Craigieburn
Craigieburn is a 31,313 ha public hunting block in Craigieburn Forest Park, sitting in the central Canterbury high country. Elevations run from around 540 m up to 2,298 m, with a median of about 1,320 m.
This is mostly above the bushline / open tops country — roughly 62% of the block sits above 1,200 m, and a third pushes into alpine ground above 1,500 m. Hunters get beech-bush valley systems feeding up to extensive tussock tops, scree and rocky basins. Dominant slope aspect is south-east, which keeps the bush cool and the tops snow-holding longer into spring.
The species list covers red deer, tahr, chamois and wild pig. With this much tops country accessible from a well-developed hut network, it's one of the more approachable big blocks in central Canterbury.
Open Craigieburn on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 100,481 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 537–2,298 m
- Median elevation
- 1,321 m
- Middle 50%
- 1,057–1,578 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 62%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 33%
- Dominant aspect
- south-east-facing
537–2,298 m, mostly above the bushline, leaning south-east-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
Both fixed-wing and helicopter air access are permitted, and WARO is also allowed — worth knowing for hunters timing trips around commercial helicopter activity. The hut network is unusually dense for a Canterbury block: ten huts inside Craigieburn Forest Park.
Those include Avoca Hut, Hamilton Hut, Basins Hut, Old Basins Hut, Back Basins Hide, West Harper Hut, Cass Saddle Hut, Lagoon Saddle Hut, Lagoon Saddle A Frame and Bealey Hut. Hamilton Hut is bookable; the rest are first-come first-served. Most have heating, mattresses, non-flush toilets and either stream or tap water (treated water is not provided — boil before use). With this many huts spread across the block, hunters can plan multi-day trips moving between huts rather than packing in tents.
Huts & campsites
Heating, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
- Hamilton HutBookable
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
- Hamilton HutBookable
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Ordinary block in the Canterbury permit area, with a hunting status of Permitted.
Commercial wild-animal recovery (WARO) operates over this area — expect helicopter activity and pressured game.
This block sits within a DOC air-access zone — fly-in hunting and helicopter drop-offs may be permitted.
A DOC hunting permit is required to hunt Craigieburn. It's an Ordinary block with a Permitted status — permits are issued through the standard Canterbury permit process, not balloted, and must be carried in the field.
1080 & pesticide status
- An operation is proposed for this area.
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