Kiwi Road (Marlborough) Onamalutu, South Island, New Zealand
By bumandworker on 01-Dec-11. Waypoint GC38JZ9

I managed to convince masterful teen to attempt this track again, in an attempt to summit Mt Baldy. Last time, about 2 months ago, the lack of access meant we had to bike 6 km just to get to the Kiwi Rd car park and that used up too much time and energy. Today, we were able to drive to the car park so still had time and energy to get the 2 up there. Once back at the car park I had my 6th look for this one. Each of the previous times up here I have had a look before and after the walk and not found it. This time, after talking to the last finder, I was determined to get it. And, I did. How did I miss that, and not stand on it either previously ???

This cache has kept its promise to me in that it is one that I cannot locate yet everyone else has no problem at all. Third time past here with no luck. Another day I guess.

I was heading to Blenheim for a few caches today but when I got to the Wairau River bridge I changed my mind and headed up here instead. I think access was closed to here on my many previous expeditions up the North Bank. No such problems today. Feels good to have this one signed off finally thanks bumandworker. TFTC # 17,094

Out for a wee walk with a friend up to Fosters Hut and back. Was great weather...just a tad cold at the hut so a quick turnaround was required after signing the hut book and a snack.
The track is great and dry.... Grabbed this on on the way back out... was hiding away nice and dry.
TFTC B&W

We arrived at the skid sight just down the road from this cache. Now its walking time. We are tagging this one at 9am as we start along this trail. Cheers. Magical views from the skid sight. Worked out we can see three land masses way out there being the North Island Wellington area.
And another lonely cache.

Its early Saturday morning, picking up The Seagnoid at 7.30 to make our way to Fosters Hutt. This ended up extending from 4.5 hrs return to Fosters and a 3 hour side trip to Baldy. Pockets of snow ice at Baldy but beautiful day today and views magic. So 7.5 hours later we arrived back at Toby. This is Toby Country, so once we hit the gravel road we operated Tobys special features and off we go. Tried to come out via Kiwi Road but was barred 500 meters from carpark. So its U-turn time and back along Bartlets. Another amazing geoventure.

I decided it is time to climb up to Fosters. Happy to go alone - I have an EPIRB, but I put a call out to the team. Only one was available and hadn't already been up here, So taybeedragon and I set of on a cold Saturday morning. The walk was 7.5 hours all up, including an excursion across to Baldy. The road from Barretts Creek is drivable in a city car, but not from Onamalutu - forestry harvesting is still happening, and the road is still gated off. Every cache today had been over a year since last found! Some were two years!

Sign says the carpark is up there, but we didn't bother and parked at the skid site, 70m from the cache. Huge flat space, could put up a small town here. Great view, the harvesting is really obvious (attached photo).

Found a few metres from where the car was parked. Capperz could not remember the hide, so I was on my own. But a QEF anyway, as they say. TFTC B&W.
Today's main goal was a few caches on the track to Foster's Hut. Capperz had a couple lined up, and I had more on my hit list due to the fact this is my first visit up here. Capperz picked me up and after a successful FTF bid, we were on our way. It became apparent pretty soon that the 4wd was essential to get up here. I can only get to the ford in the humble Primera, so was thankful for Lee's vehicle today. It wasn't a great day weather wise - consistent rain all day, but we were thankful the wind kept away. Still, it was cold and my choice of clothing left a little to be desired, and the best way to keep warm was to keep going. It took us about 2.5 hours to get up I think, but just 1.5 to get down, unburdened by cache searching. All up a successful, character-building day

Found with NZDi. It has been about five weeks since NZDi had her last geocaching fix and that was a bunch of PnGs down the east coast as far as Clarence. You would have to go back six weeks to our trip up the Wakamarina Valley since she has been on a decent walk that included geocaching which is her favourite thing. So when she said she wanted to go on another decent walk this weekend, I used the trip up the Wakamarina Valley as inspiration deciding to head along the same track but in the opposite direction as far as Fosters Hut to complete all the caches on the track.

The plan was almost kyboshed at the outset when I checked my emails upon waking and saw a Write Note by the Seagnoid saying that Kiwi Road was closed for logging... WTF. I soon got to the bottom of that fallacy. Read my log on capperz nearby NZ Birds cache for details... phew.

With caches loaded and lunch packed we then had another false start with a flat battery due to myself leaving the courtesy light on in the geomobile overnight. Once that was sorted we were soon on our way.

After getting GH6710's Walnut Tree 4x4, then a nearby FTF we came up here for a QEF PnG and imagine our surprise when upon logging the find we discovered this cache had been lonely for almost two and a half years. The last time we tried to access this area in February 2016, the road was closed just past 212 Bartletts Creek Road, I hadn't realised it had been closed that long. And if you believe some people, the road is still closed. The views are still stunning.

TFTC B&W

Found while on a caching trip up to Fosters Hut with Kiwimykl. Refer to his log for details.

