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Archives For 30/11/1999

Camping, walking/hiking/tramping, hunting, huts, cabins and campsites.

Volunteering for DOC – pure inspiration

Department of Conservation —  08/04/2013

Karl Rollinson and Corey Watkins are performers who moved north from Christchurch at the start of the year. Looking for some inspiring work, and with a love for the natural environment, they signed up for six weeks of volunteer work with DOC. They share their experiences.

In January we made the shift from Christchurch to Levin. We made the move seeking new adventure and creative opportunity.

Karl and Corey sitting in front of a waterfall.

Karl and Corey

Our intention was to find work, but where to find work was the question. As keen performers, musicians and artists, with a love for the natural environment, we were looking for a job which involved all these things.

By word of mouth we heard about volunteering for DOC. It worked in perfectly with our circumstances and our passions.

We went to DOC in the Manawatu and were absolutely thrilled when they agreed that we could help out. We signed up for six weeks volunteer work.

Oroua river in the Ruahine Forest Park.

Oroua river in the Ruahine Forest Park

With help from DOC staff we were able to experience a wide range of activities such as weed control, pest control and track maintenance. We can honestly say there was never a dull moment, and our appreciation for conservation–and our curiosity and insight–only grew stronger as the weeks progressed.

We have an interest in performing in the outdoors and showed DOC staff a video of our House on Fire performance. Impressed by the video, we were asked if our film skills could be used by DOC. We were generously offered transport, food and accommodation at the lovely Iron Gate Hut, which is about one and a half hours drive north east from Palmerston North. Excited by the prospect of adventure, and making a short video, we coordinated a plan for filming and set out.

The Iron Gates Hut sign in the car park.

The sign pointing us to our destination.

When we arrived at the car park at the start of the walkway to our destination, we were dumbstruck by the view. The journey had just begun and we were already in a constant state of awe.

We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived at Iron Gate Hut, and immediately began to make ourselves at home at the tidy, well kept hut. We felt a true state of tranquillity being amongst such beautiful scenery. We paid attention to the sounds of birds in the area and felt extremely comfortable and ready to relax for the night.

Iron Gate Hut.

The topic of our video, Iron Gate Hut

Being able to film and mix this video has honestly been one of the best things that has happened. The whole process was a really great experience. As for Iron Gate Hut? It’s awesome, see for yourself:

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My night at Lake Howden Hut

Department of Conservation —  03/04/2013

Olivia is 9 years old and lives in the Fiordland area. She writes about her recent trip to the Lake Howden Hut on the Routeburn Track.

Olivia and her brother on the Routeburn track.

Enjoying all the Routeburn has to offer

I liked going to stay at Lake Howden Hut. On the walk up the hill there were lots of water falls and big rocks. We had a drink of the water, saw a kaka bird and had a close look at the ferns. Some big trees were over the track that we had to go under like a tunnel.

At the hut there was a lot to do. We played in the lake and made a dam so we could have a pool, but the water was too cold. We found big rocks to climb and a stage to do our gymnastics and ballet on.

Liam standing on a rocky hill on the Routeburn Track.

Liam on top of the world

We had pasta for dinner, then milo and chocolate biscuits for supper. We played cards before going to bed.  We all wanted the top bunks but there were plenty of them so there were no fights. We played with our torches and in our sleeping bags, it was fun with everyone there.

Howden Hut on the Routeburn Track.

Our Howden Hut home

The next day we walked to Key Summit, it was amazing. It is a beautiful place, even the climb up was ok! But my legs did get a bit sore.

Olivia reading an information post along the Routeburn Track.

Learning about the alpine environment.

There was information on the different plants. Liam, my brother, was our tour guide and led the way around the track. We went across bogs, around tarns and up to the top.

On the way home it was all downhill. We talked about the next track we wanted to do, maybe the Kepler or Hollyford Track?

The girls on the Routeburn Track.

