Trip Reports, August - September 2013 

Rangitoto Island
04 August

Despite a grey sky and light drizzle, 23 keen people caught the 9.15am ferry to Rangitoto Island.  On arrival we were treated to a tour of Bach 38 which was built in 1927, and has been lovingly restored and furnished  (including the grocery items in the kitchen cupboards) by the Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust.

We then walked up the Summit Track with stops to read information boards about the volcanic history of Rangitoto and the subsequent regeneration of the native bush.  The sun broke through the cloud and the temperature rose rapidly necessitating further stops to divest ourselves of layers of clothing.

On reaching the summit we had lunch and took in the wonderful 360 degree views, back to Auckland City and out to the Coromandel Peninsula.  After lunch (and a bonus sighting of some saddlebacks in the bushes), the B group returned down the Summit Track and the A group went via the boardwalk to the Summit Road and along the Islington Bay Road which was built by prisoners from Mt Eden prison between 1926 and 1933. 

A short rest and then a gentle stroll past some other quaint baches which have been retained on the island and through the Kidney Fern Grove before our tired but contented group caught the ferry back to Auckland City.  
Thanks to Molly and Sharleen for organising the day. 

Bach 38. John and Margaret with Marian from the Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust

Just one of a variety of lichens found on Rangitoto Island.

Looking over to Devonport from the summit of Rangitoto

Walking back down the Islington Bay Road through the lava flow

Brick Bay Sculpture Trail
18 August

This was a new trip for the club and a full bus with 33 walkers departed Auckland for Whisper Cove where our "culture with nature" day began.  An easy stroll along the sand of Snells Beach, around the headland and on up through a bush reserve complete with friendly donkeys, brought us to Algies Bay for lunch in the sunshine.  Back on the bus again to travel to the Brick Bay Winery where a 2km sculpture trail showcases contemporary sculpture by established and emerging artists.  The trail was an easy one hour walk full of visual (and audio) surprises to delight the senses in a beautiful natural setting.  A glass of wine/cup of coffee at the vineyard's Glass House Café rounded off a lovely day before we headed home.  Thank you Janet and Trallea.

Next time we'll pack apples for the donkeys!

Artist: Lucy Bucknall. Awaiting transportation.

Artist: Konstantin Dimopoulos. The Blue Trees. Part of an international project to call attention to the issue of deforestation. The pigment used is biodegradable and wears away gradually.

Hunua Falls and Cosseys Dam
01 September

There's nothing like a walk in the Hunua Ranges on a sunny day.  Beautiful bush ,a sparkling waterfall, birdsong and good company!   We split into two groups, those who were happy to make the climb up the Massey Track with its steps and onto the Wairoa Cossey Track leading to Cossey's Reservoir, and those who wanted a shorter walk.   Those who made the climb were rewarded with amazing views  before we descended to the dam for lunch.  What a great picnic spot, for once there were seats for everyone!  We spotted a pair of friendly chaffinches on the bank of the reservoir and later on a tui  turning itself inside out and upside down feeding on nectar on an early flowering kowhai tree.     It was great to see lots of people out enjoying the bush, including one athletic (and topless) young man who came hurtling uphill from out of the blue startling the ladies!    Nancy gave us all a short lesson in how to identify species of fern by their spores not by what the leaves look like so we are all a little bit more knowledgeable now.  There was time to admire the water spilling over Hunua Falls (and a family of ducklings  bobbing about in the water) before we headed off back via Papakura.  Here we had an impromptu walk through Kirks Bush, a fine reserve featuring some majestic native trees, kauri, rimu, taraire and puriri to name a few.  We were sad to see that unfortunately most of the trees by the walkway have fallen victim to taggers and it is not difficult to feel very angry that  there are people out there who think it is OK to disfigure trees like this.

Thanks to Maurice and John, leaders for this great trip. 

While much of Auckland and Northland's kauri forests are now sadly affected by kauri dieback disease, the Hunua Ranges are still clean and healthy and a vigourous publicity campaign is being carried out to protect them. We always start out with clean boots and use the scrubbing/disinfectant stations to make sure we are not bringing any disease into the area, thus doing what we can to look after our magnificent kauri trees.

For more information see
http://www.kauridieback.co.nz/
http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/environmentwaste/
pestsdiseases/Pages/kauridiebackhome.aspx

Great signs, part of the SAVE THE KAURI campaign

View over Cossey's Reservoir

Hunua Falls

Not a lot of water in the stream, making the crossing very easy.

Buttress roots on a fine pukatea in Kirk's Bush.

Waiheke Island: Matiatia
15 September

Twenty two keen walkers set off on the ferry, resisting the temptation to stay home and watch the "The boys on the Black Boat" on TV.
We went a short way on the coastal track from Matiatia, then struck inland, going across the peninsula, heading north.  Splitting into two groups for a short time, the A group took a longer route than the B walkers to arrive at Cable Bay.
Both groups enjoyed a good workout with a steady climb up the cliffs from Cable Bay and were rewarded by wonderful views of sparkling sea, rocky bays,  vineyards, olive trees and dream homes, typical Waiheke Island. 
The manuka was in bloom, the red karo flowers were abundant and we were lucky to have the tuneful company of tui in the trees.  A kereru swooped overhead as we walked.  
When we reached Owhanake Bay at the end of the undulating coastal track, we felt justified in making a stop for lunch.  After that it was but an easy walk back to the wharf, looking at some sculptures along the way.  The sculpture depicting rain gauges showing the rainfall for the first decade of the new millennium was particularly popular.

One of many tuis enjoying nectar of the coral tree.

Scrambling over rocks - the tide was a bit too high!

A stiff climb almost at the end of the track.

Thanks to John's meticulous research, we had a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Castor Bay to Browns Bay
29 September

The wind was keen and we had a light shower or two but still had an enjoyable day,  making our way at a gentle pace from the Esplanade carpark at Castor Bay up the coastal bays to Browns Bay.   The walk took us up a few steep climbs, the first one being up to Rahopara Pa where Des gave us a potted history of the site.  Our next stop was J F Kennedy Park where what remains of WWII military defence installations can be explored.  The gun emplacements were designed to blend in with the surrounding state housing area with windows painted on the sides to disguise them from enemy aircraft. The command post which remains also masquerades as a house! Further down the cliff  searchlight installations can be seen.  A fascinating part of New Zealand's WWII history preserved for us all.   
We descended to the beach down an extremely long set of steep steps and marvelled at a very athletic-looking couple running up the steps wearing weighted vests, obviously into some serious training!  We almost felt guilty that we didn't have to climb back up these steps as we weren't coming back this way!   Next we were treated to a lesson in identifying various rockforms in the cliffs from our geology guru, Des.   Hopefully we are all a bit more knowledgeable now about sandstone, mudstone and Parnell grit and have a better understanding of how these magnificent cliffs were formed and why they look as they do now.      Scrambling over rocks around the headland, our walk continued along sandy beaches and the coastal walkway until we reached Browns Bay.  Our timing was perfect to catch a local bus back down the coast to our cars at Castor Bay.    
Many thanks to Shirley for leading this lovely walk and to Des for sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of local history and geology.   

Incredible cliffs

Just a small group on this trip.