Newspaper Article 1999 – Bell and beyond

Bell and beyond

This is the last weekend before school starts next week. Herald-Tribune reporter ROSE HARDING continues the 12 walks of Hawke’s Bay.

The Boundary Stream reserve on Pohukura [Pohokura] Rd, Tutira, has three family-friendly walks with an extra attraction.

The 750-hectare reserve not only has three wonderful walks culminating either in stunning scenery from the top of the Maungaharuru Range or the beauty of Shine Falls but it is also a mainland island.

A mainland island is an area where the Department of Conservation is removing everything, flora and fauna, that does not belong there to protect a special feature.

There are six mainland island schemes in New Zealand.

Boundary Stream is special because of both its bird life and the bush.

Department area manager Ken Hunt says this involved a big shooting, trapping and poisoning operation to get rid of goats, possums, stoats, ferrets, rats, mice and a few wild cats.

A goat shooter has cleaned out more than 3000 goats from the area.

Mr Hunt says the idea is to return the area to how it must have looked when the Europeans arrived. The days when Herbert Guthrie Smith wrote about in his classic book, Tutira – the story of a New Zealand Sheep Station, when the area was rich with birdlife and trees.

The scheme began two years ago and the results have been spectacular.

The bush is springing back, important insect life is flourishing and the birdsong is stunning.

The native pigeons, tuis, bellbirds, fantails and riflemen are everywhere.

The North Island robin has been reintroduced to the area and the department has plans to release kiwi and kokako.

The robin pairs released have already successfully raised families.

The [There] are three walks to be done at Boundary Stream. They are the walk from Heays Access Rd into Shine Falls, the walk down from the top in Pohukura Rd to Shine Falls and the walk from Pohukura Rd to Bell Rock on top of the Maungaharuru Range.

The Bell Rock walk goes through the top most part of the reserve.

The destination, Bell Rock, features on the front cover of Hawke’s Bay for the Happy Wanderer, the late Sheila Cunningham’s guide to the multitude of walks and tramps in Hawke’s Bay. It is named for its distinctive bell-like shape.

Don’t be put off by the sign at the start of the walk which tells you it will take two hours to reach Bell Rock.

Even if you are only moderately fit it will take about 90 minutes.

The first 10 minutes will get the lungs working, then it’s a pleasant stroll through bush featuring beech, native fuchsia, punga and matai.

Signs of the pest-eradication programme can be seen in the markers on the trees along the track and occasionally a plastic poison dispenser or tunnel trap. Don’t touch them.

After about an hour the track emerges into sunlight – and probably wind – in farmland.

Follow the poles to the right and take in the stunning views to the west over the Mohaka River valley to the Kaweka Range.

After another 30 minutes, including stops to take in the views both ways, there it is, Bell Rock, a wonderfully wind-carved rock among other wonderful rocks blasted into shapes reminiscent of Tibetan Buddhist temples.

Take time to have a look around the area before heading back through the bush and its birds.

The area of regenerating bush directly beneath the range to the west is the Waitere kiwi conservation area.

Take something warm to put on. You’re at an altitude of about 1000 metres and the weather can change very quickly.

The lower walk, from Pohukura Rd to Shine Falls, should be saved for another day.

Try to arrange to be dropped off at the top and picked up again at Heays Access Rd.

The walk is tiring enough without having to walk back to Pohukura Rd from Shine Falls.

The bush is again wonderful, with a notable stand of kamahi trees some distance in.

The views and rock formations are spectacular.

The last short part of the track down Heay’s Bluff to the falls is steep so care is needed.

It is less of a stroll than the Bell Rock walk and good footwear is essential.

The falls cliff face is notable as being the home of one of the last kakabeak plants left in the wild.

The stroll out to Heays Access Rd from the falls is a pleasant walk across farmland.

For those with younger children or looking for more of a picnic outing than strenuous exercise the walk into Shine Falls from the car park is the one to do.

The walk starts out across farmland before entering a shelf of land beside the Boundary Stream where kowhai trees grow in profusion.

It has recently been upgraded and the department’s Conservation Corp workers have put in new culverts and board walks.

Getting across the stream to the falls still involves wading, unless someone has dropped a punga log to use as a bridge.

The falls are worth risking wet feet for. Depending on the water flow, they are lacy or thunderous. Either way they are worth the walk.

Please leave the dog at home for all the walks in this area.

Photo captions –

ABOVE: Bell Rock looking south and west over Hawke’s Bay from the top of the Maungaharuru Range.

LEFT: The gentle walk across farmland to the falls from the car park on Heays Access Rd.

Shine Falls at a time of fairly low flow.