Safety

To ensure you enjoy your trip in all weathers, you will need to be reasonably fit and have good equipment.

If you are a day walker you can expect to:

• carry a day pack
• walk up and down hills
• walk on sand, mud and shells
• get wet crossing tidal streams or getting on and off boats.

Overnight walkers can also expect to walk four to five hours a day and carry a pack of up to 15kg. If you are camping, you will also need to carry a tent and a sleeping mat. It is possible to arrange for luggage to be freighted by water taxi among huts and campsites. Don’t leave valuables in your luggage as it will be left unattended. To arrange luggage transport, contact transport operators directly.

Be sure to consult a tide timetable when planning your trip as two estuaries on the track are only passable at low tide.

Trip intentions

Before setting out on your trip, remember to inform a reliable person of your intentions and check in with them on or after your return. (If you are overdue, they should contact the police.)

Fill in the visitors book if you are staying in a hut.

Water

Filtered water sites are at: Anchorage, Bark Bay, Awaroa, Totaranui and Whariwharangi. You should be prepared to boil, treat or filter drinking water if the DOC water filter systems are not working correctly. Water at other DOC sites or streams in the park cannot be guaranteed safe to drink. There is a risk of giardia. We recommend that you treat water before using it.

Cookers and lighting

Cookers and lighting are not provided in any of the huts.

Fire

Fires are only allowed in the formal fireplaces. In dry conditions it may be necessary for DOC to ban all fires.

Open fires are not permitted within the National Parks.

Wasps

If you are allergic to wasp stings, take your medication, such as antihistamines, with you.

Sandflies

Sandflies are tiny black insects which cause itchy bites. Cover up and use insect repellent.

Possums

Pack food away at night and keep tents closed to stop possums from eating your food or damaging your tent and equipment. Kayakers should place food into kayak storage hatches overnight.

Seals

Seal colonies occur at Pinnacle and Tonga Islands and Separation Point. Do not go closer than 20 metres to a seal when it is on the land. Avoid disturbing seals at all times, they can inflict nasty wounds if you are bitten.

Rubbish

No rubbish facilities are provided. Carry out all your rubbish from the park. Do not put plastic or foil in fireplaces because they do not burn cleanly, and do not leave paper or cardboard in fireplaces.

Phones

Mobile phone coverage is poor. There are public telephones at Marahau, Torrent Bay, Awaroa Lodge and Totaranui.

Track closure

In case of any accident or injury that requires emergency evacuation, contact Police Search and Rescue via Department of Conservation staff or water taxi staff radios.

In the unusual situation of the track being closed (e.g. in case of extreme fire risk), signs will be erected at track entrances and information will be at i-SITES, DOC information centres and on the DOC website. Check the Track Update before you start the track. If the track is closed, a full refund will be given.

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