Tsunami Advisory – Strong & Unusual Currents Expected. Following a magnitude 8.7 earthquake near Kamchatka, Russia, a National Advisory has been issued for coastal areas of Aotearoa New Zealand, including those along and near the Hauraki Rail Trail. If you're out riding or exploring today, please take extra care around rivers, estuaries, and coastal areas. Strong and unpredictable currents and surges may occur, making conditions dangerous. Stay out of the water, keep clear of beaches, rivers, and shorelines, and avoid harbours, marinas, and estuaries. Even if the weather seems calm, these unusual conditions can pose a serious risk to anyone near the water. Please stay safe and follow official updates from civildefence.govt.nz and the National Emergency Management Agency. If you are planning to ride over the next few days, please check the weather prior to leaving. Heavy rain and strong winds may bring trees down. Please contact us via Facebook or email if you come across any hazards.
Many wonderful local community initiatives take place along the Hauraki Rail Trail, and the Trail requires this additional funding and donations to support further development of the Trail in the form of shelters, rest areas, seating, landscaping, and signage.
Signage, both directional and story-telling is currently undergoing a transformation, with new blade style directional signs starting to pop up, replacing the older blue maps.
Over the last 12 months, a Rotary Shelter project has been gaining traction, with Rotary Clubs from Te Aroha, Matamata, Thames, Morrinsville and Paeroa joining forces to design and build shelters on the Trail network.
The special Rotary Millennium project sees Rotary celebrating 100 years of service in New Zealand.
This Rotary partnership will see 16 much needed shelters along the network come to fruition, with the first bases laid at the end of January.
The shelter base in the photo above is at Access Bay, south of the Pūkorokoro Shorebird centre, and will have interpretation panels which will offer Trail users information about the area.
Three more bases are ready to pour between Te Aroha and Matamata. Two shelters will be placed in the Gorge between Waihi and Paeroa, and a further two shelters between Waitakaruru and Kopu.
Photo: The Shelter at Pipiroa gets underway and will include seating and Interpretation Panels about the location
The locations of shelters on Section B between Thames and Paeroa are as yet to be confirmed.
The project is supported by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, with a total project cost $185,000.
The Trail Trust is incredibly grateful to have donations, volunteers and sponsorship forthcoming from our local communities. In May 2020, Paeroa Lions Club gifted Donation boxes. Keep an eye out for the Donation boxes as you ride the Trail.
Photo: Lions Club Donation Box Paeroa
If you love the Hauraki Rail Trail as much as we do, a donation to the Trust through our Givealittle Page enables us to take our incredible community asset from good to great, giving enjoyment and health benefits to those who use it.
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