Golden Bay. Organiser: Dave Blunt
After leaving Stoke at 7.0am, the first stop on the weekend visit to Golden Bay was the Collingwood Cafe. Then it was on to the Motor Camp just along the road to sort out accommodation and collect Rosemary before heading across the Aorere estuary to the Dolomite factory. Here we left the vehicles at 10.15am and proceeded up the road to the quarry before turning off at Gritty Point to Mt Burnett. The road passes through some attractive rainlike forest and periodic stops were made to try and identify some of the species. Fortunately we had plant expert, Alice, with us to make things easier.
Upon reaching the top of the Mt Burnett range the 4wd track continues around and up to an unnamed peak on which there is a large translator. After getting there it became clear that this was not Mt Burnett so after a stop for an early lunch it was back down to a saddle and then up to our intended destination a little further northwards. It is a great vantage point with all of Golden Bay spread out below with Farewell Spit to the north and Westhaven Inlet to the west. Unfortunately a lengthy stay was out of the question because of other places to visit so it was back down to the cars and then up the road to Puponga where one car was left at the Wharariki carpark and the other at the carpark below Cape Farewell. A short walk to the Cape, the northernmost point of the South Island, was rewarded with views of dramatic cliffs and a glimpse of the snow capped tip of Mt Taranaki. From the Cape we followed a poled route across the Puponga farm park before dropping down to the large sandhills behind Wharariki beach. A stream crossing saw Ross quickly up to up to his shorts in a patch of quicksand but fortunately no help was needed for his extrication. Following a stop for afternoon tea we traversed the whole length of the beach, a feature of which was the ever changing appearance of the Archway Islands together with some interesting rock formations and caves. What was a very rewarding round trip was completed by following the track back to the carpark. On the return journey a detour was made into Visitor Information Centre and cafe at Puponga and to the display panels on the hill just above.
Back at the Motor Camp 3 tents were pitched by those not staying in two of the cabins and we had had visits from Christine and Marianne who had each come over separately. The day was concluded at the Collingwood Tavern with an excellent meal after a patient wait for service.
Sunday morning got off to an early start, a very early start, with loud music from the tavern starting up just after midnight and drag racers burning up the streets around the township. Night was turned into day for the tenters by a very bright navigation light, no doubt of great benefit to some of the whitebaiters setting out before daylight in their motor boats. Despite all these disturbances we left town at 7.30am in good spirits under a cloudless sky for the upper Aorere valley and the start of the track to Mt Stevens.
Leaving a very small and swampy carpark at 8.15am we traversed some bush cleared terraces for about 3/4 hour before heading up a moderately steep bush clad ridge for a further 2 1/2 hours. After emerging from the bush a peak could be seen not far away to the north which was assumed to be Mt Stevens as it was the most prominent and had a trig station on it. So that is where we all headed except for Jim and Ross who were behind the main group at that stage and knew where to go having been there before. It was not until we met up later on back at the carpark that it become apparent that all but two of us had set foot on "Ian’s Mistake" or Mt Stevens No2 which is 5 metres lower. Not that it mattered too much as from the trig point there was a 360 degree view all round to the west coast on one side and the peaks of Lead Hill & Mt Olympus, of “Lord of the Rings” fame, directly opposite on the other side of the valley.
Good time was made on the way back down in just under 3 hours which included a bit of botanising on the way. Before returning to the Motor Camp to retrieve spare gear from the Gypsy Rose, (thanks Rosemary), some of the group made a short visit to the recently restored historic Salisbury footbridge over the Aorere River and the attractive waterfall and swimming hole in Salisbury Creek on the other side .
Those who took part in a most enjoyable weekend, favoured with great weather were: Jim Maxwell, Alice Patterson, Ian Pavitt, Ross Price, Uta Purcell, Lindsay Twiname, Karen Wardell, Rosemary Weir and organiser David Blunt.