The tramp was supposed to be a weekend one to Kiwi Saddle Hut but the weather forecast was for a damp and cool Saturday and a very wet Sunday so no one was keen.  Instead 3 of us decided on something totally different to do on the Saturday.  

Leaving town around 9.30 we loaded up with some native tree seedlings and travelled to a small property near Ormondville where the first hour or so was spent planting these trees and walking around the 20 acre property.  The damp weather of the previous week meant there were quite a few fungi to be seen there as well as a few early bulbs and the trees (just about everything except Pinus radiata) that have been progressively planted with trees since 1988.

Lunch was then had at a park opposite the old Ormondville post-office after which we walked to the historic Ormondville Railway station (it has a category 2 listing with the NZ Historic Places Trust) and one of the volunteers there gave us a guided tour around it.  

We then drove along the Ormondville-Te Uri Road looking for Maunga Road and the Mangapuaka Reserve. One of the locals directed us to Maunga Road but somehow we missed the reserve and upon arriving at the back of Dannevirke we decided to carry on and visit the Mangatoro Scenic Reserve which is just down the Ngapaeruru Road, 11 km from Dannevirke along the Weber Road. This is a 8 hectare reserve that contains some good sized kahikatea as well as matai , totara and rimu.

On our return home we dropped in at Anzac Park which is just past Norsewood on SH 2 and walked the tracks there as well.  A different day to most but at least we got out and stayed dry.  

Glenda H, Peter B & Anne D