DOC Reveals "dream-makeover" Of Rat-infested Hut

Anti Crow Hut up the Waimakariri River valley was rat-infested and a tree had fallen through one of its walls.

It sits in a stunning location and is a two to three hour walk from the state highway through Arthurs Pass. Department of Conservation North Canterbury Senior Ranger Gavin (Gav) Collis knew it would be a perfect hut for a family's first tramp.

"We don't have enough resources to do all the work required on these huts, so we asked the Backcountry Trust to put it on their list. They have an army of volunteers who love to work on these projects, so away we went," he says.

"It was a massive job, bigger than anyone first thought, but the result is a dream make-over for Anti Crow Hut which now boasts a log burner, new windows, a new roof, handmade furniture inside, a new deck and new sleeping quarters with space for six to eight people.

"This is the perfect place for a first family tramp, a relatively easy and short walk up a flat valley."

Gav says it will be on the booking system from this Friday 1 August 2025 so people can be guaranteed a bed.

"We really want to encourage families to take their kids into nature so they can experience this very special place.

"What we've heard from families, inexperienced trampers and many others is they want to know everyone has a bunk before they head out. It's about encouraging all New Zealanders to get out into nature and building up skills and confidence in the outdoors.

"We're anticipating the hut will be popular and recommend people get in quick to bag their preferred dates.

"What we have here doesn't exist anywhere else in the world. This hut is close to Christchurch and for city people who want to try tramping, what a great way to take that first step," Gav says.

Ollie Clifton from the Back Country Trust (BCT) says it was a very special project to work on.

"We knew we were up for a major renovation, but we got a surprise at how bad it was. Luckily, we have fantastic volunteers, builders and painters and others who loved the idea of working up here on the Anti Crow.

"We really like giving something back. It ticks lots of boxes for us in terms of community service and knowing that we are creating something for people to enjoy for decades to come."

Anti Crow and BCT-manged Brass Monkey Hut are two renovated huts recently added to the booking system.

DOC Heritage and Visitors Director Catherine Wilson says it's important to provide a mix of bookable and non-bookable huts across Aotearoa.

"DOC provides over 900 huts across the country, around 60 of these are available for people to book online in advance of their trip.

The booking system supports high hut fee payment compliance (generating revenue to help keep these facilities into the future) and is a useful tool for managing overcrowding and visitor risks, says Catherine.

"For example, rangers urgently requested Kirtle Burn Hut in Central Otago be made bookable prior to deep winter. They were seeing a growing trend of trampers turning up to find the hut well over capacity, forcing them to head elsewhere to find accommodation late in the day and often in the snow.

"Some huts are made bookable at the request of groups managing these like BCT or the NZ Alpine club."

Catherine says, besides Anti Crow, there are some great accessible huts for families and others to visit, even over winter, and she encourages people to make the most of these.

"These huts are a fantastic opportunity to take time out in nature with friends and family. It's essential to jump on DOC's website to choose the right trip for your skills and abilities, and check conditions before heading out."

"It's easy to cancel or change a booking if conditions aren't right."

Easy access bookable huts

The table below provides first hut options for inexperienced trampers or family groups looking to book an outdoor adventure. Visit DOC's website to find out more about what to pack and how to be a low impact hut user.