Southern Abel Tasman National Park hunting

General information

Abel Tasman National Park is our smallest national park and is used extensively by recreational walkers, day visitors and kayakers. Most of the use happens within a narrow strip close to the coast where visitors walk the Coast Track or kayak around its sheltered coastline.

Overnight accommodation is provided at four large huts at Anchorage, Bark Bay, Awaroa and Whariwharangi. More than 20 basic camp sites are also provided, some of which are only accessible by boat from the water.

Few visitors venture inland where the steep and broken terrain makes it difficult to get around off the trail.

There is a small block in the northern part of the park that operates a block system for hunting permits (see the local DOC office for details). Although there are small exclusion areas, the remainder of the park is open to all hunters who have a valid permit.

Cross-country travel is slow and difficult at times through native beech and podocarp forest. Much of the lower slopes are covered in regenerating manuka and scrubby gorse and fern.

Abel Tasman enjoys a mild coastal climate with infrequent frosts in winter. Annual rainfall is in the range of 2000 mm and occurs any time of the year. Summer is often warm and dry with daytime temperatures in the mid 20s. Sea breezes often spring up during the day as the land warms up creating an on shore breeze.

Deer and goats can be found in small numbers throughout the park. Pigs are found in the southern sections of the park around Castle Rock Hut and Tinline where the scrubby vegetation of gorse and bracken make ideal habitat for these animals.

Access

Vehicle access to the southern end of Abel Tasman is from the park entrance and information kiosk at Marahau.

Boat access to most points along the relatively sheltered coast line is possible most of the time.

Vehicle access via the Canaan Road off State Highway 60 gives access to the Inland Track and higher altitude forests.

Landholders

Private sections of land exist at Anchorage, Torrent Bay and Awaroa. Please seek landowner permission before hunting or crossing private land.

Maps

Park Map 273-07 and Topo50-BP25.

Dogs

Hunting with dogs is permitted on a daily basis providing a dog permit is obtained. Dogs are not permitted overnight in the park.

Huts

Hunters are welcome to use Castle Rock Hut providing back country tickets are purchased beforehand.

Castle Rock hut

Huts and campsites on the Abel Tasman Coast Track, one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, must be booked online.

Abel Tasman huts and campsites 

Additional information

Abel Tasman National Park is closed to all hunting over the peak visitor use summer period from 22 December to 9 February each year.  As the track is a Great Walk it is closed to hunting all year round within 500 m of the track.

No hunting is permitted in Canaan Scenic Reserve.

Fire is a significant threat to the park. Fires are not permitted unless a permit is obtained or the fire is in a designated permanent fireplace provided by DOC.