Feb 13 2022

Purakaunui, Mopanui, north face, ret.

Published by under Trampers

6. 09/02/2022. Trampers.  Purakanui Leaders: Chris Wither and Jill Davie

With low cloud obscuring the hilltops, sixteen trampers headed to the beautiful Purakanui Inlet and parked at the Mopanui Road picnic ground.  The intention had been to climb to the top of Mopanui to enjoy the wonderful views there, but the weather meant a change of plan was required.

After a 2km hike around the edge of the inlet the group stopped for morning tea.

inlet view Marijke resized

Diane and Heather discussing the lovely Purakanui inlet from a well placed seat along the track to the township Caption and photo Marijke

We then headed up steep Purakanui Station Road to Osborne Station.  From there, thanks to Peter remembering that mates from some decades ago used to hike from Osborne to the station to catch the train to school, the group discovered a great 1km long track below the railway line that led through the bush to the Osborne township.

Osborne township Maijke resized

Visiting Osborne township on the way. It has some very innovative building ideas. Caption and photo Marijke

From there we made our way through the pines and over the dunes to Mapoutahi for lunch.

Regroup Pine trees Pam resized

Regrouped before heading to lunch at Canoe Beach Caption and photo Pam

Mopoutahi view Pam resized

View towards Purakanui from Mapoutahi Caption and photo Pam

This was followed by the short climb to the centre of the peninsula where there were great views to be had.

Purakanui Beach John resized

Purakanui Beach stretching into the distance Caption and photo John

Canoe Beach panorama John resized

Canoe Beach Caption and photo John

We retraced our steps around the Purakanui Inlet to the cars to complete the 14.3km long tramp. Chris

Strava Pam resized

Strava thanks to Pam

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Jul 16 2021

Purakaunui

Published by under Beach,Trampers,Year round

No. 97 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Purekanui & Canoe Beach Year Round”

39 km
At LOW TIDE it is possible to walk along the shore to Doctor’s Point.
Also pleasant stroll 1 km down southeastern end to mouth of inlet with scattered cribs.


16. 14 July 2021. Hikers. Purakaunui/Canoe Beach. Medium. Leaders: Betty & Jim

After regrouping at Waitati 4 Vehicles travelled with 16 hikers to park at the end of the Doctors Point Road.  The tide afforded us plenty of clear beach for the Canoe Beach walk to Mapoutahi for our tea stop.  Of significance were two new barriers recently erected by DOC, warning of the dangerous cliffs.

Looking across Canoe Beach

Looking across Canoe Beach (photo & caption Ady)

Looking towards Headland of Purakaunui Beach

Looking towards headland of Purakaunui Beach (photo & caption Ady)

From our morning tea stop the southern portal to the rail tunnel could be seen, high on the cliff showing the extreme difficulty that this section that must have been experienced in the construction of this main trunk line.

Weather conditions were pleasant for the Purakaunui Beach walk on firm sand to the Purakaunui inlet.

Purakaunui Inlet

Purakaunui Inlet (photo Alex)

Entering the inlet, we were faced with soft sand conditions for a short distance to the pine plantation, then it was less than 400 meters through pines to the cemetery.  We retraced our steps in comfortable time for the tide past Canoe Beach to the cars.

The coffee stop was at Blueskin before our return to Mosgiel.


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Nov 17 2023

Doctors Point area tramps

Published by under Beach,Both Hikers & Trampers,Hikers

Distance from car-park to Waitati: 34 km.

Distance from car-park to Doctors Point: 38 km.


15 Nov Orokonui Canoe Beach Race Against The Tide Square Resize Pam25. 15/11/2023. Orokonui Circuit. Grade 3. Leaders: Graeme Souter & Gail Williams
The day dawned fined and following some creative maths (11 doesn’t as it turns out does not fit nicely into 2) – 3 cars left Dunedin to meet up with the Mosgiel trampers at Waitati. After numerous toilet visits, we all finally continued to our starting point at Doctors Point Reserve.

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Aug 25 2023

Doctors Point, McKessar, Mopanui, Ridgeline

Published by under Beach,Hikers

37 km from car park to Mopanui Road end, and 40 km to
foot of McKessar Road.

The private land owners for the Pigeon Flat Walk are. 

Michael Lee   0224312212   Pigeon Flat end.

Ross Illingworth  021143304  Waitati Valley end.

