This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 96, no 5, June 2024
Two watercourses and a couple of spurs
Wednesday 1 May
Farm Creek flows towards the southwest in the valley immediately to the west of the higher section of the Dobson Loop Track. The initial intention of the day was to travel up the Farm Creek watercourse. With the permission of the landowner on Quoin Lane we accessed the public domain (in a nuisance shower) and, once in the bush, the outer layer was taken off. Travel up the watercourse was straightforward - the water level was low and, for a small catchment, there were convenient terraces that facilitated travel.
Our conversation focused on ‘What after Farm Creek?’ As the water became lower (occasionally disappearing) and headwater obstructions became more frequent, a decision was made to extract ourselves at about 540 metres altitude, up a broad spur through open bush to the Dobson Loop Track (DLT).
We continued on a similar bearing to the broad top of the spur on the TR of Shepperds Stream. At about 570 metres altitude we left the crown of the spur and proceeded cautiously 140m due east down into Shepperds Stream. Travel down this watercourse was significantly more challenging than in Farm Creek. At the significant bend where the stream heads east, we followed a south east bearing to connect with the DLT.
Lunch was taken at the track and Colin was heard to comment ‘It's not often you travel two distinct watercourses in a morning’.
After lunch we followed the DLT southwest to the toe of the spur that leads in a northwest direction to point 539. Not too far up the spur, in open beech forest, we disturbed an unseen wasp nest. Both Karen and (mostly) David paid the painful price of being second and third in the group.
Near point 539 the leader, instead of consulting the compass, made the negligent mistake of following the line of least resistance through the scrubby vegetation, resulting in an unnecessary loop to the west, before connecting with the DLT again.
About 200 metres north of point 539 there is a spur that goes down to Farm Creek in a slightly north of west direction. We followed that spur with ease as there is a marked route. We reached the Hutt Valley scout cabin just as the forecast afternoon southerly rain set in, and enjoyed a prolonged break under the verandah. By the time we set off across the paddocks for the car, the rain had become nuisance precipitation.
The trip was an enjoyable, mostly off-track adventure, bookended by nuisance precipitation. The final route evolved as the day progressed, and all party members experienced travel through previously-unvisited territory.
- Party members
- Bill Allcock (leader and scribe), Karen Baker, Colin Cook, David McNabb