N.B. date is first Saturday of December.
Leader: Geoff Davidson
Meeting time: 10am
Meeting place: 111 Bethell’s Road, Te Henga
The Matuku Link Reserve is a 37 hectare
extension to the 120 hectare Forest & Bird
Reserve. Much of the F&B reserve is part of the
Waitakere Swamp, Auckland’s largest wetland.
Previously access was only from the narrow & winding
Snows Lane off Jonkers Road. Now the “Link” gives
access around the head of the swamp from Bethells
Road, and the Matuku Trust has converted an old barn
into an appealing education centre. Approximately 32
hectares have been bush covered, albeit logged 100
years ago, and 3-4 hectares were part of the Waitakere
River flood plain and converted to horse paddocks.
Since the land was purchased in 2017 the paddocks
have been reverted back to wetland, with bittern and
brown teal self-establishing in the newly created
wetland habitat.
For more information re Matuku Link see
https://matukulink.org.nz/about-us/
We will be taking a stroll around the natural ox-bow
channels, and the man-made ponds, before returning to
the barn for our ‘pot-luck’ lunch.
Potluck: If your surname begins with A – M, please
bring a savoury dish, N – Z a dish for afters.
Afterwards, anyone keen for a beach walk or a
swim, can continue along Bethells Road to Te
Henga.
Please make sure that walking shoes are scrubbed
clean, and Trigene will be provided to disinfect
them.
Directions:There are two routes leading towards
Te Henga. From the North aim for the Waitakere
township, but turn right just before the railway
bridge into Bethells Road. Follow it for 4km,
cross the bridge over the Waitakere Stream,
immediately turning right and continue 1.3km.
along Bethells Road to the fire station on the left
at the junction with Te Aute Ridge Road. The
safest approach is to pull off the road in front of
the fire station and pause until the road is clear
both ways, allowing a safe crossing into 111
Bethells Road which is on the right hand side just
a few metres past the junction.
From South and West Auckland follow the
Scenic Drive from either end to the junction with
Te Henga Road, then follow it for 3.7km where
it joins the Bethells Road. Do not turn right onto
the bridge. Follow Bethells Road for 1.3 km. to
the fire station on the left at the junction with Te
Aute Ridge Road. The safest approach is to pull
off the road in front of the fire station and pause
until the road is clear both ways, allowing a safe
crossing into 111 Bethells Road which is on the
right hand side just a few metres past the
junction.
Also check out other Meetups in Waitakere, Food & Drink events in Waitakere.
