Presented by Project Tongariro and DOC, the programme invites visitors and communities across the Central North Island to explore, protect, and enjoy nature through a range of nature-based experiences.
Bookings are now open and there’s something to appeal to everyone.
Mahi Aroha is supported by community groups across the region who have compiled a calendar of nearly 30 events from Taupō to Ohakune, and everywhere in between.
Project Tongariro Chief Executive Officer Kiri Te Wano says there are big tramps and little walks, avian avoidance training for dogs, and even nature-inspired watercolour workshops.
“We’re excited to add some new events, like the Waihaha to Waihora guided mountain biking, and the guided tramp in Rangipo Desert, while still keeping old favourites like trap-building workshops.”
Project Tongariro recently celebrated 40 years of inspiring and connecting people to the Tongariro National Park and its surrounds, including through involvement in Mahi Aroha.
“We live in this incredible place, and Project Tongariro is proud to showcase some of the wonderful reasons we should love our backyard,” says Kiri.
Popular events such as heli-hikes and tours at Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary fill up quickly each year. Early booking is recommended.
DOC Community Senior Ranger Nina Manning says Mahi Aroha provides an ideal opportunity to enjoy nature with friends and whānau.
“With guides and experts to lead you, it’s the chance to try something new, explore a new place, or give something back to nature.”
DOC staff and Project Jonah are on site, and there is some concern that the pilot whales will re-strand themselves. DOC staff and Project Jonah are monitoring the situation and staying vigilant for further possible strandings.
Ranger Supervisor Kallen Mehrtens is onsite at the beach, and has asked that people stay home. “We have plenty of help, it is best if people stay away to ease the congestion at the beach, and if people aren’t directly involved with helping the whales, we ask you please go home.”
Up to 40 pilot whales were stranded on Ruakaka Beach, but most of them have refloated and swum out to sea
Background information
New Zealand has one of the world’s highest rates of whale strandings and is recognised as a world leader in successful whale rescues. Much of this success is thanks to DOC and Project Jonah working together, as well as the important support of iwi, local communities and other marine mammal rescue groups and volunteers.
DOC is responsible for managing rescues of stranded whales and dolphins but makes decisions on the direction of the rescue response in consultation with manawhenua iwi, Project Jonah and other marine mammal rescue groups when they are involved.
DOC appreciates the assistance and support of Project Jonah in working with DOC staff to rescue stranded whales and dolphins. Project Jonah marine mammal medics can play a key role in rescues of stranded marine mammals. Those with considerable experience, in particular, can valuably assist DOC staff in the response and management of whale strandings.
Project Jonah’s ability to mobilise large numbers of its marine mammal medics for mass whale and dolphin stranding rescues greatly assists DOC with managing such events.
DOC encourages people wanting to be involved in rescues of stranded marine mammals to attend a Project Jonah Marine Mammal Medic course. Medics who complete this course will be well equipped in rescuing stranded whales and dolphins and can act as a role model to untrained rescuers. Knowing the rescue process, including health and safety risks, enables the process to run more safely and smoothly.
DOC also appreciates other logistical assistance Project Jonah medics can provide at stranding events, including taking on tasks such as providing safety briefings to volunteers or managing traffic and car parking.
Marine mammal strandings in New Zealand
Whales and dolphin strandings have been occurring for millennia and are a natural phenomenon.
New Zealand is a hotspot for marine mammal strandings with most involving just one or two animals.
DOC responds to an average 85 marine mammal stranding incidents a year, mostly of single animals.
The marine mammals that most commonly strand are dolphins, pygmy sperm whales and beaked whales. Most mass strandings are of long-finned pilot whales. Large whales such as sperm whales also occasionally strand.
Mass strandings can involve a few to hundreds of animals.
The huts are in Nelson Lakes and Arthur’s Pass national parks, with an additional hut in Whanganui. All 15 are Serviced Huts under DOC’s hut categories.
“We’re asking customers to book these huts online before their trip,” says DOC Visitor Advice Manager Lynnell Greer.
“Huts previously covered by the Backcountry Hut Pass continue to be covered.”
DOC manages a network of over 950 huts around New Zealand for trampers and others seeking to overnight in the great outdoors.
