Showcasing regional parks this week

Regional residents are spoilt for choice this week [beginning 6 Feb] with three family-friendly events in Greater Wellington’s Great Outdoors summer events programme.

The events are based in Lower Hutt, providing a great showcase for regional parks and what they offer to locals and people from the wider Wellington region, says Parks Marketing and Design Team Leader Andy Nelson.

“Regional parks are for everyone to enjoy – and with these events, we’re showing that there’s something for all ages and most abilities,” he says.

If this week’s events don’t suit you, there are 33 more before the Great Outdoors 2012 programme finishes in April. For the full programme, see www.gw.govt.nz/events.

Summer Sampler – Back of the Bay Forest Walk

Enjoy a guided evening walk with gorgeous sunset views over Lowry Bay and Wellington Harbour. “This walk in native forest is an old favourite, and we’ve had it on the programme for many years – the evening light and the beautiful surroundings make it a pretty special experience,” says Andy.

The walk is ranger-led and as well as enjoying the views, you’ll learn more about the local forest ecosystems.

When: Wednesday 8 February, 6.30-8.30pm
Where: East Harbour Regional Park
How to get there: Turn off Marine Parade onto Cheviot Rd, entrance at the end of the road
This is a free event, moderate fitness required. Booking is essential – bookings@gw.govt.nz or 04 830 4041. More information: www.gw.govt.nz/events.

Daughter, Mother, Grandmother Mountain Bike Ride

“A nice, cruisy bike ride for women of all ages,” is how Ashley Burgess describes this event.

Ashley is the co-founder of Revolve, the women’s cycling club leading this event in Belmont Regional Park.

“We want to show women what a fun, sociable activity mountain biking can be – and that you don’t need to exhaust yourself on difficult tracks. So we’ll be doing some of the beginner trails up to the Korokoro Dam, with lots of opportunities to stop and enjoy the scenery, and then we’ll have a shared lunch.”

When: Saturday 11 February, 10am-12noon
Where: Belmont Regional Park
How to get there: From Ngauranga, turn left from SH2 at Cornish St, or if coming from the north, follow the signs to Korokoro, then turn left into Pito-One Rd.
This is a free event, moderate fitness required. Booking is essential – bookings@gw.govt.nz or 04 830 4041. More information: www.gw.govt.nz/events.

The Hutt Great Gravel Grab

The Hutt Great Gravel Grab is a great opportunity for you to score some river stones for your garden landscaping and at the same time understand why Greater Wellington extracts gravel.

“Gravel can build up in certain parts of rivers, leading to higher flood levels and an increased risk to roads, homes and businesses in these areas,” says Greater Wellington’s Flood Protection Manager Graeme Campbell.

“We extract gravel from rivers to reduce this problem – but the process must be carefully managed because if too much gravel is extracted, the river can eat away at the banks and cause erosion.”

When: Sunday 12 February, 10am-2pm
Where: Hutt River Trail, Moonshine Rd
How to get there: Enter off Moonshine Rd
Bring: Trailer and a shovel

This is a free event. No need to book, just turn up with your trailer and shovel. We will also have a machine on site which may be available to help load your trailer. More information: www.gw.govt.nz/events.