57-776: The Hump Ridge Track , also called the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track , is a 61 km walking track that is partly in Fiordland National Park in New Zealand . The track was opened in 2001 and is run privately on behalf of the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track Charitable Trust. In 2019 it was announced that the track would become the eleventh of the New Zealand Great Walks , following upgrades. The initial completion date of October 2022
114-492: A World Heritage Site , and in 1990, together with three other national parks to the north, as part of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area. The park's protected area includes all of the islands along its coast, as well as the remote Solander Islands . Although the park's seaward-boundary is at the mean high water mark, a total of ten adjoining marine reserves protect large areas of water in several of
171-693: A British explorer, circumnavigated the South Island with his crew of HMS Endeavour in March 1770. They advanced towards the south-west coast of Fiordland but sailed away since it was late. Although they did not enter Dusky Sound on their first voyage to New Zealand, Cook noted the presence of a promising harbour here, and giving it the name "Dusky Bay". They managed to shelter at Dusky Sound during their second voyage aboard HMS Resolution and Cook met some Māori families while they were sheltered here. Andreas Reischek , an Austrian naturalist explored Fiordland in
228-483: A flourishing deer farming industry this has reduced the impact of aerial hunting over the national park. Market helicopter-based hunting in Fiordland continues today in a reduced fashion, with the largest market being Germany. The Department of Conservation also uses helicopters to poison the invasive possum population with aerial dropping of 1080 poison , despite some public opposition. The scenic, rugged landscape
285-470: A hazard, and being stranded for a day or two due to flooded river crossings is not uncommon on tracks like the Dusky Track. Trampers on these remote tracks also face three-wire bridges, tree falls, and rough terrain where mud can be knee-deep. Milford Sound / Piopiotahi, Te Houhou / George Sound , Doubtful Sound / Patea, and Dusky Sound / Tamatea are the only fiords accessible via tracks or routes. Inland,
342-555: A helicopter up into the track, as well as to hire guides. As of 2014, about 1800 walkers were completing the track each year. DOC noted that the travel restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in use of the track as New Zealanders visited places in New Zealand rather than travelling overseas. The Waitutu area was visited by early Māori in search of food from the sea, rivers and forests. Kaika or hunting camps were sited on
399-461: A month. By 1930, the Port Craig settlement was abandoned, after both supply of and demand for wood was lower than expected. About 14 square kilometres of forest had been logged. Old wharf piles remain, along with old building materials and the Port Craig school, which has been converted into a hut for trampers. A ban on logging native timber was placed in the mid-1980s, leading to several sawmills in
456-403: A new hut; and construction of swing bridges or bypasses. DOC also intends to make the stories of the people and industry of the region part of the walk's experience. While DOC is leading the upgrade project, it has oversight from a group that includes Te Rūnanga o Ōraka-Aparima, the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track Charitable Trust and Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track Inc. DOC has stated that once the project
513-624: A number of programmes by the Department of Conservation. The Takahē Recovery Programme ensures the survival of the last wild population of takahē. This unique bird, the largest living member of the rail family, was once thought to be extinct. After rediscovery of the takahē in the Murchison Mountains in 1948, a special area of 500 square kilometres (190 sq mi) was set aside in Fiordland National Park for its conservation, with
570-551: A prodigious amount of rainfall, exceeding seven metres in many parts of the park. This supports the lush temperate rainforests of the Fiordland temperate forests ecoregion . Fiordland National Park contains the majority of the largest area of unmodified vegetation in New Zealand. The dense forests, often clinging to steep valley sides, comprise mostly silver beech and mountain beech , but also podocarps . A large variety of shrubs and ferns , often dominated by crown fern , make up
627-451: A rich understory of plants, with the forest floor covered in mosses and liverworts . The abundant vegetation is supported by the high rainfall, but continues to be damaged by introduced species such as red deer and possum . The park is also a significant refuge for many threatened native animals, ranging from dolphins and bats to reptiles, insects, and birds. Among the birds are several endangered species endemic to New Zealand such as
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#1732859045701684-534: A small jetty in Doubtful Sound. Light aircraft and helicopter services link with Milford Sound, which also has a small boat marina . Parts of Fiordland National Park are a designated Wilderness Area and aircraft landings are not permitted. The Wilderness Areas award special protection for large tracts of wild land containing natural features of such significance that they are preserved in their natural condition, without any man-made structures or facilities. Entry
