along the Piako County Tramline to the May Queen Incline where there was a hasty throwing on of coats as the first of the day’s three hail squalls assaulted us. Continuing on from the end of the tramline took us to the junction of the track leading off to the Waitawheta Hut. It seems that the old Crimson Thread Track had been reworked and rerouted to connect more directly to the Waipapa Track. Our first attempt at a lunch stop was foiled by a passing rain shower and we moved a bit further down the track for our lunch break. The Waipapa Track falls steadily downwards with occasional level or gently rising sections and we reached the hut at 3.00pm to find that, conveniently, the other occupants, six fathers and their nine children, were set up in the larger room leaving the other room free for us. With the weather discouraging exploration of the site in the remaining afternoon we settled in for afternoon tea and perusing the hut books and old magazines .Overnight the weather cleared somewhat and we were up early enough for a quick walk down to the bridge over the Waitawheta Gorge and around some of the mill site remains for those who had not been to the hut before.
The return up the Waipapa track proved to be less arduous than you might expect because the steepness of the climb is reasonably moderate and broken up by more level sections. Back at Waiorongomai Saddle we turned right onto the Mangakino Pack track and then the old Plutus Claim track to the mountain road where we found a sheltered corner for our lunch stop. Then it was up the steep track to the 952 m summit of Mt Te Aroha the highest point for the
7 trip. At the summit the transmitter tower was in the clouds but the strong winds of the previous day had abated. The sign at the top said 1 1/2 hrs to Te Aroha Domain down the Te Aroha Mountain Track. As I think I have found before this is rather optimistic if you are carrying a large pack and it was more like 2 1/2 hrs before we reached the cars parked at the hotel which happily was only a stone’s throw from the track end in the Domain. My feet gave a sigh of pleasure as the soles felt the cool grass as the boots were removed around 7 1/4 hrs after leaving the hut. Our group for this trip comprised Lynne, Shirley O, Verena, John M, Lyndell and me. Thanks for your company everyone.
The return drive to Auckland proved more challenging than anticipated. Due to a major traffic holdup up after Ngatea Shirley’s carload returned via Tahuna and suffice to say our return in the other car involved a flat battery, missing road map, guesswork and a return route that took us up and over the Hapuakohe Range on a road that understandably said no campervans, trailers or trucks beyond this point. Still now I know where the Hapuakohe Track is and have seen more of NZ’s scenic backblocks.
Devonport Walk. 6th October Pam Goldie
The weather was sunny and we set off from Narrow Neck Beach, got to Cheltenham Beach and climbed up North Head. I had been to the Auckland Heritage Festival Tours of North Head and had lots of information on North Head guns, defences and our old enemies to pass on to our members. While we were on the top of North Head we saw a pod of dolphins playing in the sea just off the Beach. It was really lovely to watch the dolphins playing. We then proceeded to look at the tunnels and then watched a film about the history of North Head. On the way to Mount Victoria we stopped at the Navy Museum to look at all the wonderful exhibitions. We climbed Mt Victoria in double quick time and then made our way to lunch in Ngataringa Park before going back to Narrow Neck Beach.
What’s Coming Up
Gibbs Farm Visit - Thurs Dec 4 – Jill Dingle booked early in the year after being rained out and only two braving the elements. We can take x10 so ring JD 09 8323459 or 0212945700
Rotoroa Island Day trip and Weekend – Dec 7 Val Ellis Phone:817-6183
Our Christmas Barbacue will be at Wenderholm on Sunday, 21st December. We hope you will be able to join us.
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The Committee
Jill Engle President 6264325 [email protected]
Christine Major Secretary 3784404 [email protected]
Trish Hopkins Treasurer 8354405 [email protected]
Denise Vazey Vice President 8271552 [email protected]
Lynne Flood Trips Coordinator 8175178 [email protected]
Peter Tuohy Committee 8283274 [email protected]
Malcolm Wednesday walks 6274495 [email protected] Robinson
Chris Green Printing for mag. 8385888 [email protected]
Shirley Bulog Committee 8109303 [email protected]
Wendy Bassett Social Convenor 8322869 [email protected]
Mark Vazey Gear Steward 8271552 [email protected]
Miriam Harwood Overdue parties 8189314 [email protected]
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