Historic Rameka Track

Martin Langley has led a few work parties up on the old Rameka Track this month and has it completely cleared all the way to the pines. Here is a photo of Martin, and Spanish cyclist, Ignasi, test riding it.



They are probably the first riders in a century to pedal down this historic section of track, which was once the main route from Nelson to Takaka.

From the pines the track seems to disappear, so Martin has suggested building a new track out to a great look out point.

We will mark these tracks out in late June, when Bronnie and Jonathan head down to Project Rameka for tree planting.

Rameka Open Day - Track Building

Saturday 3 May 2008
Over the previous few days, Jonathan had been hunting around the Project Rameka property for the original Rameka Track bench and finally felt that he'd found the first few hundred metres of it. This track is about 1-metre wide, and must be over a hundred years old. The gradient is perfect for a two-way mountain biking track, so we decided to clear it on the open day.

Several Nelson riders biked over the Rameka to help locals and Wellington cyclists. A big thanks to Peter, Kalvin, Simon, Greg, Andrew, Garry, Dean, Dylan, Barbara, Patrick, Ricky, Corina, Seamus, Murray, and Stu. About 300 metres was cleared and 200 metres also re-benched. It's looking great.


This photo shows work being done on the historic Rameka Track. The Rameka Road can been seen down on the left. The recently bulldozed track on the right leads up to the Lorax Lair.

After the old track enters the pines, it follows a farm track for 150 metres to a water trough, then disappears. New track will have to be designed from there. We will email everyone before the next work party.

The day ended with saussies and hash browns around a log fire and nicely rounded off with lots of shaggy-dog jokes. Special thanks to Karyn for "How many ears does Davy Crocket have?" Any guesses? You'll kick yourselves when you hear the answer ...

Rameka Open Day - Eco Survey

Saturday 1 May 2008
The Rameka Open Day consisted of two parts - an eco survey in the morning followed by track building.


Over 100 species were counted on the property, with the greatest biodiversity down in the valley, within 50 metres of Rameka Creek (including some really interesting looking snail shells but no snails).


The survey was conducted by Karyn, Karen, Bronnie, Jonathan, Matt, Seamus, Garry and Barb. We weren't sure of everything we found in the survey, so there is still some work to be done.

The eco survey results from May are entered below.

Project Rameka - Eco Survey

3 May 2008

F = Valley Floor (within 50 metres of the ford)

T = Top (above 400 metres elevation)

Native Plants (T)

Native Trees and Shrubs

Ake ake

Karamu (Cop. Robusta)

Kanuka

Kaikomako

Mahoe

Marbleleaf (putaputaweta)

Totara

Wineberry

Ongaonga (stinging nettle)

Native passion vine

Native bidibid

Divaricating shrub (three types, possibly coprosma)

Tussock (silver and brown)

Bracken fern

Lace fern (Paesia scaberula)

punga

Introduced Plants (T)

Barberry (not Darwins)

Californian thistle

Fox glove (ditalis)

Gorse

Himalayan honeysuckle

Pines (radiata)

Spanish heather

Sycamore

Wild rose

Woolly Mullein

Native Animals (T)

Small bird with yellow head (?)

Kereru (wood pigeon)

Fantail

Tomtit

Pippet

Hawke

Tui or bellbird (heard, not seen)

Grasshopper (black with large head)

Introduced Animals (T)

Possum

Pigs

Yellow Admiral butterfly

Native Plants (F)

Coprosma grandifolia

Coprosma (divaricating, small leaf)

Coprosma propinqua?

Hebe (koromiko?)

Hoheria

Kaikomako (duckfoot)

Kamahi

Kanuka

Kawakawa

Karamu (Cop. Robusta)

Lancewood

Lemonwood

Mahoe

Mapou

Marbleleaf (putaputaweta)

Oleria rani

Pigeonwood

Rangiora

Red beech

Seven finger (Pate)

Totara

Tree fuchsia

Tutu

Wineberry

Ongaonga (tree nettle)

Poroporo

Native passion vine

Native bidibid

Silver tussock

Brown tussock

Green rush

Asplenium flaccidum

Asplenium (species?)

Asplenium oblongifolium

Black tree fern (Cyathea medullaris)

Bracken fern

Blechnum capense?

Button fern (pelleae rotundifolia)

Hounds tongue fern

Lace fern (Paesia scaberula)

Fern (Blechnum novae-zelandiae)

Pigfern (Pteris tremula or macilenta)

Pyrosia serpens (climbing fern)

Sheildfern (Polystichum richardii or vestitum)

Tree fern (Dicksonia squarrose or fibrosa)

Rata vine (Meterosideros diffusa)

Bushlawyer (Rubus parvus or schmidelioides)

Muehlenbeckia australis

Astelia

Gaultheria (probably antipoda)

Lycopodium

Snowberry (Gaultheria)

Orchid (one dark green leaf)

Green moss

Lichen (grey white)

Shaggy inkcap fungus

Introduced Plants (F)

Amaranth

Barberry (not Darwins)

Black nightshade

Blackberry

Buddleia

Californian thistle

Canadian flea bane

Cape gooseberry

Dock

Fennel

Fox glove (ditalis)

Geranium (fernlike leaf)