These come in a range of standards from basic bivvies to serviced says Lynnell Greer.
“Most huts are available on a first come first served basis but around 55 (including these newly added huts) must be booked in advance.”
“Bookable huts help us manage our very popular or over-subscribed facilities. They provide certainty to families and less experienced visitors, and support the payment of hut fees so these facilities can continue into the future.”
There are several things DOC looks at when considering whether to add a hut to the booking system:
Is the hut high-use or experiencing overcrowding regularly?
Is it used by less experienced or first-time trampers?
Is it popular with families?
Is it close to larger urban centres?
Is it vehicle accessible or close to a road end?
DOC recognises it’s important to offer a good mix of bookable and non-bookable facilities to cater to a wide range of outdoor recreationists, says Lynnell Greer.
“Bookable huts still give people flexibility to adjust bookings if needed (for example. due to weather). It’s important for all hut users to assess conditions before deciding whether it’s safe to go, even if people have made a booking.
“All DOC huts continue to be available as emergency shelter.”
The Department of Conservation (DOC), Poutini Ngāi Tahu and the West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board are inviting the public to take part in the survey, which opened in October and has so far received 258 responses.
Anyone who wants to take part can find it on the DOC website. Its due to close on Monday 16 December.
Up till the 18 November, 34% of survey responses were from the West Coast. Of the rest, 52% were from other parts of the South Island and 14% were from the North Island.
The survey is the first step in informing how public conservation lands and waters on Te Tai Poutini West Coast should be managed for the next decade and beyond.
Rob Wilson, (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe – Ngāti Māhaki) South Westland dairy farmer and Conservation Board member says 84 percent of Te Tai Poutini is public conservation land, so the CMS will play a significant role in shaping the regions future.
“We’re surrounded by public conservation land here in South Westland. Concession holders, farmers, and whitebaiters will all be affected by the new CMS, and changes could be made without their input unless they have their say.
“Coasters, there is less than a month to have our say on this. So try and do the survey before the 16 December.”
Owen Kilgour, Western South Island Operations Director says people’s views are important, “We want to make sure we are hearing from the community about the places and activities important to them and how they think the whenua should be managed in future.”
“Some of the topics raised so far are maintaining the natural state of the coast, maintaining tracks and huts, access for hunters and other activities like kayaking and commercial activity.
“We’ll put a summary on the website once we have analysed all the results so the public can see what we have learned.”
The feedback gathered through the survey and at community events in November will inform DOC about current issues and challenges, and appetite for change, which will be used for writing the draft plan.
There will be further opportunities for public input when the draft plan is released for formal submissions before being finalised.
Background information
The work to write a new CMS is happening in tandem with consultation on proposals which seek to modernise the concessions and planning system to make it more efficient and responsive.
The views of the community are important in any planning framework, and regardless of the outcome of the consultation, the responses from the survey will be used to inform DOC’s management approach on the West Coast.
Perhaps you know your Daffy from your Donald, your Huey from your Louie and Dewey, but do you really know your ducks?
Communications and Media Advisor Krysia Nowak takes a duck-dive into the shallows for a quick wade around the ducks of Aotearoa. Missed the previous episodes? Check them out here:
First, I have a confession to make, I left our poor wee pāpango scaup out of Episode 2 – The Teal Deal because I had never heard its less common name ‘black teal’. Never fear, now is their time to shine…
Pāpango/New Zealand scaup
I’m sure you’ve seen this one. Paint it yellow and it could be a rubber-ducky for your bath, this little cutie is the endemic pāpango, or New Zealand scaup.
You’ll see flocks bobbing along lakeshores and river mouths across much of Aotearoa, but while they may look buoyant, they are accomplished divers that can remain underwater for long periods of time, searching for treats like snails and insect larvae at depths of up to 3 metres.
Males are glossy black – hence the descriptive Māori name pāpango – and have bright yellow eyes. The females are less showy, as is often the case in the bird-world, with brown feathers and tan eyes.
Male scaup/pāpango – Paul Jansen/DOC
Look closely at ‘sleepy looking’ pāpango, there’s likely to be a beady eye following you, even as the bird floats around in circles.
Pāpango aren’t considered threatened, but it’s always a good idea to be decent to ducks (see how at the end of the article).
