RBS Trip Programme – 2026
**Please note: We would like intending participants to give the leader a call during the week before the trip. This will give the leader an idea of the party, and enable them to give you any last minute information. If the leader is not available contact Paul Cashmore 07 349-7432 (wk), or 027 205 1922.
The meeting place for all trips, unless otherwise stated, is the carpark between the Convention Centre and the Police Station, Fenton Street, Rotorua (hereinafter called “the carpark Rotorua”). We will carpool with a donation for petrol expenses for cars/boats to drivers please.
Reminder to trip leaders
Please remember to collect the first aid kit and PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) from Paul Cashmore or supply your own. You are also responsible for delegating the writing up of the trip report or writing it yourself and getting it to the editor within 4 weeks of the trip. A very brief report is much better than no report! Please email the report to: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content] (Note: Microsoft Word compatible preferred).
Saturday 24th - Monday 26th. Anniversary Weekend: Rangitoto Station, Northern Pureora (Combined with Waikato Botanical Society)
Organiser: Dell Hood [Enable JavaScript to view protected content] or 027 521 9260. Would those potentially interested in coming on this weekend please let Dell know before Christmas to assist with planning.
At our previous visit we saw very little of this large reserve, so this trip we will check out different areas.
Where: Rangitoto Station, a 427 ha reserve owned by Native Forest Restoration Trust, north of Pureora. Access is via rather rough rural roads – further details will be sent to intending participants.
Accommodation: A fully equipped house with electricity, fridge, microwave etc and a former woolshed developed to tramping hut standards with gas cooking and solar powered lighting. The house sleeps ~12, the woolshed can accommodate a larger number. The two buildings are very close and camping is also permitted. Participants supply all food, bedding etc and own cooking gear is desirable for the woolshed. More information about the reserve is available at https://www.nfrt.org.nz/reserves/rangitoto-station/. This site has links to track information and the house but does not mention the woolshed as it is normally reserved for hunters.
Grade: Easy to moderate. There are multiple tracks, some of unsealed road standard
Cost: $20 per person per night for woolshed or house.
Meeting place: As for our last visit, we will all need to meet up on Saturday morning to collect a key and travel together to the entrance. Details will be finalised nearer the time.
Given the rough nature of the road access carpooling is desirable. The roads are negotiable by any car but travel is slow and care must be taken. The gate must remain locked because poaching is a problem. No hunters have been granted access for Anniversary Weekend.
As for the walks, there are defined tracks some of which are suitable for farm vehicles, one leads up to a transmitter site. A range of walks from short to longer ones are available for all abilities. It would be fine for less agile folk to do short walks near the accommodation.
Any questions are welcome and more specific information will be circulated to intending participants nearer the date of the trip.
Sunday 15 February - Galaxy Rd Wetlands (combined trip with Waikato Botanical Society)
Leader: Paul Cashmore 07 349 7432 (wk) or 027 2051922 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: The carpark Rotorua at 9am or corner of SH 5 and Galaxy Rd at 9:30am
Grade: Moderate off track /bring your gumboots
A revisit to this large wetland-beech forest mosaic beside SH5. The site includes old FRI podocarp trials and excellent examples of regenerating podocarp-hardwood forest with pockets of silver and hard beech present in places. This surrounds a large manuka dominated wetland with some interesting plant species including Gahnia rigida near its norther limit.
Sunday 1 March – Otanewainuku
Leader: Graeme Jane & Gael Donaghy 07 5703123 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet : The carpark Rotorua at 8.30am or at the Otanewainuku carpark take Mangatoi Road from SH 36 or Mountain Rd from Oropi. Carpark is just to the north of Mountain Rd -No. 2 Rd junction. Put carpark in Google and it will go there at 9.30 am
Grade : Easy to moderate, a good loop track mostly, with a few very short, steep pinches.
The area is mainly tawa podocarp forest, with a wide range of aspects. Interesting plants include terrestrial raukaua and Blechnum nigrum. Pest control is carried out by the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust particularly to help protect kokako, kiwi and robins, but deer numbers remain significant. The summit lookout halfway round offers extensive views.
