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.

In Huts , , , , ,
permalink

‘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.

In Great Walks , , , , ,
permalink

Jobs at DOC: Ivan Rogers—Whio Ranger

Department of Conservation —  15/03/2013

Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).

March is Whio Awareness Month. To celebrate this, we profile Ivan Rogers—Whio Ranger in the Motueka Area Office.

A whio gets away from Ranger Ivan Rogers.

A whio nearly getting away on me. This picture gets trotted out at work fairly regularly, to much amusement.

At work

Some things I do in my job include… I’m in the second year of a three year study putting cameras on whio nests to record predation. I’m also tracking them during the moult when they are equally vulnerable to predation. And anything else that comes along, especially if it’s to do with lizards.

Ranger Ivan Rogers is bitten on the finger by a common gecko.

Attacked by a common gecko during hakea control. This was the first one found after a rodent eradication. From being virtually undetectable, they have bounced back strongly

The best bit about my job… is that moment when you find a whio nest and look her (briefly) in the eye.

The loveliest DOC moment I’ve had so far is… The first time I saw a rock wren. Gareth from Golden Bay had gone for a walk up Mt Perry and had seen one. I had never seen one and I was so jealous that I scooted up as soon as I could and there it was! There turned out to be a family group resulting from a successful nest. Like toutouwai they will perch on your boot.

The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is… Kath Smith from Golden Bay. We met when we were hut wardens—a rare instance of an ‘instant’ friendship—she knows me all too well!

Ranger Ivan Rogers holds a bag of fur seal vomit from Tonga Island.

This is me collecting fur seal vomit from Tonga Island

On a personal note…

Most people don’t know that I… was a punk in the very late 70s/early 80s.

The song that always cheers me up is… Roadrunner by the Modern Lovers or anything else with two chords.

My stomping ground is… I’ve had a few—Aro St, Surry Hills, the Heaphy Track…. Now I do my ‘stomping’ in the South Branch Wangapeka.

My greatest sporting moment was when… Kind of a sporting moment: I once rode a Yamaha 50 from Christchurch to Karamea and very nearly back—the front tyre blew out at Woodend so I chucked it behind a gorse bush and hitched the rest of the way….

In my spare time… I breed Northland green gecko (Naultinus grayii).

Ranger Ivan Rogers taking invertebrate samples on the Richmond Ranges.

Invertebrate sampling on the Richmond Ranges

Deep and meaningful…

My favourite quote is… “Quick! A pumpkin” (a friend’s small boy. I think he plays for the Rabbitohs now).

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is… Keep all your (photographic) negatives.

In work and life I am motivated by… Quick answer: I’m in awe of those people who work with the demented elderly, the profoundly disabled, and the deeply disturbed. What a noble thing to do—how is it they are the low waged?

My conservation advice to New Zealanders is… Don’t put milk out for hedgehogs.

If you could move backwards or forwards to any decade in time, which would you pick and why?
It kind of depends on where as much as when doesn’t it? I was a bit too young to enjoy the 70s so that’s one decade I’d go for. Specifically 1970s USA—being around to see all those great bands. In Detroit the Stooges and the MC5 and in New York the last days of the Velvet Underground, the Ramones, the New York Dolls, the whole Max’s Kansas City and CBGBs scene.

Rangers Ross Maley and Ivan Rogers in the Horoirangi Marine Reserve .

Out in the Horoirangi Marine Reserve with my colleague Ross Maley

In Jobs at DOC , , , , ,
permalink

Trapping at Lake Sylvan

Department of Conservation —  14/03/2013

10 year old Jamie Hamilton is a Year 6 student at Glenorchy School, she often goes out trapping with her dad, a DOC trapping volunteer. She writes about a recent trip to Lake Sylvan.

At different times of the year my dad and I go trapping at Lake Sylvan.

Jamie heading out to check the traps

Jamie heading out to check the traps

The reason we go is so that DOC can monitor how many stoats and rats there are and to save our native birds. My dad and I do 34 traps and if you walk a little further past this trap line you will end up at the Rockburn Hut.

At the start of the walk there is a little sign and it shows all the markers that are shown on the track. The two that that we look for are the orange and blue markers, the orange are track markers and the blue ones show where the traps are.

Jamie with her dad.

Jamie with her dad

Sometimes dad and I have to leave really early so we can get back at a reasonable time. Once me and dad left at 8:00 am and got back at 5:30 pm. On that trip we got four stoats and one rat. One of the stoats was a baby and one was a white one, there wasn’t much left of them though. The white stoat is a normal stoat but its coat colour just changes white in the winter.

