Wilderness Januaury 2018

MY FAVOURITE WATER WALK used to be to Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel Peninsula. You probably know it – every person on the planet must have walked there by now. I first went there when I was six, which is several years more than 30 years ago. But I’d wager you don’t know what it was like back then, because our family were the only people who knew about it. At least, that’s what it felt like. We hardly ever shared the beach with anyone – we’d be there all day, swimming, playing, exploring, and not see another soul. It was a magical place. Getting to the cove was an adventure. There was none of this paved path business. It was a muddy, rough track, eroded and dangerous. It felt…

Cover it up I recently heard a DOC contractor say on RNZ that the amount of human waste visible on the Milford Track and elsewhere was disgusting and was getting out of control. Richard Davies, DOC recreation manager, responded by saying the department would be increasing the number of staff to address the issue. He also urged the public to get in touch if they saw any faeces on the tracks this summer. I have maintained a 10km predator trap line on the Kepler Track, weekly, since 2007. If I see human waste, I cover it. If I didn’t cover it, and contacted DOC instead, how would they respond? Helicopter in, clothed in high viz vests, face masks, rubber gloves and with litres of disinfectant? I suggest a simple sign…

GET YOUR PHOTO PUBLISHED HERE TO RECEIVE AN OPINEL NO.5 FOLDING KNIFE WORTH $20. Learn more about Opinel at ampro.co.nz . Last Weekend submission criteria can be found at wildernessmag.co.nz…

Hut and track funding The next funding round for hut and track restoration projects through the Backcountry Trust closes on February 16, 2018. The trust, formerly the Outdoor Recreation Consortium, has received $700,000 from DOC to fund backcountry projects over the next two years. In November, 25 projects received nearly $170,000 of funding. Huts being restored include Howletts Hut, Toka Biv and Top Gorge Hut in Ruahine Forest Park, John Reid Hut (Kahurangi National Park), Cass Saddle Hut (Craigieburn Forest Park), Pool Hut (St James Conservation Area), and Reardon Hut (Ruataniwha Conservation Park). To apply for a grant, visit www.hutsandtracks.org.nz/resources. Canyoning fund launched The New Zealand Canyoning Association has launched a fund to support infrastructure in existing canyons and to encourage new canyoning opportunities. This can include canyoning anchors, access…

MORE THAN 30 TRACKS in the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park have been closed and more are set to follow as Auckland Council steps up efforts to prevent the spread of kauri dieback disease. In December, Council opted to close all high and medium risk tracks in the ranges, after surveys of the forest found the rate of dieback disease had doubled in the past five years. Thirty-three new tracks have closed, while nine tracks that were temporarily closed in 2012 will be permanently closed and disestablished (we've got a list of these on our website). Dozens more medium and high risk tracks may be closed over the next two months as they are assessed. The Council is considering a 20-fold increase to its budget to fight kauri die-back disease, funded…

DOC HAS RECEIVED 37 proposals for new Great Walks as the department plans to build two new Great Walks by 2021. The proposals included 30 different walks across the country. A panel including Federated Mountain Clubs, New Zealand Recreation Association, NZ Maori Tourism, Tourism NZ, Air New Zealand and Tourism Industry Aotearoa have whittled the proposals down to a shortlist of about 12 options, which are being consulted with iwi. The shortlist will be released publicly later in the process. DOC has said North Island walks would be given preference and a condition of the new walks was that they had to be upgrades to existing trails, not entirely new tracks. The two walks will be selected by June 2018. The department has $12.7 million to develop the walks. DOC…