Saturday 28 March – Mt Tarawera Wilding conifer pulling trip (Combined with Forest and Bird)
Leader: Paul Cashmore 07 349 7432 (wk) or 027 2051922 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: DOC Ashpit Road campground, Lake Rerewhakaaitu at 7:45 am.
Grade: Medium-Hard, and in particular, confidence in walking on steep mobile scoria slopes and along high and sharp ridges is needed.
Registration: Minimum age 14 years old. Maximum of 20 people on trip on a first come basis but must register first with Paul Cashmore by Monday 11 March at latest.
Cost: Free
Bring: Minimum 2 litres water, lunch and snacks, wet weather and warm gear, sun hat, sunblock, boots or sturdy shoes, gaiters and/or leggings an advantage for loose scoria, gloves for pulling out pines.
We will be driven to the top of Mt Tarawera by 4WD bus and vehicle to the crater rim and hear a bit about the history and ecological values of the mountain. We will be led by Ruawahia trustees and Rotorua Botanical Society with assistance from Kaitiaki Tours. This year we will cross the crater onto ‘the fan’ between Ruawahia and Wahanga domes with time to take in the flora, fauna and 360 degree views of the Bay of Plenty. We will then spend the rest of the day on the Tarawera ‘fan’ helping to handpull wilding conifer seedlings to assist the Ruawahia Wilding Conifer Project which aims to control the spread of wilding conifers in order to protect the unique values on the mountain.
Saturday 11 April – Rotorua Botanical Society/Landcare Okareka Mistletoe Restoration Project Weed Control/Plant Releasing Work-Day
Leader: Paul Cashmore 07 349 7432 (wk) or 027 2051922 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: Cnr Summit and Loop Roads, Okareka (lake end) next to start of mistletoe track @ 8:45 am-midday
Grade: Medium-Hard – Activities suitable for all ages and abilities will be provided. This will include releasing our plantings from weed growth and doing further weed control including handpulling, cutting and sawing of small vines, climbers and shrubs and ground covers.
Bring: sturdy shoes/boots, water, overalls or long trousers, (plus gardening gloves, pruners -otherwise provided).
Saturday 18th April – Rurima Island, Eastern Bay of Plenty (with Moutohora (Whale Island) as a backup)
Leader: Bill Clark 07-3228401, 021 08977261 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content] and Sarah Beadel 021 924476 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: Boat ramp near the mouth of Rangitaiki River (true left)
Time: To be confirmed (tide dependent)
Grade: Medium
Cost: To be determined.
Gear: As these are pest free islands all gear taken to the island will need to be clean and free of dirt, seeds and insects and will be inspected before departure.
Explore the Rurima Islands flora. Vegetation present on these islands include Pohutukawa forest, Pohutukawa/taupata-Melicytus novae-zelandiae scrub, New Zealand iceplant rockland, and Sarcocornia quinqueflora herbfield (WB Shaw pers. comm.). These vegetation types do not occur on either Moutohora or Whakaari. Kiore were eradicated from Rurima in 1983 and no introduced animals occur on the islands today.
Pingao occurs on Rurima Island and Asplenium flaccidum subsp. haurakiense reaches its southern limit of distribution on these islands.
Coastal mahoe (Melicytus novae-zelandiae), a species generally confined to islands, is present on Rurima. This species is not known from elsewhere in the Ecological District. New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) has also been recorded from the islands. There is a small area of geothermal on Rurima Island and Lycopodiella cernua is present
Let us know in February if you will be attending as this will help us plan.
Space may be limited to eight people.
Saturday 9 May – Kohi Point Scenic Reserve, Whakatane
Leader: Kirsty Brown 0274272875 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: Meet at Rotorua carpark 8am, or Kohi Point Look Out in Whakatāne (Kohi Pt Look Out Rd) at 9:30am
Grade Medium on track
Diverse coastal shrubland communities and coastal forest. Interesting species include the Pimelea prostrata, dwarf mistletoe (Korthalsella salicornioides) and the threatened native daphne Pimelea tomentosa. Also Senecio lautus and Apium australe on the coast. Amazing views of coastal Bay of Plenty, the sea, and out to Whale Island and White Island.
