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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 4, Issue 7 (November 1, 1929)

To Waikare-moana

To Waikare-moana.

The journey proper, was commenced from Napier, from which town the trampers were conveyed to Wairoa. The journey took us over Tongoio Hill, through the Devil's Elbow (a precipitous and dangerous drive) some 24 miles from Napier. We then skirted round Lake Tutira (Mr. Guthrie Smith's beautiful bird sanctuary) thence to the Mohaka River where we saw the huge viaduct in course of construction on the East Coast railway.

Arriving at Wairoa at 10.45 p.m. we witnessed an interesting Maori dance held in aid of the memorial to the late Sir James Carroll.

Leaving Wairoa the following morning, at 9.30, for Lake Waikare-moana, a 43-mile motor drive, we passed through Fraser Town (Returned Soldiers’ settlement) and the Ohuka Gorge, and saw the hydro-electric power station at Tuai. Owing to the volume of water at present flowing through the underground passage from the lake, it has not yet been found necessary to tap Lake Waikare-moana. This is a picturesque expanse of water about eleven miles in length and more than 800ft. deep—2,000ft. above sea level. Waikare-moana has an area of some 13,000 acres, which includes Wairau-moana through to the straits of Mania where Te Kooti swam his 70 horses when pursued by Government constabulary. The surrounding forest contains many varieties of rare and beautiful ferns, plants and shrubs. Dotted about this “Sea of Rippling Waters” are numerous small islands covered with luxuriant vegetation. On one of their islands, Patekaha, the natives of old buried their dead. Our party spent half a day on Lake Waikare-moana with skipper Waiteri, a courteous and obliging officer who very kindly explained all points of interest.