741-602: A telegraph line was installed along the track linking the Puysegur Point Lighthouse with Orepuki . Insulators, wire and old maintenance workers' huts can still be found today. The area where the track is today was previously known for forestry. In 1916, the Marlborough Timber Company had more than 14 km of tramway built through the bush for shipping native timber out from Port Craig. This tramway included four viaducts, of which three now form part of
798-460: A visitor centre. A handful of other roads provide access to various entry points into the national park: A gravel road not connected to the rest of the public road network links Doubtful Sound / Patea with the western edge of Lake Manapouri via Wilmot Pass . That road is only used by shuttle buses for Doubtful Sound tours from Manapouri, which include a boat transfer across Lake Manapouri and bus transfer over Wilmot Pass to tour boats awaiting at
855-443: A world-class visitor experience that reflects the significant cultural and heritage values of the area and inspires increased conservation advocacy." It was originally announced that it would open as a Great Walk in late 2022 and that the project to upgrade it would cost $ 5 million, but the project has been delayed. As of November 2021, around $ 200,000 has so far been spent on the project on engineering and geotechnical work to understand
912-617: Is a national park in the south-west corner of South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 13 national parks in New Zealand , with an area covering 12,607 km (4,868 sq mi), and a major part of the Te Wāhipounamu a UNESCO World Heritage Site established in 1990. The park is administered by the Department of Conservation . The southern ranges of the Southern Alps cover most of Fiordland National Park, combined with
969-411: Is a short loop track near this lodge. The second day follows a ridgeline south, then turns east and crosses three historic viaducts before reaching Port Craig Lodge at Port Craig . The final day travels north again, mainly staying close to the shore. Between six and nine hours walking is required each day to complete the track. Most of the coastal track is flat and the surface is made of sand or dirt and
1026-642: Is also a popular destination for alpine climbers and especially for trampers, with the multi-day Milford , Kepler and Hollyford tracks, and half of the Routeburn Track within the park. The latter three can also be walked in and out as day walks, whereas access to both ends of the Milford Track is only via boat and is regulated and must be pre-booked, in particular during the summer peak season. Aside from these major tramping tracks, which also offer guided walks, dozens of lesser known tracks are maintained by
1083-584: Is complete, Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track Charitable Trust will continue to manage and operate the track and its facilities. The Stump the Hump is an annual event where participants attempt to complete the entire track in under 24 hours. that traverses the Hump Ridge track in the standard anti-clockwise direction. It was started in 2011 and walkers start early at midnight on a Friday in February with lights to guide their way. It
1140-495: Is easy to walk on. However it can get very boggy near the viaducts between Port Craig and Edwin Burn; this area also has many hundreds of railway sleepers left over from the logging. The hill sections are very delicate and much of it has been laid with boardwalk making walking easier and protecting the ecosystem. Sections that are not covered with boardwalk can have many trees, roots, and much mud to contend with. There are options to take
1197-817: Is expected most walkers will finish the track in less than 24 hours. Any money raised goes to track maintenance. Near the coast are dense forests of rimu , miro , Hall's totara and rata . The lower terraces are mainly podocarp and silver beech, while the higher terraces are dominated by yellow-silver pine. Birds that can be seen include the kaka , kea , yellow-crowned parakeet , South Island robin , fantail , bellbird , grey warbler and South Island tomtit . Hector's dolphins are often seen around Port Craig and occasionally people are able to swim with them. 46°08′55″S 167°28′28″E / 46.148617°S 167.474457°E / -46.148617; 167.474457 ( Hump Ridge Track - nominal location ) Fiordland National Park Fiordland National Park
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#17328590457011254-645: Is known for its natural beauty, making it a very popular sight-seeing and filming location. Milford Sound and areas of Fiordland National Park were used to depict the Misty Mountains during filming of The Lord of the Rings . The area was again used extensively in The Hobbit Trilogy . Parts of the 2017 film Alien: Covenant were filmed in the park, as well as X-Men Origins: Wolverine , Mission: Impossible – Fallout , and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion,
