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The Glens Working Bee
Monday, March 5th, 2018
The Glens Working Bee
3rd March 2018
After a request from David W who has taken on the task of clearing and planting native trees in this neglected reserve, the club offered to assist for a morning to help clear flowering currant and broom.
It was a misty morning with a meeting time of 9am at the Glen Street carpark. The start time came and went with only two members and David making their presence. As we prepared to do battle with the flowering currant and broom Robbie appeared with his usual smile, exlpaining that he and the others had parked at the wrong street end and were now on their way. (Very timely that the club has a navigation course comimg up in April ). Seven members eagerly attacked the unwanted vegetation and very soon large piles of cuttings were stacked at the top of the track for removal elsewhere later.
A smoko break was called to replenish the fluid lost as it had become quite humid and we were working on a steep bank. After another hour a large area had been cleared ready for planting and an end to the day’s work.
A great effort by the club members and David for giving up their time on this worthwhile project which I am sure will be enjoyed by future generations.
Weston school pupils, lead by Jenny are also active in planting and caring for native trees in The Glens Reserve.
Those who toiled for the morning were John, Robbie, Bess, Steve, Anne, Phyllis an Maurice.
Ahuriri – Canyon Creek and Dingleburn Saddle
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018
Club Night February 2018
Monday, February 12th, 2018
There had been a lot of tramping trips since our last meeting in November, but members enjoyed hearing about or reliving them during the reports.
Hidden Lake in a high basin on the Wether Range was a hidden gem, which was worth the slog up to.
A mountain bike ride near Macraes which included the Redback Enclosure, led to a proposed shortcut which ended up being the long way home.
Chinamans Cave was approached from Trotters Gorge on a hot day.
January saw trips to Potts Hut in the Hakkatere Conservation Park, a long day climbing Mts. Alexander and Nobbler from Dansey Pass summit, while in February so far there have been two wet trips. The first to Hinewai Reserve on Banks Peninsula where there is some impressive regrowth bush and recently a rebaiting job in the Herbert Forest tracks which netted several dead hedgehogs, rats and a weasel.
Wednesday walkers have continued their wide range of different walks from Evensdale Glen in the south to Freehold Creek in the West. The hot summer has led to the last few weeks walks being along rivers with many swimming opportunities.
Guest speaker was Lewis Hore who showed a video of one of his 5 trips to Sutherland Sound in Fiordland. This involved scenic flight in by helicopter with his kayak to look for the South Island Kokako, which has not been seen for many years although its distinctive song has been heard. We were treated to a glimpse of an isolated fiord with a very narrow and shallow entrance where it rains nonstop for days, where bird life thrives and bush covers everything.
Huxley Forks Hut
Tuesday, November 14th, 2017
11th-12th November 2017
We left Oamaru at 4pm Friday, stopped for tea in Omarama and then reached the road end up the south side of Lake Ohau at 7pm. It took us two hours to walk in to Monument Hut where we pitched our tents. Saturday morning, we left at 7.45am and started along the high water track which goes along the bush towards the Huxley River swingbridge. A lot of this track had windfall so we were in and out of the bush quite a lot. Once over the swingbridge, we went up, over and down to the river flats and walked along for a while and then back into the bush. We continued on the high river track through the bush on the true left of the river for about 45 minutes and then out onto the river flats. About 2 km before the Huxley Forks Hut, there had been an avalanche off Boanerges. After reaching Huxley Forks Hut, Bill, John, Jane, Jen and I went for a walk down the South Huxley branch, coming to a massive slip. On our return, we ran into two hunters with a cross bow and shotgun on their way to find some tahr hopefully. It was surprising how many people and animals were in the Huxley Valley – toddlers and cats, to name a few. The hut was empty so some opted to sleep inside while Jen, Jane and Jenny opted for their tents.
On Sunday morning we saw that the hunters had got a tahr, obviously with a shotgun. We left the hut at 7.45am and headed straight down the valley along the river flats. A few hours and several river crossings later we reached the Huxley river swingbridge. Surprise – Bill’s Croc was waiting for him – it must have come off his pack the previous day. Soon after this, Jenny lost her sunglasses so went back to find them, luckily they were just 30 metres back. From here, it was only an hour on to Monument Hut where we had lunch and met up with OTMC President Richard Forbes and his father. After a two hour walk to the cars, we had a quick debrief at the Wrinkly Ram and then home.
Thanks for your company John, Bill, Vicky, Mike, Jenny, Jane and Jen. Bess
