Paparoas.....

they were put where the deer culling operations and the larger parks where large no's of trampers went..

@Kreig There are more than two but relatively low numbers cf. Central Westland! Assume you are only counting Ces Clark and Buckland Peaks huts? Wayno is right about the lack of wild animal problem in the early days meaning there was no need for hunters huts in the Paparoas. The deer only colonised much of the Paparoas from the 1960's onwards and chamois even more recently than that. Earlier than the 60's there were quite a few abandoned miners and prospectors huts that people could stay in. Most of these have now collapsed but Garden Gully Hut has been rebuilt as a representative reminder of one. Meikles Hut is still standing but derelict, Top Hut Croesus is still there and usable. There are also a smattering of private/unofficial huts and the Kiwi Programme Bivi(s).

Cheers. I didn't really count Top Hut because it's less than 100m from CES Clark. Or Garden Gully because it's for historical purposes, not for accommodation. (Although I would use it if I had to). I appreciate the explanation guys. It amazes me there's so little tramping in the Paparoas! I love it up here! Snuggled down in CES Clark right now, actually. :)

Heaps of tramping opportunities! Your surprised at how few people are out there doing it in the Paparoas? I worked for/with Ces Clark for part of 1978 and again briefly in 1980. All before the hut you are staying in was built.

I have often thought that the Paparoa's would be a great location for a couple of track networks with associated huts. A first rate track between Blackball and the coast would get a lot of use and provide jobs in guiding, hospitality, transport, secure parking etc. for the towns at both ends. It seems like a no brainer! At the moment the track to Ces clark and the ones up around Punakiki are about your lot. If I'm cynical, one of the reasons they havent developed it more is that most of the range is unclassified land i.e. not a Forest or National Park and there are minerals etc. in the area that they might like to mine some day. The Victoria Range is another area that gets very little use, even though there is some awesome off track tramping available. If I was a West Coast mayor I would be pushing these type of tourism ideas rather than expecting coal and mineral exploitation to save me.

Buckland Peaks did not even start off as a DOC hut. It was put in as a scout hut but has now been replaced by a DOC hut in the same spot I think.

The Venturer Scout hut was a short distance away but the same general area.

Similar sorta thing in the waitakere ranges. Only two there afaik, and only one in the hunua ranges afaik. Heaps of campsites in both, but all in sort of the same area. Makes life less convenient.

I've been meaning to head up Mount Bovis for some time now. Anybody been there or done any interesting circuits on the ridges? I mean I'm just looking at the map and it doesn't look too hard....