2025 Heaphy

Trip Report

Our May 2025 epic was the amazing Heaphy Track … we tramped it in 2017 and enjoyed it so much we all voted to do it again in 2025.

The Heaphy track is a big logistics exercise to organise with the start of the track in Collingwood and the end of the track near Karamea being over 450km distance by road whereas the track is a mere 78km long (FYI: the Heaphy is the longest great walk in the DoC estate).

We were lucky enough to secure Zohar Gonen early on to relocate one the vehicles for this and we used Heaphy Track Help to relocation our other vehicle. We all descended on Christchurch by midday Saturday for the long slog up to Collingwood. Arrival in Collingwood was by 7.30pm where we had a lovely fish and chip tea and headed to bed ready for an early start on the track.

Sunday morning had us at the trackhead at near Brown Hut for the long and steady climb up to the Perry Saddle Hut. The day was mild and initially sunny before clouding in mid afternoon near the Aorere Shelter. As is usual for these tramps we quickly spread out based on those that like to get to the hut first and those that prefer to stop along the way to smell the roses … or in our case take photos of blue native mushrooms.

Perry Saddle Hut was reached in due course by all just as the drizzle started.

Next morning was the downhill leg to Gouland Downs Hut … reached quickly and with an early lunch we explored some of the nearby caves before traipsing on to Saxon Hut not far away. At Saxon Hut (which we had to ourselves due to our large numbers) we were impressed to see the native lawn-mowers (also referred to as blue bush turkeys or their more common name … Takahē). Very cool to seem them up close and personal. That evening we were enthralled by a DoC contractor giving us the low-down on pests, native fauna and more in the Heaphy region.

A nice morning greeted us on Tuesday morning as we tramped further down the valley to James McKay Hut. For many the red tussock and the limestone boulders made this a favourite day.

James Mackay Hut has to be one of the best Great Walk Huts in the country. Lovely airy feel but warm and with spectacular views. Many of us choose to climb up to the peak behind the hut for even more views of the country around us.

Next day was our biggest day but mostly all downhill with a long flat bit before you reach the coast and Heaphy rivermouth. It was cool to see the new swingbridges at the Lewis river and across the Heaphy river after the storm a few years back. The new shelter at Lewis is also a welcome relief after the long downhill leg.

The long flats from the Lewis to the Heaphy Hut were interspaced with large stands of Nikau palms but it is a long and tedious section of track. Heaphy Hut was a welcome relief in the warm sun and the numbers of bikers pushing through on their way up the hill to Lewis was interesting to see.

A few of us decided to head back to a cave, Field Cave, that was marked on the topo map but with no other information handy. We bushbased our way 400m off the track back to the cave. Found the very unassuming entrance which Mailee promptly climbed up into and exclaimed: “What awesome Cave Wetas and Dolomedes spiders” this suggested to the rest of us that the cave was hers and hers alone. Interestingly enough we discovered back at home that this cave is in fact likely to be around 600m long.

Our final day along the coast was again a change of scenery … the Heaphy keeps delivering changes in ecosystem with different trees, fauna, flora and geography. The sea was rough but the sun warm as we traveled along to the vans and Kohaihai.

Zohar met us just as the bulk of people arrived … with a early lunch and snacks we jumped in the van for our drive to the Punakaiki Beach Hostel for our final night together. A lovely dinner was had at the local tavern before we were driven back to the hostel by some exceptionally loud music just after we finished eating.

Thanks to all who joined us on our first equal largest trip yet (the other being the 2019 Stewart Island trip).