It didn't happen.
I contacted Rocklands Station ahead of time to check the condition
of the Dunstan Track, and was told it was fine. When it snowed on
the Friday I started to think of possible alternatives. On Sunday
morning when I rang Rocklands, again, the head shepherd said most
of the snow had melted but car access was doubtful. The prospect of
heading there but not being able to make it didn't appeal.
In August I am down
to lead a day trip to Catlins waterfalls. Some of them I had seen,
others I hadn't, and McLean Falls had a new access track built by
Kings High students which replaced the disgusting mud baths that used
to be the way to get to them. So some time I needed to do a recce.
This seemed to be the opportunity. Neville Peat's book `The Catlins'
describes four falls which I hoped to visit.
The people who phoned
to check whether the listed trip was still on seemed happy enough
with the suggested change, so that's where the four of us went. The
woman in the Information Centre, now attached to a dairy in Owaka,
explained that logging was being done in the Wilkes Falls area so
the track to them was closed. But she described Barrs Road Falls,
just a few km out of Owaka, which weren't mentioned by Neville, so
we headed for them first.
The sign said 10
minutes one way. We were surprised to reach them in under three, but
well worth that time. As we arrived at the Purakaunui Falls carpark,
the only other car there, with two Scottish girls, was just leaving.
With all the recent snow and rain, the Falls were magnificent, but
tinged brown. Back at the carpark there were now seven cars, with
4 Scots, 2 Swiss (German dialect), a Hawkes Bay couple, another from
Tauranga, a two car 2 family group, and a guy who told us he was from
"overseas". He was smoking a hand made cigarette, and when his woman
got in their car she rolled her own too. We ate lunch standing in
the sun which appeared briefly, rather than sit at the picnic tables
which were shaded by the bush.
The road to the
Tahakopa estuary winds a lot and is narrow with overhanging bush,
just like a Catlins road ought to be. Then it was down the main road
to the turn off into Rewcastle Road. At its end, the well constructed
and metalled Kings High walk is mostly beside the Tautuku River for
the 20 minutes till you reach the falls. Again with the rain these
were in full flow.
Back north again
through Papatowai and Maclennan to the Matai Falls on the southern
slopes of Table Hill. After Purakaunui and McLean, these were less
spectacular. We should have gone to them first. Through Owaka and
down the back road through Otekura and along Kororo Creek to Kaka
Point for a look at the sea before crossing the Paretai Plains to
Balclutha and home.
Thanks to Denise
Justice, Mark Stratford and Jude Wilson. for sharing a day of exploration.
Ian Sime
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