Backcountry Huts

• The6-bunkOldWomanHut,4kilometressouthofDuffersSaddle

• The3-bunkBoundaryand5-bunkNicholsonsHutsintheUpperFraserBasin

• The6-bunkJunctionHut,atthejunctionofthePomahakaandLittlePomahakaRivers.

Note:JunctionHutisjointlyownedbyDOCandtheGunnfamilyandisclosedfortheautumnmuster,1ApriltothesecondweekofMay.

TheOldWomanandJunctionHutsarestandardhuts,adults$5anight.Bothhutshaveanhonestybox,andhutticketscanbeboughtfromDOCofficesnationwide.BoundaryandNicholsonHutsarebasichutsandfreeofcharge.

Further Information

ForfurtherinformationandcurrentconditionsonKopuwai,contactDOC’sCentralOtagoAreaOfficeorCentralOtagoinformationcentres.

Ramblingaround KopuwaiKopuwai Conservation Area

Coverphoto–Kopuwai/Obelisk (JohnRobinson)Published by Department of ConservationPO Box 5244, Moray PlaceDunedin 9016. June 2008. © Crown Copyright.

Access

Theuseof4WDvehiclesandtrailbikeswithinKopuwaiislimitedtotheformedtracksmarkedonthemap.Vehicleshavealreadydoneconsiderabledamagetofragileareas.Thisleadstosevereerosion,washouts,andascarred,landscape.Recoverycantakemanyyears–ifever!

Kopuwaihasseveralentrypoints,theProspectHill,OmeoGullyTracksandSymesRoadaregoodexamples.Accesstotheconservationareaisondry-weather,largelyun-maintainedlegalroads.Inwinter,becauseofsnowandgroundconditionstheybecomeimpassableandareclosed.

VehicleaccessalongthetopoftheOldManRangeasfarasHydeRocktothesouthand,theTVtowerbyKopuwai/TheObelisktothenorth,isfromSymesRoad,straightupthehillfromFruitlands.

TheDuffersSaddleentranceisreachedviaBannockburnandtheroadtotheNevisValley.Justoverthebrow,theOldWomanTrackgoesofftotheleftandclimbstotheKopuwaientranceaboutfourkilometresaway.TheOldWomanHutisjustinsideKopuwai’sboundaryandvehiclescancontinuetoBoundaryGate–4WDaccessbeyondthisrequireslandownerpermission.Walking,bikingandhorseaccessisonamarkedtrack,bycourtesyofthelandowner.Headingsouthintheconservationareaawell-definedwalking,bikingandhorsetrackleadstoHydeRockontopoftherange.Theother4WDaccesspointisfromShingleCreek,viatheWaikaiaBushRoad.

Severalaccessroutescrossprivatelandoneasementsforwalkersandmountainbikersonly–vehiclesneedlandownerpermission.PleaserespectlivestockandpropertyandfollowtheinstructionsonDOCsigns.Leavegatesasyoufindthemandusestileswherethey’reprovided.

Thisareaissubjecttoweatherextremesatanytimeofyearandroadscanbecomeverywetandswampy.DOC’sCentralOtagoAreaOfficeinAlexandracanadviseoncurrentconditions.

General

Inwintertherangesareblanketedinsnow.Insummer,warm,pleasantconditionscanreversewithinminuteswithfreezingtemperatures,highwindsandsevere,disorientatingwhite-outs.Sensibleclothingandfootwearisessential.

Arapuwaipakiwaitaraorstory,recallsatimewhenhuntingpartiesfromcoastalsettlementsventuringintotheinterioroftendisappearedwithouttrace.ThiswasbecauseofagiantcalledKopuwaiwholivedneartheClutha/Mata-AuRiverandpreyedonhumanswithapackofferocioustwo-headeddogs.ThepakiwaitararecallswhenKopuwaifoundapartyfromtheKaitangataareaandkilledallofthem,exceptforayoungwomancalledKaiamio.Hetookherashisslave.

Fearsomeashewas,Kopuwaihadoneweakness;warm,nor-westwindsmadehimsleepy.Hewasawareofthisandknewthatwhenhenoddedoff,Kaiamiowouldattempttoescape.Wheneverhefeltdrowsy,Kopuwaitiedataura/flaxropetoherarm;ifeitherofthemmoved,he’dknowthatshewasstillthere.Despitethat,Kaiamiowasabletooutwithimandescape.Sheundidthetauraonherarmandtiedittoanearbyrush/wïwï,sothatwhenthegiantstirred,hefelttheropegiveandtake,asifhisslavewastetheredtohim.

WhenKopuwaiwokeandsawthatKaiamowasgone,hewasenraged.Insearchingforher,hepickedupherscentinthewindalongtheMata-Au.ThiswaswhenKopuwailiveduptothemeaningofhisname–water-swallower–asintryingtorecaptureherheswallowedsomuchoftheriverthatitsbedwasdryforsometime.

