Tractors trek into town

Tractors old and new at the Waikanae Beach end of Grey Street when they called into town on Sunday. Pictures by Liam Clayton

The Rotary Foundation annual Tractor Trek headed down the East Coast over the weekend, driving into Gisborne on Sunday.

The convoy of vintage and modern tractors started their journey in the Waikato, continuing through Matamata, Rotorua, Ohope, Opotiki and around SH35.

The trek was run in partnership with Feelings for Life — a mental health educational programme in primary and junior schools. The tractors took the two-week trek to help raise awareness and support about the programme.

Over the two weeks the programme’s founder Cat Levine, and Willi Henley visited schools along the way to deliver their programme, which aims to reduce youth suicide and mental distress in youngsters. They  provide teacher training and mental wellbeing education for children.

“I needed a change and it’s just been one epic day after the next,” said Willi about his decision to join this year’s trek.   “(There have been) lots of life experiences and adventures on the way,” he said.

The team of Rotarians and keen participants of this year’s trek  could not visit too many schools due to availability and organisational issues. However, the eye-catching convoy of tractors ensured there were quite a few spectators.

Aucklander Phil Aish was the official “commander in chief” of the trek. Asked how it had gone, he beamed, “It’s a total contrast to living in Auckland, where we have traffic, people, fumes, congestion, angst, you name it.  Here, it’s open, its free, it’s magnificent.”

The team struck a few malfunctions along the way — loose belts, a flat battery — but nothing that stopped the trip.

The first Rotary tractor trek, a  fundraiser for hospice, was in 2015. It raised $140,000.

Any school wanting to book a visit on the next tractor trek should go to www.feelingsforlife.org