1311-489: Is usually restricted to foot travel, there are typically no tramping tracks, and in some cases, special permits are required, such as for several offshore islands and the Takahē Specially Protected Area in the Murchison Mountains. Fiordland National Park is the most popular national park in New Zealand for international visitors. Well over half a million people visit the national park every year, however,
1368-572: The takahē , mōhua (yellowhead) , and the critically endangered kākāpō , the only flightless parrot in the world. The vulnerable Fiordland crested penguin and southern brown kiwi are also almost exclusively found within the park. The special nature of the Fiordland area for conservation was recognised in the late 1890s by Richard Henry , pioneering the transfer of threatened species such as kākāpō and kiwi to islands in Dusky Sound. Conservation work and management of endangered species continues via
1425-662: The Department of Conservation, ranging from tracks requiring intermediate skills, such as the Hump Ridge Track and the Lake Marian track to advanced multi-day hikes like the Dusky Track and several routes that should only be attempted by experienced trampers. Fiordland is a challenging tramping destination, and given the size of the national park, there are few tracks. Off-track travel by expert trampers often relies on following deer trails. Sandflies, flooding and poor weather are
1482-550: The Eglinton Valley contains significant populations of long-tailed bats . In addition to these sanctuaries, there are also three sizeable possum-free islands in the fiords of the national park: Cooper Island and Long Island in Dusky Sound / Tamatea, and Great Island in Taiari / Chalky Inlet . However, these islands are still occupied by stoats, rats or mice, compromising their suitability as bird sanctuaries. Fiordland became
1539-616: The Fiordland Park area. By the 1920s, the large herds of wild deer in the NZ back country competing with sheep and cattle for feed resulted in pressure on the NZ government from the farming community, and deer cullers were employed by the Internal Affairs department to indiscriminately shoot deer in an effort to reduce the population. Costs were recouped from the sale of deer hides. During the early 1960s, an international market for wild venison
1596-574: The Great Walk set. The decision was announced by Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage in Tuatapere. The decision was supported by locals in the town of Tuatapere who felt the status would attract tourism to the region, though there was concern that the town would not have enough infrastructure to support that tourism. The aim of the project is "to develop the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track into...
1653-583: The Milford Road from Te Anau there are also camping grounds and several short walks, some of which are even accessible by wheelchair. Popular stopping points along the road are at the Mirror Lakes , the Homer Pass area immediately to the east of the tunnel, and The Chasm. Te Anau, situated on the shore of Lake Te Anau, is the closest town to the national park and provides many accommodation options as well as all
1710-452: The Milford Track, are among the world's highest waterfalls . Other tall waterfalls in the park include Browne Falls , Humboldt Falls , Lady Alice Falls , and Bowen Falls , as well as countless temporary waterfalls in the fiords that come alive following rainfall. Prevailing westerly winds blow moist air from the Tasman Sea onto the mountains; the cooling of this air as it rises produces
1767-755: The South Island from Hawaiki on the Uruao canoe. Later migrations of Kāti Māmoe from the North Island. Similarly, Ngāi Tahu later migrated from the North Island and joining the Kāti Māmoe iwi. The Māori history of Fiordland can be traced for more than 1000 years with the creation of Ngāi Tahu. Its waterways that make up the fiords were intended to provide havens along its rugged coastline, which had plenty of forests and birds to sustain travellers. Fiordland offered many other resources to sustain groups on their expeditions such as, kākāpō and shellfish. In Māori mythology ,
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1824-477: The amenities expected of a small town. The only other settlement close to the park is the much smaller Manapouri. Doubtful Sound also offers boat tours. These day-long tours depart from Manapouri and include return boat transfer across Lake Manapouri and bus transfer over Wilmot Pass to get to Doubtful Sound. From Te Anau, boat trips across the lake to the Te Ana-au Caves are available. Fiordland National Park
1881-491: The area closing, and there was also a downturn in the farming industry about the same time. The idea for the Hump Ridge Track came in response; construction of the track would provide work to locals and tourism from walkers would bring in income. The track was made from 1994 to 2001. A charitable trust was created and, in the words of one reporter, the community "spent years battling with red tape and fund-raising". The track
1938-569: The banks of the Waiau River , near Tuatapere, and the river crossed by mokihi or rafts. Tracks led along the terraces and beaches, probably very close to the track of today, providing access to Sandhill Point, the Wairaurāhiri River , and beyond. The coastal track was first cut by government workers in 1896 to provide an alternative to the unreliable shipping service to Cromarty and Te Oneroa, gold mining settlements of Preservation Inlet. In 1908
