The track up through Speedy’s Gully is not well known, but is actually a lovely wander on a sunny day, with beautiful bush, deep gullies and the sound of rushing water from either Belmont Stream or Speedy’s Stream. Part way along is what is believed to be an old defensive pa site, the Pareraho Pa Site , which is believed to date back to the Fight at Boulcott’s Farm.
The following passage is taken from The New Zealand Wars: A History of the Maori Campaigns and the Pioneering Period: Volume I (1845–64). Chapter 11: The Fight at Boulcott's Farm / by James Cowan 1870-1943
Mr. Peter Speedy, of Belmont, Lower Hutt, who was born in Wellington in 1842, informs me that the Belmont Creek, which runs out through his property, was an old war-track of the Maoris between the Heretaunga and the Porirua districts. The trail led up the rocky bed of the creek for about half a mile to a place where the stream forked; thence there was an ascent up a steep and narrow forested spur. The natives had cleared a part of this ridge, which was only a few yards wide, and when Speedy was bushfelling there many years after the war he found the remains of huts which had been roofed with totara bark, also stones used in the earth-ovens, a rusted bayonet, a musket-barrel, and other relics of 1846. The lofty ridge was an excellent position for defence, and it had evidently been used as a temporary pa in the war-days. The ground falls precipitously away for several hundreds of feet on either side into the canyon-like valleys. It was no doubt by this route that the war-party descended on Boulcott's Farm in May, 1846; and it was this track also that the Militia and friendly natives took in the march to Paua-taha-nui. The track entered the gorge very close to the spot where the Belmont Railway-station now stands. The Maori name of the range in rear of Belmont is Te Raho-o-te-Kapowai.
Although there is nothing there to be seen now, the site is believed to have extended from just past the site of the cache GZ 100 m east to where the path drops down steeply. We were asked not to put the cache in the actual pa site area because there may be archaeological studies carried out there at some time, so the cache is located before the pa site.
Along the way you will see some beautiful regenerated forest with some stunning rewa rewa trees and nikau palms in the gorge. Also some real nasty stuff too – a lot of barberry and also asparagus fern which is strangling the bush in places. Speedy’s Reserve is part of Belmont Regional Park, which is overseen by Greater Wellington Regional Council. GWRC focus mainly on predator control in the area. However, Speedy’s Reserve is in the GWRC future development plans for walking tracks so hopefully they will also undertake some weed eradication around here.
Getting there:
Speedy’s Reserve is located at the bottom of Major Drive in Kelson. There is parking at the gateway to the reserve for no more than two cars, or park on the road further down Major Drive ( just up from the intersection on to SH2). You could also catch the Kelson bus (150) which stops just below the entry to Speedys.
Walk down around the gate and look out for the orange blazes just into the bush. Don’t forget to seek out the excellent Speedy's (Wellington)
http://coord.info/GC2CXY0 cache as you walk along. As you continue to follow the orange blazes you will reach Belmont Stream which you have to cross twice, so there is a potential for wet feet. After the second crossing, the path continues up from here on your right.
The path is well blazed with the orange blazes but gets very narrow at times with steep drops down into a gorge on the left hand side. It is also very slippery in places, so you will require good walking boots. We recommend you also let someone know where you are going.
After crossing the stream walk for approximately 20 minutes until you come to a T-Junction. The orange blazes point left, but to reach GZ and the pa site you need to turn right, and you are almost there.
The cache is a half-litre camo-ed Sistema. Forgot to put a pencil in so you will need to bring your own writing implement.