Summer 2022 ISSUE 2 CONTENTS PDF BUY Up Hitting the Northland beaches — Stop and Stay Gary Stoneley Up Up Check out our Stop and Stay listings for recommended places to stop and stay on your travels around the top of NZ. Only the best. www.stopandstay.org Heading up to the top of the North Island to see Cape Reinga is on most people’s bucket lists. For those who enjoy a bit of camping, finding that perfect spot to stay is an added bonus. Finding two such places is something special. Tapotupotu DOC campsite Situated only a couple of km’s south of Cape Reinga the Department of Conservation, Tapotupotu camping area is well worth the drive down into the secluded bay. Very popular over the Christmas and January period it is recommended that you book through DOC if you are wanting to stay during that period. For the bulk of the year you can just roll up to the camp and choose your spot. The camp is located on the foreshore of a small bay and lagoon suitable for swimming. For hikers there is the coastal walkway to explore. To get to the camp it is an easy drive down a short winding metalled road, suitable for all vehicles. Camping sites are flat with several different areas. There are multiple, vault toilets on site but you need to take your own drinking water. Instead of driving up to the Cape and back in one day why not stay overnight at this special place and see the cape at first light or sunset. Standard DOC charges apply. ckw.nz/doc-tapotupotu Erratum: In our printed magazine we incorrectly showed this camp asTaputaputa, another Northland campground. taputaputa.nz Matauri Bay Holiday Park Thirty kms north of Keri Keri is Matauri Bay. It’s a steep, tarsealed road down to the campground and reserve but a relatively easy climb back out, even with large vehicles. A large, flat, campground with all amenities plus store and gas station is situated in a wide sandy bay. Which is a shell collector’s paradise. A very picturesque bay, the water is warm, safe and popular for swimming and with a moderate surf. The location, view and peacefulness is such that it is hard to pack up and leave when it’s time to go. Prices are very good, including full facilities, and non-powered sites are just slightly more than DOC camp fees. For a bit more you can have a powered site. This camp comes highly recommended as fantastic value for money, beautiful surroundings and terrific hosts. matauribayholidaypark.co.nz Up Check out our Stop and Stay listings for recommended places to stop and stay on your travels around the top of NZ. Only the best. www.stopandstay.org Heading up to the top of the North Island to see Cape Reinga is on most people’s bucket lists. For those who enjoy a bit of camping, finding that perfect spot to stay is an added bonus. Finding two such places is something special. Tapotupotu DOC campsite Situated only a couple of km’s south of Cape Reinga the Department of Conservation, Tapotupotu camping area is well worth the drive down into the secluded bay. Very popular over the Christmas and January period it is recommended that you book through DOC if you are wanting to stay during that period. For the bulk of the year you can just roll up to the camp and choose your spot. The camp is located on the foreshore of a small bay and lagoon suitable for swimming. For hikers there is the coastal walkway to explore. To get to the camp it is an easy drive down a short winding metalled road, suitable for all vehicles. Camping sites are flat with several different areas. There are multiple, vault toilets on site but you need to take your own drinking water. ckw.nz Tapotupotu Campsite Camp near a lagoon suitable for swimming and kayaking. Visit Cape Reinga/Te Rerenga Wairua only 5 minutes drive away or 3 hours via the walking track. Instead of driving up to the Cape and back in one day why not stay overnight at this special place and see the cape at first light or sunset. Standard DOC charges apply.potu Erratum: In our printed magazine we incorrectly showed this camp asTaputaputa, another Northland campground. taputaputa.nz Matauri Bay Holiday Park Thirty kms north of Keri Keri is Matauri Bay. It’s a steep, tarsealed road down to the campground and reserve but a relatively easy climb back out, even with large vehicles. A large, flat, campground with all amenities plus store and gas station is situated in a wide sandy bay. Which is a shell collector’s paradise. A very picturesque bay, the water is warm, safe and popular for swimming and with a moderate surf. The location, view and peacefulness is such that it is hard to pack up and leave when it’s time to go. Prices are very good, including full facilities, and non-powered sites are just slightly more than DOC camp fees. For a bit more you can have a powered site. This camp comes highly recommended as fantastic value for money, beautiful surroundings and terrific hosts. matauribayholidaypark.co.nz ​ Tapotupotu Tapotupotu DOC campsite Matauri Bay Tapotupotu 1/6 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 2 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

