My hosts at my homestay in Whangamata – Ian and Ann – were absolutely lovely – so friendly and welcoming and made me feel at home from the moment I arrived...and this was made all the better by Ian inviting me to join him at the local school pool for a swim. 25 m, 7 lane heated outdoor pool with virtually no-one else in. Bliss!!
After an afternoon stroll along the fabulous beach where surfers and sunbathers were enjoying the warm, sunny weekend weather, I headed back to the homestay for a surprise birthday BBQ that Ann had laid on for Ian's 75th. He thought one or two friends were coming for a little soiree. Instead about 20 people turned up and it was a perfect excuse for Ian to get his guitar out and finish the evening with a singalong.
On Sunday, I met up with the Whangamata Ramblers. The group is just one of a number in Whangamata: the Whangamata Trampers, the Ramblers etc...each group doing different lengths and difficulty of walk.
After a photocall with my own gift of a Whangamata Ramblers T-shirt, we did a 5 hour walk up to the site of the Luck at Last gold mine outside Whangamata. Ivan, our leader, and Mel, the backmarker, took us past the remains of the mine and the surviving artefacts of an operation that lasted only 3 years from 1898-1901. A community of over 200 lived on the site and had their own hall, billiard room and school. Mine shaft entrances and the explosives store are still in place, as are many of the ironworks such as the quartz crushers and the cyanide baths used to separate the gold from the quartz rock. We ate lunch at the battery – the site of much of the final operation to extract the gold. Along the well marked track are points of interest such as Mel's new track, Peter's waterfall, The Soapbox, the Bus Stop and John's track. These are all named after the “track fairies” - 12 or so members of the club who spend every Monday clearing and maintaining the track in order that walkers and cyclists can enjoy them. In 2006, they had a HUGE job to tackle – a massive flood surge down the valley raised the water level 7 metres and washed out large sections of the track – some of which can never be reinstated – and we saw evidence of the damage and power of the water. I found the walk both interesting from an ecological point of view but even more so to hear the history behind the site from Mel and Ivan.
After the walk, Faye, one of the members, took me on a whistle stop tour of the environs of the town – to the dotterel protection area on the beach where we saw 2 chicks; then out to Onamana and to Oupetere beaches – truly paradises on earth – white sandy beaches and a turquoise sea.
On Sunday evening, we once again partied. The club had organised a pot luck supper at the house of one of the members and, again, I was made to feel very, very welcome.
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