2019
1, 8, 15, 22 January
Photo: Peter Barber
Clubrooms closed
29 January Summer barbecue
5.30pm - 9.00pm. BBQ at Peter Barber’s and Mary Kane's home.
Catch up with other club members and talk about your Xmas/New Year adventures. Please bring your own meat for the barbecue, and food and drink to share.
05 February Predator Control on Mt Victoria
Ian Robertson has spent the last three years wandering the length and breadth of Matairangi/Mt. Victoria, as part of the Vermin Trappers group. At the start of 2018 he formed Predator Free Mt Vic, a backyard trapping group. He'll be showing the equipment they use, and talking about the pests they've encountered and the challenges ahead.
12 February Protecting the high Pamirs of Tajikistan
Les Molloy has travelled widely in the high mountains and deserts of Central Asia. He was involved in the successful international effort to protect 18 percent of Tajikistan as a World Heritage site – the Tajik National Park.
19 February Dogs on tramps
Should trampers be able to take their dogs on tramps? What about the
problems of taking dogs into the bush, such as the threat to kiwi populations?
Hera Cook discusses such issues and introduces the concept of speciesism.
26 February A Taste of Self Guided Walking in Japan
Imagine tramping along ancient, mountainous pilgrim trails, pausing by shrines
deep in the forest and staying in Japanese inns. In March 2018, Irene Thomas
walked some self-guided trails on the Island of Honshu, and did the Ancient Capitals
tour.
05 March Vancouver Island Variety
A brand new grandchild and a wedding took Alan Graham and Liz Martin to
British Columbia where they climbed to the summit of Mt Albert Edward in
Strathcona Provincial Park(approve sites) and spent five days doing the Juan de Fuca Trail on
Vancouver Island.
12 March Doing life differently
When she was 34, Lisa Jansen decided to 'do life differently'. Instead of pursuing career goals or getting married and starting a family, she moved into her camper van and cruised around New Zealand, surfing, kitesurfing, reading and writing.
19 March 100 Year Reminiscence Series - Part 5
In the early 1960s, Paddy Gresham did several 'classic' trans-alpine trips in the mountains of South Westland, a remote, beautiful and challenging region that cast a spell over Paddy's generation of trampers and climbers.
26 March How places are named
The New Zealand Geographic Board is New Zealand's national place naming authority. David Barnes, FMC's nominee on the NZGB, talks about the place-naming process and some of the interesting name debates he's taken part in.
02 April Adventures in Madagascar
In May 2018, David and Jess Maddock spent 21 days on an adventure tour in Madagascar, trekking and camping in Andringitra National Park, canoeing the Manambolo River, and enjoying Madagascar's unique and diverse flora and fauna.
09 April A voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula
David McCrone went on a cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland and Falkland Islands. Highlights were the awe-inspiring seascapes and ice-scapes, and close encounters with penguins, seals, whales and seabirds.
16 April Outdoors in Iceland, Slovakia, Oregon and British Columbia
Peter and Caroline Gates went sea-kayaking in British Columbia and tramping/hiking in Iceland, Oregon and the Tatras in Slovakia.
23 April Orkney and Shetland: Bird-watching and neolithic history
Ken Fraser joined the Ramblers in Orkney for some bird-watching UK style, explored Orkney’s prehistoric archaeology, and spent time observing gannets, puffins, fulmars, bonxies (great skuas), and tysties (black guillemots) in Shetland.
30 April Wild adventure in the Coast Mountains of Canada
Arran Whiteford and Joane Elleouet experienced ‘the spice of wild adventure’ in the spectacular Coast Mountains of Western Canada, traversing ridges from Desolation Sound to Powell Lake with ravishing views of glaciers and sinuous fjords.
07 May Along the Corfu Trail
Peter Smith and Trish Gardiner-Smith walked part of the Corfu Trail(approve sites), a unique route through ancient villages, rural countryside and olive groves, with picturesque views of monasteries and endless beaches. Friendly Corfiots helped them along the way.
14 May Trekking in Colombia
During a 50km trek to Ciudad Perdida (’Lost City’) in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, Celia Wade-Brown saw some astonishing views and experienced encounters with indigenous peoples, butterflies, pigs, mules and mud.
21 May Off-track in the MacDonnell Ranges
Walking off-track in the MacDonnell Ranges, Irene Davies has explored lesser known areas of this ancient landscape with its open and rocky terrain and gorges flanked by red sandstone walls.
28 May Snow time like winter
Find out from the Club’s winter sports enthusiasts how the Club can help you to enjoy some great adventures in the snow.
Please note the earlier start time of 7.00pm and $4 entry charge (includes a glass of gluhwein).
04 June Travels in Borneo
Penny Salmond visited national parks and animal sanctuaries in Sarawak and Sabah, hiked the Head Hunters’ Trail, and climbed Mt Kinabalu.
11 June Containing the blast from the mega mast
Kevin Hackwell of Forest and Bird looks at what can be done to protect our vulnerable bird and bat species from a population explosion of rats and stoats caused by this year’s ‘mega mast’ in New Zealand’s forests.
18 June Quiz night
Come along at 7 pm for a fun evening of drinks, nibbles, quizzing and prizes. Form a team of six contestants or join one on the night, and compete for the sought-after and prestigious title of TTC’s Top Brains Team 2019.
25 June Firearms policy in New Zealand
Hera Cook discusses firearms policy in New Zealand, asks why it has taken so long to tighten our gun laws, and looks at how we can contribute to making New Zealand safer from misuse of firearms.
02 July A Centennial exposé
On the eve of our club’s Centenary, our positively youthful speaker Sean Buchanan peels back the covers on the last ten years to reveal his thoughts about the club, memorable trips, and to imagine what the future might hold.