What track will we conquer next?

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Cicadas buzzing at Omaru Hut

Department of Conservation —  26/03/2013

Kaye Coe from DOC’s Taranaki Area Office shares with us a recent hut experience in the Matemateāonga Range.

It’s dusk. Warm still hazy air. Cicadas buzzing. My 7 year son and I are sitting on the deck of Omaru Hut, Matemateāonga Track. I am loving the peace and quiet of the moment. My son is putting up with his mum’s need for the quiet moment.

Omaru Hut, Matemateāonga Track.

Omaru Hut, Matemateāonga Track

I hear a shrill bird like cry, a quiet pause, then another, closer, then another. I whisper “kiwi“. We hold our breath, closer, louder, any moment the kiwi was going to burst out of the bush beside us. Another whistle a few metres away. We sit, still as frightened mice, not making a breath of sound. There’s a pause then, far away, we hear another call. The closer kiwi replies and turns from us. The kiwi call to each other, slowly sounding further and further away.

North Island Brown Kiwi.

A few metres away, a kiwi

Four days tramping on the Matemateāonga Range, just us and nobody else except a few kiwi, possibly a kokako or two, some morepork and a few old goats. The best Christmas a mum could wish for.

Swing bridge on the Matemateāonga Range.

Four days tramping on the Matemateāonga Range

The Matemateāonga Track

The Matemateāonga Track is one of the two major tramping opportunities available in Whanganui National Park. Using an old Maori trail and settlers’ dray road you are able to penetrate deep into the wilderness of the park.

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From Inwoods Lookout to the Hunters Hut

Department of Conservation —  19/03/2013

To celebrate the Protecting Our Place partnership with Dulux, DOC staff are sharing their ‘hut breaks’ stories. Today Stephen Wynne-Jones—Policy Advisor tells us about his tramp to Hunters Hunt in Mt Richmond Forest Park.

Stephen with Sam the nine year old border collie on the way to Hunters Hut.

Stephen with Sam the nine year old border collie on the way to Hunters Hut

In February my wife Liz and I tramped over from Inwoods Lookout to Hunters Hut in Mt Richmond Forest Park (between Nelson and Nelson Lakes). Dogs are allowed in this Park with a permit which is easily obtained from the Nelson Visitor Centre. Carrying the permit, we headed off with our “companion dog” Sam, a nine year old border collie. It was great to have Sam with us. He kept a close eye on us and was very well behaved. The only chasing/hunting we let him do was after a hare, which was, of course, much too fast for him to catch.

At the end of the trip Sam was a bit “paw” sore. His tail was still up though at the end of the walk. This indicates to me that he was a tired but happy dog.

Stephen standing on the deck at Hunters Hut in Mt Richmond Forest Park.

Stephen at Hunters Hut in Mt Richmond Forest Park

From Inwoods Lookout the track to Hunters Hut climbs steadily to the Gordons Range ridgeline.  It then runs along the ridge for a while before descending steeply to the Left Branch of the Motueka River, not far from the hut. The ridgetop section offers expansive views to the west eastwards towards the Red Hills and the Mt Ellis/Ben Nevis Ridge and southwards to the Nelson Lakes mountains and beyond.

We walked into the hut on a Friday evening after work, which meant that we finished the tramp in the dark. We found the DOC orange track markers okay to follow in the bush. Once we arrived at the Left Branch of the Motueka River though, we found they were much harder to spot in the dark. As a result we lost our way for a while and overshot the track leading up to the hut. This resulted in us having a later night than we expected.

Stephen with Sam the nine year old border collie in Mt Richmond Forest Park.

Stephen and Sam in Mt Richmond Forest Park

At the hut we met an interesting bunch of trampers who were heading southwards along the Te Araroa Way. This is the national long distance trail that runs the full length of the country from Cape Reinga to Bluff. All were from overseas – three young men from the US (who were travelling together), and two from France (travelling separately). Meeting these people was a change from our previous visit to this hut which was before the Te Araroa Way opened. Then, we had the hut to ourselves, even though it was in the middle of an Easter weekend. I was struck by the long days the long distance trampers on the Te Araroa Way were doing.

