Waihohonu and Mangatepopo huts will no longer be first-in, first-served in the off-season. Starting from last week, all stays in either hut will need to be booked through DOC’s booking system for stays outside of the Great Walks season.

Principal Ranger Jenny Hayward says it means trampers no longer need to carry a full tent and sleeping mat in case the hut is full. “It’s less than 2 km from the road-end to Mangatepopo Hut, so it’s a great entry-level adventure for colder weather. And with your space booked in the hut, you know you won’t be squished into a corner for a miserable night.”

Bookings are now to 22 October 2026. Bookings for the Tongariro Northern Circuit Great Walk for the 2026/2027 summer open on Thursday, 21 May. Read more from Wilderness.

Lower Hutt boy finds rare native frog exploring creek near home

A 12-year-old Rumi Lourie, who wants to study to become an entomologist, was exploring around a creek near his home when he noticed a frog that looked different. Rumi emailed photos of his discovery to DOC, who confirmed it was a native Hochstetter’s frog.

The frogs are not known to be living south of the King Country. Rumi’s discovery placed the frog hundreds of kilometres south of their current known range.

Research into Rumi’s discovery by DOC staff revealed that Dr Ben Bell from Victoria University, who was living nearby in the 1970s and had been breeding Hochstetter’s frogs as part of a research project, but they had escaped during a flood nearly 50 years ago. It was presumed the frogs had died during the flood.

Bell was surprised when he first heard of the discovery. He joined Rumi and staff from DOC and Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne to survey the areas around his home, finding three more frogs in just a few hours.

“It’s remarkable they were able to survive and establish a small population, even though there are predators in the area,” Bell said. Read more from RNZ.

Why is everyone suddenly dressing like a hiker?

What started as a niche subculture – i.e. outdoor clothing worn by people like us hikers who actually needed gear that could handle the elements – has been picked up and reworked, and for better or worse has found a place in the world of fashion.

The trend is known as ‘Gorpcore’ and has quietly infiltrated everyday style – from fashion runways to celeb street styles to even scoring a mention in The Devil Wears Prada 2. 

The House of Wellness beauty editor Charlotte Brundrett says she’s totally on board for the gorpcore revival, especially in relation to activewear. “Hailey Bieber wearing a vintage Nike crop at Coachella this year really sealed it for me; gorpcore isn’t going anywhere,” she says.

So how did outdoor gear go from purely practical to a fashion statement? And should it have? Learn more about the trend from House of Wellness.

Repairs to key Kahurangi access road underway

Graham Valley Rd was badly damaged during storms in June and July of 2025 and work has begun to reopen the road by spring.

In the storms six slips came down, including one which dropped a section of the road 8m into the river below.

DOC Motueka Acting Operations Manager Helen Otley says the road leads up to the Flora car park, which is the gateway to alpine experiences in the region, ranging from family-friendly day walks through to challenging multi-day adventures. The area is also an important biodiversity hotspot.

“It’s great to see this work underway with equipment on the ground and materials being delivered. If the weather plays ball and the repair work goes to plan, the road will be open by the end of August.

Flora car park provides access to popular tramps including the Tableland Circuit, Mt Arthur Summit Route, Flora Circuit and Ellis Basin Route. Read more from DOC.

Public access concerns in Tasman as Howard Forest goes up for sale

Outdoors groups are banding together to protect public access to a historic track in southern Tasman.

Tasman District Council is planning to sell the Howard Forest, a forestry plantation it owns in the Howard Valley, to create a diversified resilience fund. But the Louis Creek Goldfield Track runs through part of the forest and the prospect of losing access to the area raised alarm for regional tramping and mountainbiking groups.

Liz Eskrick, a trustee of the Mountainbike Trails Trust, says the track dates back to 1915. “It’s got bush, it’s got history, it’s got a historic cottage… It’s not a museum where you go to see all these bits and pieces – it’s actually there.”

While the council has agreed to legalise Monument Road, which leads to the Miners Monument and ties back into the track, concerns remain for the more rugged, off-road sections of the trail.

Graeme Ferrier from the Nelson Tramping Club says the region had the highest proportion of recreational walkers and cyclists nationally, so it was “critical” to have a wide variety of tracks. “Once access is lost, we’ve compromised the future for the next generations.” Read more from Top South Now.