Traplines, Kaweka FP, Saturday 28 Mar 2026
Banner Photo: Elly checking a DoC 200 Double-set trap with Amber as catch scribe
Setting out in the dark at the end of summer is always a bit difficult – but ten trampers in two vehicles left Park Island at 7am to explore a new area for most of us. Elly had obtained permission to combine her love of tramping with a mission: clearing and rebaiting traplines, with the responsibility of tramp organiser.
Stopping at the Puketitiri DoC field office to pick up and cut our bait and then repositioning a vehicle to the end of our tramp meant it was past 9am before we started out. Elly told us about the work that Save Our Kaweka Kiwi (the ECOED Trust) was doing and gave some details of the catches and traps that they work with.
Heading down to the first stream crossing
We were planning on doing two lines off the Kaweka Road. The Anawhenua Stream (AS) line was the most strenuous walking and involved about 27 traps. We started at about 800m in and pushed on along the clearly cut track. It wasn’t a great start. After we hadn’t seen the first trap for a while, we checked the trapping app map and found that the trapline had veered away from the track we were walking on, fairly near the beginning.
Once back on target, it was all very clear – just following the blue triangles and keeping a close eye out for the traps. Amber took responsibility for writing up the catches and did a great job. It was a quick descent to the river, down to about 700 metres. At one stage, Elly overbalanced slightly but very effectively managed to turn it into a jump and cleverly landed on both feet.
After that, we had various undulations to take us back up to the top of the range at more than 1000 metres by 11.30. We joined the North Birch (NB) line and cleared and rebaited the traps to the start of the descent down to the river. This is a relatively new line and the vermin must still be a bit wary of the fresh smell of the traps, as catches were not as numerous as earlier in the day on the AS trapline.
Lunch on the North Birch, looking toward the Kaweka Range
This was a good place to stop for lunch in the sunshine, although there was still a cool breeze. After lunch, it was decided – so as not to be too late home – that Elly and Di would complete the arduous job of heading down 300m to the river and back again, while the rest would clear the remaining traps on the top of the ridge back out to our end point not far from the old quarry.
Our eight enjoyed the much easier walk along the tops, and then had some rest time while waiting for the other two.
It was a most enjoyable tramp, with beautiful bush, fantastic views from the top and the sounds of robins, tomtits, keruru and even one roaring stag. The vegetation was mostly beech with some lovely regenerating young rimu. We left the car park about 2.15pm, so there was plenty of daylight left when we reached Napier. Overall, we cleared 15 rats, two mice, and three possums. Not a bad tally for the day.
Trampers: Elly Govers, Selina Chilton, Pam Millard, Shona Tupe, Alison Greer, Di Reid, Amber Cooper, Babu Chinwasamy, Colin Jones and reporter Juliet Gillick
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