Sunday 7 June – Patetere Scenic Reserve, Cecil Road, Mamaku (Combined trip with Waikato Botanical Society)
Leader: Rob Fairley, 021 024 77 614 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: The car park at Rotorua at 9.00 am or where the sealed part of Cecil Rd ends around 1.9 km from the junction of Cecil Rd and Maraeroa Rd at 9.30 am. Please text or email to let me know if you are coming, and if you will be meeting in Rotorua or travelling directly to Mamaku (Waikato people don’t need to let me know the latter).
We will travel 2.5 km down Cecil Rd not far past where the sealed road ends (we will be parking on the left opposite a farm house entrance). There is not much parking room so as few vehicles as possible would be best.
Grade: Easy-Medium
Patetere Scenic Reserve is located slightly north west of Mamaku township. The part we will explore is the closest part, which was part of a Forest Research Institute experiment with exotic trees planted in the native bush. Many of these exotic trees still survive as canopy trees. The area has many volcanic tors, including in the area we will botanise.
The reserve had a tram line through it and was milled for rimu. Few canopy rimu are present and the dominant canopy tree is tawa. This part of the reserve was fenced and grazed so the understory vegetation has large numbers of mountain horopito. Ferns are abundant. There are few mid-sized trees but in recent years there has been massive regeneration of tawa seedlings and in places many miro and pōkākā seedlings. Hinau seedlings are quite common.
Other largish trees include tāwari, maire, and in one area kahikatea. Melicope simplex is very common and on the edge intertwines with Raukaua anomalous, that at the right time of the year can give a false impression of one plant producing two different fruits.
Please wear Hi Viz. There is much hunting in the reserve although I’ve yet to see hunters in the area we will be in. The forest floor is an easy relaxing walk (grade = easy) but climbing the tors requires a bit more energy (grade = medium).
Monday 15 June - Annual General Meeting and Guest Speaker: Gael Donaghy
Venue : TBC
Time : 6 pm
Cheese and other finger-food, wine and juice will be provided.
Following the meeting there will be talk from our guest speaker Gael Donaghy on ‘Orchids & More’ .
Sunday 5 July – Kuirau Park, Rotorua
Leader: Angela McQuillan 021 239 2554 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: 9am Ranolf St carpark on eastern edge of Kuirau Park - southern carpark. carpark https://maps.app.goo.gl/B3xthms7eciNL9a49
Grade: Easy.
Winter wander around Kuirau Park to view geothermal kanuka and associated plants on margins of sinter, hot pools, mud pools, and local wetlands. Previous Rotorua Botanical Society Trip to this location was in August 1998 (RBS Newsletter No. 31). We could look for Psilotum nudum, Fimbristylis velata, Korthalsella salicornoides (mistletoe), Lycopodium cernua, Lobelia anceps, sundews, and a range of Machaerina species. There is also a range of planted vegetation.
Monday 27 July – Powerpoint Slide Evening from Members
Venue : TBC
Time : TBC
An evening for members to bring along some of their favourite photos from botanical trips around NZ and the world to share interesting recent botanising they have been up to.
Interesting places, with interesting plants.
Please bring a max ten powepoint slides, and/or ten minutes, so please register with secretary if you would like to give a short presentation.
Sunday 2 August - Rotoehu Forest – Eastern blocks
Leader: Chris Bycroft 021 394 096 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content] (email preferred)
Meet: Rotorua carpark 8am (email Chris if travelling from elsewhere, as we may need to organise an appropriate meeting point).
Grade: Medium
Come and check out the eastern parts of the blocks that the Rotoehu Ecological Trust is undertaking pest control in. The Trust has recently expanded the area it is working in to cover c.2,000 hectares. The Trust has been helping Ngāti Makino and the Department of Conservation manage these areas of forest with one aim to improve the kōkako population. The site has one of the most important populations of this species in Aotearoa and the largest in Bay of Plenty. With the work of the various partners, the population of kokako in the area is now over 500 birds. Over 200 km of pest control tracks have been cut with bait stations set up to control rats in the kokako breeding season. We will survey some of the more recent areas of the Rotoehu forest areas that have been added to the project towards the eastern end, that are less will botanised.
