Newsletter

Robert Osborne, an adjacent landowner to a walkway, has donated 200 native trees to Waihi Walkways. Eric and Andrew spoke with Robert about his generous donation and arranged the planting on 1^st November. The area chosen is on the river bank immediately downstream from the end of Rosemont Road towards Coffey's Creek beside the old railway bridge foundations. H.E.L.P. also donated another 70 native trees.

Care was taken to choose trees that would be suitable for the area. Andrew Jenks brought along the 5th and 6th Year class from Waihi South School to help with the planting and the children undertook the task with considerable enthusiasm. The Conservation Corp were invited and also assisted with the planting. H.E.L.P. will provide ongoing maintenance and Robert Osborne offered to protect the trees from stock with fencing.

Another private landowner has also indicated a wish to donate trees which would be used further down the river. This has been a wonderful response from private landowners and we hope more will feel this way inclined.

Our Spade Day - 1st October 2000

Seven volunteer members participated on the day with a variety of equipment. Slashing, blackberry removal and tree pruning were all carried out. A start to creating the Scout Walkway!

A meeting was held on 7^th November with Te Ruunanga a Iwi o Ngati Tamatera to establish protocol for consultation and initiation of Maori Values Assessment for the wider Waihi Walkways area. Both parties share the wish to see native plantings established along the Ohinemuri River.

Eric, Wendy and Owen met with Gary Paterson and Sel Baker at the Waihi Dredging Plant Site to discuss the proposal of securing more than the designated area as a Public Reserve. Eric has updated the Dredging Plant document and sent this with a letter to the Finance and Planning Committee of HDC outlining Waihi Walkways request. The Committee is now waiting for a formal reply.

Eric has continued to record local bush walks through Waitekauri and Wentworth Valley etc with the GPS. Through this he has produced a map of the wider vision of the Waihi Walkways for consultation purposes.

There have been no major developments on the Bridge to Bridge Walk.

Tessa, Andrew and Eric met with Keith Brodie of WGMC, also Dennis Lees and Gary Paterson of HDC, to discuss the enhancement of the Eastern Stream from East End Dairy to the bottom of Clarke Street. Gary would like to see the Dairy end tidied up and more native trees planted, with perhaps access to the old Cyanide Tanks and Ore Roasting Kilns on Union Hill.

Clearing along Victoria Walk is the next venture (see Dates to Note). This will need to be done for a future fundraising Walk-a-thon and Public Picnic which are in the pipeline.

Funding Update

There are two more applications underway. One to Fletcher Challenge Trust and another to the Community Employment Group.

Dates to Note

Working Bee - Slasher Days Clearing along Victoria Walkway: Saturday/Sunday 2^nd & 3^rd December

Meeting place and time to be advised.

Official opening of Memorial Walk (now Heritage Walkway):-Wednesday 6^th December at the Clarke Street entrance (near Elliott's factory) at 12.30 p.m.

Next meeting: -

Thursday 16 ^th November at 5 p.m. in the GO Waihi Office. Wine and Xmas pies to celebrate another successful year

Waihi District Walkways Inc.

Committee contact details:

Chairperson: Tessa Mackenzie Ph: (07) 863 7840

Secretary: Owen Morgan Ph: (07) 863 8540

Treasurer: John Vinson Ph: (07) 863 9021

Co-ordinator: Eric Lens Ph: (07) 863 7084

Address for correspondence:

Waihi Walkways, PO Box 34, Waihi

Registered office:

Waihi District Walkways Inc., 10 Baker Street, Waihi

Logo, copyright - Eric Lens     Newsletter Editor - Wendy Trebilco

Waihi District Walkways Inc. PO Box 241 Waihi New Zealand

Send e- mail to: Waihi Walkways