All Fiordland Great Walks open for trampers

Routeburn Falls Hut. Photo / DOC

All three of Fiordland's Great Walks are fully open for the first time since a storm in February extensively damaged two of them.

The Routeburn Track was fully opened yesterday, allowing trampers to walk its entire length from the Divide or Glenorchy ends for the first time since about one-tenth of northern Fiordland's average annual rainfall fell on the region from February 4 to 6.

Department of Conservation southern South Island operations director Aaron Fleming said in a media statement it was another crucial milestone, following the full reopening of the Milford Track last week, in repairing the damage caused by the storm.

Fiordland's three Great Walks, including the undamaged Kepler Track, were now fully open, Fleming said.

"The Fiordland and the Wakatipu communities have had a difficult year.

"Having these tracks reopened not only encourages people to connect with nature, but encourages visitors back into this incredible part of the country."

The Routeburn was among 78 tracks in the Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks damaged in the storm.

Lake Howden Hut, which was hit by a landslip on February 4, was so badly damaged it was deemed unsafe and closed immediately.

It was demolished and its materials flown from the site by helicopter last month.

The statement said contractors had been working on the track since September, repairing the damage from landslips and reinstating the track.

Five new bridges had been built between Lake Howden and Lake Mackenzie Hut.

Bookings for the track were strong, with the holiday period "almost at capacity".