New track build efforts recognised

Family, friends, officials and fellow Green Hut Track Group members surround dedicated volunteer Arthur Blondell after he was presented with an Outdoor Access Champion Award last Thursday at Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Pictured in the front row are (from left) Herenga ā Nuku — Outdoor Access Commission board member Dr Hugh Logan, Mr Blondell's wife Teresa Wasilewska, Mr Blondell with his award, Department of Conservation ranger Felicity Sime, Green Hut Track Group co-ordinator Graeme Elliot and commission acting chief executive Phil Culling. Photo: Brenda Harwood
The dedication of Dunedin man Arthur Blondell, who has spent the past 12 years building a safe public walking track in the Silverpeaks Scenic Reserve, has been recognised with a national Outdoor Access Champion Award.
Mr Blondell's extraordinary efforts to build the 7km "Arthur's Track" along the south branch of the Waikouaiti River were celebrated at a special award presentation ceremony at Orokonui Ecosanctuary last week Thursday, which was also his 76th birthday.
Herenga ā Nuku — Outdoor Access Commission acting chief executive Phil Culling and board member Dr Hugh Logan presented the award to Mr Blondell at the celebration, which was attended by about 50 people — family, friends, officials and fellow members of the Green Hut Track Group.
Dr Logan saluted Mr Blondell's achievement, saying building tracks was a major effort, requiring time, planning and care.
"And if that work is done by hand, it is even tougher," Dr Logan said.
Building the track had been "a fantastic contribution to the city" and would help people to connect with nature, he said.
Green Hut Track Group co-ordinator Graeme Elliot said many of the group members who were at Thursday's ceremony had worked alongside Mr Blondell on constructing the track.
"A lot of us here have worked with Arthur and have been challenged and inspired by him — it has been quite a journey and I want to thank him for that," Mr Elliot said.
Mr Blondell told the gathering he was motivated to start work on the track in 2012 after the remote Philip J. Cox Memorial Hut — established in memory of his late friend — was built.
Arthur Blondell at the junction of a series of tracks in the Silverpeaks Scenic Reserve near Dunedin. Photo: Graeme Elliot
The hut was the second shelter on the Silverpeaks Circuit Track, which traversed steep, slippery slopes and dense undergrowth, and included river crossings that could be treacherous in poor weather.
"The [new] track had been talked about for a long time, but no-one had gotten around to starting it — so I decided to pick up a shovel and get going," he said.
Every Monday, Mr Blondell drove 40 minutes to the Silverpeaks Scenic Reserve, then walked a 200m descent to the track site. Self-funded and resourced, he carried his own tools in, as well as timber and other resources, storing them on-site.
After navigating the track and clearing vegetation by hand, Mr Blondell embarked on the back-breaking work of digging and benching the track by hand, establishing water channels and constructing drainage.
The Green Hut Track Group, a collective of mostly retired volunteers who have worked together every Wednesday to maintain tracks in the Silverpeaks for more than 20 years, found Mr Blondell in 2015, and spent many subsequent Mondays working alongside him.
After five years, Dunedin Tracks and Trail guidebook author Antony Hamel led the inaugural tramp along Arthur's Track in August 2017.
Following that milestone, Mr Blondell has continued his work to improve and maintain the track over the past seven years, to ensure it caters for trampers of a broad range of abilities.
This has involved refining and re-routing the track to remove some of the steeper sections, introducing switchbacks and zig-zags to ease the gradient. The whole track now follows an easy contour, making it an enjoyable tramping experience, while still providing access to spectacular Silver Peaks views.
"The track also links up the other tracks in the area, which helps to provide a better experience for trampers," he said.
Dedicated volunteer Arthur Blondell (left) receives the Outdoor Access Champion Award from Herenga ā Nuku — Outdoor Access Commission board member Dr Hugh Logan during last week's award presentation ceremony at Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Photo: Brenda Harwood
The Department of Conservation formally incorporated Arthur's Track into the Silverpeaks Circuit Track in May 2024.
Mr Blondell paid tribute to the members of the Green Hut Track Group for their long-standing support for his passion project.
"I want to thank all those who came along and helped throughout my time working on the track," he said.
He was very pleased with the high standard of the track, which he hoped would encourage more people to use it.
"Having the Silverpeaks in such close proximity to Dunedin makes it an ideal place to have a first outdoor experience.
"It is a wonderful asset, and I hope we have enhanced it by putting the track through," he said.
Dunedin Department of Conservation ranger Felicity Sime added her voice to the praise for the efforts of Mr Blondell and the Green Hut Track Group for their phenomenal work in completing Arthur's Track to such a high standard of safety and accessibility.
"Arthur's relentless hard work and dedication will enable generations of people to explore and enjoy the Silverpeaks Scenic Reserve. The track is an absolute treasure," she said.
brenda.harwood@thestar.co.nz

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