06/11/2024. Deep Creek Weir. Grade 3. Combined. Leaders: Barbara Shackell, Wendy Langley, Carolyn Pridham, Sue Johnstone.
28 set off in absolute perfect weather, past Rocklands Station on the Old Dunstan Road, until reaching the Te Papanui gate.
Author: Diane
Graham’s Bush, Organ Pipes, Buttar’s Peak, Mt Cargill
09/10/2024. Graham’s Bush to Mt Cargill. Grade 4. Trampers. Leaders: Karen McInnes and Gail Williams
Eleven hardy trampers met at the end of Hall Road in Sawyer’s Bay on Wednesday morning, very aware that the weather was dodgy to say the least.
Continue reading “Graham’s Bush, Organ Pipes, Buttar’s Peak, Mt Cargill”
Fraser’s Gully
09/10/2024. Fraser’s Gully. Grade 2.5. Hikers. Leaders Helen Morris and Heather Reid.
18 hardy souls left the PJ carpark for Frasers Gully car park on a damp morning. No rain in town. Walked up so far and stopped for our morning tea on a corner. Then carried on up to the top at Dalziels Road. Continue reading “Fraser’s Gully”
McNally Walkway
11/09/2024. McNally Walkway. Grade 3. Trampers. Leaders: Graeme Souter & Theresa White.
A lovely morning greeted us at the car park where 20 keen trampers departed for Milton and the McNally (yes, its McNally not McNally’s as I was advised) Walkway.
Big Stone Road
11/09/2024. Big Stone Road. Grade 3. Hikers. Leaders: Bill Cubitt & Adrienne Ensor.
On a beautiful spring morning 20 keen walkers started out from the lay-bay opposite the entrance to Daphne Road to commence their adventure through, what is known as the Allanton Block of Wenita Forest.
Tunnel Gully, McRaes, Racemans, Powder Creek Detour
14/08/2024. Tunnel Gully, McRaes, Racemans, Powder Creek Detour. Grade 3. Trampers. Leaders: Phil Keene & Gary Mort.
27 trampers in 6 cars all managed to end up at the Tunnel Gully entrance at the same time and after arranging for two cars to be parked at the main Silverstream car park we all set off just after 10.00am.
Continue reading “Tunnel Gully, McRaes, Racemans, Powder Creek Detour”
Taieri Mouth Excursion
14/08/2024. Taieri Mouth Excursion. Grade 3. Hikers. Leaders: Bill Cubitt & Alex Griffin.
26 hikers gathered at Knarston Park on a beautiful late winter’s morning.
Continue reading “Taieri Mouth Excursion”
Government Track and Kowhai Spur
10/07/2024. Government Track, Kowhai Spur. Grade 4. Trampers. Leaders: Lyn Keene, Jenny Wilton.
18 Trampers braved a frosty morning to walk the Government Track /Kowhai Spur. Continue reading “Government Track and Kowhai Spur”
Street Art Trail and Surrounds
10/07/2024. Street Art Trail and Surrounds, Grade 1.5. Hikers. Leaders: Wendy Langley, Val Cayford.
24 of us began our mural art journey walking from the Southern Cemetery, into town to view and learn about the many murals and their artists, around our city centre. Continue reading “Street Art Trail and Surrounds”
Maia to Port Chalmers
Port Chalmers, Mia, Deborah Bay, Rangi Park – Information and Trips Library
2. 22/05/2024. Burkes to Port Chalmers. Hikers. Leaders Mike and Jill
I won’t take it as a personal insult that only 13 hikers turned up to join me on a walk from Maia to Port Chalmers via Sawyers Bay and back roads. I put the low turnout down to a reference to “grunty hills” in the pre walk notes. Continue reading “Maia to Port Chalmers”
Club excursion to Queenstown
1. 25/02/2024-01/03/24. Queenstown Tracks. Combined. Leaders Anne Bennett
Our group arrived at Lakeland Christian Youth Camp on Sunday 25th February to a lovely hot afternoon and spectacular views over Lake Wakatipu. Once unpacked our 1st cooking group prepared the first of many great meals. Continue reading “Club excursion to Queenstown”
AGM 2023
35th AGM 24 August 2023
A very successful AGM was held at the Presbyterian Church Hall in Church St, with 50 folk attending and 15 apologies received!
