Taieri Recreational Tramping Club

No. 99 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Mt Charles Mr Neil Farm”.
27 km from car-park.

Click here to read about Cape Saunders Lighthouse and the two graves

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No. 24 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Lovers Leap – The Chasm – Sandfly Bay. N Strang. Farm. Year Round.” No. 73 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Sandymount – Lovers Leap. Year Round”.
29 km from car-park.
See Sandymount for area background information.
Sandymount closed for lambing Aug-Oct. Track unformed in places, grassy, slippery when wet. (See also article on pingao planting.)

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25. 27/03/2024. Hikers.  Sandymount Grade 2.5 Leaders: Jenni and Bruce Wright

Today was all about preparedness. The elements indicated that those who ventured out were hardy souls.

5. 21/02/2024. Tramp.  Blackrock. Leaders: Jill and Neil

13 trampers had a “Rock Day” beginning with rock music at Peter Johnson Park where athletic sports were about to start.
We tramped the reverse route from last time after parking in Ash Beattie’s yard. The day was sunny, became warmer as time went on and the expected wind proved to not be a problem. Morning Tea was enjoyed at the Black Rock.

Part: Tramping Track, Managed by DOC. Rest: Not during lambing Sept-Nov. Seek Permission.

Hikers: Leaders Heather and Val Cayford

No. 76 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Coutts Gully Return Sawmill Rd Farm”. Livingstonia Park distance from car-park: 32 km.

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30. 31/01/2024. Hikers Coutts Gully Road.  Grade 3. Leaders: Bruce and Alex

After welcoming a new hiker, Peter Dodds, twenty-four hikers left Livingstonia Park, about 9.30 am, heading to the left (east) to the sand dune track that led out to the road by the bridge and then headed up Sawmill Road to have morning tea beside the implement shed on Alan Gorton’s farm.

Lake Mahinerangi. From Eldorado Track, Cox’s Reef, Cosmopolitan battery, Timber Gully Waterfalls, old gold workings. (data lacking)

No. 8 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Ship & Anchor. Lake Mahinerangi. George. Year round.”

Long tramp. Tussock now heavy. Summer too hot? Autumn may be preferable.

14. 24/01/2024. Trampers. Ship at Anchor. Grade 4.5. $14.  Leaders: Phil Keene/Gary Mort Lyn Keene.

18 keen trampers turned up and left right on time at 8.30am in 4 vehicles, stopping briefly in Outram for tramper No 19, then travelled through the rolling uplands to above Lake Mahinerangi, before turning right up the El Dorado track, right to the end, through mobs of daggy sheep, the windfarm, the Blackrock Scientific Reserve and finally through the locked gates of DCC 3 Waters with the cameras keeping an eye. Ross was in charge of the key and maybe had a pinch of hypothermia by the time he was back in the car. Brrr would we find our riches at El Dorado?

It was 10am before we set off walking, the group happily forgoing morning tea until we arrived 45 minutes later at the Chinese Diggings situated on the east bank of Deep Stream which was up a little following rain the prior day.

Mmm NZ Topo 50 is telling us we have to go west and will have to cross. The thought of this seemed to necessitate a continuous stream of walkers, single file, into the bushes. Thankfully they all came back and with a little help from our friends we all crossed, with wet feet and knees to the other side.

Thus began a steep ascent with a new pathway selected every few steps, not to mention the need for a breather at fairly short intervals!

The ascent was followed by steady to steep ridge-line walk keeping to the true left of a stream, before crossing over nearly at the head, and finally over the last brow of a hill to arrive after 2 hours from morning tea, of fairly serious tramping, at the Ship at Anchor;

thankfully we had not missed the boat and it provided good shelter along with the snow tussock from the fresh westerly that had been present all morning.

Our departure was not too long with those who had not previously been here circumnavigating the Ship and we all followed a course on the true right of the stream down another ridge-line, initially made ‘easy’ by a water course shaped I think by ancient shovels?

