Timber Trail Center : Introduction

I'm wwoofing at a new place near Ongarue Waikato.

Driving into this dead little town was a bit strange. Felt like i'd driven into a western and was entering a ghost town. Expected to see an old codger with a donkey heading back out of town on his way to his dried up gold claim.

The Timber Trail Center is three main buildings and a farm shed, all sitting at the front of a large chunk of land that leads down to a trout filled river.

The buildings include a restored church, a school building with expansive sun spilling windows, and a more modern cottage which is where the Wwoofers are billited.

The property was bought with the intension to re-locate the chuch building to Auckland.

The hosts fell in love with the area and now they want to develop the site into an Eco-retreat to take advantage of a new cycle track that ends in Ongarue.

One of the free range pigs

Lots of livestock on the property and it's all free ranging. There are fences and gates dividing up the landscape, but these are generaly ignored by the animals. A rooster is included in the group of chickens and it crows in the moernig. I don't mind having a rooster annouce the brecking day.

Http://www.yoomimoomi.com/2013/03/day-11-where-i.html

Much more organised here in the Trail Center then on Awhi farm. Wwoof host Martyn emailed me a manual outlining the sort of work they do, where to find stuff, and even the Wi-Fi logon settings.

The kitchen is small but is outfitted with ovens (both floor standing and toaster), hot water jug, and microwave.


The food here is great (had caviar for the first time this evening) but the properties summer vegitable stocks have been exhausted so the hosts provide some store boarght produce. It's great to have an on site laundry, the bed is warm, the animals are funny and full of character.

7 different type of olive trees have been planted, and there looks to be lots of potentual for interesting produce to be grown in the future.

View 7 Ongarue Village Rd in a larger map