The stone-walled ruins on Mckessar Track


15. 23/08/2023. Hikers. Mopanui, McKessars Track. Grade 3. Leaders: Margreet and Neil Simpson

On a perfect hiking day, 18 adventurers in 5 cars grouped up at Borlases Rd on the Southern outskirts of Pt.Chalmers. From there we convoyed towards Long Beach turning off to Osborne, before crossing the “under repair” causeway. The next left turn put us on a steep gravel road past the iconic Mopanui homestead before parking at the Purakanui/Osborne railway siding.

The team set off up the hill with great gusto. Smoko was had on a sun-drenched glade at the intersection of the Mopanui/McKessar tracks.

Hikers 23 Aug Mopanui Morning tea. Helen

Morning tea. Photo & caption Helen

Hikers 23 Aug Mopanui Alex 82 years youngs. Margreet

Alex 82 years young. Photo & caption Margreet

We zig-zagged to the top of the track where we turned off to enter the well ribboned bush track towards the summit. The track got steeper, and the rocks got rockier, but did the chatter get quieter? Not one decibel!

Hikers 23 Aug Mopanui Steep and rocky headig to the top. Helen

Steep and rocky heading to the top. Photo & caption Helen

Hikers 23 Aug Mopanui Beautiful view from the top. Margreet

Beautiful view from the top. Photo & caption Margreet

Hikers 23 Aug Mopanui Inland view Helen

Inland view. Photo Helen

After a catch-up rest just before the summit; we broke clear to take in the fantastic vista from the trig station. There being no wind. A long lunch was enjoyed, before we tackled the short steep descent to Mopanui Rd.

Hikers 23 Aug Mopanui Lunch at the trig. Margreet

Lunch at the trig. Photo & caption Margreet

It was a pleasant jaunt back to the cars via McKessar track looking in at the old farm homestead enroute.
Emersons was an excellent venue to cap the day off with refreshments.

HIkers 23 Aug Mopanui Road walk back to the cars. Margreet

Road walk back to the cars. Photo & caption Margreet

Hikers 23 Aug Mopanui McKessar house remains of. Helen

McKessar house remains of. Photo & caption Helen

Hikers 23 Aug Mopanui Emersons for cold and hot drinks. Helen

Emersons for cold and hot drinks. Photo & caption Helen

Vertical distance climbed was 407 metres and walking distance was about 8km.

Screenshot_20230823_170231_com.strava_edit_93758512420067

Strava screenshot of the route.

 


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Dec 13 1980

Karitane, Huriawa, Watkin and King

Some History. (Can’t recall where I got it from. Sorry.)

Huriawa Peninsula. The peninsula was a superb natural pa site. Volcanic in origin, it rises sheer from the sea and had the twin blessings of a reliable spring and a small cove on its northern side where canoes could be safely beached. It was selected for this purpose in c. 1730 to serve Ngai Tahu under Te Wera, but had in all probability previously been used by Ngati Mamoe. It has excellent views to the north and south, and its natural defences of sea and cliffs is ideally suited for use as a pa.
it was originally call Pa-Katata, a name which is now used only for the rocky knob at the seaward point.

Te Wera had only just been chosen as chief by his Te Ruahikihiki hapu when they became embroiled in continual strife with his belligerent cousins, Taoka and Moki II. Trouble began when Te Wera was accused of practising makutu (wizardry) on his kinsfolk and of killing them. First he sought sanctuary at Purakaunui where Te Rehu, his brother-in-law held sway. Attacked there, the pair made a miraculous escape and arrived at Huriawa to find that a tangi for them had already begun. Together they exacted vengeance and in turn Taoka arrived at Huriawa and proceeded to lay siege. Taoka came by sea and set up camp on the sandspit, Olunepouwera, opposite the peninsula at the mouth of the Waikouaiti river. For six months the siege continued, as the pa had its own water supply, a large store of food including preserved birds, fern root and dried fish, and fishing parties could put out at night to supplement food stored on the well-nigh impregnable promontory. An anxious moment came when one of Taoka’s scouts crept in by way of the blow holes and stole the image of Te Wera’s protecting deity. Despair swept through the pa when Taoka was seen across the river saving it triumphantly above his head. But Te Wera’s tohunga Hautu restored it to the pa, some say simply through the air, by means of a powerful karakia. Finally Taoka was forced to withdraw for want of food as the defenders had denuded the area of vegetables before his taua (war party) arrived. The pa was then abandoned, and its inhabitants settled on the banks of the Waikouaiti river.

Later, Taoka turned his attention to Mapoutahi pa to telling effect. Te Wera eventually left the area altogether and moved south ultimately to die as an old man at Stewart Island.

