Into the Clarence Valley.....
When we decided to visit Hanmer our original plan was to go for a day walk up to the summit of Mt Isobel. I have been to the summit several times now but Karen has never been to the top before. Unfortunately it was extremely windy on the three days we were in Hanmer with +100 kph winds every day.
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| The Clarence Valley Road from near Jacks Pass, Mt Isobel, Hanmer (2014) |
We did try...we drove up to Jacks Pass and the western approach to the summit of Mt Isobel to see what the conditions were. We were dissuaded by the hunks of tussock, branches and dust blowing past the car and the fact that we could hardly open the car doors at 800 meters asl when the top of Mt Isobel is at 1320 meters asl.
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| Jacks Pass on the Clarence Valley Road (2014) |
Since we were already there I suggested to Karen that we just continue down to the old St James Homestead for a bit of a look around. I have been through the Clarence Valley several times while I was in the Army but Karen the St James is another new area for Karen.
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| Map: St James Conservation Area: Jacks Pass to St James Homestead |
We often did Army driving and communication exercises in the backcountry areas between Hanmer and St Arnaud along the Rainbow Road. We also drove through nearby Molesworth Station a couple of times which is also amazing bleak and beautiful country.
Memorably, I was part of a 'keep the troops occupied' group exercise that had us walking from Fowlers Pass up the Waiau Valley and over Waiau Pass into Nelson Lakes NP. That trip and walking the Heaphey Track were two of the fondest memories I have of my Army days.
The last time I was in the Clarence Valley was in 1991 so nearly thirty years ago....man am I old!!!
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| Jacks Pass: Jacks Pass Track to the top of Mt Isobel (2014) |
We headed along Clarence Valley Road from the car park on Jacks Pass,...it is a narrow gravel road from here to the St James Homestead about 10 kilometers into the Clarence Valley. The road is right next to the Clarence River and there are a number of lay-bys where you can pull over to get down by the river.
They run rafting trips down the Clarence River but take care if swimming here as the water is icy cold, deep and swift. This is real 'New Zealand death' territory so don't be blaise about messing around with these rivers.
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| On Tophouse Road heading for St James Homestead |
The road is in good condition...passable by a two wheel car to the St James Homestead. Do take care as there are a number of pot holes, ruts and rougher spots you need to negotiate. In particular the approaches to the bridge at the Clarence Valley Road and Tophouse Road junction are very rough.
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| The bridge at the Tophouse-Clarence Valley Road junction... |
There are a series of buildings at the St James Homestead site...the oldest are an old musterers hut and outbuildings from the 1920's. They are no longer used but at one time this was the station house for the family that owned this farm. You can walk around them and look into the interior to see how bleak life must have been in those days isolated on this dry and barren backcountry station.
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| Historic St James Homestead buildings, St James Conservation Area |
St James Station was brought by the Nature Heritage Fund and DOC in the early 2000's and they have invested a lot of cash and effort into opening the land to recreational groups. The main attraction is of course the St James Cycle Trail but there are also tramping, fishing, horse trekking, rafting, hunting and off road driving opportunities in the area.
Parts of the station are still in use with livestock present so there is a resident farm staff at the St James Homestead site though you will seldom see them as they are busy.
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| St James Homestead, St James Conservation Area |
The newer station house built in the late 1970's is currently set up as a backcountry hut and is used by a Hanmer based company Pukatea Trekking and Adventures. They run horse trekking expeditions in the area over the summer months and I believe the station house can be rented out as accommodation for a fee. The building is locked as this car park can be reached by road but you can see into the hut through the many windows.
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| St James Homestead door, St James Conservation Area |
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| Rear of St James homestead, St James Conservation Area |
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| St James Homestead, St James Conservation Area |
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| Side view of St James homestead, St James Conservation Area |
It is well set up inside with tables, a wood burner, and separate bunkrooms with a mixture of bunkbeds, platform beds and single beds. I would estimate you could get 12-16 people into the hut. It has a wood burning stove in the kitchen and water from a set of water tanks at the back of the hut.
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| St James Homestead kitchen, St James Conservation Area |
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| St James Homestaed, bedroom 1, St James Conservation Area |
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| St James Homestead bunkroom, St James Conservation Area |
The building is set in a patch of exotic trees and on a nice clearing right next to the carpark. There are some contact details for Pukatea Horse Trekking in the front window of the building and they are one of the few official DOC accredited businesses allowed to operate in the valley.
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| Nice surrounds for the St James Homestead |
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| Contact details for the St James Homestead |
Out the back of the cottage are some historic dog boxes once used to house the working dogs that are such a feature of these backcountry stations. You can also look at the foundations of the original homestead from the 1890's that burnt down at some stage.
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| Dog boxes at the St James Homestead |
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| The foundations of the original St James Homestead (circa 1890's) |
This is not the actual start of the St James Cycle Trail but the Peters Valley Track starts from here and joins the actual trail a couple of kilometers down the valley. We watched a couple of MTB riders organise their gear and set off down the track. There were a number of cars in the car park with bike racks so I imagine this is what most visitors do.
You can do a 1-3 hour circuit of this end of the cycleway by riding down the Peter Valley Track, going onto the Edwards Pass Track and then riding back down Tophouse Road to this carpark. That would be about 13 kilometers in all and it is known as the St James Circuit.
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| Start of the St James Cycleway at the Homestead |
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| Tophouse Road continues into the Clarence Valley |
I have a plan to revisit this area sometime in late summer 2021...I would walk from the Boyle Valley up over Anne Saddle to Anne Hut. Then walk down the Henry Valley to near Ada Homestead where I would pick up the McArthur Track down to Pool Hut. Then it is over the McArthur Bridge to the St James Cycle Trail up and over Edwards Pass to the St James Homestead.
It would be a 4-6 day tramp with nights spent in Boyle Flat Hut, Anne Hut, Pool Hut (recently restored) and finally somewhere near St James Homestead. It is a walk or hitch from there back to Hanmer over Jacks Pass. I have been thinking about it for a couple of years now but the weather usually stymies my plans...Maybe this will be my year!!!
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| View down the Henry Valley from near Anne Hut (2015) |
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| Looking down the Waiau Valley from near Ada Homestead (2015) |
After we had a good look around we jumped back into the car and headed back to Hanmer and our date with the hot pools. It takes about 35 minutes to drive back to Hanmer over the pass and you need to take care as a lot of traffic including MTB riders use the road.
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| The Clarence Valley Road down to Hanmer Springs (2014) |
If you are ever in Hanmer Springs with a couple of hours to spare and the Clarence Valley Road is open you should think about taking a drive over to check out the St James Homestead.
Access: From Hanmer Springs head west out of town on Jacks Pass Road, turn on to Clarence Valley Road just past the golf course. From Jacks Pass continue for 12 kilometers to the St James Homestead on Tophouse Road, Clarence Valley
Track Times: Mt Isobel track, 3 odd hours to summit of Mt Isobel, 1.5 hours return to track end on Jacks Pass, 45 minutes to bottom car park.
Miscellaneous: This is an alpine area and the Clarence Valley, Tophouse and Hydro Roads close over the winter months. The roads are navigable by two wheel drive cars to the St James Homestead, after that a 4 W/D vehicle is better. Narrow winding gravel roads, rock fall and snow at certain times of the year. 