1995-451: The deep glacier-carved valleys. The park is a significant refuge for many threatened native animals, ranging from dolphins and bats to reptiles, insects, and endangered species of birds endemic to New Zealand such as the takahē , mōhua , kākāpō , and southern brown kiwi . One of the earliest settlers on the South Island were the Waitaha people, who are believed to have settled directly to
2052-579: The edge of the park before entering the park as the highway joins the valley of the Eglinton River just north of Te Anau Downs. From there the road continues to the northwest corner of the park, passing through the Hollyford Valley and then through the Homer Tunnel on the descent to the terminus of the road at Milford Sound / Piopiotahi, where there is a large car park, a wharf for the tour boats, and
2109-412: The environment and its risks. At that time, a DOC director said that the final budget could be up to $ NZ7 million and that the intent was to break ground on the project work by the end of 2021 and to open the Great Walk for the 2023–2024 summer season. The track will remain open to trampers during the upgrade work. Several upgrades are planned to raise the track to Great Walk standards. DOC plans to make
2166-602: The fiords are created by the workmanship of Tū Te Rakiwhanoa , who carved indentations into the coastline to make it habitable. But habitation in Fiordland has always been thin. Although, Māori made seasonal visits here to fish, hunt and to collect greenstone from Milford Sound , and tribal groups found sanctuary here, living amid the penguins and seals . In Māori mythology , a legend named Hine-nui-te-pō created sandflys to keep people from becoming idle in Fiordland to protect people from its "beauty". Captain James Cook ,
2223-530: The fiords. The most recent expansion of Fiordland National Park was the 1999 addition of the 482 square kilometres (186 sq mi) Waitutu Forest. Possible future additions are Big Bay, parts of the Livingston/Eglinton Ranges, and the Dean/Rowallan catchment area. Main road access into Fiordland National Park is limited to the Milford Road (SH 94), which runs north from Te Anau , skirting
2280-488: The fold, formally making it the third National Park in New Zealand. Fiordland National Park's establishment in the early 1950s occurred the same time with the opening of the Homer Tunnel for public use, which provided road access to Milford Sound. During the cooler past, glaciers carved many deep fiords , the most famous (and most visited) of which is Milford Sound / Piopiotahi. Other notable fiords include Doubtful Sound / Patea and Tamatea / Dusky Sound . The retreat of
2337-473: The glaciers after the ice age left behind U-shaped valleys with sheer cliffs and as a result Fiordland's coast is steep and crenellated, with some of the 15 fiords reaching as far as 40 kilometres (25 mi) inland. The southern ranges of the Southern Alps cover most of Fiordland National Park and, combined with the deep glacier-carved valleys, present a highly inaccessible landscape. At the northern end of
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2394-468: The glaciers has succeeded in cutting off islands from the mainland, leaving two large uninhabited offshore islands, Secretary Island and Resolution Island , as well as many smaller ones. Although these glaciers are long-gone, a few small glaciers and permanent snow fields remain, with the southernmost glacier situated below Caroline Peak. Several large lakes lie wholly or partly within the park's boundaries, notably Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri, both on
2451-584: The late 1880s. His collection of bird skins from the area were destroyed after being waterlogged as a result of inadequate stowage aboard the Stella . Despite his contributions to the study of New Zealand natural history, Reischek is remembered for his theft of taonga from Māori hosts. 10,000 square kilometres (3,900 sq mi) of Fiordland were set aside as a national reserve in 1904, following suggestions by then-future Prime Minister Thomas Mackenzie and Southland Commissioner of Crown Lands, John Hay, that
2508-670: The park, the Darran Mountains contain several peaks rising to over 2,500 metres (8,200 ft), with views of Mount Aspiring / Tititea to the north in the neighbouring Mount Aspiring National Park . Further south, the Franklin Mountains, Stuart Mountains, and Murchison Mountains reach around 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), with the peaks diminishing in height from north to south. The Kepler , Dingwall, Kaherekoau, Princess and Cameron Mountains further south only reach 1,500–1,700 metres (4,900–5,600 ft). The carving action of
2565-555: The population reaching a milestone of 300 birds in 2016. Although the National Park comprises 15% of New Zealand's conservation estate, it receives less than 1% of the Department of Conservation's pest-control budget. Several offshore islands belonging to Fiordland National Park are dedicated sanctuaries for threatened native species: Mōhua and tokoeka (Haast brown kiwi) have also been released on Pomona Island in Lake Te Anau, and