TFTC B&W

mrs capperz at work this morning and neither of the girls are keen for a walk so just me today. Tally the dog was keen for a walk, as always, doesn't matter where but in the car usually means excitement and somewhere new, everyones favourite. The plan was to be Kiwi road across to Bartletts Creek Road and grab all the caches in between, that was the plan anyway. What eventuated was closed roads due to logging and a looooonnnngggg walk for me and the dog, somewhere around 15kms is my thought. Far from half a dozen park and grabs and 3 walks was more the other way around. Threat of rain and fishing gear in the car though not a line wetted in the end.
Great views from up here at the top of the world and I now see where to approach Fosters from. Walked out to GH's Kiwi Road water but was too far above and thought I'd grab it later, not as the case was.
Nice easy find here and a few photos for the collection
T F T C b&w

Wow some people are energetic! We've had quite a good walk in from the other end but are happy to just visit this end without exploring further. Magnificent views indeed. There were just a few hundred metres of "oh no, don't look down" road on the way up so it was well worth the drive. Thanks!

Wow - what a great spot. Mrs SoBad and Sidewaze had planned to come to the North Bank a couple of weeks ago and are so pleased we didn't. The plan for that day had not included the caches in this area and they were only added yesterday when a closer look showed a number in the area would be accessible without a 7 hour walk. We had a short walk - well we parked at the bottom by the road and walked up - to the parking area. Duh. However, it made the views nicer as we enjoyed them on the way up and down as well as at the top. It is always interesting to see what is at the other side - we recognised the names on the sign at the top.
Thanks. A favourite.

Access from bartlets creek is currently open in the weekend, road rough from logging operations, with a bit of mud down near the ford (frozen solid this morning). Lots of gorse and scrub at GZ, no sign of a cache. Left a new one under flat rock. T F T C
Awesome views from up here, took the dogs for a short walk along the track, lots of pig sign but didn't see any pigs. Got overtaken by a couple mountainbiking up to the hut for lunch with their dog.
Back down the hill from here to explore the creeks.

This entry was edited by GH6710 on Sunday, 24 May 2015 at 04:49:00 UTC.

Access from north (Wairau river side, Northbank road) is currently closed to this and caches beyond. Still possible to here very long walk Wakamarina track.....but would you ?? Check at info board near state highway, or on DOC web site......fire risk.

Roads are currently closed, but you can access via Onamalutu on foot during the weekends only. See attached photo of sign board, which is located at the start of the North Bank road.

Funny how we wanted to escape the forecast of a hot day in Nelson and the temp before 12-00pm already hit over 30°C to eventually reach 35°C in the shade up the Wairau Valley. This is a cache with bonuses. You pass other caches on the way whether you like it or not. I like it =) The road to the top was of amasing quality and the town car just purred. The fords caused no problems but might after rain. The views are fantastic and worth the trip regardless of a cache. TFTC

We travelled on up to here after finding a couple of caches further down Bartlett's Rd. What an amazing view, the domes at Waihopi looked like white cricket balls in the distance. The town car had no problems getting up to near GZ but that could change after rain. The trip up here is worth it for the views alone. TFTC.

Quick trip to Blenheim this morning. Had to go the long way around thru Bartlett's creek rd to get to kiwi rd but that's ok because that will let me get 3 caches on my way in. Think I'd like to bring my MTB up here one day TFTC

Staying in the Onamalutu Reserve for a few nights so carried on along the road to this cache then continued down Bartletts Road. Busy wee car park up here. Found a lost pig dog, fed it some lunch then was pleased that the owner came by looking for it.

Up the valley visting family camping down in the domain, and keen new geocaches so a trip up the hill was the plan, the sign said the road was closed but its a public holiday so no logging going on, meet one car on te way up and another on the way down plus four car in the car park so no one it taking notice of the sign some great views from up their across the planes and even out to sea, cache soon in hand and signed a great introduction for our new future caches in our group thanks Pete for another adventure...

great view went with kiwi nomad

Easy find with Wilson#41. Luckily the fords were low today and Broomie was able to make it across
TNLN

Easy find with Kwaka40
TNLN

Forgot to log this at the time. Day trip to Fosters clearing hut with the kids. TFTC

Bartletts road option open at the moment (for us public)....but check the access sign near the main road on the way in.

I've been up this way a lot lately, but never close enough to get this cache until today. Have taken Le Dwarf for a sunny holiday in Nelson. TFTC

Bad boy, Kiwi Road sign said road was closed but the gate was broken open. Open gate and landrover what is a Bear to do.. Drove up a way and found a forestry guy coming down, after a good chat and the knowledge that he was the only one on the hill that day, I carried on. A few washouts on the haul roads and steep in places. Road blocked close to the top, looks semi permanent! So took to foot work and walked the rest of the way in (or should that be up!). What a view, what a cache.. B&W you get in some cool places.. The devil made me leave a TB for #3 to the cache, sorry it may be some time... Still he was enjoying the view when I left him. Drove down SLOWLY! TFTC Blenheim Bear

FTF Drove a long way round and up Bartletts Creek Road to the Kiwi Road cache. A great day for it though and no problems with the cache. Although I took a 4WD drive in, most cars not too low slung could probably make it across the fords along the way if it hasn't been raining too heavily. Although the car park was empty on the way in, I encountered a foreign tramper on my way out and he had managed to get a Previa up there. TFTC, Biggles.

DOC advisory dated 23 December 2011 states that Kiwi Road access to Wakamarina track is closed and advises to use Bartletts Road access.

Thanks A, I gave DOC stick about access in this area, Bartletts was closed, but this at least now give an access point to this end while the Kiwi road is still (needlessly?) closed. b&w

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