Purakaunui, Mopanui, north face, ret.

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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.

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.

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

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

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

5. 18/9/2019. Trampers. Purakaunui, Mopanui north face, return. Leaders: Bruce W. and Neil S.

This report is compiled by a deputy leader standing in for Bruce Wright who has damaged his knee. We wish you a speedy recovery Bruce, before you set off overseas in a couple of weeks.

There was barely a ripple on Otago Harbour as a great turnout of 22 intrepid trampers drove out to Purakaunui via Port Chalmers. We parked in a picturesque picnic reserve and (unusually) decided to have early morning tea before we set out. The lively chatter pointedly reinforced the fact that ladies outnumbered gentlemen by 3 to 1! 

Weather conditions were calm, but a bit chilly initially.

However temperatures rose as the day progressed and the steady uphill gradient ensured everyone warmed up quickly.

Initially it was an easy hike around the top part of the inlet; over the Osborne causeway, then up Purakaunui Station Road to the railway line. This road is a steep nuggety little climb, but our ladies traversed it without dropping a single sentence!

We then briefly followed the McKessar track

before forking off on to 4WD forestry track which ‘zig-zagged’ us towards Mopanui (Elev. 468 metres).

Trampers were warned about the steep uphill, rocky, rough section we needed to negotiate to get to the top. However everyone managed it well

and it was great to reach the trig where we had a well-earned lunch stop. With the weather holding, we enjoyed magnificent vistas in every direction.

 

The descent after lunch was tricky at first with more large rocks and slightly slippery conditions underfoot to contend with.

But once this section was completed it was soon down to the service road and onward to meet the top of McKessars Track. Enroute the Orokonui Drystone wall was a feature to admire as well as the stone walled ruins of the McKessar house and farm shed.

From there it was a steady downhill trek to retrace our outbound steps back to the vehicles.

 

Our tramp today was a distance of around 14 km.

It was very enjoyable to have a debrief coffee/drink at Emersons Brewery on the way home.

Neil and Margreet Simpson

4. 24/5/2017. Trampers. Purakaunui to Mopanui, return. M. Leaders: Neil and Margreet.

10 Trampers travelled in 3 cars, via Port Chalmers, to park at Purakaunui.

Our tramp began at 10 am in cloudy and cool conditions, which remained all day – ideal for tramping. Some sunshine though.

The morning tea stop was at the small picnic park beside the Purakaunui inlet.

We continued on to the top of the inlet, and then up “Purakanui Station Road” to the railway line. Not too much conversation as we walked up the road, due to the steeper gradient no doubt.

We followed the McKessar Track for a little, before turning on to a 4WD forestry track to take us in the direction of Mopanui. At one stage the track was getting rather overgrown with gorse, but we battled through.

Further on we came across a man cutting firewood. After a brief stop the group continued on, but had a long wait further on as two trampers had had to stop for a long chat with the “chainsaw man“.

The last uphill stage was through the bush, and got steeper, rockier and rougher. But we topped out at 12-15, to have our lunch (with a great view) beside the trig on top of Mopanui.

The south-west breeze was just a little cool here, though.

After enjoying the view and our lunch we moved on, the descent towards the Orokonui Sanctuary being a bit tricky to begin with on account of all the rocks, care being necessary.

However we were soon out on the road, to follow it down to the top of McKessars Track. We were able to admire “The Orokonui Drystone Wall”, a DOC sign giving information about it as we passed.

On the way down McKessars Track, we turned aside to look again at the stone walled ruins

of the McKessar house and farm shed.

Downhill now, we were soon back to the beginning of our circuit up on to Mopanui, and from then on we were retracing our morning’s steps till regaining the cars at 3 pm.

Much birdlife had been noted during the day’s tramp, and at the top of the inlet on the return journey we were lucky enough to see 2 kingfishers, their brilliant colours showing up well in the sunshine.

One dived into the water, but we couldn’t tell if any prey had been caught.

In the morning the tide was right out as we walked around the inlet, but on the return journey it was full tide, which was much more enjoyable.

Today’s tramp was 14.6 km (thanks Keith), and Mopanui is 468 metres high.

One carload headed back to Mosgiel, and 2 carloads stopped at Emersons on the way for “drinkies”.

And a good day was had by all! – Art, (substitute leader).

We changed the scheduled tramp a bit this time, as the tides didn’t suit what we wanted to do. So we started at the far end of Purakaunui in the old garage car park, & walked the shoreline track around to the causeway at the head of Purakaunui Inlet. Then it was up the hill through the outskirts of Osborne, across the railway line, & onto the bottom of McKessar Track. From the next junction, we had a discussion on whether we should try the original way up to Mopanui, or continue on McKessar Track, & approach Mopanui from the Orok0nui side. We decided on the original, with the knowledge that we may have to retrace our steps, as in the past, we have not been able to find the correct way through the bush, & onto the rocky track leading up to the trig on top. However, after a couple of false leads, we managed to find a way up past some impressive stone walls, & onto a track that lead us to the marked track through the bush, & onto the rocky track up to the trig. [Bravo! Ed.]
When we arrived at the top, after the steep climb, we had to find shelter from the very strong wind that was blowing up there, so we could eat our lunch without getting blown off the mountain.
After lunch, we went down the other side onto Mopanui Rd. along here to McKessar Track, & back down to Osborne again, stopping on the way to show some of the group the old stone house ruins, as they had not been in this area before.Then it was back around the shoreline track to the car.
We all agreed that it was a good walk, with great views, & some nice sunshine to keep the temperature at a good level. – Ken

2. 20/3/2013. Trampers. Purakaunui to Mopanui, return.

 

1. 12/5/2010. Trampers. Purakaunui to Mopanui, return. Leaders: Sabina, George.

The planned Doctors Point starting point was changed to Purakaunui, thanks to Ian having misread high tide time from low tide on the tide  tables.

The day was calm and fine. We set off on the Osbourne track around the inlet, stopping for morning tea on a sunny embankment. Station Road was as steep as ever as we climbed to the old Purakanui Station. Across the railway and it was up and along the McKessar Track till we reached the beginning of the zigzag gorse-strewn track that would take us up to Mopanui. Autumn grass was heavy and long. George had done some gorse clearing so it was not too bad. We avoided one gorse overgrown ‘zig’ (or was it ‘zag’?) corner by short-cutting through some manuka. We finally arrived at the bush track leading directly up to the top. A bit overgrown, but again, not too bad. A clamber over the large hilltop boulders and we were on the summit for lunch.

Back down at the McKessar Track, we turned left to go farther up it, as George thought we might find it leading down to the Osbourne settlement, to make a round trip of it. A few hundred metres up, and George was inclined to give up and return back down. However, with time still on their side, Ken and Ian were prepared to recce the track to its end at Mopanui Road to see just what was there, the rest returning to the cars.

They did find one or two potential Osbourne leads, and followed one bulldozed track steeply down through some still-young pines but that lead eventually to a blind end and they had to labour back up again. Nearing the top of the McKessar Track, one or two other side roads led off to properties.

Finally Ken and Ian reached its junction with the Mopanui Road terminus.

Satisfied they had recced the entire track now, they returned back to the cars. When the got there, they found the rest of the party had arrived just before them, having invested their spare time to rest in the sun on the way.

A very good day, with tramping temperatures just right. – Ian.