Rod Donald Hut, Banks Peninsula: 6th October 2019

A return to the Rod Donald Hut, Banks Peninsula...

I am tramping the Routeburn Track in the first week of December so I have been doing a few day trips and overnights to get the fitness levels up. Last weekend I went for a trip to the Rod Donald Hut on Banks Peninsula a nice tramp of a couple of hours.

Western Valley, Little River from near Rod Donald Hut, Banks Peninsula

I love tramping on the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula there are a lot of excellent tracks and with the hill climbing it makes for good practise for the difficult stuff to come. Rod Donald is an awesome hut and well worth the short trip to get there. It makes a really excellent first hut stay for families and ties into the Summit Walkway aka Te Ara Pataka.

Information about Rod Donald inside the hut named for him.....

Rod Donald was a Green Party MP and dedicated environmentalist who lived on Banks Peninsula. He was deeply involved in the work of the Banks Peninsula Trust and passionate about his home turf. After his untimely death in 2005 the Trust decided to to dedicate the hut in his name, a deeply fitting honor.


Every Christchurch based tramper should go for a trip to Rod Donald or better yet walk the Te Ara Pataka...a 1-3 day track from Hilltop Tavern to Gebbies Pass. Anyway....onto the trip.....

En route to Rod Donald Hut...

I headed along SH75 from Christchurch to Little River and then drove the 7 km's up Western Valley Road to the car park on the Port Levy Saddle. There is a large car park here where one can park overnight if required. 

You can access the tracks to both Rod Donald Hut and Mt Herbert from here, it is 1-1.5 hours to the hut and 2.5 hours to the summit of Mt Herbert. 

Te Ara Pataka Track: the silver surfer parked at Port Levy Saddle

The track to Mt Herbert is on the Christchurch side of the saddle, there is a DOC track sign there and poles and markers are plentiful along the 5 km distance to the summit. Note that this track closes between September and mid October for lambing...

The track to Mt Herbert from the Port Levy Saddle, Te Ara Pataka Track

This is just one of the six ways you can access the summit of Mt Herbert all of which i have walked at various times over the years. I'm planning a trip up here soon as the last time I came through in 2016 it was raining heavily so I couldn't take any photos of the track. 

Te Ara Pataka Track:the track from Port Levy Saddle to Mt Herbert

It is only 2.4 kms from the car park to Rod Donald Hut or about 1-1.5 hours walking time, the gradient is mostly very easy the only semi steep section is from near Pt. 738 down to Waipuna Saddle and even that is relatively benign.

Looking south east to the Te Ara Pataka Track to Rod Donald Hut

First stile on the Te Ara Pataka Track to Waipuna Saddle

View back to the Port Levy Saddle car park and Pt.763, Te Ara Pataka Track

There are some magnificent views of the outer bays of Banks Peninsula from up on the track...along this section you can only see Port Levy but other sections look down on Lake Forsyth, Birdlings Flat, Pigeon Bay, Akaroa Harbor and Lyttelton.

First view of Port Levy from the Te Ara Pataka Track

DOC track information near Port Levy Saddle, Te Ara Pataka Track

...MTB riders are allowed to ride this track at certain times of the year, Te Ara Pataka Track...

Te Ara Pataka Track....on the way to Waipuna Saddle

The first part of the walk is the climb up to the saddle near Pt. 738 where you then descend down to Waipuna Saddle and the side track to Rod Donald Track. Te Ara Pataka is a 2-3 day trip along an old paper road linking a number of scenic reserves. You normally start at Hilltop Tavern and are deposited at either Diamond Harbor or Gebbies Pass.

Climbing up to near Pt. 738 on the way to Rod Donald Hut

Jon on the Te Ara Pataka Track, Banks Peninsula....I need a hair cut....

The car park stays in view for quite a long time as you walk up the track. It is a relatively safe place to park your car over night as it is at the end of a long, narrow gravel road in a quiet corner of the country. I would make sure you lock up securely and stow any valuables out of site because temptation is always out there. 

I have parked here three times overnight and never had a problem.

Looking back towards Port Levy Saddle and Pt. 807 and Pt. 763, Te Ara Pataka Track

There is a sizable patch of QE II covenanted land around Pt. 738...this type of covenant protects the land covered from any future development. Some of these covenants are coming up to 60 years old now...

