For those who have been around the New Zealand model railway scene a while - the name is evocative by itself. It self identifies - everyone knows what it is and what it means.
For those new to Pokaka, a little background. -
Pokaka is a place. It is (according to the milepost) 333 km from Wellington and almost the same distance from Auckland. It is just south of the point at Makatote where the "last spike" was driven on the North Island Main Trunk in 1908 and just north of the highest point on the line. It is the location of the old railway station and village of the same name, now home to the Taylor Memorial Lodge and very little else.
For over 25 years on the second weekend in November a contingent of railway modellers has been drawn to Pokaka to spend a weekend engaged in trains - real trains (they rumble right past the door), model trains (people bring models, they make models, they talk about models) and endless discussion and debates about trains. The food is another key component of the weekend (proving of course that men can cook).
Accommodation is bunk style in a set of four old railway houses "bolted" together (in the winter it is used by people getting close to the ski fields - Ohakune is only five minuites away). The Taylor Memorial Lodge can accommodate up to 50 people. Taylor Memorial Lodge
Those who attend have been very supportive of the organisation that runs the lodge and which provides us with such a wonderful venue. Some years ago we went down for an extra working weekend in February when we repainted the entire building. See some of the team members working on the project at this link.
Pokaka is described as a Cultural Convocation. The photos below provide some idea of the event that is Pokaka.
This link is to the 30 year Pokaka celebrations in November 2014