Wainono Lagoon
Wainono Lagoon is a Canterbury Gamebird block of around 387 hectares within its own dedicated permit area. The terrain data tells the story plainly: elevations sit at about 1 m across the block, with a maximum of just 4 m. This is flat coastal wetland country at sea level.
None of the block sits anywhere near the bushline. Slopes are nominal, with the dominant aspect leaning west and a near-equal share of east, reflecting the open, low-relief character of a lagoon surface and its margins. The country here is water, reedbed and damp margin rather than bush or tops.
As a Gamebird block, Wainono is set up for waterfowl and gamebird hunting rather than big game. No deer or pig species are listed on the permit. The block exists in DOC's hunting framework specifically for managed waterfowl seasons on the lagoon.
Open Wainono Lagoon on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 1,268 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 1–4 m
- Median elevation
- 1 m
- Middle 50%
- 1–1 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 0%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 0%
- Dominant aspect
- west-facing
1–4 m, lowland / foothill country, leaning west-facing.
Access & getting there
There are no huts or formal campsites recorded inside the block, so hunters work in from the boundary using vehicles, mai mai setups or small craft as the wetland allows. The block is flagged as open to air access, though most gamebird hunting on a lagoon of this character is done from the margin or from concealment on the water itself.
The area is not listed as a WARO zone, which is consistent with a Gamebird block where commercial wild animal recovery operations are not relevant.
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a Gamebird block in the Wainono Lagoon permit area, with a hunting status of Restricted.
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 Wainono Lagoon, and the block is classed as Restricted under its own Wainono Lagoon permit area. As a Gamebird block, hunting is tied to managed waterfowl seasons rather than the year-round arrangements that apply to ordinary big-game blocks, so check current season dates and conditions with DOC before planning a trip.
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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