Auckland Baptist Tramping Club 2005

Ten people turned up on a sunny afternoon to explore some reserves and walkways few people who live outside the suburb of Remuera know of. We met at the end of Waiata Ave at 2pm and after the usual Christian karakia we set off walking the pathways through this broad expanse of grassed reserve in the Waiata gully. This came out at Lingarth Ave, which we roadbashed through to the Martyn Field Reserve to follow a walkway going under a pipeline and then following a little stream. We came out to Shore Rd, which we crossed and began a new boardwalk that goes around the coastline over the mangrove flats. The Hobson Bay sewer pipeline came into view. In years gone by this was a popular walkway connecting Parnell with Orakei, but now it is completely blocked off. We took a break at a boat ramp that goes over the pipeline. It is now impossible to walk even a single metre of the pipeline from the boat ramp. A quick steep uphill brought us to Victoria Ave, then we followed Shore Rd down to the start of the track into Waikaramoa Reserve. A stop at a patch of wetland at the start of the track was worthwhile, especially with a group of ducklings and their mum cruising around. The track climbed up to a large area of open grass reserve.

We went to the far end then dropped down to Standen Rd. A group of people was feeding the birds on the reserve alongside the Portland Rd stream.

A roadbash along Portland Rd and up Aldred Rd, then along Victoria Ave, brought us back to the starting point. We finished about 3:45pm, having discovered a little-known secret of Auckland. COST: travel from The Bracken 60c.