Overview
Fri. July. 28.
Fine clear day. Visited the mouth of Manawatu R[iver] accompanied by Messrs Rod McDonald + E.S. Lancaster. We met at Mr. McDonald’s homestead at 9.10am + left on horseback a few minutes later proceeding via Levin-Foxton Main Road. After passing Heatherlea cross-roads, Mr. McDonald points out Piha trig., a high group of dunes south-west of the Poroutawhao Native settlement, the site of a Maori burial ground from time immemorial. Also, Whangangi, a conical dune + long [casturand trending?] ridge of blown sand, situated about half-way between Piha + Moutere. Passing the head of the Kaihuka Swamp which drains into Lake Horowhenua, the linear series of swamps + lakes from the Kaihuka to Papaitonga brought up the question as to whether this line was a[n] old course of the Manawatu R. Personally I feel sure that it was not as strips of the Horo[whenua]. sandstone formation lie athwart this supported old course. At Poroutawhao the sandstone formation extends right to + doubtless under the dune belt indicating that former courses of the Manawatu R. never extended south of this point On the other hand, the cliffed western edge of the sandstone formation from [Makorua?], past Shannon + then southward to the vicinity of the old church just north of Porotahao [Porotawhao] show that the course of the Manawatu R. did formerly trend much further south than at present. The next subject of discussion was the origin of the vast quantities of totara logs found buried along this coast, principally in swamps + hollows
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Lying between + among the ridges and hills of the dune belt. Mr. McDonald held that the totaras grew were [?sic - where] found + were thrown down by some natural catastrophe, such as a tidal wave, since the trunks are said to all lie pointing in one direction. Mr. Lancaster’s opinion was that the totaras came down the Manawatu River during floods, were carried out to sea + later cast ashore along the beaches, the slow uplift of the land being the cause of the distribution of logs over a large area of country extending some miles inland. I favoured the latter theory but evidence that came to light during todays explorations supports the other theory to a certain extent + seems to indicate that patches of totara bush did grow in certain favourable locations within a mile or two of the present shore-line though at the same time the greater number of the logs were evidently transported to their present resting-places. This discussion led to the citation of instances of buried timber in the Ohau fan. Mr. McDonald related how a branch of a rata was found at a depth of 27 feet in section [missing word] in the centre of Levin, + Mr. L[ancaster]. Mentioned a rimu log found at a depth of about 50ft at the Anglican
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Parsonage in Cambridge St. north. Mr. McDonald pointed out the former site of a Maori pah [sic] called [Whareteaura?] on west side of Levin-Foxton road at end of long straight stretch, +c. second angle of road south of [Oturoa?] Rd junction; and another old pah, the Oturoa Pah, was located between the main road + the river about ¾ mile above the Wirokino Bridge. We turned off down Oturoa Road + followed it as far as the Totara home-stead. A great fkat, a drained swamp trending NE – SW [northeast – southwest], is occupied by the Oturoa Soldiers’ Settlement. Dunes of blown sand surround it on all sides + the drainage trenches lead away to the Manawatu R. in the vicinity of the Wirokino Bridge. Mr. McDonald also informed us that the minor dunes of the dune-belt were originally [?] with bracken; later this was replaced by native grass resembling [cutch?] + later still the manuka scrub took possession of large areas as at present. We left Ohuroa Road + went through the old “Totara” property, crossing several flat paddocks + getting out on the uncultivated dunes on the north-west side of the Oturoa Flat. Hereabouts the dunes have the form of high razor-back ridges trending roughly east + west (more correctly SE – NW) and are “[fixed?]”
