Running a tag-along or safari is a big commitment that takes a lot of time and effort and it is usually a few who do most of the work. The Whangamata 4x4 Club is a young organisation with only a small membership of approximately ten active members, but they’re a very community-minded bunch. 

Not satisfied with doing a simple fundraising safari last year to start the season off, they were back for something a little more challenging to finish the season with their Tour de Whanga. Again the event would raise funds for the community, this time the Whangamata Area School and the local pony club.

Originally it was going to be a teams event for tougher vehicles, but, as with all good things, plans change and evolve. The idea was a safari with more challenging tracks and obstacles for participants to play on.

Camping was available on the school ground and there was access to hot showers, but not too many took up the option as it was mid-May and the forecast was not the best. Thankfully the weather forecasters were wrong again and we had fine days, although it cooled off quickly in the late afternoon and evening.

Saturday started with registration at the Whangamata Area School, although the start was delayed due to the Targa Motorsport event closing off the main road to Whiritoa. This caused those coming from the Bay of Plenty and south to back track and take the long way round through Paeroa and over the Kopu Hikuai Road. 

After a briefing by organiser Brendon Pugh and a welcome from school principal Ross Preece, we headed out north to Opoutere and into the Matariki Forest block. 

Leading us into the forest was Brendon Pugh driving the Top to Bottom Toyota FJ Cruiser. Toyota NZ had kindly loaned the vehicle to the event for the weekend and everyone was keen to see it in action.

The first part in the forest was to convoy up to a lookout point known locally as ‘Savages’, where we were treated to coastal views out toward Slipper Island and the smaller islands of Rabbit and Penguin. Here the latecomers caught up and the wise ones aired down their tyres.

From here we wound our way on a tight bush track to come out on Staircase Road, which was aptly named in places as it wound its way around a hill.  Conditions were slippery but there was plenty of rock and hard surface below. Two or three of those who didn’t air down or were on all terrain tyres did find it a bit slippery but all made it in the end. 

Another hill that was thought would be challenging for a few proved easy in the end, but as it was up a steep hill and there was only room for one vehicle at a time to turn around, there was a further delay while drivers gave it a go. If there hadn’t been so many trees on the top of the hill it would have provided excellent scenic views of the Coromandel Ranges, but people still enjoyed it for the challenge of achieving the climb.

After this we made our way back out to the road and headed off to another block on the peninsula near Onemana. Unfortunately, since the recce the weekend before and approval from the forest management, the track was now closed due to logging. Oh well, on to the next track. This was a bit tighter and wound through the trees and downhill where there was a deep crossing.

Bill Ryan chose to park up his 200 Series Cruiser for this track and jumped in to ride shotgun with me in a quality Land Rover. As there was a holdup getting vehicles through the crossing at the bottom he even got to drive it while I walked down to get some photos of the successful attempts and many more of the unsuccessful ones.

The hole had a steep entry and what seemed like a big hidden rock in the bottom on the left. As each vehicle went through – more often on the end of a rope – the hole seemed to get deeper to the point that many now looked at the bypass track through the trees. Even this had a little challenge with an off camber side slope and a muddy patch to negotiate between trees at the bottom.

The final section was on a small block belonging to a local contractor. It had a large, long mud run for those who really fancied a challenge. Several of the ‘tough’ guys gave it a go but I only saw one vehicle actually complete it, and that was Chris Trundle from Taranaki. His substantially modified GQ Nissan climbed out the other end on the third attempt with a very high revving turbo diesel singing its tune, however the drive belts had apparently come off the engine.

The next day it was breakfast at the school, proudly cooked by the dads of the students (the mothers had done the lunches on Saturday). They had catered so well there was plenty for those who wanted seconds or even thirds. 

After breakfast, Kris Glucina of the Whangamata 4WD Club presented a cheque to Ross Preece for $3,000, being part of the proceeds raised from the weekend. Later on a further cheque was presented to the Whangamata Pony Club.

Suitably fed and with the group photos taken it was off to a farm trip in the Wentworth Valley on the property of John Shearer, who has turned over his barn and several acres of land to the Whangamata Pony Club. He has also built a show ring for them. Now he was turning over more of his property to us for a few hours. There were stream crossings, bogs, winding tracks up the hills and steep descents.

There were three groups: the tough guys, the shinies, plus a special play area for those in side-by-side Polarises and Can-Ams.  For a couple of hours we toured around various parts of the farm driving some interesting bits, including a rocky creek run.

A little trick Brendon Pugh had up his sleeve was a slalom where the driver wore a blindfold and had to drive between winding pegs set out on a very muddy track responding to the directions of their passenger. The track got worse with each vehicle pass and a soft spot formed catching out those who drove into it.

It was a fun way to finish off the weekend and also the safari season for 2013-2014.