This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 96, no 7, August 2024
Wainuiomata Water Catchment
Wednesday 5 June 2024
This trip needed permission from the Wainuiomata/Ōrongorongo Catchment Ranger, which was granted. The usual health and safety protocols had to be followed, and a planned 1080 drop in the area may have affected the trip. The drop did not occur. I had estimated that this tramp would take about six hours, but when bookings reached 20, I warned that it may take longer than that. I needn’t have worried.
The morning of the trip dawned fine and frosty. Nineteen of us met at the Reservoir Road car park and, after squeezing into as few cars as possible, proceeded through the gate to the water treatment plant to start the walk. We began with a brisk 30-minute road walk up George Creek to the Ōrongorongo tunnel entrance. This tunnel was built in the 1920s to accommodate the water pipe bringing water from the Ōrongorongo River as part of Wellington region’s water supply. There is also a small railway running through the tunnel.
While at the tunnel entrance we noticed what appeared to be a good, benched track following the true left of George Creek, heading back downstream towards the Pack Track. So, instead of following the road back to the start of the Pack Track, we followed this track. It did indeed take us to the Pack Track, with only one or two windfalls which were easily negotiated.
The Pack Track is a steady 500m climb over a distance of two km on an excellent benched track through beautiful native forest until the top is reached near .800 on the East Whakanui Track.
As 10 a.m. approached, murmurings were heard about a morning tea break, but where to seat 19 people in a comfortable sunny spot, on a narrow track sidling up the hill? The best option was just to stop and let everyone find a seat on the track in a long line, some in the sun, some not.
Shortly after setting off again, we found a suitable place to leave the Pack Track and make our way off-track up to the East Whakanui Track. This was a 50m ascent and brought us out just 200 metres west of the highest point (.800). Aiming to get much closer would have risked an encounter with thick scrub. As it was, our route was relatively easy. A quick headcount confirmed that there were still 19 of us.
Heading west along the East Whakanui Track we descended to the saddle where we stopped at a large grassy clearing for an early lunch break. This clearing, with extensive views to the north, is very exposed and is often not a good place to stop. Today proved to be an exception, with clear calm conditions, so a long lunch break was enjoyed by all. And there was some convenient seating in the form of tree stumps and a pile of old DoC200 trap boxes awaiting a helicopter lift out.
The afternoon started with a 100m climb west to where the East Whakanui Track joins the Old Whakanui Track. Turning right, we followed this track for about 800 metres past .644 before turning right again onto Solomons Ridge, the spur between Sledge Track Creek and George Creek. There is a trap line running down this spur so there is a track, a little difficult to follow in places because pig rooting has destroyed the footpad. Just one and a half hours later we had descended the 480m spur and were at the small hydro-electric power station and the water treatment plant, where afternoon tea was enjoyed in the sun.
This tramp took us six hours 10 minutes including breaks, and covered 9.6 km with 800m of ascent/descent.
- Party members
- David McNabb (leader and scribe), Karen Baker, Joan Basher, Lois Buckrell, John Dement, Rachel Fry, Jenny Mason, Peter Morten, Chris Munn, Peggy Munn, Marg Pearce, Sieny Pollard, Janette Roberts, Nina Sawicki, Peter Smith, Tim Stone, Mike Wespel-Rose, Lynne White, Cathy Wylie