High Country Blog

11/01/2012 | lakeheron

Working Dogs

Working dogs are an integral part of life on a high country station – out mustering a well-trained dog will spot sheep, round them up and save its master many hours of walking. Hard-working, instinctive and fiercely loyal, working dogs have been bred over many generations into 2 separate types: the smaller, very quick, heading dog

is bred to round sheep up and bring them towards its master, whilst the rangy huntaway is a large dog with a good bark and the instinct to hunt sheep away.

Each shepherd has his or her own team of dogs with several from each breed. Many an old dog has taught a young shepherd a thing or two about moving stock!

4/12/2011 | lakeheron

Lake Heron Accommodation – the Downs Hut

The Downs Hut getting a make-over - Lake Heron Station

 Built over a hundred years ago, the Downs Hut has been a base for many forays into the high country. Musterers, shepherds, hunters, fishermen, and trampers have all left their inscriptions on the hut walls with the earliest names dating back to 1904.

However, time has taken its toll on the sacking bunks and beech framing and recently the hut has also become a haven for birds and possums. So…this summer the hut is getting something of a make-over. Mindful that it is a piece of history, the old iron cladding and beech framing are being retained and  beefed up -  hopefully the hut will last at least another 100 years.

23/11/2011 | lakeheron

Highland Hike - nearing the top of Rocky Gorge

Guided Hiking Trips – Lake Heron Station

Early November saw the start of our summer hiking programme. Despite rather changeable spring weather on our first Highland Hike, we still had great views with plenty of snow in the mountains.

Andrew Stone, from the NZ Herald, joined us for the hike and the trip conjured up memories of his student days spent on stations in the Rakaia.

Well-earned comfort at the end of the day

A bonus of early season trips is that there is always plenty of wildlife around – kea, black-fronted terns, oyster catchers, dotterels, paradise ducks and the odd tahr kept us well-entertained.

Irish coffees were re-invented by a couple of whisky stalwarts on the hike and proved to be a great way to alleviate sore leg muscles.

For groups wishing to book either our Highland Hike or Station Walk, we still have dates available this summer.

6/11/2011 | lakeheron

Spring Muster at Lake Heron Station

Where are the sheep?

Last week 2500 wethers were brought down out of the hills in Lake Heron’s annual spring muster. Early in the morning, a team of 10 (and dogs) were dropped by helicopter at the head of the Rakaia River. The day started with fog in the valley but this soon cleared to reveal the scattered mobs of sheep. The sheep were slowly cleared off the hillsides and gathered up into large mobs. By late afternoon, a weary team was pleased to see the last one go through a gate into a large holding paddock. This paddock is the half-way point on their journey back to the homestead area.

Kevin Boekholt took some great photos, including this one of Eve Smith, who is following in the high country footsteps of her parents, Eric and Sally (also out for the day.)

18/10/2011 | lakeheron

Cycling in the high country

Seven enthusiasts recently took to their bikes for a 180km, 4 day high country cycle trip, starting and finishing at Big Al’s shop in Methven. Equipped with bikes from Big Al’s and merino cycle wear from Icebreaker, we headed for the hills. The team was a mix of hardcore mountain bikers, “town and around” riders, and high country farmers. The scenery and riding were spectacular with differing views of mountains, rivers, lakes and tussock country each day. If anyone had any discomforts at the end of a day’s riding, these were soon forgotten after a hot shower, a few glasses of wine and a fabulous dinner. Photograhers Nicola Edmonds and Adrian Heke accompanied us on the trip with great results. They went beyond the call of duty, lugging heavy photography gear for most of the journey, while the rest of us, had only to stuff a few snack bars into the back pockets of our Icebreaker tops.

The Icebreaker cycle wear was brillant, keeping us at a comfortable temperature through wind, rain, and heat – there was very little stopping to adjust clothing as the miraculous merino fibre just seems to act as an automatic temperature control!

29/09/2011 | lakeheron

Lake Heron’s Woolly Jumpers

Pet sheep are always a feature of high country life.

This trio (known as the Woolly Jumpers) were hand reared a year ago. They are now the cheekiest sheep on the place and will follow Alex anywhere for a piece of bread. They have even been known to sneak into the house looking for food. They will be shorn soon and, no doubt, will be joined by a handful of new orphans when lambing starts in a few weeks time.

14/09/2011 | lakeheron

Jackson visits Lake Heron Station

Meet Jackson from Willow Tree, Australia – he and his parents were recent guests and enjoyed a scenic flight to the backblocks of the station. His father is the head chef at Graze, a fabulous country restaurant in Australia but I think Jackson is asking Philip “Do you think I could fly that thing too?”

