Waiau Faces
Waiau Faces is a 3,528 ha public hunting block in the Canterbury permit area. Elevations run from 464 m on the valley floor up to 1,610 m on the tops, with a median of 910 m.
This is largely a mix of bush and tops country — around 16% of the ground sits above the bushline, with a small fraction (1%) pushing into true alpine country above 1,500 m. The bulk of the block is bush and shrubland faces below, grading into tussock and broken ground higher up. Slopes lean west, so the dominant aspect carries the afternoon sun.
The species mix is red deer, chamois and wild pig. The combination of bush cover, sunny west faces and a slice of tops at moderate elevation makes Waiau Faces a workable option for parties wanting reds in the timber with the chance to glass chamois on the higher faces.
Open Waiau Faces on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 11,075 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 464–1,610 m
- Median elevation
- 910 m
- Middle 50%
- 713–1,111 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 16%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 1%
- Dominant aspect
- west-facing
464–1,610 m, a mix of bush and tops, leaning west-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
Both fixed-wing and helicopter air access are permitted on Waiau Faces, and WARO is permitted — commercial helicopter operators may be working the block.
There are no huts or campsites inside the block. Parties hunting here will be doing day trips or carrying a tent.
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 Waiau Faces. It's an Ordinary block with a Permitted status, so permits are issued through the standard Canterbury permit system rather than a ballot. Permits are free but must be carried while hunting.
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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