This article was first published in Tararua Tramper, June 2025, p.10, with a cartoon and photo.
Northland byways + bush + Town Belt
E - Sunday 27 April
We met at the bus shelter at Appleton Park. The park is on a closed landfill that was in use from 1929-1940 and was located in the former steep-sided, deep valley of Te Mahanga Stream which rises in Zealandia. The stream is a tributary of Kaiwharawhara Stream which it joins beyond the tunnel under the Johnsonville railway line.
Our walk began along the park's recently built footpath/cycleway. Down Curtis St we crossed over to the footpath past houses set in native bush and climbed up to Creswick Tce, passing near trap boxes placed by Predator Free Northland. A footpath above the street led us to a fine view over parts of Kelburn and Northland. Along Farm Rd we saw several houses designed and built by and for members of the Platt family in the early 1900s. One has massive Romanesque pillars and a large lion on a pillar at the gate. Several have impressive decorative woodwork above their verandas and some have finials.
We enjoyed morning tea and scroggin in the forecourt of Northland Community Centre while studying the display showing the history of the development of the suburb. Taking the path that runs beside no. 22 West Rd to Sydenham St we climbed a zigzag to Kaihuia St, then above Rodney St saw a house with a vast array of solar panels. From the top of Sydenham St we descended a zigzag to Albemarle Rd and found a sunny lunch spot at the start of the track up through Albemarle Scenic Reserve with its tributary of Te Mahanga Stream.
Beside Ōrangi-Kaupapa Rd we passed the house where Alf Gollan lived – he joined TTC in 1921. To avoid the road we walked the long footpath below it, passing several houses and plantings. Back on the road we used a short bush track up to the road leading to Stellin Memorial Park. From the park's lookout we had a fine view of the harbour, city and hills. Back down at the car park we took the steps and the track down the Town Belt's Te Ahumairangi Hill section to Patanga Cres., finishing in Tinakori Rd chuckling at the bronze sculpture – Three tipsy ladies - in the garden at no. 380 Tinakori Rd.
Chris Horne (leader and scribe), Diana Barnes, Elizabeth Bridge, Bob Cijffers, Michele Dickson, Jean Morgan