4 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Camping The Kiwi Way, Winter 2023 ​ Up Featured ‘ Let’s go south for a few weeks ’ ‘How many weeks?’ ‘Eight.’ ‘How about six?’ Greenies on the road : Managing food scraps. Winter's here : Some of our most glorious times camping have been in the winter season. Tips and tricks. Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022. Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track : We put it to a family-friendly test: with my toddler (and his dada) in tow, we set out. Self containment changes in brief RV & Camper business services : Self containment, LPG work, electrical work, motorhome work & more. Table of Contents 2 Small town friendly 4 Editorial: The good news 4 One hundred nights a year 4 Winter’s not going to stop Mavis 5 ‘Let’s go south for a few weeks’ 6 Why we chose our Swift Sprite Quattro caravan 7 I am on track 7 Eight degrees of harm 8 Halfway through my 73 days traveling 9 Greenies on the road: Managing food scraps 10 A stove jack 11 It was cold at Mavora Lakes. Plenty of snow around. 12 Winter's here... Tips and tricks 13 Pegs for tough weather 13 Quinneys Bush Family Holiday Camp 14 Get on ya bike 16 Two long blacks and a cheese scone 17 I did it! My very first solo camping and tramping trip! 18 Gold miner Wattie Thompson 19 Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022 23 Winter at Nokomai Station 23 CampFest — Bulls, 2023 24 Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track, Mavora Lakes : A family test 26 Waikato west coast road trip 27 Camping as a young family 27 Recipes for camping: Vege Nachos 27 Our morning view, heater on 28 Game: Fill in the grid 29 Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2023 33 Stop and Stay The Store cafe and camp – Kekerungu (Marlborough) Lakelands Holiday Park , Whanganui 34 NZers go camping: clubs & groups : Life of Van 34 EVENTS — Camping 35 EVENTS — Festivals and show s 36 Self containment changes in brief 37 RV & Camper business services 47 Coffee Time Up Up ​ 1/0

4 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Camping The Kiwi Way, Winter 2023 ​ Up Featured ‘ Let’s go south for a few weeks ’ ‘How many weeks?’ ‘Eight.’ ‘How about six?’ Greenies on the road : Managing food scraps. Winter's here : Some of our most glorious times camping have been in the winter season. Tips and tricks. Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022. Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track : We put it to a family-friendly test: with my toddler (and his dada) in tow, we set out. Self containment changes in brief RV & Camper business services : Self containment, LPG work, electrical work, motorhome work & more. Table of Contents 2 Small town friendly 4 Editorial: The good news 4 One hundred nights a year 4 Winter’s not going to stop Mavis 5 ‘Let’s go south for a few weeks’ 6 Why we chose our Swift Sprite Quattro caravan 7 I am on track 7 Eight degrees of harm 8 Halfway through my 73 days traveling 9 Greenies on the road: Managing food scraps 10 A stove jack 11 It was cold at Mavora Lakes. Plenty of snow around. 12 Winter's here... Tips and tricks 13 Pegs for tough weather 13 Quinneys Bush Family Holiday Camp 14 Get on ya bike 16 Two long blacks and a cheese scone 17 I did it! My very first solo camping and tramping trip! 18 Gold miner Wattie Thompson 19 Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022 23 Winter at Nokomai Station 23 CampFest — Bulls, 2023 24 Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track, Mavora Lakes : A family test 26 Waikato west coast road trip 27 Camping as a young family 27 Recipes for camping: Vege Nachos 27 Our morning view, heater on 28 Game: Fill in the grid 29 Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2023 33 Stop and Stay The Store cafe and camp – Kekerungu (Marlborough) Lakelands Holiday Park , Whanganui 34 NZers go camping: clubs & groups : Life of Van 34 EVENTS — Camping 35 EVENTS — Festivals and show s 36 Self containment changes in brief 37 RV & Camper business services 47 Coffee Time Up Up ​ 1/0

