In Praise of DOC Huts

We have a unique system of public backcountry huts in New Zealand. From poky, smoky huts etched with history through to Great Walk palaces with solar lighting, these huts provide much needed shelter on our tramping tracks. Often a convenient day's walk apart, most provide the basics of bunks, benches, rainwater tanks and a tap, with an outdoor toilet at a pong-free distance.

There's nothing quite like the sight of a hut in the distance after a tough day on the trail. Glimpse it in the distance through the bush or across the bay and suddenly your pack feels lighter, the rain less persistent, and hunger more bearable.

But best of all is the view from the hut, having been on the move all day, you can now sit and enjoy the view out to sea, up the river, or deep into the bush interior.

The huts on the North-West Circuit of Stewart Island, are all in inspired locations. Each hut we came to had its own delightful setting. Thanks DOC!

Stewart Island Brown Kiwi - Tokoeka

Stewart Island Brown Kiwi - southern Tokoeka - are a very special kiwi. These beautiful birds are special for several reasons.

Unlike other kiwi, southern Tokoeka are active during the daytime. This means a visitor to Stewart Island has more of a chance of seeing kiwi in the wild, than on the North or South Islands. My opportunity came on a dull morning near the old Long Harry Hut site on the North-West Circuit. Between 9am and 10am we saw 6 kiwi, and I don't just mean that we caught the fleeting glimpse of a brown backside in the undergrowth. When we sighted a kiwi we kept quite still and were able to watch then feeding, and were witness to what we thought was a territory dispute between some juveniles.