Vandy Road and Pureora

[xj]

Dixie and I shot up to Vandy road yesterday to have a nosy at the track, and sad to report that it aint in too good of a condition. We didnt even bother to leave the main road. It appeared as if the track had not bee used for quite some time with the first hole impassable and the first 100mtrs or so of bush overgrown and very narrow.
After calling DOC today to assess the status, I was informed that the track was officially closed due to a major slip, and there was no intention to reopen the track - ever.
The nice lady at DOC, Margaret, also informed me that Pureora was closed to 4wd traffic due to logging, and was unable to give me a time as to when access was going to again be granted. Given the conversation running on another thread about camping at Pureora on Labour weekend (was it labour weekend???) that this deserved a mention.

[DJ]

The nice lady at DOC, Margaret, also informed me that Pureora was closed to 4wd traffic due to logging,

hi
which part of Pureora is closed ? Ranganui block?, KK block? Naroma,? Titirapinga ?, Te hio?, Kakahoe rd?... makes a big difference
cheers

[coxsy]

bummer was hoping to give it a try , is there to must work to fix it up a bit to make it passable

[xj]

The nice lady at DOC, Margaret, also informed me that Pureora was closed to 4wd traffic due to logging,

hi
which part of Pureora is closed ? Ranganui block?, KK block? Naroma,? Titirapinga ?, Te hio?, Kakahoe rd?... makes a big difference
cheers

She mentioned Link road especially, which is of course in the middle of the whoe shebang. If waimiha is closed then perhaps titraupenga and Kakaho are open, or vise versa.

Maybe someone needs to call and get more details.

[xj]

bummer was hoping to give it a try , is there to must work to fix it up a bit to make it passable

Hi coxsy, i assume your talking about Vandy.

the reason i called DoC in the first place was that dixie and i were going to go up with the necessary armaments and cut a swathe through to gain access and wanted to get permission first.

Apparently approx 1km in theres a major slip and there is no intention by DoC to clear the slip and re-open access. It's all over for that track cuz.

[dixie]

Hhhhmmmmm well XJ we do have access to nearly every type of excavating equipment available,maybe we offer our services to do a freebe and reopen yet another play pen for our fellow offroaders,be a dam shame to lose a track so close to town and on our backdoor.Think we might make another phone call to Margeret.

[Ben]

I went up Vandy road with a mate a year or two ago in the zuk. First hole needed a winch, but other than that it was OK. Quite overgrown, but passable then. The slip is a couple of k's up. Looks like it could be cleared with a bit of hard work from a team of guys. I have a photo I could post up.

There's also a slip at the other end that I haven't seen, but have talked to the farmer who owns the land it crosses. He was happy as for me to go up there, but said the slip was huge and had no way round.

There is another way onto the track at the Aotea harbour side, via another farmers land, not a paper road. I've talked to him too, and he was happy to let people across provided it was pre-aranged, and during the dryer months.

We walked for a fair way up the middle of the track and it looked really good. I've heard stories about it being good fun too. One involved a anxious father in law flying up there in a helicopter on a monday to look for his daughter who'd gone in there with her new hubby the day before!

I've been looking at organising another trip down there with our club to see if we can clear it.

Ben

[wopass]

let me know what happens with this as im allways keen to lend a hand

[Rangielux]

which part of Pureora is closed ? Ranganui block?, KK block? Naroma,? Titirapinga ?, Te hio?, Kakahoe rd?... makes a big difference
cheers

Hmm, just a bit more misinformation out of Doc. I do understand tho, that sometimes Doc officers misunderstand some info that they get from the area offices. (generally if there are any 4wd concerns the area manager will personally ring me)
Our club (King Country) stayed at the cabins at the HQ over the w/end (doing most of the park)and are allways in contact with the local office and I assure you Pureora is not closed . Although be aware there is logging operations going on in both the north and south blocks so care is needed. The only temporary closures that you may come across is when crews are cutting along a road side.
Link Rd/Tihoi Rd is completly open as is Waitaramona Rd and the Ngaroma block is all good. Other areas are open as usual as well. Not sure on the Waimiha area but that should be ok too.

DJ - the true "KK Block" is owned by Maraeroa C inc. and is'nt open to the public (read - don't go in there, we may never see you again!)

Re Vandy Road.
I know Waikato 4wd club did it a couple of years ago and it took them all weekend and in some parts traveled at about 100 metres per hour
Alan

[zuky]

The slip is a big puppy but nothing some spades and ground anchors couldn't fix after a few week bix. I'd be keen to lend a hand if there is a work party organised and probally lure along some others too. It would be a shame to let such a great track close. The first hole is the only real boggy bit before the slip and that is right by the road so would be easy to fix with the right toys. Then its just a matter of flatening some gorse and access to the slip would be a doddle. After the slip is fixed the track was good as far as I walked which was about 4 - 5 km (est) so even if there is a bigger slip at the other end it'd still make a good days fun going in and out

[DieselBoy]

I feel on O.R.E working-bee coming on..............................

What about organising a recky up to the slip on bikes to assess what will be needed to attempt to fix it and then take it from there.

Always keen as usual

[zuky]

Ben has a pretty good pic of the slip, I'll harase him to post it. But an O.R.E working bee is a great plan A bike rece would be an excelent start though I have to agree.

[Ben]

OK Here are a couple of pics of the slip





These were taken almost two years ago. Looking at the topo map its about 2km up the track. The hill seemed to be fairly stable rock, just lots of gravel had fallen onto the track. There are a couple of large trees that have also fallen over the track just out of view. Probably about 400mm diameter, so chainsaws required also.

