Hidden among the beech trees on Amuri Pass is a relic of the woodworking methods of the nineteenth century. 

Slaty Creek Hut, in the Grey Valley, was originally built in 1952 by deer cullers and has recently been preserved for future generations by DOC rangers, who replicated the original building techniques. Ranger Casey Rhodes said the restoration team scoped out which boards needed to be replaced. “We only replaced the minimum possible to try and keep as much heritage factor as we could,” he said. 

The slab hut, a practical and cost-effective form of accommodation, was built with beech logs that were sawn, hewn and split from the surrounding area with hand tools, skills few people now possess.

The rangers had to learn about techniques using axes, draw knives, adzes, wedges and mauls.

There are only 12 slab huts on public conservation land in the South Island.