There's a couple in Fiordland I'm looking at, that I'm pretty sure aren't on the DOC site, yet are on topomap.co.nz. Not sure if that means they're public but not DOC's? Or private? I was hoping to be able to find a pic of them, but as I don't even know what they're called, I don't like the odds.
For instance, one is on McKenzie burn in the south fiord of Te Anau. Just looking at this area it seems like there's quite a few non-DOC huts around.
Unnamed huts are privately owned. Typically they sit within hunting blocks that fly-in hunters hire out for a length of time.
Cheers for the reply. Hmm so I guess anything that isn't on the DOC site should be assumed to be privately owned?
Hi @contour_lines_are_the_enemy.
Are you meaning the two un-named huts next to Lake Te Au, and also off the NW corner of south fiord of Lake Te Anau?
They're within the Fiordland National Park boundaries, but in the Fiordland National Park Management Plan, page 117, they appear to lie within a Takahe Specially Protected Area, with access by permit only under the National Parks Act.
See http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-doc/policies-and-plans/national-park-management/fiordland-national-park-management-plan/
You should check with DOC about legalities if you're thinking of visiting there. Based on what's in the Management Plan, it sounds as if they have legal allowances for non-guided groups to be granted permits for entry under strict conditions during December, January and February, but you'd still need to obtain a permit.
Sometimes even huts listed by DOC are privately owned, but if DOC's listing it then it'll normally mean it's available for public use under at least some arrangement. eg. Howletts Hut is owned by the Heretaunga Tramping Club, and is available for use but DOC hut tickets and passes aren't valid there. http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-stay/backcountry-huts-by-region/hawkes-bay/hawkes-bay/howletts-hut/
This post has been edited by the author on 14 December 2014 at 22:16.
Thanks for the detaied ino izogi.
Oh yeah, I forgot those huts may be in DOC's Murchison mountains off-limits area, but it was just an example of what I meant. There seem to be quite a few huts on topomaps that I can't find on DOC's site.
So what is the deal with private huts if say, you were in a storm and in need of shelter. Are they usually locked? I only really stay in huts in those sort of circumstances, as I prefer a tent. But in serious situations, are the private ones able to be at least sheltered in for a bit, or are they all locked up?
I think it depends on the hut. If it's a private building then I guess owners are probably allowed to lock it so you could never guarantee it wouldn't be locked. In honesty if I were desperate I think I'd do whatever I needed to. Break a window or whatever and deal with the consequences later.
Occasionally DOC huts are also locked. Several of DOC's huts in the Orongorongas east of Wellington are locked, with a booking required. But that's also part of the current culture of the Orongorongo River and how tramping evolved in there, so it's not too out of place. The DOC huts are only a few out of lots and lots of private batches, gradually disappearing as their leases expire.
This post has been edited by the author on 14 December 2014 at 23:45.
Yea if it's not named on the topo discount it except to be wary of hunters likely operating nearby. I hoped to get water from Kapuni Lodge Mt Taranaki once but there wasn't even an outside tap off the tank. Most are kept locked. But in a genuine emergency peace-time rules no longer apply, right?
This post has been edited by the author on 14 December 2014 at 23:45.
Generally, if they are not named they are either private, or belong to one of the Crown entities and are not for use. In an extreme life or death emergency it would generally be ok to use a hut but or course you would be liable for any damage inflicted getting into the building.
Of course this may not be any protection from an irritated farmer bearing a shotgun, but those are the chances you take...
