2024 Field Trips

Day trips to locations in the Wellington region are usually held on the first Saturday of each month.   Extended excursions are usually held at New Year, first weekend in February and Easter.

The following programme is SUBJECT TO CHANGE.   If you wish to join a Saturday trip, please tell the trip leader on the Thursday p.m. at the latest, or if you wish to join an over-night trip, please tell the trip leader on the Wednesday p.m. at the latest, so that the leader can:
•   contact our hosts, if we are visiting a private area, to confirm the visit,
•   print enough copies of a plant species list, if one has been prepared for the site.

Remember the weather can be changeable on field trips.   Sun hat, balaclava, waterproof / windproof parka, may all be used on a day trip.

If a field trip has to be postponed because of bad weather or other reason, it will happen the following Saturday, or a later Saturday.   Please re-check our web site for updates or ask the trip leader.

Non-members are welcome to join us on our field trips.

Click here to get more information about attending field trips and recommended trip gear.

2024 Programme

20–27 January 2024 :   Summer Camp – Ruapehu area

The Ruapehu area has an excellent variety of alpine flora and interesting beech and podocarp forest.   Highlights include Taranaki Falls, Tama Lakes and the recently described Cardamine panatohea.   Possible field trips: Erua area, Eastern Tongariro Forest and the Rangataua, Hihitahi, Taheke Conservation Areas.

• Base camp:   Taylor Lodge, Ruapehu, 20 Pokaka Road, Erua 3990.   https://www.taylorlodge.co.nz/.   Breakfasts and lunches will be prepared by BotSoccers on a roster system.   Dinners and deserts will be catered.   Vegetarians, dairy-free and vegan catered for if advised – if you have other special dietary needs please make your own arrangements.
• Accommodation: bunk-rooms:   $25.35/person/night; camping: $25.35/person/night (no fires).
• Transport:   Participants to arrange their own transport to and from camp.   Transport may be available from bus stop / train station / airport nearest Taylor Lodge.   Please indicate transport arrangements on the registration form.
• Booking:   Booking ESSENTIAL.   Book early!   Preference will be given to members of Wellington BotSoc.   Please either download registration form here for pdf version, or here for doc version, or print the registration form at the end of the September newsletter.   Please complete deposit payment and email your completed form to Tom Mayo at botsocsummercamp (at) gmail.com by 25 November.
• Deposit:   $470.00 per person to be paid at time of registration by internet banking.   At the end of the trip, depending on the final cost, you will be sent an invoice (or a refund) for the full cost less your original payment. Student scholarships available - for details see September newsletter.
• Maps:   NZMS Topo50 maps: BJ34 Mt Ruapehu, BJ33 Raetihi. Vascular Plants of Tongariro Ecological District. Auckland BotSoc Bulletin 34 (2018). M D Wilcox & N J D Singers. $30 + $6 p&p. aucklandbotanicalsociety (at) gmail.com
• Contact:   Tom Mayo at botsocsummercamp (at) gmail.com.

Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 February:   Field trip – Ruamahanga Catchment, Wairarapa.   NOTE: SECOND SATURDAY.

Day 1: Lower Ruamahanga
Botanise retired riparian forest bush remnant beside Ruamahanga River.   The owners wish to restore the once-grazed remnant; recently fenced and planted around.   Korthasella salicornioidies is in vicinity.   Wetlands nearby - bring gumboots!   Botanising area is flat but we may need 4wd’s to access depending on weather.

• Meet:   Featherston 10 a.m. along SH53 before rail crossing.   Drive in convoy towards Martinborough and the site.   The farmer will decide final route to site.   Bring: water, sunhat, boots, lunch, thermos, hand sanitiser, sunscreen.
• Accommodation:   Camp: Saturday night at Greytown or Carterton campgrounds.
• Meals:   Dinner: Bring your own or we can have a pot-luck.   Breakfast: Bring your own..
• Co-leaders:   Owen Spearpoint, phone 027 285 8083, email owen.spearpoint (at) gw.govt.nz.

Day 2: Tunanui Farm
Botanise two QE2 covenants and a large seepage wetland.   The covenants are mature tawa / podocarp forest; the wetland is retired farmland, The Mākara River and its tributaries are in the Huangarua catchment.   Visit seepage wetlands on hillsides and large areas of regenerating scrub / shrubland.   Forest type: mixed beech forest plus podocarp broadleaved forest on valley floors.   Good foot access to most of farm via 4wd tracks.   Relatively sheltered; valley faces west on margins of Tararua Range.

