South Wairarapa Tramping Club

The ingenious lunch stop on Day 2, near Redcliffe Point.

Banks  Peninsular  Track

4 SWTC members intended to do the Banks Peninsular 3 day tramp, but unfortunately, due to a broken leg, only 3 arrived in Akaroa.  We met our 5 fellow trampers, all from Auckland, outside the Old Post Office, and were driven to our first night’s accommodation, at Onuku.

The BP Track is run by 5 farming families. Our main luggage and food was transported each day, while we tramped with smaller day packs carrying lunch and wet weather gear.

After a comfortable night’s sleep, we woke to a glorious day, with bellbirds singing. We had brilliant views up Akaroa Harbour, and out to the heads to open sea, as we climbed about 500m up through farmland. Over the top ridge, we descended on the seaward side, though a large bush reserve, which  provided a good contrast to the farmland. When we arrived at Flea Bay (probably named for the little native fleas that live on the penguins)  we were delighted to find cold drinks including beer in the fridge for purchase!

The Helps family has  concentrated on protecting and preserving  the little blue  penguins, and this is  the largest colony of them on mainland NZ. There were numerous little wooden penguin houses nestled into the hillside. In the evening  Francis Helps took us on a penguin tour, telling us about the lives and habits of the penguins. He lifted the lid off one house, so we could see the male parent looking after 2 fluffy chicks, while his mate was away fishing – they take it in turns. At other houses we could see a little face peeking out at us.

The  houses are near the shore. Left to themselves the penguins will make their own burrows, often up to 800m from the shore, which makes them very vulnerable to predators on the long journey from burrow to sea. The Helps family sets traps for stoats, ferrets, rats and wild cats.

We were not so lucky with the weather on our 2nd day, 8kms along the cliff tops, in misty rain. Little rocky islands close to shore, seals,  and caves under the cliffs, made it an interesting walk. Sea birds circled the caves, and their cries echoed eerily.

A shelter hut built in against a high rock provided a dry spot for lunch, and we admired the ingenuity and humour incorporated in the building, a rocky face on one side, and lead light windows at odd angles on the other. 

The track passed beside a predator-proof fence, erected by the Armstrong family, encasing an area where the sooty shearwater (muttonbird/titi) nest in burrows.

The 3rd night’s accommodation at Stony Bay was in a collection of quirky little huts for 2 people, and a larger  main house. This had an open fire and  coal range, with a pull up and down drying rack for our wet clothes. The open air bath – light a fire under it first – is a special feature, but we chose the simpler quicker option of a shower built round a native fuschia tree – in flower!

By this stage the 8 of us felt like one happy family – we had all enjoyed each other’s company, and it was sad there was only one more day to go.

We woke up to blue skies and sun for the last day’s walk, a climb of 700m. We tramped up beside the stream from Stony Bay, and on more steeply through Hinewai Reserve, an area to which botanist Hugh Wilson has devoted many years of his life. The original bush is regenerating well, with gorse providing an ideal nursery area until it is eventually smothered by the growing natives.

Back in Akaroa, we rewarded ourselves with ice creams  for all our hard work climbing and descending. By nightfall the weather had changed to a severe southerly gale, with torrential rain, which no doubt delighted the farmers through whose land we had walked, as they were all complaining of the drought!

If you’re interested, check out the website – www.bankstrack.co.nz.

SWTC welcomes new members! Phone or email Ed and Juliet Cooke 304 9497, efjac@xtra.co.nz,  if you are interested or just want a bit more information. See our facebook page and website.