Hi all,

The walkway will be closed Wednesday and Thursday the 18th and 19th of September due to a goat control operation. Apologies for the inconvenience.

With spring underway, we receive a lot of inquiries regarding the status of the walkway.The Te Aratia walkway is open but the track has been affected by the winter’s rains and will be under maintenance towards the end of September. All hazards are manageable at this point in time. We urge the trampers to read the signs at the entrance of the track and at the river crossing near the hut. Use common sense and don’t take any unnecessary risks. We remind e bikers that batteries and bikes are not compatible so be wise when you cross the Whangawehi stream.

Enjoy yourselves and be safe

The Whangawehi walkway ticked a new milestone in early September 2024. Hawkes Bay Regional Council formally became the controlling authority for the walkway by signing an agreement with the New Zealand Access Commission.

Discussions are underway to progress the formal registration of the Easement under each landowners land title.

All things going well, this legal work should be completed by the end of the year. The WCMG would like to thank the landowners who kindly accepted to take on this project. It took longer than expected but it was worthwhile when considering how many people have benefitted from the walkway so far. (over 10 000 in a year with poor roading and severe weather events). The walkway will grow very soon and it is our responsibility to make sure the track remains safe and offers an unforgettable experience.

The WCMG Committee met in July 2024 to discuss matters arising around the Whangawehi project. The group paid tribute to the late Pera Edwards who was a staunch supporter of the Catchment Group with his wife Janice. Pera will always be remembered for his ongoing support both at Governance and grass roots levels.

The main discussion evolved around the state of the walkway after the last rain events and the need to deal with the most urgent repairs in order to keep the track safe.

The Eco Counters have proven to be very insightful. The frequentation of the Whangawehi track has been well above expectations. From May 2023 to July 2024, the track saw 10 000 visitors. The pick period was between December 2023 and March 2024 with 6 000 visitors.

This is very encouraging news for the Committee who created this walkway on private land to share the benefits of the conservation work delivered through hard work and challenges with the wider community. With this level of frequentation, come the challenges of keeping the walkway to a good and safe standard. Funding challenges are a reality that the group is facing but we are always on the look for opportunities.

Our core group of volunteers organized a planting day earlier on this winter. This planting complemented the last plantation established 2 years ago at the entrance of the walkway.

A big thank you to our volunteers for the effort they put in.