MOTORING IN UREWERA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19722, 13 December 1926, Page 14

MOTORING IN UREWERA

AN UNEXPLOITED RESORT fiOUTE OF SCENIC SPLENDOUR. VISIT OF INVESTIGATION. The potentialities of the L'rcwera Country as a motor Inuring resort were investigated during the week-end by a party of members of the Auckland Automobile Association, including Mr R. E. Champtaloup, Mr George Henning. Mr R. B. Spinks. Mr J. Hardie. Mr F. Diddams and Mr Hall Jones. The trip was made with a view to ascertain ing whether the roads could be advised for the average tourist. The locality has been religiously shunned by motorists through ignorance of the access and attractions. The party penetrated into the little known territory until the road became a mere horse-track. The entire trip and return to Auckland embraced just under 500 miles, and Mr Champtaloup was so impressed with its sreni*- and historical features that arrangements were made for the erection of A.A.A. signposts and an itinerary will shortly l»e available for members at the information bureau. Mr Champtaloup states that motor ists need have no trepidation in touring in this interesting country. The end of the formed road is about 75 mles from Rotorua, and the surface is generally very fair. Where the pumice sand does not provide a good surface, the road is liberally covered with river shingle and gravel. The route into the I’rewa Country branches from the Rotorua-Taupo Road about IS miles, from Rotorua. From here through Muripara to Te Whaiti the road is frequently travelled by anglers bound for tk.e Rangitaiki and Whirinaki Rivers. The real scenic beauties of the district are more remote, and only tourists who venture as far as Ruatahuna see lhe best of this supposedly inaccessible territory. Beautiful Native Bush. After leaving the Government forests near Rotorua, the road leads on to the Kaingaroa Plains, and seems to continue without end towards distant mountains. There is no sign of water on this sady waste, but more pleasant countryTs met with when the road falls for seven miles to the Muripara accommodation house. From here the route leads into a sheer hill, finding an opening in a valley which is hidden from lhe ap proach. An uphill climb and a descent bring the motorist to a tributary of the Whirinaki River, and beautiful native bush is passed until Te Whaiti is found in a cleared valley. The village repays inspection and the vicinity abounds in historic interest and relics of the Maori War. The carved Maori mo-ting house is a picturesque work of which the tourist will find few parellels. Above the accommodation house are the pits and stockades in which Te Kooti made a resolute stand against the British troops. The next section of the journey opens up native bush scenery against which the famed Mount Messenger and Motu Gorge seem colourless. The bush has not suffered at the hands of civilisation and contains shrubs and ferns which are a rarity in the most exploited areas. A road with a good metal surface winds through hills clad with native bush on I hanced by luxuriant festoons of red , rata flowers. It descends through coun- • try equally beautiful and skirts a tri- i butary of the Whakatane River. The I only touch of artificiality is the strange | contraet offered by the remarkably well- [ gravelled road. An Aged Maori Warrior. After passing through miles of uninhabited bush the traveller runs into a ■ little clearing where a twoyoom wharc I stands in a cluster of fruit trees. In it i lives Paitini, one of Te Kooti’s trusted I lieutenants, whose years have passed i the century. To the visitor who flatters I his vanity he will exhibit a bullet-rid | died overcoat which he claims was a | gift from the warrior chief. To the j old man it is “tapu.” and the infidel j European hands must not touch it. The interesting journey becomes even | more intriguing when Ruatahuna is | rea«-he<l a few miles further on. The i road comes to an end after another I four miles, ami a walk of two miles brings the visitor to a large Maori set- | tlement. Several days could be spent ' in probing the locality. Within 12 ■ miles lies the stronghold of the prophet ' Rua. From the end of the road a track ; leads to Lake Waikaremoana. Since j has been allocated for road ex- j tensions in this vicinity, it is probable I that another four or live miles will be ; open for vehicular traffic before the end I of next year. The trip offers much to the sportsman. Pheasants, rabbits, hares and quail ven- j tore on to the roadside, and the bush 1 conceals wild pigs and cattle. On the ■ Kaingaroa Plains wild horses are fre- i quently encountered.