With the possibility of a precipice emerging in front our leader tacked left just in time onto another ridge that steeply descended towards a man made watercourse, scout Graham finding the appropriate gang plank onto the other side. It would be fair to say knees were now creaking as we traversed parallel with the contours dropping every now and then towards the crossing of Deep Stream. According to the leaders timepiece we took longer down than up, just like the Grand Olde Duke of York……oh dear!

If feet and knees were by now warm and dry they were wetted again and with all crossing safely we re-grouped and took off up the prairie back to the cars, this being quite a steady upland walk!

We departed paradise at 4.30pm arriving back in Mosgiel at 5.30pm. Rumour has it that the hydrotherapy pool has been busy since the trip, no wonder. The expansive and varied landscapes are so much more rewarding when set in such a remote and wild environment. Because of the access restrictions at the Weir this was the first time travel to the Ship at Anchor had been done this way. Distance 10.47km, elevation gain 661m, moving time 3:25;59, calories 1,016. And I’m sticking with grade 4.5.

Thanks to everyone for supporting each other so well.

Phil K

No. 87 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Michelle’s Farm Outram Farm”.
11 km from car park.
Park under Outram Bridge. Contacts: Seek 3 permissions.
Proceed east side of Taieri River along gravel road to gravel pit.  Bear right uphill to power lines. Follow generally along grass farm tracks to top of hill.
Landmarks: Trig marker on right; also obvious paper road between two fence lines; Long barn on right (good for lunch stop); large wool shed on top of hill straight ahead (this is still on Hyslop’s property).
Straight on access is to Taioma Road but we don’t usually go that far!
Plenty of mushrooms in April – take a bag!

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15. 20/09/2023. Trampers. Nichols Farm. Grade 4. Leaders: Jill Reid and Julie McKenzie

15 intrepid trampers parked under the Outram bridge. As we walked along the Taieri river wind in the willows gave us warning of a breath-taking day!

After ascending a narrow track through scrub we made our way along a ridge on Craig Nichol’s property. Any conversation was ‘gone with the wind’. To quote Evel Knievel “ I love the feeling of fresh air on my face and wind blowing through my hair” – certainly true today!

We decided not to go to the trig – the howling wind spoke to us and we found our way down to a pocket of native bush. The relative calm here was a welcome respite from the punishing wind on the hill top.

Walking roughly parallel to SHW 87 we headed back towards Outram. Thank you farmer Neil for herding a mob of cattle out of our path.

Throwing caution to the wind we walked through a Douglas fir plantation, then a large stand of eucalyptus – fortunately there were few recently dropped branches! The only reportable incident was Diane being blown backwards whilst pivoting on a gate – luckily she was caught by the two behind her ( I rue a missed photo opportunity!)

A nice hill climb took us to wide track Craig recently had dug out back down to the Taieri river, and we were at the cars by 3.00 pm.

A great day out and many thanks to Julie McKenzie and Pam Cox for your assistance.
Distance walked – 13.5 km
Jill Reid

Thirty-one keen walkers headed south and after regrouping at the turnoff to Quoin Point road parked in a paddock opposite the wool shed at the end of the road where lambs were being drafted.

We followed the farm road leading down the hill towards Quoin Point and then turning right opening closing gates where appropriate before stopping after 15 minutes near an inlet with a choice of sun or shade. Shade was more popular.

We continued across the paddocks and paused for a time near a caravan and new home above it on the hillside with natives planted in two paddocks while Bruce chatted to the land owner Peter O’Connor of Riversdale. Peter said he was happy for trampers to traverse his property and did not need to ask his permission in the future. The two paddocks are linked by a pipe gate and the best exit to the beach and Bull Creek was at the far corner nearest the sea of the second paddock. The path goes down the hill over some grey rocks and then along the coast to Bull Creek. He plans to mow a track across the lower part of his property in about two years to make access easier.

