Trampers are being urged to keep their eyes and ears open for the elusive South Island kōkako after promising encounters on the Old Ghost Road. 

South Island Kōkako Trust spokesperson Inger Perkins said it had received eight new reports of possible encounters in the three months to the end of October. “Our favourite at this stage is from the Old Ghost Road, from late July. While the bird wasn’t seen, our experts think there’s a good chance a South Island Kōkako was heard,” she said.

Perkins said the trust then received another report in October from south of Lyall Saddle Hut of “an echoey bird call”. There were a total of nine encounters from the Old Ghost Road since 2018, ranging from probable to uncertain or poor information.

The most promising one was a probable sighting in December 2023 north of Goat Creek Hut when a cyclist saw a bird bigger than a tui flying tree to tree. “[It] was bigger than a tui and had light blue to grey feathers all over body. The trail was very fanned out and decently long… it was quite large and had pretty blue feathers,” they said.

Read more from The Press.

45 backcountry huts and campsites added to booking system

Trampers heading into the outdoors this summer will need to book in advance for more Department of Conservation (DOC) huts and campsites, with 45 additional sites added to the national booking system.

Bookings open on 2 December for stays starting from 5 December.

The move, which included 22 huts and 23 campsites, was aimed at reducing overcrowding, improving visitor experience, and supporting the long-term care of the facilities, DOC said in a statement.

“Making facilities bookable helps our teams plan effectively, reduces overcrowding, and means we can share important updates with visitors when needed,” said DOC visitor services manager Cameron Hyland.

Newly bookable huts

Turangi/Tongariro
Boyd hut
Blyth hut
Manga ehuehu hut
Mangaturuturu hut
Rangipo hut
Whakapapaiti hut

Canterbury
Carrington hut
Casey hut
Edwards hut
Hawdon hut

Fiordland
Port Craig School hut
Demon Trail hut
Hidden Falls hut
Lake Alabaster hut
Hokuri hut
Martins Bay hut
McKerrow Island hut

Golden Bay/Motueka
Fenella hut
Sylvester hut
Balloon hut
Salisbury Lodge
Mt Arthur hut

Newly bookable campsites

Wairarapa
Bucks Road campsite
Corner Creek campsite
Holdsworth campsite
Kiriwhakapapa campsite
Putangirua Pinnacles campsite
Waiohine Gorge campsite

Marlborough & Sounds
Butchers Flat campsite
Moetapu Bay campsite
Waimaru campsite
Harvey Bay campsite
Nikau Cove campsite
Aussie Bay campsite
Elaine Bay campsite
Picnic Bay campsite
Ferndale campsite
Nydia campsite
Jacobs Bay campsite
Putanui Point campsite
Pipi Beach campsite
Tawa Bay campsite
Ngaruru Bay campsite

Nelson Lakes
Kawatiri campsite
Teetotal campsite

Read more from Stuff.

What it was like for hikers awaiting rescue on Tongariro

As a fire crept across Tongariro National Park, hikers felt the ash begin to fall on the track and saw the sun turn red. In all, 43 people and a hut warden were evacuated from the Mangatepopo Valley on Saturday because of concerns for their safety.

Daisy Bao, from Auckland, was part of a group of 23 people from the Auckland Outdoors social club who set off on the 20km Tongariro Alpine Crossing at 3.30 pm.

On the way to the track entry from National Park, they had seen the beginnings of the fire near the highway, which was small at the time and only requiring the attention of one fire truck. The highway was still passable.

But as the hikers began the crossing, they saw the fire grow in the distance. At around the 4km mark, they could see flames and thick smoke covering a large area and their concerns grew.

Most of the group was calm but some of the hikers were fearful and confused, Bao said. “We can see the ashes falling down from the sky, if felt like the end of the world. I’ve never seen the sun like that before, red and pink, glowing behind the smoke.” Read the full story from Stuff.

Is it too late to score a camping spot this summer?

RNZ is reporting that many of New Zealand’s most popular sites are already heavily – or fully – booked for the summer holidays.

“We’ve got 49 properties around the country and they all have slightly nuanced peaks, but from Boxing Day till about the 10th or the 11th of January, you would either have to be very lucky or very flexible to get something at this point,” says David Ovendale, CEO of Top 10 Holiday Parks Group.

It’s still possible to go camping this summer, especially if you’re happy with a shorter break, aren’t fixed on a specific location, or are planning to head away later in January.

While many of the popular campsites are fully (or almost fully) booked during that peak period, there’s still availability in other lesser-known spots if you get organised soon and stay flexible with your dates or length of stay.

Of the 325 DOC sites on the website, only 200 are marked ‘bookable’, which means plenty remain up for grabs. “There are definitely sites that you can’t book in advance, so those are all first-come first-served,” says DOC booking services manager Cam Hyland.

94-year-old volunteer helps DOC build safer walking tracks

At 94, Peter Winter remains skilled with a shovel. These are the skills that help DOC rangers upgrade walking tracks in the Canterbury back country, a mission that Winter has played a key role in.

“I just love it,” Winter said, describing it as a “type of work that keeps him feeling young”. Winter is part of the Mt Somers Walkway Society, a volunteer group of mainly retired farmers founded about 40 years ago.

Described as the “third arm” of the department, volunteers such as Winter spend hundreds of hours looking after the Mt Somers tracks and biodiversity.

Mount Somers Walkway Society President Robert Schikker said Winter is a “real character and he’s been around for a long time”.

“He’s apparently never been to the doctor. I reckon it’s this outdoor work and staying fit that keeps him going.

DOC Geraldine operations manager Tony Preston said Winter and the Mount Somers Walkway Society are the most productive, passionate, and committed community group he had ever worked with. Read more from The NZ Herald.

Record numbers of women are solo camping

With a rise in visitor numbers to every corner of the globe, one area of travel where numbers are growing considerably is female solo travel, with an estimated 85% of solo travellers being women.

According to Winnebago Industries, 52% of women plan to spend more time outside in 2025 and are recognising the wide-ranging benefits it brings: reducing stress, improving mood, the physical boost from doing more exercise, and confidence-building.

A record number of women are also choosing solo camping for the independence and freedom it gives them to make their own itinerary decisions. Travelling alone often pushes you outside your comfort zone, creating a strong sense of accomplishment and growing confidence in your abilities.

This is especially true for women over 40 who have often prioritised family and are now turning to this popular travel trend that empowers women to be adventurous and explore the world. Read more from Explore.