Waimea Tramping Club AGM - Wednesday 2nd May 2018
Rob and I have just returned from two weeks in the North Island and the two highlights of our time were travelling the Forgotten World Highway and visiting Zealandia, the wildlife sanctuary in Wellington. Both of these places, apart from being wilderness places, reflected what a dream and then hard work and dedication to the cause, can achieve. Waimarama Sanctuary here is bigger with a longer predator fence surrounding it, so I imagine one day it will exceed expectations just as Zealandia did. I know that some of our club members are actively involved with the Sanctuary and I say well done as you are part of making the dream come true. Other club members are involved in other ways with the preservation and enhancement of our wilderness areas and in the bringing back and protecting the bird life therein.
Through our core activity of tramping we are leading people into the wilderness and developing in them a sense of ownership and responsibility for the land and the native wildlife.
Storm events, such as Gita and Fehi have created devastation. Roads have been damaged and so closing off some of our tramping areas. Trip leaders have had to come up with a plan B. Great work trip leaders.
A huge thank you to Robert as Newsletter Editor. You do a great job in keeping us up to date with hut and track news & DOC news. We appreciate the research that goes into finding the information and so ably drafting it into the Newsletter. Thanks to Jo for being Secretary and Colin for looking after the finances. Also thanks to the committee for coming out to meetings and contributing their ideas to enable us to make good decisions and meet the needs of club members.
Thanks to Jeff for the use of his bach at Wakaretu and thanks to Geoff for his continued efforts on the Chrome Track. It was great to have the water tanks set up and full of water when Rob sprayed the gorse on the track up to and along most of the Chrome Road.
Richard has been involved in the repositioning of the Mount Fell Hut and what a great site that hut now commands. Great work everyone.
2017 Statistics:
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Club membership at the end of 2017 was 80, similar to 81 in 2016.
During 2017 there were 37 trips consisting of 28 day trips, 6 overnight trips and 3 long weekend trips.
Of completed day trips 10 were on a Saturday and 18 were on a Sunday.
Numbers on trips ranged from the biggest number of 17 (Maungatapu Track), to the smallest of 3 (Picton).
There were 10 trips cancelled, all because of bad weather, the same number of cancelled trips as in 2016.
Day trips averaged just over 10 people on each trip, while overnight trips averaged 6 trampers, and long weekend trips averaged 10 people.
There was a total of 357 people out on all trips, up on 332 in 2016.
The average number of trampers on all trips averaged 9.7, slightly above the number in 2016 at 8.7.
The current number of trip leaders is 16, compared to 12 in 2016
(Alison, Chris, Colin, David S, David W, Diane, Esther, Eric, Jeff, Jo, Julian, Jocelyn, Maria, Mary, Rob and Robert.)
A big thank you to all these people.
Social Activities have included dinners, movies and a play.
Club Nights have taken us to interesting areas of the world such as China, Alaska and NZ. We learnt about Ivory Lake, the life as a lighthouse keeper’s wife, living in a house bus, the geology of our area and an informative talk by a civil defence person.
My most memorable trips have been the Easter weekend at Kaikoura, the Mt Fell / Mt Richmond crossover trip, tenting near Mole Saddle and on the Hope Range. Thanks to everyone for your companionship and leadership on trips.
Maria Brooks
December 2018 Editor's Report
As trip reports show there have been no recent club trips that have been cancelled due to the weather, despite the often unreliable spring conditions. Credit must go to trip leaders who have arranged a plan B where necessary, good for those still keen to get out tramping.
Upcoming trips between January and March consist of eleven day trips and six weekend or long weekend trips. Destinations include the Richmond Range - seven trips, Kahurangi - four trips, Nelson Lakes - three trips, Abel Tasman - one trip, along with two trips in Victoria Forest Park.
As a result of increased fuel prices, transport charges on club trips have increased from 11c/km to 12c/km, with unsealed roads double the charge. The last price increase was in 2008.
Keep on tramping
Robert Wopereis