Autumn 2023 ISSUE 3 CONTENTS PDF BUY Up Autumn, Issue 3, Camping the Kiwi Way Up Miriam Richardson Up Up We bring you travel stories, tips, wonderful places to visit, insight into political changes, some solid information, a puzzle, light reading, serious reading and some fun browsing. Buy a copy, subscribe for a year's worth of copies, read it on paper, read it here or read the pdf. The choice is yours. Only $12 a copy delivered, $36 for 4 issues. BUY Featured in this issue CAMP FEST Family friendly tramping A beautiful country but... Saving rural communities? RV businesses and services Camping the Kiwi WayMagazine Issue 3, Autumn 2023 ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSN 2815-827X (Online) © 2023 All Points Camping Club of NZ Inc Editor: Miriam Richardson editor@campingthekiwiway.org.nz campingthekiwiway.org.nz Published quarterly by All Points Camping Club of NZ Inc & NZ Lifestyle Camping Ltd Advertising editor@campingthekiwiway.org.nz ckw.nz/advertising Classified Ads ckw.nz/classifieds Share your group in the next issue Contributions are invited from individuals and camping (or related) clubs. If your group or club is promoting NZers enjoying our great outdoors, we would like to share your stories.Tenting, caravanning, motorhoming, van camping, bike camping, hiking and more. • Your camping photos and stories. Your club stories and photos. Upcoming events that include camping. Opinion pieces on camping issues. Technical / helpful articles. Photos 1mb or more in size. Email words and (separate) images: editor@campingthekiwiway.org.nz Contributions close • May 1 for the Winter issue For late-breaking articles talk to the editor. ​ 1/0 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 3 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

4 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Camping The Kiwi Way, Winter 2023 ​ Up Featured ‘ Let’s go south for a few weeks ’ ‘How many weeks?’ ‘Eight.’ ‘How about six?’ Greenies on the road : Managing food scraps. Winter's here : Some of our most glorious times camping have been in the winter season. Tips and tricks. Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022. Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track : We put it to a family-friendly test: with my toddler (and his dada) in tow, we set out. Self containment changes in brief RV & Camper business services : Self containment, LPG work, electrical work, motorhome work & more. Table of Contents 2 Small town friendly 4 Editorial: The good news 4 One hundred nights a year 4 Winter’s not going to stop Mavis 5 ‘Let’s go south for a few weeks’ 6 Why we chose our Swift Sprite Quattro caravan 7 I am on track 7 Eight degrees of harm 8 Halfway through my 73 days traveling 9 Greenies on the road: Managing food scraps 10 A stove jack 11 It was cold at Mavora Lakes. Plenty of snow around. 12 Winter's here... Tips and tricks 13 Pegs for tough weather 13 Quinneys Bush Family Holiday Camp 14 Get on ya bike 16 Two long blacks and a cheese scone 17 I did it! My very first solo camping and tramping trip! 18 Gold miner Wattie Thompson 19 Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022 23 Winter at Nokomai Station 23 CampFest — Bulls, 2023 24 Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track, Mavora Lakes : A family test 26 Waikato west coast road trip 27 Camping as a young family 27 Recipes for camping: Vege Nachos 27 Our morning view, heater on 28 Game: Fill in the grid 29 Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2023 33 Stop and Stay The Store cafe and camp – Kekerungu (Marlborough) Lakelands Holiday Park , Whanganui 34 NZers go camping: clubs & groups : Life of Van 34 EVENTS — Camping 35 EVENTS — Festivals and show s 36 Self containment changes in brief 37 RV & Camper business services 47 Coffee Time Up Up ​ 1/0

Kekerengu Up Marty Ireland Camping with friends at Kekerengu on the Kaikoura coast, halfway between Blenheim and Kaikoura. Up Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 ​ 1/0

4 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Camping The Kiwi Way, Winter 2023 ​ Up Featured ‘ Let’s go south for a few weeks ’ ‘How many weeks?’ ‘Eight.’ ‘How about six?’ Greenies on the road : Managing food scraps. Winter's here : Some of our most glorious times camping have been in the winter season. Tips and tricks. Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022. Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track : We put it to a family-friendly test: with my toddler (and his dada) in tow, we set out. Self containment changes in brief RV & Camper business services : Self containment, LPG work, electrical work, motorhome work & more. Table of Contents 2 Small town friendly 4 Editorial: The good news 4 One hundred nights a year 4 Winter’s not going to stop Mavis 5 ‘Let’s go south for a few weeks’ 6 Why we chose our Swift Sprite Quattro caravan 7 I am on track 7 Eight degrees of harm 8 Halfway through my 73 days traveling 9 Greenies on the road: Managing food scraps 10 A stove jack 11 It was cold at Mavora Lakes. Plenty of snow around. 12 Winter's here... Tips and tricks 13 Pegs for tough weather 13 Quinneys Bush Family Holiday Camp 14 Get on ya bike 16 Two long blacks and a cheese scone 17 I did it! My very first solo camping and tramping trip! 18 Gold miner Wattie Thompson 19 Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022 23 Winter at Nokomai Station 23 CampFest — Bulls, 2023 24 Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track, Mavora Lakes : A family test 26 Waikato west coast road trip 27 Camping as a young family 27 Recipes for camping: Vege Nachos 27 Our morning view, heater on 28 Game: Fill in the grid 29 Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2023 33 Stop and Stay The Store cafe and camp – Kekerungu (Marlborough) Lakelands Holiday Park , Whanganui 34 NZers go camping: clubs & groups : Life of Van 34 EVENTS — Camping 35 EVENTS — Festivals and show s 36 Self containment changes in brief 37 RV & Camper business services 47 Coffee Time Up Up ​ 1/0

