Mavora Lakes

Cambo the shuttle driver picked six of us up and dropped the other four off up the Rees Valley. We continued on towards the Greenstone and were nearly at Kinloch when Cambo got a call to say two of the lads he'd dropped off were in the wrong place, they were supposed to be coming to the Greenstone as well. The upshot was we scored a free coffee in Kinloch, but got to our trail very late with a big day stretching ahead of us. So we motored up the manicured Greenstone Track in 30 degree heat, had a late lunch at Greenstone Hut, took off again heading for Taipo Hut hardly having time to admire the kakariki, robins, riflemen and bellbirds. Lucky for us the massive tree falls had all been cleared just three weeks before, and the track was in good condition and in parts was a little like the Ruapehu Round the Mountain Track.

Passburn Valley

We enjoyed the track until the descent which was a bit boggy, nearly claimed my shoe and covered me to the knees in mud. We got to the hut at 5.45 pm and plunged straight into the gorgeous swimming hole in the Mararoa River just below the hut.

Mararoa River Valley

Next day we walked through a totally different but lovely open landscape, the Thomson and Livingstone Ranges on either side. Reaching Boundary Hut was very symbolic - here almost exactly two years ago we had met the young couple, Johno and Corrine, who were walking the Te Araroa Trail and inspired us to try it ourselves.

North Mavora Lake

An odd thing - there was a jet boat perched high up on a bank, way above the river. We thought it odd, and discovered later that a young lad had taken his Dad's jet boat joyriding up the river and smashed it - and hurt himself in the process. We later watched a helicopter retrieving the boat and wondered at the expense.



 We found a lovely spot to camp on the edge of the North Mavora Lake, and enjoyed mushrooms Rob had gathered en route and some delicious pasta donated to us by our camping neighbours.


Our final day on the Mavora was a day of angels, starting with the neighbours bringing us fresh fruit. We think they felt sorry for us, packing up our tent in the rain. We then foolishly turned down an offer of a ride, and plodded down the long, long road for 5 hours. We had heard the riverside track was a mess, and opted to walk out the quickest way. After doing 24 km we'd had enough and very dark clouds were gathering to the SW. Then Tony the Australian fisherman rescued us, went miles out of his way and dropped us at the highway so we could hitch to Te Anau for a much needed rest and resupply. In a few minutes with the skies about to open another angel - the local Presbyterian Minister Karl - picked us up and took us all the way to the door of the YHA - right next to his church! Which is where we are now before we head off into the wild Takitimus.

Notes:

Day 58: Greenstone carpark to Taipo Hut. 21 km
Day 59: Taipo Hut to North Mavora Lake campsite. 28 km
Day 60: North Mavora Lake to near Mossburn/Te Anau junction. 28 km
Day 61: Rest Day, Te Anau