Volunteers from the Katikati Tramping Club and Kaimai Ridgeway Trust spent several days over the past month renovating the Wairoa Shelter, east of the Lindemann Loop Track in the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park.
Kaimai Ridgeway trustee Ian Newman said the old shelter had a “rusty iron roof, tumbledown ponga walls, an earth floor and poor drainage”; however, the support structure and rafters were sound.
“The shelter now has coloursteel walls and roof, a gravel floor, polycarbonate windows and a seat constructed from leftover timber.
“Drainage has been improved, the helicopter landing point levelled, and nearly 60 metres of boardwalk placed on muddy parts of the track approaching and leaving the shelter,” he said.
The volunteers who assisted from the Katikati Tramping Club were Laraine Hughes, David Vickers, Peter Williams, Brett Wisheart, and Brian Haworth. Ian, who is also a member of the club, managed the project.
“The building materials and volunteers were flown in by helicopter and the volunteers either walked out the same day or stayed overnight,” he said.
The trust’s volunteers assist the Department of Conservation to maintain the Kaimai backcountry tracks – 180km worth – and its huts – there’s seven of them,
The volunteers belong to a network including NZ Deerstalkers branches, tramping clubs and individuals and they also deliver small projects such as the Wairoa Shelter renovation.
Funding is provided from hut fees from Te Rereatukahia Hut and Te Whare Okioki, the Backcountry Trust, other organisations and from public donations.
DETAILS: To assist KRT with projects, track or hut maintenance or a donation, please email kaimairidgeway@gmail.com.
