Sunday 14 March 2021

Leader: Tony Quayle

Seventy two years ago National Airways Corporation (NAC) Lockheed Lodestar ‘Kereru’, descending in cloud towards Paraparaumu, crashed into the hillside 80 metres or so below the summit of Mt Field in the foothills east of Peka Peka. All 15 passengers and crew were killed, making it New Zealand’s worst air disaster at the time.

Twelve of us visited the site on Sunday, just 4 days short of the anniversary of the tragedy.

We parked at the Tui Crescent entrance to Hemi Matenga and instead of climbing the graded Parata track, took the next spur north, passing the ‘Waikanae Hut’ before starting the climb. After a couple of individuals’ involuntary off-track explorations, we made it to the top where we briefly joined the Te Au ridge track.

Although it looks pretty flat from Paraparaumu and Waikanae, there are lots of little ups and downs along the ridge-top and it takes longer than you might expect to walk to the north end; goat city.

At Mt Field we picked up the lightly-marked trail that leads to the wreck on a steep bush-covered hillside. There’s still a surprising amount of twisted metal spread over the area, creating quite a sombre feeling.

Backtracking, we made our way back along the ridge but for the sake of a few knees opted to take the gentler, but somewhat longer, Parata Track back down the hill.

Those on the trip were:

Cameron Brown, Eva Petro, Glen Cattermole, Nick Cattermole, Jing Zhou, Nisa Promchot, Patrick Liss, Penny Currier, Rob Dey, Yingjun Shelton, Tony Quayle