Wednesday Walkers
A walking group go on day walks within two hours driving from Oamaru each Wednesday.
You are welcome to join us for the day and no membership is required.
Trip information can be sent to your email address by Tuesday, the day before the trip. If you wish to go on this email list please send your email address to northotagotmc@gmail.com stating your wish to be included in the mail out.
Unless otherwise notified trips will leave at 8-30 am each Wednesday from outside the Towey St. tennis courts, Oamaru . You are welcome to just turn up to be included in that days trip, though be aware that there is the very odd cancellation or time alteration.
See down further under Group Skills and Day Gear Checklist for some things to be aware of on the walk and a recommendation of what to bring.
View Map
Recent Walks
White Horse, Waimate
Wednesday 29 November 2023
Wandering the Papakaio Bike Track
Wednesday 29 November 2023
In glorious sunshine, 15 of us gathered at Gloria and Ian Hurst’s property at Papakaio to walk the bike track through their farm.
We enjoyed it immensely, admiring the many trees planted along the way. A young kauri looked extremely healthy. It was a pleasure to see how well some of the trees have grown, showing up clearly amongst the long grass. The flax was in full bloom too, though no tūīs spotted or heard.
The water lilies in the pond beside the track were also in flower.
The flat area near the Barrie’s road end of the walk, is looking very well cared for and has a small building on it. It is lined inside with timber and has bench type seating against the walls.
The Hurst garden was very picturesque. Well cared for and with magnificent mature trees framing the Oamaru Stone homestead. It has had a huge facelift and an added part built on to the back, which is in keeping with the rest of the house. (The house renovations were featured in the newspaper a few months ago)
Some of us were treated to a tour of the house by Gloria.
Wanderers at Shag Point
Wednesday 22 November 2023
Mt. Miserable
Wednesday 22 November 2023
Wanderers on the A2O, Windsor to Rakis Tunnel
Awakino Gorge Kurow Hill
Wednesday 15 November 2023
Wanderers on Dome Hills
Wednesday 8 November 2023
Dome Hills – Big Rock
8 November 2023
Weather: Heavy overcast, cool, with a south- easterly breeze.
Travel: 54km;
Trampers: 15
Trip: The entourage drove to Dome Hills via Ngapara, Tokarahi and Livingstone, picking up one at the bottom of the Livingstone pinch, and parked in the farmyard of Dome Hills Station. There was dampness in the air and threatening clouds to the west as the 15 trampers set off at 9.45am. We headed eastwards (where the sky looked brighter) through a gate out of the yard, then swung around to the south past a felled plantation and uphill through a gate into a lane which led along a plateau. Notable was the extensive damage caused by recent severe gales to pine trees on the hill above us and in a gully below. At the end of the lane we turned hard left to follow, initially, a fence heading north-east then a ridgeline running parallel to but well above the Awamoko Stream. We stayed up on the high ground and stopped on a rocky knob for morning tea. Refreshments taken, we continued to stay up high, rather than angling down towards the river as we had on a previous occasion, until we were almost opposite the track leading up from the Awamoko gully on to the spur with the Big Rock. We then found a 4wd track which led steeply down to the stream. The Awamoko itself offered no challenge, being crossed at a single bound.
Across the stream, the track went straight up the hill to a gate after which the terrain levelled out and led gently up to the Big Rock, only one small gully having to be crossed. As we headed towards Big Rock, we could see a line of figures on the ridge beyond – the Wanderers approaching from Balmoral Road. Both groups arrived at the Rock within minutes of 11.30. Some climbed the rock, others enjoyed the view from ground level. Photos taken, both groups set off across the flattish tops, swinging right away from the boundary fenceline to avoid a gully. This was a less direct route than on past trips, but provided fairly even going until, at around 12.45, we reached a dirt lane between two plantations, one of which had been felled and replanted only two years previously. The grassy bank beside the track provided a sheltered and comfortable place for lunch.
After lunch, this track took us on to the Balmoral Road where the Wanderers had parked. An hour down the road we came to the Balmoral Hut, clearly suffering from wind damage with its sagging verandah. Then it was uphill again, along a well-cut 4wd track which undulated across country in a westerly direction, past another felled forestry block, to climb around the head of the Awamoko and eventually on to McKenzie Road. It was then an easy half hour stroll down the road, some stopping to admire Molly’s tree, and back to the cars by 3.15pm to meet up with one participant who had got there some time previously in the front seat of a Wandering Ute, having earlier suffered a leg injury in the process of sitting down or standing up, or both, A debrief in the Fort Enfield completed a satisfying day, the weather having held, and the tramp having offered a variety of terrain and company.
Group Skills
We sometimes walk in places where it is easy to get lost, or fog comes in unexpectedly.
* Always follow the leaders instructions. STAY WITH YOUR GROUP.
* Keep in view of someone with a two way radio. (Note that we carry several 2 way radios and also a Personal Locator Beacon for emergencies.)
* If you think you are lost or unsure where to go, eg. A fork in the track or reduced visibility such as fog, STAY PUT. Make yourself visible with a bright article. Call out or blow your whistle. 
Someone will look for you.
* Always let someone know if you are going off the track eg. Toilet stop or photo shoot.
