Walk #76, 28th December 2021

This beautiful reserve is the remnant of a forest that used to cover the area. The trees are kahikatea (white pine), totara, beech, matai, tawa and kowhai. The track forms a figure of 8 loop which we had a bit of trouble figuring out. We took the loop which follows the Tangarewai stream. 

There’s a large covered shelter and barbeque area at the entrance to the walk, provided by the Takapau Lions Club.

My ancestors settled in this area and cleared the bush on the Ruataniwha plains for farmland. I’m glad this and nearby A’Deanes Bush were spared the axe and the forests also survived the bush fires in the 1880’s.

Walk: Hawkes Bay 33

My friends on this walk are distant cousins, we three are descended from the same German couple and were there to learn some history.

Links

Monckton Walkway

History

In 1871, 250,000 acres (101,171 hectares) was purchased from the Maori for the Seventy Mile Bush, and this land was settled by assisted immigrants from Denmark, Norway and Sweden in 1872. The Danes had no experience in felling forests, but all the groups managed to clear the land and establish small farms. The townships of Norsewood, Dannevirke and Woodville were located on the new road and rail route through the bush.

Hawkes Bay region, Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of NZ

My Great-Great Grandfather Wilhelm Dassler wanted to settle on the rail route at Makotuku, but instead was allocated land at Makaretu, an out of the way settlement where he had to carve his farm out of the bush.

I know they were affected by the bush fires of 1885-86.

NEW ZEALAND’S BURNING — THE SETTLERS’ WORLD IN THE MID 1880S