Tuki Tuki Trail and Gum Tree Farm
Holts Forest and Tutira Walkway
Kuripapango 21 May 2025
Even before we started the tramp there had been 25 casualties. From the van, Colin had been eradicating rather dopey and persistent flies. At the Lake’s car park the party divided into two; Colin, Steve, Juergen, Robyn and Selina were to aim for Kuripapango trig (4100) and beyond. Christine and Anne were to take a walk down to the Tutaekuri River and then the Lakes.
The walk down to the river took 23 minutes and an hour to return to the car park. Not to be outdone by Colin’s killing rampage; they took on the annihilation of a couple of hundred wilding pines. Back at the car park they had morning tea before continuing their tramp to the Lakes.
There was hardly a breath of wind so the lakes were spectacular. As the first lake had a 3 metre beach around it, Christine and Anne made their way to the second lake via a well-worn path. This lake has a very spongy border surrounded by raupō. It may have been that it could have been walked around but not knowing how boggy it was, it was decided to return to the first lake. With such a wide beach front and a sunny aspect they walked around the lake to a small stream flowing into the lake. Three things kept them from crossing the stream 1) its depth 2) its width and 3) we had left our packs back at our lunch spot, so back to our packs we went. Where we spent a very restful time sitting in the sun enjoying the tranquillity and looking to the ridge the other party had climbed.
At quarter to two, as we’d agreed to be back at the car park by 3.00p.m., we made our way back up the path (well-worn and in some places hampered by overgrowing astelia and flax). About five minutes before arriving back at the junction to Kurapango 4100 and the lakes we heard voices. Christine and the other party met at the junction. What great timing!
The other five reported stunning views over to Ruapehu. (Something that was in doubt when we left Pukahu in overcast conditions but anticipated on arriving in bright sunshine at the Lake’s car park). Snow was reported on Kaweka J but little on Ruapehu. They had missed the turn off to the Kuripapango trig and had continued on the Smith Russell track to the 1359 metre high point where the great views were to be had. On the way back down they went up to the Kuripapango trig (4100) and got some more great views..
Party: Steve B, Colin J, Juergen G, Selina C, Robyn W, Christine L, Anne D.
Havelock North Reserves 4 June
We started this walk on Tainui Drive and walked up through the oaks in Keiringa gardens. Since I was last at the far end of this track there has been considerable plantings of native trees and they look good.
We exited Keiringa past the railway sheds, dropping into Pufflet Road and then through to Hikanui Reserve. More new plantings were observed here. We followed the tracks up to the Pa site, the large stumps which we thought may be getting transformed into scuptures are still just large stumps.
We then followed the track from Hikanui Drive down to Tauroa Road and then along the pathway to Te Mata Park. From the car park we followed the Tipuna Footsteps track to the main car park, where 2 of the party left us, and then the Giants Circuit up to the Saddle Lookout. From here 3 carried on up to the summit and then descended down the goat track (Rongakako Trail) to the big redwoods while the other 2 went directly to the redwoods on the yellow track past the Karaka grove.
Both groups met up and the redwoods and then headed back; clockwise along the Big Redwoods Track to Chambers walk, Tauroa Road, Tainui Drive, Tanner Street Reserve and Tanner Street to the cars.
Janice L, Selina C, Robyn W, Steve B, Susan L, Anne D, Glenda H and Peter B
Sentry Box Area 18 June
It was a fine day as we headed up to Mangleton Road, gazing at the massive new Kereru Gorge large arch culvert on the way. We parked on the road and made our way up the paddock and into the bush which was very lush, evidence of good deer control in the area. We spied a tomtit just short of the historic Sentry Box Hut and after a short stop at the hut carried on.
It had been raining earlier in the week and the steep track, with few handholds, was very slippery and quite difficult to walk up and we guessed that going down would be even more problematic (and it was!). There were a number of traps beside the track but I didn’t see any rats in them. There had been a large sign where we entered the park proclaiming “You’re entering whio country” and these traps will be part of the Ruahine Whio Protection Trust work which is good for all our native wildlife.
Three of us, Susan, Anne and Glenda decided to end the upward climb at Rocky Knoll but the other 5 proceeded on upwards to eventually arrive at the junction with the main range track where they stopped for lunch before returning. The other 3 had lunch back beside Sentry Box hut then walked back out to the van to drop their packs and walk down the road to the Sentry Box Scenic Reserve.
