16/04/2025. Historic Port Chalmers. Grade 2.5. Hikers. Leaders: Mike Webb. Jenni Wright.
17 Hikers met at the carpark opposite the Careys Bay pub for a walk around Careys Bay and Port Chalmers. Jenni introduced a new hiker, Shonagh, a delightful Scottish lady who is a resident of the UK and visiting a daughter here in Dunedin.
After a body count we headed up Slant Street and onto Coombe Hay Terrace which crosses the South Island main trunk line and winds around to meet up with a track that took us up to the new cemetery. A mini Tiki Tour of the cemetery visiting a few interesting graves was had before settling down by the RSA portion of the cemetery for morning tea. One of the graves visited was of Charles Bonner who was the first casualty on Captain Scott’s first attempt at reaching the South Pole in December 1901. Able Seaman Bonner who was 23 years of age fell to his death from the rigging as the ship Discovery was leaving Lyttleton for Port Chalmers. Rumour has it that he was as drunk as a skunk and waving a bottle of grog before he fell. Who would know? Scott and the ships complement raised money to erect an impressive 3 metre high marble obelisk on a bluestone base over his grave.
After morning tea we wandered up to the Scott Memorial where we had great views of Port Chalmers and the harbour before crossing Blueskin Road and followed a track up and down to where we again crossed Blueskin Road and onto a track leading to Port Chalmers via the Old Cemetery and Iona Presbyterian Church.
The church was closed so we were unable to look inside. It only opens on cruise ship days for tourists and on special occasions.
After a comfort stop at the library and a quick look in the Maritime Museum for some we headed up to Flagstaff Hill aka Hotere Hill by the locals where we had lunch. By this time the wind had got up a bit so the shelter amongst the hedges and bushes was welcome.
After lunch we followed a track from Hotere Hill down to Back Beach Road and walked alongside the harbour back to the main street in Port Chalmers.
We arrived just in time to get a bus back to the cars in Careys Bay where some had afternoon refreshment.
According to my phone, we walked 9.4km and as is typical in Port a few of those were uphill plods.
Thanks to Jenni for filling in as tail end and Barbara for being the lollipop lady when crossing Blueskin Road.
Mike Webb
Link to background information and earlier tramps and hikes in the same area.