This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 94, no 11, December 2022
East Harbour Regional Park - Ferry Road to Eastbourne Bus Barn EM
Wed 26 October 2022
In typical windy Wellington spring conditions, ten met at the Days Bay Pavilion and headed up the Ferry Road track at the north end of the park. On reaching the main Ridge track, we headed southwards under mainly beech canopy to the south end of Days Bay where morning tea was enjoyed in speckled sunshine.
We continued along the Ridge track and over Hawtrey on a dry footpad. At the Muritai/ Kāeaea/ McKenzie tracks junction, Lynne Pomare greeted us as she sat on a solid seat trying to take in the wide harbour view that is hindered by a massive information board showing a picture of the harbour view in Perspex. The real deal required a standing position!
Now eleven, we entered the access to George Gibbs’ QE11 Convenant land together and settled on a lunch spot, again in speckled sunshine. The bush offered more variation with lancewoods, and a magnificent rewarewa in full flower as we made our way southwards.
Three peeled off at the top of the Bus Barn and Kowhai tracks junction while the remaining eight ambled on meeting the Easy group also heading back to the bus stop over the Bus Barn track. After a short sojourn in the lee of a rock on the beach, a bus returned us to our cars and four enjoyed winding down over ice-creams and coffee at the Pavilion café while one headed for a dip in the waves.
Total walking time 4.25 hours, total time 5 hours.
- Party members
- Jim Gibbons, Jane Kitcherman, Lois Kluger, Jane-Pyar Mautner (leader and scribe), Ann McIlroy, Lynne Pomare, Vivienne Radcliffe, Edwin Rice, Janice Tijsen, Angela Vanderpoel, Rosemary Wilson.