South Wairarapa Tramping Club  –   Waiorongomai River Track

With the weather forecast showing high temperatures for the weekend, we thought  a river trip would be a good choice, as at least our feet would be cooled down by frequent immersions as we walked across, upstream, and downstream in the water.

16 of us, including 4 potential new members, and one not-quite toddler, started up the river from the carpark at 9.15. Our two youngest club members  had consulted 16 month old Freddy, and as he was apparently keen to go, Freddy’s father carried him in a back pack, being extra careful not to slip on slimy rocks during river crossings. … Continue Reading

New Horizons for Skyline

The Skyline Challenge is back, bigger, brighter and better than ever before.

“We’ve had a year off due to COVID-19 and we’ve upgraded the event to be a family fun day,” says Lions President Joe Howells. “We’ve still got the Challenge for the more serious mountain-bikers, runners and walkers but we’ve added a whole lot more for the whole family.  A real chance to get out and about in some of the Wairarapa’s best scenery,” Joe adds.

The Skyline Challenge has been successfully run for a number a years – mainly attracting mountain bikers and walkers.  “We’ve extended the event this year – The Skyline Challenge & Family Day – to provide a wider range of running, walking or riding options for all the family,” says Joe … Continue Reading

News from First Church

We have just celebrated Easter – having this year studied the Easter story as told in the Gospel of Mark, the earliest narrative Gospel which circulated some 50 years after Jesus was crucified by the Romans.  On Palm Sunday a number of members read this story, written to be listened to – different voices speaking the various characters – and we all felt its impact, getting quite involved and moved as the dramatic story unfolded.  

At our time together on Good Friday we reflected on  our experience of this dramatic reading, thinking about its place in our understanding of what actually happened and its purpose as the earliest account of the life and death of the revolutionary hero Jesus of the Galilee.  … Continue Reading

Martinborough Lions news

How nice it has been to see our new Waihinga Centre playground being well used by local and visitor children alike over our long hot summer. Martinborough Lions are particularly happy about this great result, having donated $50,000 towards revamping the playground, and in particular installing the slide tower. 

The playground now a well-used resource for our local children, and many visitors have commented how great it is that there is something nice for their kids to do here. Well done to all concerned. SWDC Mayor Alex Beijen and Waihinga Centre Trust Chair Victoria Read both thanks the Lions at a small ceremony to unveil a plaque on the slide in February this year. … Continue Reading