Is anyone keen to go up there in a couple of weeks on the weekend of the 2nd/3rd and have a look and a go at clearing it?

Ben

[turoa]

...

[coxsy]

hi I will stick my hand up to have a look at some work down there ,

[DieselBoy]

yep

[DJ]

DJ - the true "KK Block" is owned by Maraeroa C inc. and is'nt open to the public (read - don't go in there, we may never see you again!) Allthough the "never see you again" has some appeal to my close family members ( the shits) I have been into the KK block as a invited guest? on several occasions, I forgot about you mere mortals not being able to drive in this area. But achived an answer that only parts of Link Rd are temp closed as has been for over 2 years since logging began alongside the road. thanx for the correct spelling of the local places I couldn't be bothered looking them up you, You knew whata I's ment !! now... where is Vandy Rd ?.... any one ???

[DJ]

DJ - the true "KK Block" is owned by Maraeroa C inc. and is'nt open to the public (read - don't go in there, we may never see you again!)

Allthough the "never see you again" has some appeal to my close family members ( the shits) I have been into the KK block as a invited guest? on several occasions, I forgot about you mere mortals not being able to drive in this area. But achived an answer that only parts of Link Rd are temp closed as has been for over 2 years since logging began alongside the road.
Thanx for the correct spelling of the local places I couldn't be bothered looking them up, You knew whata I's ment !!
now... where is Vandy Rd ?.... any one ???


oops round 2
the revised edition with out 'Woodies' input :drunken:

[xj]

Vandy is out Raglan way. Over the divvie, left onto waitetuna Vally road and follow ur nose.

As dixie said, we have access to nearly every type of machinery available. Diggers, Dozers, bobcats and a dingo or two. Getting any machines through the first hole might befun in itself.

I think first the first hole needs to be addressed. There is a small bridge built on one side that will need to be removed. With it in place theres bugger all room to get through. Potential of a seconds culvert pipe and some GAP40 to sort the hole itself. (as a temporary measure of course, cant take all the fun out of the entrance)

Dixie, is that dozer going anywhere in the near future that you know of?

Rangilux....... the nice lady at DoC was somewhat surprised when i mentioned that Pureora cant have been closed for all that long because we were there 7 or 8 weeks ago. She claimed it had been closed for at least 4 months. Typical govt department.

[dixie]

Dam XJ looks like we woke a few people up,good to see plenty ofpeople out there keen on a day or two of work,I should be taking all your details down and given ya all a job!!ha ha

have afew mates keen on taking some bikes up to checkout what works involvedin making it accessable,was contemplating on taking a skid steer bobcat up with me.
BUT HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT ONE OF THE NEARBY LOCALS DONT LIKE ANYONE GOING UP THERE,and when you return you find your vehicle missing headlights windows etc.
lets keep in touch im certainly keen on helping out.

[Ben]

I think the first hole could almost be a good thing, as it might stop just anybody from going up there and getting stuck and annoying the locals asking for tows etc.

When I talked to the farmer at the other end he mentioned that the guy at the start didn't seem to like people going up there, but didn't know why. Wasn't sure if he was growing up there, or something else.

Strange as the guy had a nice looking little bush zuk parked in his garage. Was quite a bling house though...
There was some dude in a paddock at the house who gave us a freindly wave as we went past, so I dunno.

Do we need to talk to anyone before we start taking machinery up there??

So far we have:
Me
Hugo (zuky)
Coxsy
DieselBoy
xj?
Dixie

You guys all keen for the 2nd or 3rd?

Ben

[xj]

First hole............ not such a good thing if we gotta get machines through there to clear the track, especially machines that we dont own.

[wopass]

pfft, you could drive that im sure wopass would give it a go anyway

nope

but i will lend a hand when ever is decided

[zuky]

Man that's a good looking truck in that photo Ben Must be a lucky guy who drives that

[mercutio]

i own a little digger and i mean little 1.5 ton would that be any use i would have to go and pick it up from tokoroa but can grab it any time

[coxsy]

hi coxsy wil have to drive over bombays all the way for darkest mangere but be there on the date you deceide on probs,

[xj]

mercutio, you can grab urs if u want, or you can come and select anything from a 1.5 to a 12 tonner, or a skidsteer bobcat, or a dingo, maybe a 3tonne loader.............. or........ im sure we can hook up bodies with shovels, whatcha reckon dixie? Shovels????

[mercutio]

okay the other question iis how do we get it through the bog i was sort of thinking of loading my little digger onto my old mans 2.5 ton truck with the idea of maybe pulling it through the bog

is that a silly idea

[xj]

not a silly idea at all. Dixie and i been plotting this.

Set up straps on other side, drive digger in, hook it up and it can pull itself out (if need be) Skid steer bobcat might just drive its way right through. Loader might need a hand, but nothing that Bar'dup's winch and a pully cant handle hey Dixie?

Or.. as i suggested yesterday, a temporary solution could be to scrounge a seconds culvert pipe, slap it in, run some GAP40 in there to enable decent temporary access, the gap40 will eventually wash away and the pipe can be removed easily enough

[dixie]

HEY HEY winching through shouldnt be a prob but nothing to winch back out on!!
Hey Merc any tools are better than none,but I would really like to chat to the cocky on this side just to see if we can build some kind of understanding that were not up there to interfere with any buso he has going on,or maybe hes just pissed at some tosser doing something they shouldnt have been from what ive heard hes probably not the the dude to be f###in with.

But at the end of the day the land is directed by DOC and if we stick to the rules and not step on toes we just maybe able to retrieve another play ground back

Hey Ben any chance of chatting to the other cocky you know and teeing up access from his side?