Putara

16-17 November,2024

Over the 16th – 17th November the Heretaunga Tramping Club visited the property of one of its members, Paul D, at Putara in the NE Tararua Range behind Eketahuna. Paul has a private hut (Elev. 620m) in the bush on his farm approaching the tops of the Tararua Range. The club van departed around 6am Saturday morning from Pukahu and arrived about 8:40am bringing Stephen, Anne, Judith, Jude, Murry, Minh, Nicholas and Carsten. Simon met the van at the farm having made his own way there Light rain, drizzle and easing westerly winds were present upon our arrival.

Simon, Anne & Minh initially went by vehicle to a farm cottage dropping of some of Anne & Minh’s gear as they were staying there for the night. Then on foot, all three traversed paddocks, farm tracks, swamps and high deer fences ending up at the farm track at the base of the hill leading to the hut. Meanwhile, the rest had made a beeline to Paul’s hut minus their packs for most of the walk in, their packs being carried on Paul’s ‘side by side’ 4WD farm vehicle.

The main access to the hut from the farm yard was via a long stock race in a westerly direction to a stream at the base of the hills. Crossing the stream, a very steep farm track zig zagged up the hills.The track went from grassy slopes up into the bush as far as a small saddle. From the small saddle, one sidled on foot, up and around a spur through the bush for about 15 minutes before arriving at a four-double-bunk hut with commanding views of the Putara valley. The more direct route to the hut took about an hour and a quarter while Simon’s meanderings with Anne & Minh took twice as long.

After recovering from the tramp into the hut and a late lunch, it was time to explore a little. A track headed uphill behind the hut for about 15 minutes before going one of two ways. Paul guided us along a not so arduous track in a northerly direction towards a tributary leading into the Ngapuketurua stream. This could be the start of a more adventurous tramp to try and get across to Burn hut, east above the Mangahao reservoirs. One would need to drop down into the tributary, go upstream in Ngapuketurua stream, then bush bashing uphill (including leatherwood) south of Taramea Peak to meet the southern end of the Burn Hut ridge track. The Saturday afternoon tramp ended up being a 3 hour return trip. This tramp had been at heights below the level of the main range, so views were limited, looking down into valleys and out towards the NE, E and SE.

As the evening at the hut became cooler, but Carsten did a good job of getting the chip heater burner going to complement our warm meals/drinks. With longer daylight hours, clearing skies and large hut windows, the solar lighting wasn’t needed until about 9pm. Early the Sunday morning weather conditions were still improving, but still a bit windy. One couldn’t really sleep in as the hut being at altitude and having large windows caught a lot of sunlight inside. Murry was out on the hut deck with binoculars, scanning the environs for deer, thinking I need to come back with my gun. Deer are seen quite frequently on farms and in the ranges around Putara. Murry spotted a herd of 10 deer grazing in an open paddock at the southern end of Paul’s farm.

After breakfast, Paul arrived back up at the hut ready to guide us right onto the tops in a southerly direction. Again we went uphill behind the hut for about 15 minutes, before starting to sidle & climb, first through bush, then leatherwood, dracophyllum and tussock. The route was a bit precipitous in places but eventually arrived at a flattish plateau and wandered along as far as Ngamaia Peak (982m). Here one of our party spotted a stag with antlers about 300 metres away. From the southern tops we could see out to the west coast and the very high Tararua peaks to the south. Paul indicated under the right conditions one could continue along the tops to Kareti Peak (1143m) and come back down to his property at the head of the Putara valley. However this would take all day.

Lunch was had part way along the same path we came up. Paul recounted how interested groups had once considered a “cycle, come walking track” from the Levin side of the Tararua Range to the Eketahuna side and that its route would have come along part of the steep route we’d taken. Arriving back at the hut after a 4 hour return tramp, it was time to pack up and tidy up and make the return tramp downhill across the farm to the club van.

Anne & Minh having, Sunday morning, explored the river flats around the cottage then walked across the farm to rendezvous with the van ready for the trip home.

Thank you to Paul & Sarah for being able to stay at your property and explore the Tararua Range a little more.

Party:   Stephen B, Anne D, Judith M, Jude H, Murry A, Minh N, Nicholas W, Carsten W, Simon W