We had lunch on the North side of Bull Creek in case the rising tide cut us off. A seal was spotted in the water at Bull Creek and another mammal seen in the distance on the rocks on the way back. Clare’s family had built a dam across the creek so that the seaweed in the creek could be flushed out once the dam broke.

Clare kindly arranged for 3 of the party to travel back by car; a 25 minute journey going near Milton.
The weather remained fine. Distance 13.56 km, Climb 384 m. We started walking at about 10 am and were back to the cars at 3 pm. There were many views of the coastal rocks. Hay tedding was in progress on one paddock and for the others the hay had been cut and baled since the recce.

Future walks on the property might be considered for mid-February or after when the sheep are likely to have been shorn, the lambs drafted and the hay cut which makes walking easier. Thanks to the co-leaders Alex Griffin, Helen Morris and Phil Morris for their valuable leadership. Also to Neil for his opening the gates, waiting for the last person to go through and then, remarkably, being in position to open the next gate. He was also better at spotting where the next gate in paddock was, possibly due to his eyes operating at a higher elevation. Thank you again Neil. Our thanks are also due the land owners Alan Shaw, Gwen Lane and Peter O’Connor for their kind permission to be on their properties and to Clare for her local knowledge of the area and assistance with offering transport back to the cars for three persons.

Because the Brighton Café closes at 4 pm the group was given the opportunity to make their own choice for coffee, such as at Waihola or Mosgiel, or an ice cream at Brighton.
Bruce Spittle

Of the 28 people that commenced the walk 23 made it to the Micro Wave Station where 3 sheltered in the lee of station while the remainder had a further brisk walk on the access road before returning an hour later for the lunch stop.

Conditions made for lunch to be brief, because of the chilling wind.

 

 

 

The downhill return on this working farm took us among a variety of animals, including some black & white horses, & after a short gallop, they could be seen looking over the ridge at what had come among them.

 

Thank you, Sarah & Barbara, for your assistance.   It was unfortunate that Barbara could not be with us on the day.  The social stop was at the Wobbly Goat on the return to Mosgiel.

Betty & Jim

No. 10 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Lamb Hill to 3 o’clock creek. Farm. Lambing.”

Farm walk. Lamb Hill Station, Hindon Road, Hindon. Seek permission. Check at house before you do any tramping.

Lamb Hill: 43 km from car-park.

Bendoran: 75 km from car-park.

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8. 29/11/2017. Trampers. Bendoran over-night, Orbells Cave. H. Leader: Art.

This tramp was a First Time for our club.

Two cars(six trampers) left Mosgiel at 8.00 a.m. rendezvousing at Cherry Farm before travelling together to reach the Bendoran Huts at 9.30. Morning tea was taken, and five eager trampers set out just after 10 am on the day’s adventure. One stayed in camp to heat water for showers later.

The day was sunny and warm enough. High cloud drifted across after an hour, but it remained hot. We stopped several times to take on water – and we were going downhill!

We descended down to Orbells Creek, and followed it for some distance, being on a grassy 4WD track all day. Tussocky hills surrounded us, with many interesting rocks, such beautiful country.

A mob of grand Hereford cows with calves (beef) moved in front of us for a time, before going up a side gully.

Eventually we came to the first ascent of the day, leaving Orbells Creek for a time, the 4WD track going up and over a saddle. At the top we had a short descent and then a climb up to a second saddle.

But from here it was downhill all the way to the cave. We met Barney, the Bendoran Farm Manager, out with his dogs shifting a mob of cows and calves – black with white faces this time (Angus Hereford Cross).

We came back to Orbells Creek by the cattleyards, crossed over, and in a few minutes were at Orbells Cave (with Orbells Garden flourishing in profusion in front (foxgloves). It had been hot work, but to our great relief found that it was very pleasantly cool in the cave. The time was 12.20 pm. We sat and rested for half an hour here, while eating our lunch.

