Wellington - Snowdon’s Road

**Eddieb** · 3rd April 2009, 15:56

Anyone know of it?

Apparently it's a paper road that does/used to run from Makara Village to Te Ika a Maru bay. I think the Wind farm out there is sited on top of part of it.

Does it still exist? is it worth investigating?

**junkmanjoe** · 4th April 2009, 18:35

im keen to have a look around that side of welly.
just been google maping, have you been up to the old gun inplacments out by the coast.
i think i found the road you talking about,
yea mate keen for a look around one day....

**Pickle** · 5th April 2009, 10:05

If going out that way go & talk to John Boyle, Boyle Kawasaki as they used to go riding out that way, you can get to the gun emplacements via Long Gully Station. Went there with Quad club years ago the drop down to the gun emplacement is steep & loose - then to get out you must go back up, some guys on quads were not impressed as when at the bottom you can see the big drop off down to red rocks. I wouldnt recommend a big bike like the BMW do this!
The road from Makara village you need permission from the land owner, again John knows these people.

Have fun

**wilber** · 5th April 2009, 10:42

The only road if you could call it road use to go up past the radio control building down to tecam bay which is now the new wind farm ,just past the intersection to the beach a road goes up the hill on the left at the old BCNZ village road the straight thru road takes you up to the old control building or the right out towards a couple of bays from makara beach .
Used to walk to and trap/fish and camp out at Ohau bay going past tecam many years ago .

**Sully60** · 5th April 2009, 10:50

I've riden extensivley along the northern boundaries of Terawhiti Station Right up to Quartz Hill. Back then (03) I don't recall being able to get thought the fence anywhere in that vicinity. This would be the only viable location for anything bigger than a pukka enduro machine as the terrain either side of the ridge is quite steep and the gullies that intersect the ridge are the same.
If you can get from Makara to this point you'd be fine on a big adventure bike. I've driven a two wheel drive ute to the woolshed on Terawhiti along part of this road and the section from that intersection to the bay is quite tame, although it does get quite steep in parts there's nothing unmanageable about it. In fact you'd even be able to catch a bit of air along one section with the help of a spotter (two way road).

I'd be interested in how'd you'd go about getting access from the Makara end and now into the old station now that the wind turbine project has started.

Good luck, it's a trully stunning part of the region I was privileged to ride then when I could.

**wilber** · 5th April 2009, 10:57

The whole area will be off limits until after the wind farms is finished and those old tracks thru the station have been turned into wide roads for the trucks to get the turbines into place .

**mazz1972** · 6th April 2009, 13:06

Originally Posted by wilber

The whole area will be off limits until after the wind farms is finished and those old tracks thru the station have been turned into wide roads for the trucks to get the turbines into place .

What he said. I believe they have 24 hour security in place.

We were just talking about Terawhiti Station the other night as we used to hold trail rides there....wondering if access will eventually available like it was before Meridian. The chap that used to be the onside manager (Alan, whose surname escapes me at the moment) is no longer there.

A good person to contact regarding tracks on or surrounding Terawhiti Station would be Brendan Keogh at Motorad in Welly. We used to go through Brendan when organising our trail rides. He's been involved with lots of different events up there so probably knows the tracks in surrounding areas as well.

I'd be interested to know what you find out!