Every dollar donated to Te Araroa Trust is spent directly on trail maintenance and development. 3,000km is a lot of trail for our small team of three. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of our Regional Trusts, who coordinate volunteer working bees and contractors, as required, to carry out this important work. Here are just a few examples of how donations make a difference.
They keep tracks open…Over the past year our Te Araroa Wellington Trust has been able to keep the Escarpment Track open, thanks to donations from people like yourself and the amazing efforts of volunteers. Significant rain caused serious slips, making this beautiful track from Paekakariki – Pukerua Bay impassable. Donations received this year will enable more work to be carried out to reinstate the track where bypasses are currently in place.
They improve hut facilities…
When we are lucky enough to receive grants to enhance the trail, additional money from donations enables us to increase the impact of this funding. For example, we were grateful to receive a generous grant from New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) to install five 2100-litre rainwater tanks at Starveall, Slaty, Tarn, Hunters and Red Hills Huts in the Richmond Ranges.
Thanks to the initiative and careful planning of Te Araroa Nelson/Marlborough/Te Tau Ihu trustees and volunteers, who completed this work, extra money from donations was used to also install another tank at Blue Lake Hut in Nelson Lakes National Park. Rotomairewhenua (Blue Lake) is sacred to mana whenua, particularly to Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō. People are asked not to touch the lake water to uphold its mauri and pureness. Extra tank water reduces the possibility of people filling their water bottles from the lake over the busy summer months.
You can read more about the new tanks in the Richmonds here
They support local volunteer efforts…
Our regional trust volunteers often don’t work alone. In the Tararua Forest Park the Te Araroa Wellington Trust are using donations to help fund work carried out by the Greater Wellington Backcountry Network (GWBN), an awesome volunteer group who are doing excellent work on track improvements and hut maintenance along the trail.
They reduce road walking…
Who loves road walking? Not many of us! We are always looking for opportunities to reduce the road. With generous funding from New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT), we have been able to complete a feasibility study for an exciting project to build a swing bridge across the Whangaehu river. This bridge would remove 32 km of road walking south of the Whanganui River and replace it with a beautiful coastal route, including crossing a scientific reserve and farmland. We still have a lot of money to raise before we can begin construction, so donations will be critical to making this awesome re-route a reality!
Want to be a part of making Te Araroa even greater?
