News and media
Work Continues at Helena Bay
Over the last year, several work teams have been making progress in cutting and tagging parts of a developing 8.5 km track in Northland’s Helena Bay area. 9 stiles have also been built with a further 3 to go. Work is now on hold while we await the processing of titles and an easement through a new bush block subdivision. It is hoped that this will be finalised in the first half of 2009 so the track can be opened soon after.
Te Araroa has had tremendous support from the 5 private landowners and some key paper road neighbours in scoping this route during the last 2½ years. They all care very much for the land, its bush and conserving the birdlife. Once open, the area will make a rigorous but pleasant part of the Te Araroa trail.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of Te Araroa. One of our very hard working ones is Mark Percy. He has travelled from Snells Beach to Helena Bay to handle some of the more challenging stile and fencing designs. Conservation Volunteers have also supplied people with an array of skills. One of their recent teams included an archaeologist, nurse, journalist, engineer, doctoral student and occupational therapist, to name a few. Their homes were as far flung as Japan, the UK, Germany, Austria and Spain. What unites them is their desire to see our beautiful country, to work with fun people and to contribute to Te Araroa.
Volunteers Mal Holm from Whangaparaoa and local farmer Robyn Taylor help tag the route.
One of the Conservation Volunteer teams pose in the early morning sunlight!
L to R - back row: Mary, Ruth, Kordi, Tracey & Team Leader Bruce.
L to R - front row: Tom, Sarah & Kengo.
Conservation Volunteer, Ruth Holliday, is a contributor to the Guardian Mail newspaper in the UK. She regularly sends back reports on her travel experiences so, no doubt, reading about her work on Te Araroa will encourage some of her readers to come for an NZ adventure.
