| Leader | Mentor | Tail Ender | |
| One Big Group | Lynne | Brent | Bev |
Stats: distance 12.5km, ascent 250m, time 4hrs
Our bus left Christchurch with 41 on board including 3 visitors: Hailey, David and Chris. At Darfield we picked up farm owners Evan and Maureen, and 3 members of the local tramping club. With such a big group it was decided to split into the usual 2 groups but this didn’t last long as everyone enjoyed the rare opportunity to talk with members who are often in the other group. Fashion statement de jour was a member’s new knee high camo gaiters.
This tramp is interesting because it combines Matariki Forest, the former Bathurst Resources coal mine which was shut about 5 years ago, and a farm walk. Talking of mines, Farmer Evan was a mine of information all day, starting with an underground mine about 100m underneath the road that we walked on for the first km. It operated from the 1920s and closed in the ‘70s because of water. They delivered coal to local houses; one ton of coal was 1200 shovels full – hard work for the poor driver.
The former mine is undergoing remediation with extensive landscaping. A lot of natives will be planted to stabilise the hills and the water drains into a lake which was the ideal place for morning tea. Then began several climbs and descents across the rolling hills until we holed up in a gully where we could have lunch out of the cool westerly wind with great views east. On the way, Evan pointed out the one hectare area which will be fenced off to protect native lizards (at his cost), and another where he planted natives around 20 years ago to smother gorse.
The walk out to Whitecliffs was uneventful until the bus was not where we expected it be. Oops, we came out on a different track and the bus was where it should have been, just around the corner.
Peter M