Pūtangitangi/Paradise shelduck
The mournful cry of this bird inspired its Māori name – pūtangitangi. You might also know it as a ‘parry’, short for paradise shelduck – a bird found only in New Zealand.
One of only a few native birds that have benefited from land-clearing and agriculture, pūtangitangi are not threatened, and they’re a great one to spot on a road trip! Watch paddocks and fields for the distinctive pairs feeding on grasses and clover, females with white heads and males with black heads.
Paradise shelduck/pūtangitangi pair – Bernard Spragg (public domain)
Some pairs mate for life, but are regularly challenged by singles, and they do meet others at the annual communal moult (party time!).
Belonging to a group of ‘goose-like ducks’, these distinguished looking manu/birds formed an important food source for Māori and are still a gamebird today. Adult pūtangitangi are absolutely distinct from other ducks – but the ducklings are frequently confused with the ducklings of the rarer whio. Here’s a quick guide so you don’t duck it up:
Paradise shelducklings – Michael Welsh CC 3.0Whio duckling – Tara Swan/Pukaha
Paradise shelducklings look like they’re wearing brown/black helmets, while whio ducklings appear to be wearing wee masks over their eyes like teenage mutant ninja turtles.
Whio/blue duck
I have another confession: I know too much about whio. While I’ve been learning new things about our other ducks writing this series, I have spent quite a bit of time around whio here in Tūrangi. So, cliffhanger – whio are going to get a Ducktales post all of their own. See you soon for the final, final Ducktales, Episode 4!
The baby kekeno/NZ fur seal somehow smuggled its way into a supply basket delivered to the Taranaki offshore platform and was lifted 40 metres above the water before discovery.
The fur seal gets lowered 40 metres to the sea Image: Supplied
The facility called the DOCHOT line (0800 362 468), while some of the workers shepherded the seal into their tearoom where it was safe from hazards.
For Hohepa Katipa-Nepia in the DOC call centre, it was one of the stranger enquiries he has dealt with.
“I got to work finding a DOC ranger to give advice on how to handle the situation,” Hohepa says.
“In the meantime, a worker from the platform stayed on the line, explained what they were doing, and gave details of their plan to return to the seal to the sea.”
That plan was simply to pop the seal into a crate and lower it to sea level, allowing the young animal to swim off.
“Once we tracked down a ranger to give the plan the okay, it all went off without a hitch.”
Hohepa says it was a great result all round.
“We get quite a few calls about seals in strange places. When it’s on a road we tell people to call 111 because it’s a driver safety issue. Police are best placed to deal with those before anyone gets hurt.
“In this case it was a wildlife emergency, so they did the right thing calling DOCHOT. Together we managed to see another wee seal happily returned to the sea.”
With fur seal and sea lion numbers gradually increasing around NZ, it is increasingly likely people will encounter them in coastal areas, and even some distance inland.
It is probable the seal crawled into the supply basket while it was in port.
“We’re continuing to make really good progress reinstating the walkway, having flown in prefabricated stairs and other building materials”, says DOC’s Regional Operations Director, Tinaka Mearns.
“DOC staff and contractors are still intercepting dozens of visitors a day, who have climbed around physical barriers and signage in an attempt to access the track.
“Continuing to stop work and redirect people away from the site slows progress, while walking through the work site may result in someone being hurt. The next few weeks are crucial, with key infrastructure being installed, reliant on both weather and visitors playing ball.
“While we can’t control the weather, it’s really disheartening to see people deliberately putting the work and themselves at risk by accessing the closed track.
“The problem will become more acute as work progresses through narrow points of the landscape. Walkers will either have to go through active work sites or navigate highly hazardous cliff and rockfall sections.
“Thank you to the many people who are showing patience and good sense by staying away. To continue to help us please encourage others to do the same,” says Tinaka Mearns.
Mautohe Cathedral Cove Walking access is on track to open in December. Until the track is open, visitors can access the cove by boat or kayak.
The goal of the fund is to create areas of habitat alive with flora and fauna across Hawke’s Bay, and contribute to nature-based solutions to some of the region’s environmental challenges.