9/09/2011 | lakeheron

Blade Shearing at Lake Heron Station

This week is one of the busiest in Lake Heron’s farming calendar as 5,000 ewes are  blade shorn prior to lambing. As with every shearing, the weather becomes the major focus – rain or snow mean wet sheep, which in term mean delays. So far, so good! To add to the interest, photographer Rob Brown, spent a day sitting in the woolshed rafters, capturing the atmosphere on film. Rob is one of New Zealand’s foremost landscape photographers but this time he put his talent into recording the blade shearers at work. A great series on one of New Zealand’s toughest occupations is the result!

24/08/2011 | lakeheron

Clearing Tracks at Lake Heron Station

Last week’s southerly storm dumped 60cm of snow in the valley floor – with wind drifts of over 2 meters in places. Since then both tractors have been flat out clearing tracks and getting feed to stock. Fortunately warm temperatures over the past few days have melted much of the low lying snow. The new snow has been great for heliskiing and  while the tractors have been busy in the valley, Methven Heliski has had 3 helicopters out each day in the mountains.

15/08/2011 | lakeheron

Polar Blast at Lake Heron

While even Aucklanders have seen a few snow flakes, here at Lake Heron a brief clearance between snow squalls gave a glimpse at the wintery surrounds. The temperature has been hovering around -3C all day and is likely to stay that way for the next few days. The stock are all mobbed up and well-fed - the merinos with their woolly jumpers have no problem with the chilly temperatures.

2/08/2011 | lakeheron

Methven Heliski and Lake Heron Station

With a great spell of weather and beautiful snow, Philip has been kept busy flying with Methven Heliski. Skiers and boarders from all over the world come back year after year to ski the Arrowsmith Mountains. Over 60% of our clientele are regular guests and this year we are celebrating 25 years of operation. Philip and chief guide Kevin Boekholt know the terrain like the back of their hands – so if there is great snow,  you can guarantee they will find it.

28/07/2011 | lakeheron

Can you fly as well as me?

This white heron has been perusing the countryside around Lake Heron over the last few days. It seems to have taken a fancy to the red and white “bird” here. White herons are critically endangered in New Zealand - only about 100-150 breeding birds return to their nesting ground at Okarito on the West Coast of the South Island each year. The birds start gathering at Okarito from August onwards and this one is probably resting en route before flying the 50kms over the mountains to its destination.

16/07/2011 | lakeheron

Methven Heliski opens with fabulous snow

After 10 days the storm clouds have cleared and Methven Heliski is open for the winter. Today skiers and riders enjoyed great conditions and a picnic in the sun at the bottom of Pito Peak.

10/07/2011 | lakeheron

Weather at Lake Heron Station

With what looks set to be a week long storm pounding the high country, any brief clearance sees everyone racing outdoors to burn off some energy. 

Meanwhile on the farm, the focus is on feeding out plenty of silage to ensure the stock are well fed in the cold conditions.

8/07/2011 | lakeheron

Winter has arrived at Lake Heron Station

It is a “feet up by the fire day” here at Lake Heron Station and Foxtrot Kilo is firmly tied down for the day.  However, the great news is that it is bucketing  snow in the mountains and as soon as the weather clears we will be full swing into heliskiing.

Foxtrot Kilo - poised for a sunny day!

26/06/2011 | lakeheron

Winter at Lake Heron Station???

This beautiful day at Lake Heron looks as though we are still in the middle of summer – but no, this was taken on the shortest day!

Whilst snow is accummulating further west in the heliski terrain, the eastern ranges around Lake Heron are looking fairly summery. However, as has happened in the past, this can change overnight.

20/06/2011 | lakeheron

The Start of the Next Generation

Every autumn merino ewes and rams are selected for mating. The rams are then put out with the ewes and hopefully they are up to the task – with 50-100 girls to get round, each ram has quite a job ahead of him. Spot the boy here.

6/06/2011 | lakeheron

Irishman’s Rally at Lake Heron Station

This gorgeous girl got a run in the country last weekend, along with 90 others from the Canterbury Vintage Car Club. Their rather cloudy trip through the station did not seem to affect the spirits of the drivers and passengers. Heading for a night in Fairlie, one of the old cars sported the sign “Wanted – free-range chick to fill this old coupe.” Wonder if he got any takers?

