Maitland Stream Track, 1–2 August 2026
1–2 August 2026
We had been warned by the Lake Ohau Station farmer that the Maitland Stream Track needed maintenance. After a weekend of battling through windfall and sprouting beech saplings, our group of four trampers entirely agreed!
The Maitland Valley is beautiful in August, especially after a fresh coating of snow on the Barrier Range and over the bush. We had a perfect weather window of two sunny days after snow and the valley was gleaming in the bright sunlight. We left Oamaru at 7am, stopped off for sausage rolls and coffee at Omarama, signed in at Lake Ohau Station, parked 200 metres up the road by the locked gate and set off through the farm by 9.45 am. We climbed up the farm road for 4.7km to 1100 metres, stopping for a break at 11 am, taking in the brilliant view of the Barrier Range, before descending steeply over scree slopes and tussock to the bush.
Climbing over or around the windfall was hard work. Sometimes we straddled over the fallen trunks and branches, at other times we followed hunters’ footsteps down the slope and back up again to find the track. At other spots we had to push our way through thickly growing beech saplings right beside the track, hiding it from view. We were always on the lookout for orange markers to check we had found the track again.
After 1.5 kms dropping down through the bush, we reached the Maitland Stream at 765m. Here there are some welcome camping spots on grassy flats where trampers often stay. From here the track partly follows the river, and partly leads into the bush again, but there are places where the track has been washed out and has disappeared.
The further up the Valley the track goes, the more important it is to stay high. Robbie found the high track, but Julian, Lorenna and Jenny inadvertently found their way back to the stream too early and had two extra stream crossings in cold, fast running water, up to Julian’s thighs. Lorenna was expert in straddling one particularly large log to cross the stream, but Jenny got stuck on it… at least until Julian came to the rescue and retrieved her pack!
The last twenty minutes on the track, climbing from the stream to Maitland hut, was clear and quite magical with the fresh snow covering moss and beech trees. It had taken Robbie 5.5 hours from the car to the hut, and the group of three took an extra 20 minutes with the stream detour. The hut, a 1968 Forest Service Hut, sits comfortably amongst snow tussock at 955m, and boasts a large fireplace, four bunks and a kitchen bench. Perfect for the night! Although we had all carried tents, Lorenna and Jenny quickly booked a bunk, while Robbie and Julian (dubious about those short bunks) opted for pitching tents in the snow. It didn’t take long to warm the hut up with the fire going (hunters had left dry wood in the hut) and to get the billy boiling.
Returning on Sunday took another 5.5 hours. It is a long walk up the steep 335m climb through the bush and up the steep scree slopes back to the farm track. Leaving at 8am, we were back to the car by 1.30pm. On the way back we did find Robbie’s drink bottle, but not his left croc. It is still somewhere amidst the windfall!
Thanks to Robbie, Julian and Lorenna for their track finding skills, log straddling, ‘Karma’ card playing, and for keeping that fire going, even first thing in the morning! This is a track for experienced trampers who have a good sense for route finding and river crossing skills, not for first time overnight trampers.
–Jenny Kitchin
Aviemore Dam to Kurow
26th July 2026
Soon after 9am, six of us began our walk from Aviemore Dam on the Alps to Ocean track in a cool wind and sunny skies. The ruins of the Wharekuri Hotel and Stables, built 1865, are 2 km from Aviemore. This was built near where the Waitaki River Ferry operated. A robbery in its first year, by bushrangers, Everest and Davis hid the stash at Parsons Rock nearby. We had morning tea under the bridge of the Awahokomo Creek. Further along the track is the Waitaki Dam, the first dam built on the Waitaki River, which originally was going to be built at Roseneath/Wharekuri where the Aviemore Dam is. It was decided against that due to the coal seam on the south side which could be a potential leak point. So, it was decided the site below the confluence of the Awakino River to be better. The construction of the Waitaki Dam began in 1928 and was completed 6 years later. No mechanical earthmoving equipment was used. An early lunch was had before the track winds uphill away from the road and along towards Kurow which was reached about 1.30pm.
Thanks for transporting us to Aviemore Julian and appreciate your company John, Neville, Lorena, Lynette and Julian. Photos by John, Bess.
Benmore Dam to Sailors Cutting
28th June 2026
Three cars arrived shortly after 9am at the Benmore Dam carpark and everyone was keen to get going. We got warmed up walking the Benmore Peninsula Track and at the Lookout, met a chilling westerly however it was a sunny day. It is a stunning vista looking over Lake Benmore and up towards the Haldon Arm where at the north end is Haldon Station. At the start, 3 people had decided to do a there and back walk so were to drive the vehicles around to Sailors Cutting to pick up the rest of the group. So, further along the A20 the Sailors Cutting group stopped at 12.30 for lunch in a sheltered spot just before the picnic bench on the knob. After lunch the breeze had dissipated, and it warmed considerably. We reached Sailors Cutting about 3pm. Perfect timing as the other 3 had just finished their walk along the A20 and back to the vehicles. They came and picked us up and on the way home, stopped at Kurow for an ice cream.
Thanks for your company, Anna, Tania, Charley, David, Lorena, John, Karyl, Ros and Jenny, Photos from David and John.
Trip Report, Kings Birthday, 2026
Herbert Forest, Wainakarua Reserve Circuit
This is a first-time trip for this club, where we have tended to spend time in both but separately. It is a trip for lovers of long ups and long downs, also a trip very close to home and as it turned out quite doable.
