Dan Hutchinson 05/03/2026 Dan Hutchinson 05/03/2026

Shuttle ban after DOC breach

A company providing visitor transport to and from the Tongariro Alpine Crossing has had its Department of Conservation concession suspended for two weeks.

Dan Hutchinson 26/02/2026 Dan Hutchinson 26/02/2026

Visitor levy funds Tongariro fire restoration

The Government is putting $3.5 million from the International Visitor Levy into the restoration of 3000ha of Tongariro National Park that was damaged by fire.

Dan Hutchinson 10/02/2026 Dan Hutchinson 10/02/2026

Hotel proposal for Chateau

Ruapehu's mayor says the government should consider a proposal from an unnamed investor to return Chateau Tongariro to its former status as a hotel.

Dan Hutchinson 05/02/2026 Dan Hutchinson 05/02/2026

Planting seeds of knowledge

Taupō is producing a generation of young people with a huge understanding of the ecology they live in, and ground-breaking education is starting to be picked up in other regions.

Dan Hutchinson 11/12/2025 Dan Hutchinson 11/12/2025

Tūrangi spared rooftop mayhem

Threatened black-billed gulls are again nesting on the rooftops in Tūrangi town centre, but the town shouldn't see a return of previous disruptions.

Dan Hutchinson 27/11/2025 Dan Hutchinson 27/11/2025

Hunters and fishers gather

The Stoney Creek Sika Hind Hunt and Trout Fishing Competition wrapped up with a feast of wild game and live demonstrations on the weekend.

Dan Hutchinson 20/11/2025 Dan Hutchinson 20/11/2025

Tongariro open for business

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing has reopened, albeit with a charred section at the beginning of the track.

Dan Hutchinson 15/10/2025 Dan Hutchinson 15/10/2025

Shining a light on the cuckoo

Research is starting soon on the long-tailed cuckoo (koekoeā) in the central North Island.

Dan Hutchinson 17/09/2025 Dan Hutchinson 17/09/2025

Chateau conversation continues as public storm builds

Ruapehu's mayor has delivered a plea to politicians to save the famous Chateau Tongariro.

Dan Hutchinson 13/08/2025 Dan Hutchinson 13/08/2025

National park dog photo earns owner $400 fine

A woman who took photographs of herself illegally taking several dogs into Tongariro National Park has been given a $400 infringement notice for her “blatant disregard” of the law.

Dan Hutchinson 16/07/2025 Dan Hutchinson 16/07/2025

Popular track off-limits to vehicles

The Department of Conservation is reminding four-wheel drive owners that the 42 Traverse is off-limits over winter to protect the track.

Dan Hutchinson 03/07/2025 Dan Hutchinson 03/07/2025

A walk back in time

Today we walked in New Zealand’s largest mainland ecological island, an area protected by 47 kilometers of pest proof fencing situated on Maungatautari.

Dan Hutchinson 12/06/2025 Dan Hutchinson 12/06/2025

Still a ‘great’ overnighter

The Tongariro Northern Circuit as a multi-day Great Walk loop is out of action over the 2025-26 season to make way for construction of a new Oturere Hut.

Dan Hutchinson 29/05/2025 Dan Hutchinson 29/05/2025

DOC says ‘don’t bring the dog’

Tongariro Department of Conservation rangers in Ohakune have come up with a lighthearted way to educate their furry friends on the rules for Tongariro National Park.

Dan Hutchinson 24/04/2025 Dan Hutchinson 24/04/2025

Trout fishing bragging rights up for grabs

A free licence, a lasting memento, and bragging rights: all of this is on the table for contenders in this year’s Taupō Fishery photo competition.

Dan Hutchinson 08/04/2025 Dan Hutchinson 08/04/2025

Central NI deer in the spotlight

The sika deer population in the Central North Island could be the first to gain status as a Herd of Special Interest (HOSI).

Kim Manunui 03/04/2025 Kim Manunui 03/04/2025

Time running out for wild horses

Homes are being sought for 250 wild horses to avoid the need for more drastic measures. The Kaimanawa horses are a heritage herd that lives in the Moawhango Ecological Zone, most of which is in the Waiouru Military Training Area.