Matariki Moana Base 

27 - 30 June 2024

At about 4pm Thursday Peter and Stan, part of the advance party, welcomed us to Kadandy Cottage.  They had the fire going to warm our home-base for the weekend. The cottage looks out over Lake Brunner/Kōtuku whakaoka to Mt Te Kinga. Beyond the lake we briefly glimpsed snow-covered 1958m Mt Alexander in the Kaimata Range, on the other side of the alpine fault.  With nothing else planned we settled in for the night with our own dinners and relaxed on the leather sofas next to the fire.

Next morning the fog over the lake was thick, but was clearing at 9am when we walked down to meet Stan, Sue and Wendy. We continued over the Arnold/Kotuku River swing-bridge to explore the lake-edge and the new 9km walk and bikeway, built by locals, around the north side of the lake. They are planning a new swing-bridge over the eastern Hohonu River, which will eventually connect the track with Kumara and The West Coast Wilderness Trail. It was all flat walking through spectacular Westland bush, with the opportunity to get out onto the water’s edge in places. The odd large boulder gives hints of the glacial origin of the lakes in this area which were gouged out by a branch of the Taramakau Glacier. Lunch was had overlooking the river at the end of the existing walkway.

Our pot-luck dinner Friday night surpassed everyone’s expectations. It began with marinated figs on blue cheese, french bread, a huge vegetable and bean hotpot soup, lasagne, shepherd’s pie, quiche plus broccoli salad. Double apple strudel, cream and Scottish oat cakes for dessert with a wine or two, of course.  PTC potlucks have always been fantastic – thanks all.

That evening the rain fell quite heavily but by morning it had mostly cleared. We split into three groups. Peter, Joanna and Chris headed to Iveagh Bay to walk the DoC track up Mt Te Kinga. Peter had previously climbed it on an older track, approaching from the eastern side. Graham, Stan, Sue and Wendy had a later start, and walked to the second view-point over the lake on Te Kinga and back. Di and Ann walked all the short walks in the vicinity, and with Tony, enjoyed the Arnold River dam power scheme and beautiful colours of the scenic reserve in the afternoon sun. We had an early meal at the Hotel Lake Brunner, then returned to home-base for a competitive card game, conversation or some quiet book time.

Sunday, Joanna re-discovered the whereabouts of her old school camp venue at historic Jack’s Mill School, Kotuku. Here, the Peter Pan sculpture garden was made by students to beautify the environment, back in the bleak 1930’s depression. The forward-thinking head master, Mr Darracott gave the 10-12 year-olds a project to design, build and furnish a small bungalow. On completion this was used as the home economics room and is now a DoC historic reserve.

We were: Peter Umbers, Joanna Frampton, Diane Mellish, Stan, Sue and Wendy Wilder, Ann Schofield, Tony Greaves, Chris Leaver (scribe) and Graham Townsend.    CL