Hakatere Conservation Ō Tū Wharekai wetland Park restoration project Hakatere Conservation Park is part of one of the best wetlands in the country. A national MID CANTERBURY wetland restoration project was started in 1997 and involves three premier sites: Whangamarino in Waikato, Awarua/Waituna in Southland and Ō Tū Wharekai here in Canterbury. The rivers, lakes, tarns and swamps of Ō Tū Wharekai have their own special range of species; some of which are rare, for example our kettle holes are home to 23 threatened plants. Although each wetland habitat is unique, all waterways are interconnected, breathing life into the Hakatere basin. To learn more, visit www.doc.govt.nz/otuwharekai Above: Swin River. Cover: Carex secta on Lake Roundabout. All photos, unless otherwise credited, are copyright DOC. Published by This publication is produced using Department of Conservation paper sourced from well-managed, P O Box 33 renewable and legally logged forests. Geraldine, New Zealand May 2013 Editing and design: Publishing Team, DOC National Office Key to map symbols Public conservation land Interpretation centre Lake Double Hill Coleridge Ra 682 Car park kaia River D O ENSORS RD U Toilets B LE E H ILL G R UN Camping N P A L M E R R R A N RO a A G E AD k R a Mt Arrowsmith Turtons i a 2781 Saddle Food Cameron R H Hut iv T e I r M Wildlife refuge S y W ll u O G R le Row boats R ib rr A e C T am e ro n No dogs R See page 24 i ve r B No power boats L A C Mt Hutt K F Lake 2185 O All map backgrounds by Geographx Ltd See page 18 R D Heron R O A H D A Rakaia K Mt Taylor A Gorge Mt Potts T N E 2333 o 2184 R r t E h H B E r R a O n c 77 N h Map information R A O s h A b Mt Sunday D u See page 14 Lake r NZTopo50 to Emily n r /H ve a i k R Mt Winterslow a • BW 17 Harihari tts te Po 1700 re R H i A Lake See page 13 ve • BW 18 Whitcombe Pass KA r TE RE Clearwater r P e OT Mt Barrosa iv • BW 19 Taylors Camp T Hakatere R S 1364 r RO u Mt Somers/Te Kiekie A Lake o D Lake t 1687 R Camp S Methven • BW 20 Lake Coleridge a Roundabout n g Lake Emma • BX 17 Mount Sibbald i t S a Mt Harper/Mahaanui o Staveley t u AS • BX 18 Lake Clearwater a 1829 th H BU B RT ra O n N R c G • BX 19 Hakatere h OR iv A G e sh E b RO r North ur A to D 72 77 • BX 20 Methven 0 5 n/ Ha ka ter kilometres e R iver Mt Somers his stock through: “. a hot, roaring belt of fire blazed Hakatere Conservation Park up the hill-side, hissing and crackling and . absolutely Shaped by the past, conserved for the future. screaming human screams, as the thick untouched jungle of scores of years withered and twisted in the Takata whenua—the first people of the land flames.” Te Kopi o Hakatere/Ashburton The arrival of the railway to Mount Somers in 1889 Gorge was the main pounamu/ made the region more accessible, sheep transportation greenstone trail for the Arowhenua much easier and the mining of minerals more hapū—Kāti Huirapa. economically viable. It led to the development of The trail connects service-centre townships at Methven and Mount the upper reaches of Somers. the Rakaia to Noti Raureka/Browning Hakatere corner Pass and then heads The buildings at Hakatere corner are a good place down to Te Tai Poutini/ to start your exploration of this dramatic area. They the West Coast. include one of mid-Canterbury’s oldest dwellings, Travellers gathered food the ‘Stone Cottage’, which was constructed in 1862 as they made their way to accommodate the manager of Hakatere Station. from one coast to the other. The name Ō Tū Wharekai, While you are there, call in to the interpretation room, given to the Ashburton lakes and upper Rangitata which is housed in the shearers’ quarters, and discover River area, is not a literal translation, that is, ‘the place more about the history of the area and the buildings of a food storehouse’, but is a poetic description of themselves. the area as a well-stocked natural food basket on the journey to the Arahura, the pounamu capital of the Māori world. European history In this area pastoral farming, particularly merino sheep farming, was the dominant activity in early days of European settlement. Within the park, there is evidence of Hakatere corner farm buildings this in the historic hut at Lake Emma, the Hakatere Station buildings, musterers’ huts and pack tracks. Native vegetation, regarded as an obstruction to travel and grazing, was often cleared by burning. L Kennaway, an early run holder, described setting fire to the hill country to get Photo: Chaffey family collection Photo: Gilbert Donaldson 2 3 Native plants you might see forming plants