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by native grasses, shrubs +c + in some places by the recently introduced lupin. We ascended to the top of a high ridge + followed it westward for some distance + then [erouned?] a deep V-shaped hollow to the next ridge to the north. This we followed to the trig. stn. [station] called Sugarloaf + got an excellent view of the surrounding country. Westward of this spot, the dunes are drifting + there are great wastes of bare sand – marrow grass has been planted along the eastern edge of this area. Northward we could see great shining stretches of the Manawatu River. Took a 1/4pl[ate]. photo (1) looking east showing high narrow ridges of blown sand – Wirokino Bridge in distance. Descended from trig. to the belt of marrow grass + took 1/4pl. view (2) of this looking NE. We then rode across low dunes of drifting sand + damp flats in hollows to the Manawatu R. which we reached at 12.25 pm. At the part known as Hartley’s Bend. In the old days (30 years ago) this was an important spot being a “port of call” for the old coach [erures?] along the coast + a stopping place for travelling stock there being good paddocking here then. How great a change now! The bend of the river is now very nearly half-a-mile further south of its former position
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as a result of the meander erosion + the homestead + greater portion of the fine level paddocks at Hartby’s Bend have been swept away, as well as the old coach road which formerly ran along a beach bordering the river. To-day, the south bank of the Manawatu at the bend is a vertical cliff still being [underent?] by the river + some 25ft. above slide river level. The north bank at this point is a low marshy area which is being gradually pro-graded as the south bank recedes. The cliffed bank is stratified as follows:- From river-level; 6ft of dark river silt with prostrate trunks of large trees lying on its upper surface. These are overlain by 9ft of blown sand. Then there is a surface with many stumps of trees in situ + overlain in turn by 7ft of blown sand. The blown sand has numerous other old land enfaces at various levels, + the upper surface has a band of ferruginous character a foot below ground level which is here the surface of the old accommodation paddocks of Hartley’s Bend. Further back from the river fair-sized dunes of bare sand surmount this surface. ¼ pl. photo (3) of the cliffed south bank at Hartley’s Bend looking down stream. We walked a little distance up the south (left)
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bank to where the buried forest mentioned above has been resurrected by the removal of the overlying blown sand over an area of ½ to ¾ acre. Some 40 or so stumps of trees from 15 [ins- inches?] to 2ft. in diameter stand where they grew, with roots in position + in many cases with bark intact. Most of the trees appear to be beech but we also noted totara + big manuka. Took a 1/2pl.photo (4) of this resurrected forest looking SW. On its southern side the forest surface runs under the overlying blown sand, one or two [mesas?] of the surface of which recur surrounding the forest surface. Owing to the erosion of the river this extremely interesting resurrected forest is likely to disappear at an early date. As we were lunching on the river-bank, the small cargo steamer “Kennedy” came down the river from Foxton, hugging the [concave?] shore in the Bend in order to keep in the deepest water. We left on horseback at 1.40 pm + rode down the left bank not far from the river. [?] traces of the old coach track. Came upon a Maori whare in a snug spur near the uppermost pair of signals set up to guide the steamers in correct channel. Got into conversation with these Natives (William Eperaima, his wife (the chief Shakara’s daughter + some
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relatives, a good looking young woman + a couple of Maori boys. Took 1/2pl. photo (5) of the whare, the owners + our party. The old man pointed out the course of the Manawatu R. at Hartley’s Bend of 30 years ago. Proceeded along the edge of the river to mouth which we reached at 2.40pm. The seaside resort on the other bank looks quite a big place from this side. Passed some Maoris white-bait fishing. The bar of the river is not very distinct but its approximate position is indicated by breakers out from the shore. On the south side of its mouth the coast-line is being prograded by sand from the river + here projects a good distance seaward of the line of foredunes. Along here the foredune presents an unbroken glacis to seaward. The tide being out we had a broad stretch of hard sand to gallop over + made rapid proress. At first the Hydrabad was practically out of sight. About 1 1/?) miles south of the Manawatu River we crossed the foredune to the waste of bare sand behind + at a spot about 5 [?] back from the foreshore saw one of the huge [?] totara logs which had been dug up + partly split into posts – took 1/4pl. photo (6) of this. About three miles further on we saw the last remains of
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the oldest wrecked vessel on this part of the coast – just a few timbers showing above the sand. Mr. McDonald said a second wreck was a small boat that turned [turtle?] and the third was the Hydrabad. About ½ mile north of Wairarawa Stm. [Stream] we saw an old post + wire fence that had been erected across the foredune – it was nearly buried + this was instructive in connection with the building of the foredune. It would seem that the seaward slope of the foredune is being gradually built seaward perhaps in harmony with the gradual retract of the shoreline as the result of slow uplift since it could be seen that on the seaward slope the fence was practically completely buried whereas on the landward side of the foredune it was only partially buried. Furthermore it was noted that the small cliff cut in the toe of the foredune by the storm-waves of the heavy westerly weather in August 1921, is being obliterated by fresh drifts of loose sand which are restoring the slope of the foredune as it was prior to the cliff-cutting. Reached Wairarawa Creek at 3.45pm. – this is a small trickle of water rising a considerable distance inland. Followed creek for ¼ mile – noted a tiny fall on its course 10 [? ] from beach. About [50?] [?] from beach there is an [extreme?] flat along the course of this
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stream with an old Shepard’s whare thereon. This creek [ruins?] in the Kaikai Lagoon + at times also drains a big lagoon situated further south. Reached Hydrabad wreck at 4.15. Hereabouts there is a big seepage of fresh water along the high-tide line when the tide is out + Mr. McDonald said that a 3ft. well sunk on a flat [jump?] inside the foredune yielded sweet water in the old days. Reached Hokis at 4.35 + Woodside at 6.pm. [Two lines crossed out here]. A very good day’s outing.