New huts

Introduction....

I started this thread called "New huts" to match the thread called "Old huts".

This gives an opportunity for newer hunters to post up photos of new huts /or perhaps they could be called small houses or show what the old "new huts" look like now?

I used to work for the NZ Forest Service along with heaps of others years ago. I worked on a few huts etc most of these related photos I'm putting up will now be called old hut photos but when I worked on some of huts they were improved huts :O_O:

When I worked on the Ngamoko hut in the Southern Ruahines some 47 years ago when I built it it was then a new hut. This is why I'm putting these photos here in a new thread. I hope that the Ngamoko hut is still standing?

Attachment 228122

This was the accommodation that was these before we built the hut.

Attachment 228128

A Hiller helicopter delivering materials for hut building.

More photos working on the new hut under construction.

Attachment 228130

We obviously lived in the tent camp while the hut was being built.

Attachment 228131

A photo of the (new) Ngamoko hut about December 1975

Attachment 228132

Perhaps someone has an updated photo of this "new" hut now?

Attachment 228133

A map of the area for reference purposes for those unsure of the location. The hut location is shown in the top right of the map within the Pohangina valley.

I must have pissed the boss off one day when I worked at Poh Base or he simply wanted me out of his hair for a few days.Told me to piss off up the Poh.Reason given for the wander up the river= go measure the casement sash perspex pane @ Ngamoko Hut ' in case we have to replace it one day,put the dimensions on file' So off I trudged. @video hunter great happy snaps of a std S70 hut under construction.The Wgtn Conservancy chippies when I was there were Hans Colenko and Mario Gerimia,names or colleagues you would be familiar with.I imagine the Hiller was hauling off the Poh base pad?Keep em coming

Have fond memories of the old tent camps in the Poh , Diggers and elsewhere , always had company at night , do you remember Mike Martin from Poh Base

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Originally Posted by Murray N

Have fond memories of the old tent camps in the Poh , Diggers and elsewhere , always had company at night , do you remember Mike Martin from Poh Base

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@Murray N Nope didnt know M Martin.Probably before my time. I was there in the 80's. O/C Woody Bolton 2I/C Pete Burke.The only malthoid tent camp remaining on the block in the 80's was Centre Creek.Ngamoko,Diggers and others all replaced with S70 permanent Huts

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Originally Posted by video hunter

More photos working on the new hut under construction.

Attachment 228130

We obviously lived in the tent camp while the hut was being built.

Attachment 228131

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You look at the timber dimensions of those S70 huts, then think that they have stood the rigours of weather 10 times worse than an Auckland gale, and are still standing 50 years later.:D

Did a haul down the main range back in 79 ( from memory). Ruahine Corner to Po Base. met the guys just starting to build Top Gorge Hut.


Attachment 228183

Be interesting to see how they go about building a hut these days, probably have to have scaffolding, nets, hazard I D notices and all the other bullshit that’s required these days.

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Originally Posted by Bush Basher

Be interesting to see how they go about building a hut these days, probably have to have scaffolding, nets, hazard I D notices and all the other bullshit that’s required these days.

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...And that's why a modest 10 person hut costs a mill to build.

That, and the Carpenters don't want to live on site so have to be choppered in and out daily:omg:

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Originally Posted by XR500

...And that's why a modest 10 person hut costs a mill to build.

That, and the Carpenters don't want to live on site so have to be choppered in and out daily:omg:

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Find the right builders then! I'd love to build a doc hut and stay up there, be a great work place

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Originally Posted by Bush Basher

Be interesting to see how they go about building a hut these days, probably have to have scaffolding, nets, hazard I D notices and all the other bullshit that’s required these days.

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re doing an older hut...it now has to be built up to modern spec..so the one shown will fail straight off as ridge beam now has to be 2x 12x2 I believe it is.....crazy amount of over kill.

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Originally Posted by bluebaiter222

@Murray N Nope didnt know M Martin.Probably before my time. I was there in the 80's. O/C Woody Bolton 2I/C Pete Burke.The only malthoid tent camp remaining on the block in the 80's was Centre Creek.Ngamoko,Diggers and others all replaced with S70 permanent Huts

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Mike Martin was there late 60 s early 70 s , Mike left NZFS to work in the game parks of South Africa , sadly received the news Mike was killed in a accident not long after arriving in SA , top bloke , wanted me to work with him as contract shooter $ 7.50 a tail , stayed in the malthoid tent camp in Centre Creek , as well as the older tent camp opp Centre Creek in the 60 s , i remember Stev Bolton , the Top Gorge Hut must be one of the few Huts with a concrete floor