23/05/2011 | lakeheron

Maya Takes On Pro-Shear at Lake Heron Station

Last week we had a great time with Team Icebreaker at Lake Heron. There were many highlights, including a moonlit soccer game, salmon spotting and overnighting at the “New Hut” – not to mention plenty of socialising. However, the most memorable event was when Maya Gaebler, Icebreaker Marketing Co-ordinator, took on the Pro-Shear gang in the woolshed. The boys in the gang certainly felt they had met their “match.” Great stuff Maya! Advising Maya is Grant Smith, who holds the world record for shearing the most merino wethers in 8 hours – 418! Achieved in 1999, this record is still standing 12 years on.

21/05/2011 | lakeheron

Autumn at Lake Heron Station

With temperatures dropping and a touch of snow on the mountains, the winter heliski season is just around the corner.

It is also the time of the annual salmon run. From the ocean to tiny Mellish Stream in the south east corner of Lake Heron, this annual event is one of life’s extraordinary cycles.  Adult salmon that  started life in this  trickling high country stream,  navigate a long  journey back to this spot to spawn and die. In their persistence to complete this cycle, they leave the ocean to travel up the Rakaia River, into the Lake Stream and then across Lake Heron to Harrison’s Bight and finally Mellish Stream. Witnessing their last battle weary hours is a poignant sight.

8/05/2011 | lakeheron

Conservation Work At Lake Heron Station

“Caught in a trap” These 2 little beasts have come to a sticky end as part of conservation work at Lake Heron. On the left is a stoat and on the right a ferret. Both were introduced to New Zealand as the answer to the burgeoing rabbit plague. However, our indigenous birds were much easier prey, and ferrets and stoats rapidly spread through the countryside decimating native birdlife. Efforts by the Lake Heron Conservation Group (of which Philip is one of the keen volunteers) and the Department of Conservation are aimed at wiping out these predators so that the local birdlife has a long term chance of surviving. Threathened birds in the area include the Australasian crested grebe, bittern, black fronted tern and wrybill.

2/05/2011 | lakeheron

Free-range tahr hunting on Lake Heron Station

We have just had the first of our overseas hunters through for the tahr hunting season. The South Island of New Zealand is one of the few places in the world where Himalayan Tahr can be hunted in the wild. Since they were first introduced in the South Island, tahr readily adjusted to the high country and in a short time became recognised as a threat to native plant species. Here at Lake Heron we have adopted a policy of culling animals to prevent over-population and of providing access to keen local and overseas hunters. And keen the hunters have must be, to negotiate the high rocky ranges that the tahr frequent! This is true Kiwi hunting at its best – no fences or helicopters to give the hunters an unfair advantage. Skill, fitness and perseverance are needed to bring home a trophy.

10/04/2011 | lakeheron

Autumn Muster at Lake Heron Station

Friday night saw 8 men, countless excited dogs, and swags of gear packed into station utes and head out to the “New Hut” for the 4 day autumn muster. This station tradition has taken place every autumn for over a hundred years and at the end of the 4 days, 3,000 Lake Heron merino wethers will have been brought down off the high peaks.

For the men, it is a chance to test out their new dogs and hone the skills of old ones, as well as gather a crop of fresh stories to tell the following year. By the afternoon of each day long mobs of sheep stream across scree and tussock faces as they are herded down to the valley floor. When Tuesday night arrives old hands and new alike, will be weary after several long, hard days “out on the hill.” And every year the tradition is the same – the stories just get bigger and better as they are related over dinner and a few beers back at the homestead.

The “New Hut” circa 1923, home for the autumn muster

27/03/2011 | lakeheron

A day on the river at Lake Heron Station

Bernie Alpers and long-time fishing guide, Nigel Birt, recently had a  couple of days here on the station. This is Bernie’s second stay at Lake Heron and we hope you got what you came for this time Bernie!

25/03/2011 | lakeheron

High Country News from Lake Heron Station

A beautiful day at Lake Heron with an autumn freshness in the air. We have just been putting the finishing touches to the “New Hut” – a backcountry station hut built in 1923! In 1923 it was the newest of Lake Heron’s 5 station huts and once again it can proudly live up to the fond “New Hut” name. With a newly installed modern kitchen, log fire and cosy bunks, it provides a lot more comfort than it would have in 1923. 10 kms from the main homestead area, the hut was built as one of a number of station outposts for mustering sheep and cattle. Once the trip to the hut would have taken several hours on horseback, however now,  it is only a short mountain bike or 4WD trip away. Despite this, it still retains a wonderful sense of being a remote haven in a large and rugged landscape.

PS…. These girls are your only neighbours!