• Depart:   Carterton 9 a.m. Drive in convoy north up SH2 to Masterton and at junction with Ōpaki-Kaiparoro road north of Masterton, take turnoff to Mauriceville.
• Meet:   farmer at 10.00 a.m.
• Co-leaders:   Owen Spearpoint, phone 027 285 8083, email owen.spearpoint (at) gw.govt.nz.

Both botanising sites are isolated and remote however the Tunanui sites are steep terrain.   As we have been kindly allowed to botanise these private properties, all trip members are expected to submit to the trip leader a list of the plant species they have identified.   Limit: 20 people.   Bring: spare clothes, lunches, thermos, water, scroggin, boots with good ankle support, waterproofs (parka & leggings), warm clothes including hat, longs, gloves. If the forecast weather is wet or too windy we will cancel on the Friday before.


Saturday 2 March:   Field trip – Paraparaumu Scenic Reserve

Botanise extensive areas of regionally rare coastal and lowland kohekohe / tawa forest and kahikatea/pukatea forest.   Extensive bait lines through the area provide tracks which are likely to be rough so boots and poles are recommended.   Find out about the brown mudfish in local streams.

• Map:   NZTopo50-BP32 Paraparaumu.
• Meet:   9.35 a.m.   Paraparaumu Station car park from where we will travel in convoy sharing transport or 10 a.m. main reserve carpark, just before 115 Maui Pomare Rd in Nikau Valley.   Train: Depart 8.44 a.m. / Arrive 9.38 a.m. on Kāpiti Line from Wellington Station to Paraparaumu Station.
• Co-Leaders:   Jenny Fraser, phone 027 358 0070, email JennyJFraser (at) gmail.com; and Pattern Reid, DOC Ranger / Kaitiaki, Biodiversity for Kāpiti / Wellington, phone 027 289 256.

Saturday 6 April:   Field trip – Ngā Manu Nature Reserve wetlands, Waikanae

Botanise Jack’s Bush / Ngā Manu Bush – one of the largest and best examples of swamp forest within Foxton Ecological District.   See a good example of sequences between wetland, swamp forest and dune-ridge dry forest.   Wetland habitat is nationally rare; less than 8% indigenous cover remaining in Foxton ED.   Contains significant specimens of swamp maire / Syzygium maire, kahikatea / Dacrycarpus dacrydioides and pukatea / Laurelia novae-zelandiae.   Also Dactylanthus taylorii and lots of mistletoes.   PLEASE NOTE: There is a $15 entry fee to Ngā Manu wetland; the money goes towards running and protecting this important reserve.

• Maps:   Street map; NZTopo50-BP32 Paraparaum.
• Meet:   10am at Ngā Manu carpark.   Train: 8.14 a.m. on Kāpiti Line from Wellington Station to Waikanae Station.   For those traveling by train, please contact the trip leaders to organise transport.
• Co-Leaders:   Andy McKay, phone 027 555 5653; and Kate Jordan, phone 027 899 0018, email kateljordan (at) gmail.com.

Saturday 4 May:   Field trip – Te Ara Paparārangi and Gilberd Bush Reserve, Newlands

NOTE: A Change from advertised programme due to closure of Matiu/Somes Island)
Walk the track Te Ara Paparārangi, including Gilberd Bush Reserve, from Tamworth Crescent to Waihinahina Park, and back.   With a locally good diversity of small trees (including large kānuka), ferns (including Leptopteris hymenophylloides), herbaceous flowering plants (native and weedy), and bryophytes (including Lopidium and Treubia), there is interest for everyone.   The track is good, but some might want to bring a walking pole for a few short, steep sections.   It’s a slow one hour one-way, and longer still when botanising.

• Meet:   9.30 am in the carpark at the southern end of Tamworth Crescent, Newlands.   Bus: route 52, to Somes Crescent, and walk to Tamworth Crescent.
• Co-Leaders:   Lara Shepherd, email lara.shepherd (at) tepapa.govt.nz, phone 027 363 5854; and Leon Perrie, email leon.perrie (at) tepapa.govt.nz, phone 027 419 1378.

Saturday 8 June:   Field trip – Heke St Reserve, Orleans-Makererua Reserve, Huntleigh Park

NOTE: Not the usual day of 1 June)
Botanise Heke St Reserve (5-minute walk from Ngaio Station).   Walk down Heke Street to Makererua St to botanise and lunch in Orleans-Makererua Reserve.   Walk to botanise Huntleigh Park’s impressive mature forest then a 10-minute walk to Crofton Downs Station.

