Tree-mendous

I'm guessing kids of today don't have the sense of adventure we had growing up in the 60's and 70's.With my two sisters and a brother we grew up knowing nothing but fun. In 1967 we lived in Arthurs Pass (Dad was a Park Ranger) and the bush, the mountains and the ice cold streams meant the only time you weren't at home was for school and adventure seeking. We also spent many days trapping Possums in the Rata Trees on our back step.

We were also brought up on our Uncles farm in Peria (out back and beyond from Taipa)  The hills and scrub were our plaything, not to mention eeling and chasing pigs.  A pet occupation was picking loads of Mandarins and Oranges.  There was even an exposed clay face with many colours and all us kids and cousins got dressed as Indians but head to foot.  Mum and Aunties bane.

After that we lived with our grandparents in Dannevirke.  We used to go eeling, making huts and the coup de gras, run on the tall hedgerows without falling through unseen holes.  The odd one or two failed badly and loads of scratches.  However the big adventure by far was running around the paddock of Bulls.  We were warned repeatedly by Mr  Churchhouse (the farmer) but boys being boys - nada.

Eventually we settled in Palmerston North - out the back from our house (on Keith Street) was a large Pond.  We would spend hours catching and releasing Frogs and Tadpoles with some saved as pets. But it was boring there, nothing for healthy children to do but make friends. In 1969 we moved to what I call the Homestead - our first owned home.  Ruamahanga Crescent had an access way to the Awa Manawatu, and adjacent to the Palmerston North Golf Course. When Dad heard the golf course was going to expand across that walkway he set in motion a course of action to both prevent the expansion and also have the Ruamahanga Walkway ratified as a Reserve.to ensure it had permanence.

On the golf course (and just over our back fence) were large Poplar Trees and one was suitable for a tree house so what do 5 little boys do??  Of course  Originally it was a boys only club but sister Steph was a tomboy.  We also had a habit of digging big holes for club houses in the River Stop Bank but we got reprimanded as further down the golf course a similar thrillseeker met his maker.  The real adventure for me and my younger brother was racing up to the top of 2 massive Macrocarpas (60 foot high) to see who is quickest.  Verdict out on clear winner. In the same area there was a huge Gumtree with it's larger branches. One day a massive rope appeared on one of the stouter branches over the river below.and we'd climb another tree and swing over the river and let go with a massive SPLASH!!  There were also some large Groynes nearby and we'd bomb into the river from the top.

Sadly the camaraderie ended between us as we went off to become Men.  Oh and my sisters too.