Tora Bush Scenic Reserve
Tora Bush Scenic Reserve is a 549 ha block of Wairarapa coastal bush under the Wairarapa Reserves permit area. Elevations run from about 60 m up to 432 m, with the median ground around 250 m, so this is lowland to mid-altitude foothill country well below the bushline.
The block leans south-east in aspect, with strong shares also on east and south faces. Country is short bush ridges, gully systems and stream-cut faces typical of the Wairarapa coastal hill country.
Game on the permit includes red deer, fallow deer, wild goat and wild pig. Hunt status is Restricted, so this is not a walk-in block — see the permit notes below.
Open Tora Bush Scenic Reserve on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 1,686 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 60–432 m
- Median elevation
- 250 m
- Middle 50%
- 198–305 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 0%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 0%
- Dominant aspect
- south-east-facing
60–432 m, lowland / foothill country, leaning south-east-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
There are no huts or formal campsites recorded inside Tora Bush Scenic Reserve. The block is open to air access, giving a practical option for hunters who want to fly in.
The reserve sits inside a WARO zone, so commercial helicopters may be working the same country. Check current activity before heading in.
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Ordinary block in the Wairarapa Reserves permit area, with a hunting status of Restricted.
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 for Tora Bush Scenic Reserve, and hunt status is Restricted. The block sits under the Wairarapa Reserves permit area and is classed as an Ordinary block, but Restricted status means tighter conditions on dates, party numbers and methods than a standard block. As a scenic reserve, dogs and some methods may also carry extra restrictions. Read the permit conditions carefully before applying.
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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