 Fiddlers Hut was our next objective, about 2 km further on. Was we left, bird calls from high above the cave alerted us to the presence of a N.Z. falcon circling there. We saw it – or another one –  later in the day, too. Crossing 3 O’Clock Stream, we arrived at Fiddlers Hut at 1.3. We admired the stone walls, very neatly constructed, and with a vey sound modern corrugated iron roof.

But sadly the interior had been badly neglected, birds obviously had been the only tenants for some years past.

As we began the homeward journey, a light and very pleasantly cool north-east breeze arrived to provide some relief, especially helpful on the uphill bits. Five tiny little Paradise duckings were on the water when we crossed back over 3 O’Clock Stream. All water bottles were refilled.

The same route was followed going back as we had travelled out earlier. It was a long climb back up to the two saddles. At the top of the first one, 10 minutes was well spent in resting, while taking on water, eating fruit, etc.

In time we came back down to Orbells Creek, and walked, the kilometres behind us, with an occasional brief stop (water).

One long hill awaited us – the climb out from Orbells Creek. The hill seemed to go on forever, but by putting one foot in front of the other, we found the top. But our legs were mighty tired now, and there was only a few hundred metres left to go. And so we arrived back at the Bendoran Hilton …

… just before 5 p.m. A good list down and rest seemed to be the logical thing to do now, so that’s what we did!

All five had thoroughly enjoyed the day. An energetic tramp to equal any other that our club has done. VERY SATISFYING.

Total distance was 20 km. Orbells Cave was approx. 8 km from Bendoran, and Fiddlers Hut a further 2 km beyond. Bendoral Huts are at an altitude of 500 metres, Fiddlers Hut about 200 metres. – Art.

On completing the tramp we had a lovely muffin and cup of tea before showers and liquid refreshments. Fire lovingly looked after by camp mum Jennifer. Eleanor our great organiser had Also arrived by this time.

Tea was prepared consisting of silverside, stuffed chicken, new potatoes, carrots and two salads. Dessert: chocolate brownie berries and yogert. All had bought some part of it.

Jill Arthur Phil Wyn and Helen the walkers.

It helped revive us. – Helen

6. 19/1/2011. Trampers. Lamb Hill to three o’clock creek. Old Stone Hut. Orbells Cave. Medium+.

If you look closly at the small scale pic, you can see the shed at the Nth. end of the airstrip, right at the bottom of the pic where the track starts. As you can see from the spacing of the GPS squares, we were still driving for a while till the squares become very close together. this is where we started to walk from. You can also see the track going off to the left of the airstrip at it’s south end, going down to the ford where the track peters out, & then starts again on the other side. That is where the 2003 tramp went (see below).

The large scale pic shows the decent via the wrong ridge, we should’ve been one over to the right. Anyway, we ended up just a short distance from Orbells creek, so walked into that valley, & up to Orbells caves which is the track on the RH side of the pic.

We then retraced our steps back to Three O’clock Stream, and went downstream to a crossing, where Dermot and I went to the old hut to have lunch (which is the track on the left side of the stream in the GPS pic).

Then after walking across the river flats, we struggled up the very steep hills back to the cars.

The weather was fine, but VERY windy, and I nearly lost my footing a couple of times coming back up the steepest parts. BTW, the hut is not on Lambhill Station, it’s on the neighbours property.

Everybody did very well, including George, who didn’t go to the caves, along with Hazel. They just went over to the hut to have lunch there.

George got a dose of cramp on the way back up the hills, but managed to overcome it ok, and carry on. – Ken.

5. 21/5/2006 Lamb Hill to three o’clock creek. Old Stone Hut. Orbells Cave. Medium+.Leaders: George, Keith, Glenice, Hazel

4. 21/5/2003. Both. Lamb Hill to Three O.clock Creek. Medium. Leaders: Wendy B, Bob H, Nancy & Molly

3. 17/5/2000 Lamb Hill, Three O’Clock Creek. Leaders: Wendy, Colleen, George

2. 15/4/1998. 3 O’Clock Creek, Lamb Hill. Leaders: Nancy, Wendy B

1. 8/11/1989 Lamb Hill to Three O’Clock Creek and old stone hut. Harder grade. George, Mary M, Molly, Catherine

No. 82 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Old Stone Barn Clarendon Farm”

38 km from car park

Associated farm on Cullen Road has new owner requiring signing in and out, and therefore no longer viable as a round trip. [Edit.]

