What should I bring?

 Day pack  Sunglasses  Warm clothes  Sturdy footwear (preferably tramping boots)  Hat and sunscreen  Drinks, including a cup Northern  Raincoat  Snacks for energy  Lunch for full day activities  Own medication (includes antihistamines) 2014

How hard will it be?

Easy suitable for all the family – slower easy walking

Medium two to four hours may include hills, streams and rougher tracks

Fit four to six hours walk usually over steeper rougher tracks or routes. Welcome to the 2014 Northern King Country Summer Programme. Our programme provides the chance for visitors and locals, young and old alike, to join exciting tours to Trip Times? discover the rich heritage of this region.

Trip end times are approximate and may vary to those printed in programme.

Children? Check each trip for recommended age for children. For all activities, children must be over the age of 8 years and accompanied by an adult unless specified otherwise. Children are classified as children up to and including the age of 16 years.

How do I make a booking? All bookings should be made by contacting the i-SITE Visitor Information Centre (opening hours: Mon – Fri 9am - 5pm; Sat 10am – 2pm; Sun closed) Phone: (07) 878 8077; Fax: (07) 878 5280; Email: tkisite@.govt.nz

All bookings must be prepaid and are not confirmed until payment has been received. To avoid disappointment book early!

Please note: EFTPOS and credit card accepted. Contact Te Kuiti i-SITE Visitor Information Centre before sending cheques to ensure spaces are available. Make cheques payable to Council and post to: NKC Summer Programme, C/- i-SITE Te Kuiti Visitor Information Centre, Rora Street, Te Kuiti 3910

How do I know if the trip is cancelled? Recreation, conservation, cultural and historical In the event of a cancellation, participants will be contacted by phone the day before the trip is scheduled. Refunds will only be made in the event of a trip being cancelled by the organising trips - something for everyone. committee. ______

This programme was organised by the Northern King Country Summer Programme group, with The Northern King Country Summer Programme has been running every January for 24 years. generous support from: The programme is organised voluntarily by local community organisations that have a common  Department of Conservation goal to promote the King Country and its incredible heritage.  QEII National Trust  Sport  Te Kuiti Tramping Club  Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre

Disclaimer: The guides reserve the right to exclude from any activity persons not adequately prepared or equipped for the conditions that may be encountered.

