On Tuesday, May 6, Mr Murcott turned 80 and had a tree planted in his honour on one of the very paths he has spent countless hours on - the Steve Amies Track.
Mr Murcott, a member of the WEA over-50 tramping club, said he loved working up there.
‘‘I've been working on tracks around the whole of Dunedin for over 20 years now,'' Mr Murcott said.
‘‘Eventually we settled down and started focusing on the Silver Stream Track.
‘‘We [the working party] go up there every Tuesday from about 10am and absolutely love working up there.''
The working party had recently benefited from the addition of members from the Mosgiel Men's Probus Club, Mr Murcott said.
‘‘We are very glad to get the help,'' Mr Murcott said.
On Tuesday this week, Mr Murcott was joined by friends and family on the Steve Amies Track for a small birthday celebration and a tree planting ceremony in his honour - something which has become customary among members of the working party.
‘‘We have a tradition for those people who have worked on these tracks,'' Mr Murcott said.
‘‘When they turn 80 we plant a tree for them.
‘‘We have five trees up there already and now it's my turn.''
The tradition started when the first tree was planted to honour Steve Amies, for whom the track is named, on his 80th birthday.
‘‘Steve was the convener of the tramping club in its early days and remained its leader until 1992.
‘‘He set up classes under the auspices of the Workers' Education Association and began giving lectures in tramping and its allied topics, eventually he began taking people out on tramps.''
Mr Murcott, who was joined by his wife Nancy, his son Ron, of Sydney, Australia, members of the over-50 tramping club and members of the Mosgiel Men's Probus Club said it was a great honour to have a tree planted in his name.
‘‘It's a culmination for me of 21 years working on these tracks - but that's not to say it's coming to an end,'' Mr Murcott said.