It was great to have such a mix of members attend and even before the meeting was formally underway neighbours and passersby were commenting on the noise from the hall.
The usual AGM processes and topics were efficiently dealt to with the many highlights of the past year outlined in the Presidents report.
For everyone’s information the Officers and Committee were elected as follows
President Phil Keene
Vice President John Gardiner
Secretary/ Treasurer Jenni Wright
Communications Officer Ross Davies
Committee Jay Devlin, Jan Butcher, Karen McInnes, Pam Cocks, Barbara Shackell, Graeme Souter.
Jill Dodd has resigned from the committee as Past President and her contribution was highlighted in the Presidents report. Thanks again Jill for everything you have done and do for us.
The President outlined the approach taken by the Committee to confer life memberships on four members. The process outlined in the paragraph 4 (e) of the constitution was read, and then citations and presentations were read and made for Betty and Jim Finnie, Lester Harvey and Neil Morrison. It is worth recording these on our website, both for ‘history’ as well as allowing those members not present to share in the celebration.
Betty and Jim Finnie: Presented by Vice President John Gardiner
“I have the pleasure of presenting two Life Memberships at once. These two people are both icons of the club, individually and especially collectively. Like tramping boots and gators, woolly hats and gloves, they complement each other, and just go together. Betty and Jim joined the Taieri Recreational Tramping Club in 2011, and in the 12 years since, our members have enjoyed their company on well over 100 tramps and hikes. Often, they have led and organized outings, sometimes going to great lengths to enable members to enjoy themselves. For example, Jim purchased a new chain saw, and organized a scrub clearing day prior to a hike. On another occasion, Jim and Betty left a ladder for members to use crossing a fence, and after all crossed the fence, went back days later to collect it. I’m told they’ve collectively, of their own volition, done many exploratory recces for new hikes and tramps, even taking Jim’s home built electric bikes partway up Government Track! Always in support, Betty, a little bird told me, even irons Jim’s pyjamas, and I remember her on the North Taieri hike, complete with a jangly pack on her back, running downhill, when she heard Jim was struggling with a crook leg!
Ladies and gentlemen, please congratulate Jim and Betty.”
Lester Harvey: Presented by Past President Jill Dodd
”Lester Harvey is currently our oldest active member of the Taieri Recreational Tramping Club .He has been a member of the club for 15 years , on the committee 2014-18 along with being on the trip planning committee during that time .Lester is not so active at the moment as he is caring for his wife who is now wheel chair bound .That doesn’t stop this ingenious pair. Lester has adapted the wheelchair to carry the shopping bags on behind and a wooden addition between the back wheels to make negotiating foot path to road crossing a little easier saving jarring Daphne. They are often seen moving along the Mosgiel streets at a good pace and quite some distance from home! Lester is a dab hand in the kitchen often sharing his recipes with others. He opted to make his 90th birthday cake to be shared with the members in attendance at the Momona Hall a couple of years back .Lester is a local Taieri ‘lad’ so has many connections and knowledge of local walking trails which has been used to our advantage.
Once Lester retired, he didn’t just sit down so in 1996 he became the co-ordinator of the beautification of the rail corridor between Riccarton Rd along to Wingatui, 5kms. It had been very much an eyesore. 100s of man hours and 8 years later it was completed and known as Lester’s Pride- a plaque on the corner of Gladstone Rd South and Gordon Rd sits on the grass verge. Unfortunately the area from Gladstone Rd North is all that basically remains today. In recognition Lester was granted the 1st Fonterra Environmental award in 2008 for his labour of love.
