This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 94, no 2, March 2022
Wild weather at Whareroa
Monday 7 February 2022
Luckily we didn't do this walk on Waitangi Day when it rained non-stop and there were only two reluctant takers. But Monday 7 February was rain-free, though there was a very strong SE wind in the morning. Eight of us turned up at Whareroa Park entrance and had a look at the route on the map. We went up to the Lookout with a good view of the QE Park wetlands and Kapiti Island, then went off track along sheep tracks. This part of Whareroa Farm is seldom visited and still has sheep grazing. We climbed to nearly 200 metres and stopped for morning tea just below the top of the ridge where we were sheltered from the SE gale. Then we hopped over a stile and went down an overgrown track which was cut only a year or two ago., now known as Mamaku Valley.
All open areas in this catchment have been planted with native trees, as organised by Groundtruth of Paekakariki. Groundtruth have developed a new method of planting similar to planting pine trees, i.e. quite small seedlings are used and the area is spot-sprayed in advance to kill the weeds. This method has been used successfully in QE Park on sand, but success is not guaranteed on the stiffer soils of Whareroa.
We dropped down Mamaku valley and went up the other side using the cycle track which climbs up to ‘Five Ways’. There was a handy picnic table in just the right place for lunch, with good views all around, and fortunately the wind had died so we had a very pleasant lunch. Our descent was down the walking track via the Dell, where we admired the big totaras, milk trees and other natives. We were back at the entrance after four hours total time.
- Party members
- Elizabeth Bridge, Ken Fraser (leader and scribe), Julia Fraser, Carol Kelly, Chris & Carol Paice, Peter Shanahan, Vicki Wogan.