Dingle Burn hunting

Animals present are red deer, tahr and chamois and low to moderate numbers.

General information

This block includes the Dingle Burn catchment except for near the mouth where the valley opens out around Dingle Burn Station. It also includes some of the faces overlooking Lake Hawea and run parallel and to the west of the Dingle Burn Valley.

Lower and mid valley, the vegetation is mostly dry mountain beech/tamauka, with more grassy flats and tussockland in the upper valley. Below Cotters Hut, there are a few slips, gullies and river crossings to negotiate; above here travel is easier. The lake faces west of the Dingle are predominantly tussock with some areas of beech/tawhai and mānuka/kānuka forest lower down.

During the roar period in the months of March and April, the block divides into four separately balloted portions. Mount Jones covering the lake faces, and three roughly equal portions of the Dingle Burn Valley itself – Lower Dingle, Cotters and Upper Dingle.

See Wanaka roar block system.

Access

There are four access routes depending on which part of the block you are hunting:

• For the lake faces (Mount Jones), take Gladstone Road from Hawea township and then Dingle Burn Station Road for 14 km to a car park – no vehicle access permitted beyond this point. From here follow the track (you may carry unloaded firearms) to Turihuka Conservation Area (3–4 hours) where there is a campsite. Continue on the Lake Hawea Track by the lake to the hunting block, about 5 km away.
• For the lower Dingle, as above to Turihuka Conservation Area and then follow the Dingle Burn Valley Track.
• You can access the Cotters block from the lower Dingle, or fly into the airstrip near Cotters Hut.
• For the upper Dingle, as above, or alternatively, cross from Ahuriri Conservation Park near Ahuriri Base Hut.

Landholders

Dingle Burn Station

Maps

NZTopo50 series: BZ13, BZ14, CA13, CA14

• Mount Jones hunting block map (PDF, 1236K)
• Lower Dingle hunting block map (PDF, 1463K)
• Cotters hunting block map (PDF, 2189K)
• Upper Dingle hunting block map (PDF, 2140K)

Huts

• Bush Hut
• Cotters Hut
• Ben Avon Hut – historic hut, day use only
• Top Dingle Hut

Know before you go

Dogs

Dogs are allowed in the Lower and Upper Dingle Burn and Cotters blocks, no permit or permission required but entry/exit for these blocks is either through the Upper Dingle from the Ahuriri side or via helicopter.

Dogs are allowed in the Mt Jones block, no permit or permission required but access is only via boat or helicopter.