Whakaari
Whakaari is a 4,580 ha RHA in the Cardrona/Glenorchy/Shotover permit area. Elevations climb from 675 m on the lower faces to 2,275 m on the tops, with a median of 1,440 m and 75% of the country above the 1,200 m bushline.
Forty-three per cent of the block sits in true alpine ground, so this is mostly above the bushline tops country — open faces, hanging basins and rocky upper slopes. The block leans north-west, so the upper faces catch full afternoon sun and the morning glassing works best on the opposite faces from camp.
Game on the permit is red deer, fallow deer, chamois and wild goat. The four-species mix on alpine country is unusual for this district and makes Whakaari a flexible high-country destination.
Open Whakaari on the interactive map
Boundary, huts, terrain, tracks and 1080 zones — all layers, one map.
Terrain & elevation
Based on a sample of 15,549 DEM points inside the block.
- Elevation range
- 675–2,275 m
- Median elevation
- 1,440 m
- Middle 50%
- 1,201–1,669 m
- Above bushline (1,200 m)
- 75%
- Alpine (1,500 m+)
- 43%
- Dominant aspect
- north-west-facing
675–2,275 m, predominantly alpine, leaning north-west-facing.
What you can hunt here
Access & getting there
Helicopter access is permitted on Whakaari, and Wild Animal Recovery Operations (WARO) are also permitted, so commercial operators may be working the open faces.
Wallers Hut sits inside the block in Whakaari Conservation Area. It has stream water and is not bookable — first in for any party using it. The hut gives walk-in parties a basic fixed base in the country.
Huts & campsites
Water from stream, Water supply
Permits & rules
You need a DOC hunting permit to hunt this block. It is classed as a RHA block in the Cardrona/Glenorchy/Shotover 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, and Whakaari is an RHA with a Permitted hunt status in the Cardrona/Glenorchy/Shotover permit area. RHA conditions apply — confirm current access rules and any party-size limits with DOC before 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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