It is regenerating native forest and at present some of the trees are 10-15 meters tall. All this land is part of various farms but the families have been here for a long time now. Not all farmers are destructive despoilers of the earth in fact many of them actually care about the environment just as much as the rest of us.

Pt. 738 is covered with native bush....Te Ara Pataka 

Up near Pt.738 you ca see over the Port Hills to the Canterbury Plains and the mountains up around Kaikoura.....

Port Levy, Mt Evans (703) and in the distance the Seaward Kaikoura Range from Te Ara Pataka 

Most of Banks Peninsular was once covered with dense podocarp forest with Matai, Totora, Rimu and Tawa predominating. What is left is but 2% of the original forest cover. Slowly more and more areas are coming into regeneration programs to bring the forest back at least on the highest and less productive land.

There are still remnants of this forest like the gnarled mountain Totora tree in the photo below but they are few and far between. Overtime they will be joined by others...hopefully in a couple of hundred years (god be willing) these hills will once more be covered in dense forest.

Remnant Mountain Totora along the track to Waipuna Saddle

Sorry for the bloom on the photos I didn't realise until I topped Pt.738 that the camera had a greasy finger print on the lens....the last haul to Pt.738 is a series of switchbacks along an old 4 wheel drive track.

Almost at the top of Pt. 738 on the way to Rod Donald Hut

Pt. 738: view north showing the Kaituna Spur and Mt Bradley in the distance

Once you top the track at Pt.738 the vista opens out to the south showing the ridges the rest of Te Ara Pataka follows to Hilltop. You have a good view of Mt Fitzgerald in the foreground and the distant hills overlooking Akaroa right out on the horizon.

Te Ara Pataka: the view opens to the south...Mt Fitzgerald and the distant hills around Akaroa

Looking down on Western Valley from the Te Ara Pataka Track

....Te Ara Pataka Track follows the ridges to the left....

Once you get down to Waipuna Saddle you turn off the main Te Ara Pataka track and follow the Rod Donald track down the side of the hills to the hut. The track is well sign posted and there are also orange triangles and poles to show you the way.

Waipuna Saddle from the stile on Te Ara Pataka Track

As you can see from the trees I the photo it gets windy on Waipuna Saddle and the prevailing wind is from the south.......

Waipuna Saddle....I wonder which way the wind blows.....?

From the saddle it is a short 25 minutes walk following the switchback track through gorse and native bush to Rod Donald Hut. It can be cold, wet and very windy up here on the spine of the ridges so if you are doing any Banks Peninsula tramping make sure you are fully equipped to deal with extreme weather.

A good rain parka with a hood, warm clothing, wet weather pants and a warm hat and gloves should be carried as the weather can change swiftly.

Just because a track is close to a big city doesn't mean there is no risk, in fact it is usually riskier because people don't treat the area with respect. 

Rod Donald Hut is 25 minutes downhill from Waipuna Saddle....

On the track to Rod Donald Hut, Te Ara Pataka Track

Clearly marked turn off to Rod Donald Hut, Te Ara Pataka Track

...the track is through the gorse, Te Ara Pataka Track....

The Rod Donald Track crosses over a stile and then moves down through the gorse on the slopes above the hut. The Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust who manage the hut and reserve are using the gorse to protect young trees from the weather...eventually the trees will block out all the sun and the gorse will die. 

This method has been used very successfully in the Hinewai Reserve above Akaroa and is now being used throughout the country.

Start off the Rod Donald access track, Te Ara Pataka Track

The top stile on the Rod Donald access track, Te Ara Pataka Track

Rod Donald access track zig-zgs down to the hut....

The gorse acts as a wind break, erosion prevention and it also pumps huge amounts of nutrients into the soil all of which help the young trees to survive. There are pests up here so the trees will be protected with netting until large enough to fend for themselves.

Native Totora tree planted alongside the Rod Donald access track, Te Ara Pataka Track

...many new trees along the Rod Donald access track, Te Ara Pataka Track...

The gorse is a bit rampant after the winter...it really needs a bit of a cut back along the track. I will takes some shears with me next time and do some clearing as I walk....

...the Rod Donald access track needs a bit of a cut back in places...

