News

Next Wanderlust Submission Date

The deadline for the September Wanderlust is Wednesday, 18 August.
Please send contributions for the magazine in electronic format, to wanderlust@aucklandtramping.org.nz. with Wanderlust in the subject line. Trip reports and photos are welcome.

President's Column

Although we have about 400 members, I notice that there are some who seem to take little part in club activities. Of course, creaky bones, etc, mean that the previous abundant energy for tramping is no longer there in some cases. There are some who take advantage of the easier tramps arranged by the vets and I encourage more of those attaining maturity to join them and enjoy the tramping and the fellowship of like-minded members.
For other inactive members I encourage you to get out your boots and gear and participate in the varied activities which appear in the Wanderlust. These include Wednesdays, Sundays, weekend and longer trips including the Christmas–New Year ones and of course the use of Mem Hut at Ruapehu and NTK in the Waitakeres. If you have any queries, just phone the contacts listed in the Wanderlust and let us have any suggestions to add to our programme.
Welcome to recently joined members — we look forward to getting to know you.
The monthly attendance at the club social evening each month is disappointing and although some may choose to attend only when they have a particular interest in the programme, it is a good opportunity to meet new people over refreshments. The new venue at the Remuera Bowling Club is excellent and includes good parking.
Good tramping.
Doug Astley

For Sale

Packs:
1 x ‘Great Outdoors’ (bloke size) $50.00
1 x ‘Panther’ (English, adjustable size) $50.00
1 x ‘Macpac’ (girl size) $40.00
All in very good condition. Near offers considered.
Phone Frances Wiggins, ph 273 4509 (evenings)

Membership

At the discretion of the committee, membership is considered for people who have not completed two tramps but who are nominated and seconded by ATC members. The purpose of this is to encourage membership from skiers to enable them to participate fully in the club.
If you know people who regularly use Memorial Hut during the winter but do not tramp, please make them aware of the committee’s policy.
Graeme McGowan

Snowcraft Course

The club is not running a Snowcraft Course this year. However, the Mountain Safety Wellington Branch is running a one-weekend ‘Introduction to Alpine’ course for $245 at Ruapehu (6–8 August). There is a theory night and they will run this by phone conference.
For course outline go to www.mountainsafety.org.nz and select Wellington and Alpine courses.
If you decide to attend, advise Graeme McGowan publicity@aucklandtramping.co.nz so we can get together for theory night and possibly assist with transport.

ATC helped build Tongariro Crossing in 1950s!

Ralph Harris, former club member from the early 1950s, is writing a book about his experiences as a ranger at Tongariro National Park and needs help tracing photos of an ATC working bee to help make the Tongariro Crossing in 1957 or 1958.
He says: ‘The working bee took a whole weekend and we were blasting out rocks in the Mangatepopo Stream above the old Mangatepopo Hut. This was being supervised by ATC member Cliff Barnett, a civil engineer. From memory there was also Maurie Veal there … The party was about 12 to 15 strong. I am mentioning this working bee in my book as it was a great effort and the club should be remembered for it. The crossing was virtually built in that weekend from the hut to the bottom of the slope leading up to South Crater. So the club is part of the history of the Tongariro Crossing.’
Ralph has unfortunately lost all his photos and would be happy to compensate anyone for making copies of photos that cover the event. He would also like photos of Alex Salmon, the Head Ranger at Tongariro National Park, who was well known to older members of ATC.
If you can help with photos for his book, please contact Ralph Harris, 20 Dorahy St, Dundas, NSW 2117, Australia.

OBITUARY

Heather Easton

Heather passed away, aged 72, on 14 June after a hard battle with cancer. She was farewelled at a lovely service, filled with warm reminiscenses from family and friends, many of whom she had walked and tramped with. Heather was born and raised in the Wellington area, trained as a teacher, and joined the Hutt Valley Tramping Club, where she met and then married Bill.
Together with their growing family of six, they had many tramping adventures in New Zealand. After their move to Auckland, Heather held a position as Librarian at Diocesan School for Girls. After retirement, she and Bill travelled widely overseas to many exotic and out-of-the-way places.
Heather was a wonderful story-teller, and her adventures produced many an interesting and amusing story. She was an avid reader, with wide and varied tastes — no matter where she was she always found ‘something to read’. 
She was a member of ATC for several years and enjoyed many Wednesday and Safari tramps. Heather was a lovely warm person, who led a rich and interesting life.
We shall miss her special company.
Pauline Lawes