InthemeantimeKaiamohadescapedtoherhomeonthecoast.IntentonseekingherrevengefromKopuwai,shereturnedwithapartyofwarriorsandtheywaitedforanor-westwindtoputthegianttosleep.Whenthewindarrived,thewarriorsblockedthefrontofthegiant’scavewithdrybrackenandfernsandlitthem.ThesmokefinallywokeKopuwaiandhetriedtoescapethroughaportalinthecave’sroof.Asheemerged,Kaiamo’swarpartygrabbedhimandbeathimtodeath.

KillingKopuwaiwaspossiblebecausehisferocious,two-headeddogswereawayhunting.Whentheyreturnedandfoundtheirmastergonetheysearched,butinvain.Intime,thedogsalsodiedandbecametransformedintowhatarenowrockyoutcropsonhilltopsbetweentheOldManRange/KopuwaiandSouthCanterbury.

TodayKopuwailivesonattheheartoftheconservationareainhisphysicalmanifestation,the26-metrerock,Kopuwai,alsoknownastheObeliskorOldManRock.TheareaaroundtherockistheKopuwaiHistoricReserve;aNgäiTahuClaimsettlementoutcomeitisawähitaoka,aspecialplace.

Kopuwai Conservation Area

TheKopuwaiConservationAreacoverstheuplandsandsomeoftheflanksoftheOldMan/KopuwaiandOldWomanRangesthatformanimposingbackdroptotheClutha/Mata-AuValley.Theyrunfromnorth-westtosouth-east,creatingarainshadowthatblocksandabsorbssoutherlyfronts,makingCentralOtagoNewZealand’sdriestarea.

Kopuwai’s16,780hectaresbecameconservationlandfromtenurereviewoutcomesandlandpurchase.Itrunsfrom800metresabovesealevelto1,696metresattheObelisk/KopuwaiontheOldManRange.ThelongsummitcrestisexposedandhasanaverageannualtemperatureclosetozerodegreesC.Asaresulttherangesaredottedwithdistinctiveschistrocktorsandbisectedbyfieldsoffreeze-thawhummocksandmounds,creatingawave-likeeffectacrosstheslopesandbasins.

History

TheOldManRange’sEuropeanhistoryrevolvesaroundgoldminingandfarming.ExtensivegolddepositswerefoundinPottersNo2,FraserBasinandOmeoGully.Theywerechallengingplaceswithharshwintersthat

killedmanyminers.Fromthelate1800’smostoftheuplandprovidedsummergrazingforsheepandcattlefromEarnscleughStationandneighbouringpastoralleases.Thiscontinuestodayonpartsoftheconservationarea.

Recreation

WithinKopuwaiConservationAreayoucanroamatwillonfoot.Thehummockfields,tops,andvalleysprovideawiderangeofrecreationandwildernessexperiences:mountainbiking,horseriding,4WDaccessonformedtracks,discoveringgolddiggings,cross-countryskiingandsightseeing.

NestledintherangesaretheheadwatersandalpinebasinsofCampbellCreekandthePomahakaandFraserRivers.Therangesarealsobisectedbysteepgulliesthataddtothearea’sremarkablediversity.HydeRock,forexample,hasspectacularviewsoftypicalKopuwailandscapes.Thisinvolvesashortwalkoutsidetheconservationarea,signpostedoverastile.

Hunting

Recreationaldeerhuntingisencouragedintheconservationarea–permitsfromDOC’sAlexandraoffice,alongwithaccessandhuntingareainformation.

Flora and Fauna

Thegroundcoverisdwarf,tundra-likevegetationofwind-blastedcushionplants.Alowgrowingdracophyllumdominatestheseareas,alongwithseveralmountaindaisies.Bluetussockisprevalent,withothersmallnativegrassesandoccasionalpatchesoftaller,slimsnowtussock.Lowerdown,narrow-leafedsnowtussockisdominant.

Snowcanlingerforseveralmonthsayear;wetsnowbankshostsmallcushion-formingherbs.Therearelargerwetlandsofbogs,seepagesandtarnsintheheadwatersoftheFraserRiverandCampbellCreek.

Theloweraltitudescrublandhoststhegreywarbler/riorio,silvereye/tauhou,Californianquailandotherintroducedbirds.Inopentussock:pipit/pïhoihoi,SouthIslandpiedoystercatcher/törea,bandeddotterel/tüturiwhatu,skylark,redpollandyellowhammer.TheAustralasianharrier/kähuiscommonandtherareNewZealandfalcon/käreareabothnestshereandsoarsoverhead.

