Thread: Old huts

My first ever trip into the Tararuas back in 64, a couple of guys took a group of us from Wairarapa College for a weekend, leaving from the top of Norfolk Road.
Took us all day to get in.
The flying fox was memorable from the rocks thrown at you while you crossed.
In those days, I probably wore sand shoes or gum boots, I remember blisters on blisters.
Hut was painted as in this photo and there was a smaller locked storage shed next to it
Start of a lifestyle when I was younger.

Ask Bruce Bates.

Ruahine hut accommadation from the 70s to those in the know who can identify them.



In the photo the "flash hut" on the left is from the Southern Ruahines. The "dog box bivy" on the right is from the Northern Ruahines.
By memory the "flash hut" was in the Makaretu River and also by memory the other picture is of the Taruarau bivouac.

Originally Posted by video hunter

Ruahine hut accommadation from the 70s to those in the know who can identify them.

Attachment 226456

In the photo the "flash hut" on the left is from the Southern Ruahines. The "dog box bivy" on the right is from the Northern Ruahines.
By memory the "flash hut" was in the Makaretu River and also by memory the other picture is of the Taruarau bivouac.

Didn't expect to see a primus 535 being used there! Nice stove, NZFS must have dumped a fair bit of gear in these huts.

A combination of photos from the past....

Charliehorse, you mentioned tucker. I supose it is.
I went to one bivy years ago and there was a wall of tucker when I opened the door. Perhaps I might put the photo up here?

Old_School, you mention the primus 535.... I can't remember I just use the thing it obviously worked alright.





The helicopter was a relic from the past (Army surplus maybe?) commonly doing what was described by the NZ Forest Service as a "food drop".
By memory it was trying to get up to Howletts Hut in the Ruahine Ranges, but the wind was to strong for it and it had to make another attempt but it did the job.

Photos taken late 1974 period.

Originally Posted by video hunter

Old_School, you mention the primus 535.... I can't remember I just use the thing it obviously worked alright..

Yeah I instantly recognized that stove because I've got one myself, I collect the things and have a bunch of various vintage stoves and lanterns.
They work better than alot of butane stoves that many of us use, only disadvantages are the weight if you are carrying in your pack and the time to prime and heat up the stove, bit they work very well in cold climate.

What's all that stuff inside the dog box? Is it all tucker??

Originally Posted by Shearer

Duleys Hut. (location classified). Think a Beech tree went through it a few years back? @GregD
Attachment 137159

Stumbling my way back to the road and ran into an old poly camp, someone said it was Duleys. My favourite sika hunting spot.

Originally Posted by northdude

Attachment 81554this one isnt there any more as far as i know either

Upper whakatane?

Black Hut
Totara valley in behind Ross on the West Coast

It's getting pretty rough because you can drive to it in a very long rough road.
But it gets you into some good country with four tracks in different directions in there and some great alpine hunting.

Wasn't sure why it was called Black Hut until the sun came out one afternoon I was there.
Black equals Mosquitoes
Millions of them

Had to pitch a tent inside the hut to sleep

hiller I believe...Korean war era if the M*A*S*H tv show was half correct with what they used/showed

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

hiller I believe...Korean war era if the M*A*S*H tv show was half correct with what they used/showed

no it is a Bell 47 very underpowered but they were a helicopter

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

no it is a Bell 47 very underpowered but they were a helicopter

yes we used one a bit in Gisborne - American chap flying it - ex Vietnam pilot - sadly killed back of Gisborne in it - an old Ruahine culler told me the first time they used one it was driven up to Mangaweka on back of truck from Wellington - otherwise very slow expensive flight up ahh - pilot stuck the blades on and did the job - back onto truck and home again - Hiller 12E was a marked improvement quite a bit more grunt - and then there was the Llama -first time I saw one used could not get over what they could lift - man they were slow but very grunty - dont quote me but was something like ( just pilot low fuel ) Bell 47 450 lb -Hiller 12E 600 lb Llama 900 lb - One Gisborne pilot had a Hiller 12e that had been fitted with a turbine instead of the flat six Lycoming -used to go and load for him on weekends and he would let me fly it home with the duals in - but feck spraying scrub back of Gisborne bloody drums of yup 245T

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

yes we used one a bit in Gisborne - American chap flying it - ex Vietnam pilot - sadly killed back of Gisborne in it - an old Ruahine culler told me the first time they used one it was driven up to Mangaweka on back of truck from Wellington - otherwise very slow expensive flight up ahh - pilot stuck the blades on and did the job - back onto truck and home again - Hiller 12E was a marked improvement quite a bit more grunt - and then there was the Llama -first time I saw one used could not get over what they could lift - man they were slow but very grunty - dont quote me but was something like ( just pilot low fuel ) Bell 47 450 lb -Hiller 12E 600 lb Llama 900 lb - One Gisborne pilot had a Hiller 12e that had been fitted with a turbine instead of the flat six Lycoming -used to go and load for him on weekends and he would let me fly it home with the duals in - but feck spraying scrub back of Gisborne bloody drums of yup 245T

Bell47 G engine was turbocharged 435ci Lycoming.
Hiller 12E twin carb 540ci Lycoming.
12E Turbine conversion was Soloy conversion, installed an Allison 250 C-20 ( Jetranger / Hughes500 C/D) in place of the VO540. Lighter engine and better ISA+ performance.

Fond memories….fading





Soloy in for hot end inspection.

B

Originally Posted by shift14

Bell47 G engine was turbocharged 435ci Lycoming.
Hiller 12E twin carb 540ci Lycoming.
12E Turbine conversion was Soloy conversion, installed an Allison 250 C-20 ( Jetranger / Hughes500 C/D) in place of the VO540. Lighter engine and better ISA+ performance.

Fond memories….fading

Attachment 227163

Attachment 227168

Soloy in for hot end inspection.

B

yup thats the beast - cant remember the name of the pilot did ag work Gisborne - suffered from overheating the transmission - cyclic shake was noticeable