The most prominent reminder of the history of the peninsula is the extensive terracing on its slopes. The terraces were made to provide level house sites and living and working areas. Remains of defensive banks and ditches can also be seen, though the actual palisade lines can be found only through the scientific techniques of archaeological excavation. In many places midden is exposed (shell, bone, charcoal and stone from cooking and other activities) can be seen in cliff edges, banks and slips. All cultural and historical material including archaeological sites, midden and artefacts are protected under the Historic Places Act 1980 and may not be interfered with in any way.

The blowholes on the peninsula are attributed to a romance. A couple eloped and eventually returned, expecting forgiveness. Instead, their irate families took them to the peninsula and hurled them from the cliffs. The young girl, heavier than her husband, is said to have caused the larger blowhole, that nearest Puketeraki Beach. There are in reality not two but three blowholes, but surviving mythology does not explain the third.

The reluctant missionary: A whaling station opened at Karitane in 1837 and it was here in 1840 rather than at which is now Waikouaiti that the Rev. James Watkin (1805-86) elected to live, despite the fact that he had come from Sydney at the instigation and at the expense of Johnny Jones. The Methodist missionary, who had been praying for a return to Britain, did not relish the experience; he chose for the text of the first Christian sermon preached in Otago, “This is a fearful saying”, and when his successor, the Rev. Charles Creed arrived in 1844 Watkin greeted him with words, “Welcome, Brother Creed, welcome to Purgatory.”

Certainly there was little for Watkin to enthuse over. The settlement was a hotbed of drunkenness, immorality and violence, from which the Maori mainly suffered, and the two-roomed native whare Jones provided for him was hardly suitable for one with a wife and five children. Certainly the nauseated Watkin tried, taking a firm stand against the vices of the Pakeha and the “savage customs” of the Maori. To a degree he succeeded; mission schools were established, converts made and an elementary Maori reader prepared and published. But Watkin was never reconciled to his position and was intensely relieved to sail for Wellington, leaving his degenerate parishioners behind. Tortured by ill health, he continually doubted his own considerable ability and lamented his lack of support and the depravity of those around him. A rare moment of elation came when one of his converts at Moeraki refused to give the census-taker Shortland any information because it was the Sabbath. Of Bishop Selwyn he conceded: “I think he is a good man, as far as his church prejudices will allow.”

Sir Truby King (1857-1938): In later years the settlement blossomed as a seaside resort and owes its geographical form partly to Sir Truby King, who had no sooner built his home on the peninsula than he became fearful that the river might cut through the slender isthmus that ties it to the mainland. He would not hesitate to rouse residents on stormy nights and direct them as they slaved to carry sand and build up the manuka sand-breaks he had placed on the narrow neck. Eventually the breaks were built up to such a degree that the danger passed. King was also the moving force behind the planting of various gums and hardy deciduous trees.

King is perhaps the best known of New Zealand’s medical reformers. Son of one of the first settlers at New Plymouth, he attended university at Glasgow and returned to become Superintendent, first of Wellington Hospital and then of the Seacliff Mental Hospital. A reformer in many fields he is best remembered for his founding of the Plunket Society (named after Lord Plunket, then Governor-General) which in his lifetime saw infant mortality drop by two-thirds, from 88.8 to 30.9 per 1,000 births. It was at his Karitane home that the first Plunket baby was reared. The Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (to give it its full title) remains an integral part not only of the country’s public health services, with Plunket Rooms throughout New Zealand staffed with Plunket nurses trained to educate mothers in child care, but of New Zealand society itself. Its success led to an invitation to King to establish a similar organisation in Britain. On his return in 1921 he became the first Director of Child Welfare and then, until his retirement in 1927 , Inspector-General of Mental Hospitals. Karitane nurses, trained in baby care, help mothers with their children.

The phenomenal success of the Plunket Society and the worldwide acclamation that followed have overshadowed other important aspects of his work. Truby King made major contributions in many fields – nutrition, plant acclimatisation, control of coastal erosion, alcoholism, psychological medicine and medical  jurisprudence. His many achievements in the field of psychiatric medicine include dietary innovations, the establishment at Seacliff in 1898 of the country’s first “open” ward, the early development of the villa-hospital concept, and a study of the influence of dental disease on the physical and mental well-being of psychiatric patients. Change was not easily brought about and Truby King was frequently the centre of controversy, but invariably the soundness of his forcefully expressed views prevailed.

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