14/6/2017. Clarendon, Cemetery,Sinclair Wetlands, Berwick Camp. Leader: Eleanore.

Today 7 hardy (maybe silly) trampers drove to Phosphate corner at Clarendon, then along Berwick road, parked up and walked up the hill to the Cemetery (my Great Great and Great Grandparents,  some Siblings and Children from Sinclair family are buried there.
We then drove further along Berwick road, parked and proceeded up the track to the hay barn for smoko.

We all decided it would be no fun climbing round and up Mary Hill with frequent showers and a bitterly cold wind.
On the way back we briefly stopped at Sinclair Wetlands then drove into Berwick Camp, a year 8 class was there on camp, talked with the Activity Coordinator and strolled up to the dam.

It was plain to see what fun the young students were having, particularly when having a turn driving round with a leader in an old converted type of Land Rover in the mud.
So after all this strenuous activity we journeyed on to eat lunch (and cake) at a little hilltop cafe in Clyde street. – Eleanore.

24/4/2013. Hikers – and a few trampers. Limesprings Farm, McNeil Rd, Whale Museum, and return back through Farm by a different route. Leaders: Jim and Betty.

The overcast day succeeded a wet 24 hours, and several trampers joined us after cancelling their bush walk up Raingauge Spur for safety’s sake. We parked the cars halfway along Driver Road and walked on to enter Limespring Farm. Continue Reading »

4. 31/5/2017. Hikers. Green Island street walk. E. Leaders: Elaine and Chris.

The above route map gives some indication of the intricacies of Elaine’s   planned route, designed to cross and recross, by way of tunnels and bridges galore, the barriers of railway line, stream and motorway dividing  Green Island from Abbotsford. It was a street-walk, most suitable on the day for an off-and-on light morning drizzle. We were treated to a whole gamut of lower Abbotsford house designs, most instructive of fashions favoured in different decades, complete with one or two older ones looking very old and very neglected. At the latter part of the hike, we also got to peek into some of the large industrial goings-on at the north end of the town, not least Harraways. All most impressive.

At one point where a railway line once crossed the old main road (remember it?), Elaine stopped us to point out how it once served a coal-mine of her grandfather. She has a photo of a small steam engine about to head north across the road.

Many were the remarks appreciative of the cleverness of the route. A big thank you to Elaine and Chris for a great day out. – Ian, (for Elaine [without her knowledge – yet!] whose recent rapidly failing eyesight prevented her from tackling a report.)

3. 25/2/2009 Hikers. Green Island. Farm Walk. Leaders: George, Dot B

2. 10/5/2006. Hikers. Green Island street and farm walk. Leaders: Chris, Dot B.

1. 8/2/2006. Hikers. Street Walk: Green Island Street and Farm Walk. Leaders: Dot B, Chris.

Distance for carpark: 31.5 km.

11. 29/3/2017. Hikers. Murrays Farm. M. Leaders: Keith and Shona.

It was a foggy, misty morning when 19 Hikers met at the gateway bel0w Murrays Farm before ambling up the road to having morning tea in the implement shed.

We then followed the fenceline up and across the paddocks before descending to explore around a container being used as a crib.

We exited onto the coast …

… where we had lunch …

… out of the northerly wind.

We followed the water’s edge around past the old boat shed, climbing up the hill and visiting an old dwelling also being used as a crib and back along the farm tracks to the hole in the hedge and down the hill to the cars.

Coffee was at Macandrew Bay cafe. – Shona and Keith.

10. 20/2/2013. Hikers. Murrays Farm. Medium. Leaders: Peter and Wendy.

Five trampers scaled the almost vertical ascent to the Sandymount road before descending further by the bush.

