MAGNIFICENT BUSH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 97, 15 December 1931, Page 6

MAGNIFICENT BUSH

WAIKAREMOANA ROAD VISITOR'S HIGH PRAISE OF NEWLY OPENED SCENIC ROUTE EVER CHANGING VISTAS "It is unquestionably the finest scenic trip I have ever seen. The bush scenery is magnificent, and around the shores of the lake the changing vistas of bush and lake waters, with their shades of form and colour are a delight to the eye," said Mr. C. P. Tripe, of Wellington, a gentleman who has tfavelled extensively over scenic routes in both islands, when giving his impressions of the new Rotorua-Waikaremoana trip, to a "Post" representative yesterday. In company with the district manap^er for the Tourist Department, Mr. L. J. feayfeild, and Messrs. L. C. Ryan and G. H. Mason, of Rotorua, Mr. Tripe made the Waikaremoana trip over the newly formed road from Ruatahuna, last week, and has returned convinced that the new road must take its place as the outstanding scenic route in New Zealand. Good Road Surface The road itself, Mr. Tripe stated, with the exception of one stretch beyond Te Whaiti, was in excellent surface while although it required careful driving, it need occasion no anxiety to any driver who kept speed within reasonable bounds. The miles of virgin bush, with the road, the only imprint which man had left of his passage made the final half of the trip in itself well worth while. As the road gradually climbed through the higher country, however, the sweeping miles of unbroken green presented a magnificent and never to be forgotten spectacle. The road had plumbed one of nature's fastnesses where the hand of man had never penetrated to alter the configuration of the country. Changing Vistas All types of New Zealand trees appeared to grow luxuriantly in this country, Mr. Tripe stated, and every turn and twist of the road opened up vistas more delightful than the last. This was particularly the case where for 16 miles, the road wound along the shores of Lake Waikaremoana. Through the trees would come changing glimpses of the blue and green waters of the lake, before a fresh turn opened up further sweeps of unbroken bush. Then the lake would return again with delightful unexpectedness as the windings of the road brought its far stretching waters again into view. At odd intervals along the route, the dark red splashes of the fiowering rata stood out vividly against the green of the bush, and gave promise of further beauty when the rata comes more fully into bloom. Many of the bush trees were of magnificent ?ize — in one place beside the road, Mr. Tripe noticed a huge manuka tree, with a trunk as big as the bodies of three men standing back to back. This, he stated, was only one example of the size to which many of the trees flanking right on to the road, had grown. A Comparison. "In my opinion," said Mr. Tripe, "the bush on this trip is finer even than that between Motu and Opotiki, Whakatane and Rotorua, Punakaikai and Greymouth and the Franz Josef and the Fox Glaeier." The total distance of the trip was 110 miles between Rotorua and the accommodation house, while at its highest point, the road reaehed a height of over 3200 feet. At many 3pots along its length were picturesque spots for motor eamping easily accessible from the road, while below the accommodation house was an excellent eamping site, with all the necessary facilities for eamping parties. A wonderful wealth of scenery for the photographer was encountered on the trip, Mr. Tripe stated, but a number of spools were needed. He concluded with the advice that cameras should not be used too freely over the early portion of the route as each suceessive mile revealed some new and unsuspected beauty which might find the over enthusiastic photographer with his supplies exhausted.