Upper Oreti Hut
The place
Upper Oreti Hut in Fiordland National Park, Athol/Mossburn area (Southland, South Island, New Zealand), at 589 m elevation, in the Oreti River valley. Continuous Fiordland cluster (batches 200-346). DOC hut (Fiordland: 1.25 M ha, the 3rd largest national park in NZ after Kahurangi and Fiordland-Waitutu, the largest true wilderness area in the world), in an area of Nothofagus solandri (red beech) and home to the Fiordland tokoeka, Apteryx australis, a rare kiwi (3 subspecies of southern brown kiwi, endemic to the South Island and Rakiura), with heritage from the Kāi Tahu (Fiordland source of the totara used for traditional waka canoes; greenstone jade from Arahura, Pounamu; Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998, granting exclusive ownership within New Zealand).
The setting
Fiordland NP Athol/Mossburn Southland NZ 589 m Oreti River valley, continuous cluster batches 200-346, DOC Fiordland 1.25 M ha 3rd largest NP in NZ largest true wilderness in the world, Nothofagus solandri red beech + Fiordland tokoeka Apteryx australis 3 subspecies brown kiwi endemic South Island Rakiura rare, Kāi Tahu waka totara jade Arahura Pounamu Claims Settlement Act 1998 exclusive ownership NZ.
