STALWARTS of Taranaki MAUNGA

SOME PEOPLE HAVE A SPECIAL CONNECTION TO A PLACE, AND NOWHERE IS THAT MORE APPARENT THAN TARANAKI MAUNGA. SOME LOCALS HAVE CLIMBED THE FAMOUS PEAK HUNDREDS OF TIMES.

At 81 years of age, Derek Andrews has climbed Taranaki Maunga 870 times.

He's collected 8077 pieces of glass during his summits and 30kg of rubbish off the mountain this year alone. It's what makes him one of many stalwarts, a loyal, reliable and hard-working supporter of the maunga doing his bit to protect it.

But when asked what it is that draws him to Taranaki Maunga in particular, Andrews says it's a matter of convenience.

“I can drive there in half an hour,” he says.

Perhaps if he'd lived in Hamilton, his life