Calendar of Events

Date Event name Time Fitness What’s it all about Additional information

Come and meet the giant weta, one of NZ’s largest prehistoric insects in its special home Bookings essential. Meet at DOC office, 78 Taupiri Street Te Kuiti at 9.00am or at the Piopio hall at 9.00am Mon 6 Whopper weta Medium environment. Unchanged over 190 million years, these gentle giants have survived dinosaurs and climate 9.30am; 45-minute drive from Piopio to Mahoenui. Carpool. Maximum of 20 people. Minimum age 8 – January change to settle in the heart of the King Country, in a protected paddock of gorse closed to the general public. yrs (must be fit). Bring: lunch, plenty to drink, cup, snacks and cool layered clothing. Sturdy footwear, walk 4.00pm Bring your camera and get up close to this local icon. hat and sunscreen essential. Gloves for protection against the gorse. Price: Adult $10; Child $5 Tree release and walk. Awatiro is probably Waitomo’s most spectacular private farm that houses Waitomo’s Bookings essential. Meet at Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre at 9.00am. Approx 15-minute travel From grow to 9.00am headwaters and ’s 1000th QEII covenant. We roll up our sleeves to help protect the water that time to destination (carpool). Fill vehicles with petrol before arriving in Waitomo. Maximum of 20 Tue 7 Medium/ Fit – flows through the renowned by releasing many of the younger trees from weeds people. Minimum age 8 years. Bring: lunch, drink, cup, snacks and gardening gloves. Sturdy January glow. Helping cave streams …… 3.30pm to help them survive and keep the water pure. It's not all work and no play! We go on a bush walk on a new footwear, hat and sunscreen essential. track the Stubb’s have created where we hope to glimpse forest giants, unique plants and land formations. Price: Adult $10; Child $5 Experience a different aspect to this stunning local reserve and find out what it’s like to be a volunteer in Bookings essential. Meet at DOC office, 78 Taupiri Street Te Kuiti at 9.00am. Maximum of 25 Mangaokewa people. Minimum age 8 years. Bring: lunch, drink cup and snacks. Sturdy footwear, hat and Wed 8 9.00am Medium conservation. Meet at DOC office in Te Kuiti to walk the scenic Mangaokewa river trail to the reserve. A local January Reserve. Hike, – Project Manu volunteer member will then guide us along the main reserve trail below towering limestone cliffs sunscreen essential. Do bring your togs but no speedos allowed! swim, explore, it’s 2.00pm and share their knowledge and experience about many of the highlights not often seen by visitors. Enjoy just next door …. some traditional ‘billy-tea’ and take a refreshing dip in the stream before returning to Te Kuiti. Price: Adult $10; Child $5 Come and enjoy a family day out in Brook Park. Wind your way up to the summit enjoying activities along the Bookings essential. Meet at the car park behind BOSCO Café, Te Kumi Road, Te Kuiti at 10.00am 10.00am way. At the summit, enjoy the vista of Te Kuiti township and magnificent countryside views to the north. We Thur 9 Motakiora (Brook Medium Maximum of 30 people. Suitable for families. Bring: lunch, drink, cup and snacks. Sturdy footwear, – may even have a yodel / co-ee competition. Learn about the history of Motakiora whilst eating your picnic January hat and sunscreen essential. Park) 2.30pm lunch. Make your way down to Somerville Memorial Grove, at a leisurely pace, where a drink and muffin Price: Adult $10; Child $5 awaits you. Join us for a family treat with a bike ride along a stunning section of the Pureora – Ongarue Timber Trail. Bookings essential. Meet at DOC office, 78 Taupiri Street Te Kuiti at 8.30am. Fill up with fuel before Accessed via private farmland, this section would only otherwise be viewed as part of the southern section of arriving as 60-minute drive to destination and some driving on farm track. Maximum of 25 people. 8.30am Fri 10 Tiki tour on the Medium the trail. Join engineer and Timber Trail technician John Stock for a guided adventure into the heart of logging Minimum age 8 years. Children must be supervised at all times. Competent bike riding ability and – January camp areas where cascading mountain streams, picturesque wetlands and stunning ignimbrite cliffs form part active fitness level required. Bring: lunch, drink, cup and snacks. Appropriate footwear, mountain Trail by bike 4.30pm of everyday scenery. This section of track is relatively flat and wide offering a fabulous cycling opportunity for bike, helmet (mandatory) and sunscreen essential. Distance: About 12km return to lunch site with the whole family to enjoy and sneak a peek at some restored historic relics. an optional 6km available. Price: Adult $10; Child $5 Stretch the legs on this challenging day and discover a hidden gem with a tramp to the shores of beautiful Bookings essential. Meet at DOC office, 78 Taupiri Street Te Kuiti at 8.30am. Transport provided. 8.30am Mon 13 Explore to Lake Fit Lake Koraha. Lake Koraha is a unique example of a lake in a karst depression within an intact native forest 60-minute drive to destination. Maximum of 10 people. Minimum age 13 years. Bring: lunch, drink, – catchment and has been identified as a priority ecosystem site for the Department of Conservation. Ranger January cup and snacks. Sturdy footwear, hat and sunscreen essential. Koraha 5.00pm Thomas will lead a small group of fit and hardy trampers across-country to the lake for lunch and an optional swim before the return hike home. There is no formed track to the lake. Fit and experienced hikers only. Price: Adult $10; Child $5 Wander out of the district with us to ride the Otonui Paddleboat on Lake Whakamaru. The 3-hour lake cruise Bookings essential. Meet at DOC office, 78 Taupiri Street Te Kuiti at 9.00am. Bus transport 9.00am heads south down Lake Whakamaru towards the Whakamaru Dam passing the site where Yogi Bear was Tue 14 Putt-putt- Easy provided. 