4 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Camping The Kiwi Way, Winter 2023 ​ Up Featured ‘ Let’s go south for a few weeks ’ ‘How many weeks?’ ‘Eight.’ ‘How about six?’ Greenies on the road : Managing food scraps. Winter's here : Some of our most glorious times camping have been in the winter season. Tips and tricks. Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022. Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track : We put it to a family-friendly test: with my toddler (and his dada) in tow, we set out. Self containment changes in brief RV & Camper business services : Self containment, LPG work, electrical work, motorhome work & more. Table of Contents 2 Small town friendly 4 Editorial: The good news 4 One hundred nights a year 4 Winter’s not going to stop Mavis 5 ‘Let’s go south for a few weeks’ 6 Why we chose our Swift Sprite Quattro caravan 7 I am on track 7 Eight degrees of harm 8 Halfway through my 73 days traveling 9 Greenies on the road: Managing food scraps 10 A stove jack 11 It was cold at Mavora Lakes. Plenty of snow around. 12 Winter's here... Tips and tricks 13 Pegs for tough weather 13 Quinneys Bush Family Holiday Camp 14 Get on ya bike 16 Two long blacks and a cheese scone 17 I did it! My very first solo camping and tramping trip! 18 Gold miner Wattie Thompson 19 Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022 23 Winter at Nokomai Station 23 CampFest — Bulls, 2023 24 Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track, Mavora Lakes : A family test 26 Waikato west coast road trip 27 Camping as a young family 27 Recipes for camping: Vege Nachos 27 Our morning view, heater on 28 Game: Fill in the grid 29 Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2023 33 Stop and Stay The Store cafe and camp – Kekerungu (Marlborough) Lakelands Holiday Park , Whanganui 34 NZers go camping: clubs & groups : Life of Van 34 EVENTS — Camping 35 EVENTS — Festivals and show s 36 Self containment changes in brief 37 RV & Camper business services 47 Coffee Time Up Up ​ 1/0

4 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Camping The Kiwi Way, Winter 2023 ​ Up Featured ‘ Let’s go south for a few weeks ’ ‘How many weeks?’ ‘Eight.’ ‘How about six?’ Greenies on the road : Managing food scraps. Winter's here : Some of our most glorious times camping have been in the winter season. Tips and tricks. Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022. Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track : We put it to a family-friendly test: with my toddler (and his dada) in tow, we set out. Self containment changes in brief RV & Camper business services : Self containment, LPG work, electrical work, motorhome work & more. Table of Contents 2 Small town friendly 4 Editorial: The good news 4 One hundred nights a year 4 Winter’s not going to stop Mavis 5 ‘Let’s go south for a few weeks’ 6 Why we chose our Swift Sprite Quattro caravan 7 I am on track 7 Eight degrees of harm 8 Halfway through my 73 days traveling 9 Greenies on the road: Managing food scraps 10 A stove jack 11 It was cold at Mavora Lakes. Plenty of snow around. 12 Winter's here... Tips and tricks 13 Pegs for tough weather 13 Quinneys Bush Family Holiday Camp 14 Get on ya bike 16 Two long blacks and a cheese scone 17 I did it! My very first solo camping and tramping trip! 18 Gold miner Wattie Thompson 19 Before the cyclone : Freedom Camping Eastern Hawke's Bay, Winter 2022 23 Winter at Nokomai Station 23 CampFest — Bulls, 2023 24 Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track, Mavora Lakes : A family test 26 Waikato west coast road trip 27 Camping as a young family 27 Recipes for camping: Vege Nachos 27 Our morning view, heater on 28 Game: Fill in the grid 29 Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2023 33 Stop and Stay The Store cafe and camp – Kekerungu (Marlborough) Lakelands Holiday Park , Whanganui 34 NZers go camping: clubs & groups : Life of Van 34 EVENTS — Camping 35 EVENTS — Festivals and show s 36 Self containment changes in brief 37 RV & Camper business services 47 Coffee Time Up Up ​ 1/0

