Renowned conservationist, photographer and publisher Craig Potton says many of his trips have left indelible memories that have affected his life and art.

From traversing peaks on Aoraki Mt Cook to walking the spine of the Southern Alps and capturing photos on the Fox River, these are three trips that have changed Craig’s life.

Read the full story

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Visit an all-seasons hut for families and newbies just 30 min outside of Welly.

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Quiz

Which native tree was once called the NZ oak?

  • A: Karaka

  • B: Rewarewa

  • C: Tītoki

Scroll to the bottom of this email for the answer…

Featured Book

Photographic Guide to Mushrooms and Fungi of New Zealand

Over a hundred species are presented in this book, with spectacular close-up colour photographs accompanying each entry. The ideal size for slipping into a backpack when walking through bush and forest, it will appeal to walkers, nature lovers, tour guides and educators, and fungi photographers wishing to identify their subjects.

Subscribers get a 10% discount.

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Gear Review: Rab Namche Hike GTX

Tramping that’s beyond well-formed tracks can be hard on overpants, which receive more wear and tear than rain jackets even though worn less often.

Rab has made these pants durable enough for scrub and moraine bashing, but has kept the weight under 300g with minimal seams and no pockets or cuff adjustments.

Gear editor Mark Watson found they functioned well despite the stripped-back design when he took them out for a recent field test.

Read the full review

Current Issue - September 2026 Great Walks special issue

Get a free gear Checklist printed on 250gsm card with the September Great Walks special issue. Also inside, Which Great Walk is right for you, tips and advice from those who have done them, plus the birds and plants to spot on your Great Walk adventure.

Buy now

The weekend weather at a park near you…

LocationTodayFridaySaturdaySunday
Angelus Hut
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -5°C at 11pm.
1°/4°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -5°C at 2am.
0°/3°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
-2°/4°
Light snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
-2°/2°
Aoraki/Mt Cook VC
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 0°C at 8am.
2°/7°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 45 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 3°C at 11pm.
5°/8°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
5°/8°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
5°/8°
Arthurs Pass
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 8am.
3°/7°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 115 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -0°C at 8pm.
5°/9°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
4°/8°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
5°/7°
Ben Lomond Summit
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -10°C at 11am.
-3°/-0°
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 9pm.
-2°/2°
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 12am.
-3°/2°
Some chance of snow. Fresh wind with gusts up to 105 km/h.
-4°/-0°
Brewster Hut
Persistent rain, heavy at times and high chance of snow. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -4°C at 7am.
-1°/4°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -4°C at 10pm.
-0°/4°
Some chance of snow. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -4°C at 4am.
-1°/2°
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
-3°/1°
Cape Reinga
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
12°/16°
Persistent rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
13°/16°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
12°/15°
Partly cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
12°/13°
Karangahake Gorge
Cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 25 km/h.
10°/17°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
11°/16°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
10°/15°
Chance of light showers. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.
9°/14°
Kaweka J Summit
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 80 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
2°/5°
Cloudy. Strong wind with gusts up to 110 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
2°/4°
Light rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
2°/6°
Partly cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h.
-0°/6°
McKinnon Pass
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 75 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 7am.
2°/6°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 55 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -3°C at 10pm.
1°/4°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -3°C at 12am.
1°/4°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 75 km/h.
-1°/3°
Mt Heale Hut
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
10°/14°
Cloudy. Fresh wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
11°/15°
Rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
11°/15°
Partly cloudy. Gale with gusts up to 85 km/h.
11°/13°
Mt Pirongia
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 45 km/h.
6°/11°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h.
6°/10°
Persistent rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
4°/9°
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 90 km/h.
4°/9°
Mueller Hut
Persistent rain, heavy at times and high chance of snow. Strong wind with gusts up to 60 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -9°C at 10am.
-3°/3°
Persistent rain, heavy at times and high chance of snow. Gale with gusts up to 85 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -10°C at 4pm.
-2°/3°
Some chance of snow. Strong wind with gusts up to 85 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -9°C at 1am.
-2°/1°
Some chance of snow. Gale with gusts up to 90 km/h.
-3°/-1°
Pinnacles Hut
Cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 40 km/h.
8°/14°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
8°/12°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 4°C at 11pm.
7°/12°
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
7°/11°
Pouakai Hut
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h. High chance of low visibility.
5°/7°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Fresh wind with gusts up to 95 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 8am.
5°/6°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h. High chance of low visibility. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 11pm.
3°/8°
Light rain. Fresh wind with gusts up to 85 km/h.
2°/6°
Powell Hut
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 80 km/h. High chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -0°C at 9am.
3°/7°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 140 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 7am.
5°/6°
Persistent rain. Strong wind with gusts up to 130 km/h. Some chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -2°C at 1am.
3°/8°
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 100 km/h.
3°/7°
Rotoiti/Nelson Lk VC
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 45 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 3°C at 10am.
5°/8°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Light wind with gusts up to 55 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 4°C at 7am.
5°/10°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
2°/11°
Light rain. Light wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
3°/10°
Roys Peak
Medium chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. Some chance of low visibility. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -8°C at 7am.
-3°/0°
Some chance of snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -6°C at 11pm.
-2°/3°
Partly cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 30 km/h. Medium chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -9°C at 7am.
-5°/3°
Snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 65 km/h.
-4°/1°
Tongariro VC
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. Medium chance of low visibility.
6°/10°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 40 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 8am.
5°/7°
Rain. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 11pm.
4°/8°
Light rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
3°/7°
Waitawheta Hut
Cloudy. Light wind with gusts up to 35 km/h.
9°/14°
Cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
9°/13°
Rain. Moderate wind with gusts up to 50 km/h.
8°/13°
Chance of light showers. Fresh wind with gusts up to 80 km/h.
7°/12°
Woolshed Creek Hut
Rain and snow. Moderate wind with gusts up to 70 km/h. High chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to -1°C at 5am.
1°/7°
Persistent rain, heavy at times. Strong wind with gusts up to 110 km/h. Some chance of low temperatures with wind chill down to 1°C at 11pm.
4°/10°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
2°/11°
Partly cloudy. Moderate wind with gusts up to 60 km/h.
3°/8°

Report created on 27 Aug, 2026 at 7:00am. For a full forecast of the park of your choice, visit NIWA.

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Quiz

Answer C - Tītoki

The tītoki was sometimes referred to as the NZ oak because of its strong durable wood. Growing to about 9 metres in height, it can be found in both the North Island and parts of the South Island. Birds such as tūī and kererū help with seed dispersal.

Quiz provided by Pam Hutton/PuzzleBeetle.

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