27. 2/05/2024. Track clearing. Leader Phil Keene
Autumn is moving along, colours are fading, the tracks were wet and muddy, aided by some impressive pig work but the team were not defeated and completed a full day’s work on McQuilkans. Graham and John walked in from the Bullring and started at the top and worked down while Bill and I walked in from Possumbusters and worked from the bottom up. We met slightly later than planned, mostly due to some pretty wet conditions plus that flax and gorse had jumped ahead after the recce. We all came out via Possumbusters.
Since our last report we have also completed 95% of Upper Swinespur, with a small portion of the steep Swinespur face to be completed when we restart in summer!.
My notes that are kept to compile a summary of our work for the Green Hut group show that we have completed 220 hours of on track work over 8 working bees, so again well done everyone. Many hands do make it easier to ensure we can keep alive the Club’s tradition of maintaining these tracks.
Cheers Phil
26. 20/03/2024. Trampers. Track Clearing. Grade 3. $5. Leader: Phil Keene.
Reporting on track clearing 20 March and 22 February 2024. Since our last report we had a working bee on the 22 February when we commenced work on trimming and machining the Porkies Track which heads uphill off the Possumbusters track.
On 20 March 10members turned out to complete the annual flax cutting exercise where we concentrated on Upper Swine Spur and again Porkies. These tracks are known by the Green Hut Group as the Whare Flat tracks.
There is always a degree of initiation when this work is commenced as you have to navigate opening the gate on Rollisons Road and this task falls to the person sitting in the navigator’s seat in the front vehicle. Graeme S bravely accepted the role, which requires bending down in the ‘proposal’ position and pursing your lips in a manner to prevent swearing…..after a period of time and just as passengers started to get out to provide advice and help, Graeme launched into the air, mission accomplished!
Everyone enjoyed a splendid drive up and along Swampy, no clouds in the sky after a brisk morning and views from Dunedin by the Bay right around Strath Taieri to the Kakanui. Hard to beat and even harder to photograph.
We soon parked up our vehicles at the Swine spur intersection, having passed the flying saucer …..we split into 2 groups of 5, one heading down to where work had finished on a recent working bee and to workback up, while the other group worked down. The plan being to meet in the middle, which of course we did!
Lots of thick grass and young broom up there awaiting the machines!
We then returned to the vehicles and moved further along to the Porkies intersection where we repeated the plan, with a slightly different mix of teams.
This time the teams didn’t quite meet at the halfway point due to the time constraints but 95% of Porkies is trimmed, the flax here being continuous contiguous and every other construct! Hopefully we have not fallen out of love with harakeke!
We probably have 2-3 more working bees to complete the summer programme, to machine Upper Swine Spur and to trim and machine McQuilken’s. So far we have always enjoyed great weather, great views and great company! More on dates after Easter. Thanks to everyone for a hard but enjoyable days work.
Phil K
25. January 2024 Track clearing Leader: Phil
3 working bees have been held in January and, together with that in December 2023, 20 club members have spent 110 hours brush-cutting, trimming, raking and now and again swearing, but no blaspheming!
Excellent progress has been made clearing the Smithys, Possum busters, and again Lower Swine spur and some of Upper Swine spur tracks. With the ‘opening’ of the entrance ways some walkers passing by have asked ‘Oh where do those tracks go?’, to which we reply ‘Into a wonderland…’
A lower Swine spur/Possum busters/Smithys walk certainly provides a quality loop walk through lovely bush, starting and finishing at the one spot on Rollisons Rd. We started on Upper Swine spur last week and that also looks enticing.
Thanks to everyone who has volunteered so far. We will look to get a couple more working bees under our belt during February, ahead of the flax day 13th March. Watch this space.
Phil K
24. 11/12/2023 Track Clearing Leader: Phil
The first working bee for the summer got underway on nice dry tracks, with 2 scrub bars operated by Phil K and John, supported by Sarah, Pam and Dave doing the trimming, raking and everything else that was needed!
Phil and John played leap frog up lower Swinespur to the junction with Possum Busters where lunch was had just on noon. There was quite a lot of long wet grass, with patches of flax and small manuka requiring attention. Following advice from Neil Morrison we turned left at the intersection and worked our way out to Rollisons Rd along Possum Busters finishing right on time at 2pm.
This was not only a very good days work by everyone but also enjoyable, taking time to rest and enjoy the bush, views and each others company.
The work does give one an appreciation of these Whare Flat tracks which are underutilised by us as a club, a hint for the upcoming trip list!