Lester just doesn’t know how to stop; he still not only looks after his own garden but plants out neighbourhood gardens starting with the rotary hoeing stage. He stated just the other day he has 18 different vegetables either in the garden or freezer and the only vegetable he hasn’t given a go at growing in our more southern conditions is the Kumera. Bees have always been his passion and when taking off the honey a lot was given to the Taieri High (as it was known years ago) with the proceeds going to fund raisers for the school.
2010 saw Lester presented with the Queens Service Medal for community services. Lester has his faithful push bike that he is often seen biking around Mosgiel on. Even when he comes out hiking with us he arrives on the bike, leaving it unlocked for the day at the car park. Without any hesitation he swings a leg over the bar and away he bikes, no wobbling!
It is my pleasure to present Lester with his Life Membership of the
Taieri Recreation and Tramping Club 2023.”
Neil Morrison: Presented by President Phil Keene
“I have the pleasure of presenting a life membership award to Neil.
Neil joined the club in 2012 and as well as serving on the committee for four years Neil has organised a great many trips, many in the more challenging range, but as time moves on we see pictures of Neil in the write up for the trip 12 April 2023 proudly demonstrating his wonderful train network and collection when the walkers led by Carole, called in for morning tea and coffee, and I note that often the trip write ups were signed by Morrison and Morrison.
Neil has a presence that commands respect and his comment is always based on deep experience from someone who has done the hard yards and enjoys being in the wide-open spaces. He has a dry, often telling sense of humour.
Since joining the club Neil has in parallel been involved in the maintenance of walking tracks west of Flagstaff. We estimate that Neil has undertaken about 150 days of work, mostly with machines in his hands. His organisational and safety skills are to the fore, never more so when we have the flax clearing days. At times participants look to get a ride with him on his tray or quad, other times not!
This work enables the enjoyment of the tracks by the general public but also reflects positively back on the club and is recognised by the DCC, DOC and others.
I have invited comment on the award by Graeme Elliot from the Green Hut Track Group.
“The Green Hut Track Group is extremely pleased to be able to add support to the acknowledgement and Award of a Life Membership to Neil Morrison to the Taieri Recreational Tramping Club. The Green Hut Track Group first came across Neil, all on our hands and knees along with quite a number of like-minded people (both TRTC Club and Green Hut Track Group members), while trying to relocate the Whare Flat, Possum Busters Track, after the “Big Snow of June 2013”. Very fond memories!
Since that time, Neil and Arthur Heenan have been “commanders” of the Whare Flat Walking Track system. Neil has been my “main” contact for the past 10 years. It has always a pleasure to work with him. He is a superb person, he is stoic, he always has a huge smile on his face and just loves his involvement and fun with everything he does. The Green Hut Track Group is extremely proud to acknowledge Neil as a Member. Congratulations Neil the award is well deserved.
Best Wishes Graeme Elliot Coordinator Green Hut Track Group”
Ladies and gentlemen please congratulate Neil on this life membership award.”
In Neil’s absence Carole accepted the award on his behalf.
Halo Project: Jonah Kitto-Verhoef
Once we had the computers sorted Jonah the Operations Pest Manager provided an overview of the organisational structure that focuses on working with communities across 4 areas, predator free zones, forest habitat restoration, from source to sea and seabird habitat restoration. It soon was very clear that extensive skill sets and passion for the job was required! Jonah demonstrated the extensive concentration of trapping systems and methodologies with predator free zones surrounded by large buffer zones. Jonah demonstrated different trap types and when and how they are used to the best outcomes; he acknowledged there is a ‘dark side’ to the work. Much of what Jonah demonstrated is on the Halo Project website https://www.haloproject.org.nz/predator-free and this includes resource info sheets for groups and individuals. Clive Crossman thanked Jonah for his talk and presented a donation from the club for the Halo Project’s work.
Thank you again to everyone who contributed to a successful AGM and we look forward to another great years walking and talking and …….
