Paeroa to Waitekauri Packhorse Track

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FRIDAY April 13

This track was established in 1875 by Mr Gordon of the “Gordon’s Boarding House”, to take supplies and equipment from Paeroa to the flourishing Waitekauri township, that once boasted a population of 3000 people. Starting at the end of Reservoir Rd on the Paeroa side, it climbs the slope to the top of the ridge fairly steadily and when you reach the top, offers wide views of the Thames Valley and Hauraki Plains. After a stroll along the farmland, we will descend back into bush to the Waitekauri Valley. Perhaps the “Tui Bar” will be open on the day and you’ll be in for an extra treat. Imagine packhorse teams hauling heavy steel mining equipment up these slopes.

Duration: 6 hours

Track Grading: 5

Start Time: 9.00am

Cost: $20 to be paid at time of registration

REPORT OF THE WALK - submitted 3/5/12 by John Campbell

Paeroa To Waitekauri Pack Horse Track
13 April 2012
Chief Guide Maggie Read.

I saw this walk along with about 29 others advertised in a brochure promoting the Echo Walking Festival in the Kaimai/Coromandel area covering about two weeks from 10th to 22nd of April.  Manukau  Tramping Club had myself and Peter Wooderson registered however it was not until lunch time that I realised Peter was there. Our meeting place was the entrance to the Paeroa Domain, and once everyone was assembled we were self allocated a number which was our number for the whole day. This was too ensure that everyone was accounted for at all times.  The number taking part including guides was 32.  We boarded the bus for the short journey out towards Karangahake, and were dropped off on Reservoir Road, and proceeded to follow an old packhorse track established in 1875 by a Mr Gordon of Gordon’s Boarding House to take supplies and mining gear to the flourishing township of Waitekauri, population about 3000. The track followed an old paper road.  We followed the track for about 10 minutes  along the southern side of the  Tarariki stream which once supplied water to Paeroa. Near the start is a nice old concrete dam. 
A stream crossing and relatively easy climb for about an hour and a 10 minute stop for morning tea. Our guide Maggie also informed us there is an old coal seam with very high quality coal, and the remains of a slag heap still visible.  May be worth checking another day.  Also a man made lake nearby serving as a duck pond.  After about another hour we reached the end of the bush, climbed over the fence and proceeded across the first of two farms, both of which our guide Maggie had obtained permission for us to cross.  The country here was rolling grassland so fairly easy going.  A short while later we crossed onto the next farm, owned by John and Jenny van Woerden, who were along for the walk also. Here we found a sheltered spot for lunch as there was quite a cool breeze blowing.  Good views enabled us to see right across Paeroa, down to the Firth of Thames, and also Golden Cross, once a big goldmining area.  Peter gave us all a talk about the Kauri dieback and how a lot of tracks and some areas have now been closed, and also the precautions we need to take when walking.  From here on we followed old farm tracks, and saw Holly trees, Himalayan Dogwood or Strawberry trees, a great source of food for birds when ripe.  These were planted by the early settlers.  It is said that Tuis get a little bit drunk from the fermenting juice of the berries but today all the berries were  green.
John showed us an old mine shaft, on their property and a few ventured in for a look.  Lots of old quartz rocks littered the area  around the mine entrance and down the hill. John and his wife Jenny have planted huge areas of pinus radiata on areas too difficult to farm, and also replanted extensive areas of native trees, especially kauri.  Incidentally John and Jenny have won environmental awards and a gentleman on the walk had hand made one of the plaques John had received.  At one of the high points looking to the south over Waihi it was pointed out that the flat area surrounded by low hills was in fact a very large caldera that erupted and then collapsed in.  That is one of the reasons for goldmining in this whole area.  Some of the farm tracks were muddy and had to be carefully negotiated.  At one place a tunnel had been carved through a hill  to enable easier transporting gear in the early days.  It was big enough for a small tractor to drive through.
Mostly down hill from here and better farm tracks and we reached the road just as the bus arrived to take us back to Paeroa.

There were people from as far away as Whangarei, Matamata, Tauranga, Karaka, and Howick, along with quite a few locals. The Echo walking festival is in its 9th year, and means Enjoy Connecting Hills and Oceans.  Its purpose is to enable local people and others to enjoy the local parks and reserves and highlight the benefit of regular exercise. The walks this year were from one to five hours.

Thankyou to the ECHO Walking Festival and the guides who made it all possible and very enjoyable.
John Campbell.