Phil
23. 02/06/2023 Track clearing Leader: Phil
9 keen flax cutters turned up at PJ Park and off we went to Rollisons Road, following Neil M who had the key to the gate. Opening the gate at Rollisons Rd is like giving the new boy on his first day at work a trick job, and it proved similar here, but after a few minutes Phil M had his lips in the right position and hey presto the padlock was undone and off we went, climbing steadily and steeply and roughly onto Swampy – on what is still officially Rollisons Rd. We followed Neil down quite a steep rocky gravely drop off and parked up/ down / and around, it was harder and tighter than getting a park in town!
Neil backed his 4wd bike off the ute and away we went, the strategy to walk down to the first flax above the bush line and then work uphill….well this took a while and so once there we started off with morning tea, as you do.
From there we split into two teams, each claiming to be the A team. Teams each had 3 slashers and one picker upper… and we plugged on with each team finding its own space.
Lunch was at 12 .15pm on the dot, in good shelter from the westerly breeze which had a very high chill factor.
After lunch we again found our own areas, meeting up from time to time and finally and funnily enough we came together right at the junction of Porkies and the Swampy track, perfect planning and execution, and again right on time at 2.00pm.
Good craic and good hard work along the way. Many thanks to everyone but especially to Trevor, who’s first encounter with the club is flax cutting on Porkies!
22. 15/03/2023. Track clearing Leader: Phil
Following the meet n greet we worked out a plan with 5 in Phil M car, 4 with Phil K and 2 in the car of Lyn K. Neil M was going through the locked gate and up along the top to use the weed eater on the long grass near the top of McQuilkans.
It is appropriate I think to name the writers team, the AAA team and Phil Ms team the DCC team, or better still Helen’s boys…..(what happens in Bannockburn stays in Bannockburn). The AAA team to tackle Swinespur, the DCC team McQuilkans.
The AAA team was about to head off via the Lake Whare loop entrance off Rollison’s Rd when Lyn realised her wallet was ‘missing’, so with the group OK she back tracked in her car to various places, with luck as it turns out.
In the meanwhile the balance of the AAA team soldiered on and warmed up nicely and decided, as you do, to have a coffee before the real work started on lower Swinespur; generally the flax cutting was steady going with the track quite wet and muddy at the bottom of the steep bits, of which there seemed to be more than the last time we were here!
Tree Fuchsia was growing a new type of orange marker, akin to it’s natural colour and well the blackberries kept popping out as we slashed and bashed and they were ‘right up there too’, as the saying goes.
We boxed on with numerous discussions for the best time to lunch, when Lyn rang in to say she was back on track, but then nearly off track as a little pig (actually a big one) went rushing past on it’s way to market, and where were we at, and so forth. So Lyn started ascending Swinespur and did some QA with her new flax cutter, whilst the rest of us went to the top for lunch at 12.55pm, taking up Sarah’s suggestion to get the last 200m of flax on the way down – what an excellent idea!
Having posed for a photo at Swinespur to prove we had made it, off we went and finally met up with Lyn who did some more QA as we descended to the cars. We made phone contact with the DCC team who had returned to Peter Johnstone just a few minutes ahead of us.
So we were still all in the mood for a good natter at Blend who were most happy to accommodate us right on 3.30pm with excellent service and coffee and cake!
Thanks to everyone for their efforts and Neil M for his guidance and advice.
21. 11/5/2022. Track Clearing Leaders: Neil Morrison and Arthur Heenan.
16 trampers turned up at the car park with appropriate gear ready to slash the flax on Swine Spur, Porkies. and McQuilkans tracks.
We met Arthur at the start of Swine Spur off Rollinsons Road. We divided into 5 groups, 1 for Swine Spur and 2 groups each for the other 2 tracks starting one at each end.
The weather was fine, the flax not as thick as anticipated, so we finished earlier than expected.
A VERY GOOD EFFORT FROM EVERYBODY.
Upon completion we all returned to Bruce and Jenny’s for afternoon tea of delicious scones, tea or coffee and more talking.
Jenny couldn’t come flax cutting but we sure appreciated the afternoon tea she provided.
An afternoon enjoyed by all I’m sure.
Neil Morrison
20. 12/5/2021. Track Clearing. Leaders: Neil Morrison and Arthur Heenan.
On the calendar of Wednesday 12, it says ‘Flax cutting’. Oh? When the frost is on the ground and it’s 2 degrees? But, we won’t be put off!
THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED
19. 17/3/2021. Track Clearing. Swine Spur Track. Leaders :Neil Morrison and Arthur Heenan
15 Eager trampers turned out for Flax clearing duty, on Upper Swine Spur Track. They worked down from the top.
One Group for 4 drove up over Swampy Summit, from Rollisons Road, to the top of Swine Spur. They worked down from the top.
The larger group parked further down Rollinsons Road, and walked from the bottom. Morning Tea was taken at the Junction with Possum Busters, and this group started here to deal with the flax.
Good steady progress was made until the 2 groups met at 12.30, perfect timing for lunch. Afterwards both groups walked out to their starting points – with some titivating on the way back.
A very satisfactory days work.
Back in Mosgiel a well earned visit was made to BLEND . A very special thank you to all who helped today.
Arthur.
18. 15/5/2019. Track Clearing. Possum Busters Area. Neil and Arthur.
On a fine but cool Wednesday 14 hardy souls turned up keen to clear some more tracks from FLAX. 7 arrived at Possum Busters, Whare Flat Road junction at 9 ::30 and started along the track and eventually divided into 2. groups. 1 group cutting up McQuilkins , and the remainder carried on to Porkies. The other 7 travelled up to the top of Swampy by vehicle to clear going down Porkies and McQuilkins. By lunch time both tracks had been cleared of flax.
HOORAY. Now it was just a matter of returning to the vehicles with a job well done arriving about 1:30. 3 1/2 hours cutting. After this we returned to Blends for a welcome cuppa and a yarn and the RAIN STARTED. WE CAN ALL SAY MISSION ACCOMPLISHED !!!!
A BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO HELPED ON THIS JOB . THE CLEARED TRACK LOOKS GREAT. – Neil.
17. 8/5/2019. Swine Spur – and Porkies. Neil and Arthur.
On a fine Wednesday 15 hardy souls turned up keen to clear some tracks from FLAX. We arrived at the bottom of Swine Spur at 9 ::30 and 11 started up the track
and eventually divided into 3. groups.
1 group cutting up to Swine spur
from Possum Busters junction, another group checked Possum Busters to the left, and the remainder carried on up Swine Spur
meeting up with the forth group of 4 who had travelled up to the top by vehicle to clear going down Swine Spur.After lunch the top group cleared about an hour on Porkies by which time everyone had tired arms from sawing and chomping flax so they called it quits and headed back down
to the locked gate and the others who had arrived back at the road at 2;;30 after another hour on Possum Busters. After this we returned to Blends for a welcome cuppa.
A BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL WHO HELPED ON THIS JOB . THE CLEARED TRACK LOOKS GREAT.
– Neil
16. 2/3/2016. Smithys.
Today, 4 of us started on clearing Smithys track. We went in across the new bridge installed by Neil, that crosses the very wet smelly red muck at the Rollinsons Road end of the track. We estimate that we got about 3/4 of the way through, before it was time to retrace our steps back to the cars.
We are not sure if we will have enough fuel to finish this work, so unless somebody comes up with a couple of litres of fuel, that is as far as we are going. I have about one litre left, & I’m not sure if that would be enough to get to the end of the track. – Ken
15. 11/1/2016 Swamp grass cleared from tracks in Lake Whare environs.
On Monday, 3 trampers met at 9am & went into the Rollinsons Rd area to do some more track clearing.
We started by clearing the bottom piece of Swine Spur, of the waist high swamp grass, then we cleared the whole distance around the Lake Whare Loop track [more waist high swamp grass] & the short lower piece of the track leading from the Lake Whare Loop up to Smithys Track.
As it was still only about 3pm, we decided to also clear a way through the long grass from Rollinsons Rd. to the bush edge of Smithys Track.
I have tried to contact the Green Hut track leader [ & left a message on his phone] to ask if they could put some sort of a bridge over the smelly boggy bit just off the road.
Cheers
Ken
14. 6/1/2016 Possum Busters cleared end to end
After a marathon effort, we finally got Possum Busters track cleared all the way through from road-to-road. This has taken 4 & a bit days of work to complete, & it still would not be finished if it were not for the helping hand of Dick from the Green Hut Track Group, with another scrub bar.
We had 8 people turn up this morning to help out, & it worked out very well with the different activities of the day.
Arthur walked all the way through with a chainsaw, accompanied by Keith, tidying up the few remaining trees blocking, or partially blocking the track, while Ian & Dick walked through to where we had finished off last time, & then started to work back towards Neil, Eric, Steve, & myself.
I would like to thank everybody for their work, it was a relief to get it finished.
However — we are not finished with track clearing yet, & our next effort will be on Monday next, meeting at the same place at 9am. We will be clearing the bottom end of Swine Spur, through all that very long swamp grass [cutty grass] along to where the track enters the bush.