Waihopai Reserve Up Diana and Marty Ireland We spent a weekend exploring the Waihopai Reserve in Marlborough. We came in our Coachman caravan for 2 nights and visitors came for lunch and a swim. The reserve has basic amenities: 2 toilets, kitchen, fresh water, a lounge and a kids play area. Diana and Marty Ireland Up Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 ​ We spent a weekend exploring the Waihopai Reserve in Marlborough. ©2023 Marty and Diana Ireland We spent a weekend exploring the Waihopai Reserve in Marlborough. ©2023 Marty and Diana Ireland We spent a weekend exploring the Waihopai Reserve in Marlborough. ©2023 Marty and Diana Ireland We spent a weekend exploring the Waihopai Reserve in Marlborough. ©2023 Marty and Diana Ireland 1/5

Autumn 2023 ISSUE 3 CONTENTS PDF BUY Up Autumn, Issue 3, Camping the Kiwi Way Up Miriam Richardson Up Up We bring you travel stories, tips, wonderful places to visit, insight into political changes, some solid information, a puzzle, light reading, serious reading and some fun browsing. Buy a copy, subscribe for a year's worth of copies, read it on paper, read it here or read the pdf. The choice is yours. Only $12 a copy delivered, $36 for 4 issues. BUY Featured in this issue CAMP FEST Family friendly tramping A beautiful country but... Saving rural communities? RV businesses and services Camping the Kiwi WayMagazine Issue 3, Autumn 2023 ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSN 2815-827X (Online) © 2023 All Points Camping Club of NZ Inc Editor: Miriam Richardson editor@campingthekiwiway.org.nz campingthekiwiway.org.nz Published quarterly by All Points Camping Club of NZ Inc & NZ Lifestyle Camping Ltd Advertising editor@campingthekiwiway.org.nz ckw.nz/advertising Classified Ads ckw.nz/classifieds Share your group in the next issue Contributions are invited from individuals and camping (or related) clubs. If your group or club is promoting NZers enjoying our great outdoors, we would like to share your stories.Tenting, caravanning, motorhoming, van camping, bike camping, hiking and more. • Your camping photos and stories. Your club stories and photos. Upcoming events that include camping. Opinion pieces on camping issues. Technical / helpful articles. Photos 1mb or more in size. Email words and (separate) images: editor@campingthekiwiway.org.nz Contributions close • May 1 for the Winter issue For late-breaking articles talk to the editor. ​ 1/0 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) ISSUE 3 editor@campingthekiwiway.org

