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Hi and welcome.
You are receiving this first issue of Te Araroa News because you have had some involvement with our 3,000km Long Pathway or you have registered on our updated website www.teararoa.org.nz.
If you do not wish to receive these updates, please select unsubscribe at the bottom of this newsletter.
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Top Stories
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| Shane Jessen from Northland Park Care working on the Chamberlain/Taylor's part of the Matapouri Bush Track. |
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Best Year Ever
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Te Araroa had its best year of track building ever in 2008, with 134 km of new track completed – nearly double that built in 2007. We’re on target to complete the 350 km of new track required to meet our December 2010 opening of the Cape Reinga to Bluff pathway.
From the 29 km high country route through country Singer Shania Twain’s Central Otago stations, opened in March, to the 14 km Long Hilly Ports Race track through historic gold mining sites in Southland, 2008 was a good year for Te Araroa track building. Throughout the country a partnership of regional trusts, local bodies and private land owners is pushing the track along.
But perhaps the most significant new development was the first full year of involvement of the Department of Conservation (DoC), allocated $3.8 m of government funding to ensure Te Araroa is in place on DoC land in time for the 2010 opening. As this accounts for one third of the total trail, it’s a vital contribution to the overall goal. In 2008 the department tackled two construction projects and also signed up 340 km of Te Araroa’s route across existing DoC tracks. In 2009 it will spend around $1.5 million on Te Araroa.
For a detailed look at where new tracks are being built and who by, check out Te Araroa CEO Geoff Chapple’s full report on New Tracks in 2008
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They’re Walking Our Trail
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Te Araroa Southland regional chair Lloyd Blakie has joined the flow of long- distance walkers venturing onto the NZ-long pathway over the summer. Some walkers are publishing their experience in web journals, while others are tackling smaller sections, in what has been a busy summer for Te Araroa.
Retired farmer Lloyd Blakie and his mate, retired army man Dene Cole are keen hunters and fishermen but they reluctantly left rods and guns at home when they embarked on walking Te Araroa in early February. They decided they didn’t want the extra load as they walked the North Island, supported by Lloyd’s wife Jessie in a caravan.
As Southland regional chair, Lloyd has played a big role in getting Te Araroa under way in his neighbourhood. Now with his golfing buddy Dene, he’s decided to see the trail in the rest of the country “while I can.” To ensure he’s up to completing the distance, he’s been ‘training’ for the past three months walking up to three hours a day. Lloyd and Dene completed Cape Reinga to Ahipara in four and a half days and were through to Ruakaka in 17 days (with no rest days) when last heard from. Lloyd reports one outcome so far; "Body shape changing for the better!"
Also walking Te Araroa this summer is “Skittles” - aka Richard Larson - a seasoned long distance walker - See Skittle’s Trail Journal - who started at Cape Reinga in early December and by late January was in Queenstown, and Jacob Hoffman-Andrews - See Jacob’s Trail Journal - who started in the south and is working his way north. Detailed trail notes for the Northland section of Te Araroa are available at Northland Trail Notes. Detailed notes for the rest of the trail, as well as maps, will be progressively added over 2009.
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Vital Access Opened
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While Te Araroa aims to use existing public land it's inevitable some sections will cross private property. Along the length of the country numerous private owners – like Matapouri land owners Nick Chamberlain and Carolyn Taylor – have supported the idea of a New Zealand trail by granting access to vital links in the chain.
Throughout the land the same generous attitude is repeated – private landowners willing to open their land to walkers so Te Araroa, the 3000 km walking trail from Cape Reinga to Bluff can be completed by its December 2010 target date. At Matapouri Bay, it was Whangarei doctor Nick Chamberlain and physiotherapist Carolyn Taylor, who agreed to an easement to a vital 200m linking a paper road and Crown land, and Puketiraki Holdings who allowed access to the company's Clements Road block.
With local body support - Whangarei District Council's lawyer has handled the easement directly with the Chamberlain/Taylor's lawyer, with coordination from Te Araroa Project Manager Fiona Mackenzie and funding from the ASB Community Trust – it's a model of how many partners can work together to achieve a big hairy goal. Together they have helped create a walk which is already giving a lot of enjoyment to locals and through hikers.
Carolyn Taylor says they were "more than happy" to cooperate because she thinks Te Araroa is "a fantastic idea. I am a walker and I am aware of other long walkways overseas – Hadrian's Wall, the Appalachian Trail – and I'm glad to help in a little way with getting one in place here in New Zealand."
The same spirit is in evidence a little further north, where a new section of trail through Helena Bay in Northland is nearing completion thanks to tremendous support from five private landowners and some key paper road neighbours, says Fiona Mackenzie.
"They all care very much for the land, its bush and conserving the birdlife.
It's a reminder too, of the gratitude walkers owe to landowners who allow access to their properties. With kauris currently being threatened by a new disease, walkers are urged to clean their boots between visits to kauri forests as well as always observing the countryside's normal rules of engagement: leave gates the way you find them, and leave nothing but footprints.
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Buy A Board and Build the Trail
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Help build the last 350 km of Te Araroa and get your name on a virtual boardwalk as part of the 200 X $200 Campaign to get the 3000 km New Zealand north – south walking trail completed by 2010. Every dollar helps.
It’s safe to say that over the past eight years Te Araroa Trust and its regional trusts have opened more new walking access than all the official bodies combined. Much of Te Araroa is walkable right now, and the challenge ahead is the last 350 kilometres that secures the through route.
Completing the trail to a good standard will still cost something like $6.5 million. Te Araroa has enjoyed great support from a range of sponsors but the tougher economic climate is now causing funding bodies and local councils to cut back on grants and recreation budgets.
The most critical money we need is the yearly $40,000 for administration and project management. This primary funding enables us to apply for track budgets from the official bodies, to make presentations to councils, to pay for travel to scoping sites and so on.
The whole Te Araroa enterprise revolves around this effort, so if you can give us $200, we’ll give you a virtual plank on our boardwalk. Get Your Name on the Te Araroa Boardwalk 200 X $200 Campaign today.
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Te Araroa Trust, PO Box 5106, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141, New Zealand www.teararoa.org.nz
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