• Welcome to the Masterton Tramping Club website, we are a small, friendly and active club. We offer a wide variety of adventures throughout the year. These trips vary from easy, one day walks, to multi day camping trips in the south island.

      Masterton Tramping Club

    • Welcome

      We meet on the first Wednesday of each month (except January) at the Masterton Community Centre, 41 Perry Street. Meetings start at 7.30pm, and at most meetings we have a guest speaker or some form of training. Visitors and prospective members are encouraged to come along to meetings and join a trip.

       

      Some examples of past trips include:

      • Family day trip to Kapiti Island
      • Camping at top of Cone, Tararuas
      • Easy overnighter to Tutuwai Hut
      • Week long adventure past Dragon’s Teeth in Kahurangi National Park
      • Off-track adventure, Kiriwhakapapa area, Tararuas

       

      We organise a trip most weekends, either a local trip usually on a Sunday, or a longer overnight trip which may go beyond the immediate area of the Tararuas.

       

      Trip categories are:

      • Easy: 4-6 hours, possibly hills with plenty of rest stops. Suitable for beginners.
      • Easy+:  4-6 hours, probably some short hills.
      • Average: 5-8 hours, some hills, fewer rest stops. Suitable for people with reasonable fitness and some experience.
      • Fit: 6+ hours per day, lots of hills, may go off-track, stops for lunch and ‘smoko’. Suitable for experienced trampers with good fitness.

       

      We suggest the new members start with an Easy trip to assess their fitness.
      The Club has some equipment available for members to borrow.

    • Upcoming Trips

      If you're interested in joining us on any of our trips, please come along to our Club night and make contact with the trip leader.

      We usually offer a trip each weekend, either a day trip on a Sunday, or an overnight tramp. Day trips are a great way to gain fitness without having to carry a heavy pack. Each trip has an indicated grading, and approximate transport cost. All potential members are urged to start with an easy trip so as to judge their fitness, confidence and ability. If in doubt check with the trip leader.

               Please adhere to the Covid 19  traffic light system.  See Covid 19 and DOC for more information

       

       

      Autumn Trip Schedule

      APRIL

       

      3 April

      Pinnacle High Point - Quick up and back trip to Pinnacle high point.  The trip is approx. 30 min along the river, 60 min up the hill and 30 min along the top to the view.

      Leader: TBC

      Grade Easy +  Cost $8

       

      6 April 

      Club Night

      News, trips done, trips coming up and a cuppa.

      Guest: Tony Spittle - Banks Peninsula and the Milford track

      10 minute training - Bring your most essential survival item you take tramping (excluding your PLB)

       
       

      10 April

      WMSC Duathlon Wairarapa Multi Sports Club Duathlon. 

      MTC assist with marshals on the running section in Tararua Forest Park. Annual Club fundraiser. 

      Please contact Tony S 022 454 1107 or Sandra 06 377 7360 if you would like to help marshal. First aid certificate preferred. Two Club members can have their 1 day first aid course paid for – Contact Sandra. 

      Grade Easy. Carpool cost $10

       

      19 – 21 April 

      Ruapehu trip Staying at the Forest and Bird lodge. 

      Booked – Trip full

       

      23 or 24 April

      Tinui Cross Walk through native bush and exotic forestry to arrive at the Anzac memorial cross in just over 1 hour. Steep in places. No dogs. 

      Leader TBC. 

      Grade Easy. 

      Carpool cost $10

       

      1 May

      Cone Saddle Loop From Walls Whare road end, along the river track, turn off at Makaka Creek and head SW to Cone Saddle. Follow the main Cone track back to the road end. (Or 30th April)

      Leader: Sandra Burles. 021 061 7054 

      Grade Ave.

      Carpool cost $10

       

      4 May

      Club Night News, trips done, trips coming up & a cuppa.

      Guest: Peter Laurenson, Khumbu – Pathways to Kinship.