4 Winter 2023 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track, Mavora Lakes Kayla Laatz Up Many trampers have vouched that Kiwi Burn Hut is a popular and great option for families, so we thought we’d check it out and put it to a true family-friendly test. With my toddler (and his dada) in tow, we set out to do the full Kiwi Burn Loop Track and spend one night at the hut halfway through. Walking to Kiwi Burn Hut Right at the start of the walk we faced one of the coolest features (in my opinion) of the track, the Kiwi Burn swing bridge. A chain metal bridge spanning approximately 15 metres across and standing at least 10 meters high over the gushing Mararoa River. Not at all for the faint of heart! Signs state only one person at a time should cross the bridge, and when you’re on it I think you’ll agree. I was nervous to cross while carrying an extra 20kg of toddler + backpack with me, but I figured it was better for me than my much taller partner to cross carrying it all. A bit wobbly going across, and a bit unsettling viewing the patches in the chain link as you’re right in the middle, but we did it! After crossing the bridge, a DOC sign details the 3 walking tracks that intersect at this point: Left to Kiwi Burn Hut (1hr 30min), forward to Kiwi Burn Loop Track (3hr 30min), or right to South Mavora Lake (2hr 30min). We decided to take the shorter route to Kiwi Burn Hut first and went left. Since I was carrying such a heavy load, my walking pace was a little slower than the suggested times shown on the sign. The first hour of the walk is super easy and even a bit peaceful, taking you on a flat walk along the Mararoa River and through the Snowdon Forest. A few small streams crossed the path along the way, but were really easy to cross without getting wet feet. With the sound of running water most of the way and the bird chirps coming from above, there were heaps of talking points to keep our young one mentally engaged and entertained. Besides the nearby river at the start, this track is totally safe to let toddlers tot around on too. Before we even started to work up a sweat, we were out of the forest and entered an open, flat grassy clearing. We followed the path stamped down into the knee high grass and the orange triangle markers. We crossed the very windy Kiwi Burn a few times as we rounded to the left of the clearing. Just as I began to think about the lack of shade and the scorching sun on us, we saw something amazing. The top of the hut finally came into view. I was shocked to see it so soon, as we truly hadn’t walked for long at all. It was a very welcome sight though with a cranky, hungry toddler on my back. After an hour and a half of easy walking, we had made it to Kiwi Burn Hut. Kiwi Burn Hut Kiwi Burn Hut overlooks a large, open valley filled with grassy wetlands surrounded by lush green mountains. There’s lots of room for little ones to safely play both inside and out. Behind the hut is a small, shallow stream which is great fun for kids on a hot summer’s day. Inside the hut we were pleased to find two separate bedrooms, each with 6 wooden bunks. We didn’t have the hut to ourselves, so this really eased my mind having the privacy of a separate room in case our little guy didn’t sleep so well that night. A luxury you don’t often get! The kitchen has a spacious bench top for preparing meals, a sink with running water (fed by the rain water tank outside) and a wood-fired stove. The stove could potentially be a hazard to young ones who don’t yet understand the concept of heat or fire, but there’s plenty of room inside to keep them far enough away from it. Outside we found 3 metal fire pits covered with a metal grill, perfect for grilling up meat or late night smores! Back to the Carpark from Kiwi Burn Hut From Kiwi Burn Hut you have two options to get back to the parking area. The shorter route, returning on the same track you came in on (1hr 30min) or the longer route, walking the full loop track back (2 hours). We were curious about what more views the full loop track offered, so opted to take the longer path to the left. Right away we lost sight of the path, but every few minutes we spotted a tiny orange triangle peeking up out of the 1.5 metre high grass. At times it didn’t even feel like we were following a track anymore, just stamping our own way forward. Not only was it hard to constantly dodge sharp grass from poking both mine and my child’s eyes, we also had to avoid tons of prickly weeds scattered throughout the bushes. Lastly, there were a ton of small streams hidden under the wet, dewy grass that were impossible to see until you had already stepped in (or nearly tripped over) them. Wet boots, wet pants, blisters, no shade cover and the very bumpy terrain underfoot made this section quite unenjoyable for us. When my son wanted a break from the carrier, we had to keep pushing forward because there weren’t many suitable spots to put him down for at least an hour and a half. It was mentally tough, and for a while there I think we all regretted the choice to take the long way back to the car. But we were so relieved to re-enter the forest again that we quickly forgot about the tricky section now behind us. After another hour of easy, peaceful walking through the forest, we arrived back at the swing bridge. Overall, it took us just over 4 hours to complete the full Kiwi Burn Hut Loop Track. We all agreed that we did not wish to ever repeat the wetlands portion of the walk again, but would happily return to the hut via the shorter walking track. Despite the tough walk on day two, the chance to easily stay overnight in Mavora made it all worth it. The final verdict is in: Kiwi Burn Hut is the perfect hut for families with young children. Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 12.5 km Trail Type: Loop Elevation Gain: 300 meters Time: 4 hours Hut Coordinates: 45°21'18.7"S 168°05'27.4"E Mountain Mamas NZ is an online community of New Zealand based mamas with a love of the great outdoors. mountainmamasnz.com instagram.com/mountainmamasnz facebook.com/mountainmamasnz 23/09/23 The first hour of the walk is super easy and even a bit peaceful, taking you on a flat walk along the Mararoa River and through the Snowdon Forest. Photos: ©2023 Kayla Laatz. Mountain Mamas NZ The Kiwi Burn Swing Bridge. Right at the start of the walk we faced one of the coolest features (in my opinion) of the track, the Kiwi Burn Swingbridge. A chain metal bridge spanning approximately 15 metres across and standing at least 10 meters high over the gushing Mararoa River. Not at all for the faint of heart! Photos: ©2023 Kayla Laatz. Mountain Mamas NZ Back at the swing bridge After another hour of easy, peaceful walking through the forest, we arrived back at the swing bridge. Photos: ©2023 Kayla Laatz. Mountain Mamas NZ The first hour of the walk is super easy and even a bit peaceful, taking you on a flat walk along the Mararoa River and through the Snowdon Forest. Photos: ©2023 Kayla Laatz. Mountain Mamas NZ 1/11 Up Up The final verdict is in: Kiwi Burn Hut is the perfect hut for families with young children.