Makino Hut, Kaweka FP, Saturday 1 August 2026
Banner Photo: Windfall on the Makino Hut track
On a cool but not freezing morning, nine trampers left Park Island, heading to Makino Hut.
We started walking at 8.20. The track is steep for the first 20 minutes and then climbs gradually.
DoC rangers cutting track re-routes in March 2026
The windy weather event in February created pockets of windfall in areas of the Kaweka Forest Park. The track to Makino Hut took hits in two areas, the first being between the bushline and the historic Makino biv where we stopped for morning tea. The second was between the Middle Hill Hut turnoff through to the Te Puia track junction. As a result, in March, DoC re-routed the track in these two places.
Makino Hut was built in 1956-57 by members of the Napier Deerstalkers Club, with most materials parachuted from a fixed-wing aircraft, but some was carried in over several weekends during the build. It was upgraded in 1993. It’s situated in a flat, sheltered spot where the open manuka and kanuka meet the red beech forest.
In early May this year, six Back Country Trust volunteers led by Josh Bryant overhauled the hut. They replaced the roof, deck, windows and spouting, built a woodshed (cladding it with the repurposed old hut roof), renovated the toilet and painted the hut exterior.
At 980 metres, the hut experiences a wide range of climatic conditions which can include snowfalls during cold southerly weather and strong westerly winds. Today was no exception. It was very cold so we had a quick lunch and headed back to the cars.
Back to Makahu Road, the track has had scrub bar treatment
Wasp bait station usually sited near DoC box traps
Elly did a great job of clearing the traps on the way up and managed to find six rodents, and then on the way back she removed any broken wasp bait stations.
Trampers: Julian Phillips, Shona Tupe, Phil Shakespeare, Linda Parker, Elly Govers, Pam Millard, Mary Campbell, Jenny Burns and Michelle Finlayson
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