TheOldManRangeisasub-alpineislandforlizardsandinvertebrates:beetles,grasshoppers,weta,spidersandmoths,manyfoundnowhereelseintheworld.Individuallyandcollectivelytheyhelpmaintainthenaturalbalanceofthisuniquelandscape.

Omeo Gully Track

OneofOtago’smostisolated,highest,least-knowngoldfields;thesix-hourreturnwalkissignpostedfromthecarparkonOmeoGullyRoad,akilometreupFraserDamRoad.Omeo’sgoldworkingsareinterestinganddistinctive:highsluicefaces,deeprevettedtailraces,tallstackedtailingsanddwellingremains.Mountainbikerswillenjoythewilddownhillrun,aftertheuphillgrind!Analternativetripisa90-minutereturnwalktoagoodlunchspotbythesecondfordoverOmeoCreek.

Closedbetween15Octoberand15Novemberforlambing.

Shek Harn Historic Reserve

TheroadtoShekHarn,offtheFraserDamRoad,isdryweatheronly.ThereturnwalkfromFraserDamtothereservetakesaboutanhour,withgoodviewsoftheFraserRivercascadingthroughadeepgorge.ShekHarnisCantoneseforbigstoneditch,andthehistoricreservehasmanyremnantsofearlyalluvialgoldworkingsandmainlyChinesedwellings.ThemostimpressiveistheLongHouse,abouttwokilometresaboveFraserDam.

Prospect Hill Track

Afavouritemountainbikingtripisgoingupthistrack,thencrossingoverandgoingdowntheOmeoGullyTrack.Ontopoftherange,therollingpatternsofspurandgully,tussockandherbfield,arepartofanextraordinarylandscape.TheviewincludestheManuherikiaBasinandtheOldWoman,Cairnmuir,DunstanandRaggedyRanges.FromtheFraserDamRoadtotheKopuwaiboundaryisasix-hourreturnwalk.

InwintertheProspectHillTrackprovidesaccesstotheSisters/RoughRidgecovenantforbackcountrySkiing.

Closedbetween15Octoberand15Novemberforlambing.

Obelisk Loop Track

Thisthree-hourreturnwalkfromKopuwai/TheObeliskjoinstheOmeoGullyandProspectHillTracks.ThetracktraversestherollingandrockyOldManRange,withgreatviews.

All the material on and around old gold diggings are protected by law. The removal of any object is illegal. Offenders will be prosecuted.

Artefacts on these sites have been security marked,though this is not visible to the naked eye.

Potters Number Two

PottersNumberTwoisintheCampbellCreekcatchment–PottersNumberOneis35kilometresawayintheCarrickRange.Anumberofalluvialgolddiggingswereworkedherebetweenthe1860sand1900sandinterestingrelicsremain.Notonconservationland,Pottersisaprotectedhistoricsite,reachedofftheWaikaiaBushRoadconnectingShingleCreekwithPianoFlatinSouthland.Ithasalwaysbeendifficulttogetto.In1863therewasapoledtrackovertheOldManRangeandinthatyear’s‘greatsnow’,30mendiedofexposure,attemptingtocrosstherangetosafety.

Alpine Battery

Thishistoricsitedatesbackto1882whenaten-stampbatteryandwaterwheelwereerectedhere.Thebatteryremainscanbereachedfromthe4WDroadontopoftherange.Thoughthereisn’tadefinedtrackthedescentonfoottakesaround30minutes.

Kopuwai/Obelisk

Thisdistinctiverocktoristheconservationarea’shighestpoint(1695m),withacommanding360°view.FromRakiura/StewartIslandinthesouth,easttotheRockandPillars,northtoAoraki/MountCook,thenMountsAspiring/TititeaandEarnslaw/Pikirakatahiinthewest.Atopanexposed,tree-lessrange,bepreparedforsuddenchangesintemperature.

Insummer,driveupSymesRoadfromtheFruitlandsturnoffandalongtheridgelinetrackontheOldManRangeforabouttwokilometrestotheObeliskviewpoint.Thelastsectionoftheroadissteepandrough;youmayprefertodothejourneyonfoot.2WDvehiclescanreachthetransmittersiteforaboutsixmonthsoftheyear,thoughit’sbettersuitedfor4WDs,theycanusuallygethereforeightmonthsayear.Inwintertheareaisblanketedinsnowforatleastthreemonths.

Donotparknearthetransmitterbuildingasvehicleelectronicscanbefrozenbythewavesitemits.

Protectplantsandanimals

Removerubbish

Burytoiletwaste

Keepstreamsandlakesclean

Takecarewithfires

Campcarefully

Keeptothetrack

Considerothers

Respectourculturalheritage

Enjoyyourvisit

Toitutewhenua(leavethelandundisturbed)

Walkingtrack

Trampingtrack

Route

Mountainbike

Vehicle

4wheeldrive