The author at recently-upgraded Sunrise Hut when she visited earlier this year. Photo: Shaun Barnett/Black Robin Photography

Not bad for the front country

Features, Wild Huts

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Kathy Ombler

A long-time Wilderness contributor and freelance author, Kathy writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation.

By Kathy Ombler

The popular Sunrise Hut and Sunrise Track have received major upgrades. When Kathy Ombler went for a look she recalled past trips that reminded her why front country facilities are so important.

Sunrise Hut sits on the bushline, about three gently-graded hours through forests that change as you climb. The hut nestles in a tussock basin; a snug portal between sheltered trees and sometimes stormy tops. It’s where people go for the views, especially of the sunrise. But as so often happens, the day my daughter and […]

About the author

Kathy Ombler

Freelance author Kathy Ombler mostly writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation, and has contributed to Wilderness for many years. She has also written and edited for other publications and websites, most recently Federated Mountain Club’s Backcountry, Forest & Bird, and the Backcountry Trust. Books she has authored include Where to Watch Birds in New Zealand, Walking Wellington and New Zealand National Parks and Other Wild Places. She is currently a trustee for Wellington’s Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust.