FRONTIERSMEN’S VISIT TO OLD GALATEA FORT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 47, 5 October 1949, Page 5

FRONTIERSMEN’S VISIT TO OLD GALATEA FORT

The annual picnic of the Whakatane Troop of the Legion of Frontiersmen was held on Sunday with a visit to the original Fort Galatea, the State Forest Service’s lookout at Kopuriki and the falls of the Rangitaiki River. The frontiersmen and their families travelled to Galatea by way of Waiohou and inspected the remains of the old fort where it now stands on the property of Mr Turnbull. Mr Turnbull related the history of the fort and different incidents that were supposed to have taken place when it was used. Of particular interest was the sturdy gorse growing on and around the side; gorse, grown from Government certified seed, 50 years ago. The present homestead was originally built in 1869 as the officers’ quarters at the fort. At the State Forest lookout an officer was on duty. He said he had been told that visitors came in at times but he did not expect twentytwo people. He demonstrated the use of the direction finding apparatus with which the lookout is equipped. After the visit to the Forestry Officer, the trip was continued, this time along the old Matahina-Te Teko Road. The next stop was probably the highlight of the day. An easy walk of about a mile took everyone down to thd' Rangitaiki River to the rapids and the . falls, where the river plunges through a narrow chasm, and over a fall very similar to the famed Huka Falls. From here the homeward journey was through scrub and pine forest country, passing through Matahina, now a small town, and thence Te Teko, and home.

When hanging curtains by a rod run through hem, place a thimble on the end of the rod to make it slip through easily.