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This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper in December 2001

Otari Ramble

17 October 2001

Twenty two members turned up for the "ramble" trip around the Otari Reserve.

Starting from the lower car park, we climbed on a track out of the reserve to Chartwell and took the "western" access road down to the former Electricorp land (now transferred to DOC and to be managed by WCC). After crossing a large flat area occupied by lots of bunnies and an interesting variety of hens, the road meanders up the hill towards the skyline, meeting the block now owned by Meridian Energy and occupied by a lessee farmer (previously owned by Kilmister who lived off Parkvale Road, Karori). Whilst still in DOC land, we descended a recently revised track made by Otari Trust members (climbing a stile back into the Otari reserve) to the well known "flax clearing".

A short track from the SW side of the clearing takes you to a small kauri grove with some regenerating trees. It is most impressive.

After lunch we descended to the "main drag" and most of the group continued upstream through the picnic area to the old Curtis St. tip face to see all the work of clearing /planting done by the Wellington Regional Council and Trust members under WRC�s Stream Care Project. It is amazing to see the changes along the streamside track and it will be an impressive part of the reserve when the project is completed and the trees are developing.

This is a good area to take visitors to Wellington for a ramble as you see a lot of native bush, get good views from the upper open area and can see some of the work required to bring a neglected area back into bush and grassed areas alongside the Kaiwharawhara stream.

Frances Lee