HOLIDAY TOUR BY MOTOR

Hawera Star, Volume L, 16 January 1931, Page 9

HOLIDAY TOUR BY MOTOR

ROTORUA AND W AIK AREMO AN A

HAWERA PARTY’S EXPERIENCES

A Christmas holiday tour by motor, the seventh that he lias made, saw Mr J. W. Harding, of Hawera, accompanied by Mrs Harding and family, cover over 1000 miles, during the course of which lie visited many of the beauty spots of the North Island and traversed the new road from Rotorua to Waikaremoana, of the scenicbeauty of which he speaks in high terms. Describing the party’s experiences Mr Harding, in a talk with a “Hawera Star” representative, says: After a week’s camping at Orewa beach, near Silverdale, 24 miles north of Auckland, -under perfect weather conditions, a pleasant run over good roads brought us to Rotorua, where camping facilities are made ideal for visitors. The once dreaded Mamaku bush road is now equal to any bitumen surface and for 24 miles runs through some beautiful native hush. Although rising to an altitude of 1800 feet the grade is easy and makes good going. At Rotorua a day was spent on some of the side trips around the lakes. At Ta rawer ait was noted with regret that no apparent attempt has been made to preserve the ruins of the old buried village of Wairoa, which is now almost overrun with blackberry, and relics of the disastrous Tarawera eruption are fast disappearing. From Rotorua a good run was made to Lake Waikaremoana, passing through the Kaingaroa Plains, which rise from 1100 ft to 1870 ft and down to 720 ft in a distance of 23 miles. Here one is amazed at the vastness of the Government forest plantations through which the roads runs, and the millions of trees of various ages appear to be nourishing and were an object of admiration. Emerging from the plains one is suddenly confronted with an A.A.A. sign warning motorists to beware of the next 60 miles of narrow, winding and hilly road. This was found true to desenpton and although the surface was good only slow progress could be made, owing to the continuity of sharp, hairpin bends, some of wjiich were barely a chain apart, and the altitude continued from 720 ft at Murupara to 3205 ft at Wai-iti. Then came a run down to the lake, which is 2015 ft above sea-level. This road presents a great piece of engineering owing to the rugged nature of the hills over which it passes, and although driving became monotonous with the persistence of the bends, it was well worth while from its scenic beauty, which leaves Dawson Falls track well in the shade. There are six mountain streams to be forded, which presented no difficulty. On three occasions we came face to face with motors coming towards us on rounding a corner and owing to the narrowness of the road a little manoeuvring was necessary by both vehicles to effect a pass. The last 20 odd miles of the road was officially opened on October 26 last and runs through the heart of the Urewera country.

At the lake an ideal camping ground is provided on the shore, where the absence of mosquitos was noticed. A launch trip across the lake took us to the opposite shore, and a two-mile walkthrough a thick birch forest brought us to a smaller lake (AVaikare-iti) 560 feet higher than the main one. On the smaller lake is a little island, which also contains a still smaller lake. There are 60,000 acres of reserve in the whole area surrounding the lake, and as it is a game sanctuary the place seemed to be alive with birds; wild duck, native pigeons and tuis were very noticeable, while on the other side of the lake deer abounded. Four beautiful falls were seen on the launch trip, the largest of which was Mokau Falls.

From the lake we proceeded to the hydro-electric works and on to AVairoa, which appeared to be quite a busy little place on the day of our visit, and from here an interesting: run was made to Napier and Hastings. The road from AVairoa was quite good, and with the exception of the “devil’s elbow” at Tongio hill, which follows the fording of a stream, presents no outstanding [features. We wove particularly struck with the magnitude of the railway works being carried out near the Alohaka River. The foundations for the huge viaduct over the river are being formed. This work is estimated to cost £412,009 and will take two years to complete, 543 men being engaged on the undertaking. The camping ground at Hastings is a charming spot and visitors are well catered for, even to a concrete swimmind pool and a continuous supply of hot water. The pastures in North Hawke’s Bay appeared to be sadly in need of rain, the ground being parched and the grass quite dried up, while evidence of fires was noticeable; but conditions improved as we went further south, and from Dannevirlce on the grass presented a more flourishing condition. Leaving Hastings at 8.50 a.m. and going off the beaten track a little by going through Takapau and Orinondville, we arrived in Hawera at 5.30

p.m., after covering over 1000 miles with neither car nor tyre troubles. AU the camping grounds visited were noted for the great courtesy shown to visitors by their respective caretakers.