Lake Roe on the Dusky Sound Track in Fiordland. There are myriad alpine lakes, snow-capped peaks, rock wrens, kea and it's two days' walk to anywhere. It's the most isolated place in New Zealand with a fantastic hut surrounded by lakes and looking down to Dusky Sound. There's nothing better than sitting beside the lakes and watching the rock wrens and listening to my favourite animal, the kea. In summer the whole area is ablaze with alpine flowers and on long summer evenings, the place just takes your breath away.
If you were heading on a family getaway now, where would you go?
Our favourite family getaway is a tiny bach (or crib in Southland) just below Obsidian Rock on Rakiura/Stewart Island. The 10pm sun sets and auroras in December really are Rakiura – the land of the glowing skies. Kiwi and kākā abound. Nature as it always was.
What's your dream NZ roadtrip?
My favourite road trip is the drive from Dargaville to Kaitaia. The crystal-clear water of Kai Iwi Lakes, the magnificent Waipoua kauri, smoked fish in Hokianga, superb sun sets, the history of Rāwene. The real gem of Mitimiti with Ralph Hotere's gravesite and stained-glass church windows. Dame Whina Cooper's memorial at Panguru. Add on a drive to Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Rēinga) and there is nothing better in Aotearoa - culturally, spiritually and scenically.
And if you could choose one ultimate, luxury, dream holiday in NZ, where would you go?
The DoC hut warden's quarters at Routeburn Falls Hut in Mount Aspiring National Park, in midwinter with the snow, plenty of wood for the fire and a bottle of Hawkshead pinot noir. The hut looks out to the Humboldt Mountains and is set in a stunning location among the trees and beside the falls as they descend into the Route Burn valley. The surrounding forest is full of kea, kākā, South Island robins, kākāriki and even mōhua thanks to all the predator-free work with Air New Zealand and the Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust.
DoC manages, on behalf of New Zealanders, about a thousand huts, around 300 campsites and more than 14,000km of tracks in some of the world's most beautiful natural settings. It's important to ensure you plan and prepare well before heading outdoors and choose activities that are appropriate for your skill and experience levels and those of your group. To plan or book your trip off the beaten track, visit DoC's website (doc.govt.nz) or pop into a DoC visitor centre.
For more New Zealand travel ideas and inspiration, go to newfinder.co.nz and newzealand.com