DOC is passing on a generous bequeathment to conservation into the management of Eastern and Central Community Trust Incorporated (ECCT). The $13.753 million is earmarked for Hawke’s Bay-based predator control and revegetation projects. This will see approximately $500,000 of grant funding available for distribution in the first funding round in 2025.
ECCT is a community trust providing charitable, cultural, philanthropic, and recreational funding and grants to community groups in New Zealand within the Gisborne District, Hawke’s Bay, Tararua, Wairarapa, Manawatū, and Horowhenua.
Alice Heather, Lower North Island Operations Director for DOC, says the money was donated with the goal to fill the bush and trees with birds.
“In practice, this means supporting projects that protect and enhance our ecosystems, and reduce the negative effects of predators on new plantings and existing tree cover,” says Alice. “ECCT has the experience and resources to manage the funding well, and we are pleased to partner with them to fulfil the dream of the generous benefactor.”
Georgina Morrison, Chair of the ECCT, says she is delighted DOC has trusted ECCT to help Hawke’s Bay’s environment flourish.
“The environment is a key priority under ECCT’s 2023-2030 Strategic Plan,” says Georgina, “and this aligns perfectly with our vision of creating more sustainable, vibrant, and equitable communities.”
Rena Kohere, Conservation Board Chair, says working together is the best way to make a difference for nature.
“By taking an integrated landscape approach with projects funded by the new conservation grants, rather than focussing on land held by one or two agencies, this funding will help realise the vision of recloaking areas of Hawke’s Bay,” says Rena.
Community groups, private landowners, iwi and agencies throughout Hawke’s Bay can apply for the funding. Applications will be assessed by an expert panel, including DOC, community conservation representatives, and iwi.
Applications are expected to open mid-2025, with funding released to the successful projects in October 2025.
Background information/FAQ
What are the timeframes for the Fund?
The first round of applications will open in June 2025.
What’s the application criteria?
These will be advertised by ECCT through its website by April 2025.
Who makes funding decisions?
Applications will be assessed by appointed members to a Grant Committee.
The pilot is funded by $3.8 m from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). Work includes car park improvements and introducing paid parking systems for car parks at Punakaiki Pancake Rocks, and Franz Josef Glacier on the West Coast, and White Horse Hill, Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in Canterbury.
People from across Aotearoa and the globe are drawn to our stunning landscapes and nature. It’s DOC’s job to protect and restore nature and ensure these experiences are good, says DOC’s Heritage & Visitors Director Catherine Wilson.
“These three car parks are among our busiest. We can’t just keep building bigger car parks – it doesn’t solve the issue or uphold these outstanding areas. We have to modernise and innovate to deliver for nature and for New Zealand.
“A user pays approach for DOC car parks has long been mooted as a sensible solution – with the goal of reducing pressure and generating revenue at our popular sites.
“The approach brings us in line with overseas solutions for similar issues. By contributing to costs at high use sites, visitors give back to the places they enjoy, helping create a more regenerative model to sustain New Zealand’s precious biodiversity.
“No decisions have been made regarding pricing or charging mechanisms. DOC is in the planning phase for the paid car parking pilot. This work includes engaging with partners and stakeholders, and addressing site-specific concerns.”
“Sites like White Horse Hill car park are already over capacity on peaks days with an estimated 700 vehicles per day. At times there are up to 150 vehicles parked up to 1.5 km down the access road.
“For this site, we will be exploring solutions, such as pre-booked parking, to help manage visitor demand and mitigate the environmental impacts that come with heavy use.”
DOC anticipates car park charges will be in place at all three pilot sites next summer (2025/26). The trial period will be 12 months and findings will inform how and where DOC might charge for car parks in future.
Evaluating if a river is safe to cross, and knowing the best way to do so is a vital skill for trampers in the backcountry.
Here are some of the lessons I learned at a river safety course, and why I think you should do one too.
I’ve heard a lot of stories of river crossings gone wrong, but this one stuck with me.
A couple I met at the river safety course told me about a recent overnight tramp they did with a group of friends. They were all quite new to tramping and had just started doing overnight trips. They’d picked a relatively easy track, with one small unbridged stream close to the car park.
On the way in the stream was about ankle deep, clear and slow moving. They all crossed it without issue.
But overnight, it rained. A lot.
