I hadn't been to Rangitoto for at least 15 years when I half- killed myself keeping up with the Vermont St kids on a school trip to the summit. We didn't look at the baches that time as they are off to the side round the coast. But now the Dept. of Conservation has preserved one as a little museum - all the traditional bach furniture - old wirewoves made up with candlewick bedspreads, dressers, kitchenalia, aprons, oven cloths and the like, Crown Lynn and floral cups and saucers, old tins, all as the bach was when it was vacated on the death of the owner. Many of them were pulled down as that was the policy then to return the whole island to being a reserve. There are still a few owned by descendants of the first owners and their proud owners , bachelor men, showed us around their 1930s abodes with great pride. We were on a guided walk taken by Susan Yoffe, who did her MA thesis on the Rangitoto bach community some years ago. She was very knowledgable and informative about the history of the island, from the Maori inhabitants to the prisoners who lived and worked on the island making paths and roads, stone walls and fireplaces in the 1930s. The beautiful hardy kidney fern is found only on the island I think. After the walk inthe company of other members of the NZ Historic Places Trust we had tea outside accompanied by scones, jam and cream eaten off a great array of bach china, of the Crown Lynn or floral variety. The summit will have to wait for another occasion, as we were not suitable shod for such an expedition, having had to rise very early to get the ferry at 9.15 am and were not adequately equipped (or as it turned out inclined).
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