Three such lovers of long ups and long downs set out from Goblin Woods on Saturday morning about 9.00am and donned our packs right from home for me and headed up the road to the Swallows Track which was quickly completed. Minor scrambling to get us past the logging activities and we walked up the Middleridge Rd until we got to Mt Misery Rd and a further few hundred meters saw us on the DoC track leading down hill to the Middle Branch where we found the rocky spot before you head up the hill to Tabletop for lunch and heard the call of the Karearea. Up the rather brutally steep hill that eventually leads to Tabletop and a pleasant walk along the Tabletop track now completely track-marked and maintained well by our local DoC rangers, Tom and Tom. After the long descent to the old yards flat where we wanted to camp, we found two campers already in residence complete with a lovely fire. “We’ll put the billy on” was their greeting and so we spent the night with John and Sally for company. It was a very cold night on that flat for most of the night, but sometime predawn the NW warmed the place up somewhat but conditions did cause tents to be wet with condensation. Keen to get out of our tents we were all good to start again just after 8 am and quickly warmed up climbing the steep slope to the ridge that leads to Staircase Hut. A quick stop here for fuel and inspecting the resident rats in the hut and we go along the Staircase Ridge to find the right ridge to drop down into the higher reaches of the Middle Branch of the Waianakarua R. The gorgie river valley is cold, dark, slippery and a bit foreboding. It seems to take a long time to traverse the km to the opposite ridge we have to climb back out of. The river rocks are very slippery and one of the team experience the full emersion technique to measure the depth of the water, very unpleasant. A quick bite of food before the next steep ascent to find the Kahikatea Lodge. As soon as we had reached a slightly higher altitude, the temperature seemed to go up by at least 10 degrees and it turned into a very pleasant afternoon. We reached our destination at about 2pm and arrived to an empty hut. So we moved in, deciding that it would be nice to spend a night here in this new very nice hut. All the wet gear was drying fast in the warm NW sunny conditions and we lounged around in the sun until the sound of others approaching was heard. Eventually a young family with young girl and dog and Mum and Dad appeared at the hut door. They quickly claimed booked people rights (fairly rudely) and made it clear that they wanted the entire hut. We didn’t mind all that much and were happy too spend another night in our quickly erected tents rather than a night with poor company. It remained quite pleasantly warm during the night resulting in perfectly dry tents in the morning. About the same time as the previous day we strolled down the steep hill to the wee stream and the steep track back to the Mt Misery Rd Carpark. No car awaited us here, we were just getting started for the day. We walked back down Mt Misery Rd to the Glencoe sheds. Great coastal views over most of North Otago and the hinterlands and plenty of time to take it all in. We had a brief stop to talk to Anna on her way up to have a walk to the Lodge and back, testing her newly acquired 4wd. The road was in very good condition, the best I have ever seen and you could have driven pretty near any vehicle up to the carpark just now. Once at the sheds, we turned back down into Breakneck Rd and walked as far as the Podocarp Track which we descended and stopped for lunch under the big Kahikatea trees. A few obstacles saw us back on the Swallows and down it home to Goblin Woods by just after 1.
This was quite a strenuous trip probably in the fit range of our measure, it takes good mental fortitude to persist with the uphills when you’ve had enough. It was very satisfying to start our walk from my own house and the range of different environments we found ourselves in was stimulating . Two rifleman were seen and the cry of one karearea heard. Two very nice humans met and some with a bit further to go. Thanks to my two companions without who I would not have wanted to be there.Check Lorena’s Facebook feed for the photo’s and videos, she is much better at all of that.
Jenny, Lorena and Robbie went.
Mt Meyer (795m)
Sunday 17 May 2026
Mt Meyer (officially Meyer)[1] is in the hills on the north side of the Waitaki River just east of Station Peak. It had been many years since the club had done a trip into this area, so on fine but frosty morning nine of us set out from the historical house at Little Rodderick that had family connections with Lord Kitchener and Frances Parker.
From Little Rodderick at about 300m we followed a 4WD track up a ridge to a low saddle at about 600m. The climb up to the saddle was steady with great views of the Waitaki Valley. The back group found a shortcut that cut off about 50m of climbing that the front group missed, but we all re-grouped at the low saddle for a break.
From the saddle we then followed another 4WD track east steady climbing until Mt Meyer came into view and after about 2hrs of leaving the vehicles we were all on top at about 11.30am. A few photos were taken and the views were great, but it was a bit early for lunch. So we decided to carry on along the range to a trig point at 798m, just a couple of metres higher than Mt Meyer. As we got there the trig was no more than just a bit of scrub where it would have been, but after a wee bit of looking around we found parts of it in the long grass. They were pulled out and reconstructed back on the original site. I have later found out that every time there has been a club trip up there the trig has always been reconstructed, but it is getting less of it now with some of it rotting away in the ground.
We had a great spot for lunch in the sun with some great views down the Waitaki Valley and the mountains behind Kurow and the hills to the north. After lunch two of our party went back the same way and the rest of us took a track north for an hour dropping down into Mount Orr Stream. We carried up the stream for 1 km before taking a farm track up a valley to finally come back up to the low saddle where we were on in the morning and meeting back up with our other two members.
Its was then back down the ridge to Little Rodderick and the Vehicles after covering just over 12km in about 6hrs on a beautiful sunny autumn day.
Thanks to the farmer for letting us on their property and to Rex, David, Maurice, Jenny, John, Doug, Geoff and Mary for coming and enjoying the day with me.
–Neville
[1] Proposal: Place name proposal – Meyer (hill) https://www.linz.govt.nz/consultations/meyer
Gazette notice: Notice of a Final Determination to Approve a Geographic Name https://gazette.govt.nz/notice/id/2024-ln3452 (2 August 2024)