* Look behind frequently to keep the person behind you in view, and also to know where you have walked in case you need to go back.
* The person who opens a gate should close it, or designate someone else who knows how, to do so. Leave all gates as you find them.
Day Gear Check List
The following should be carried with you, no matter how nice the weather is when you leave. Day pack, boots, socks plus a dry pair in the vehicle, water/wind-proof coat with hood, over-trousers, shorts and long johns or long trousers, thermal singlet, shirt, warm jersey/jacket, gloves/mitts, warm hat, sun hat. NO COTTON OUTER GARMENTS PLEASE. This includes jeans as they contribute to hypothermia when wet. Sunglasses, lunch, snacks/emergency rations, full water bottle, sun block, first aid kit, toilet paper, torch, map, compass, whistle, survival sheet/bag, a bright piece of equipment or clothing. Optional Gaiters, camera, walking sticks, spare clothes in the vehicle.
160 Wednesday Walkers Walks
If you have a walk you would like to do, please suggest it at next weeks walk.
ABC Caves
Altavady
Anderson Lagoon – Shag River
Ashlands Rd. – Kemp Rd. Katiki
Aviemore – Mt. Dryburgh
Awakino Ski Field
Awamoko Stream
Balmoral Huts
Ben Ledi
Ben Lomond
Ben Ohau
Benmore Walkway
Benmore Peak
Big Ben
Big Kuri Creek
Bike rides
Black Cap – Scout Hill
Bobbys Head – Pleasant River
Borland Lodge
Boundary Creek
Canyon Creek
Cave Hill
Central Otago Rail Trail
Chinamans Hut
Chinamans Cave
Clear Stream
Cone
Conical Peak
Deep Stream
Devils Bridge Cave
Devils Elbow
Doctors Point
Dome Hills
Domett Loop
Douglas (Rob & Sue)
Earthquakes
Elephant Hill
Evensdale Glen
Flannagans Pass
Fox Peak
Freehold Creek
Gentle Annie Hut
Gibson Farm Walk
Glenthorn Station
Gunns Bush
Golf Course, Waianakarua
Government Hill
Grampions
Gunns Bush
Hamilton Hill
Hampden / Moeraki
Hampden Township
Hillgrove Farm Walk
Herbert Forest
Heywards Point
Island Cliff
Island Stream Waterfall
Kakanui Peak
Kakanui – All Day Bay
Karitane Walkway
Kauru Hill – Fuchsia Creek
Kawairua Station
Kettleholes, Omarama
Kurow Hill, Awakino Gorge
Kurinui Reserve
Lindis Pass / Dalrachney
Little Domett
Livingstone, Beaties Hill
Loman Run
Maerewhenua Gold Diggings
Moana Station
Moeraki Lighthouse
Moeraki walkway
Mopanui
Mt. Alexander
Mt. Alexander Loop
Mt. Bitterness
Mt Cargill
Mt Cook (Not the Summit)
Mt Dalgety
Mt. Dasher
Mt. David
Mt. Difficulty – Allan Rd
Mt Difficulty – Dasher
Mt. Difficulty – Hectors
Mt. Domett
Mt. Dryburgh
Mt. Evelyn
Mt. Fortune
Mt. Grayson
Mt Kirkliston
Mt. Kohurau
Mt Kyeburn
Mt. Mary, Trig J
Mt. Meyer
Mt Michael
Mt Milne
Mt. Miserable
Mt Nessing
Mt. Nimrod (Haka)
Mt Nimrod (East)
Mt Nobler
Mt. Obi
Mt Orr
Mt. Parker
Mt. Peel (Little)
Mt. Pisgah
Mt. Stalker
Mt Studholme
Mt. Sutton, Ohau
Mt Sutton, Waitangi
Mt. Trotter
Mts. Trotter & McKenzie
Mt. Watkin
Ngapara Farms Walk
Noondale Reserve
Oamaru Walkways
Obi, Mitchells Hut
Obi, Mt. Stalker
Obi, Shingle Creek
Orbell’s Cave
Otekaike Bridal Track
Otekaike Hill
Peel Forest
Pigeon Bush – Duncan Road
Pigeon Bush – South Peak
Pleasant River, Bobbys Head
Prominent Peak
Puketapu Hill
Pulpit Rock
Quail Burn
Raki’s Table / Tunnel
Raki’s, Belmont, Victoria Hills
Razorback
Rock & Pillars
Rosella Ridge, Silver Peaks
Roseneath
Round Yards circuit / gorge
Seacliff Reserve
Shag Point
Siberia Hill
Staircase Ridge
Station Peak
Stony Ridge
Suttons Face
Swampy, Leith saddle
Table Top via Wainak Reserve
Table Top via Herbert Forest
Tapui Farm Walk
Te Huruhuru
Temple – North
Temple – South
The Hays
Timaru Walkways
Trotters Gorge Reserve
Trotters Gorge Trig L
Tokarahi Farmwalk
Waihao Walkway, Hotel circuit
Waimate Gorge
Waipiata
Weston Escarpment
White Horse
Woolshed Creek
Wainono Lagoon
Starting place is the Towey St Tennis Courts (see the map at the top of this page) usually at 8-30 am every Wednesday.