| Thu 8th August Hiking in the Philippine Cordillera Mountains David Middleditch The Philippines is a diverse archipelago of 7600 islands in the South China Sea (north of Indonesia and east of Vietnam). In the north of Luzon, the Cordillera mountains offer wonderful opportunities for tramping, and to experience the cultures of the many tribal groups living there. The Cordillera mountains have been populated for approximately 2000 years, following a migration from southern China. Migrants brought with them the rice terracing technology and used that to transform the mountains. This talk will include insights into parts of Mountain Province, Ifugao and Kalinga provinces. |
| Thu 29th August Club Photo Competition Martin Lawrence Our annual club photo competition. Place-getters in each category will be entered in the Interclub Photo Competition. |
| Tue 3rd September Interclub Quiz This Tuesday night the MTSC are hosting the annual Quiz between MUAC, MTSC and PNTMC. Venue is Rose City Aquatic Club Rooms to the right of the Lido Pool, Park Road, PN. 7.30pm start. Come along and make up a team. |
| Thu 12th September Aotea Great Barrier Island Barry Scott Aotea/Great Barrier is a spectacular and rugged island on the outer edge of the Hauraki Gulf. It has a diverse and beautiful landscape, from beaches to sheltered bays, steep forest-covered hills, and two of the most outstanding estuaries in the Auckland Region. Of the 12,000 ha only the oceanic temperate forest around Hirakimata, home to the black petrel/t?koketai, survived the onslaught of forest fires and clearing that went on over many centuries, first by Maori and then European settlers. But now most of the island is covered in regenerating forest. The island has no reticulated power or water supply so everyone lives “off the grid”. Residents are fiercely independent, innovative and very self-reliant. Even cyclone Gabrielle had little serious impact on the island. The island is free of possums and mustelids but does have some of the highest densities of ship rats in the country. Aotea is a perfect spot for adventures with family and friends with a variety of forest for tramping and exploring and an ocean at your doorstep for kayaking, boating or fishing. Barry has been a part-time resident on the island since 2018 and will share with you why he thinks this is such a special place. |
| Thu 26th September Interclub Photo Competition Come along and judge for yourself the crème de la crème of the MUAC, MTSC and PNTMC club photo competitions for 2024. |