Roar dates: Wednesday 11 March to Tuesday 14 April 2026 (or Sunday 12 April 2026 for blocks affected by Acheron Road's annual closure).

Roar 2026 hunting permits for Molesworth are being issued on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

Hunting period dates

The 2026 roar hunt for Molesworth will run for five periods.

Period 1: Wednesday 11 March to Tuesday 17 March 2026
Period 2: Wednesday 18 March to Tuesday 24 March 2026
Period 3: Wednesday 25 March to Tuesday 31 March 2026
Period 4: Wednesday 1 April to Tuesday 7 April 2026
Period 5: Wednesday 8 April to Tuesday 14 April 2026 (*short week – Acheron Road closes Sunday 12 April 2026)

The following blocks will close Sunday 12 April 2026 due to the Acheron Road closure:

• Bottom Acheron
• Chimney
• Five Mile
• McGuires
• Pig Trough
• Sawnee
• Upper Acheron
• Yarra

Roar process

Applications will only be accepted through the online application form. There will be no email bookings or paper application forms.

The application allows for four choices (combination of blocks and dates). They are processed by your first preferred block choice and your four referred dates. We then check your second preferred block choice against your four preferred dates. We continue to do this for your third and fourth block choice. There are 16 opportunities that may secure you a booking in the allocated options.

A confirmation email will be sent to all applications whether successful or unsuccessful once applications are processed.

Before you apply

1. Read the Molesworth hunting special conditions.
2. Check the Molesworth Recreation Reserve hunting page for seasonal restrictions, closures, and pest control operations in place.
3. Check the map to decide on your preferred blocks, know the block access and plan your travel.

Apply online

2026 dates have been allocated. 

How to fill in your application

You will need to enter:

• party leader name (full name as shown on firearms licence)
• physical address, email address and contact number
• your preferred blocks and know how to access that block
• your preferred dates
• vehicle details including registration, make, model, colour

You will need to tick a box to confirm you will add your hunting party details to your application.

Make sure you use all your choices to increase your chance of being successful.

Adding your hunting party details to your application

Party leaders must confirm hunting party and vehicles details by Friday 21 November 2025. 

Details required include hunters and non-hunters’ full names (as shown on firearms licences for hunters), physical addresses, email address, phone numbers, vehicle makes and models, colours, and registrations.

Party leaders will be sent a URL link for additional hunters/non-hunters and vehicles at the time of their confirmation email.

Only one request for name/vehicle changes is allowed for successful block bookings.

Submit your request before Thursday 29 January 2026. Changes submitted after this date may be denied.

Permit issuing

Permits will be emailed out a fortnight before the hunting date.

Second chance blocks

If you and your hunting party/group are unsuccessful you can apply again if blocks are available – this will be advised on our website. Note: Any blocks that are relinquished will not be offered to the next applicant in the processing queue as in previous years.

Remaining blocks available for booking will be updated on the Molesworth Roar availability calendar.

In previous years roar applications have been in high demand. Allow time for the availability calendar to be updated.

Roar block maps

There are 20 blocks available.

Overview map – all Molesworth hunting blocks (PDF, 2,780K)

Check the maps and access to the blocks before applying:

• Bottom Acheron (PDF, 3,742K)
• Bullen (PDF, 3,883K)
• Bullock Gully (PDF, 3,789K)
• Chimney (PDF, 3,918K)
• Clarence Faces (PDF, 4,081K)
• Dillon (PDF, 4,031K)
• Dog Stream (PDF, 3,994K)
• Elliot (PDF, 4,114K)
• Five Mile (PDF, 3,952K)
• Half Moon (PDF, 4,296K)
• Lake McRae (PDF, 4,205K)
• Lizard (PDF, 3,956K)
• Long Gully (PDF, 3,908K)
• Makuratawhai (PDF, 4,075K)
• McGuires (PDF, 3,818K)
• Pig Trough (PDF, 3,910K)
• Sawnee (PDF, 3,312K)
• Tweed (PDF, 4,002K)
• Upper Acheron (PDF, 4,297K)
• Yarra (PDF, 4,142K)

What you need to know

Only one hunting party can be present in each of the blocks, for each period (see date periods).

Holding a hunting permit does not guarantee sole use of the area. Other recreational users such as trampers, horse trekkers or mountain bikers may be present in any area, at any time.

Identify your target before shooting.

Administration fee

At this stage no administration fee will be charged for blocks, although this fee may be introduced in future ballots to cover the costs associated with administering the roar block system.

Contact