First view of Rod Donald Hut site from Rod Donald access track, Te Ara Pataka Track

Eventually the track will deposit you onto the old drive way at Rod Donald Hut with awesome views down into Western Valley and the Little River area. It took me one hour and fifteen minutes to reach the hut from the car park. 

At Rod Donald Hut

Rod Donald hut is an old farmlet that the Banks Peninsula Trust brought and converted into a trampers hut. Their purview is to improve recreational opportunities on Banks Peninsula through a regeneration of the existing Summit Walkway aka Te Ara Pataka. The hut itself sits inside a 100 hectare section which is gradually being replanted with native trees.

Rod Donald Hut: the fancy composting toilet

The hut is a nine bunk design based on the old farm house, it has all the usual amenities; water tanks, toilets, living and cooking space. As much as possible environmental principles have been followed so it has composting toilets, solar lighting and the grey water from the hut is used to water the nearby re-growth forest.

Lovely Rod Donald Hut tucked into the bush

Front entrance to the Rod Donald Hut

...everyone welcome at Rod Donald Hut...

The hut still has a driveway down to Western Valley Road, you can use this for access if you like though there is no parking on the drive. If you wanted a loop track you can drop your car at Port Levy Saddle, walk down Western Valley Road to the drive and then return via Waipuna Saddle and Te Ara Pataka.

I'm going to do this the next time I visit.....

The old drive way which leads from Rod Donald Hut

Benches and outdoor wash basin at Rod Donald Hut

Rod Donald Hut: the bush comes right up to the hut

Looking down at Little River from Rod Donald Hut

The interior of the hut is classic DOC style..this hut has nine bunks in the upstairs room as well as another two potential bunks downstairs. There is a lot of information inside the hut about the Banks Peninsula Trust, the hut, the bush being restored, Te Ara Pataka and Rod Donald.

Rod Donald Hut: there are 9 bunks upstairs....

Information about the eco features of Rod Donald Hut

Two dining tables with benches downstairs, the seats by the windows are also bunks with their own mattresses. There is a wet boot room off the dining area and lots of bench space for people to prepare their meals on. 

I really like the feel of the place...it has quite high ceilings so it is light, fresh and airy even after three years of hard use.

Rod Donald Hut: the dining area...with two more bunks....

Indoor sink and cooking area, Rod Donald Hut

There is a useful map of the Te Ara Pataka track network on one of he walls. Eventually the trust hopes to use paper roads from Hilltop south to Birdlings Flats to make this a 5 day tramp right across the hills of Banks Peninsula.

Presently you can walk all the way from Hilltop Tavern to Gebbies Pass. Eventually it will be linked to the new Head to Head Track that will one day go right around Lytelton Harbor. 

You can walk from Gebbies Pass up and along the Crater Rim Walkway to Godley Head and from there to Sumner. The other side of the track is under construction now. 

Rod Donald Hut: a map of Te Ara Pataka network

The views from the hut down to Little River and Western Valley are magnificent, it is a real pleasure to just sit and look down on the valley as you sup a hot drink or eat a meal. It was a inspired idea to buy the old farm house for use as a hut.

Rod Donald Hut: the view down into Western Valley

Having my lunch inside Rod Donald Hut...I still need a haircut

Rod Donald Hut: all this land is being replanted in native trees......

They have a cracker of a pot bellied stove in the hut, there is normally firewood as there is road access to the hut. When I visited the firewood shed was loaded to the gunwales with pine cuts.

Rod Donald Hut: the excellent pot bellied stove...

There is even a handy set of instructions on how to use a wood burner on the wall next to the stove. Lots of thoughtful ideas have gone into this gem of a hut....

Rod Donald Hut: instructions in operating the stove...

I ate my lunch in the hut and had a bit of a rest and a look around then packed up my gear and started out back to my car and the drive back to Christchurch. I have already told Karen that we must come back soon and stay for a night in the hut (...or better yet walk the Te Ara Pataka track...).

Leaving Rod Donald Hut...

I considered walking back up Western Valley Road to the car but in the end I decided it is probably better to walk down the gravel road. It would be safer as far more cars go up hill then down. Next time I come up here I will walk down the hill and access the hut by the old driveway and then walk back to the car along the track.

Rod Donald Hut:...you can walk down the driveway and up the road....

