The Te Araroa Trail, New Zealand’s long walking trail, is a 3,000-kilometre tramping route running from Cape Reinga at the top of the North Island to Bluff at the bottom of the South Island. Popular with visitors to Aotearoa, walking the length of New Zealand is a burgeoning rite of passage for Kiwis.
Te Araroa Trail Miniature Sheet.
Te Araroa’s founders wanted to open up the great variety of landscapes and stunning scenery to those who are prepared to walk the track. It is suggested to explore it all, taking one section at a time over a period of five or six months. This stamp issue celebrates this amazing trail with six stamps highlighting the diversity of New Zealand’s landscape.
The Six Stamps.
$1.30 - Karamu Walkway, Waikato.
West of Hamilton, Te Araroa climbs gradually away from the Waipa River banks. At 200 metres’ elevation, the tramper’s reward is airy views across the Waikato Plains.
$1.30 - Ninety Mile Beach, Northland.
The first day’s tramp from Te Araroa’s northern start point at Cape Reinga takes a through tramper to Scotts Point, overlooking the long expanse of Ninety Mile Beach.
$1.30 - Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
As winter through-trampers require specialist alpine skills, Te Araroa trampers usually traverse the popular Tongariro Alpine Crossing in summer.
$2.40 - Nelson Lakes, Tasman.
Some through trampers walk Te Araroa from south to north, and this one has crossed Waiau Pass (1,870m) on the distant Franklin Ridge and pushes on through snowgrass above Lake Constance towards Blue Lake Hut.
$3.30 - Stag Saddle, Canterbury.
For safety in marginal weather, Te Araroa’s route is poled along Camp Stream Valley to Stag Saddle (1,925m), the trail’s highest point. The recognised alternative in good weather, though, is the ridgeline west of the valley.
$4.00 - Lake Hawea, Otago.
The Otago trail heads over Breast Hill (1,578 metres) before dropping down 300 metres over the next two kilometres to Pakituhi Hut. Most Te Araroa trampers stop overnight here, awakening to explore rocky outcrops near the hut.
Collector Items.
Miniature Sheet and First Day Covers.
The first-day cover features a striking image from a misty day on the Richmond Ranges. The orange track marks from the NZ topographic map key incorporate a bridge and a ford marker. The miniature sheet features an image from Stag Saddle, Lake Tekapo. On the miniature sheet, the first-day cover is an image of Stag Saddle at a different time of day, and the symbols for a bridge, cattle stop and gate. Gate and poled route markers appear on the envelope.
The first-day cover features a striking image from a misty day on the Richmond Ranges. The orange track marks from the NZ topographic map key incorporate a bridge and a ford marker. The miniature sheet features an image from Stag Saddle, Lake Tekapo. On the miniature sheet, the first-day cover is an image of Stag Saddle at a different time of day, and the symbols for a bridge, cattle stop and gate. Gate and poled route markers appear on the envelope.
First Day Cover - 4 September 2019.
Miniature Sheet with three $1.30, one $2.40, one $3.30 and one $4 stamp.
Miniature Sheet First Day Cover - 4 September 2019.
Presentation Pack.
Presentation Pack.
Presentation Pack.
Journalist, playwright and author Geoff Chapple is the former Chief Executive and founder of Te Araroa. In 2012 Geoff was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to tramping, tourism and literature, and Geoff tells the story of the trail in this issue’s presentation pack.
Collector Blocks of Stamps.
Journalist, playwright and author Geoff Chapple is the former Chief Executive and founder of Te Araroa. In 2012 Geoff was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to tramping, tourism and literature, and Geoff tells the story of the trail in this issue’s presentation pack.
Collector Blocks of Stamps.
Set of Plate Blocks. Set of Value Blocks.
Set of Full Sheets.
Technical information.
Date of issue: 4 September 2019.
The number of stamps: Six gummed stamps.
Denominations: $1.30 x 3, $2.60, $3.30, $4.00.
Stamps, miniature sheet and first day covers designed: Hannah Fortune, New Zealand Post, Wellington, New Zealand.
Printer and process: Southern Colour Print, Dunedin, New Zealand by offset lithography.
The number of colours: Four process colours plus overgloss.
Stamp size and format: 50mm x 30mm (horizontal).
Miniature sheet size and format: 160mm x 90mm (horizontal).
Paper type: Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper.
The number of stamps per sheet: 25.
Perforation gauge: 14.4 x 14.
Special blocks: Plate/imprint blocks may be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps from a sheet. Barcode blocks are available in A and B formats.
Period of sale: Unless stocks are exhausted earlier, these stamps remained on sale until 2 September 2020. First-day covers remained on sale until 30 October 2019.
Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ
You can visit their website and Online Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/
Information & images for this post came from.
Looks good Asami
ReplyDeleteYou have been busy while we are away,
Anne
Am I reading this right? Does this walk go the whole length of New Zealand? Someone can walk from one ene to the other.
DeleteKevin (USA)
Yes Kevin. The trail does actually go the length of New Zealand but would most likely be too big to do in one attempt. Most people have either selected the part they most like or have done different sections at different times over a longer period.
DeleteAnne