Access

From Hill Jacks Road end on foot to hunting blocks – Cattle Flat, Rankleburn, Smithys Spur, Brandy Gully and Whisky Gully.

All other access is via Ernslaw One Ltd. Forestry access is via combination lock through certain gates. Details are provided along with access maps on the webpages for each block.

From either SH1 or SH90, the Blue Mountains are accessed from forestry roads leading off Rankleburn Road.

Note: Due to constant vandalism and security issues Ernslaw One may restrict access to foot traffic only. To reduce the risk of this happening use only the gates specified and report any suspicious behaviour to Ernslaw One or DOC.

Vehicle access through forestry blocks

Public vehicle access through the forestry blocks is restricted by locked gates. If you want  vehicle access through the forestry blocks, you will need gate codes. To be issued gate codes for weekday hunting, you must be registered as an 'approved hunter'. 

The following 19 blocks have access points through the Ernslaw One Ltd forestry blocks:

• Armstrong
• Back Stream
• Blackcleugh
• Brooksdale
• Carsons
• Cattle Flat
• Chris's
• Clarks
• Dish
• Dunn Creek
• Garden Gully
• Gorge Creek
• Long Gully
• Myles
• Packers
• Rankleburn
• Smithys Spur
• Tramway
• Westwood

Approved hunter registration

To be registered as an approved hunter you must:

1. Be a current financial member of any of the following New Zealand Deerstalkers Association (NZDA) branches:
• Queenstown
• Alexandra
• Wanaka
• Gore
• Balclutha
• Dunedin
2. Have completed the Health and Safety induction run by these branches. Contact your branch representative to register your interest in attending this induction.
3. Have signed a declaration confirming that you will abide by the access rules.
4. Be confirmed by your NZDA branch officers that you are of good character and will abide by the access rules.

While this process may seem onerous, it is designed to ensure that hunters don’t jeopardise the generous access privilege afforded to NZDA members by Ernslaw One Ltd.

On being issued with a permit to hunt on one of the Blue Mountains blocks that have access points through the Ernslaw One Ltd forestry blocks, your name and hunting details will be shared with a third party solely to confirm eligibility for vehicle access via the forestry roads. You should request the gate codes by emailing: beaumontaccess@xtra.co.nz. 

Walking access

No approvals or gate codes are required if you want to walk to your blocks via the forestry roads.

Weekend access

Vehicle access approval requirements do not apply for weekend bookings. For these bookings, access codes will be automatically emailed to the hunting party leader on the Friday beforehand.

No refund of application fees will be given in the event of vehicle access not being approved.

Landholders

Ernslaw One Ltd: +64 3 204 8061
Ernslaw One manage the exotic forest plantations and run their own balloted hunting blocks in that area. Permission to hunt within the exotic forest plantations must be sought from them.

David Edgar
Contact David for access to Brandy Gully, a phone number is provided on the Brandy Gully webpage.

Landscape

The RHA is dominated by silver beech forest with large open tussock tops to the west. The bush in the northern area is much shorter and denser. The RHA is surrounded by exotic forest plantations to the east and northwest and by farmland to the southwest.

Maps

NZTopo50 maps: CE13, CE14, CF13, CF14

Block GPS file

This .gpx file is compatible with most GPS handheld units.

Blue Mountains - RHA Blocks (GPX, 1,016K)