INTO THE WILD

Most Kiwis think of summer as the holiday season, but the bracing mid-year months are the perfect time for a wild winter getaway, and the Mōtu River in the eastern Bay of Plenty is the perfect backdrop.

MŌTU IS TE REO MĀORI FOR ISOLATED OR CUT OFF,

and it is a pretty apt moniker. Because while there are many places around the country that like to play up their off-thebeaten-track credentials, the Mōtu River and it’s environs really do have one of the best timeless, untouched qualities to be found in the North Island. And it’s just a hop, skip and a jump down Highway 35 from Whakatāne.

The river rises in the south-western side of the Raukūmara Range and flows into the Bay of Plenty 20 miles north-east of Ōpōtiki through some spectacular, mountainous landscape with breathtaking views and that – slightly eerie – sense of wonder of what lies around the next river bend. Thanks to its steep river valleys the Mōtu was ear-marked for a series of dam sites to be developed to provide hydroelectric power and some work on these was undertaken before – thankfully – the project was abandoned in the mid-60s and the river remained untamed.

The forest-clad hills also attracted attention, with several sawmills being established in the 1800s and a road cut through the challenging terrain by some truly hardy souls. Parts of that road and the horse tracks that linked into it are now mountain bike trails, covering an impressive 48km of twisting gravel roadway reaching a highpoint of 780m. Administered by the Mōtu Trails Trust, this is one of the Great Rides on the New Zealand Cycle Trail and is a must for any serious biker.

But for those of us that want to get up close and personal with the river without resorting to peddle pushing, look no further than a Mōtu River Jet tour. Owned and operated by local man Mark Looney, the jet boat tours can be as adrenalinpumping thrilling or as relaxed and sedate as you want, and best of all they take you into some of the most remote and untouched parts of the river.

“The river travels through the last significant area of untracked native bush in the North Island,” says Mark, “and the banks are covered with unique and rare flora, and we give a commentary on this and also the historical value of the river. It is a chance to see what the country looked like in pre-colonial times and also to think about those early pioneers who made some epic journeys.”

Mark is what he calls a ‘late bloomer’ to the ways of the river, having spent most of his life running an automotive workshop in Ōpōtiki. But – in a train of events most of us can only dream of –his hobby grew into a passion and then into a profession and he has now been operating the tours for seven years together with his wife and son. Late bloomer he may be, but Mark certainly knows his stuff, so much so that he is a part of the local search and rescue team and often alternates between carrying out guided tours for visitors and rescuing lost hikers.

Most of the people doing the tours are from around the North Island, Mark says, and are really looking to get into native bush. “The Mōtu River tour is all about nature. It’s a chance to step back in time and visit places that are off the beaten track like the Makakaho Falls which are pretty amazing, and also to go into the tunnel that was built for the proposed hydro scheme. You really do feel like you’ve left the everyday world behind.”

Mark also runs jet boat tours on the Matahina Dam, which while stunningly beautiful is also a glimpse of what the Mōtu may have become if the dam projects there had gone ahead.

“Matahina has a very special kind of beauty and stillness,” Mark says, “but it is also very popular with people who want the flat-out thrill of jet boating. And it really delivers: adrenalin rush guaranteed!”

A different rush is also on offer via hunting tours that Mōtu River Jet are now offering. “The Mōtu is beautiful, and it also has some real back to basic hunting,” Mark says. “What are the conditions like? Rugged! But that’s part of the attraction. We can drop off and pick up groups if they are experienced, and if not, we can act as guides, staying in a hut we have or in designated campsites. There is great hunting for Red Deer from September to December, spring hunting, and March to April roar hunting and pigs. There has recently been a pest eradication programme around the Mōtu, and that usually sees the pigs returning in numbers. For some it’s the thrill of the hunt. For others it’s a way to put food on the table. Either way, it’s a pretty nice day out of the office!”