**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 027 650 7264.
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 Rotorua carpark”). 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! If you have email send the report to: Enable JavaScript to view protected content. (Note: IBM compatible Word 2010 preferred).
Saturday 25th January - 27th January Auckland Anniversary Weekend Trip - Taihape District (Combined with Waikato Botanical Society)
Leader : Mark Smale 027 855 2240 Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet: Ohinewairua Station, 12 km east of Moawhango on the Taihape-Napier Road, Saturday midday 25 January.
Grade : Easy
Accommodation: Shearers’ quarters (6 to 8 rooms some have 3 to 4 beds) , with plenty of camping sites available.
Bring : Food, bedding, tent (if camping).
Please confirm attendance by 19 January.
Cost per person per night: To be confirmed.
The Taihape district, although largely cleared for farming a century and more ago, is home to some of the most interesting forest remnants in the North Island. We will visit Paengaroa Scenic Reserve at Mataroa, podocarp forest reknowned for its diversity of small-leaved shrubs, the richest array of divaricating plants at any one site in the country and several very rare species like Gardner’s Tree Daisy. There are many possibilities for additional visits: the Karioi Lakes (beech forest), Rangataua Conservation Area (logged podocarp/beech forest and wetlands, with good access along old tramways and the biggest population of Lyall’s Violet I know), Hihitahi Forest Sanctuary (Pahautea-Hall’s totara forest), and privately-owned forest podocarp forest remnants in the district.
Saturday 1 February - Maungawhakamana, Tarawera Valley
Leader : Angela Simpson 021 239 2554 Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet: The carpark Rotorua at 8am or Kawerau Info Centre (Plunket St, Kawerau) at 9am.
Grade: Medium-Hard (steep scoria track)
We will meet at Kawerau info centre to arrange vehicle permits for the forestry access roads. We will walk up the track on Maungawhakamana and observe the large population of Pimelea tomentosa (which is classified as Threatened - Nationally Vulnerable) on the way up. It can be found within the first hour of the climb and will likely be flowering at this time of year. We will walk up as far up as the group wants to on the day (we could go to the summit) and then find a route to botanise on the way down. There is regenerating forest on the hillslopes including kanuka, kamahi, and rewarewa.
Sunday 8 March – Puaiti Scenic Reserve, Atiamuri (Combined with Waikato Botanical Society)
Leader : Paul Cashmore 07 349 7432 (wk) /027 650 7264 Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet : The carpark Rotorua at 8:15am or corner of Te Kopia and Puaiti Roads, Atiamuri, 9am.
Grade : Medium
This reserve was last visited by the RBS in late 1990s. It contains an example of late successional forest with rewarewa as the dominant canopy cover. Of interest are the pre-emergent matai and miro in combination with a large number of adventive species which indicates a considerable European influence within this area, this site being used by early settlers for picnics.
Saturday 21st March – Mt Tarawera (Combined with Forest and Bird and Waikato Botanical Society) (Sunday 22nd reserve day if Sat is wet)
Leader: Paul Cashmore 07 349 7432 (wk) or 027 650 7264 Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet : DOC Ashpit Road campground, Lake Rerewhakaaitu at 9am.
Grade :Medium-Hard and in particular confident walking on steep mobile scoria slopes and along high and sharp ridges.
Registration: Minimum age 14 years old. Maximum of 25 people on trip on a first come basis but must register first with Paul Cashmore by Monday 16 March at latest.
Cost: Free
Bring: Minimum 3 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 DOC staff 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 4 April – Pūtauaki (Mt Edgecumbe) summit and wetland
Leader : Mieke Kapa ph 027 538 1586 email Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet : The carpark Rotorua at 8am or Māori Investments Ltd (near the entrance gate), Waterhouse Street, Kawerau at 9.00 am
Grade : Easy/medium
Bring: Tramping boots or gumboots for wetland
Registration: Minimum age 16 years old. Maximum of 25 people on trip on a first come basis but must register with Mieke Kapa by Monday 30 March at the latest. Five 4WD trucks with confident drivers will be needed to drive the summit road to the top. All drivers and their vehicles will be required to have a permit which the trip leader will organise.
We will mostly be following the pest animal track system to botanising the wetland within the dome then explore around the crater and summit forest. Pūtauaki is a significant ecological feature, landscape feature and icon of the Eastern Bay of Plenty. I suspect lunch will be looking out at the amazing view!
Sunday 10 May - Utahina Walkway, Rotorua City ( if weather is looking better for the Saturday the date may be changed)
Leader : Chris Bycroft 027 498 5513 Enable JavaScript to view protected content. (email preferred)
Meet : We will meet on the west side of the city – an email will be sent out prior to the field trip, so good to let Chris know you will be attending.
Grade : Easy
We will continue the exploration of the walking/cycling tracks alongside the two major stream systems of western Rotorua, Utuhina and Mangakakahi Streams. Last year we surveyed Linton Park. There will be a wider range of garden escape exotic plants present than a usual botanical society trip, but a good chance to see what is establishing in the western Rotorua gully systems.
Saturday 6th June – Matata sand dunes and coastal lagoon
Leader: Sarah Beadel 021‑924‑476; Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet: The carpark Rotorua 8am or 9am at Matata campground carpark.
Grade: Easy
Explore sand dunes and extensive wetlands and see spinifex, pingao (At Risk – Declining), and look for Cyclosorus interruptus (At Risk – Declining) (known to be present), Suaeda novae-zelandiae (possible record from 1990s, not known from any other sites in the region) and Thornton kanuka (Kunzea toelkenii, Threatened-nationally critical). Also see the extensive patch of licorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare) and other pest plants. If Thornton kanuka is not located then we will go to Walker Access Road at the end of the day to see this species (this is the main population for the species).
