SOME FINE RESERVES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 December 1938, Page 16 (Supplement)

SOME FINE RESERVES

PARKS AND PROTECTED BUSH POPULAR WAIRARAPA RESORTS. CASTLEPOINT AND OTHER BEACHES. Apart from the expanses of the Tararua and Rimutaka mountain ranges, the Wairarapa is not over-supplied with parks and reserves. Each town has its own recreation reserves, which cater for the requirements of cricket, football and other sports and each centre, too, has its open spaces. Masterton has a delightfully situated and most attractive park that is warmly praised by many visitors; Carterton has a pretty Memorial Square in the centre of the business area and Carrington Park is also handily placed; Greytown claims possession of a Memorial Park in which* there, is a good representation of native trees; Featherston has a domain on the hillside from which a good view of the surroundings is ob; tainable while there is a pretty motorists’ camping ground handy, on which there is a good growth of native beech trees, and Martinborough has a splendid open space in the form of a square, around which is the shopping quarter. One of the most beautiful spots in the Wairarapa is Carter's Bush, within easy reach of Carterton. This fine reserve is one of the very few areas of native forest set apart for posterity throughout the length and breadth of the Wairarapa. The predominant tree is the white pine or kahikatea,, though there are many other noble trees such as the totara, in the . reserve, which has been considerably improved by the

joard of trustees controlling it and by the Wairarapa Automobile Association. Motor tracks have been formed through the bush area and these provide many delightful forest vistas. Cooking facilities and shelters have been erected at the far end of the reserve, which almost borders the Ruamahanga River. Another popular reserve, within a few miles of Featherston, is the Wairarapa Lake Domain. This area, one of about 300 acres, extends along the northern shores of the Lake and included in its boundaries are one or two lagoons. Here again improvements are being effected. Shelter sheds and waer have been provided and plantations ■ 'stablished. There is a considerable amount of gorse on this reserve and no doubt in time it will b.e eliminated and replaced by some more desirable Growth. The beach on this domain is an excellent playground for the younger generation and on fine summer lays many families visit this locality to enjoy the breezes and the sunshine.

Palliser Bay and the neighbouring Wairarapa and Onoke lakes have attractions too, that bring many people to several popular localities in this area. Lake Ferry and the Whangaimoana Beach are always well patronised in the summer months while the Western Lake Road provides motorists with one of the most picturesque drives in any part of the Wairarapa. For over a mile the road runs through or alongside a scenic reserve of about 70 acres and the charms of this locality are many and varied. There is one particularly exquisite stretch of road in which the beech trees meet overhead. A scenic board is looking after the welfare of this reserve. Kahautara also claims a small bush reserve, which, incidentally, .was presented to the Government many years ago by a resident of that locality.

Probably the most remarkable natural formations in the Wairarapa are those known as the Pinnacles, situated a mile or so up a small stream flowing into Palliser Bay eastward of Lake Ferry and accessible by road, which crosses the stream at its mouth. These strange formations, which have been brought about by the action of the weather, resemble, as their name suggests, a number of pinnacles. At present the area on which they are located is private property and in view of the unusual nature of the pinnacles and their great scenic attraction the valley which contains them should be acquired as a public reserve.

Wairarapa towns are situated some distance from the coast, Masterton particularly, but in spite of this handicap Castlepoint, with its imposing bluff rising sheer out of the sea and its interesting rock formation on which the lighthouse is built, has developed into a popular seaside resort. Here visitors are brought face to face with bygone' ages; the rocks on which the lighthouse is located have imbedded in them a mass of shells representing forms of life that existed anything from ten to fifteen million years ago. Many Masterton residents have erected

weekend cottages at Castlepoint and during the holiday season there is invariably a good influx of visitors to enjoy a rest by the seaside. At times, some excellent fishing is to be obtained from the reef, while bathing is also a popular pastime at this attractive resort.

The only other East Coast beach to find any measure of popularity is that at Riversdale where there is a fairly extensive sandy expanse. This is the most accessible beach to Masterton, the distance being considerably ’shorter than that to Castlepoint while the road is not nearly so hilly. During the summer, Riversdale is favoured by picnic parties and one pleasing feature of the locality- is that shade and shelter trees have been established there. These prove very welcome havens during the heat of the day. Road access is provided to the coast at Land’s End and at Pahaoa but except for people living in the neighbourhood these places are seldom visited by townsfolk.