Day Four Aramoana

Today it was time for something a little different - as it was such a nice day, I wanted to walk the Heyward Point track starting from Aramoana and so it made sense to complete the streets in Aramoana before heading up the hill to Heyward Point. Today I walked 10 streets. 

24. Pari Street
25. Kahikia Street
26. Paloona Street
27. Poto Street
28. Mokoia Street
29. Muri Street
30. Plucky Street
31. Mole Road
32. Spit Road
33. Moana Street

I really enjoyed walking around Aramoana - the name means "pathway of the sea" in Maori.  It is an idyllic and peaceful place where you feel that time has almost stopped and there is no need to rush anywhere.  The houses are a mix of cribs and permanent homes.  

Kahikia, Paloona and Mokoia Streets are nestled close to the hill giving great views of the impressive bluffs.  It is at the bottom of the this hill that the track heading up to Heyward Point starts. 

The end of Muri Street comes out at the first of two beaches at Aramoana.  This beach is a great beach to walk along and going around the headland is a good place to see large ships entering the harbour. Sadly I did not have time to walk along it today.

It is also here at the start of Mole Road that the Aramoana Massacre Memorial is.  Follow the short path through the bush to the memorial for the 13 victims killed by David Grey in November 1990.  It is a sobering place to quietly sit and think.  

Mole Road officially ends at the locked gate to the Mole but a trip to Aramoana is not complete without a walk down the Mole. The Mole is an interesting place to walk and I watched people fishing and diving as well as seals frolicking in the water and of course there are the birds - so many birds!  There are plenty of terns, gulls and shags  that have made the Mole their home.  

The view from the Mole of the second beach at Aramoana and the cliffs that lead to Heyward Point are outstanding.  It is worth taking your time along the mole as there are so many things to see and you might be lucky enough to see a ship entering or leaving the harbour while you are here.

After my excursion along the 700m of the Mole, I ventured down Spit Road as far as the locked gate to look over the salt marsh and mudflats before following Moana Street back to my car.  The salt marsh is a coastal ecosystem and the wildlife that make it their home rely on it being flooded by the tides each day.

After completing my walk along the streets of Aramoana, I took the track that leads up the hill towards Heyward Point for a view over Aramoana.  This was the perfect place to  see the streets that I had already walked down.  If you have the time, it is well worth the effort involved in this steep but short climb.  

 

Distance walked: 6.1km     Walking time 1hr  10mins    

Total distance: 24.2km       Total walking 4 hr 32 mins