Monday 15 June - Annual General Meeting and Speaker
Venue : TBA
Time : 6 pm
Wine, juice, cheese and nibbles will be provided.
Following the meeting there will be a guest speaker.
Sunday 5 July – Jim Barnett Reserve, Waotu (combined with Waikato Botanical Society)
Leader: Kerry Jones. 07 855 9700 / 027 747 0733 / Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet : The carpark Rotorua at 9am or Puketurua Hall at 10:00 AM
Puketurua Hall is on the road between Putaruru and Arapuni (https://www.southwaikato.govt.nz/our-services/halls/puketurua-hall)
Grade : Easy/Medium
Jim Barnett Reserve is administered by the South Waikato District Council
Tawa, mangeao and rewarewa dominate the canopy but strands of tōtara, rimu, kahikatea, mātai and miro can also be found. Māhoe, pate and five-finger are common in the understory with lemonwood, tītoki and kohekohe in the damper gullies. Around the edge of the forest you will see large areas of retired pasture replanted with everything from tōtara to koromiko.
Sunday 2 August – Glovers Farm, Waiohotu Rd, Fitzgerald Glade, Western Mamakus (combined with Waikato Botanical Society)
Leader : Jacqui Bond ph 021 1259 273, E-mail Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet: The carpark Rotorua 8:15am or corner of Waiohotu Rd and SH 5 at 9am
Grade : Medium
We will explore the bush surrounding the Glover farm. This will include parts of the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park and the Selwyn Scenic Reserve. Highlights will be historic sites, old tracks, water-falls and old tawa forests. An historical clearing in the middle of old forest gives climbing rata an opportunity to go wild!!
Sunday 6 September - Dickeys Flat, Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park (combined with Waikato Botanical Society)
Leader : Graeme Jane & Gael Donaghy 07 5703123 Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet : 9:30am TBC
Grade : Moderate
Several options are available and the best will be determined on the day. The longest could take us to the summit of Karangahake, the shortest an easy stroll down river into the Gorge. The area has a long mining history with many tracks, some now long-abandoned, so the forest is quite modified, ranging from kanuka forest and treefernland to kamahi forest or more-or-less mature kauri with the possibility of kauri orchids and lowland species such as puriri.
Sunday 4 October –Moanui/Matawai Conservation Area, Matawai
Leader : Mike Butcher ph 07 3157160 / 0274 555610 email Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet : Opotiki I-site/DOC office at 8am. Option of going over to Opotiki on Saturday night with accommodation.
Grade : Moderate
We will visit Matawai Conservation Area (2649 ha) on Te Wera Road-a large forested plateau dominated by silver beech forest and podocarp with mistletoe species present and nearby Moanui Conservation Area (1503 ha) with extensive areas of beech and tawa with known mistletoe populations (Alepis and Peraxilla spp).
Saturday 17 October - Okareka Mistletoe Restoration Project Weed Control/Plant Releasing Work Day
Leader : Paul Cashmore 07 349 7432 (wk) or 027 650 7264 Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
Meet : Cnr Summit and Loop Rds, Okareka (lake end) @ 8:45 AM
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.
Friday 30 – Sat 31 October -Sunday 1 November - Coromandel
Leader : Kerry Jones. 07 855 9700 / 027 747 0733 / Enable JavaScript to view protected content.
We will be based in Whitianga for the weekend. Please arrange your own accommodation.
Day 1 : Saturday 31st October : 309 Kauris to 309 summit calling in at Egans Park to see the mistletoe and possible wander up McIssacs Creek.
Meet : Whitianga I-Site (Corner of Albert Street and Blacksmith) at 9:15 AM. or at the 309 Road Kauri Walk Entrance at 10:00
Grade : Medium
Bring: Usual day walk gear.
Day 2 : Sunday 1st November : Tapu - Coroglen Road to Waiwawa River.
Meet : Whitianga I-Site (Corner of Albert Street and Blacksmith) at 9:00 AM. or Coroglen Pub at 9:30AM
Grade : Medium
Bring: Usual day walk gear + togs if you wish to swim in the river.
There is a great waterhole at the lunch spot.
Sunday 6 December – McLaren Falls Park - Bits and pieces (with Waikato Botanical Society)
Leaders: Graeme Jane & Gael Donaghy 07 5703123 Enable JavaScript to view protected content..
Meet : The carpark Rotorua at 8.30am or McLaren Falls at 9:30am
Grade : Easy to moderate. All routes well-formed or across pasture with steeper bits stepped.
Four forest remnants, each with a different flavour. The first is a small area of forest containing swamp maire (easy); the second a gully walk through remnant lowland podocarp forest (easy to moderate); the third another gully walk through some beech forest to a site containing marehau (moderate); and fourthly a lakeside walk with some wetlands (easy). All or some of these may be attempted. And for those otherwise inclined an extensive exotic arboretum scattered throughout with trees often labelled.
Bring bathing togs - an excellent site for a picnic. Lots of other walks.
SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT FOR DAY TRIPS
Lunch, drink, waterproof parka, warm hat, sturdy shoes or boots, sunblock, hand lens, note book, pen & pencil, first aid kit*, compass, GPS, map, whistle, aerial photos, plant species lists, money for driver’s petrol expenses.
(* Ensure that there is at least one in your group.)