DOC's operations manager at Aoraki-Mt Cook, Sally Jones, told Morning Report that the parking fee was working and $214,000 in a month had been a "great result".

International visitors and locals alike did not seem to be phased by the parking charge, Jones claimed. "I think they accept the fact that paying to reinvest in a site like a national park seems reasonable."

Plus: Entries Open For 2026 NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival, two hikers saved then skipped out on their hotel bill, Taranaki man hopes to break a Guinness World Record by unicycling around the world and more in this week’s The World Outdoors.

Missed yesterday’s feature? Read our 2026 guide to hiking shoes. 👟

Take a look at this week's most read articles at wildernessmag.co.nz.

Christmas Village Hut sits on a grassy shelf above a small, rocky beach backed by lush forest. It’s a majestic place on the northern tip of Rakiura, and a good base from which to climb Hananui Mt Anglem, the highest peak on the island.

The hut sleeps 12 and is classed as a standard hut. It is owned & maintained by volunteers from the Rakiura Hunter Camp Trust, who built the hut in November 2017, to replace the original, 1966, NZFS-built hut.

The DOC website notes that there is 'no village at or near this hut', so make sure you bring your own supplies. 😆

We featured Christmas Village Hut in our ’Cheapskate’s guide to tramping on Rakiura’.

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