Following the close of the conference on Friday 22 March, a post conference field trip to Nukuhakari Station. See one of the Coastal Restoration Trust’s notorious “Difficult sites” projects during this weekend field trip.
Nukuhakari Station is a large sheep and cattle farm located on the west coast between Awakino and Marokopa, nestled into the slope of Whareorino Conservation Area. Nukuhakari Station is a multigenerational sheep and beef farm, run by Bridget and Hamish Nelson. They’ve kindly offered their property as a destination post-conference and have basic shearer’s quarters accommodation available.
The group will depart Kāwhia in a van or cars after the conference closes on Friday March 22. We will stop at Otorohanga and/or Te Kuiti for supplies. The journey from Kāwhia to Nukahakari is expected to take approximately 3 1/4 hours. We will arrive at the Nukuhakari Station shearers quarters in the evening and share a potluck meal. There is a kitchen complete with stove top, oven, crockery and cookware. In the morning, we will be taken to see Middle/Ngararahae Bay, the site of a colossal sand dune that the landowners, with support from Coastcare Waikato and Coastal Restoration Trust, have been working to restore. Here, we will see several years of restoration planting, including the early trials to prevent sand egress inland and the more recent marram trial, with an explanation of each from the people who have been working on these trials.
If time allows, trips to the Station’s other bays will be included. After a second night at the shearer’s quarters, the van will return via the coastal road, with stops at Kiritehere, Marokopa and Waitomo for short walks if time allows. Attendees will need to discuss with the event organisers where they need to be dropped off, or could bring their own transport. There is power and hot water at the shearers quarters but you will need to bring your own bedding and food.
There could be a small charge for transport and shared basic food items which will be charged separately to the conference registration for those staying at Nukuhakari. If there is more than 15 people, wanting to go on the trip, some may need to stay at either Awakino or Mokau, which is an hour’s drive from Nukuhakari Station. The cost would be your own and you would need to have your own transport or be able to share transport with others.