2026-01-21 < Weekly activities > 2026-02-04
Activity summary: Wednesday 2026 January 28 to Tuesday 2026 Feb 3
Silverstream Railway Loop Walk/East Harbour, Northern Forest/Terawhiti Station – Ohau Point and more/Mt Reeves via Coal Stream & Pt 628m/Mt Aspiring National Park
Wednesday
E Trip ‘Silverstream Railway Loop Walk’ led by David Campbell, Wed 28/01 3M
The day of the walk was both pleasant and warm, perfect for a walk in the bush. Three people started the walk, but one person decided to leave early. Except for trees blocking the track near the finish which were climbed under and over, nothing unusual occurred.
EM Trip ‘East Harbour, Northern Forest’ led by Angela Vanderpoel, Wed 28/01 14M/1NM
Starting at the entrance to the Regional Park at the top of Point Howard, we headed up the Howard Road Track to join the Main Ridge Track. Beautiful views of the harbour and Hutt Valley along the way. We then headed south through the forest along the ridge to Lowry lookout and the trig before heading down the Lees Grove Track to Wainuiomata. Back up on the Fern Gully Track to join the Rata Ridge Track. We enjoyed a well cushioned lunch spot among the trees on the way up before retracing our steps along Main Ridge back to the start point.
5.5 hours with an elevation gain of 648m. Great day with great company and stunning weather.
Angela Vanderpoel (leader), Janet Dobbie, Trish Gardiner-Smith, Brian Hasell, Carolyn Jenkins, Carol Kelly, Grant McNamara, Sokha Mey, Pip Newton, Mary Perkins, Frank Sinclair, Alison Smith, Felicity Steel (guest) Ann Walker, Christine Whiteford
M Trip ‘Terawhiti Station – Ohau Point and more’ led by Rachel Fry, Wed 28/01 22M
22 of us enjoyed a gem of a day for the Medium walk on Terawhiti Station, sunny and relatively calm. This meant that, unlike on last year's walk, we had brilliant views of the Kaikoura Range and the Sounds from Terawhiti trig, and right along the ridge over Ohau Hill and out to Ohau Point. From there we dropped down into Ohau Bay where we had lunch and some of us swam with the stingrays. We returned via Te Ikaamaru Bay, taking the gravel road up under the wind turbines. Once back at the cars a kilometre or so north of the goldmining relics, we had walked around 18 kms over 7 hours, with plenty of stops for views and water. Once again, we appreciated the privilege of having access to Terawhiti Station for this stunning walk.
MF Trip ‘Mt Reeves via Coal Stream & Pt 628m’ led by David McNabb, Wed 28/01 6M
Six members enjoyed perfect Tararua weather for this tramp up Coal Stream to the first major fork, then off track west up the spur past Pt 628 and on to Mt Reeves, returning via the main track. Coal Stream provided challenging travel, especially after the previous day's rain, with plenty of logs, small waterfalls and pools up to waist deep to negotiate. The spur provided typical Tararua off-track travel. We called at the old camp site between Pts 785 and 745m - not much evidence left now.
Multi-Trips:
'Mt Aspiring National Park' led by Kathy Wylie, Thurs 29/01 – 04/02 6M
This trip of 6 members ventured into the Wilkin and Siberia valleys in the Mt Aspiring National Park, Otago region, commencing on 29 January with a helicopter ride to Jumboland and a short walk up to the Top Forks hut. The group stayed there 3 nights, with side trips to Lakes Diana, Lucidus and Castalia, and then they walked down along the Wilkin Valley to the Kerin Forks hut for a night before crossing the Wilkin River by jetboat (otherwise a thigh or more deep crossing on our one wet day), up and over to Siberia Valley, and grateful for the warm welcome from the DoC hut warden; 3 of the group climbed up to Crucible Lake the next day. A short walk out on 4 February, with a jetboat ride back to Makarora. A highly recommended area!
Total 51 members and 1 non member