75-minute drive to destination. Maximum of 40 people. Minimum age 8 years. Bring: – filmed, Waipamu Station, the Waikato River Trails, wetlands and farmland. Late morning tea on the cruise is January lunch, drink, cup and snacks. Sturdy footwear, hat and sunscreen essential. paddleboat 5.00pm included. On the way home, a short diversion off SH30 will take us to the Pureora Forest Tower for an inspiring short walk. Price: Adult $48; Child $38 9.45am – Adventure problem solving course involving a series of obstacles. This is a treasure hunt with teeth including Bookings essential. Meet at Legendary Black Water Rafting, Waitomo Caves Road, Waitomo Caves 2.00pm Wed 15 SuperQuest Fit rope bridges, caves, water and logs. Successful completion of each challenge will lead to another clue in your or at 9.45am for morning trip or 1.45pm for afternoon trip. Minimum age 12 years and maximum age 20 January “quest”. You will need to communicate effectively and work as a team to complete the course in the allotted years. Bring: drink, snacks and a cup. Thermal top and raincoat for cold and wet weather. Sturdy (12 – 20 years) 1.45pm – time. Maximum numbers of 12 per time slot. footwear, hat and sunscreen essential. Price: $25 6.00pm Fabulous opportunity to explore the Waitomo District’s newest power station before heading off on a guided Bookings essential. Meet at Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre at 8.30am. Approximately 45- How to farm a 8.30am walk through open farmland, bush, river and rocks. You will see lots of limestone including very interesting minute travel time to destination (carpool). Fill vehicles with petrol before arriving in Waitomo. There Thur 16 Medium/ Fit – bluffs, native bush and waterfalls. There may be an opportunity for a chance fossil find. The walk is will be a car shuffle at destination for ease of return journey! Maximum of 30. Minimum age 8 years January 5,500 acre garden 6.00pm approximately 15km - ranging between easy and steep terrain (about 3km of steep). Marcus Paterson talks (must be fit). Bring: lunch, drink, cup, snacks and walking poles if you use them. Sturdy footwear, about their sustainable harvesting and environmental farming philosophy along the way. hat, sunscreen and raincoat essential. Price: Adult $10; Child $5 This is a great opportunity for both farmers and non-farmers to visit Barrie and Jude Tatham’s award-winning Bookings essential. Meet at DOC office, 78 Taupiri Street Te Kuiti at 9.00am, or the Piopio village Tatham farm, 9.00am hill country sheep and beef farm, extensively enhanced using fencing and planting to protect soils and hall at 9.30am; 15-minute drive from Piopio to destination. Carpool. Maximum of 25 people. Minimum Fri 17 Medium/ Fit – waterways. Additional benefits are shade and shelter for stock; and aesthetics with a mix of native and exotic age 8 years (must be fit). Bring: lunch, drink, cup and snacks. Sturdy footwear, hat and sunscreen January Mangaotaki Valley 4.00pm forestry. Stunning views of the limestone cliffs; so treasured during recent movie filming. Time permitting we essential. visit the nearby Mangaotaki Reserve Walkway where over 50 native plant species are named. Price: Adult $10; Child $5 Join us for an exclusive, guided trip into the heart of rural King Country, led by one of our region’s best known Bookings essential. Meet at DOC office, 78 Taupiri Street Te Kuiti at 8.30am or at the Piopio hall at A journey 8.30am hiking and hunting enthusiasts Tom Brough. This trip is designed as a mixture of physical challenges, 9.00am, or Aria Cossie Club at 9.15am. Maximum of 20 people. Minimum age 12 years (must be fit). Mon 20 Pirere. Fit – historical information and scenic delights. Tom’s encyclopaedic knowledge of the area will expose hidden Bring: lunch, drink, cup and snacks. Sturdy footwear, hat and sunscreen essential. January through the heartland …… 4.00pm treasures and abundant fern species. Trees and plants named along the way. If you’re ready for an adventure, you won’t be disappointed. Price: Adult $10; Child $5 Bookings essential. Parents to drop off children outside Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre at An EXCLUSIVE trip for the youngsters! After getting all your gear ready (helmets and lights provided) and 10.00am - do not forget to pick them up again! Approximately 30-minute drive to destination. 10.00am forming small groups, your first challenge is to find the right wild cave entrance. You will stay in your group as Tue 21 A Maze of a Cave Fit Maximum of 16 children. Minimum age 8 years, maximum age 12 years. Bring: Sunhat, sunscreen, – you work together to find your way around a maze of a cave where cave treasure might just be lurking. After January raincoat, medications, lunch, drink, cup and snacks. Clothes for the cave including warm trousers (no (8 – 12 years) 3.30pm resurfacing to daylight, a change of clothes if necessary and lunch, and if we have time we will set off for a jeans), gumboots and jersey. Rubbish bag to put dirty clothes and shoes into. Clean clothes and bush walk before returning back to base. suitable footwear for bush walk in the afternoon. Price: Child $8 This trip is a great opportunity to visit a high producing hill country sheep and beef farm in the picturesque Bookings essential. Meet at DOC office, 78 Taupiri Street Te Kuiti at 9.00am or at the Piopio hall at setting of limestone rocks and pockets of native bush. Magnificent views of the King Country may be had from 9.00am 9.30am, 30-minute drive from Piopio. Carpool. Maximum of 25 people. Minimum age 8 years (must Wed 22 Verry Farm, Medium/ Fit the higher points. Owners, Mark and Susie Verry take us on a guided tour giving insight to the history of the – be fit). Bring: lunch, drink, cup and snacks. Sturdy footwear, hat and sunscreen essential. January farm and locality, the farming operations and seasonal challenges, and also on-going changes necessary to Waitanguru 4.00pm remain profitable and sustainable. You will see working dogs in action and with a little luck if it is shearing Price: Adult $10; Child $5 time you will see how it’s done with the associated hive of activity.

A FULL HEALTH & SAFETY BRIEF WILL BE GIVEN ON EACH TRIP. ALL CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT (unless otherwise specified)