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By Heidi Baker, Mangawhai Trackies
Building new bush tracks is an endeavour of exploration. Years ago, when the small Trackies team first set about trying to navigate and flag the first trail at Tanekaha, they were told there was a waterfall. So, they searched. More locals told them about the waterfall, but no one could direct them. It was a matter of bush whacking following the elusive sounds of falling water for weeks before the ‘first falls’ was finally located. And thank goodness they did because that became our popular Falls Track, which takes in the sights of all three sets of falls.
The falls discovery came well after the footbridge connecting the paddocks to the trails was installed. Initially, the intrepid Trackies had to carefully descend a slippery slope down into the creek, then back up out again, carrying track building tools, surveying and flagging gear every time they ventured into Tanekaha. This went on for months, until one day, ascending from the creek bed one of the Trackies started slipping backwards. With no handholds on the slick slope, he tumbled down into the water. That was when they decided a bridge was required, and the footbridge we all use today was installed.
Buoyed by the easy access of the new footbridge, the Trackies decided to install a box bridge across a side stream a little higher up, just to the right of the picnic area. Proudly they pooled skills and installed this much smaller bridge and headed home. The following week the new bridge was gone! After much searching, it appeared wedged not too far downstream, while the concrete weight lay not far from its original position. In fact, the concrete weight is still in the creek. But the resourceful Trackies rescued the bridge and relocated it to a far more appropriate site in the Thelma Road North track.
Surprisingly, that was not the only bridge to go missing. When constructing the Goldschmit Track, a bridge was built to cross a creek near the Pearl Street residential gated community driveway. It was just a small bridge to help walkers keep their feet dry and avoid having to leap across the stream. However, soon after it was installed, it too went missing. After thorough searching, the team realised this bridge had been stolen and it hasn’t been seen since.
A few other items have disappeared on our Tanekaha tracks. The ‘Bus Stop’ sign near Neil’s Nob was stolen but kindly returned after a newspaper article publicised the theft. A Trackies wheelbarrow that went missing was never recovered, but thanks to The Focus newspaper article, many, many wheelbarrows were donated and offered from locals. At least one tree has been stolen. All that was left of a kowhai that had been carefully nurtured for a few years near the footbridge was an empty hole. Trackies have lost watches, glasses, a ring and a car while working on the tracks. Fortunately, the ring was found the following week by another Trackie, and the car was only ‘borrowed’. A fellow Trackie had needed the car, found the keys and left a note. While looking for the car, the note went undiscovered until much later.
When creating the Thelma Road North track, one specific area was donned ‘Golf Ball Alley’ as so many golf balls were discovered. This wasn’t too much of a surprise, the trail runs close to the Mangawhai Golf Course in several areas. What was a surprise was finding golf clubs presumably thrown away in disgust.
The best find of all must have been the day the two ends of the Botanical Loop connected. Gordon Hosking, the Trackies chairman at the time, was unable to be there for the momentous occasion, so instead he hiked up to the meeting point and stashed bottles of bubbly for the team to find. Another Trackie, in on the plan, lugged wine glasses up on the day and once the ends of the trail connected everyone enjoyed a cool glass of bubbles. You can find this spot yourself when you come across Champagne Creek, although you are unlikely to find any bottles of wine.
Our trails are full of adventurous stories. Things may be lost on the journey, but friendships are found. The Trackies not only construct tracks, their work creates comradery and connection, which extends into our community and to all who use the wonderful trails.