Phil Keene
TRTC 35th Celebration
5 July 2023. 35th Birthday/ Mid winter lunch (More photos below this report)
Seventy members and partners enjoyed and made the most of being ‘35 ’, at the Taieri Bowling Club’s excellent club rooms. It was a Wednesday with a cold wind, so we were all more than happy to be inside mixing and mingling and enjoying each others company.
Clive Crossman had prepared a photographic presentation that played continuously throughout the day which brought to mind lots of memories, and questions such as where’s that?, who’s that? and we must go there again……thanks Clive for the presentation (we will make it available asap) and again thanks to Jenni Wright, Jill Dodd and Eleanore for their planning work, which as they say ‘was right up there’; the missing flowers from gardens around Outram were found in the posies on the tables; also to John Gardiner for being our ‘official photographer’ on the day.
Phil K alluded to the historical information that could be viewed as well as mentioning that in the first handful of years the club had undertaken over 20 camping trips with a consistent number of around 25-30 folk attending, then a high percentage of members. Following Ian Fleming’s grace, especially poignant with the recent passing of Shirley, we enjoyed a lovely finger food meal and took a moment’s silence to remember past members and special memories and noted apologies from those who could not be present.
Jenni Wright gave an update from Judy Knox over in that west island, and then read out Judy’s poem that she had written especially for the day – so many thanks Judy from everyone present. We laughed a lot!
“TRTC 35 years – Congratulations
I wish that I could be with you
To share some memories, one or two.
Thirty-five is quite a lot
Of years for being on the trot.
I recall a lot of fun,
On all the trips that we have done.
Sadly I can’t be with you –
Which leaves me feeling rather blue.
But not for long, I’m pleased to say –
I’ll live to tramp another day.
My hip replacement happens soon
Then I’ll be jumping up and doon.
To have it done I’ve waited long,
And I just hope it won’t go wrong.
Then home I’ll come, to see you all,
And all those trips we will recall.
We all are older, some have passed,
It comes to everyone at last.
So get stuck in and celebrate,
It really is a special date.
From here I’ll raise a glass to you
And have an extra wine or two.
In memory of those special years,
To all of you, three hearty cheers!”
Following this Andrew Simms Chair of the Mosgiel Taieri Community Board gave an insightful talk on key matters affecting the community which Clive summed up in his vote of thanks as ‘get involved’. Andrew’s outline of options to use the Taieri Gorge line for walking and (e) biking was a vision worth exploring and supporting for us ‘recreationists’! Imagine the scores of lycra clad golden oldies at the Wobbly Goat or Wal’s if two major bike trails met on the Taieri, not to mention cycling on to Dunedin through more tunnels!
Phil recited one of his favourite poems, Place, by Brian Turner. After alighting the plane at Momona from his 7 months lockdown in Perth he noticed it in large print upon the wall upstairs near the restaurants. Bit of a twinge there!
Place
Once in a while
you may come across a place
where everything
seems as close to perfection
as you will ever need.
And striving to be faultless
the air on its knees
holds the trees apart,
yet nothing is categorically
thus, or that, and before the dusk
mellows and fails
the light is like honey
on the stems of tussock grass,
and the shadows are mauve birthmarks
on the hills.
– Brian Turner, All That Blue Can Be (Dunedin: John McIndoe, 1989).
Bev Harvey then did us the honour of ‘the cutting of the cake’ which following the group photo was devoured.
It was great to be 35 again and I’m almost looking forward to being 40 again…….but before that we have the AGM on the 24 August 2023 at the Mosgiel Presbyterian Church at 1.30pm. In addition to the usual we will have a presentation from the Operations Manager of the Halo Project, so I look forward to seeing you all there.
Phil K
Invermay/Silverstream
1. 29/06/2022. Invermay/Silverstream (combined trampers and hikers). Leaders Grant and Barbara
We saw our names listed on the upcoming trips beside the Invermay walkway. As we both had spent most of our working careers at Invermay (80+ years between us), we used some institutional knowledge to make our plans.
