|
A small group of trampers met at the Arataki Visitors Centre car park at 9am. A fine morning with a weather
forecast promising a nice day for our tramp. We had a short ride 2km up the Scenic Drive to the Western
end of the Range View track where our tramp started. This track passes a lovely grove of Kauri Rickers and then offers a great view of Auckland city. On to the Tramline track which once transported building material to the upper Nihotupu Dam in the early days. This line now operates the Rain Forest Express’ and is used by Water Care Services to maintain the dam and its pipeline. A few metres down the steep Incline track we stop to view a large Kauri tree. Gary, our timber milling expert gave us a bit of background information as to how these trees were felled in the early days and a couple of reasons as to why this one was left standing. Slip sliding down the Incline track, once used to haul building materials to the tramline by steam winch, we arrived at Pipeline road and head east to link up with Pipeline track, which bypasses the entrance to the Lower Nihotupu Dam. We stopped for lunch at the eastern end of Pipeline Road. Peter played a few tunes on his mouth organ for us and then we were off to Mackie’s Rest. When our leaders arrived at this point we found that Mackie had gone and Peter was sitting on his seat taking in the fantastic view of the Nihotupu valley and Manukau harbour. Half way along a small link track to Jacobsen’s Depot, Stephen badly sprained an ankle. (No, not really.) A short First Aid scenario was set up. Paramedic Gary demonstrated how to assess the injury and treat the patient. Stephen was soon on his feet and we were off to the Jacob’s Depot Station where we viewed the old steam loco and a pictorial display of the building of the Upper Nihotupu Dam. A quick look at some native cave Wetas, (Val couldn’t get out of the tunnel fast enough) then up to the Scenic Drive via the Slip track. Back to the car park where tea and coffee was served from the ‘Ute Café’ Our trip finished at 3.OOpm. Nice day, nice tramp, nice company. Thank you Lord. |