• Meet:   10 a.m. Ngaio Station car park, Collingwood St.   Train: 9.32 a.m. Johnsonville line train from Wellington Station to Ngaio Station.
• Maps:   Street map and NZTopo50-BQ31 Wellington.
• Leader:   Eleanor Burton, phone 021 058 8324.

Saturday 6 July:   Field trip – Denton’s Bush and Ōtaki River estuary

Start in lowland forest remnant on the Ōtaki River plains, and then on the north side of the Ōtaki River and river mouth.   Denton Bush is a good example of mature lowland forest with a kohekohe, kahikatea, pukatea and nīkau canopy.   The north side of the Ōtaki River and river mouth has regenerating scrub and wetlands much of which has been planted.

• Meet:   9.30 a.m. west side Waikanae Station's north end carpark.   From there we will ride share and travel in convoy to Denton Bush.   Train: 8.14 a.m. on Kāpiti line from Wellington Station to Waikanae Station.
• Maps:   Street map and NZTopo50-BP32 Paraparaumu.
• Co-Leaders:   Owen Spearpoint, phone 027 285 8083 or email owen.spearpoint (at) gw.govt.nz.

Saturday 3 August:   Field trip – Central Park, Brooklyn

Central Park is relatively sheltered for a winter trip, handy for public transport, and within walking distance of cafés for an after-trip treat.   Within the park, for beginners there is excellent diversity of small native trees and ferns.   Experts can search for taonga species that have survived near downtown; e.g., the giant liverwort Plagiochila stephensoniana or are re-establishing, and survey for problematic and new weeds. WCC Central Park Description.

• Meet:   9.30 a.m. inside the entrance gate to the park, on Brooklyn Road.   Bus: No. 7 Kingston 9.00 a.m. from Railway Station to stop at top of Willis St.   Walk 150m to park entrance.
• Maps:   Street map and NZTopo50-BQ31 Wellington.
• Co-Leaders:   Lara Shepherd, email lara.shepherd (at) tepapa.govt.nz, phone 027 363 5854; and Leon Perrie, email leon.perrie (at) tepapa.govt.nz, phone 027 419 1378.

Saturday 7 September:   Field trip – Waikanae Reserves

Russell (2.12ha) and Wi Parata (2.91ha) Reserves are two urban forest remnants in the middle of Waikanae township.   They are both protected as ecological sites under the Kāpiti Coast District Plan.   Both reserves are described as kohekohe-titoki canopy with occasional emergent podocarps.   The sites are small and vulnerable to pest plant species encroaching from residential gardens.   This is a rare habitat type in Foxton ED and much reduced in Wellington region.   Of interest is the historical Waikanae River terrace, a very large Paratrophis banksia, as well as Nestegis cunninghamii, Nestegis lanceolata and the epiphytic Pittosporum cornifolium. Orchids include Nematoceras trilobum, Drymoanthus adversus and Pterostylis banksia.

• Meet:   10 a.m at Russell Reserve adjacent to 91 Ngaio Road, Waikanae or 9.30 a.m. at Waikanae Station to collect people arriving by train.   From here we travel in convoy.   Train: 8.14 a.m. Kāpiti line from Wellington Station to Waikanae Station.   Once we finish at Russell Reserve we will move to Wi Parata Reserve around midday.   Parking along Rimu Street.
• Maps:   Street map and NZMSTopo50-BP32 Paraparaumu.
• Co-Leaders:   Andy McKay, phone 027 555 653; and Eleanor Burton, phone 021 058 8324.

Saturday 5 October:   Field trip – Huntleigh Park, Crofton Downs and Korimako Track, Outer Green Belt

We'll botanise beside a branch of Korimako Stream, then along a track climbing through mature podocarp/ broadleaf forest. See impressive mataī, miro, rimu, tōtara, kahikatea, lancewood and numerous species of ferns and shrubs. Then botanise second-growth native forest along Korimako Track, Outer Green Belt. Finally we'll walk down Awarua St towards Awarua Station and Café Villa. Train back to Crofton Downs Station and city.

• Meet:   Crofton Downs Station 10 a.m. Train: Catch 9.32 a.m. train from WN Station to Crofton Downs Station.
• Maps:   Street map and NZTopo50-BQ31 Wellington.
• Leader:   Michelle Dickson, phone 022 635 0193, email micheledickson21 (at) gmail.com.

