New Issue day! Walk1200km turns 5

Our January/February 2026 issue is online now and winging its way to subscribers in the post. It’ll be in stores from next Monday.

What's in the latest mag?

• 🥾 Walk1200km in 2026: Year 5 of the challenge looks to be bigger and better than ever - get the full details!

• 🎓 New! Shaun Barnett Memorial Scholarship: Receive up to $1000 to undertake and document a multi-day tramping trip.

• 👧 50 Great walks for kids: Outstanding day walks, overnighters and multi-day trips to get your little people loving the outdoors.

• 🎙️New podcast episode! Listen to author Sarah White read her OTBT story about visiting the huts of Haast.

• 😎 Summer gear: Expert advice on the best hiking clothes, shoes and poles to get you out and about this summer.

• 🏔️ The six best trips in Arthur’s Pass: From alpine huts to scree scrambles and hot pools these are the top trips in the heart of the South Island.

Plus dozens more stories!

🎁 Give a gift subscription (or subscribe for yourself!) to go in the draw for $3000+ in prizes with our summer subscriber giveaway!

Missed yesterday’s feature? Peer deep into Tongariro NP and the Kaimanawa Range on this day trip.

Quiz

The total length of Te Araroa is approximately 3,000km. How many of these kilometres make up the North Island section of the trail?

• A. 900km

• B. 1200km

• C. 1500km

• D. 1700km

Scroll to the bottom of this email for the answer…

This week in tramping history

Abel Tasman National Park opens

18 December 1942

New Zealand’s smallest national park was the brainchild of ornithologist and author Pérrine Moncrieff, who served on the park board from 1943–74. The park’s launch date was timed to mark the 300th anniversary of the first European sighting of New Zealand in 1642. The opening ceremony was attended by a personal representative of the Netherland’s Queen Wilhelmina, who was made patron of the park. Boundaries of the park have expanded over the years, and the Abel Tasman is home to one of the country’s most popular Great Walks.

This easy tramp with gentle gradients can be completed on foot, mountain bike or horseback. It’s suitable for little feet and offers near-constant 360-degree views. The hut provides a cosy night in a historical setting, there is plenty of room for camping, and there’s a paddock just behind it for those on horseback.

Poll results

On Monday we asked Wilderness Daily readers what their thoughts were on the the proposed 25-year Bathurst open-cast mining operation what are your thoughts?

The results are in: 76% of you said under no circumstance should this are be mined, 14% said mining should be allowed, but in a less invasive way and 10% said the mine should go ahead as proposed.

Here is a selection of comments from readers:

“In this day and age coal should be abandoned as a fuel. There are numerous cleaner energy alternatives now available. Decimating a unique wilderness area like this is unforgivable”

“The site is a small proportion of the total plateau. The project will also contribute millions to local and regional conservation efforts These have already led to significant gains in Heaphy and other areas ”

“These big overseas companies will not create that many jobs overall and their profits will leave New Zealand's shores. Which also means that as usual any damage or clean up at the end will fall to the NZ taxpayer to have to foot the bill.”

Quiz answer

Answer D - 1700km

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