Already the views are hard to beat.
Thames Valley Deerstalkers Association maintains two of the four backcountry huts in the area.
Member, Maureen Coleman says it's a massive combined effort and a labour of love they're happy to share.
"The signage is DOC and that's fine," says Maureen, "but people probably don't realise the tracks and huts are all maintained by volunteers. DOC has been great. They are realising we are all out there for the same cause. We are there for making the outdoors accessible and helping the native flora and fauna."
Thames Valley and Bay of Plenty Deerstalkers maintain four simple goat cullers' huts that keep recreational forest users safe with an overnight option where they can build a fire and rest their weary feet.
The Mangamuka, Hurunui, Karotatahi and Motutapere huts are former goat cullers' huts in the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park. They cannot be booked on the DOC system so you should plan ahead with a tent in case the huts are full when arriving.
As basic huts, they have provided important shelter on tracks accessed from Waihi, Te Aroha and Katikati, including on the Te Tuhi and the Tuahu tracks off the North-South Track linking the east coast to the plains of Hauraki and beyond.
Maureen remembers when the huts were almost taken away by the Department of Conservation."There were a bunch of users, photography clubs, glider club, tramping clubs, hunters…and we said 'that shouldn't happen'."
DOC liaised with users, and then, says Maureen, all went quiet until one night she got a phone call checking that she knew the huts were being removed the following Monday.
"At 6pm that night, I spoke to a DoC ranger in Tauranga. He said 'If we do them up, will you look after them?' I said yes, and he said 'deal done'. They didn't fly in, we drew up a memorandum of understanding between ours and the Bay of Plenty branch, and we've looked after them ever since."
The hike to the Motutapere Hut begins with an uphill steady climb through pine forest into native bush opening up to views over manmade lakes with the patchwork of plains laid out like a carpet on the landscape.
Climbing higher, steep sections and rocky sections require three points of contact, but the rewards at the top of the North-South Track are worth the climb. From here, the hike requires climbing a ladder and traversing increasingly alpine-like native plants before dipping back to native forest and a clearing for the simple and welcome sight of the hut.
The TVDA runs a tight ship, providing advice for users to ensure there's a supply left behind of any firewood that's been used, and for the bait stations to be refilled if needed with the supply of rat bait.
A long drop toilet is an eco-design, and there is no gas for the cooker so hikers must be well prepared and bring a water filter to be safe. It is blissfully quiet and has the feel of a remote getaway, but from a clearing, a short distance from the hut, the sprawl of Tauranga, Katikati and the islands offshore are a reminder of how accessible the wilderness is here.
"We saw the absolute need for the huts from a recreational purpose and from a safety one because the weather sometimes turns nasty for people traversing the North-South Track," says Maureen. Proud of the combined work from so many volunteers, keeping their use open to all is a labour of love that the association is happy to share.
"We love the fact that people use them."
Roger says as a completely volunteer-based organisation, help is always welcome. It's physical but satisfying to see the difference after a day's work. "The average person probably thinks 'gee DoC is doing a great job' but in fact, we're looking after all the backcountry tracks and they look after what we call the touristy tracks.
"We could absolutely use more help," he says. "Particularly people with outdoor experience because it's not easy work, and anyone with skills using petrol-powered scrub bars, that's the people we'd love to come onboard."
Tramping clubs from Whangamata, Auckland, Kaimai, Katikati, North Shore, Hikoi, Auckland Baptist, Manukau, Cambridge and Tauranga Search and Rescue volunteers plus the Thames Valley and Bay of Plenty branches of NZ Deerstalkers Association are part of the KRT.
How you can help:
1. Volunteer to assist with track maintenance - contact one of the clubs listed on the website
www.kaimairidgeway.nz to join one of their work parties
2. Volunteer to assist with hut construction or maintenance
3. Encourage groups or people you are in contact with to volunteer to join in the fun