My contribution to the thread on newly built huts,but this model quickly in the space of 3 months got relegated to 'old huts' status.A relocatable 2 manner I built when doing winter goat work in the Tararuas.450kg as built on the hook of a D model to lift anywhere over the 4000' main range.I may have over engineered it with open cell poly for ceiling & wall insulation (due to no fire heating)and MDF lining to brace it up for strop loadings.Heating via a humid belching gas heater.First and only lift was from Otaki Forks Rd end into the T.L. mid Otaki about 2 miles up from the mouth of Kelliher Ck.Lift done by Amalgamated Helicopters principal Duncan 'Dunny' Sutherland out of Masterton.After 3 months of use we had tonged up all the goats so ready for Dunny to shift it to fresh country down valley.This is where the fun starts.In the interval of use by us couple of hairy hunters in damp conditions ,using the heater,cooking etc the painted linings had soaked up a hellava lot of moisture along with the poly.Dunny had probably too much fuel onboard,has all the gauges in the red and barely could make translation.Managed to haul it down valley towards Penn Ck junction,ran out of lift and had to button it from 30ft into the canopy.Old Hut.Has any Horowhenua members come across the debris field on a bench T.L. Otaki about one mile upstream from Penn Ck?Attachment 228247

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Originally Posted by bluebaiter222

My contribution to the thread on newly built huts,but this model quickly in the space of 3 months got relegated to 'old huts' status.A relocatable 2 manner I built when doing winter goat work in the Tararuas.450kg as built on the hook of a D model to lift anywhere over the 4000' main range.I may have over engineered it with open cell poly for ceiling & wall insulation (due to no fire heating)and MDF lining to brace it up for strop loadings.Heating via a humid belching gas heater.First and only lift was from Otaki Forks Rd end into the T.L. mid Otaki about 2 miles up from the mouth of Kelliher Ck.Lift done by Amalgamated Helicopters principal Duncan 'Dunny' Sutherland out of Masterton.After 3 months of use we had tonged up all the goats so ready for Dunny to shift it to fresh country down valley.This is where the fun starts.In the interval of use by us couple of hairy hunters in damp conditions ,using the heater,cooking etc the painted linings had soaked up a hellava lot of moisture along with the poly.Dunny had probably too much fuel onboard,has all the gauges in the red and barely could make translation.Managed to haul it down valley towards Penn Ck junction,ran out of lift and had to button it from 30ft into the canopy.Old Hut.Has any Horowhenua members come across the debris field on a bench T.L. Otaki about one mile upstream from Penn Ck?Attachment 228247

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That looks like Island forks hut? I know it was moved to its current location but not sure where they moved it from.... Sits on the Waitewaewae river up from the Waitewaewae / Otaki river confluence.
Might not be but looks similar!
Attachment 228680

Similar to an untrained eye.Door hung on the other side,Gutter detail different, Barge/Ridge apex detail different,cladding different,Gable vent larger,Door Architrave detail different, window sill joinery detail different.Nope definitely not the one I built in early 90's. When was this photo taken?

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Originally Posted by Murray N

Mike Martin was there late 60 s early 70 s , Mike left NZFS to work in the game parks of South Africa , sadly received the news Mike was killed in a accident not long after arriving in SA , top bloke , wanted me to work with him as contract shooter $ 7.50 a tail , stayed in the malthoid tent camp in Centre Creek , as well as the older tent camp opp Centre Creek in the 60 s , i remember Stev Bolton , the Top Gorge Hut must be one of the few Huts with a concrete floor

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My contact told me that Mike was out training on his bike but unfortunately the lion was a wee bit faster. Rip, a good guy.
My first f/o at poh base.

From memory I first met the builder at ngamoko t/c about that time. Next time we met I was up a tree outside ngaherimai hut in the whakatane photographing birds and poor mate couldn't figure out where the whistling was coming from.
We covered a fair bit of nz since those early day, two or three trips to wapiti country as well.

More hut building related photos more or less.
My boo boo Ngamoko is spelt without an 'a' at the end as I had typed in a previous photo.

Attachment 229631

Details in photo, just taken off from NZFS Pohangina base
Top left photo - obviously Ruahine front country
Main photo - Ngamoko hut building site photo taken from helicopter
Bottom right photos - ratty photo of Hiller helicopter bubble and comparison photo taken at Queenstown, South Island

Attachment 229632

Previous photo of tent camp shows snow on the ground, this main photo taken in the Pohangina Valley by the tent camp at the same time.
Top left - is the Mid Pohangina hut down stream

Yes everything was all done legally and safely :thumbsup:

I believe the NZ Army/military cleared the hut site. Hopefully no trees have fallen on the hut in the last 47 years?
Perhaps there were no greenies around in those days to object.


Doing a bit of hut building related work and site clearing

Attachment 229636

Top left photo - when things go bang
Main photo - hut builder doing firewood duties.

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Main photo - Pohangina river in flood, down stream from Mid Po hut.
One can only speculate in the meat hunting days how many adventures deer hunters tried to float deer carcasses down the river with inner tubes?
Top left photo - The hut builders dog appropriately all kitted out for a day on the hill.
Bottom right photo - Inside the Ngamoko tent camp at the end of the day using the iconic camp oven to cook in.

