[Joe Nawalaniec]

For the first time in 36 or so years, there is now a hut in the upper Otaki River. This newish 2-bunker is sited very close to the original (removed in 1979 to become the ‘new’ Andersons hut.) Although DoC have requested that the public don’t stay in the hut, it is open and is useful as an emergency shelter (for those bamboozled off Oriwa Ridge or blown off the Main Range). There is a picnic table, a good open “firebox”, and great camping adjacent.

[harry]

But why have DOC put it in? I thought the Upper Otaki was being maintained as an unofficial wilderness area or a remote experience area or something. Is there anything about this in the Tararua management plan? Do DOC need to consult anybody or inform anybody if they put a new hut somewhere?

If it’s a two-bunk hut and the public aren’t supposed to use it I presume it must be for use for biodiversity workers, like the newish two-bunk hut at Island Forks in the Waitewaewae catchment (which I thought was also being maintained as an unofficial wilderness area).

[MikeM]

Hello. Was the original ever on a map? I went to look this up at MapsPast. Neither the 1959 nor 1969 nor 1979 layers seem to show a hut around there.

1979: http://mapspast.org.nz/?zoom=13&x=1797607&y=5479355&layerid=NZMS1%201979
1969: http://mapspast.org.nz/?zoom=13&x=1797607&y=5479355&layerid=NZMS1%201969
1959: http://mapspast.org.nz/?zoom=13&x=1797607&y=5479355&layerid=NZMS1%201959

[joe nawalaniec]

Its marked on my 1978 NZFS park map. My 1985 topomap shows the old track leading down off Kelleher, right to the old (now new) hut site, sans a hut. Still a few old painted discs on the bottom half of this closed track; the top half is hard to follow down.

[MikeM]

Great. Thanks, Joe.

[John A]

The hut has been there for at least a year (I was there in March 2015) I believe that it is used for biodiversity monitoring

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