On the 3rd of July, 1919, Mr W.H. Field, MP for Otaki and Mr F.W Vossellor “called a meeting of tramp enthusiasts…to consider the formation of a Tararua Club in Wellington”. Almost a 100 years later, the Tararua Tramping Club is gearing up for its centenary celebrations.
As well as a Centenary Dinner, and launch of Leading the way – 100 years of the Tararua Tramping Club, by Shaun Barnett and Chris Maclean, the TTC is holding a Commemorative Tramp. The first club trip was a day tramp up Mt Kaukau, and TTC think that its fitting they make a repeat of that first outing.
As part of the build up to the centenary, TTC ran a series of 100 Year Reminiscence Talks, with presentations from members from back in the day. We’ve summarised these below, from the original post on the TTC website under 2018 club meetings:
100 Year Reminiscence Series – Part 1
John Gates recalls the hot summer day in 1949 when negotiating the Mid-Waiohine Gorge, his party was astonished to come across two men dressed in leather flying jackets and helmets…
100 Year Reminiscence Series – Part 2
In 1977 the most difficult place to visit on earth was South Georgia Island which Alan Knowles and three mates wanted to explore. After seven years, hundreds of letters, top level negotiations, war and a false start, The New Zealand South Georgia Expedition 1984 boarded an RAF flight in Oxford bound for Ascension Island, and from there to the south Atlantic …. deputy leader Alan Knowles will show slides of minefields, sea elephant attack, exciting science, 17 peaks including 5 first ascents.
100 Year Reminiscence Series – Part 3
Margaret Foden presents ” What we did in the Sixties” a nostalgic look at club activities when we were young.
100 Year Reminiscence Series – Part 4
Over one hundred years ago Ian Baine’s father, Jack, built the first Baine iti Hut beside the Orongorongo River. Making use of his family’s extensive photo collection, Ian takes us back to those magical pioneering days of tramping in the valley.
The above photos and captions were sourced from the Tararua Tramping Club webpage ‘2018 club nights’. To learn more about TTC’s centenary celebration, please visit their club website. To ask questions about running your own commemorative tramp for your club, please contact FMC’s Development Officer.
