Track classifications Day walks Short walk – easy walking for up to an hour Track is well formed, with even surface. There may be steps or slopes in Mackenzie/ Suitable for people of most abilities and fitness Waitaki Stream and river crossings are bridged Walking shoes required Walking track – easy to moderate walking from a few minutes to a day SOUTH CANTERBURY/OTAGO Track is mostly well formed, some sections may be steep, rough or muddy Suitable for people with low to moderate fitness and abilities Clearly sign posted. Stream and river crossings are bridged Walking shoes or light tramping/hiking boots required Tramping track – challenging day or multi- day tramping/hiking Track is mostly unformed with steep, rough or muddy sections Suitable for people with good fitness. Moderate to high-level backcountry skills and experience, including navigation and survival skills required Key to symbols Car park Toilets Dogs on lead allowed No dogs Good views Historic site All map backgrounds by Geographx Published by Publishing Team Department of Conservation P O Box 10420 Wellington, New Zealand January 2013 9 421005 173093 > am tre S tion Separa A N A O M E T O I IR Aoraki/Mt Cook IT IR T Ā r K G e v / o i d R S l P e y y L a l A R u a i N v c R e a r M E H T U Aoraki/Mount Cook T O a S s m a n R i v e page 7 D o r A / p page 4 O T a R e k e A T w a e K k W N a h A L a Lake B k Y L a Alexandrina I o H m L a t o a p O u page 8 k / i n r page s e v R i 5 i R v e n r o Lake Tekapo / s 80 T b e o page 6 A D w Lake a Ā r Pukaki 8 u h e Burkes r Pass e v T i w page R i z e 10 l o R p iv a e k r page 8 e T Lake page 12 Pukaki Lake page 6 P u Ohau k a k page 11 i page 15 page R i 14 v Twizel e r Tw iz e L l A R K E iv O e H r AU RO page 18 AD page T Q 17 H U Lake A E A IL Benmore h B U B u R H IR r N ir U C i R H O N W R A O i D T O v D e E r R R Omarama O S A D D H R I UT L H L N S 8 E K O 83 R B Lake Lindis Otematata Aviemore Pass Kurow D A O R S r N e U v i R R N a i U k i D r Public conservation land K e h W u A n St Bathans H a Information centre M N 0 8 kilometres 85 Public Day Walks in Mackenzie/Waitaki What to take The Mackenzie Basin is the largest inter-montane The climate in Mackenzie Basin is traditionally very (between mountains) basin in New Zealand and is hot in summer and extremely cold in winter. New part of the South Island ‘high country’. The basin is Zealand weather can change very rapidly, therefore ringed with rolling, tussock-clad mountains and on a walkers need to be prepared for a range of conditions. fine day the views are spectacular. Mackenzie Basin It is advisable to carry drinking water, a hat, 15+ rivers all drain into the Waitaki River and out to the sunblock, a raincoat and some warm clothing. Light east coast near Oamaru. footwear such as running shoes is suitable for most walks. This region offers a large variety of walks, ranging from short ten-minute strolls to full-day walks. Some High country stations are of the walks travel through private farmland so please part of Mackenzie/Waitaki keep to the marked tracks. Some of the tracks profiled in this brochure venture The times and distances mentioned for each walk are across private farmland. Public access easements are for one direction only. in place so that you may reach public conservation land. In many instances you are walking through working high country stations. Please ensure you: Many Māori travellers • stay on the public easement track passed through this land • leave gates as you find them Māori used the Mackenzie • do not disturb stock Basin for stone quarrying, • leave your dog at home eeling and hunting birds. • take all rubbish away with you. People from the villages of Arowhenua (Temuka), Be a responsible dog owner Waihao (Waimate) and Moeraki migrated • Always keep your dog under control. seasonally into the area • Remove any dog droppings from tracks from spring through to or track verges. autumn. They also travelled • Dogs are not allowed inside huts. across the basin between Tie your dog up somewhere suitable outside. the west and east coasts, • Check the pesticide summary to see if any trading for pounamu poisons have been recently laid in