Off-roading in Welly area?

**nudemetalz** · 1st October 2007, 09:34

What's the story with riding at Watson's Farm by the windmill?

I went out around RedRocks on Saturday and got told by some dude in a Pajero that this summer, the Plod are going to ensure your vehicles are rego'd and WOF'd. Fat chance of that on my XR & DR.
So may have to look elsewhere to ride.

**magicfairy** · 1st October 2007, 12:54

Tis a public road, all rules appy. There was a policeman doing just that - checking WOF, Reg at the carpark last summer.

**mazz1972** · 9th October 2007, 22:35

Here's some info from the middle of last year:

Readers letter from the Dompost:

NO MORE SILK RIDERS
Access to the last place in Wellington where you can ride a motorbike off-road is being removed by Wellington City Council and police. Police have been posting notices that the south coast will be officially enforced as a “public road” and that all vehicles using it must be road-registered.
They also insist riders must have current motorbike licences.
This means that any parent wanting to teach a child to ride will no longer be able to do so on the south coast. Children won’t be allowed to ride till they are 16 and able to obtain a motorbike licence.
The south coast has been open to off-road vehicles for years and there for everyone to enjoy. The road was closed on Sundays for those who wanted to walk around without being disturbed by vehicles and vehicles had access on Saturdays.
Now, it will be closed to all unregistered, off-road vehicles - that is, motorbikes and quads. This seems to have been driven by one councillor Celia Wade-Brown, who lives in Island Bay.
It seems that the Gareth and Jo Morgans of tomorrow will not be coming from Wellington because they’ll no longer have anywhere to learn to ride off-road.

Official Wellington City Council response:

An increasing number of vehicles are using the coastal route from Owhiro Bay Parade to Karori Steam for a range of recreational activities. With this has come an increase in environmental damage to ecological areas and the potential for conflict between off road vehicle users, mountain bikers and walkers. The Council’s primary focus is to educate all users of the area to better manage these problems and avoid possible conflicts.

There is no intention by Wellington City Council to restrict areas to these user groups, rather it is to improve behaviour.

The Council has recently placed new signage in the area to help educate all users. We have also produced a ‘Vehicle Users’ Guide to the South Coast’ and are investigating a legally enforceable speed limit in the area in accordance with the South Coast Management Plan.

Users should be aware that under the Land Transport Act 1998 the definition of a road can include a beach and any place to which the public have access whether as of right or not. This means that from time to time the police may choose to undertake enforcement in the area.

Both the Council and Police believe that education of vehicle users is important for public safety.

**Southmotian** · 14th October 2007, 18:35

Originally Posted by nudemetalz

What's the story with riding at Watson's Farm by the windmill?

I went out around RedRocks on Saturday and got told by some dude in a Pajero that this summer, the Plod are going to ensure your vehicles are rego'd and WOF'd. Fat chance of that on my XR & DR.
So may have to look elsewhere to ride.

I just got a dirt bike and I'm struggling to find good places to ride too. I went around Red Rocks on Saturday, it was a good challenge in spots but I really want some forestry tracks and firebreaks. A bit more open and with less traffic & pedestrians would be great!

I live in Petone and can see tracks up on the Wainui Hill and further down, just don't know where I can get onto them.

Does anyone know of any forestry trails in the Hutt or Wainui area? Would be great to find somewhere for little 1-2 hr blats in the evening. The bike is road reg so somewhere that's a short ride away on the tarmac would be ideal

**Ocean1** · 14th October 2007, 20:17

Originally Posted by mazz1972

Both the Council and Police believe that education of vehicle users is important for public safety.

Right, the masses are revolting. Can't possibly be that they actually disagree, they're just higgerant, best we educate 'em.

Anyone else think this sort of breathtaking arrogance extremely provocative? Or is it just that I'm an antisocial prick.

Originally Posted by Southmotian

I just got a dirt bike and I'm struggling to find good places to ride too. I went around Red Rocks on Saturday, it was a good challenge in spots but I really want some forestry tracks and firebreaks. A bit more open and with less traffic & pedestrians would be great!

I live in Petone and can see tracks up on the Wainui Hill and further down, just don't know where I can get onto them.