Saturday 2 November:   Field trip – Khandallah Park

Khandallah Park is an important part of the Wellington Western Forests Key Native Ecosystem. Although most of the forest is regenerating kohekohe-māhoe-tawa forest, there is an area of about 10 hectares containing large pukatea and kohekohe which survived the worst of the burning. It has some large bryophyte patches and locally uncommon plants such as Pseudowintera axillaris, Ascarina lucida, Mida salicifolia and Coprosma foetidissima. There is also the possibility of spotting one of the Powelliphanta snails living there, descendants of snails transferred from near Levin in the 1940s, as well as a café to get a cuppa at the end of the trip.

• Meet:   Khandallah Station, Station Rd at 9.20 a.m. or outside Khandallah Pool, Woodmancote St at 9.30 a.m.   Train: Johnsonville Line train 9.02 a.m. from Wgtn Station arrives 9.17 a.m.
• Maps:   Street map and NZTopo50-BQ31 Wellington; Khandallah Park – WCC brochure.
• Co-Leaders:   Melanie Newfield, phone 021 08355 915, email melanienewfield (at) outlook.com; and Richard Grasse, phone, 022 077 8797, email RichardGrasse (at) gmail.com.

Saturday 16 November:   Field trip – Te Marua Bush, Upper Hutt

In partnership with Greater Wellington, BotSoc has been committed since 1989 to do weed control and revegetation in this important matai / totara / maire remnant in Kaitoke Regional Park.   Our biannual workbees must continue so that we keep ahead of re-invasion by weeds, particularly around the plantings, so please come to help with this important work.   Bring weeding gear: gloves, kneeler, weed bag, and your favourite weeding tools, e.g., trowel, hand fork, grubber, loppers, pruning saw.   There may also be some planting.

• Maps:   NZTopo50-BP32 Paraparaumu; street map.
• Meet:   9.30 a.m. at Te Marua Bush, (250 m north of Te Marua Store) and then left, off SH2 for 50m, on Twin Lakes Rd, Kaitoke Regional Park.   Catch; 8.05 a.m. Hutt line train Wellington to Upper Hutt – ring the leader to arrange to be met at Upper Hutt Station.
• Co-Leaders:   Glennis Sheppard, phone 526 7450;   Sue Millar, phone 526 7440.

Thursday 5 and Saturday 7 December: Evening walk – Rātā viewing walk, Lower Hutt

A casual 3.5-km 2-hour stroll through suburban Lower Hutt to see flowering rātā and other native trees in the streets and gardens. The walk will begin and end at Woburn Station, so we encourage public transport use.

• Meet:   Thursday: Car park on east side of Woburn Station. The walk will be held as an after-work event on Thursday 5 December. Thursday: 6 p.m.   Saturday: 9.30 a.m.   Train: Saturday 9.05 a.m. Hutt Valley line Wellington to Woburn.
• Leader: John Barnett, phone 021 063 1590, email johnbarnett (at) inspire.net.nz.

2025 Programme

18–26 January 2025 :   Summer Camp – St Arnaud

• Base camp:   NZDA Red Deer Lodge, St. Arnaud https://www.nzdanelson.co.nz/red-deer-lodge.   Breakfasts & lunches will be prepared by BotSoccers on a roster system.   Dinners and deserts will be catered by Alpine Lodge.   Vegetarians, dairy-free and vegan catered for — if you have other special dietary needs, please make your own arrangements.
• Accommodation:   Bunk-rooms, $27.75 per person/night, no camping arrangement at Red Deer Lodge.
• Transport:   Participants to arrange their own transport to and from camp.   Transport may be available from Bus Stop / Train station / Airport nearest St Arnaud - please indicate if you need this on the registration form.
• Booking:   Booking ESSENTIAL as room for only 28 at the lodge.   Book early!   Preference will be given to members of Wellington BotSoc.   Please either download registration form here for pdf version, or here for doc version, or print the registration form at the end of the September newsletter.   Please email your completed form to botsocsummercamp (at) gmail.com by 25 November.
• Deposit:   $490.00 per person to be paid at time of registration by internet banking.   At the end of the trip, depending on the final cost, you will be sent an invoice (or a refund) for the full cost less your original payment.   Student scholarships available - for details see September newsletter.
• Contact:   Email botsocsummercamp (at) gmail.com.