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Walking / tramping (Peel Forest
Park track info
Mt Peel Range
Mt Peel Range
The Mt Peel Range includes the three peaks of Mt Peel as well as
Coal Hill. The high peak of Mt Peel (Tarahaoa or Big Mt Peel) is
outside the park and provides an enjoyable day’s tramp for fit and
experienced trampers. It can be reached by the ridge from Little Mt
Peel over Middle Mt Peel, or by Northwest Ridge from Parson’s Creek
Hut. (Permission should be obtained from the Mt Peel Station.)
Te Kahui Kaupeka
Conservation Park
Te
Kahui Kaupeka Conservation Park
Te Kahui Kaupeka Conservation Park encompasses spectacular
landscapes of ice-steppened mountains and broad glaciated valleys in
the Two Thumb range.
The park caters for a wide range of recreational activities
including tramping, fishing, skiing (two ski areas in the park), ski
touring, mountaineering, hunting, and mountain biking. For
more detailed information check with the DOC offices at Twizel or
Geraldine.
Te Kahui Kaupeka takes its name from the ‘gathering place of the
waters’ - from the mountain the rivers flow in all directions. Two
of the rivers, the Rangitata and Waitaki, form the boundary of
Aoraki.
There are numerous huts (mainly basic) dotted throughout Te Kahui
Kaupeka Conservation Park.
Click here
for more detailed information regarding Te
Kahui Kaupeka Conservation Park.
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Cycling
Tandem Bike Hire
Feeling
adventurous & up for some light exercise? Tandem bike hire
is now available from the 'Peel Forest Store'.
Breathe the fresh air, relax & have a laugh as you & a friend master
the art of tandem bike riding and discover the beautiful sights
on offer at your own pace with 'pedal power'!
$15 per hour
$35 for half day hire
$20 bond
For enquiries
please click here for our
contact details.
Horse riding
Horse Riding
You may prefer to discover the
sights in a more laid back approach. 45 minute horse treks are
available from 'The Peel Forest Lodge'.
Please visit
www.peelforesthorsetrekking.co.nz
or
www.peelforestlodge.co.nz
for more information.
Rafting & Canoeing
Rafting & Canoeing
The Rangitata River is
undoubtedly one of New Zealand's most exciting stretches of white
water. It is suitable for rafting and canoeing and provides a
wide variety of conditions which become more difficult as one gets
closer to the gorge.
For more information please visit:
www.rafts.co.nz
www.alps2ocean.co.nz
www.hiddenvalleys.co.nz
www.peelforestopc.org.nz
Fishing
Fishing
The Rangitata River is one of
New Zealand's best known salmon fishing rivers. Between
December and June, the quinnat salmon run up the snow fed waters to
the spawning grounds at the head of the river.
Once these fish enter the fresh water they do not feed, so many of
them reach the spawning grounds in poor condition. It is quite
common to see these salmon in the Rangitata's small side streams
from early March.
The fish usually follow the deepest water channel and rest up in the
deeper holes. Trout fishing is also available in the Rangitata
River and Deep Creek near Mesopotamia station.
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Cultural Heritage
Cultural Heritage
The park has a long
association with Māori legend and early pioneer history.
Legend has it that Chief Tarahaoa and his wife Hua-te-kerekere were
washed up ashore, along with a few survivors, at Shag Point on their
attempt to migrate north from South Otago. Their canoes destroyed,
they wandered inland and lived the remainder of their lives where
they could always see the sun go down. They prayed to their gods
that on their death they should be changed into mountains.
The Gods obliged and Big Mount Peel and Little Mount Peel/Huatakerekere
are really Tarahaoa and Hua-te-kerekere, inseparably linked to each
other.They were survived by two children whom the Gods turned into
two giant trees in the forest on their death. These two children
also had four children who also wanted to remain close to the land.
They prayed to the gods and when they died were turned into the Four
Peaks, the mountain range adjoining Big Mount Peel and Little Mount
Peel/Huatakerekere.
This illustrates yet again that to the Maori history and legend are
seamless.
In 1849, Charles Torlesse was the first white man to explore the
foothills hoping to discover coal. He called the bush Gurdon, but it
was later changed to Peel Forest as a memorial to the British Prime
Minister, Peel.
The first Europeans to establish homes were run holders – Jollie,
Tripp and Acland. With them came dogs and cats that found native
birds like quail and weka easy prey.
Visiting each other by crossing the river was perilous, the bush
impenetrable. However, a road was later cut through the bush and a
ferry was built in 1860 to cross the Rangitata. It was later
replaced by a bridge in 1870.
Then the removal of the forest began. While their leases discouraged
the settlers cultivating their land, they soon found out that
burning made the rough grass more palatable to stock. The sawyers
were pit-saw men. Working in pairs they pulled and pushed the big
saws into the enormous logs.
After a year of felling the chief surveyor was shocked to see how
many big trees had been removed and the devastation caused by the
bullocks. The only way to slow down the destruction was to issue
cutting licences.
From 1865 – 1908 Peel Forest was mainly a saw-milling village.
Kahikatea was the first big timber to be felled and used for
building. Tōtara was cut for fence posts and building. Steam
engines, winches and tramways were built to make the log extraction
easier.
By 1908 it was cheaper to import wood from Australia and the timber
boom was over. Today the remains of several sawpits are still
visible. After the timber felling farmers wanted stumps removed to
make cultivation easier. Stumpers armed with gelignite loosened the
tree roots.
The park was established in 1909 when 94 hectares of Crown land was
set aside as a scenic reserve. Further additions have led to its
current size of 773 hectares. It is a popular camping spot and day
visitor destination.
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