Start of the Long Weekend at Pohangina Reserve

Pohangina Reserve started life as a school, and as often happens, families move away from the area and the school closed in the 1980s.   The school grounds are now a reserve for people to use and enjoy.  This reserve features the historic 100 year old school building and landscaped grounds, including a swimming pool, tennis court and playground.  Our caravan club is camping here over  Wellington Anniversary Weekend.

Old school building

The 80km trip from home saw us arrive just after midday on Friday, to join Bill and Val who had just arrived a short time earlier.  The sun was beating down so after we were settled we joined them for lunch under their shady awning.  4zees was enjoyed under a huge spreading Maple tree, and locals came to make use of the swimming pool and play ground.

The others vans arrived over the next couple of hours

4zees, dinner then a get together outside in the early evening was on the programme for our first day.  We played the dice game with 20 cent pieces and the winner was Helen, taking home a large assortment of 20cent pieces, about $8 worth.  Not enough to change her life, but would certainly buy an ice-cream each.  We drifted off to sleep with the sound of the moreporks calling from the hillside close by.  The native morepork (owl) is known for its haunting, melancholic call - this sound gives it the Māori name 'ruru'.

On Saturday afternoon we pooled cars and took a tiki-tour to check out the camping at Totara Reserve.  This large camp was full of tenters and caravanners making the most of the long weekend.  There are BBQs available and a rather smart ablution block.

There was also a smaller, more rustic camp just across the road – our club had camped there in the past.  We went to check out the river behind the camp, remembering the terrible tragedy several years ago when the towering cliffs unexpectantly collapsed, killing three children swimming in the river.

 

Pohangina River

Back in the cars,  we  traveled a circular route to return to the camp.  The Pohangina Valley is certainly a very scenic place.

Back over the river

Robin provided the Saturday evening entertainment and presented a slide show of our recent 20 Tunnel Rail Cart Tour in the old school room, which we had hired.  Several of our caravan buddies had done an earlier trip with us a few years ago, and this current trip was organised by our Probus Club.

20 Tunnel Rail Cart Tour

Saturday was an extremely hot day, as was the evening, so we went to bed with windows open and the vents wide open.  “Murphy’s Law” had Robin scrambling out of bed at 4.00am to close the vents as a very heavy down pour came overhead!