Botanical Gardens and Totara Park

Date: 24 July 2020

Party: Anna, Lesley

Map: https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/parks-recreation/get-outdoors/find-a-walk/Documents/puhinui-stream-forest-trail-brochure.pdf; https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/parkmaps/map-totara-park.pdf

Distance: 13,100 steps, very approximately, via Anna’s phone

Time: 

Elevation:

Notes: It was looking like rain, so we scrapped a tentative plan to go to the Hunuas, and headed instead to the Botanical Gardens in Manukau. Not the best time in terms of flowers, but there is still a huge amount to see. We wandered through the gardens, particularly enjoying the native plants and flax sections, because who knew they were so diverse, and ... tangly? 

We headed down one side of the garden, up Esplanade Road, and from there conquered the 'peak' (with a fantastic 360 degree view). 

We particularly liked the Gondwana Arboretum,

and the Magnolia and Camellia Gardens

 

New Yorker, June 22 2020

Terry and the Gunrunners

http://musickpointradio.org/auckland-radio-zld/1980-1993/1985-terry-and-the-gunrunners/

https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/terry-and-the-gunrunners-episode-six-1985

Bucklands Beach - Pigeon Mountain Reserve - Murvale Reserve - Macleans Park - Musick Point - Bucklands Beach

Date: 3 July 2020

Party: Anna, Elizabeth, Lesley

Map: 

Distance: 

Elevation: 

Time: 3 hours

Notes: The last time we did something like this walk, it was 2011, and Janet B was part of the party. 

This time, it was seriously freezing when we set off from Bucklands Beach, although we did take the time to admire how close Tahuna Torea Spit is at low tide, and to check out the boats heading out for the day in the channel between the Spit and Bucklands. First stop was Pigeon Mountain / Ōhuiarangi to see what changes have been made to the landscape there: read more about the changes here. Our interest has stemmed from a similar project currently proposed for Mt Albert / Ōwairaka which would also see exotic trees removed and replaced by new native tree plantings.There wasn't much to see - just a small area that has been cleared of larger trees, with some harakeke plantings and a few other shrubs, but not much else. There was a mysterious fenced off area which was only a few metres wide, but which extended across an area close to the summit. The view is amazing! Anna directed us onwards, and we had a close look at urban Bucklands Beach, making our way through Murvale Reserve and Macleans Park before ending up on the Esplanade at Eastern Beach. Highlights included a meeting of some of the more elderly locals behind the public toilet block (we can only assume it was out of the wind), who had thermoses, food, camp chairs and blankets and were happily ensconced for the day. Up and over the hill through the Howick Golf Club, and on to Musick Point. The Musick Memorial Radio Station is at the highest point, with views out to Browns Island, Motutapu and Waiheke, and the Coromandel Peninsula curving around to look as though the whole area encloses a single bay. The day was sunny and clear, so we could see Anna's apartment and the Harbour Bridge way in the distance. Spectacular. We hit the beach, and slid and crunched our way back to Bucklands Espresso Lounge across the muddy low tide. Nice hot coffee, delicious ginger crunch, and some slightly out-of-season monarch butterflies finished off a great walk on a crisp, bluebird day.