2622-650: The region should be declared a national park. The area had already become a destination for trampers , following the opening up of the Milford Track from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound in 1889 by New Zealand explorers Quintin McKinnon and Donald Sutherland , which received significant publicity from a 1908 article in the London Spectator describing it as the "Finest Walk in the World". The Fiordland "public reserve"
2679-425: The scene of one of New Zealand's most significant conservation debates when in the 1960s it was proposed to raise the level of Lake Manapouri to assist hydro-electricity production at West Arm. The ensuing battle resulted in government ultimately bowing to the weight of petitions and passing a bill in the 1970s that gave the lake statutory protection. In 1986, Fiordland National Park was individually recognised as
2736-480: The southern lakes of Lake Monowai and Lake Hauroko have road access to campsites and tracks, and Lake Poteriteri can be reached via a tramping track. The steep granite peaks of the Darren Mountains are a popular area for mountain climbers. The park is also a renowned destination for rainbow trout and brown trout fly fishing. Red deer were introduced to New Zealand in the 1850s and they subsequently colonised
2793-420: The track a little easier by improving the track standard, lowering its gradient in places, putting board walks in place of muddy areas, building staircases, and setting the walk up to be a three-night trip instead of two nights. The project may also include improving resilience to climate change, erosion, and earthquakes; assessment and perhaps upgrades to the existing viaducts; upgrades to existing huts or building
2850-472: The track length at 61 km, but its length has also been reported as 55 km and as 63 km. The track is operated by a non-profit business, Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track Inc., on behalf of the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track Charitable Trust. The track is a three-day walk. When walked anticlockwise, the first day begins with a section that closely follows the coastline, after which it climbs almost 1000 metres over 12 kilometers before reaching Okaka Lodge. There
2907-459: The track. The largest, the Percy Burn Viaduct , is registered as a Category One Historic Place by Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga and it is one of the world's largest wooden mill tramway viaducts. During the 1920s, Port Craig was the site of the largest and most modern sawmill in New Zealand . The Marlborough Timber Company mill employed over 200 men and produced up to 1800 cubic metres of timber
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#17328590457012964-491: The visitor numbers are almost exclusively concentrated in the park's northern and eastern corridor from Te Anau to Milford Sound. Most tourists are attracted to the easily accessible areas of the national park such as Milford Sound, where boat tours of the fiord and kayaking are the most popular activities. Some boat tour packages include a visit to the Milford Discovery Centre & Underwater Observatory. Along
3021-400: The western boundary of the national park, as well as the southern lakes Lake Monowai , Lake Hauroko , and Lake Poteriteri . All of these lakes exhibit the topography typical of glacier-carved valleys, with Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri in particular having several arms similar in look to the fiords on the west coast of the park. The Sutherland Falls , to the southwest of Milford Sound on
3078-479: Was built by community volunteers, mainly over nine months, and it was opened in November 2001. The track cost $ 3,950,000 NZD to construct. In 2019, it was announced that the Hump Ridge Track would become a New Zealand Great Walk , one of a set of premier tramping tracks maintained by New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC). DOC had run a process, starting in 2017, to choose an existing track to upgrade to join
3135-476: Was created as a park administered by the Department of Lands and Survey - in practical terms similar to a National Park. The only two officially named "national parks" in New Zealand at the time, Tongariro National Park and Egmont National Park , were administered by park boards. Consolidation of the management of these parks led to the National Parks Act of 1952, which brought Fiordland National Park into
3192-439: Was established, and with no restrictions on hunting, market hunters established themselves in the rugged park country and used pack horses, jetboats and fixed wing aircraft to get the carcasses out to market. Experiments with shooting wild deer from helicopters were highly successful and a competitive industry was based on this technique. By the late 1970s, the deer population in Fiordland had been severely reduced, and combined with
3249-553: Was extended to October 2023 as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns and supply chain issues. As of September 2023, the expected completion date is now October 2024. The loop track begins and ends at a carpark 30 km from the town of Tuatapere . Land crossed by the track is in various different block and owners, Fiordland National Park , several South Island Landless Native Act blocks, the Southland District Council, and private owners. The Department of Conservation measures
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