North Otago: Back to basics in high-country tranquillity

Old stone huts at the Forks Hut date back to the 1880s and are used for storing bikes and saddles. Photo / Sally Rae

When a group of cycle-weary school pupils arrived at the Forks Hut, in a peaceful valley on vast Otematata Station in North Otago, there were few modern conveniences to greet them.

Forget cellphones or computer games - instead, the group from Papakaio School helped get the fire ready, enjoyed a scavenger hunt and pretended to be sheep and musterers.

Dinner was devoured by candlelight and then it was time for toasted marshmallows around the campfire, and bed in the corrugated iron-clad bunkhouse.

The Forks Hut, near the confluence of the Clearstream and Otematata River, is one of three musterers' huts on Otematata Station that now form part of a low-key tourist operation allowing visitors to walk, cycle or ride a horse across 150km of tracks across the station.

The Cameron family has farmed the vast high country property in the Waitaki Valley for more than 100 years. It is home to 30,000 merino sheep and 400 Hereford cattle.

The family's association with the Waitaki Valley began when Hugh Cameron bought Aviemore Station in 1892 - that property is still owned by the Cameron family - and sons Walter and Joe bought neighbouring Otematata Station in 1908.

Otematata Station, incorporating Aviemore, covers 40,000ha and ranges from 350m above sea level at the homestead to 1800m on top of the Hawkdun Ranges.

For current owners Hugh and Mandy Cameron, the infrastructure was all there for hosting visitors, with the well-maintained huts in place (including associated horse paddocks) and good tracks.

"We just thought, why not?" Mandy says.

While still passionate about farming, they say their new venture is all about diversifying.

They say Otematata Station will "always be a working property", and Mandy says that is one of its attractions.

Otematata Station is still a traditional property with horses used regularly for station work and huts used for the likes of the autumn muster.

There are two- and three-night options for overnight trips around the station, as well as daytrips.

The three huts - Glenbouie, the Forks and Top Chimney Gully - sleep up to 10 people and are equipped with mattresses and pillows, pots and pans, crockery and cutlery, gas for cooking, firewood and coal.

Some Aucklanders staying at one of the huts invited Hugh and Mandy round for dinner one night; when the Camerons arrived they discovered the visitors lying outside on the ground.

The visitors said they were looking at the stars, something they did not get to see in Auckland.

"It makes you appreciate what you've got," Mandy says.

CHECKLIST

The Track: Back Yards (altitude 550m) to Glenbouie Hut (1050m) - distance, 14km; walking time 4-5hr; biking/horse-riding time, 2hr.

Glenbouie Hut to Forks Hut (470m) - distance, 13km; walking time 3hr; biking/horse-riding time, 2-2.5hr.

Forks Hut to Top Chimney Gully Hut (600m) - distance 12km; walking time 4hr; biking/horse-riding time, 1.5-2hr.

Forks Hut to the Back Yards, via Dead Cow Saddle (670m) - distance, 11km; walking time 3.5hr; biking/horse-riding time, 2-2.5hr.

Further information: To find out more about visiting the Otematata Station or to make bookings visit otematatastation.co.nz.