Wheel Creek Hut
(Wheel Creek Hut: Photo Glen Johnston 2009: Double click to get larger image)
Maintenance Status
Wheel Creek Hut is designated as minimal maintenance. The route to it is
not officially maintained.
Location
Maruia River catchment. Map BS22. Grid Ref: NZTM E1528176/ N5342003. Elevation
810m.
Wheel Creek Hut is located in a large clearing on the TR of Wheel Creek.
It has received few visitors in recent years due to the lack of a suitable marked route or good access information.
An uncut marked route was established in 2010.
Access
Permission to access the TL of the Maruia River from
Boundary Road is required from the farm owner Peter Brooker (03 523 8884).
2WD vehicles can be driven well past Mitchell Creek and a 4WD trail goes all the way to to Wheel Creek.
It is recommended however, that vehicles are left at the end of the farmland
about 10 mins above Jones Creek, as there are some serious boggy bits after this.
Wheel Creek is around 30 minutes walk from here.
The Wheel Creek route marked on the old topo maps should be ignored and the more recent route marked with
orange triangles utilised.
A large orange triangle at Wheel Creek marks the beginning of the latter.
Follow the markers across Wheel Creek, then up onto and along the terraces on its TL.
From here the route sidles through a steep gully onto a prominent spur, which it climbs for
a short distance. It sidles from here across to an adjacent spur and drops down it.
After this there is a long, high sidle across a steep section of the valley, which is rough going,
with bush lawyer
and beech spars hampering progress (the markers are not always visible on this bit).
At the end of the sidle the route drops steeply down to a side creek and from here on travel becomes
simpler over river flats and terraces.
Take the TL initially, then cross to the TR for the remainder of the journey. The route
markers cross and re-cross the Creek more often than this, but these crossings are not
absolutely necessary.
The more sure-footed and
bush savvy may want to try following Wheel Creek all the way to the Hut.
This is possible with a couple of small sidles of 50 metres or so where
the river gradient steepens. Allow 4-5 hours
from the bottom of Wheel Creek to the Hut.
Any triangles that are not orange mark goat browse survey blocks, not the track.
One hut book entry mentioned a quick route up the TR of Wheel Creek from the Maruia that took three hours.
Most however, took considerably longer to reach the Hut.
It will be interesting to see if the new route increases the frequency of visits.
A vegetation trim along the steep section of the route would make travel much easier.
Please give updates on route condition to Tony Greer at DOC Greymouth, 03 768 0427.
Type
Wheel Creek is a standard six-bunk NZFS design. In 2004 it was repainted and
provided with new mattresses. Some trees were felled around the hut site to allow light in. The open fire
is somewhat smoky with the window closed. There is no toilet.
Condition
Wheel Creek Hut is in excellent condition. It is susceptible to mouse infestation.
Routes
From Wheel Creek Hut one may traverse the NE ridge to Kirwan’s Hut
in a reasonable day's travel. Climb the steep gully up to Waitahu Saddle, a scramble towards the top.
Follow the open ridge from here. Navigation skills
are necessary, and in some sections water may be scarce. The route is marked from south of
point 1315m to Kirwans Hut. Allow 7-10 hours for the crossing.
From Peter Brooker’s Farm an overgrown stock track can be followed to the bush line below Mt. Creighton.
Peter is approachable and it is best to ask him where to find this
route. The ridge can be followed over or around Mt. Crosscut and onto Waitahu Saddle.
There are tarns with good campsites from Mt. Crosscut onward.
It is bettter to drop directly off Waitahu Saddle than take a seemingly more direct line into
Wheel Creek.
The route to the Awarua/ Larry River involves heading from the Hut up Wheel Creek
on the TR to the first marked tributary. A light track leads up the upstream rib of this towards the Saddle.
There is a grand view from the Saddle down Silcock Creek and over to the surrounding
peaks. It is straightforward creek travel down the Silcock, with goats further down on the flats, and some great camping
spots.
From the forks around the 810m contour it is easy travel up the broad spur to the tarn and point
1302m. The tarn is shallow and lacks a sheltered campsite.
Travel along the long NW ridge from point 1302m
requires
some navigation skills at the top, but the remainder down into the Larry River is straightforward.
Getting off the toe of the ridge however, is not particularly easy. The 400m of river travel from here down to the
Larry River forks involves some pack-floats at normal flows, and would become impassable
with rain (sidling is not practical here). Further down a sidle on the TR above some gorgy
sections is required and not river travel as recommended in Sven Brabant's guide.
The first reasonable camping spot is the marked flat above the Bateman confluence.
Rounded river rocks could make for difficult crossings in places at above-normal flows. A useful section of pack-track
can be picked up on the TL below the 230m contour. The River
broadens eventually and wading becomes more pleasant, to the Calendonia Mine and the marked track out to the road.
Repairs
None currently. Rodent proofing would make the hut more comfortable
in plague years. If hut usage increases to a significant level, a toilet would be required from DOC.
Provisions on Site
There is a range of pots and pans, a steel ash bucket, and a broom.
