Hi Murray,

   How are you going for volunteers? When have you got trips planned?

PM sent Murray

Nice report 

Bloody great effort.  Look forward to seeing future progress

Top work guys!  I can't wait to see the next report, some neat work there and preserving the history of such a hut is always worth the effort.  Go well!

Thanks Alan for putting up the report from our 2 nd restoration trip , we are making real progress .
Also many thanks to the volunteers and support for making the restoration possible .
When completed the Old Golden Hills Hut will once again be a special place .

Really enjoying this thread as the hut restoration progresses.



Hut interior back in 1999 when I first visited the area with Roger Stokes.

Great effort from all involved, Karma, may the hunting gods smile on you. 

Hearty appreciation to all those who contributed to this project. I wish I could have been in a position to be a part of it. Reading some of the hut book entries I recognised a few old mates from a ways back.
The wanted poster about the cook deserter is a classic. Those musterers must have been really P--off.
Thanks so much for posting the record Alan, and thanks to the blokes, businesses and land holders who worked so hard to restore and preserve the history.

Big ups to you guys.

Look forward to the report and pics!

Cheers Murray N.

The wait for the latest report has been well worth it. The hut is looking fantastic and a credit to all involved!

Several years ago I was invited to join members of the Owhaoko B&D Lands Trust on a similar Hikoi to the one mentioned to see what the Trust was doing to introduce its people to its lands and the early Maori history of the area, hear about the managment of the area for hunting and upgrading of huts, and honey production to provide an income and jobs. We started at the Golden Hills hut (pre renovation) and went to Tin Kettle for a few nights, then over the Tawake Tohunga Range and down to the Taruarau River. It was a marvellous experience from which I learnt so much.

Restoration Trip 5 report from Murray N - file link below – Enjoy -

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VU9E0FLCzoKqKq4BFxkmVd5Ws5DUXmg0/view?usp=shari
ng

I've never been there, but that was quite nostalgic - thanks guys 

Thanks for the latest update Murray. It really has been a remarkable transformation of a derelict hut to what is there now and will be for many decades to come. Your rebuild updates have been eagerly consumed by forum readers. The area has an amazing history and this will continue to grow as time marches on. The following is from an article I wrote after I was invited on a Hikoi with the Trust which I mentioned previously.

HISTORY OF THE OWHAOKO BLOCKS
Owhaoko is the traditional name of the plateau and ranges on the southern border of the Kaimanawa Forest Park. Comprising unique sub-alpine rock formations, extensive beech forest, manuka, open river valleys and rolling tussock, it is an incredibly scenic landscape, with great views of the central North Island mountains. It is because of the vivid yellow coloured tussock that the area is often known as Golden Hills. Owhaoko was divided into several land blocks in 1890 when a Land Court ruling gave legal ownership to a confederation of iwi. Following the end of World War 1, the blocks were gifted to the Crown by the owners for returning soldier repatriation purposes, and for many years were referred to as the Gift Blocks. Although never taken up by returning soldiers, the lands were utilised by the neighbouring farmers as grazing for their sheep and cattle, up until the early 1970’s. Administering the Owhaoko land blocks was the responsibility of the Tuwharetoa Trust Board until the mid-1990’s when the Owhaoko B & D Trust was established. The largest two blocks – 14,000 hectares in size including the Golden Hills – continue to be managed by the Owhaoko B & D Trust on behalf of the now 2,000-plus landowners who affiliate to the Ngati Tamakopiri and Ngati Whitikaupeka iwi of the Mokai Patea Tribal Confederation. In the early years the Trust had limited resources so it entered into a relationship with Helisika to develop hunting and fishing on the blocks, and this provided the main source of income for the Trust until 2005. Then, in February 2005 they signed a covenant with the Minister of Conservation that committed the Trust to maintaining the land in its natural state in return for an agreed financial settlement; this enabled them to progress initiatives to do with the guardianship of the land more quickly than would otherwise have been possible.