Easter 15-18 April 2022

Leader: Tony Quayle

After Covid - followed by storm damage to East Coast roads - made my original Mt Hikurangi trip plan impracticable, I was on the hunt for an alternative option. Having never been to Mangatainoka Hut in the Kawekas I did a bit of research on routes in that area and learned about a couple of interesting options from the Oamaru valley.

We set out - on foot - from the very busy Helisika base at Poronui with a plan to camp our first night up the Oamaru River, travel up the Otorehinaiti, and drop briefly into the head of the Harkness before crossing into the Mangatainoka and following it down to the hut. The return route was to take us across the very head of the Mangapapa and back into the middle reaches of the Otorehinaiti. As always, a good plan needs to be flexible.

Our first hiccup occurred when Neville stumbled and face-planted downhill on the track through Poronui. It was a nasty fall, but after a few minutes recovery, and the first aid ministrations of Yingjun and Rob, Neville was back on his feet and matching Marcia’s brisk pace on towards Oamaru Hut.

Those who were new to the area took the opportunity to bag Poronui Hut, an old NZFS 6-bunker that sits just inside the Kaimanawa Forest Park boundary but for some reason is kept locked. Another 30 minutes or so took us to Oamaru Hut, where Yingjun was captivated by the 7 point Sika trophy shot by one of the hunters there - and the rifle it was shot with. Lessons on posing with a trophy and rifle were duly given to her. A little later we set up camp on a nice spot beside Ruatea Stream (commonly known as Jap Creek).

A short distance further up the Oamaru we entered the Otorehinaiti, an untracked, forested catchment, vividly green with mossy rocks in the stream, many logs to scramble over, and at least one wasp nest. It was early afternoon by the time our assorted scratches, wasp stings and broken bone reached the Otore Saddle clearing and shelter where we were offered coffee by a friendly Welshman who had more spoils-of-the-hunt for Yingjun to admire.

By now it was clear we had no chance of making it to Mangatainoka Hut, so we pushed on down into the head of the Harkness Valley and picked up the track to Tussock Hut - which we expected would be full of hunters. Miraculously though, it was empty, making for a very pleasant and comfortable night.

Sunday was easy and pleasant travel. Across the low ridge onto the Ngaruroro, Boyd Hut and its airstrip, then on over Waitewhero Saddle back into the Oamaru. At Boyd’s, Neville, who’d been suffering quite a lot of pain in his hand and ribs since his fall on Friday, decided to call it quits and hitch a ride out with Helisika. After admiring more Sika trophies in the upper Oamaru the rest of us continued on to a familiar spot just upstream of the Otorehinaiti junction where both Sue and I had camped on previous Parawai trips. This may well be the best campsite in the Oamaru valley.

Apart from the first couple of pleasant hours in the Oamaru, Monday’s walk out was another long trudge along the poled Poronui access route.

Once back in cell phone reception, we learned that Neville had a broken bone in his hand, but fortunately his ribs were intact. Amazing determination on his part to continue on at least long enough to red-line the route up the Otorehinaiti and over into the head of the Harkness.

Those on the trip were:

Marcia Goode, Neville Grubner, Rob Dey, Sue Pate, Tony Quayle, Yingjun Shelton