2025-07-02 < Weekly activities > 2025-07-16
Activity summary: Wednesday 2025 July 09 to Tuesday 2025 July 15
Zealandia/Dry Creek – Boulder Hill – Lower Loop/Pararaho Forest/Mt Matthews via Hinakitaka Stream/Waerenga Hut/Waimahi Reserve – Brooklyn – Zealandia
Wednesday
Ramble ‘Zealandia’ led by Peter Nixon, Wed 09/07 1M
E Trip ‘Zealandia’ led by Julia Fraser, Wed 09/07 8M
We had a good turnout for our trip. 8 Easies and 1 Rambler. The weather was cloudy but not wet. After morning tea with hardly any birds spotted we headed for the Fuschia loop where we started to hear Kaka and Tieke. Then we saw a lovely plump robin, Toutouwai. We had lunch on the tower with clear views of flying Kaka and the forest then crossed the suspension bridge. There were a very good number of Piwakawaka flitting about. After Karearea track we were back to Lake Road with no Tuatara to be seen! We had a lovely time so very many thanks to everyone for their company.
EM Trip ‘Dry Creek – Boulder Hill – Lower Loop’, led by Marg Pearce, Wed 09/07 16M
Sixteen members were on our EM trip that began at Dry Creek, Belmont Regional Park, climbed to the top of Boulder Hill then descended to take a left turn onto a loop that took us back to the car park via a lot more climbing in a lovely native bush setting.
For mid-winter we had beautiful conditions - no wind and a cloudy sky with promise of rain later, but we were dry all day. The big excitement of the day was meeting the Medium trip of 19 participants, led by John Dement, on Boulder Hill. There was much meeting and greeting and general jubilation that we were kindred spirits enjoying such a lovely spot in such lovely conditions with 360 degree views which included Mt Matthews, Wellington Harbour and Transmission Gully's route over Wainui Saddle. Our trip was four and half hours and I think it is fair to say that the party arrived back at the car park full of good cheer after a very pleasant day.
M Trip ‘Pararaho Forest – Boulder Hill’, led by John Dement, Wed 09/07 19M
The route was up to the Kelson Dairy where we travelled along the Forgotten Highway before dropping to cross Speedys Stream. After ascending a spur we took a small side trip to reach the highpoint of the day Boulder Hill arriving before the other party. A small back track took us to the Kilmister Track. Partway down the Kilmister Track we turned off to visit Rocking Horse Hill, and followed the Governor Grey's Track to reach The Field Of Dreams. Then down Speedys Stream back to the cars.
MF Trip ‘Mt Matthews via Hinakitaka Stream’ , led by Anthony Hill, Wed 09/07 1M 3NM
“It's crazy but we're doing it.” I wasn't feeling that keen myself on my planned M/F trip to Mt Matthews; the weather was looking mixed, my regular chauffeur had cried off because she had to spend time with grandchildren, my alternate chauffeur said it would be too hard, another tramper was still recovering from injuries sustained during the last trip to Corner Creek. Another signed on and then off because their car was broken. All very credible sounding excuses but still.
I was this close to having a quiet Wednesday at home watching tennis, but that wasn't to be because an enthusiastic Dutch exile, Mike Voets, and two refugees from the Hutt Valley Tramping Club, Catharina and Andrew Fisher, said we’ll come.
We didn't get as far as Corner Creek in the car because of a swollen Wharekauhau Stream. We parked there, and were walking at 9am. We made good time around the coast, and up the Mukamuka and then the Hinakitaka. It felt as though we would make short work of the day but by the time we'd explored the slip at the head of the stream, and had lunch, I no longer felt so relaxed.
We still had 450 metres to climb. We decided to take the advice I'd received from David McNabb and Gerald Leather, and follow the marked route of the stream out to the left of the slip. This was soon blocked by a waterfall, so we climbed directly on to the spur separating Corner Creek and Hinakitaka Stream. It was steep, vertical in places, scrambling up tree roots. Mike took a short video of Andrew disappearing into the forest in which Mike can be overheard saying, “It's crazy but we're doing it.”
Fifty metres below the summit, we considered sidling directly around to the north ridge. It was a tempting prospect. I was feeling tired and a bit fed up at this point, but it would have seemed incomplete to miss the summit so we carried on, reaching the top at 3pm.
After a quick break we made short work of the descent into Corner Creek, briefly interrupted by a lost baby goat. Mike offered to adopt it, but after initial interest, it rejected him. We made it back to the coast road just as it was getting dark and were back at the car at 6pm.
Weekend:
All Trip ‘Weekend at Waerenga Hut’, led by Sarah White, Sat 12/07 – Sun 13/07 7M
Seven members enjoyed an overnighter at Waerenga Hut. Feasting, games and an evening visit to a neighbouring hut to look at their solar lights, featured. Cathy and Karen walked back via Cattle Ridge and the rest of us took the quick route back to the car park.
EM Trip ‘Brooklyn, Waimahi Reserve, Zealandia’, led by Paul Bruce, Sun 13/07 4M
My small group included Virginia Ellis and a prospective new member Fleur Patterson. We skipped the Waimahi Reserve section and passed directly by the Brooklyn War memorial and from Ashton Fitchett Drive to the Zealandia perimeter fence where we meet up with Elizabeth Summerville.
The four of us used the mountain bike track for the section past the wind turbine, and then back alongside the perimeter fence with a deviation for a brief stop at the Wrights Hill look out before descending for lunch at Zealandia. We returned via the fence line and Highbury Fling and back down to Brooklyn via Todman Street.
The forecast burst of showers held off until later in the day, giving us a very pleasant mild day. 5 hours, 13.4km and elevation gain 476 metres.
Total 56 members and 3 non members