I recal the menfolk using beach balls inside deer to float them out..... crazy times called for crazy measures,anything beat humping it out on back I guess.

Time for a brew.... :)


At the end of the day after hut building or like any other NZ bush dweller at any time.... time for a brew.

Photo taken inside Ngamoko tent camp.

For those that remember... no smoky brews

Attachment 229638

In those days most NZFS huts had a brew billy.... let alone now?

To make a cup of tea in those days you had to bring the brew billy to a rolling boil over the fire, tip in a handful of correct amount of leaf tea, then lift the billy off the fire with a stick, give it a couple of bangs on the side of the billy to get rid of the floaters, then pour into an enamel mug/s adding condensed milk and enjoy

some things have never changed....tea like that is still awesome....definately got lazy as years have progressed and its a sachet into jetboiled water more often than not these days.

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Originally Posted by video hunter

Time for a brew.... :)


At the end of the day after hut building or like any other NZ bush dweller at any time.... time for a brew.

Photo taken inside Ngamoko tent camp.

For those that remember... no smoky brews

Attachment 229638

In those days most NZFS huts had a brew billy.... let alone now?

To make a cup of tea in those days you had to bring the brew billy to a rolling boil over the fire, tip in a handful of correct amount of leaf tea, then lift the billy off the fire with a stick, give it a couple of bangs on the side of the billy to get rid of the floaters, then pour into an enamel mug/s adding condensed milk and enjoy

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Yip..and for the sweet tooths that wandered from one hut to another..an unopened can of condensed was thrown into the brew billy, boiled
while one sucked on a durry. That boiled tin milk became a tasty can of caramel lol.

To those that are interested in NZFS hut building... Life as it was then :P

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk_31ApS770

That's the same pilot we used to fly in rebuilding materials for Harris Creek hut in 76 or 77. He was hauling the loads over the side of a cliff and getting up translational lift that way:o Cool as a cucumber.

Flew into the hut at the end of the day on the side litter. Fricken cold!:omg:

Classic,recognise Hans,Mario,Ray Wise,Vinny Duckett,Grant Timlin,Manakau Base.The question is did Mario ever swing a hammer as a chippy for FS,or just on the payroll as archivist photographer?

Seeing this thread reminds me that I was definitely born in the wrong era...

@video hunter she’s still standing. Just had a patch up recently
Attachment 238415

Perhaps in the future i may put up some old time photos from this Ruahine area.
When we built it we commented on the number of trees cut down and enough firewood for 50 years.
Dosen't nature slowly fix most "hut matter / things" The greenies will probaly jump up and down a bit about cutting down trees but i saw a photo of a tree fallen on a NZFS hut in the 60's...I think it was a hut in the Washpool?

Mc Notty.....Thanks for the hut photo....Will it still be there in 47 years time ?

Roy G Biv.....I might put up a post called....Hunting in the 80's....or Hunting then and now.
Hunting is generally now? Let alone what was in the past ?
Nothing wrong with feral animal hunting now?

@video hunter I'm pretty sure Leon Kinvig Hut upstream of Ngamoko got some serious damage and nearly got washed away recently. They're working on a fix, possibly moving it to a new site.

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Originally Posted by video hunter

Perhaps in the future i may put up some old time photos from this Ruahine area.
When we built it we commented on the number of trees cut down and enough firewood for 50 years.
Dosen't nature slowly fix most "hut matter / things" The greenies will probaly jump up and down a bit about cutting down trees but i saw a photo of a tree fallen on a NZFS hut in the 60's...I think it was a hut in the Washpool?

Mc Notty.....Thanks for the hut photo....Will it still be there in 47 years time ?

Roy G Biv.....I might put up a post called....Hunting in the 80's....or Hunting then and now.
Hunting is generally now? Let alone what was in the past ?
Nothing wrong with feral animal hunting now?

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Yes it was the wash pool hut. I took up some grog for the builders but they weren't into drinking much.
Look forward to your next instalment.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by video hunter

Perhaps in the future i may put up some old time photos from this Ruahine area.
When we built it we commented on the number of trees cut down and enough firewood for 50 years.
Dosen't nature slowly fix most "hut matter / things" The greenies will probaly jump up and down a bit about cutting down trees but i saw a photo of a tree fallen on a NZFS hut in the 60's...I think it was a hut in the Washpool?

Mc Notty.....Thanks for the hut photo....Will it still be there in 47 years time ?

Roy G Biv.....I might put up a post called....Hunting in the 80's....or Hunting then and now.
Hunting is generally now? Let alone what was in the past ?
Nothing wrong with feral animal hunting now?

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I can’t speak for the upgrade work but it was a good builder that helped do it. As long as there are still passionate people in all the clubs, they will continue to be maintained.