Zion Hill Jun 2026

ZION HILL ZOOMA

Karekare Sat 13 Jun

16 trampers enjoyed a lovely sunny day exploring a newly reopened track in the Waitakere Ranges, the Zion Hill Track on the Karekare coast. We set out from the Karekare carpark at 9:15am after the usual in-circle intros and prayer, and after going through the kauri dieback spraystation we began a steady ascent up a well-formed track with many staircases. Eventually we reached a lookout with views south over the coastline, and had a quick break.

After some more climbing we carried on along the Zion Hill ridge before making our descent down lots of stairs to the dieback spraystation at the bottom. We went along the Pararaha Valley Track for another break at the Les Ward Shelter. Further up the Pararaha Valley was the Pararaha Gorge Walk, a challenging trek that was often done by groups such as scouts, but is now strictly off-limits due to a dieback rahui imposed in 2017.

We went back down the Pararaha Valley Track to follow the Pararaha Coastal Route over black sand dunes to Tunnel Head where we had our lunch stop at picnic tables beside a shelter.

Geoff gave the devotions being a short talk focused on the theme of being reconciled to God, which he defines as addressing spiritual insecurity. Geoff highlights that while God has done everything necessary to bridge the gap between Himself and humanity, individuals must still make their peace with Him. Using 2 Corinthians chapter five, he notes that Paul implores the Corinthian church to be reconciled to God, suggesting that many were still estranged from Him. Geoff shares a personal story from his time at Takapuna Grammar School, expressing his fear of the headmaster's office. Although he imagined a dreadful encounter, he later learned that the headmaster was a kind man who created loyalty among his students. This story illustrates that good individuals reflect God's goodness, showing grace and compassion, even when faced with rebellion. Geoff references Isaiah 30, which describes God's willingness to reach out in grace, even when His people have turned away. Through grace-defined as undeserved mercy-God invites everyone to come to Him for salvation. He concludes by reiterating the need for reconciliation with God, emphasizing that it requires surrender and humility. Furthermore, he encourages extending God's grace to others, mirroring the compassion He shows us.

We went through a tunnel that had been used for the Piha Tramway that transported kauri logs to Whatipu in 1906-21. There was an old boiler that was too large to go through the tunnel, so was left to rust. From there we continued along more black ironsand, and after a short walk through bush we finished our tramp ar the Karekare carpark at 2:35pm. Distance 10.8km.

David and Jill invited us to their holiday home nearby for afternoon tea.