Mountain Safety Courses in Auckland in 2010

Mountain Safety is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of safety in the tramping activities which we as a club enjoy. The volunteer, trained instructors are passionate about their tramping and other outdoor activities. These courses will help you lift your tramping activities to the next level. Some of you may even wish to gain the Outdoor Leader Qualification. The courses are fun and interactive. The Intermediate and Advanced (survival skills) Bushcraft courses build on the skills learnt on the level(s) below. For the same reason, some courses are prerequisites for others.
All the courses are listed on the website or details can be obtained through the Auckland email address. Some courses are preceded by information evenings.
Contact for Auckland Mountain Safety:
Leanne, Auckland Branch Administration Officer, ph 817 3957 e-mail auckland@mountainsafety.org.nz
Address: Auckland Mountain Safety PO Box 60696, Titirangi, Waitakere 0642.

Programme Outline for 2010

    August: Outdoor Safety Risk Management (Motu Moana, Green Bay)
    Outdoor First Aid (Motu Moana, Green Bay)

Wanderlust Advertising

The committee has recently reviewed the Wanderlust advertising policy and decided that tramping-related advertising for the benefit of members should be encouraged. For no cost, members may place short advertisements to sell equipment or endorse services and equipment. We will also advertise, for no cost, specific deals offered to the club by businesses for the benefit of members and/or the club. Generic advertising by businesses is available at competitive rates. The Publicity Officer and the Editor have the right to edit or reject advertisements. Members' advertisements should be sent to publicity@aucklandtramping.org.nz. Please be concise, and include your name and contact details.

Any budding writers out there?

We plan to communicate our activities in the Central Leader and Western Leader in the 'What's On' column. I would also like to try to get editorial space two to three times per year with some good tramping stories, to link with 'What's On', and I'm looking for one or two keen writers. Here's an opportunity to release that hidden talent. Please contact publicity@aucklandtramping.co.nz.
Graeme McGowan

Promote Club Membership — to all members

ATC Intro Card

To help you promote the club the committee decided an introduction card would assist and we are very grateful to Rosalie Morrow for designing a card.
What’s the purpose?
When you meet someone interested in the club, write your contact details on the back. Encourage them to check out our website and give you a call if they have questions.
Where do I get cards?
Club night and on Big Blue. Please take no more than five at a time.
The one ‘do not’:
Please do not leave them in huts, etc. We don’t want to be accused of littering.
Graeme McGowan

New Venue for Monthly Meetings

Remuera Bowling Club

Our monthly meetings are now held at:
Remuera Bowling Club
6 Market Rd
Remuera
This beautiful historical building will provide a wonderful setting for both monthly meetings and some fun social events.
You may drive into the club grounds via the driveway between 3 and 5A Dromorne Rd (off Market Rd). Parking is available along the driveway, or continue round and behind the building to further parking. Alternatively, you may park on Market Rd and take the pedestrian access from street level through the gates and down to the main building.
Enter the foyer via the central doors at the front of the club building (or via the carpark side access), pass through the glass doors (push the green button if closed) and take the stairs to the first-floor meeting room.
(Click ‘Meetings’ under the News menu item for further photographs and a map.)

Kauri Disease

Mark cleaning boots

Trampers will notice some new and improved cleaning stations in some Auckland Regional Council parks, which have been installed to fight kauri dieback disease.
In the Waitakere Ranges there are eight large stations, with barrels of Trigene, (a biodegradable disinfectant), and a scrubbing brush installed over a crate in the ground. These stations are designed so visitors can walk across the grate and use the brush to remove excess soil from their shoes or boots, then spray the footwear with the disinfectant to kill any disease spores. There are also nearly 80 smaller cleaning stations with scrubbing brushes, and spray bottles of disinfectant. These are at track entrances and exits, and between tracks in the network, aiming to protect areas of healthy trees. There are also smaller stations in the Hunua Ranges, where there is no sign of kauri dieback disease so far, and we would love to keep it that way.
For more information visit www.kauridieback.co.nz. Amanda Peart (ARC)

Our very own Mark Lewis, park ranger, shows us how it's done. (Photo: ARC)




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