09 July Zero Invasive Predators - protecting our natural environment
ZIP(approve sites) team members Duncan Kay and Susannah Aitken report on Jenny Dent’s conservation internship working alongside ZIP's Predator Behaviour Team last summer.
16 July Doing it their way
After entering then withdrawing from Tour Aotearoa, Mike Wespel-Rose and his wife Zita cycled the length of New Zealand independently.
23 July A cruise on the Milford Wanderer
Dennis Page and about 30 other HVTC(approve sites) members went for a cruise on the Milford Wanderer to explore the southernmost fiords of New Zealand's largest national park, an area of pristine beauty with a wealth of natural and early European history.
30 July Rebuilding Nepal after the earthquake
Following Nepal’s devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake in April 2015, Robyn Murray, a civil engineer with expertise in earthquake-resilient buildings, took part in an earthquake recovery project to construct new school buildings and facilities and increase the schools’ resilience to natural disasters.
06 August Snaking around the mountain
Led by Peggy Munn, a straggly line of 12 trampers snaked its way around Ruapehu in the middle of winter. There was a lot of snow and no one else in sight.
13 August Queen’s Birthday lodge trips - a 100-year reminiscence
Over the past quarter of a century, the annual Queen’s Birthday lodge trips have become a great TTC tradition. Jenny Lewis recalls how they began, and reflects on their popularity among club members and place in the club’s history.
20 August 100th Annual General Meeting
Photo: Alistair Betts
Photo: Peter Barber
Come along and have a say in the running of your club.
27 August An evening for prospective members
Joining our Club is a great way to meet new people and enjoy adventures safely in the outdoors.
Come along and find out about the wide range of outdoor activities and the Bushcraft and Alpine Instruction courses the TTC offers its members.
03 September Earthquakes and the Alpine Fault
Professor Tim Stern of Victoria University explains how data from a microearthquake network along the central section of the Alpine Fault provides a new view of what is happening at depth - plate movements, seismic tremor and regular earthquakes.
10 September 2019 TTC photo competition
Photo: Jim Gibbons
An opportunity to view the best work of the club’s photographers and to pick up tips on how to capture and edit those special shots. This year there are two new categories - humour and documentary. The judges are Robert Joiner and Alan Knowles.
17 September Lord Howe Island - ‘the last paradise’
Diana Barnes visited World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island, the isolated home of a variety of endemic native plant species and a multitude of nesting seabirds.
24 September From Chamonix to Zermatt
Lynne and Warren White hiked 200km along the magnificent, world-renowned Walker’s Haute Route between Chamonix and Zermatt in the French and Swiss Alps.
01 October Te Araroa continued: Te Waipounamu
Alan Graham and Liz Martin tramped the Te Araroa trail from Ship Cove to the Lewis Pass Road then, after a break, went back and walked the length of Canterbury to the Ahuriri River, marking the border between Canterbury and Otago.
08 October Cruising to the Antarctic Peninsula and hiking in Patagonia
Jacky Challis and Graham Lonsdale captured the breathtaking scenery and amazing wildlife of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula, and fitted in some hiking in Patagonia. Come along and be wowed by their photos.
15 October A trip to central and western China
Tricia Walbridge went to central and western China, visiting Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province, Dunhuang in the Gobi Desert, Xi'an, home of the Terracotta Warriors, and Pingyao, one of four remaining fully-intact walled cities in China.
22 October Climbing Mont Blanc
A party of five including Paul Maxim and three other club members crossed the European Alps via an arduous climb to the summit of its highest mountain, Mont Blanc (4,808m).
The experience gave Paul an insight into previous TTC climbs on Mont Blanc.
29 October A remarkable career in press photography
Barry Durrant’s interest in photography began in his teens when he started tramping. As a fit and active cadet photographer at The Dominion he covered all the search and rescue operations.
Barry’s distinguished career encompassed many significant events, from natural disasters to an All Blacks tour.
05 November Trekking in Morocco with camels and mules
Helen and Richard Gray hiked in some wild and beautiful areas of Morocco, doing a camel-assisted camping trek in the Sahara and a trek in the Jebel Sirwa range, this time assisted by mules.
12 November Life/50 year members’ evening: In memory of Michael Taylor
Rosemary Wilson introduces a video made by Michael Taylor of a 1998 Christmas trip to Arthurs Pass.
19 November The Kaikoura Job
Rob Merrifield has written a book about the reconstruction of the Kaikoura Coast road and rail transport corridor following the 2016 earthquake. Copies can be purchased on the night at a discounted price of $40.
26 November Trip planning evening: Exploring ideas for new club trips
Are there places you've always wanted to explore and wish the club would go to? Come along and share your ideas and tramping ambitions, and help generate some great trips for the fixture list.
03 December Limits to growth
Mike Joy argues that civilisation is facing biophysical realities that have been ignored, and discusses possibilities for New Zealand’s energy transition away from fossil carbon. Presentation. Links:
- Scientists warning
- Drinking water study raises health concerns for New Zealanders (The Conversation)
- The Future of Energy: Why Power Density Matters (Carbon Counter)
- The real Energy Return of Crude Oil
- Our Land 2018 (Ministry for the Environment]]
- Regenerative agriculture(approve sites), Agroecology(approve sites), Agro-forestry(approve sites), Conservation agriculture(approve sites)
- How NZ could be a world leader in sustainability (newsroom)
- The Interwoven world (AUT)
- Future Living Skills(approve sites) NZ
10 December Christmas finale
A fun evening, with drinks and nibbles from 7.00 pm, a photo presentation of the year’s tramping, and tramping songs conducted and accompanied by Peter Barber on a ukulele.
17, 24 December Seasons greetings
Clubrooms closed
31 December Happy New Year
Clubrooms closed