are found here, including pygmy Fescue tussock and snow clubrush (Isolepis basilaris), dwarf woodrush (Luzula tussock grasslands are celata) and a water brome or semi-aquatic grass common, with remnants (Amphibromus fluitans). of largely mountain . and native animals beech/tawhairauriki forest along the eastern foothills. The rivers, lakes and Second-growth forest is wetlands provide also present in pockets nationally important along the foothills. habitats for many bird Species include broadleaf/ species including the kāpuka, Hall’s tōtara, endangered wrybill/ tree fuchsia/kōtukutuku, ngutu pare, black- marble leaf/putaputāweta, fronted tern/tarapirohe, kōhūhū and pōkākā, Australasian crested with the understorey grebe/kāmana, dominated by crown fern Bulbinella hookeri Australasian bittern/ Australasian crested grebe/kāmana and bush lawyer. Southern matuku and marsh Photo: © Peter Langlands rātā, a botanical rarity in crake/koitareke. this part of Canterbury, is Lizards/ngārara are also also found in places. found, including the Threatened plants in the scree skink/mokomoko, area include a tiny forget- one of New Zealand’s me-not (Myosotis brevis), a largest lizards. There is a sedge (Carex tenuiculmis) spectacular and distinct and one of the largest wētā, Mount Somers known populations of giant wētā, a Deinacrida a native lily, Iphigenia species, as well as native Scree skink novae-zelandiae, in New fish and a diverse range Zealand. of aquatic and terrestrial Bladderwort invertebrates. Wetlands in the park include some of the best examples of red tussock The lakes and boating (Chionochloa rubra) and Because of high wildlife values, boating on most of Carex secta/pūkio in the lakes is restricted to paddle-propelled craft only. Canterbury. However, on Lake Camp (Ōtautari), motor, wind and An extensive network paddle-propelled boats are permitted, while on Lake of kettle hole wetlands, Clearwater (Te Puna a Taka), motor boats are not with associated turf permitted. vegetation, occurs among moraines and is a rare For all boating regulations, refer to: habitat type nationally. ecan.govt.nz and search for Bylaws Many threatened turf- Gentians in a kettle hole 4 5 Safety is your responsibility Follow these five simple rules to help you plan and prepare before engaging in outdoor activities: Plan your trip Tell someone Be aware of the weather Know your limits Take sufficient supplies Visit www.adventuresmart.org.nz to learn more and to log your outdoor intentions with your trusted contact Track grades Hunting at Mt Potts, Photo: G Iles Hunting Choose the type of track that matches your skills, fitness and the experience you want—be realistic. Recreational hunting is allowed on public conservation land in and around Hakatere Walking track Conservation Park. A DOC hunting permit must be Gentle walking from a few minutes to a day. carried at all times. Red deer are present throughout Track is mostly well formed. Some sections may the area, and there may be chamois and tahr and the be steep, rough or muddy. occasional pig. Information on hunting on public Suitable for people with low to moderate fitness conservation land and hunting permits are available and abilities. through www.doc.govt.nz/canterbury-hunting. Clearly signposted. Stream and river crossings Dogs are bridged. Dogs are permitted in most of Hakatere Conservation Walking shoes or light tramping/hiking boots Park; however, they are not permitted around the are required. shores of Lake Heron (Ō Tū Roto), Lake Clearwater Tramping track (Te Puna a Taka) and Maori Lakes (Ō Tū Wharekai). Challenging day or multi-day tramping/hiking. Please be responsible for your dog—do not let them Track is mostly unformed with steep, rough or roam, disturb other users or enter huts or other muddy sections. buildings. Suitable for people with good fitness. Moderate to high level of back country skills and Te Araroa experience, including navigation and survival skills, required. Te Araroa, a walking trail from Cape Reinga to Bluff, passes through the Track has markers, poles or rock cairns. park. (See www.teararoa.org.nz for more Expect unbridged stream and river crossings. information.) Tramping/hiking boots required. 6 7 Route Challenging day or multi-day tramping/hiking. Track unformed and natural, rough, muddy or very steep. Suitable for people with above-average fitness. High-level backcountry skills and experience, including navigation and survival skills, required. Complete self-sufficiency is required. 4WD care code Track has markers, poles or rock cairns.