Our recce for this adventure was based on a presumed 15 (or maybe 20 if we’re lucky) hikers and we made our plans accordingly. The Invermay campus café was particularly happy to oblige as he had a busy week of catering events, and this number would be a walk in the park; so to speak.
After we had posted our ‘preview’ things changed and interest mushroomed. Over the week preceding the hike, numbers had risen to 53 for lunch, dipped for some late Covid catchers, and risen again with some late notifications (or those whose attendance had escaped me!).
Wednesday 29 June 2022, dawned overcast, with an ominous red glow (well it was ominous if you were a hike leader). A pre-meet check of the previously placed blocks across the Silverstream, under the rail bridge, and a whip around to our old stamping ground to check on the room set up, confirmed we were as organised as it was possible to be when one party had been awake since 4am contemplating what could go wrong (or whether the distance was manageable … for him).
With both tramper and hiker emergency bags available to us, there were extra fluoro jackets available which was a bonus. After a brief meet & greet, we left the rugby club – almost on time. One leader attempted to pass on (her) anxiety about timeframes, as lunch was being provided for 12-sharp. A hiking visitor offered to don a fluoro jacket and was asked to keep count of hikers, a role he performed admirably considering the number of folk joining us enroute – including some who joined us on the banks of the Silverstream as we were virtually passing their back door. A brief morning tea stop was allowed at the Taieri Airport, where it was thought helicopter activity would keep any aviation enthusiasts happy; albeit briefly.
At this time, a new member phoned a leader to ask where the group was (note to friends of new members / Committee – remember to emphasise the variation in summer & winter start times to newbies). He’d thought the start time was 10am. A quick trip was made from the rugby club carpark around to the airport, where he left his vehicle, and our numbers rose further. On his arrival, we departed single-file-ish along Stedman Road behind the airport buildings with a vehicle in front flashing hazard lights warning oncoming traffic of our impending approach!
Crossing the road, we dropped down to the Silverstream, managing the gate obstacle in whatever fashion best suited each individual, and under the rail bridge. Those who had feared getting their feet wet making the crossing, were audibly relieved to find vibrapac blocks strategically placed and the majority managed to cross without their fears being realised. Those with poles managed much easier – and thanks to all those who shared their poles with comrades.
We continued the length of the track north of the railway line towards the Puddle Alley Picnic area.
Leader #2 was there before us and had alerted the tree surgeons who were working on the eucalypts right beside the track that a large party was heading their way. They kindly turned off their gear as we came in sight up the rise, letting us safely past. As we dropped down the short steep little track leading to the picnic area proper (which was slippery with overnight damp) we were met by more members. Without really pausing, we continued across the picnic spot to rejoin the track heading under the bridge at Puddle Alley, continuing on the next extension of the track. The track had been temporarily closed up until a week before we were due to use it (which had caused us some mild ‘panic’). As it is now reopened, we’ve included a photo of the new signage so that members who weren’t with us have a heads up of the “rules”.
The track meandered beside the Silverstream for a kilometer or two until we reached the gate indicating the end of public access.
Having previously received permission from AgResearch the group continued up through the former dump site. Beehives were visible but didn’t interfere with progress. Navigating the hill up to the forestry we had been asked to avoid the last 700m of the Invermay walking track which remains incomplete, and instead we continued on the right-hand side up the farm track to a lookout point over the Taieri Plain.
Grant gave the group a brief explanation of the science that had occurred on the farm visible to us from this point, including the development of the exotic sheep quarantine farm with its double fencing, all completed in double quick time and the introduction of the East Friesian sheep semen through AI into the locally bred Coopworth ewes. On completion of this exercise, part of the original quarantine area was redeveloped to allow possums (in particular their reproduction) to be studied (with a view to limiting it!). Unfortunately, time did not permit a visit to the residual feed intake building where frequency and duration of eating bouts as well as amount consumed are recorded for individual animals (maybe another time!) so we proceeded down the farm road past the building now housing K9MD and VetEquine.