Gorse

Groundsel

Himalayan honeysuckle

Hypericum

Pines (radiata)

Ragwort

Rye grass

Scarlet pimpernel

Scotch thistle

Spanish heather

Sycamore

Wild rose

Willow weed (Pylygonum)

Woolly Mullein

Yarrow

Native Animals (F)

Snail shell (brown, 40-50mm across)

Introduced Animals (F)

Possum

Pigs

Yellow Admiral butterfly

Miscellaneous species seen around Rameka

Hares - seen all along Rameka Road

Sheep - removed on 29 April 2008

Cow pats on top driveway

Deer reported

Goats – several seen 2 km away

Project Rameka Incorporated Society Is Born

Thursday 1 May 2008
Thursday was a big day for Project Rameka. A public meeting was held at the Wholemeal Cafe in Takaka to get a sense of the local community's support for the project and to form an incorporated society - that's just a long name for a club that is officially recognised, and the clubs aims are publically stated. Making the aims of a club public makes it possible for people to get involved and for the club to apply for grants to achieve the shared goals of recreation and restoration.

In the morning, Jonathan was interviewed by local radio and newspaper. You can check out the Nelson Mail article here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelsonmail/4509283a6510.html

In the evening over 40 people helped form the Project Rameka Incorporated Society. The range of talents among the founding members is brilliant. About half are from Golden Bay, and the rest are mostly from Wellington and Christchurch. There are botanists, hunters, tree planters, and mountain bikers on board.

The Lorax Lair

Wednesday 30 April 2008
Jo and Andrew McKenzie/McLellan have been working hard. They've come up with a name for their Funky Shack ... and what could be better?

The Lorax Lair. We'll take a copy of The Lorax to the shack next month, just so that those deprived of Dr Seuss as children will know why this is such a spot-on name for the place.

Andrew, Jake, Morag and Jo, relaxing on the front door step.

Muhammad Goes to the Mountain

Wednesday 30 April 2008
After heavy rain overnight, the skies clear once more, and it's time to heave-ho the Funky Shack up to its new home. We debate cajoling 50-odd cyclists to hitch up their bikes and pedal like crazy, but in the end, using donations from Llyn and Judith Richards, Kate Ford, and Karyn Burgess, we opt to pay $500 for another form of horsepower to do the work.

Dave Marsh has arranged with Jason the farmer to haul the shack up the hill behind his tractor.


Jason is a man of few words, but he does let slip that if the farm track had been 10 metres longer at the steep slippery crux, we wouldn't have had a hut at the site we had chosen. We take that to mean it was a touch-and-go situation.

While Dave is sorting out the logistics of downloading a 2-tonne hut from the tractor's trailer, the rest of us set about titivating the site. A couple more trees need to come down so that the Funky Shack will have a primo view of the Bay.




Greg Thurlow starts digging out and then laying the foundations for a loverly fireplace.

Albie and Fill Burgers arrive with a much appreciated pot of hot soup and fresh bread.

The water supply is set up with a sink underneath it, and logs are arranged artistically and usefully around the fireplace.

Ready ... Steady ... Go!

28/29 April 2008
Settlement day is Tuesday 29 April. Eeks!

The nights bring heavy rain, the mornings bring grey but still skies.



We've arranged with the original landowner, Dave Edmonson to get on site early - before settlement date. We want to remove some pine trees from the clearing where we propose to plonk the Funky Shack.

Jonathan and Bronnie have been here before, but it's all new ground for Bruce Craigie and Simon Johnson, who are going to be doing the tree felling. Simon has even bought a new chainsaw especially for this job.


Bruce and Simon study the trees in silence. They're bigger than the two men expected. Fourteen-year-old pines don't grow this fast down in Otago, which is where the pair have spent most of their time dealing to wilding pines.


The mission starts. It's like a highly-organised secret-service strategic campaign. Drop Tree 1 in this direction, and it should clear the way for Tree 2 to be felled in this other direction ... The planning has to be meticulous. If we get it wrong, at the very least, it means a whole load of effort removing limbs and hauling away a tree fall from the area that we want clear; at the worst, it could leave a person squished under a misplaced pine tree.

The weather is surprisingly kind to us. What looks like a day for spending in front of a coffee at the Wholemeal Cafe turns out to be a calm, if clouded and misty afternoon.

We work on the tree felling for two days and then step back. Ta-daa! Fifteen trees have been dropped, and we now have the perfect site for a nice wee hut. We can even see a smidgen of the sea from where we think the Funky Shack will sit.


Simon loves his chainsaw. He wants to sleep with it at night ... we don't say anything, we don't catch his eye. So long as he and his chainsaw are dropping the trees, we can't really protest. We just give him a wide berth.

Houston, We Have a Problem

28 April 2008
We get a phone call from the Bay. "Uhmm, ... You know those doors you sent down for the Funky Shack? Do you have a key for them?"

A key! Who would have thought to check a set of recycled French doors for a key. Who indeed! Dave the builder merrily constructed the hut, finished it off, and closed the doors ... Now we have to work out how to get in.


Good one Martin! We always suspected you had skills in many areas. Now the proof lies in the photo. A small sum of money should guarantee that no word of this leaks down to the constabulary!