Napier Tramping Club

based in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

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What is happening to the DoC estate?

September 24, 2017 by Julia Mackie Leave a Comment

Upper Te Hoe Hut, Whirinaki FP, Sat/Sun 23/24 September 2017
Photos: Julia Mackie

A group of seven club members wanted to go to Upper Te Hoe Hut, Whirinaki FP. For those of us who have been there before, it was to be an easy tramp. That’s how we sold it to the club members. However, advice from DoC in Murupara was that the track had not been cleared. We still decided to give it a go, and see for ourselves.

After negotiating the new roadway into the park via Low Level Rd, instead of Waipunga Road which has had a severe washout over the winter, we arrived in 2.5 hrs from Napier at the Pukahunui road end and the start of the Te Hoe track.

The website refers to the bridge damage

All seemed well until 20 minutes down the track, where a big tree-fall required climbing up/down/through. Then all was well again, until another smaller tree-fall required the same. And so it progressed, getting to be 4-5 metres between tree-falls. After 1.5hrs, we made the decision to turn back. The tramp was proving to be too energy sapping and the group was too large to keep together.

We arrived back at the road end, and three decided to give up and return to Napier. Four of us opted to head around to Plateau Rd road end and see if the track to Central Whirinaki was more negotiable.

Evidence was that this track had received attention and been cleared, so we sped up and headed into the hut in light rain. The weather forecast for Sunday was for fine weather, so we could admire the bush at a slower pace on the way back out.

Storm damage warning and evidence

We were aware of an isssue with one of the bridges, but it was not apparent until we came to it and saw ‘no access’ tape and the diversion down to the stream. A quick crossing and we were back on dry land. Onwards we pressed, carefully handling a slip which had taken away a sizeable portion of the track.

We reached the hut just in time before a heavy rain downpour, after which it cleared for a short period to allow us to collect some wet firewood, so that we could get it under cover of the verandah to dry out for the next tramp party.

The wood available to us was still wet, and just sizzled – only giving us a modicum of heat. Still, that was better than nothing.

The beautiful bush in the Whirinaki FP.

The Sunday proved a complete weather change, and was sunny. What a joy to walk out, crossing tiny streams which were cascading down into the Whirinaki River. From the swingbridge by the Cave, it was a steady climb up to the Plateau Rd car park, passing mountain cabbage trees near the track’s end.

On reaching the car park, I decided to check out the signage and look at the DoC map. Lo and behold: Caution, Danger, Warning were all posted in three separate notices.

Overall, what disturbs me the most is the clear evidence that tracks which have been hit by weather events are being lost because DoC has no money or manpower to handle the maintenance of either tracks or huts.

Where a track is proving too costly to maintain, it is now downgraded to a route. This will make huts inaccessible to trampers, and they will only accommodate fly-in hunters. The Upper Whirinaki Hut, Upper Te Hoe Hut and Central Te Hoe Hut tracks will require clearing before the tramping club can venture to them. Mangakahika Hut will only be accessible via Moerangi and Rogers Hut (i.e. the western and northern loops).

What a shame….

This is what happens when DoC is underfunded. Plain and simple.

Trampers: Ted Angove, Dorothy Sole, Bruce Hodgson, Alison Greer, Charlotte Breen, Les O’Shea and reporter Julia Mackie

Filed Under: Recent trips

About Julia Mackie

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About us

We are a group of like-minded people who love the great outdoors. We tramp mostly in the Hawke’s Bay province, in remote areas such as the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges; but we also travel longer distances to new places, for longer walks.

The Napier Tramping Club was established in 1974 and has about 70 members. We belong to the Federated Mountain Clubs of NZ Inc (FMC) and run Saturday, full-weekend and Wednesday tramps, every fortnight.

Interested in joining us?

Enjoy the great outdoors, keep fit and get to know others with similar interests.

More information

Latest news

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Useful links

  • Dept of Conservation
  • DoC Huts Use, Kaweka Forest Park
  • Federated Mountain Clubs of NZ (FMC)
  • Heretaunga Tramping Club
  • New Zealand Tramper
  • NZ Walking Access Commission
  • Wanganui Tramping Club

Useful links 2

  • Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society
  • Weather forecast

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