On the track we often see robins and rifleman and hear the beautiful song that the birds make.

A robin sitting on a trap at Lake Sylvan.

A robin sitting on a trap

I love checking the trap lines for DOC, I know I am helping to protect our native birds and I get to spend a day with my dad doing something we both enjoy.

Jamie sitting on rocks by Lake Sylvan.

Jamie sitting on rocks by Lake Sylvan

In Animal pests , , , , , ,
permalink

Mums and kids take a hut break at Raukawa Hut

Ligs Hoffman —  13/03/2013

Our recently announced Protecting Our Place partnership with Dulux got us thinking about how we can let more people know about the many easy to get to huts that DOC manages, so they can get out and enjoy them.

Easy access huts are a great way to experience huts for the first time without having to walk too far (some you can even drive to). They’re also for all ages and fitness levels, go check them out in our new hut breaks section of the DOC website.

It also got me reminiscing about taking my then five-year-old son on his first overnight stay in a hut. We went into Raukawa Hut near Wellington with a group of mums and kids.

Ligs Hoffman, son and partner take a break in Rimutaka Forest Park.

My son, me and my partner taking a scroggin break

Rimutaka Forest Park is about 45 mins drive from Wellington city, so it was easy to leave after school on a sunny Friday afternoon. The walk in to the hut is about two hours – having the kids in tow added another half an hour. This included many necessary scroggin and chocolate stops, which kept everyone well fuelled.

Ligs Hoffman's family on the track to Raukawa Hut.

My sister, nephew and son on the track in

I love the walk in to the river, as the track is easy under foot and you are sheltered from the sun by the beautiful forest over head. A bit of bird spotting went on and the kids had fun pretending they were on some kind of military mission, racing along the track.

Raukawa is in an awesome spot by the river, close to the end of the track. In summer the river is low and basically a really a large river bed with a few streams heading down the valley. It’s a different story after rain, so it’s always good to keep an eye on the weather forecast as the river level can change quite quickly.

Raukawa hut amongst the trees and beside a river in Rimutaka Forest Park.

Raukawa is up on the river bank amongst these trees

There are a couple of stream crossings before you get to the hut, the kids enjoyed running through and getting nice and wet!

Once at the hut we unpacked and the bunk bagging began – the kids had discovered how much fun the sleeping platforms were for rolling around in their sleeping bags.

As far as huts go, Raukawa is luxurious, with an internal flush toilet, wetback shower and gas for cooking.

Once settled in the kids disappeared off to start their military missions around the hut, fortifying it from the enemy.

Children planning fun and games by the river in Rimutaka Forest Park.

Serious business planning missions down on the river bed

We also had a budding spider expert amongst us so, with book in tow, there was lots of spider identification going on, including a journey out after dark.

After a hearty dinner and a glass of wine for the mums (the bonus of a short walk in) it was down to the river to watch the stars. It was incredible with a clear night and no city lights. We all thought it was magical, especially those who had never been into the bush before.

After Milo and stories around the pot belly it was off to bed. We won’t talk about how loudly some people snore….

The next day we woke to a beautiful summer’s day and spent time exploring near the hut and visiting Jans Hut, which isn’t far away.

The afternoon was spent reading, relaxing and swimming in the river. The kids spent hours doing more missions, including damming up the river, playing in the shallow rapids, spider spotting and bird watching going on. That night we heard kiwi calling out across the valley which was pretty special and something not too many ‘kiwi kids’ get to experience.

Kids swimming in a river in the Rimutaka Forest Park.

Kids spend the afternoon swimming in the river

We had lots of tired bodies after our adventures, and were thankful for the wetback in the hut that allowed us (a very quick) hot shower at the end of a fantastic day.

Sunday morning was a little more leisurely as we knew we had to head back to our lives in the city. We cleaned the hut out, making sure we left it spic and span, repacked and set off. Luckily we still had plenty of scroggin to encourage the little legs along.

We were all a little sad we couldn’t spend more time out in the bush, away from TVs and computers.  But the retelling of our adventures and planning of the next trip kept us going.

Raukawa hut nestled amongst the trees in the Rimutaka Forest Park.

Raukawa hut nestled amongst the trees

So I would encourage anyone who hasn’t done it to get out and experience the huge network of huts DOC manages on your behalf. The staff out in the regions do an amazing job keeping the tracks maintained and the huts ship shape. Seeing the look on my son’s face as he stared up at the beautiful night sky with thousands of twinkling stars was priceless.

And if you’ve never done it before we have some handy tips about DOC huts with tips on what to take. One thing I might add is ear plugs.

In Huts , , ,
permalink