Because, we cannot get enough of New Zealand as a walking destination, tonight’s clubnight presentation by Bernadette Young is also about NZ, but of a different flavour.
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Bernadette, an accomplished ex-journalist and now a teacher, had trekked the entirety of this track in 2023. In her own words:
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In 2023 I decided to take a year away from work and from my usual life to have a sabbatical in Aotearoa/New Zealand. I spent almost six months of that year solo walking Te Araroa, a 3000km-long track running from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island.
The path runs through the huge variety of landscapes that the country has to offer: beach walking, boggy forests, scree slopes, snowy mountain passes, and even three days of kayaking! It includes some of NZ’s more well-known tramps but also spends a lot of time in the remote backcountry.
As well as being a journey of immense natural beauty, I intended this solo walk to be a lengthy retreat: a time to reflect on my place in the world, to read, to learn, and to think.
I hope to share with you the joys and difficulties of this experience, including what I learnt about thru-hiking, amazing places I encountered, and how this very different way of living for almost six months has changed my life.
Venue
East Melbourne Library Meeting Room, 122 George St, East Melbourne.
Public Transport: 8 minutes walk from West Richmond train station or 4 minutes walk from Jolimont Station. Alternatively take #48 0r #75 tram.
Car Parking: Unrestricted street parking available after 6.30pm on the Fitzroy Gardens side of Clarendon Street and on Wellington Parade. Please check signage carefully. There is also some two-hour street parking around Darling Square, Simpson St (5-10 minutes walk from the library).
Doors will open at 7pm for some refreshments prior to the presentation.
The presentation will start at 7.30pm sharp, so please ensure you arrive in plenty of time.
Booking
Members and non-members are welcome to attend, however in order to monitor numbers, please submit a booking request for the event.
For more details, visit: Clubnight
Contact the host using the Enquiry form, above the Booking Request, if you have questions.