Hunters Hut is a relocated hut located on a spur above the site of the old Bush Edge Hut. The Bush Edge Hut was taken out by a flood/slip on 23 February 1995 with the loss of two DOC hunters who were sheltering there. This history is described in interpretative material at the hut. Co-incidentally we were at Hunters Hut 18 years to the day (and also a Saturday) since this sad event occurred.

Liz and Sam in Mt Richmond Forest Park.

Liz and Sam with the Red Hills landscape in the background

Hunters Hut today is a wonderful standard DOC eight bunk hut. It has views, plenty of sunshine (in summer anyway) and a great set up with decks on two sides and platform bunks at one end. This leaves plenty of space inside the hut for cooking, eating, yarning and relaxing. The nearby river has some great swimming holes.

Hunters Hut is near to the Red Hills an area of ultramafic (very dense magnesium rich) rock. This rock is very unforgiving if you fall on it. It is hard on tramping boots and dog paws. Ultramafic rock is naturally infertile so much of the area is covered in distinctive scrub and tussock. We found it also has lots of lizards, distinctive colours, and interesting rock forms.

Enjoy a hut break of your own

An overnight stay in a beautiful natural setting can be yours without having to raise too much of a sweat. Take a short walk, a boat trip or drive directly to the door to enjoy one of DOC’s down to earth stays. They’re all unique – from fairly basic to having many of the comforts of home, find one that’s right for you.

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‘Great Walking’ the Routeburn Track

Department of Conservation —  18/03/2013

Ranger Chris Hankin writes about his adventure along the Routeburn Track with the Air New Zealand Great Walkers.

In early March I had the privilege of joining the Air New Zealand Great Walkers for their tramp over the Routeburn Track. This was to be their fourth Great Walk, hot on the heels of completing the Milford Track just two days before.

Standing beside the Routeburn Track sign on a wet day.

A bit of a wet one

I was impressed by the group’s enthusiasm and energy. The second day of our walk was especially memorable. We camped the night before at Lake McKenzie and awoke to a perfect blue sky day. As we hiked across the spectacular ‘Hollyford Face’ we had uninterrupted views of the snow-capped Darran Mountains right out to Martins Bay on the west coast. Ahead of us was ‘Conical Hill’, which at 1,515 metres offered us even more exercise before rewarding us with incredible views of the surrounding landscape. After this highlight we slowly made our way down past Lake Harris to Routeburn Falls where we were treated to a night with Ultimate Hikes at Routeburn Falls Lodge.

The Great Walkers on the Routeburn Track.

Richard, Steph and Toshi

We enjoyed meeting the guided trampers and hearing about their own journey over the Routeburn. Everyone reflected on the day, of the plants, birds, streams, lakes, mountains and glaciers we had all been treated to.

The experience reminded me of the first time I enjoyed the Routeburn Track (and other Great Walks such as the Kepler).

Toshi standing near Erland Falls.

Toshi at Erland Falls

Now I am working for DOC I appreciate the huge efforts that keeps everything running smoothly. However when I first walked these tracks I didn’t quite realise what went on ‘behind the scenes’. I simply found myself walking in an amazing environment. When I was with the Air NZ Great Walkers I was reminded that they were seeing the walk for the very first time.

Conical Hill on the Routeburn Track.

Conical Hill

I found that as our tramp progressed the less I needed to say to them, as they were enjoying taking it all in. After the walk one of the walkers said to me ‘to experience these places first hand redefines the meaning of special’. I am sure most people completing a Great Walk for the first time, wherever it is, come away feeling much the same.

Chris and the Great Walker team on the Routeburn Track.

Chris and the Great Walker team.

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