Does anyone know of any forestry trails in the Hutt or Wainui area? Would be great to find somewhere for little 1-2 hr blats in the evening. The bike is road reg so somewhere that's a short ride away on the tarmac would be ideal

You can get up onto the gravel service road on the Wainui hill, and that gives you access to a bunch of firebreaks. Most accesses are gated and locked though, and you're not supposed to be there. Also, be aware that a couple of those firebreaks are quite steep, as in people have camped the night at the bottom... There is a huge area up Akatarawa Rd, may be a bit far for an after work blatt but Karapoti is a forrestry access road, goes all the way through to the Mungatuks on the coast side. Very good mixed riding, just watch out for 4WD's and quads. There's heaps of side tracks, you could spend a week in there and not cover them all. Some of the tracks are tricky, take care if you're alone eh? You are allowed there but you're supposed to register. Call Upper Hutt council and ask them to send you a permit.

**merv** · 14th October 2007, 20:30

Originally Posted by Ocean1

Call Upper Hutt council and ask them to send you a permit.

Just so you get this right it is call Greater Wellington Regional Council not Upper Hutt City Council for your permit which will be good for 6 months.

Read about it here http://gw.govt.nz/section550.cfm

Get your permit from this office:

Upper Hutt office

1056 Fergusson Drive
P O Box 40847
Ph 04 526 4133
Fax 04 526 4171

**wilber** · 14th October 2007, 20:33

The Watsons charge a fee for going through farm to or from beach or using the offroad track ,not sure how much but fee covers the whole day on track.

**merv** · 14th October 2007, 20:40

Originally Posted by wilber

The Watsons charge a fee for going through farm to or from beach or using the offroad track ,not sure how much but fee covers the whole day on track.

I've only been in there on organised rides (prepaid) so where do you enter the property and front up to to pay casually?

**ohcrap** · 14th October 2007, 21:03

I was out at Red Rocks on Saturday with a friend who has just purchased a KTM. Needed an easy place to ride before I take him to Karapoti. Talked to nice chap from the City Council for 5 minutes, and he never mentioned bikes needed to be registered in future. Maybe it'll be another place were they will only enforce when it suits i.e. ride like an idot and they'll throw the book at you.

**Southmotian** · 14th October 2007, 21:13

Originally Posted by merv

Just so you get this right it is call Greater Wellington Regional Council not Upper Hutt City Council for your permit which will be good for 6 months.

Read about it here http://gw.govt.nz/section550.cfm

Get your permit from this office:

Upper Hutt office

1056 Fergusson Drive
P O Box 40847
Ph 04 526 4133
Fax 04 526 4171

Thanks for that. I'll get a permit tomorrow.

Sounds like Akatarawa is the place to go, only 30 mins or so of road to get there too.

**merv** · 14th October 2007, 21:23

What sort of dirt bike did you get Southmotian?

Many of us have posted threads on the Akatarawa block riding area under that name or Karapoti so if you search you'll find plenty of pics of what its like in there.

**Southmotian** · 15th October 2007, 16:34

Originally Posted by merv

What sort of dirt bike did you get Southmotian?

Many of us have posted threads on the Akatarawa block riding area under that name or Karapoti so if you search you'll find plenty of pics of what its like in there.

It's the 93 RMX 250 that was for sale on here for ages, the road registered one.

I picked it up when it went on trademe for a really good price. It probably needs about 1k of work to get it to where I want it but it will be a good bike then & still for under 3k. It seemed pretty capable around Red Rocks, I'm sure it'll eat forestry tracks for breckie.

I did do a search and saw a bit on the Akatarawa's, was really fishing for some sneaky tracks closer to home.

Does anyone organise KB dirt rides often?

**cheese** · 15th October 2007, 18:20

Ah Karapoti, the most evil mud/clay there ever was to try and clean off a bike. I had a blast the time I gave it a go up there. Accident waiting to happen though with anything goes on the right of way and stuff though!

**Ocean1** · 15th October 2007, 18:44

Originally Posted by cheese

Ah Karapoti, the most evil mud/clay there ever was to try and clean off a bike. I had a blast the time I gave it a go up there. Accident waiting to happen though with anything goes on the right of way and stuff though!

Aw dude, was that you? Sorry 'bout that...

I don't go there on weekends nowadays, just too many idiots per square acre. Sometimes bugger off up there for a wee mid-week workout though, and yes, that yellow clay is bloody lethal, especially with a faint tinge of green algae on top.