There is a set of instruction on the wood shed to show newbie trampers how to cut wood to the right shape, size and type...this might seem like over kill but very few people have a fire in their homes now so most younger folks do not know how to build a fire.

Information on cutting wood at Rod Donald Hut

Handy size indicator for cutting wood at Rod Donald Hut

The Banks Peninsula Trust are trying to get some roading metal dumped along the track to the hut as all the feet are turning it into a muddy mess. They have a pile of canvas carry bags and a big pile of gravel down by the woodshed..fill a bag and dump it on the track in a place where it is muddy.

Eventually many hands will accomplish the task...

My 5 kg bag of gravel for the track to Rod Donald Hut

I filled a bag with about 5 kg of gravel and carried it with me towards the top of the track. It was a pain in the arse but eventually it will mean the track will be covered with metal and much easier to walk along. Once you dump your gravel make sure you walk back and forth over it half a dozen times so it gets bedded down well.

...5  kgs of gravel equals 3 meters of track....Rod Donald access track

Rod Donald access track collection point for the empty gravel bags...

Anyway...from Rod Donald Hut I travelled back up the way i had walked in....there are seven switchbacks on the track back up to Waipuna Saddle so you can count as you go if that tickles your fancy....

Heading back up the Rod Donald access track

Rod Donald access track: more native planting along track....

Rod Donald access track: 4 of 7 track switchbacks....

Back up at the stile on the Rod Donald access track

Over the stile and then back up the track to the main Te Ara Pataka track up on Waipuna Saddle.

Te Ara Pataka: back on the side track from Rod Donald to Waipuna Saddle

Approaching the trees on the Waipuna Saddle, Te Ara Pataka

If you are walking the Te Ara Pataka the track heading south leads to Hilltop Tavern and heading north leads to the Port Levy car park. There is just the one climb back up to Pt. 738 and the it is all downhill all the way back to the road.

Waipuna Saddle, Banks Peninsula....

Climbing back up to Pt. 738 on the Te Ara Pataka

Western Valley from on the Te Ara Pataka Walkway, near Pt. 738

In the photo below the track to Hilltop sweeps out to the east and then sweeps in a long curve back around to the road to Akaroa Harbor on the right. You are walking along the crest of the ridges for all the way so you have some great views out to sea. 

Hilltop Tavern is more of less under the large cloud you can see on the right hand side of the frame....it is about 10 kms away or 4-5 hours walking. 

Te Ara Pataka: Mt Fitzgerald is the peak on the left...Hilltop under the large cloud

Native forest around Pt. 738, Te Ara Pataka

The hill in the distance is the Mt Herbert massif..a long rolling plateau with a high point on the north-east end. The track sidles just above the exotic forest before climbing the obvious spur in the middle of the photo....it then turns to the left and climbs to the summit. From the car park it is 2.5-3 hours walk....

Mt Herbert from near Pt. 738, Te Ara Pataka

Some remaining snow on the eastern side of Mt Herbert....

The prominent point just above the orange pole is the Monument a rise next to the Purau to Port Levy Road. There is a track from the road across farmland and then up and along an old farm track to the summit of Mt Herbert. The historic YHA Monument Hut is located along this track, built in the 1940's it received very little use and is still mostly original. 

This is actually the shortest route to Mt Herbert but it is closed from August to late October for lambing. From the road it takes 2-2.5 hours to reach the summit of Mt Herbert . 

The forest around Pt.738 is Queen Elizabeth the II gazetted...

Te Ara Pataka: on the way back to the Port Levy Saddle

The 4 W/D track to left, walking track on right, Te Ara Pataka:

I walked off the track and up to the crest of the ridge near Pt. 707 so I could look down on the area around Rod Donald Hut. You can clearly see the drive way, hut, toilet block and the new regenerating forest around the hut. 

View down to Rod Donald Hut Site from near Pt. 738, Te Ara Pataka

...back on the track it was down along he last kilometer of the track with the car-park coming into view as you start walking down from near Pt. 738. There were still a couple of small patches of snow on the Kaituna Spur from a snow storm up here two weeks ago...

Kaituna Spur running out to the left from the Te Ara Pataka

Still some snow along the Kaituna Spur...from the Te Ara Pataka

The track between the Port Levy Saddle and Waipuna Saddle is a 4 wheel drive track, you could walk along both as they go to the same place but please stay on the marked track so that the farmers continue to allow the public to cross their land. 