HNY
Ken
13. 29/12/2015.
Yesterday [Tuesday 29th] 3 trampers went into Possum Busters track from the Rollinsons Road end with two scrub bars, & loppers/hedge clippers.
We have cleared all the way up to & beyond the junction with Swine Spur track. This was very hard work, because of the two steep gullies we had to get in & out of carrying all the gear, & clearing as we went.
We estimate that we have at least another day’s work to finish the full track length, from the Whare Flat -Flagstaff Rd. through to Rollinsons Rd.
The same 3 trampers turned up at the car park this morning, where we decided to have a look at signs on the Tunnels Track, [ or lack of signs] on the three tracks leading back down to the Silverstream.
The Green Hut Group have asked us to do this, & put in signs where necessary.
We will probably look at doing some more work on Possum Busters Track before next Wednesday sometime, weather permitting. So if anybody can lend a hand, that would be most helpful. I will send out an email stating the day/time/meeting place, when we decide to do this.
We will be going in from the Whare Flat – Flagstaff Road end this time, as although it’s longer, it’s much easier going when carrying scrub bars etc. – Ken
12. 30/11/2015.
4 of us went into the Whare Flat area today to put in some signs. We put 6 in around there, & then went up the firebreak track from the bullring, & put one at the top end of the Big Rock track as well. We then went down this track to see if we could find the lower part that goes down to the road, but we couldn’t find it. So we may try to come in from the bottom at the road end, & see how that goes. This track is NOT recommended, it is badly overgrown, & very hard to find your way. It also has some difficult parts, including clambering over boulders etc.
Somebody has been in there recently, & cut down some of the pines that are growing up near the top end above Big Rock.
Here are the pics of them except one which I forgot to photograph.
We are nearly finished with signs in that area now, maybe only two or three left to do. But the tracks badly need clearing AGAIN !! Time to get the scrub bar working again. – Ken
11. 6/5/2015
I arrived home at about 4:30pm, with a couple of blisters, & feeling VERY tired, but happy that we got the job done. – Ken.
10. 4/5/2015
9. 1/4/2015.
April 1st saw two of the trampers out track clearing again. We finished clearing the bottom end of Swine Spur track.
Then went & cleared the way through the long grass on the top end of the Whare Lake Loop track, past the old stone ruins. After this we retraced our steps back to Rollinsons Rd. & drove down to the bottom exit for the Loop track, where we cleared about 50-70mtrs. of track until it entered the bush.
We then drove down to the start of the Tunnels Track, & cleared the entrance to this as well. We also hung some new track markers in appropriate places on Swine Spur, & the Loop Tracks. All this took about 5 hours of toil. You want to try clearing a path through shoulder high grass, & carrying the scrub bar for 5 hours !! Any volunteers from the hikers for the next piece to be done, which is from point 8 on page 5.08 in A. Hamels book, to where the track up through the bush starts on the short, but steep track [un-named] leading up to the junction with Smithy’s Track ?? – Ken.
8. 4/3/2015
We had a very successful day today, 6 trampers arrived at the end of Silverstream Rd. to help with the days track clearing effort. We motored up to Rollinsons Rd. where two members set off with chainsaws to make a path around a large tree that was across the Lake Whare loop track. The rest carried on a bit further to the end of the Swine Spur track, where we unloaded the scrub cutter, fuel, tools, etc. for the attempt at clearing a way through the waist high swamp grass along the lower part of the track.
Two carried another sign into Smithies Track, & put it in to point the correct way at what appears [wrongly] to be a track junction.
Later on, three members armed with hedge clippers & loppers went up to the start of Jim Freeman track on the Flagstaff – Whare Flat Rd. to clear the first part of that track, which had gotten badly overgrown.
The scrub cutter works extremely well with it’s new blade, & we made good progress up until lunchtime, when I decided to turn the blade over to get a new cutting edge, & lost a washer that holds the blade on, so the nut wouldn’t tighten up, & the blade just spun around inside it’s clamp. So we had lunch, looked for the washer unsuccessfully , & decided to call it a day.
We still have some distance to go to get through this swamp grass, but another mornings work should see it done. – Ken
7. 8/2/2015. Swine Spur grass clearing.