Hoopers Inlet video

We sampled the beach at the mouth but a keen wind persuaded us up around the point to a boathouse in a more sheltered position.

Just along a little bit from the boathouse, we came upon this nest.

Then it was just a case of following our noses back across paddocks to the cars. – Ian

8. 10/2/2010. Hikers. Murrays Farm. Medium. Leaders: Margaret and Les, Fred.

7. 14/5/2008. Hikers. Murrays Farm. Easy. Leaders:Chris, Gwen.

Chris, who knows the area well, ably led us and, before returning home, some of us were lucky enough to stop off with her at a relative’s house on the hill and walk around the interesting garden, admiring both the plants and the panoramic views. – Marjorie.

23 km from car park.

1/4/2015. Both. Neehoff Farm, Hindon. M. Leaders: Ian F and Arthur H.

A goodly number of thirty Trampers and Hikers, as you can see from the GPS map, set off back alongside the road we had arrived in, the Leaders searching for one of several elusive ridges, each separated by bushed gullies and leading down to a main gully at their foot. However, due to their number (six in total!) and too tentatively choosing one ridge too soon but finding it too stunted to be the one, we ended up turning back (about 0.7 kms on GPS map) instead of going on, and descending the ridge futher back only to be forced to have to climb out of the gully beyond its foot (red spot about 1.4 kms on GPS map) and up onto the one originally planned on.  By now it was time for morning tea. (Sorry about the lack of photos – we didn’t have John and his camera with us this time.)

On down the right gully now this time and into the main one across its foot, left skirting its side and crossing at a bridge and struggling up the slope directly ahead. (Red spots about 1.6 kms on GPS map.) Then it was on, up to our left, climbing gradually for the most part, through a number of paddocks and gates, until by various turns we reached what appeared a paper road. (About 3.7 kms on GPS map.) This formed a long ascending route to the point where we turned into a paddock again. (About 5.8 kms on the GPS map.) En route, we met up with the Neeehoff farm’s neighbouring owner. He reassured us he had been consulted, but it now became apparent that we had spent more time on his farm than the other! Ah well, another permission to prudently seek next time. It was in the new paddock that the mushroom pickers got really busy. There had been some mushrooms in the first paddocks, but here their number appeared endless. This led to a prolonged hunt by the aficionados while most went on to stop for lunch not too distant from one particular loiterer who shall remain unnamed. (6.1 kms on the GPS map.) Some great mushroom fry-ups would be on the menu that evening!

Around the head of the gully facing the luncheon eaters, we descended to the big gully again, but here bridgeless, with its water-way just a step (or more in some places) too wide. Many just plunged through, but the tail on the GPS map indicates a walk upstream for the few patient enough to wait to be led to the only dry one-step crossing. (About 6.7 kms on the GPS map.) From there we had to walk back along to our left and the corner of a paddock ahead, and wait for leader Arthur to switch off the hot wire of what we now knew to be the Neehoff boundary fence. (About 6.9 kms on the GPS map.) Once through the fence, ahead lay the long steep slog up the longest and principle of all those six ridges leading back up again, – also the nearest to the homestead. (Kms 7 and 8 on the GPS map.) Now we were back up onto the original paddock and soon back to the cars.

Well, this was one of the now controversial “both” walks, set down for Trampers to join with Hikers the first Wednesdays of the months. It was moderately hard only in respect to the steep climbs out of the gullies. But not particularly long or challenging. There were happily more Trampers than there had been recently, generously tolerating the slower pace of the Hikers for the  sake of “Recreational” togetherness and getting to know fellow-club members better. Perhaps the emerging arrangement of this along with a track-clearing option on the same day, is becoming a way through of providing a flexibility of choice for Trampers to exercise in accordance with their own preference. – Ian

20/2/2013. Trampers. Neehoff Farm, Hindon.

22/2/1995. Neehoff Farm, Hindon. Medium. Leaders: Molly, Jack and Rosemary, Eleanor.