The forest is starting to regenerate along the Te Ara Pataka

If you walk up to the top of Pt. 763 on the Lyttelton side of the saddle you will be able to get a better view of South Canterbury and along the coast. It is high enough to allow you to see over the intervening line of the Port Hills. Mt Herbert still blocks your view of the city....

Pt. 763 beyond Port Levy Saddle and the car park, Te Ara Pataka

There is ample evidence of the cut down and burnt forest that once graced these hills..there are many large stumps and piles of burnt and blacken logs left over from the clearance fires. The Colonial farmers cut and used what timber they could but the waste was burnt into the soil to help fertilise it. 

Tragic really as the forest was reputed to be magnificent as you can see in places like the Sinclair Reserve and around Montgomery Park Reserve near Hilltop. A walk to Montgomery Park is a nice side trip as it has some spectacular examples of Mountain Totora some of which are at least five meters around the trunk. 

Te Ara Pataka: stumps from Colonial forest clearance

150 year old charred log from colonial forest clearance, Te Ara Pataka

Almost back at the car....Te Ara Pataka near Port Levy Saddle

One of the uses for the timber was for fence posts...you will see 150 year old examples scattered right along the length of Te Ara Pataka. The wood was dense and hard so perfect for fences...it takes a long time to degrade....stupid way to lose a forest though....

Tree trunk used as fence strainer...Te Ara Pataka

More stumps and burnt logs from colonial forest clearance, Te Ara Pataka

I arrived back at the car-park after about an hours walk so I was a bit quicker on the return leg of this trip. A really enjoyable day walking with blue skies, sunny weather and not a care in the world.....

Driving the Port Levy Road

Rather than driving back down Western Valley Road to Little River and hence to Christchurch I decided to go the other way. I drove east down to Port Levy and then over Purau Saddle and round the Lyttelton bays to Christchurch. 

It is a nice drive on a sunny spring day and a super cool ride on a motorbike or MTB....

Driving to Port Levy at the bottom of the valley and the road to Purau

The road down to Port Levy is a bit rough...it is a maintained gravel road but there are some deep ruts and deep piles of gravel along it. It is narrow, winding and there are virtually no passing lanes. It also has a number of streams crossing the road so do not go down here in a low slung 2 wheel drive or in the rain. 4 wheel drive cars will have no problem driving along it. 

Road to Port Levy....there are a couple of minor streams crossing the road....

Port Levy is the name of the bay, but it is actually a number of smaller settlements like Puari, Kaitara  and Fernlea. The main area of houses is at Puari which is about a 10 minute drive around the right hand side of the Port Levy shoreline. Puari has a dozen farms and some holiday bach's and not much else.

I have heard that there is good fishing to be had in the bay but you need to head out to deeper water to find the fish. 

At Port Levy beachfront after driving down the Port Levy Road

BTW: for the hut baggers out there....there is a old DOC/Scout hut on Horomaka which is the island just off shore from the small settlement of Puari. It is just to the right of this photo...no easy access though...it is about 200 meters off shore and requires a boat to get there....yerp...I'm scheming!!!!!

I needed a reason to buy a pack raft.....

All in all a very nice day trip to a excellent hut..I recommend it to your attention and having stayed there before can say it is a most comfortable place to stay for a night. 

Access: Take SH75 Christchurch to Akaroa, turn of just past Little River township at Western Valley Road, drive 8 km's along this gravel road to the car park and look out at Port Levy Saddle.
Track Times: It is 2.4 km's to Rod Donald Hut from the car park, or 1-1.5 hours walk. For a loop walk down to the hut driveway on Western Valley Road (1 hour) and back along Te Ara Pataka (1-1.5 hours).
Hut Details: Rod Donald Hut, serviced, 9 bunks, toilet, water from tank. Packhorse Hut: serviced, 10 bunks, toilet, water from tank. Both huts are on the DOC hut booking system and MUST be pre-booked. Hut wardens in attendance from November to March each year.
Miscellaneous: Rod Donald Hut is on the DOC hut booking system and all overnight stays MUST be pre booked. There is a hut warden at the hut over the busy summer period. Both Western Valley Road and Port Levy Road are steep, winding gravel roads with few passing areas. Care is required at all times.