We stopped again at the shearing shed where Grant pointed out the Portable Accumulation Chambers for measuring methane emissions from individual animals and further on, the CT Scanner building.
By now we were really conscious of the time, and headed for the Cullen Conference Centre which had been booked for our increased numbers, passing the oak tree planted in memory of Crop & Food staff who had perished in a plane crash in Christchurch in 2003.
Even more members met us for the lunch part of the day. The room was warm, the food appetising, the tea & coffee welcome; and stripped of footwear, backpacks and jackets, we selected our eats, took a seat and partook of conversation.
Following lunch, we were joined by Pauline Blomfield of K9 Medical Detection (K9MD) Trust, who gave a fascinating talk on her work training and using dogs to detect prostate and bowel cancers, with a view to also detecting breast cancer. There is no public funding available for this work and as a result a large part of her time is directed towards worrying where the $500K that is required annually to simply keep the doors open is coming from.
The success rates Pauline provided on the correct detection results for the dogs was inspirational, and in proposing a vote of thanks we were proud to present her with over $300 collected from TRTC members during lunch. Thanks heaps, all of you! For anyone else who would like to know more, visit https://www.k9md.org.nz/ and if you’d like to contribute visit here https://www.k9md.org.nz/help-us/donate.
On re-booting ourselves, some folk left us at this point and the remainder headed back towards the farmyard and the stock route underpass to avoid having to cross Puddle Alley. Traversing an underbridge was something new for a few members. Up the little rise, through the gate, and we found ourselves back in the vicinity of the tree-fellers. The return along the track to the river crossing seemed to take no time, and again no members were lost in the crossing.
By now, the front “runners” could smell home and headed off for the rugby grounds car park. The driver and the car left at the airport were reunited and they headed home to Dunedin. There was a brief stop for some stone fence lessons and those who had joined us enroute now peeled off.
Having briefly enquired about a coffee stop before we left, and there being no obvious demand, the remainder of us said our goodbyes at the car park and headed to our respective homes.
On behalf of the Leaders, and all those wearing fluoro, thanks for your good-humoured company.
Barbara and Grant
Jones Property, Matarae
Middlemarch Area – Information and Trips Library
1. 16/02/2022. Trampers. Jones Property, Matarae. M. Leaders Heather Kirk and Judy Dennison
Third time lucky! We finally had good weather for our tramp on Matarae Station in the Middlemarch area. Our thanks to the Jones family.
Usual 9 am start from Mosgiel. We drove to the corner of Young road and SH87, then turned left into Young road. Travelled for another 3 or so kms, stopping at a gateway on the right, just past the sign for Hopefield farm. From here we did a car shuttle and left 2 cars, further up SH87 at the old cottage. That way we would have vehicles for drivers at the end of the walk and avoid a very long walk on the highway. We counted 20 keen trampers.
There was a very autumn chill in the air at the start, and we soon found a good rocky view point for morning tea. The rocks in this area are a really stunning sight. As they loom above us with their rugged volcanic presence. Time for a cuppa, chat and to spot a few local lizards.
Then, well warmed up, we made our way down in long grass and tussock on narrow sheep trails. Down towards the swiftly flowing Sutton stream, which is lined by lovely bright green willows.
We followed the twisting stream for quite some time and the shade was most welcome. We enjoyed a few scrambles over rocks near the water’s edge, and got up close and personal with some more incredible layered rocks.
There is no distinct track to follow really. So we picked our way in a general NE direction to the irrigated crop paddock. Then headed upwards seeking shade in the willows, of the little red roofed cottage paddock. For our well-earned lunch at 12.30 pm.
Rested and keen to see more rocks, we crossed the highway by the cottage and continued on Matarae land. Through rocky tussock paddocks, finding some interesting rocks for a group photograph.
We walked a loop here, and were back at the cars ready to car shuttle drivers back to their cars by 2.45pm, to head home.
An interesting 11.3 kms approx. walked – just far enough on such a warm, late summers day.
Your tour guides
Judy and Heather J