Charity farm drive raises dollars for Ararimu community pool

Kevin Isemonger was keen for some off-roading after being stuck in Auckland by Covid lockdowns that seemed endless. He jumped at the chance to go driving on tracks not usually open to the public in the Ararimu area and joined 90 other keen 4WDers on the 2022 Ararimu 4WD Safari.

An email pops up on my screen from the Manukau Four Wheel Drive Club (of which I was a member back pre-kid days) asking if I wanted to come and play in the wilds of Ararimu.  In a post-apocalyptic Covid detained Auckland I said: “Hell, yeah.”
Giant leap to the keyboard – filled out the forms and bought a ticket for the ride and within a few seconds I was hooked and booked.  

I then set about helping the cause by posting on the ‘Land Rover Series 1 Enthusiasts’ Facebook page to see if any of the chaps wanted to come and play as well – but I needn’t have bothered – the whole trip was booked out in just over 24 hours.  What does that tell you?

I contacted the Land Rover Owners Club Auckland (LROCA) to see if anyone was quick enough to get in and three others were – so we had a ‘Quad-Squad’ – so to speak.
You are either into these charity safaris or not. If you enjoy meeting up with like-minded folk for a guided scenic tour of farms and stations around the country you know not to procrastinate. Hit the ‘Buy-Now’ button as quick as you can, as these tours always sell out quick!

Unfortunately, a couple of the chaps had to pull out last minute, but no dramas.  Due to an extensive ‘Wait-List’ they were refunded and another lucky 4WDer was in.
Ararimu is a beautiful valley just over the eastern ridge from Ramarama on SH1 –50km south of Auckland CBD – or in my case 30 minutes over the hill from home.

The last Ararimu Safari in 2016 was also hosted by the Manukau Four Wheel Drive Club and was a fund raiser for the Ararimu community swimming pool.  This 2022 trip had been organised in conjunction with the Ararimu Residents and Ratepayers Association to raise more funding for the community pool.

The previous event was centred in the valley and ridges just south of Ararimu School before heading north-west to traverse the high ridge line above Stevenson’s Quarry high above Drury and Ramarama overlooking SH1 and away north to the distant skyline of Auckland city.

This year the event was based a little further south at a farm off Paparata Road traversing valleys and ridges in a series of loops before again heading north west after lunch in another loop of private farm tracks.

I managed to drag my daughter’s partner Myles Naley away from his house painting for a day out, and we met up with the shiny new Club President of the LROCA, Bruce Gibson and his son Leon in their Land Rover Discovery near the Bombay Hills at 7:45am on Saturday morning. We arrived a bit early and parked up – as convoys of ‘butty’ looking 4WDs roared past us - some tooting the horn as they recognised my vehicle.

Last Ararimu 4WD Safari my youngest daughter drove my Discovery for her first foray off-road.  Following the great run up the East Cape in March with the Land Rover Series 1 group (and sorting the on-going distributer issues) I decided to treat Myles with a trip in the 1955 Series 1 Land Rover with the canvas top rolled up and door tops off.

The assembly point was on Paparata Road, which follows the ridge line of the southern defences for both pre and post European settlement for Auckland – commonly known as the ‘Bombay Hills’ and named after the ship ‘Bombay’, which landed in Auckland and brought settlers to the area, originally called Williamson’s Clearing, in 1863.

The drive got under way after a welcome speech from Sam Williams, Chairman of the Ararimu Residents and Ratepayers Association and a safety briefing from Richard Eyres and Tony Burgess. A special ‘shout-out’ to Natasha Rivai from ‘The Property Group’ who ensured the trip complied with town planning and resource management requirements. The safari would not have been able to go ahead without her help.

The assembly and exit process was well thought out with four marked out rows, thus preventing any queuing back onto Paparata Road.  The two rows of vehicles on the northern side followed Richard Eyres in ‘Scratch-Rover’ north straight out across the paddocks, while the two southern rows followed Tony Burgess and exited west back up Paparata Road to complete the track we’d follow in the afternoon.

We descended into the valley below, skirting a tempting swampy area and ascended the ridge to gain views over farmland and fenced blocks of pine and native trees. Following a most enjoyable short detour down the wrong ridge we were soon back on track to bounce off the top end of Stuart Road before descending then ascending Peach Hill (265m). Here we stopped for a windblown cup of coffee and to admire the views east over the Paparimu Valley and Auckland’s water catchment areas of the Hunua Ranges and Mangatawhiri Forest – the south blocked by the Paparata Ridge line towards the Firth of Thames.

I have to say (with mixed feelings) we were lucky with the weather. The predicted rain did not materialise, so the steep descent off Peach Hill was handled with ease and grace – as opposed to the experienced screaming and yelling coming from all-terrain, or highway-tyred SUVs sedately slithering sideways off the tracks.

With the door tops off and the canvas rolled up on the Series 1, it was definitely ‘drippy-nose’ weather as we headed north again, descending the valley before reconquering the ridge line to close our first loop.

We continued along the ridge line at 250m to descend back into the valley and exit via Lynd Road back onto Paparata Road and back to base for lunch.  

During the lunch break spot-prizes of sponsor products were handed out. I was very fortunate to win a set of ‘Truck-Claws’ which I had been researching for use on my Discovery. These are a ‘strap-on’ aluminium extrusion that is held in place by a ratchet tie-down. They are not for driving, or road use, rather is a bolt-on single ‘grouser-plate’ just for getting out of the odd slimy geographically embarrassing moment. Thank you!
After lunch we swapped routes and Tony led us back up the way we had come – to cut across private property to pop out near Ararimu School. We then weaved our way through private land at the headwaters of the Mangawheau Stream before gaining height back up the ridges at around 240m.

It was staggering how many houses dot this landscape now. Not that long ago this valley was a few large farms – but now the hillsides are dotted with new or relocated houses and kilometres of flash painted post and rail fencing.  The night would be a tell-all, with the dark still of the Hunua valley replaced with hundreds of houses ablaze with LED illumination

With the day moving on and the temperature dropping we headed back to base to relieve some mud tension by having a play in that ‘tempting swamp’ we passed earlier this morning.  After a few large tyred ‘grunters’ required recovery, a 52hp Series 1 didn’t stand a chance, so we pumped up the tyres and said our goodbyes.

The Safari raised over $9,500 for the Ararimu Community Pool from sales to 90 vehicles and raffle tickets.  A HUGE thank you to the Manukau Four Wheel Drive Club for getting in behind the project and to Natasha Rivai from ‘The Property Group’ for sorting out the compliance bits.