Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Bedbug 'attack' prompts closure of three Whanganui Journey Great Walk huts

Whanganui Chronicle
22 Apr, 2021 11:28 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
John Coull Hut on the Whanganui Journey is closed for the rest of the season after a bedbug "attack" was reported. Photo / File

John Coull Hut on the Whanganui Journey is closed for the rest of the season after a bedbug "attack" was reported. Photo / File

Three huts on the Whanganui Journey Great Walk have been closed after a "bedbug attack" was reported.

The Whakahoro and Tīeke Huts will be temporarily closed for treatment while the John Coull Hut will remain closed for the rest of the season.

Department of Conservation director of heritage and visitors Steve Taylor said a "highly precautionary approach" was being taken, with the huts being treated as if they have an infestation. They would be closed and fumigated immediately.

Bedbugs had not previously been reported in huts along the Whanganui River, but this week's single report was from a "credible source", Taylor said.

"Consequently, we are treating this as an urgent matter and have responded immediately," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Great Walk season for the kayak journey ends in a week's time so the number of visitors affected would be limited.

Taylor said DoC had contacted everyone booked to use the huts through to the end of the season, as well as tour guiding companies, and advised them of the closures and treatment plans.

He said many people had indicated they would continue with their journey but may choose to camp instead. Others would get refunds.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bedbugs were not a common issue in DoC huts, but infestations appeared from time to time and DoC tried to get on top of minor infestations before they became a bigger issue.

"Obviously, we want people to enjoy their experiences in the great outdoors, and part of doing that comes from knowing the facilities and services the department provides can be relied upon," Taylor said.

"Visitors to these fantastic DoC facilities can do their part by carefully cleaning their hiking gear between locations and by reporting any bedbug sightings or attacks promptly so we can deal with them as soon as possible."

Discover more

Kahu

What health changes mean for Whanganui region Māori

22 Apr 07:00 PM

Reshma departs Popstars - but there's still plenty of music to come

22 Apr 04:00 AM
New Zealand

Deadlock over allowing Indian flight school students into Whanganui

22 Apr 05:00 PM

Whanganui in-home care service starts up

21 Apr 05:00 PM
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Sport

'Biggest event': Whanganui Marist takes on challenge of hosting football tournament

18 Sep 06:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Council vote keeps Native Land Court project afloat

18 Sep 06:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Young Whanganui problem-solvers to represent NZ

18 Sep 05:00 PM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

'Biggest event': Whanganui Marist takes on challenge of hosting football tournament
Sport

'Biggest event': Whanganui Marist takes on challenge of hosting football tournament

The tournament is at Whanganui's Wembley Park on September 20-21.

18 Sep 06:00 PM
Council vote keeps Native Land Court project afloat
Whanganui Chronicle

Council vote keeps Native Land Court project afloat

18 Sep 06:00 PM
Young Whanganui problem-solvers to represent NZ
Whanganui Chronicle

Young Whanganui problem-solvers to represent NZ

18 Sep 05:00 PM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP