THE NATIONAL PARK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 30 June 1925, Page 14

THE NATIONAL PARK.

BUSH, BIRDS AND SNOW, - • . (Written, for The Star.) (By J. P. M.y Do we ever realise infortunate ire are with oiiir NatiodSlPark of 86,000 ' acres and wonderful snow-capped Egmont set in its midst—this park, with all its native flora nntouehed by the hand of man ? The lovely .old trees —rata., manuka-, rimer, " totiara, etc. —-with their-, hoary trunks and\ limbs draped in delicate mosses, ferns, o-rchidsj astelia and cither; ipfaiffa too numerous .To mention, make. ..a scene to rival a midsummer night’s dream. The-National Park is beautiful in ah its moods, whether it be with sunlight filtering through, the trees, or with misty rain floating through its fairylike, greenery, or with glittering snow weighing the branches, and glimpses of bright. red and yellow berries making a pretty contrast. The birds seem to sense rt is',ancillary here, and many grateful ..songs of thanksgiving a'rd warbled daily. I might specially merii ion the; beliibird• and tui. *♦

No place else can rivah our park in' its beautiful'.and,varied scenery. Hundreds of rivers (which are. never dry) take fllieir rke here an the purest crystal water to be found. They ddish and gurgle, .splutter and .tumble, oyer rocks, between-.-huge granite 'walls, 7 through cool hush and fern, now in ■sunlight., now in shadow; here pufliflg over shingle, there deep green- poofs, the latter, most enticing to the bather. On a warm summer clay, indeed, a dip in one of these clear mountain pools is to make one believe that here ■ indeed 'is:the Elixir of Life iso long sought after throughout the -ages. The park ha.s a .six mile radius from the summit/ There, are two moiintam. boSteiLs, north and south, always open; to the public, and huts on east arid west sides, for campers.; good roads at; all times negotiable through glorious native hush, .second to none. Here are to he seen the largest metrosidefob flobusta in New Zealand; also leptbsipermumi of unbelievable girtb. Prom the radius gate extends fob four miles, every minute more beawt-i-. fill than the last. The hostels are situated at 8100 feet level, and a. gorgeous panorama of Taranaki’s fdftile plains -charms the eye. One visitor said: “What is the longest view possible in New Zealand? During the fine weather-a few weeks ago I climbed Mt. Egmont as far as T-antham’s Peak, about 6200 feet above; sea level. It was a beautifully clear day, and I had the snow-clad summit of TapunaC- - nuku in the Kaikonas in view, as well a's Stephen Island arid the Mt. •Arthur plateau/behind Nelson. Scaling the ■'distances off on my map, I found that Taipunaenuku was just under 190 miles distant, Mt. Arthur. 150 miles away, and Stephen Island .90 miles. y 7... ' From) the-hostels .tracks lead in all directions, the principle one almost encircling the mountain. Starting from Dawson Flail’s .Hostel .another track leads' through bush and l fern oyer purling streams, under waterfalls, round bluff after bluff, until all bush is left behind,' and the trariiper conies Upon huge rooks precipitated- dowh mossy slopes as- if a giant had stood on the summit playing howls- withtfefri, a lid, tired: of his game, had left them theire.' Oii ,and oh, the track' leads ever up arid rip, until an MtSi-; tude/ of 5080' feet is- reached arid North-, Taranaki is set out before us. riThd long mossy slopes end now, and we. have aiuLved at the sandy head o f Ng a-I-turn Gbi|ge, quite fUmbiis for- ffcs echoes. From, this point, Humphries’,

Castle, another track leads off to North' Eg,merit .Hostel', while the main track continues oh to Bell’s Falls and Kabul Hvut. .• V. . •, .1 could rhapsodize for pages oh the various tracks" that wind. ' here and there, in and "out. the mountain gorges and bluffs, tihe- whole character of- the landscape changing as one losses front north to- south and east, tof . ,wept. Several -routes lead to- the summit, hind hundreds of climbers, are delighted every -year -'with the thirdlls that old Fgmiont itffprds- them. ' . ‘ >’ All these lo'nely scenes, all these mountain. tracks-,and passes, lie at our door and within an hour’s motori run from most Smith Taranaki centres. Taranaki, wake• up and make your glorious Elginont' arid its siirroimdixig park one of your greatest assets f Tourists.would flock here for recuperation, health and fun if adequate hccornmodation were provided. ,No need for sickness arid ill-healthi' with Egipon't;' within reach of - the ipodreist! ' ’■■■