ARAPUNI

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 79, 3 April 1928, Page 19

ARAPUNI

HOW TO VIEW THE BEST VANTAGE POINTS. A FAVOURITE TRIP FOll EASTER. The liydro-electric works at Arapuni are sure to attract a great deal of interest during the Easter holidays. There are many points which are not seen from the roadway, and a little guidance will enable motorists to more fully appre-. ciate the magnitude of the work. Witlf this idea, the touring manager of the; A.A.A. gives the following instructions to visitors:— Eight miles from Putaruru there is a road junction on which there is a sign "To Arapuni Gorge 1 mile." This road, which runs straight ahead, should be followed. The road turning to the left simply runs up to the Arapuni township, and will eventually cross the dam. Tourists, will, however, still follow the older road, as this is of more interest. . Just after leaving this junction the new and old courses of the river will be seen, and some idea of the erosion causcd. by'the diversion of the Waikato can be' , gained. Dark gteen, still water is lying

in the old river bed, and between this and the running water is a sandbank which has recently been thrown up by the river. Proceeding, the low level bridge is crossed and the Gorge is entered. Immediately over the bridge a road turns to the left on a downhill grade, but this is only for the use of the contractors, and motorists should follow the upper road. A high suspension bridge will next be seen, and this is for the use of the engineers, who will come from the settlement to their work in the power house when it is built. On the left hand side qf; the road a little higher there is a iuge excavation for the power house, by looking over the bank, prepartory work for the foundations, which a re. to be sunk fifty feet below the level of the'river bed, will be seen. Right against and below tlie roadway are the entrances to the Penstock tunnels. This point should be remembered later, for it is through these tunnels that the water will come from the head race 100 feet above. Proceeding on a little further the road turns back to the right just before meeting the tramlines. This is a Public Works road, ajd motorists use it at their own risk. A car can only be driven a short distance to a gate crossing the road, when it should be parked, a convenient spot being in the clearing under a pine tree to the lef h. The road can then be followed on foot to the outdoor station, which witl be seen on the rise above. From tflis station the headrace and spillway iray be viewed. The water, which Tias been held back and raised by the dam, flows down to the headrace, and it will then go through the tunnel® already mentioned to- the power house. The main flow of the river then continues over the spillway and down the new course to regain the old river bed on its way to the sea. Just on the lower side of the outdoor station walk down a track to the level of the river, and, following onwards, the sight of millions of gallons, of turbulent writer rushing down towards the falls is one worth going to «ee. A little further on the river increases in velocity, and in a boiling mass of white foam drops over the falls into the basin' below. The sight is an impressive one, and by going to the brink of the falls and looking over, rainbow effects are obtained in the foists from the falling water. Continuing further down the remains of an old forest which has been uncovered will be seen, and, still further, the river can be followed until it joins the old river bed. Thousands of tons of soil have been displaced by changing'the course of the river, and most of this has been taken down towards tho sea. When it is

realised that pnly a few months ago the valley through which the river how runs was on a level with the other flat ground, and. was covered with scrub, some idea of the force and power of running water can be obtained. Continuing baok to the main road the dam is seen within a few hundred yards, and in a few months this will be available for motor traffic. The most comprehensive view is now to be seen. Continuing over the high level bridge, which crosses the new river bed, the road turns to the left. After going through the subdivision a yellow A.A.A. sign will be seen on the higher ground. From this point the new Arapuni Lake can be seen stretching away up towards the hills, and a comprehensive view extending from Mt. Te Aroha in the north to Mt. Maungatautari in the west of the surrounding country will be obtained. The Auckland Automobile Association has erected a direction finder at this point, and many points of interest in the near and far distance are indicated. The directions of the principal townships in the North Island are also indicated, so that motorists may have some idea of the general lay of the country. Another item of interest are th© remains of an old bucket line by which the metal was conveyed for miles over tlip hills to make concrete for the dam. Standing at the direction table and looking across the lake a series of steel towers will be seen running across the scrub-covered hills into the far distance. During the construction of the dam these were connected by a wire rope, and in this manner the buckets conveying metal were brought many miles. This description can be followed by motorists coming either from Putaruru or Horohora, and to continue on the round trip, the road' may be followed through to Kihikihi and Te Awamutu. If arriving from Te Awamutu the directions should be reversed.