None of us had been in the reserve before and we were impressed by the large podocarps and limestone formations there. Matai, rimu and kahikatea all grow within this reserve along with many other different native tree varieties. After 30 minutes exploring it was time to return to the van which we got to just before the others returned.
Party: Donna W, Selina C, Susan L, Steve B, Anne D, Peter B and Glenda H
Tuki Tuki Trail and Gum Tree Farm 2 July
Ten of us travelled to Russell Park Waipukurau to start this walk. From the car park we climbed up onto the stop bank and the limestone trail and headed downstream for just over an hour to where the swingbridge over the Tukituki River used to be.
The view from this stop bank is quite different and more interesting than most on the Heretaunga Plains (which is nearly all bordered by orchards). Instead, as well as one or two orchards, we had sewage ponds with a variety of bird life on them, paddocks with stock in them, a gravel works, lifestyle blocks, planted corridors and near the end, a lovely patch of mature native trees. The limestone pathway was still just as hard on our feet though.
A short walk along Mt Herbert Road at the end of the trail takes you to the entrance of Gum Tree Farm mountain bike park. The Tukituki Trails and the trails in Gum Tree Farm have been developed by the Rotary River Pathways Trust who have a long term lease on the farm. With the exception of downhill trails in Gum Tree Farm all trails are dual purpose for use by walkers & cyclists. This gave us the option of walking up “Murphys Lap of Gods” and then up “The Staircase”
This was an interesting walk through a number of different types of gum trees and Peter Mc checked out a few of the side tracks as he might return there sometime with his bike. We had a short break at the bottom of “The Staircase” (which is a gradual uphill climb and nothing like the old staircase on the way to Sunrise Hut) and then walked up it to the Forest road on which we returned back to the start.
Lunch was had back on the river trail and then we made our way back to the van. We then headed towards home, stopping at Pekapeka Reserve for a quick circuit there as at least 2 of our contingent had never been there.
Party: Judith M, Selina C, Janice L, Susan L, Anne D, Steve B, Peter Mc, John S, Peter B and Glenda H
Holts Forest and Tutira Walkway 16 July
Nine of us travelled along Highway 2 to the Waikoau turnoff at the northern end of Lake Tutira, only having to deal with a couple of traffic lights. There was then a longish wait at yet another set of lights near the bridge over the Waikoau Stream. We arrived at Holts Forest just after 9.30 and got ready for our walk in the bush. This was delayed a little as one of our members managed to get locked in the loo there and it took a bit of time to extract her.
Harold and Dorothy Holt started planting this 15 hectare block in 1933 and over the next 45 years they grew a forest of both native and exotic trees with over 500 different species. in 1962 it was proclaimed a wildlife sanctuary and gifted to the public of New Zealand and is now managed by the Holts Forest Trust (who are always looking for volunteers).
We were a few weeks too early to catch the bulbs, rhododendrums and azalias in flower but some of the camelia were flowering and it is just great to walk under the towering trees. We walked a 3 km loop, with a few detours, through the forest stopping to chat with a couple of guys who work there. Back at the van we decided to walk the railway to where it had got washed out, about 500 metres towards Napier.
We then drove back to Lake Tutira, with a very long wait at the traffic lights at the Waikoau Stream, and then headed north to Ridgemont Road and the end of the Tutira Walk way. We had lunch in the shelter there and started off along the walkway. Half way along 4 turned back to the van while the rest carried on to exit via the track down to the camp ground. The two groups reunited at a shelter by the causeway and headed back to town.
Party: Peter B, Glenda H, Susan L, Anne D, Selina C, Donna W, Steve B, Janice L and Robyn W
Mohi Bush 30 July
Wary of the changeable weather, we had a late state and choose a tramp that was relatively close to home. We left Pukahu at 11:30 and drove along the Maraetotara plateau to Waipoapoa Road and Mohi Bush, a scenic reserve half way along this road. We lunched under the shelter there after which we put our raincoats on (for the cold wind) , deposited out packs back in the van and walked through the reserve.
A walk through the tall trees of Mohi Bush is always a delight and, thanks to the weather, there were many different fungi to view, although the birds were not so obvious. We took the detour out to the lookout (to Bare Island and beyond) before continuing on around the loop track back to the van.
Our return home was via Waimarama Beach where we parked at the domain and had a walk along the beach for an hour or so. As we drove back through Havelock North there was a cacophony of cell phone sounds as, one by one, each member received an alert of a tsunami risk due to a massive earthquake in Russia.
Party: Glenda H, Peter B, Susan L, Selina C, Donna W, Steve B, Christine L and Anne D