Sunday 6 September – Matahina Reserve
Leader: Bill Clark 07-3228401, 021 08977261 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: TBC Vehicle permits will be required
Grade: Easy to Medium
The Reserve - 200 hectares of lowland podocarp/tawa forest in the middle of Matahina pine forest that survived the loggers axe. Now in private ownership recently fenced off and 1080 applied.
Sunday 4 October – Lake Rotoiti and Matawhaura North Scenic Reserves , Rotoehu Rd
Leader: Paul Cashmore 07 349 7432 (wk) or 027 2051922 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: Meet at Rotorua carpark 8:15am or 9:00am outside 391 Rotoehu Road, Pongakawa
Grade: Medium
A field visit to a large area of DOC and Lake Rotoiti Scenic Reseve Board administered reserve between Rotoehu Road and Matawhaura bluffs between Lake Rotoiti and Rotoehu. These large adjoining reserves comprised mostly (rimu)/tawa dominated forest which has been historically selectively logged. They have a typically semi-coastal influence with kohekohe and nikau present locally in subcanopy. These reserves have rarely been botanised and never visited by Rotorua Botanical Society from the Rotoehu Rd end of reserve so potentially there is a lot to discover in this large area. We will enter off Rotoehu Road and undertake a large loop to the south mostly off track and maybe following old logging roads in places to return to Rotoehu Rd in the afternoon.
Saturday 17 October - Rotorua Botanical Society/Landcare Okareka Mistletoe Restoration Project Weed Control/Plant Releasing Work Day
Leader: Paul Cashmore 07 349 7432 (wk) or 027 2051922 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: Cnr Summit and Loop Roads, Okareka (lake end) next to start of mistletoe track @ 8:45 am-midday
Grade: Medium-Hard – Activities suitable for all ages and abilities will be provided. This will include releasing our plantings from weed growth and doing further weed control including handpulling, cutting and sawing of small vines, climbers and shrubs and ground covers.
Bring: sturdy shoes/boots, water, overalls or long trousers, (plus gardening gloves, pruners -otherwise provided).
Saturday 31 October - Sunday 1 November – East Cape revisited
Trip Contact: Paul Cashmore 07 349 7432 (wk) or 027 2051922 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Trip Leader: Clarke Koopu, 0272329960 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: TBC
Grade: Moderate-hard
Accommodation: TBC
Bring: TBC
Exact location TBC but expect another weekend away exploring native forest ecosystems on maori land with the assistance of local landowners.
Friday 27 November Red Bearded Orchid Survey, Arawa Park Racecourse, Rotorua
Leader: Paul Cashmore 07 349 7432 (wk) or 027 2051922 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Meet: Arawa Park Racecourse, meet beside grandstand just before 9am. -1pm
Grade: Easy
Help undertake the annual survey of the Red Bearded Orchid population to determine population size and distribution of this unique population.
Saturday 28 November Kinloch orchids, Taupo (Combined trip with Waikato Botanical Society)
Leader: Chris Bycroft 021 394 096 [Enable JavaScript to view protected content] (email preferred)
Meet: Rotorua, phone for car pooling, leave 8 am, or meet at Kinloch, near the marina. Aim to be at Kinloch before 9 am if travelling from elsewhere. Please let Chris know beforehand if you are intending to come.
Grade: Medium
Explore the tracks to the west of Kinloch, Kawakawa Bay Track and Great Lake Trail. It might be a good time of year to view orchids, forest habitats, and lake margins. We will mostly keep to the main track, but may explore a few areas off track depending on the party.
SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT FOR DAY TRIPS
Lunch, drink, waterproof parka, warm hat, sturdy shoes or boots, sunblock, hand lens, note book, pen and pencil, first aid kit*, compass, GPS, map, whistle, aerial photos, plant species lists, money for driver’s petrol expenses.