South Marlborough Conservation Land/Reserves
South Marlborough Conservation Land and Reserves covers 239,245 hectares — a huge composite area taking in the conservation parks, reserves and public conservation land south of the Wairau through the Inland and Seaward Kaikoura ranges. This is one of the largest single hunting permit areas in the South Island.
Elevations run from 17 m to 2,593 m with a median of 1,145 m. Forty-five per cent of the country sits above the 1,200 m bushline and 22% is alpine, so it sits in the mostly above the bushline tops bracket — though within that, the country runs the full range from coastal scrub up onto serious alpine tops. The mix leans east-facing, dominated by the long east-facing flanks of the Kaikoura ranges.
The permit covers red deer, fallow deer, chamois, wild goat and wild pig. The size and country mix give hunters genuine options across all five species, from fallow in the lower country to chamois on the rocky tops.
Open South Marlborough Conservation Land/Reserves on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 743,927 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 17–2,593 m
- Median elevation
- 1,145 m
- Middle 50%
- 861–1,460 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 45%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 22%
- Dominant aspect
- east-facing
17–2,593 m, mostly above the bushline, leaning east-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
Air access is permitted on this composite area, with the usual restrictions inside conservation parks — check the specific block before booking flights. WARO is also permitted, so commercial recovery operations may be active.
The area carries a very large hut network — Connors Creek, Bull Paddock Creek, Lake Alexander, Snowgrass, Boulder Forks, Kowhai, Hidden Hut, Top Leatham, Top Gordon, Lees Creek, Siberia, Limestone, Branch Bivvy, Mid Silverstream, Top Misery, Bottom Misery, Isolation, Begley, Mt Fyffe, Warden, Alfred, Caves, Gosling and many more. Most are standard DOC huts with heating, mattresses, non-flush toilets and stream water; bookable status varies. The network supports trips of any length, from overnight road-end pushes to long traverses.
Huts & campsites
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Mattresses, 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
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 stream, 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 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
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
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
Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
Heating, Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, 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
Mattresses, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, Water supply
- Mt Fyffe HutBookable
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
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, Toilets - non-flush, Water from stream, 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
Mattresses, 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
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 stream, 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 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
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
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Ordinary block in the South Marlborough 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.
South Marlborough Conservation Land and Reserves is an Ordinary permit area with Permitted hunt status. A standard DOC permit covers year-round hunting. The composite nature of the area means individual reserves or operational areas can have additional restrictions or temporary closures — check the latest DOC information for the specific block before each trip.
1080 & pesticide status
- Pesticide (1080 or similar) has been laid in or near this block — check current dog and carcass restrictions before you hunt.
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