the area you (greenstone). Today, are visiting. Go to www.doc.govt.nz/pesticide- Ngāi Tahu have several summaries traditional nohoanga • If passing through farmland help prevent the camping sites (‘a place spread of sheep measles by keeping your dog to sit’) in the Mackenzie Basin. regularly dosed with an effective tapeworm drug. Illustration: G Cox Generally Droncit is used and given monthly in tablet form. Alternatively collect dog faeces and take to an appropriate waste disposal centre. Lake Tekapo ca 1910 Photo: Algernon Charles Gifford, Alexander Turnbull Library 2 3 Mt John is a dominant feature of the Mackenzie Basin Walks near Lake Tekapo landscape. This small dome mountain is a roche Richmond Trail moutonée, a rock formation which has been shaped by glacial ice flowing over it. On a clear day Mt John 4–5 hours, 13 km summit provides a fantastic viewing platform with a This walk starts 360-degree panorama of the surrounding mountains, and finishes in lakes and different areas so a Mackenzie couple of vehicles Basin flats. may be required Mt John or alternatively an was named arranged drop off/ after an early pick up. Follow farmer in signage to Round the district, Hill Ski Area on John Hay, Lilybank Road. who used to There is a car park run Tekapo area along the Station, the skifield access road. first sheep From here an initial walk of 3 km on the access road farm in the leads to the start of Richmond Trail. This trail travels Mackenzie along an old glacial terrace providing stunning views Basin. of Lake Tekapo and surrounding mountains. It is a steep descent back to Lilybank Road near Boundary Part of the Stream. Tekapo Walkway has been made How Mackenzie Basin possible got its name with the European history in the assistance Mackenzie Basin began in 1855 with the of Balmoral arrest of a shepherd, James Mackenzie, for Station and stealing sheep. Seeking a route for his flock University of he ventured inland and discovered the high Canterbury. country, which now bears his name. Please keep to the track. Mt John Summit Circuit Track 1 hour 30 min Peninsula Walkway Mt John via lakeshore 3 hours 1 hour 30 minutes, 4 km The start of this track is located next to the Tekapo This is a circuit track starting off Godley Peaks Springs complex. From the DOC sign walkers have Road and leading to the end of a peninsula opposite the option of hiking directly up through the larch trees Motuariki, an island in Lake Tekapo. for the Summit Circuit Track or continuing on past This walk is a community initiative (it is not managed Tekapo Springs for the Lakeshore Track. by DOC). 4 5 Cowans Hill Walkway Walks near Lake Pukaki Distance: 3.2 km This short track starts Tasman River Track near the Tekapo Road 3 hours, 10 km bridge and caters It is a long drive down for both walkers and Hayman Road (gravel), mountain bikers. From which becomes Braemar the high point on Mount Cook Station this track walkers can Road. There may also be appreciate the views stock beside the road and of Lake Tekapo and large vehicles, so travel surrounding mountains. carefully. The walk starts at the Jollie River car park Big fires changed this landscape dramatically and finishes at Tasman Before the arrival of people the dry Mackenzie Basin Point near Chop Creek. would have been covered with extensive grasslands, bush The track is popular with and shrubland, while trees such as beech and tōtara lined cyclists because it is part the mountain valleys. Fires caused by lightning strikes, of the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Māori hunting for moa, and by early pastoral farmers Trail. meant the tall tussock and shrubs of the high-country Note: The Alps 2 Ocean basin gradually disappeared. Cycle Trail travels from Aoraki/Mount Cook Mary Burn access and National Park through to Simons Hill Conservation Area Oamaru. For more information go to 2 hours, 7 km one way www.alps2oceancycleway.co.nz A signposted car park Jollie Hut denotes the start of this 2 hours, 3 km walk between Tekapo and Twizel, near Park your vehicle in the signposted car park off Mary Burn. The track Braemar Mount Cook Station Road and continue on wanders beside Mary foot to Jollie Hut.