Kia ora and happy new year. I hope you were all able to enjoy some time with your loved ones over the summer break, and get outdoors and into the hills despite some bad weather! For me, two of the highlights were finally visiting JACS Biv in the Tararuas with Mon (on our third attempt), and a lovely afternoon I spent with WTMC Life Member Dennis Gazley in Pukawa discussing the Club’s history and opportunities for the future.
Please read on for a range of reminders and updates about what has been happening in your Club.
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Please feel free to email me at president@wtmc.org.nz.
Ngā mihi
Daniel Madley
President
Life Membership – nominations are now open and close on Sunday 8 February. A phenomenal amount of work has gone into making the Club what it is today, and individuals who have made an exceptional contribution deserve to be recognised. More information can found here.
Journal submissions – please send final submissions to journal@wtmc.org.nz as soon as possible. We haven’t had an annual club journal in almost ten years so we’re looking forward to capturing the memorable, fun, unexpected and interesting stories and images from 2025(ish) through the eyes of the club — find out more details at wtmc.org.nz/journal.
Updated policies – thank you for all of the detailed feedback provided on the draft policies at the end of last year. The Committee is working through the feedback and will let you know once decisions have been made.
Summer trips – in the past month we’ve had club trips to Zekes Hut and up to the Lodge, to Lake Dive in Taranaki, to Clarence Valley over New Years, and just this weekend into Cobb Valley in Kahurangi National Park. Unfortunately, some trips were cancelled due to bad weather, including a sub-48 hour and-4-day Main Range attempt in the Tararuas.
It has been great to see some Club members on very ambitious expeditions over the break – Roger took his boat over to the Antipode and Auckland Islands, Sam, Tess, Regan and Ellen spent 12 days with homemade packrafts in Fiordland with assistance from an FMC Scholarship, and Aaron found a weather window to go do a sub-48 hour Main Range push by himself – watch the epic video here!
Summer Lodge – it was great to see many people taking full advantage of the Lodge over Christmas and New Years, with up to 20 people staying at times, and fun adventures had by all. Many thanks to Nicci, Jan and Brian and Marieke for being Lodge Custodians over the break.
Putting together the next trip schedule – James and his team are working on the April to July trip schedule. Please click here to send them all of your ideas and tramping wish list by 31 January.
Social events – the 2026 social calendar kicks off on Tuesday 20th with our pub night (note the new location at Leroys just off Lambton Quay!) and a New Members night at the Clubrooms on Wednesday 28th. I’m also looking forward to talks from Sam and Roger on 25 February about the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand, and the aforementioned 12-day Fiordland packrafting trip on 22 April. More information on the upcoming events is on the Club Facebook page here.
Van moved to CBD – After many years living in Newlands, we’ve found a place to park the Club van in Mt Victoria on Elizabeth Street, just around the corner from the Clubrooms. We hope this will be a much more convenient place to pick the van up and drop it off.
New WhatsApp community – a new discussion community has been set up on WhatsApp, intended for Club members only, and you can join here. Like any community, it’ll only be as vibrant and useful as we collectively make it; you’re able to join chats for any part of the Club that you’re interested in and can silence notifications but please note your phone number may be visible to other members depending on your WhatsApp settings.
At the same time, we will be shutting down the Facebook discussion group (which had become quite dormant for a group of over 3,000 members) and the Lodge Facebook page so that all Club communications on Facebook are consolidated into one place.
Donation to Hanmer Springs School – following a PLB activation in 2025 the Club sought to make a donation to the local rescue helicopter services, but they asked that we instead support the local school in Hanmer Springs, who will put the money towards outdoor education and taking the kids out tramping.
Club archives – thanks to Club Secretary Megan who has spent many hours recently sorting through boxes of historical Club documents dating back to the 1960s. Some of the documents will be moved to Paua Hut, and the majority will be relocated to the Lodge – perfect reading for your next stay at Paua or the Lodge!
Van maintenance – thank you to Bryan, Ashleigh and Eoin for getting the club van sorted with its new Warrant of Fitness recently, and for dealing with the additional admin of booking rental vehicles while the van was off the road.
Fleeces – thank you to Nicole for finalising the order for the WTMC-branded fleeces, which arrived just in time for Christmas! It’s nice to see them getting out into the wild.
Shaun Barnett Memorial Scholarship – Wilderness Magazine has launched an annual $1,000 scholarship for aspiring writers and photojournalists as a tribute to leading tramping photographer Shaun Barnett, who tragically passed away in 2024. Applications close 16 February and more information can be found here.
Ellis showing off the new fleece; meringues at the Lodge courtesy of India