January 2025 News

Paul Exeter has passed

Solstice 2012, Ted and Paul with their special tee shirts

Club stalwart Paul Exeter has passed away at the age of 86. He had been in poor health for some time and died peacefully at home. Paul was a life member of our club, in recognition of how much he contributed to it over several decades. Although Paul had not been tramping for about four years, until quite recently he still came to almost every meeting – with a big smile on his face, sitting in the back row with his best mate Ted Angove. Paul will be truly missed. He was a great character, a wise tramper and a strong supporter of NTC.

Ted Angove will be reminiscing about their tramping since 1988 at our club meeting on 30 January.

Where we’re headed in 2025

The Smith Russell track to Kiwi Saddle Hut passes through young beech forest

The first six-months’ trips have been planned, and you can take a look by heading over to the updated Tramp List. New users can also use the list to discover the club’s automated booking system, just by clicking on any destination.

Wilding pine update

The next trip will be on Monday 3 February, meeting at Fernhill just up the Taihape Rd at 7.50am, and leaving at 8am. A return to Comet Road is likely, as great progress was made there during the last trip. If you know others who are interested, get them to sign up on the Trust’s website.

The Bushbasher archive’s online

From 2008 until mid-2012, we produced The Bushbasher, an A4 colour magazine that replaced black and white club newsletters. Published two or three times a year, it was an often amusing record of our tramping adventures.

The magazine ceased publication in July 2012, overtaken by technology. Our website provided a faster and more cost-effective way of keeping members in touch with club happenings.

But those old printed magazines are still entertaining, so we’ve put them here on the website for all to enjoy. Plus, there’s a copy of our celebratory 50^th anniversary edition, which features a selection of highlights since the club was founded in 1974. You can find them under the History tab.

From FMC Love our Huts: A message from Mick Abbott (FMC)

Kia ora

On behalf of the entire FMC team, we want to extend our deepest gratitude for your amazing support and participation in the Love Our Huts campaign this November. Your dedication to caring for public huts is making a tangible and lasting difference.

Together, we’ve achieved something truly special. Over the month, thanks to your efforts and the efforts of many others, we had over 500 huts receive the care they so dearly needed. Since then we’ve had the data from the hut book surveys come in providing an invaluable record of their status and use.

This is a phenomenal result! Your visits to clean, maintain, and assess these huts are helping preserve a vital part of Aotearoa’s backcountry heritage. Your efforts are ensuring these spaces remain safe, welcoming, and ready for everyone to enjoy.

The photos and data you’ve shared with us are invaluable. They’re now part of a growing knowledge base that will guide us in making informed decisions and advocating for the best possible care for these huts in the future.

If there’s a special hut you didn’t manage to visit in November—or if the hut-loving bug has really bitten—you’re in luck! The adventure isn’t over. Our online forms, including the registration form and the list of huts still needing care, will remain available throughout summer. Feel free to jump back in anytime!

Once again, thank you for your incredible mahi and your love for our huts. Your contribution is invaluable, as together we show how important our backcountry network is to us all.

Wishing you a great summer in the hills 🙂

Mick, Emma, Raymond, and Masha