News and media

The land steeplejacks

• 15 Nov 2008

The Paekakariki escarpment looking south towards Pukerua Bay

The escarpment angles down at 40 degrees here and squeezes both the main trunk line, and Highway One against the surf of the Tasman Sea. Anyone who takes the train, or drives a car in or out of Wellington, knows this unruly coast just south of Paekakariki, and Te Araroa walkers may soon also taste the salt.

Te Araroa Wellington Trust initiated the proposed 7-kilometre track across the escarpment. The trust got permission from OnTrack for a tramping easement above the rail corridor. The trust is also in negotiation with private landowners to obtain the necessary access.  The steep terrain and the Porirua City Council's requirement of walking track standard, is expected to push the cost of the new section over $500,000. This finance is not yet in hand, but the council agreed to begin work on the track by financing a study of route options.  That study group explored the escarpment late last month, and the photographs below show our land steeplejacks at work.

Trevor Butler of Frame Group, the firm commissioned to do the scoping study, takes a GPS reading

Right to left - John Farrell from Te Araroa Wellington Trust, Trevor Butler, and Ken Fraser of Nga Uruora Trust which is planting out the escarpment