The rain continued to pour the next morning, but everyone was itching to get home and dry, so they packed up and headed back down the track.
The stream was unrecognisable.
It was in flood: the dirty water was swollen and surging, waist-deep in places with tree branches were being swept rapidly down-stream.
The group knew the car was close. It was Sunday, they needed to get back for work the next day. Only this flooded stream stood in their way.
So: they crossed it anyway. And very nearly didn’t make it home.
Wading through the thundering dirty water, each step forward nearly toppled them into the river and swept them away.
An example of a dangerous flooded river, Snowy Creek by Dart hut | Gareth Jones, DOC
They were very lucky not to have drowned that day.
The experience shook them. Which is how we came to be on the same river safety course.
Lesson #1: Don’t
Right off the bat, the course instructors hammered this point: you never have to cross an unsafe river.
It may sound too simple but it’s some solid advice.
The couple made the decision to cross the flooded river because they felt it was their only option. They were on the last day of their trip, soaked and tired, just wanting to get home. They disregarded the danger and chose to go in anyway.
They were lucky. One misstep, one loss of balance in the surging water and they could have been killed.
Many of the course instructors were search and rescue volunteers. They all had stories of trampers, both experienced and new, underestimating the danger of crossing an unsafe river. Horror stories where if they just hadn’t got in the water, if they’d waited for the water level to drop, if they’d only crossed at the bridge instead, they would still be alive.
Lesson one sunk in for all of us. If a river is unsafe, do not attempt to cross it.
It’s not worth your life.
A bridge over flooded Snowy Creek | Gareth Jones, DOC
Lesson #2: Preparation is crucial
The instructors were clear that the first method for avoiding unsafe river crossings is to do your research before you head out.
During your planning, make sure you:
Choose a track that is suitable for every tramper’s skill and experience. If there are members of your party that are not comfortable with river crossings, choose a different track.
Identify any river crossings on your intended route, as well as alternate track options if the river is unsafe. Choose routes with bridged crossings where possible.
Always check the weather before you go. Be prepared to choose a different track without river crossings if the weather forecast predicts heavy or prolonged rain.
Have a plan if you need to wait for a flooded river to drop. Take extra food, warm clothes and emergency shelter in case you need to wait a few extra days. Consider taking a satellite communication device so you can tell someone you will be late out.
Doing this prep beforehand sets you up to make safe, informed decisions around rivers while you’re out there.
Lesson #3: What to do instead of crossing an unsafe river
Sometimes, no matter how well we prepare, things can go wrong. If you find yourself standing in front of a river that isn’t safe to cross, what do you do instead?
Option 1: Wait it out.
River levels can drop as quickly as they rise. Sometimes that can mean that if you wait a few hours, a swollen river can become safe to cross.
But it could also take days for the water level to drop, depending on the weather or snow melt conditions. This is where your extra food, clothes and shelter come in. Once the river levels have dropped, crossing may be possible again.
Option 2: Use your ‘Plan B’
Check your map for your chosen alternative routes without river crossings and take those instead. Sometimes there may be a bridge further along the river, so always check your map for these!
Option 3: Return the way you came
If you can get home safely by turning around and returning the way you came, do it.
Option 4: Call for help
If options 1-3 fail, call for help. It’s safer than attempting a potentially fatal river crossing. Always take a distress beacon with you, just in case.
Whitcombe Pass track, Whitcombe river in flood | Brian Dobbie
Lesson #3: The warning signs of an unsafe river
You might be wondering, what exactly is an unsafe river?
The instructors broke down the key things to look for when assessing whether a river is unsafe.
Some rivers are naturally deep and fast flowing, even without being in flood. These can be unsafe to cross at any time. Flooded rivers are very dangerous to cross.
Here’s how to spot an unsafe river:
The sound of rolling rocks on the riverbed
Dirty, discoloured and/or cloudy surging water
Visible debris in the river such as tree branches
Water moving faster than normal walking speed
If these features are present, the river should not be crossed.
Sometimes only one of these features may be present. For example, if a river is flowing faster than walking speed but is only ankle deep and there are no nearby debris up or down stream, crossing may be possible.
You should always look for the features of an unsafe river and assess them against the crossing location, considering any upstream and downstream hazards that could make your crossing dangerous.
