KVU '68
Khandallah Venturer Unit 1968 and thereabouts
From back, left to right; *Brian, Don, Herb, Brian's dad, *Geoff, *Stick, *Hong, *Derek, *Michael, *Wally, *Brup,Tim.
*Queen Scouts 1968. Photo: Evening Post
In 1967-68 the intrepid lads of the KVU
took a dismantled garage over to the Orongorongo Valley
and made it into a most solubrious abode for weekend and holiday escapades.
REUNION WEEKEND
25-27 February 2011
organised our Reunion
He can be contacted at
gohalloran@tawacollege.school.nz
Our Hut 'Bure Labasa'
and the site of D.O.C.'s new hut which will replace it in 2011,
Orongorongo Valley, Rimutuka Forest Park
SITTING IN THE RAIN, THE UNDERDOGS, JOHN MAYALL. I AM THE WALRUS, BEATLES. DON'T STAND IN MY WAY!, HOW IS THE AIR UP THERE?, THE LA DE DAS
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VISUALS 2011
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MB's 360's
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VISUALS '68
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STORIES
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RUAPEHU '68
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NEW HUT OPENS
WALLY'S PHOTOS 2011
MICHAEL'S VIDEO 2011
TO 'BURE LABASA', THE HUT
ORONGORONGO VALLEY
Photos by Wally 2011
On Saturday the 26th of February the Likely Lads of
KVU'68 set off from The Catchpole along the
'Five Mile' for one last visit to the Hut before
being demolished for D.O.C.s new one.
Michael's Video 'At The Hut - Part One' 2011
Michael's Video 'At The Hut - Part Two'
Featuring Geoff, Brian H, John N and the KVU 'Bure Labasa" Log Book
Michael's Interactive Panoramas
These are full 360 degree, spherical panoramas.
*Put your mouse pointer in the image.
*Click, hold down, and move around.
- up, down, left, right, diagonaly, all around!
*Use the shift and ctrl keys to zoom in and out.
*Click on the Button in the Image and you will have
a FullScreen interactive experience!
On the Five Mile track
Again on the track
Down by the river
On the river bed heading to Big Bend
The left bank out of Big Bend
The Beer Cooler at last!
The Beer Cooler
On the peninsular above the Beer Cooler
heading up to the Hut
Half way from the river bed up to the Hut
Hut plateau
The Convenience
'Bure Labasa' West Side
South Side
East Side
Sunny Side
Inside the Beast called 'Bure Labasa'
Lunch
The Likely Lads
And again
Half Way Bridge on the walk back to the Catchpole
WALLY'S ARCHIVE
GRAHAM'S PHOTOS AT THE HUT
GRAHAM'S SUPER 8 AT THE HUT
Wally's Archive 1968 thereabouts
Graham Wilton's Photos
of
Scenes and EnActments Extrordinary, 1968
THE END phew!
Graham Wilton's 'At The Hut' 1968
John asked for some things about the construction of the hut.
I cannot remember much.
The few things that come to mind are painting the frame work
with a mixture of sump oil and diesel.
Going over to the hut and being very hungry because I had left my tins of beans or stew at home
and being too proud to admit it!
Smoking eels in the chimney and taking the smoked fish back to town
and a Dutch friend of the family being very impressed with it.
Standing under a tree holding the torch and looking up when some one
(possibly Hong) gut shot an opossum and being splattered in gore.
Some one with a tanker pack frame pouring fuel from the frame on a reluctant fire,
the contents of the pack falling in the fire, as the fire caught (possibly Hong again?) and burning clothes and food.
When I have related to others that I was part of a Venturer Scout unit that built a hut in the 1960’s
there has always been some surprise that we were able to stay focused as a group long enough to do it.
The general view has been that teenage boys might have the great idea,
but generally lack the skill and commitment to carry the process through to completion.
We have all demonstrated in our subsequent lives the ability to set a goal and achieve it,
which the hut building and Queen Scout was no doubt the start of developing that trait.
Most of us attended Onslow College
(Johnsonville, Wellington, Aotearoa/New Zealand
Graham and Michael have created a website
to display their photos of college life.
http://g-wilton-and-m-bajko-photographers-1968.net
GRAHAM'S PHOTOS: OFF TO WORK
GRAHAM'S PHOTOS: UP TO CRATER LAKE
GRAHAM'S SUPER 8
RUAPEHU MAY 1968
Michael Bajko's reminising
In the New Year of '68 I was staying at the Chateau Tongoriro with my mother.
While there I managed to arrange a job for myself during the August holidays
in the Ski Hire at the Top of the Bruce.
In the glow of my employment success I hit on the idea of
our Venturer Unit cutting tracks for the Park Board during the May holidays,
in exchange for food and lodging.
Duly, in May , we set off on the 'Limited' to National Park
and a week of repairing tracks from Whakapapaiti out to Hauhungatahi.
Maps
Hi Ho Hi Ho It's Off To Work We Go
Whakapapaiti to Hauhungatahi
Graham Wilton's Photos
On Saturday 17th of September 2011 the new hut was opened.
Geoff and John (Nixon) made it over for the official pronouncements.
Michael and Graham made it shortly afterward arriving up the river,
but missing Geoff and John who departed via the riverside track.
The new hut, named Turere Lodge, sleeps thirty two.
It was nice to see a party of Scouts from the Waiarapa
officialy
christening the new diggs.
Below are some panoramas from Graham and I's walk up the river
to the new hut.
By the way, more info and booking contacts can be found at;
Turere Lodge, Orongorongo Valley.
The bottom image of each pair, with the button in it,
is a full 360 degree, spherical panorama.
*Put your mouse pointer in the image.
*Click, hold down, and move around.
- up, down, left, right, diagonaly, all around!
*Use the shift and ctrl keys to zoom in and out.
*Click on the Button in the Image and you will have
a FullScreen interactive experience!
Graham having a break on the river bed
out from
Jacob's Ladder and the Five Mile Track.
This is the begining of our river walk.
Just coming up into Big Bend (on the left).
Just below the Point with the Beer Cooler behind.
The hut's on the plateau above.
We thought the helicopter was for the 'Dignitaries', but was in fact
the Helipro guys mode of transport to the opening.
They brought all the materials in during construction, including a digger!
The new hut, Turere Lodge on 'Bure Labasa Plateau'.
Turere Lodge (not sure what happened to the focus)
Melody, from Rimataka Forest Park Trust (they're bringing Kiwi back to the valley),
and Graham in the blur.
Good view over to Goat Stream and up the valley.
For a somewhat creative look at the new hut and a little remembering
visit Michael's latest contribution at the
World Wide Panorama Project
Remember to go 'Fullscreen'.
Contributions are made four times a year,
and coincidently this quarter's theme was
'History'.
Here's an article from Scouting NZ's Term 3 Magazine.
