Portering gear in New Zealand

Thanks @deepriver. That sounds like the guy I was thinking of. More on concessions... The part of the Conservation Act which says a concession is required is 17O, and it basically says that a concession is always required *unless* you meet listed criteria. The most relevant one for us is entering a Conservation Area for 'undertaking a recreational activity' and without 'a specific gain or reward', a specific exception being that it's okay for groups to impose a reasonable charge for recovering expenses. www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1987/0065/latest/whole.html#DLM104633 S49 of the National Parks Act then references the Conservation Act and says that everything stated for a Conservation Area also applies to National Park. http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1980/0066/latest/whole.html#DLM38217 So DOC doesn't list a specific type of concession and fee for getting paid to carry someone's pack, but the law definitely seems to think a concession's required.

i've heard it can be rather difficult and time consuming to get a concession from doc if you're a small operator.... someone was teling me about their friend who was an ex doc ranger, set up his own small guiding company, he knew how to go about applying for the concession correctly. and found it a nightmare trying to get a concession from doc.

I think you would probably find it too much of a hassle setting this up in the face of entrenched businesses to make this a possibility. You could offer portage for huts outrside of the great walks but would end up in trouble if DOC found out. Hmmmmmmmm....!

A few years ago, Frank and I were offered $300 to carry in a considerable amount of food for a group coming from another direction. Frank's pack weighed 40 kg and mine weighed 25 kg. He carried it for about an hour and then followed my suggestion of splitting the load to drop off one food drop upvalley and then the other load up a side creek as instructed. We had a nice evening at the second food drop up the side creek. Unfortunately for the group, the rivers came up and they couldn't continue to our food drops. Some poor sod came in and did something with the food drops after this.