Even if deemed a safe river, crossing can still be risky – the place you chose to cross is vital.
Trampers looking for a safe spot to cross a river | NZSAR
Lesson #4: Crossing a river involves careful assessment
We broke into small groups to learn how to identify a safe place to cross. The instructors told us that no matter the river, always stop to discuss and assess as a group.
We learnt to look for a spot that has:
Water depth below thigh deep on the shortest person
Water speed no faster than walking pace
Accessible entry and exit points (steep banks can be a hazard and may prevent safe entry/exit)
No white water or rapids (turbulent, frothy water)
Flat riverbed surface with minimal obstacles like large rocks
Runout with minimal hazards (where the river will lead you if you are swept downstream)
Not only are you selecting the safest place to cross, but you’re also choosing your emergency path down the river, if you do get swept down. This is why it’s vital to identify the risks downstream as well as where you plan to cross. It’s all about minimising the risk if you do get swept down.
I was particularly horrified by the concept of getting caught by a strainer – which is when an object like a tree branch lets water flow through but can trap other objects underwater (like people…) with the power of the current keeping them stuck.
Being a strong swimmer is not a guarantee against drowning if you are swept down a river. There are so many hazards present in rivers that could cause even the strongest swimmers to drown – which is why choosing the right spot is so important.
Lesson #5: The mutual support method is the safest way to cross
If you do cross: how do you do it safely? That was what my group and I were all here to learn.
After a morning of learning theory, we got to practice crossing a river as a group.
Wading in by myself first, the water flow was surprisingly strong. It was easy to see how you could lose your footing. Especially if you were on your own in the water.
Lining up in our group of three, we practiced the mutual support method, which is designed to give you extra stability and safeguard against anyone losing their footing and being swept.
As a group we waded into the water wearing our boots, clothes and packs. The strongest of the group were at the upstream end, with the less confident members in the middle.
Our chest straps were left undone and our waist belts were secured but loosened. We wove our hands between our neighbours back and their pack, grabbing on tightly to the top of their pants on their other side.
Keeping our bodies side on to the current, we crossed the river in slow, small steps, moving in a diagonal line downstream so we weren’t fighting against the current.
In moments when peoples’ footing became unstable, the strength of the rest of the group kept them upright and they were able to regain their footing.
It was incredible just how much safer using this method felt, compared to standing in the river alone.
Trampers practicing the mutual support method | DOC
Lesson #6: You really don’t want to be swept down a river
At the end of the course, we got to experience what it’s like to be swept down a river (with careful precautions in place).
In mutual support formation, three of us waded into a section of the river that was deliberately too deep in the centre. We walked along the riverbed until our feet couldn’t touch the bottom.
Then the water swept us off our feet.
Feeling ourselves begin to float was honestly terrifying. I felt an immediate loss of control and had to fight the rising feeling of panic. We’d waded into a safe spot and the instructors were on hand with floatation rings on ropes, so my brain knew I was safe. But my body didn’t quite get the message.
Putting theory into practice, we didn’t let go of each other, staying with our arms linked. We lifted our legs up in front of us, leaning back against our packs. While we don’t take life jackets on tramps into the backcountry, our packs are the next best thing, full of pockets of air in between your gear.
The people on either end used their free arms to try and steer us to shore. And it wasn’t easy! On our first attempt, we couldn’t get out on our own and the instructors had to throw in the rope for us to grab. But they let us feel the fear first!
Please don’t underestimate the danger of being swept down a river! One trapped boot, one boulder to the head or one unavoidable waterfall is all it could take to cause a drowning.
If you take anything away from this blog, let it be that. If you have any doubts about whether a river is safe to cross, or whether you have the skills and experience to cross safely, stay out of the water.
Doing the river safety training was one of the most helpful outdoor trainings I’ve done as a tramper. Knowing how to identify if a river is unsafe gives me the confidence to make hard decisions when I’m outdoors. And honestly, learning about all the ways a river could drown me was quite the reality check!
If you like to spend your time in the backcountry, please consider doing some formal training. It could save your life.
The Mountain Safety Council’s website is a great place to start learning the skills you need to be safe around rivers in the backcountry.
