June 2025 Meeting Report

June Meeting Report

Colin Wollstein, our new president, chaired the meeting.

Trip Reports

Bike Ride
Weather forecasts affected turnout, and only three people took part in a ride around the Enfield area.

Dave’s Track
A working bee was held in the Trotters Gorge area, starting at the top of the track. Work included clearing the track, tidying steps, and installing markers.

Ahuriri Valley
The group walked to the head of the valley, had lunch at Shamrock Hut, then continued on to stay the night at Top Hut. The walk out the next day was cold and windy.

Up and Coming Trips

Otakaieke Hill
Up the hill, then on to Jacksons Creek and the Bridle Trail.

Arthurs Pass
Two nights in the Otataki area, with opportunities to soak in hot pools near the Taramakau River and optional day walks.

Silverpeaks
Exploration of the area, leaving early on Saturday morning.

A discussion was held on working bees, noting that organisers would appreciate prior notice of who will be attending so tasks can be matched to participants.

Guest Speaker

Tonight’s speaker was Hugh Wood. Hugh is a botanist, and in July 2024 he travelled to northern Sweden (Lapland) to see native plants in bloom. He joined a group of nine others and two guides, travelling from Kiruna to their base beside a lake. Weather was generally rainy in the mornings and fine in the afternoons, with temperatures between 14–20°C.
Each day they explored a different part of the 77 sq km national park. Hugh showed a range of excellent photographs of colourful flowering plants, including a very rare orchid. Many of the plants are parasitic, feeding on the roots of other plants or on insects. It was an interesting talk and highlighted how different the vegetation is from that of New Zealand.

The meeting closed at 8.45 pm, followed by a cup of tea.