Do you know how to cross a river safely? How to identify the best place to cross? How about the warning signs of an unsafe river?
This blog is deep dive into river safety in the outdoors.
Continue Reading...Archives For 30/11/1999
Getting children outdoors with friends and family is an easy, cheap and fun way to grow healthy and happy kids. Auckland Operations Ranger Drew Divehall tells us how kids can get involved in nature.
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The challenge for parents is to balance a child’s digital and physical worlds. To help kiwi families keep track of green and screen time this summer, DOC has produced a simple fun colouring chart.
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By Andy Thompson, Technical Advisor Recreation, Christchurch
As a passionate hunter I love exploring our backcountry—so much country, so little time!
Hunting tahr up the mighty Rakaia River
The backcountry—its huts and tracks—are our inheritance.
For me, the places where I first took my kids on an overnight tramp, and where they shot their first deer or chamois, are ingrained into my character and our family’s folklore. It’s a legacy I want my grandkids and their grandkids to have.
A day walk with the family at the bottom on the Kepler Track
I’m also one of the lucky DOC staff working with the New Zealand Outdoor Recreation Consortium, who are keen to look after and maintain New Zealand’s backcountry facilities.
The consortium is a partnership between the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand, New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association and Trail Fund NZ.
The great wee Reischek Hut in Canterbury
My heroes are the people that go on major missions, who use these places and then choose, in their spare time, to put something back.
Whānau and friends on the Hollyford Track
This isn’t about DOC shedding its responsibilities to look after backcountry huts, this is about doing more and looking after the places where many of us spend our holidays and weekends and enrich our lives.
One of my favourite places and backcountry huts—Stanley Vale in the St James Conservation Area
So, if you’re a tramper, hunter, mountain biker, 4WDer, horse rider, caver, kayaker, mountaineer or more, and want to find out what we’re up to come check out the New Zealand Outdoor Recreation Consortium website.
Moss Thompson looks out over the Mt Sommers Walkway
Today’s photo of the week is from the Bealey Spur Track in Arthur’s Pass.
The track climbs gently up through mountain beech forest to the base of Mt Rolleston up toward the Black Range and it offers a fantastic view of Arthur’s Pass and the Waimakariri River.
DOC is interested in finding out more about your thoughts on exploring the outdoors. Are you an early morning hiker, or a late morning latte drinker? Does camping excite you or frighten you?
Take this quick and easy survey to share your thought on the outdoors – and you could win a $200 Prezzy card as a ‘thanks’ for filling it in.
Photo by Jason Blair | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
