Mt Richmond Forest Park (includes adjacent Public Conservation Land)
Mt Richmond Forest Park covers 170,502 hectares of public conservation land south of Nelson, including adjacent reserves and conservation areas. This is a major Marlborough/Tasman bush hunting destination, dominated by beech forest, ridge systems and the long granite spine that runs through the heart of the park.
Elevations run from sea level up to 1,774 m with a median of 690 m. Only 10% of the country sits above the 1,200 m bushline and just 1% is alpine, so this is primarily bush hunting country — a mix of bush and tops weighted heavily toward the bush. The country leans east-facing, with the main ridge throwing long shaded faces toward the Pelorus and Wairau valleys.
The permit covers red deer, fallow deer, chamois, wild goat and wild pig. Reds dominate through most of the park, with fallow established in several catchments and chamois present on the higher ridge systems. Pigs and goats are spread through the lower bush and clearings.
Open Mt Richmond Forest Park (includes adjacent Public Conservation Land) on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 520,382 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- -1–1,774 m
- Median elevation
- 690 m
- Middle 50%
- 474–947 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 10%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 1%
- Dominant aspect
- east-facing
-1–1,774 m, a mix of bush and tops, leaning east-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
Air access is not permitted in Mt Richmond Forest Park, and hunters work in via the extensive track network and from the road ends around the park's edges. WARO is permitted, so commercial recovery flights may be active over the higher country.
The park has one of the strongest hut networks in the upper South Island, with around two dozen DOC huts spread through the catchments — including Rocks Hut, Top Wairoa Hut, Mid Wairoa Hut, Slaty Hut, Old Man Hut, Hunters Hut, Mt Rintoul Hut, Browning Hut and many more. Most are standard DOC huts with heating, mattresses, non-flush toilets and stream water; none are bookable. The network supports long traverses as well as drive-in and walk-in trips.
Huts & campsites
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
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, 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 tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, 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 tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, 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 tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, 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 tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, 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 tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
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, 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 tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from tap - not treated, boil before use, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Campsites: Butchers Flat Campsite, Mill Flat Campsite.
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Ordinary block in the Mt Richmond Forest Park permit area, with a hunting status of Permitted.
Commercial wild-animal recovery (WARO) operates over this area — expect helicopter activity and pressured game.
Mt Richmond Forest Park is an Ordinary block with Permitted hunt status. A standard DOC hunting permit covers year-round hunting with no ballot. The park sits across multiple DOC office boundaries, so check the latest information before each trip and be aware of any temporary closures or operational restrictions.
1080 & pesticide status
No current, planned or proposed pesticide operations intersect this block in our data. Always confirm with DOC before taking a dog in.
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