lake rotoroa

Just wondering if there is any way you can walk/bike to the head of the lake as I don't want to fork out 400 bucks for two rides on a boat to go hunting up there, the math on the cost-benefit analysis doesn't work out in my head or my wallet

The old track up the side of the lake is long since discontinued. Slips and windfall etc.

It is possible to walk to the head of the lake but you would need to start at the Mt Robert carpark.

Other option would be to walk up the tiraumea or in via the moletops....

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I thought couple years back we payed $60 return trip, could be wrong

Went up there last year, walked into travers saddle. Saw maybe half dozen animals worth of sign the whole way. In my opinion, don’t bother mate. Too much walking for too little animals. Been 1080’d pretty significantly. Lake Rotoiti however has a decent number of deer and pigs at the head of the lake, nocturnal though because of human activity. Makitaki and the surrounding tops have good numbers that worth pursuing, if we don’t shoot ‘em doc will..

$400 is certainly a bit steep. It’s only about 14 km each way so someone is making a bit of coin. It’s a reasonably easy walk from Mt Robert car park tho there’s been a bit of vehicle tampering the last few years. I think a couple of local Deerstalkers members walked the lake edge track recently, I’ll check at club night tomorrow. When you planning on going and how many people?

As above, the track along the lake edge is shut has been for a long time, im sure you could still walk it but would be slow going & a long way to carry meat out if you do get something. There is more animals on the durville side than the sabine, but anything easy close to the lake is generally very nocturnal so you will likely need to put a good few kms between yourself and the lake edge to get lucky.

In my opinion your best to either fork out the water taxi money / team up with someone that has a boat, or maybe look into walking into the tiraumea from the tutaki road end like @kukuwai suggested. Lots of good bush hunting in the tiraumea valley below the hut at this time of year.

Sign for the track used to state 8hrs to Sabine hut. As it is no longer maintained and full of slips and windfall I would add another 3-4hrs. Doubt it would be worth the effort on a mountain bike. Lake rotoiti would be a better bet if you were walking. Plenty of spots that have animals. Taxi is quite a bit cheaper as well. I usually offer to take people across lake if I am heading in, look out for that offer come November/December.

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Originally Posted by bigbear

I thought couple years back we payed $60 return trip, could be wrong

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if just me or with less than 3 people its 200 each way

Its never been as cheap as $60 return but the price has gone up recently since the new owners took over, and to be honest it was too cheap for too long, from a financial perspective i cant see how it made any money with what craig & kerry used to charge.

$200 per way may seem steep but when you factor in all the costs, price of fuel these days, maintenance on the boat/engine, and them actually making an hourly rate on top as well.

$200 is a fair price for the service, just hard to justify the cost when its only 1 person travelling, need to get enough people together to split the cost and make it worthwhile.

yep so heres there prices
Lake Rotoroa Water Taxi Service

1 month ago
Lake Rotoroa Water Taxi Service
Forthcoming Departure Dates and Times:Note: These are the times we leave the jetty at our end. Allow 30mins for pick-up from Sabine or D'Urville. Our boat fees are $200 one-way for 1-3 people or $65 per person one-way if there are 4 or more passengers on the boat.

I know we didn't pay that three years ago when the old guy was there, was thinking about doing a summer trip down there but will be rethinking that now