      10 min training: Guess that tramp quiz

       

      8 May

      Kaitoke Norbits creek loop

      Leader: Denise Stagg. 021 1161424

      Grade: Easy

      Carpool cost TBC

       

      14 – 15 May 

      Totara Flats hut from Mount Holdsworth road end Up the Gentle Annie track, and take the Totara Flats turnoff to head down the rough hill track before reaching the bush track sidle. Cross the new swing bridge to the hut. 

      Leader: Nigel Boniface Ph 06 378 6556 

      Grade: Ave. 

      Car pool cost $10

       

      22 May

      Blue Range Hut From Kiriwhakapapa road end, along the valley and up the hill to visit our club hut. Top up the rat bait. 

      Leader: Tony Spittle Ph 022 454 1107 

      Grade: Easy + 

      Carpool cost $10

       

      28 May 

      Wairarapa Walking Festival launch walk Join Wairarapa locals to celebrate the launch of the Festival. Meeting place and walk will be announced closer to the time. Walk will be approx. 1 – 2 hours, mainly flat terrain, in Masterton. 

      Contact: Sandra B 021 061 7054 

      Grade Easy.

       

      1 June 

      Club Night News, trips done, trips coming up & a cuppa. 

      Annual General Meeting. 

      Special presentation slideshow for the AGM: 2021 – 2018 National FMC photo competition photos received from all NZ Clubs.

       
       

      12 June 

      Boggy Pond and Wairio tracks Follow the wetland and stop-bank tracks to check out Wairarapa Moana, Boggy Pond and Wairio wetlands. We have booked a botanist to join us! 

      Leader: Sandra Burles 021 061 7054 

      Grade Easy 

      Carpool cost $10 -$15

       

      22 - 24  June 

      Haurangi Hut, Orongorongo Valley Spend 2 nights at this bookable hut and explore the tracks in the Valley. 

      Hut cost $18.80 pp for 2 nights. Only sleeps 10 people max. 

      Leader: Sandra Burles 021 061 7054 

      Grade Easy 

      Carpool cost $TBC

       

      24, 25 or 26 June 

      Fensham Reserve Lots of options here - loop tracks, the lookout, check out the weta hotels & great track views. Pick the best weather day.

      Leader: Viv Webster Jones 021 0857 9074

      Grade: Easy.

      Carpool cost $10

       

       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

       

       

       

       
       

       

       

       

       

       

       

    • Trip Reports

      Read about some of the trips we've been on recently

      Tinui Cross Walk
      Trip to Tinui Cross Sunday 24 April.  We couldn’t have wished for better weather for our walk up to the Cross. We choseSunday 24 so as to avoid the groups that will go up on ANZAC day. There were 7 of us…Sandra, Katrina, Laura, Mike, Phil, John and David.On the way up we stopped for morning tea...
      Read more...
      Totara Flats
      7 happy campers headed to Totara Flats on 15th - 16th January for an overnight trip. Nigel, Phil, David, Steve, Ben, Vinnie and Bob enjoyed the fine weather at the Flats.   55  
      Read more...
      Cookhouse Trip
      May 13, 2022
      January 2022 started with a trip of camping trips. First up: The Cookhouse trip, led by Jason. Dinner with Catriona, Shona, Nigel, Jason, Lee, Sandra. On Sunday a walk to the 875 HP - beautiful views and native forest to walk in.  
      Read more...
      More Posts

    • Club History

      The Club was formed in 1957 with the amalgamation of the YMCA Tramping Club and the Masterton Outdoor and Social Club.
      At that time members were also participating in the construction of what was to be called Blue Range Hut, a joint exercise with the NZ Forest Service.
      The Club also inherited a hut at Mitre Flats, the second hut at that location.
      The Hut on the Atiwhakatu River was built during 1968.
      Today the Club still maintains Blue Range Hut, it being a non core hut, for DoC and the community. The Tararua Aorangi Rimutaka Huts committee helps with funding for this work.
      The third hut at Mitre Flats, and the second Atiwhakatu Hut are both core DoC Huts, although Club members still help with minor repairs and maintenance.

