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Another stop; at the Flying Fox tourist experience, run by Annette on the west bank. Access is only by boat, or the electrically-powered cableway seen operating midway across the river (obscured). The cableway is strung high above the flood level of the river. Should the power fail during a crossing there is a pedal powered winch to enable the hapless passengers to complete their journey!
"Originally a farm, the land has now nearly all reverted to second growth bush and scrub apart from a small area around the house. The old homestead now overgrown in the bush at the back of the present house was built about the time of World War One, abandoned in the 1920s, reoccupied in the 1930s and then abandoned again, its story is the story of much of the river community. At some time in its checkered history the building served as a Post and Telegraph Office with Post Office Savings Bank facilities. Still struggling to survive in the regrowing bush are the remnants of earlier orchards, a fig, a pear, walnuts and a rough skinned lemon. Annette hopes to secure enough graft wood from all of these to retain these hardy strains for future generations along the River."
Seeing double trouble? The model house (right) is the mailbox. The real house is in the left distance, above the gate seen through the grass. From across the river a form of bush telegraph bellowed some request to the assembled busload. It was deciphered as a request to open the gate; the reason being because of the steep slippery driveway down the river wall. Guests were about to depart in a front-wheel-drive vehicle, and stopping to open the gate could mean not being able to restart again... fancy reversing all the way down that steep track to get another run-up? It was remarked that four-wheel-drive 'Cafe Tractors' actually need their 4WD around here; besides there aren't many cafes to be seen parked outside.
If you plan to visit the Flying Fox, obtaining access instructions might be essential.
"Annette is in the process of developing her property as a unique experience homestay tourist enterprise. Paying guests come to the Flying Fox in increasing numbers to sample its special attractions - peace, solitude and an opportunity to sample life as it might have been in an earlier era. With the property Annette acquired a sizable planting of mature avocados now being brought back into production."
We saw evidence of their drastic pruning of the macadamias.
"Operiki Station near Koroniti is operated by Peter and Trissa as a full time livestock farm running sheep, beef and deer. In the early 1980s they decided to diversify their production and began planting macadamia trees on the gently sloping terrace above the river. In 1981, 75 Beaumont and 25 Own Choice were planted. The following year a further 100 were planted but half of them died and were replaced with a wider variety of cultivars. One result was much better nut set in the initial years from the varied pollen sources."
Annette and others took every opportunity to discuss orchard tree cropping philosophy.
"Tree growth has been prolific and heavy pruning has become necessary to improve the manageability of the orchard. Initially the internal branches were pruned out to open up the trees. Later the tall branches were topped which had the effect of encouraging regrowth that has created the need for annual pruning. Although picking and cropping have been improved they wish they had stayed with their original pruning strategy. The wet early summer period this season has delayed some tasks, one of which was the removal and chipping of the prunings."
A few nuts remain from harvesting a more accessible crop since the pruning.
A feijoa hedge provides some windshelter and some fruit.
Always nearby, the opposite valley wall displayed an alternative ferny skin.
Undeniable evidence of earlier croppers - that's a single walnut tree.
With rain setting in, it was opportune to scrat for nuts to try propagating - or for a snack along the way if they became too heavy to carry.
The trudge up the road and driveway in the increasing drizzle was well worth it. (Lookit those Northern guys scoffin' again!)
For dessert we were each treated to a generous pack of Trissa's yummy chocolate-coated macs, while enjoying a beautiful garden and view up the river - where we were headed.
"About one to one and a half tonnes of nuts are harvested annually. These are dried down to 10 per cent moisture on drying racks and in onion bags and are then sent up to Rob Garden's team at South Head where they complete the drying and crack out the kernels. All the kernels then come back to Operiki for further processing. This essentially adds value to what is a commodity product. The nuts are sold under Trissa's own label. Her chocolate coated nuts are ready sellers."
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Updated: 2004 September 05