New Pedestrian & Cycle Bridge to be constructed at Matakana

Allison Roe of Matakana Coastal Trail Trust talks to the group who attended the blessing

Auckland Transport  supported an iwi blessing for the new Matakana Pedestrian & Cycle Bridge on Friday, 6th May 2016

AT will be responsible for the construction, maintenance and operation of a new Pedestrian & Cycle Bridge running parallel to the existing bridge on Leigh Road. The new bridge will be a key feature of the Matakana Coast Trail and the start of the Big Omaha Trail from Matakana

The new bridge provides safe and convenient access to the popular Matakana Village area and is a joint public-private initiative funded and supported by the Matakana Coast Trail Trust, the Rodney Local Board and Auckland Transport.

The bridge will also be used as part of the Big Omaha Trail.

Construction work will commence in May and the bridge is expected to be complete by late August.

The blessing ceremony was conducted by Ngati Manuhiri who have Mana Whenua over the project area.

New Website

March 3, 2016

Welcome to the new site promoting the Big Omaha Trail – even if only tentatively at this stage as there is more work to be done! There will be a section on the rich local history of the area as well as an account of the intentions of Billy Apple to design the walk as an artwork. Take a look and see what you think. This site is the beginning of a campaign to establish this unique trail – out of Matakana – which has become the most “must see” tourist destination in Auckland. We are looking forward to feedback and support so any ideas – please contact Ian Macdonald at bigomahatrail@gmail.com.

Great Promotion by Mahurangi Matters

March 4, 2015

George Driver at Mahurangi Matters has written a great report promoting the Big Omaha Trail. It features the picture of Billy Apple holding up the milestone (kilometre stone) text that will seen at the Pakari end of the track. Billy is designing these stones to be at every kilometre mark along the track as part of his concept for the whole trail. Remember that Billy Apple’s retrospective is to launch at the Auckland City Art Gallery on the 13th March. It will be open to viewing from 14th March to 21st June

Read more at:

http://issuu.com/mahurangimatters/docs/mahurangi_matters_267_lo/1?e=2056820/11652005

Council is supporting the trail

March 2, 2015

The Chairperson Brenda Steele of the Rodney Local Board has sent us a letter of support:

“Thank you for attending the Rodney Local Board meeting on Monday, 16 February 2015 to give your interesting presentation on the proposal for a Big Omaha Trail, a 20 km trail from near Matakana township to Pakiri. As you so rightly pointed out in your presentation, the proposed route encompasses some of the most commanding views in the Region.

The Rodney Local Board wishes you every success with the initiative and is supportive of the proposal in principle. The Rodney Local Board Plan identifies walkways and cycleways as a healthy and safe alternative to vehicles and acknowledges that multi-use trails provide connectivity to towns and villages.”

Big Omaha Trail Pioneering Walk

A pioneering walk of a section of the Big Omaha Trail was organised by Luke Williamson of the Warkworth Walkers. Here is an account of the day:

“The day went well. Thirty two walkers piled aboard a bus outside the Old Masonic Hall in Warkworth and rode to Rodney Road. Here we disembarked and led by Luke Williamson, tramped down the unformed section of Schollum Road until we joined its formed section. The going was good and even though most of it was really an old formed road used regularly 50 or more years ago and is now overgrown in places by regenerating bush. Ina Shaw tells of her father using the road to take a horse over to his store in Pakiri. He also had the store at Big Omaha Wharf. The views were remarkable, over the Whangateau Harbour and the Big Omaha Valley. We stood and read the memorial of the early settlers, the Meiklejohns at the beginning of Schollum Road. Then we crossed over to the Upper Whangateau Road and had lunch at a sausage sizzle provided by Ian and Elise Macdonald. Here everyone looked at a display of the proposed route of Big Omaha Trail and listened to accounts of the early history of the valley from Hugh McKergow. Ian Macdonald gave an account of the proposed Big Omaha Walkway and the artist Billy Apple described his intention to design the walkway as part of his Auckland City environ sculptures. He envisages placing kilometre stones along its some 24K length. He is also designing a stairway in a section of the Quintal Road unformed section where it is very steep.

The party continued along towards the formed section of Quintal Road by passing with many thanks through Sally Greenwood’s property. Here we climbed on the bus again and then back to Warkworth after visiting Charlie’s to eat ice-cream.”

Ian Macdonald talks about the idea of Big Omaha Trail

Hugh McKergow talks about the local history

Billy Apple describes his intentions to design the walk as an artwork

Luke Williamson, the organiser in the bus on the way home