Author Archive
Grampians
Friday, February 3rd, 2017
29 January 2017
If asked to sum up this trip in one word -it would be ‘windy!’. But with the crazy summer weather we have been having, and that this was the first trip in almost 2 months, I think all 10 of us were just happy to be out in real mountains without rain.
It took a couple of hours to get to the top of the Haka Pass after picking up Bronwyn, Helen and Rodney and rearranging 4 cars into 2 at Duntroon. Boots on and we were on our way -all up for 2 ½ hours of steady climbing up 1000 odd meters to 1921m near Black Rocks. Some of us spied the rear ‘black daisy’ and Bronwyn many other species she could name.
Lunch was had with our back to the marvelous view of 7 [imaging one could see Middleton] but shelter was essential. Photos were taken, but I found it difficult to hold the camera steady.
With the wind increasing in intensity, we carefully braced ourselves to maintain our standing during the first section of our descent. After that it was all down at various speeds, averaging about 1 ¾ hours. Replenishing our bodies, those with mathematical/accounting skills were delegated to work out the complexities of the petrol. These 2 functions were completed at Kurow in a pleasant 29 degrees.
8 of the 10 had not been up the Grampians, and by the pain in my quads. a couple of days, it was obvious some had not been up 1000m recently!
Thanks for the company of Jim, Colin, Maurice, Phyllis, John, Bronwyn, Neville, Helen and Rodney. Jane G.
Club night November 2016
Tuesday, November 15th, 2016
The Tramping Club’s main trip in the last month was to the Edwards and Hawdon Valleys in the Arthurs Pass area.
In ideal weather 4 members arranged a car at each end and then walked up the Edwards Valley to the Edwards hut. The next day was over Tarn Col to Hawdon Hut, with a short walk down Hawdon Valley to the car on the final day.
Herbert Forest now has stoat and possum traps spaced out along its 3 tracks with a few more to be placed on the 2 loop tracks. The Club will check the traps regularly. We look forward to more bird life in the future in this podocarp remnant forest.
The Wednesday Walkers had 2 day trips on the A2O bike trail because of wet weather making access to other areas difficult. They also walked the Andersons Lagoon to Shag River Mouth, Kurinui Creek Circuit and Domett Loop below Little Domett.
Coming Tramping Club Trips are an A2O return bike ride from Duntroon to Kurow on November 20.
Contact Phyllis by Friday if you want to come. Thousand Acre Plateau trip is planned for 2-6 December. The Christmas Party is on the 12 December. See the NOTMC website for details of these events.
There will be a Mt. Potts trip in late January.
The night’s speaker was our own adventure traveller Bronwyn McCone, who recently spent a month on the Spirt of Enderby cruising to Antarctic via the sub Antarctic Islands with 50 other passengers.
There was never a dull moment with bird watching, whale watching and guest passenger lectures while at sea, walks or coastal zodiac boating around the Sub Antarctic Islands, and a historical visit to the Ross Sea coastline.
Highlights were visits to Shackleton’s and Scott’s huts with all the stores and furnishings still there, McMurdo and Scott Bases with a population of up to 2000 in the summer and cruising the Ross Ice Shelf with spectacular photos of ice walls and caves, Adelie and Emperor penguins, seals and sea lions and distant views of smoking volcano Mt. Erebus.
A never to be forgotten trip.
Herbert Forest Botanical Walk
Tuesday, November 15th, 2016
Sunday 9th October 2016
Seven of us left the car park and we picked up 3 more at Robbie’s. This was a botanical ramble with 2 very knowledge botanists, Zuni Steer and Hugh Wood. The object of the day was to try and educate us in identifying our native flora and then to remember their names! Quite a challenge for some .
We started at the bottom of the Podocarp Track and meandered our way to the big trees, then took the Glenbournie Loop back. On the way back we were often tested to see if we had retained our newly found knowledge!!
A very big thanks to Zuni and Hugh for coming out and helping us and being so patient.
On the way home we dropped the key off and Robbie gave us an open air didgeridoo concert overlooking the Waianakarua River. What a great way to finish the day.
Thank you to every one for a very entertaining day.