       

       

       

    • Huts

      Blue Range Hut

      Grid Reference: E1812491, N5481135 (NZTM2000)

      Bunks: 4 Single
      Cost: 1 Standard Hut Ticket
      The Hut was built during 1957 and 1958 by members of the newly formed Masterton Tramping Club, and staff from the NZ Forest Service. The Club organised a trip at fortnightly intervals for 18 months to carry the materials up, with regular races to see how many return trips could be made in one day, it is nearly a 700 metre climb.
      The Hut was opened by Mr. D.Blythe (NZFS) and Ted Esler, an early member of the Club, on Sunday 9th November 1958.
      More Info

      Atiwhakatu Hut

      Grid Reference: E1806817, N5472972 (NZTM2000)

      Bunks: 26 bunks in three separate rooms
      Cost: 1 Standard Hut Ticket
      The first hut was built in 1968 as a joint venture between the Club and NZFS, and slept 8-10.
      When the hut was opened it was a three hour walk along the Atiwhakatu track, which had many climbs and descents, no wonder that the river was a popular option.
      Today, with the new(ish) track it is an easy 90 minute walk, and about 30 minutes for a fit mountain runner.
      The new hut, built by DoC, was opened in June 2009. It is a much larger 12 bunker of the latest design.
      Due to unprecedented demand DoC once again extended it, to its new 26 sleeping design in 2013. The club no longer maintains this hut.
      More Info

      Mitre Flats 3

      Grid Reference: E1808985, N5477084 (NZTM2000)

      Bunks: Two platform Bunks, sleeps 14
      Cost: 1 Serviced Hut Ticket
      After many years of consultation and fund-raising Mitre Flats 3 was constructed in 1988 by the Department of Conservation at a total cost of $29,000. With $4,000 being donated by Masterton Tramping Club, (including $400 from Masterton Licensing Trust, $275 from South Wairarapa Tramping Club and $25 from Kaumatua Tramping Club).
      The first hut was built in 1935 and the second hut was built in 1953
      More Info

    • Library

      Masterton Tramping Club has some books that we are happy to lend out. If interested please enquire by contacting us.

      Books available to lend

      Wairarapa. An Historical Excursion Bagnall, A.G. (1976)

      North Island, Weekend Tramps Barnett, S (2002)

      Plant Icons of New Zealand Church G. and Greenfield P. (2005)

      New Zealand Endangered Species. Birds, Bats, Reptiles, Freshwater Fishes, Snails and Insects. Cusa, N.W., Lockley M. (1980)

      Where to Find Birds of the Wairarapa Dennison T, Scadden, Watt B

      Some Better Known NZ Wild Flowers and Birds Department of Tourism and Publicity

      The Natural World of New Zealand. An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of NZ's Natural Heritage Hutching G (1998)

      The Reed Handbook of Common New Zealand Birds Kinsky F.C., Robertson C.J.R. and Marshall J (1987)

      New Zealand Islands McGeorge P and McGeorge R (2004)

      New Zealand; Land of Birds Moon G. (2001)

      Spot X, Tramping New Zealand. Over 400 Tracks Moore, C. (2007)

      Wairarapa, A Place Apart. Nikolaison P. and Wall M. (2006)

      Ruahine Forest Park. A guide to Family Walks, Tramping Tracks and Routes Ombler, K (1993)

      202 Great Walks. The Best Day Walks in NZ Pickering M. (2003)

      The Four Corners of New Zealand Reed A.H. (1954)

      Wairarapa Walks Rhodes, J. and Cederman, A. (1989)

      Tararua Footprints. A Tramper's Guide to the Tararua Ranges Rodgers, M (1996)

      New Zealand Bird Portraits Soper M.F. (1963)

      New Zealand, Portrait of a Nation Stewart, G. (1985)

      From Mountains to Sea. The Story of Westland National Park Te Papa Atawhai, Department of Conservation (1990)

    • Get in contact

      Use the form to enquire about going tramping, joining the club or just to seek general information about tramping in the local ranges.

      41 Perry St, Masterton
      mastertontc@gmail.com
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