To the west of Auckland, the vast Waitākere Ranges Regional Park awaits. This leg-burning track climbs through the kānuka, ponga, and kauri, then opens up to offer expansive scenery across the Tasman Sea.

On a clear day you’ll also find views north towards Te Henga and Muriwai, and inland across the park’s vast swathes of native rainforest.

For those who want to venture farther, the track connects to a wealth of longer walking options to take you deeper into the park.

Missed yesterday’s feature? Spot these trackside taonga on each Great Walk.

I am a 26-bunk hut in the Tararua Forest Park located on the Waiohine River. I make an ideal night’s stay for families, hunters and those heading deeper into the park. Which hut am I?

Scroll to the bottom of this email for the answer…

Knee pain is common in trampers of all ages. The demands placed on knee joints when carrying a heavy tramping pack and how our body, hips and ankles might adjust to the added weight during prolonged periods of activity, can influence the cause of pain.

It’s possible to prevent knee pain by teaching your body to move well. These two exercises are useful for maintaining knee joint stability and strength.

See our list of upcoming tramping events and activities across the motu. If you have an event you want to feature, email the details!

1 & 30 Aug: Recloaking the Half Mile

Location: Half Mile Reserve Alexandra

This is the project's third year, and they have 1,000 plants to get into the ground this season.

The group is planting our eco-sourced, volunteer-grown native plants following the removal of pine trees. Go and join, meet some Central Otago locals (both plants and people), restore our environment, enjoy some fresh air and some afternoon tea afterwards. More info.

19 Aug: Mal Law - In My Father’s Footsteps

Location: Further Faster, Christchurch, 6:30pm

In 1972, at the age of 12, Mal Law climbed his first Munro with his dad, who went on to bag the lot, finishing them in 1976. For Mal this first summit was the start of a lifelong obsession with peak bagging and his own love affair with the Munros. Earlier this year - 50 years on from his dad bagging all 282 Munros - Mal returned to the Highlands with 38 Munros left unticked on his list. More info.

26 Aug: State of the Snowpack #2 with Penny Goddard & Anna Scheirlinck

Location: Further Faster, Christchurch, 6:15pm

State of the Snowpack Aotearoa is several evenings over winter, of honest, practical avalanche intelligence from people who spend their winters digging pits, reading terrain and keeping others safe.

Local professionals will break down what's happening in the Craigieburns, Arthur's Pass and the surrounding Canterbury ranges — not in textbook terms, but in the kind of plain language that helps you make better decisions when you're standing at the top of a slope.

This isn't a course. It's a community conversation because better information shared across a community means more people making it home. More info.

29 Aug: Gutsy Girls Adventure Film Tour NZ 

Location: Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, 2pm

Celebrate 10 years of New Zealand's premier adventure film tour spotlighting women who absolutely send it! Since day one, Gutsy Girls has been championing fearless female adventurers who push boundaries, shatter expectations, and prove that gutsy is a way of life—not just a moment. More info.

3 Sept: Outdoor Training New Zealand Auckland Branch meeting

Location: Point Chevalier Tennis Club, Auckland

The Auckland branch of OTNZ has an active committee, a manageable course schedule, and holds two monthly evening meetings to introduce new topics of interest and engage with the wider membership. More info.

4 Sep: Sam the Trap Man, A Bushman’s Book of Yarns

Location: Further Faster, Christchurch, 6:30pm

Filled with as many good yarns from the bush as his debut book, and including a guide to edible native flora and fauna, this is a book that will inspire and delight in equal parts! 

And the best part? You can come and see Sam live in the shop, to talk about his new book, his conservation work and a whole lot more yarns! There will be time for questions you have for Sam too, so come prepared! More info.

10 Sep: Section Talk with Nina Dickerhof

Location: Cashmere Club, Christchurch, 7:30pm

The Olivines are a very remote range of mountains West of the Divide that have an almost mythical reputation. Bordered to the south by the massive Olivine Ice Plateau the Olivine Range stretches north almost to Jackson Bay, and is home to great mountaineering and transalpine trips. Nina, with her partner James Thornton has explored this area over many years, including the Central Olivines, and Nina will talk about a number of trips to this fabled range, with some snippets of climbing history thrown in. If you’re interested in remote multi-day transalpine adventures, you won’t want to miss this! More info.

10-12 Sep: OTNZ Basic Navigation and Compass Skills

Location: Wenderholm Regional Park

This course is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to be able to navigate using a Topo-50 map and ground features on well-marked tracks in areas typically open to the general public. More info.

15 Sep: Closing date for Federated Mountain Club Scholarships

FMC’s expedition scholarships support bold and imaginative adventures beyond the beaten track — from tracing rivers from mountain tops to the sea, to chasing Fiordland’s tallest waterfalls, exploring the tallest underground climbs, or making first descents into wild canyons.

They offer two types of scholarships: Youth Expedition Scholarship for adventurers under 30 years of age and Simon Bell Memorial Scholarship for explorers of all ages. More info.

17 Sept: The Great Outdoors Pub Quiz

Location: MD Outdoors

Back by popular demand for its second year with our amazing quiz master Emma. Grab your mates and test your wilderness wisdom at The Great Outdoors Pub Quiz! Theme attire encouraged - flannel, fleece or full tramping kit! More info.

19 Sep: OTNZ Canterbury Navigation Course

Location: Awaroa/Godley Head

This course will endeavour to develop your personal practical skills and prepare you for tramping safely in the outdoors, led by qualified instructors. More info.

18 to 26 Sep: Climate Action Festival 2026

Location: All over Nelson

Be part of a week of inspiration, education, fun and collaboration as we explore a regenerative and low-emissions future together. The theme for this year’s Festival is Our Place, Our Power. The 2026 Climate Action Festival is about returning to our place. Our Tūrangawaewae is where we stand empowered and connected. More info.

26-27 Sep: Children's Practical Bushcraft

Location: Waitakere Ranges

Come and experience an overnight stay in the Waitakere Ranges at the Alpine Sports Club hut. Have fun with your host, Sue, making bush bivvies, map reading, and compass navigation. There will even be time to roast some marshmallows. This is an ASC members-only event. More info.

Answer D - Totara Flats Hut

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