Today, Ian Hebbard & I went & tried out the scrub bar on the start of Swine Spur track. Went thru 2 tanks of fuel to get to the junction with the track going across the small log bridge around to Lake Whare, & found that the blade they gave us is useless. So I’m going to find out what a proper grass blade is worth & see if the club will come to the party. We used another tool head that came with it, & it works quite well…
…but as soon as it gets into heavy going, or strikes a branch hidden in the long grass, it breaks the heavy duty nylon & then I have to replace it, so that could get expensive. This tool head is quite unusual, in that it’s very small, & takes straight lengths of very strong ‘ nylon wire’ [not my words, that’s what the makers are calling it] about 25cm-30 long, & they go through the tool head from one side, & stick out the other side by an equal amount. It can take two of these lengths at right angles to each other, but that would be too much for this machine in long grass.
It’s going to be a long hard slog to get the whole bottom end of Swine Spur clear of all that long swamp grass, I might try a scythe, & see how that goes!!!
We also put in another sign at the start of the Tunnel Track…
…about 30mtrs in from the road, & before you get to the creek crossing. – Ken.
6. 17/12/2014. Today we put in new signs…
…at the top of Swine Spur/…
…Porkies/…
…Moon…
…& McQuilkans…
…tracks. We reinstated the DCC sign at the locked gate on Rollinsons Rd. & put in two signs on Smithies track, at two junctions, to point the correct direction to follow Smithies.
We used a 4WD vehicle, & a 4 wheeler quad bike with trailer…
…to transport us & equipment along the Swampy ridge track to the tops of the 4 tracks that emerge onto there.
We then went back down Rollinsons Rd. picked up the sign that should be at the locked gate, & proceeded to reinstate it…
…in it’s original position.
Then it was into Smithies track carrying two signs to be installed at junctions,…
…where it was not obvious which way to go. – Ken.
5. 24/11/2014. Track signs.
A good group of 6 gathered at the end of Silverstream valley Rd. this afternoon to help carry a couple of signs, & equipment, in to the junction of Possum Busters Track & Porkies Track.
After deciding where the signs were to be placed some holes were dug, & it was here that one group member showed such a dab hand with the spade …
… that nobody else wanted to have a go with it!! After assembling the signs & lowering them into their holes, we rammed all the clay we could find …
… back into the holes, & when we had finished, some photos …
… were taken while we were congratulating ourselves on a job well done. – Ken.
… yesterday [i.e. 5/11/2014, Ed], 4 of us went & put some new signs in on Possum Busters, & Smithy’s tracks. – Ken.
As for the track clearing effort, we discovered that we were only about 25mtrs. short of getting all the way through last time when we came in from Jim Freeman track. It was a bit of a surprise to find that we only had about 1/2 an hour of clearing to do. So Possum Busters is now open for traffic, but still needs some tidying, which the Green Hut Track Group tells me they will do this when we cut a way through all the windfall trees.
On the way out, two of us stopped off at the pump-house car park, & went along the Silverstream track with chainsaws, to clear a way past some fallen trees that were making it difficult to walk the first part of this track. So it’s now possible to walk along here without having to duck under, or climb over any obstacles.
We also had a look at Leishmans track, where DOC have been trying to cut their way through windfall material. This is negotiable for quite some distance, but we didn’t go all the way, so there could still be some blockage further in. The track is steep in places, & the creek crossings are VERY slippery. – Ken]
The damage in there has to be seen to understand what it’s really like, & many thanks to the Green Hut track group, who found the way through this jungle of fallen trees etc. & marked it so it can be followed again.
This track would make a good walk for the hikers in the future I think, although there are a few creek crossings to negotiate.
So a very grateful thanks to those that turned up & worked so hard during the day. Cheers – Ken]
We managed to get all the way along to the old racemans hut, & the stream crossing just beyond that, clearing all of the smaller stuff out of the way, so that the DCC guys, or The Green Hut Track Group could come in with chainsaws, & remove all the large trees across the track.
It was obvious that the DCC Task force Green guys had been along the last part of the track towards the old racemans hut, as there wasn’t much for us to do along that stretch, but we still did a good days work, & I think there would’ve been some tired bodies that evening.
We may look at continuing with this work at a later date, but I have sent an email to Graeme of the Green Hut Track Group, so he can keep me up to date on what still needs doing. – Ken.
Think a very big “thank you” is owed to those members of the club who have done such a great job of the track clearing and the VERY well made new signs they have installed. I am sure it will be much appreciated not only by our club but many others who enjoy the tramps on these tracks. Certainly those of us that did the tramp/hike on 3rd Dec. did. Thanks guys.
Thanks must also go to the Green Hut Track Group, & others for the tremendous amount of work that has been done in that area alone.
Not forgetting that they also look after the Silverpeaks tracks, & the Silverstream ones as well.
My thanks go out to them all.