Iron Whare

Iron Whare is a historic DOC-managed backcountry hut in Kaweka Forest Park (Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand). It was built from vertical-slab tōtara with a corrugated iron roof and a dirt floor, and it’s unusual in that it sits on a relatively steep slope rather than a flat clearing. The hut is preserved mainly for heritage interest and daytime use rather than as a recommended overnight option.

The hut has no internal heating or cooking facilities, and it does not provide mattresses or a water tap. There are two simple bunks inside, but DOC does not recommend it for overnight stays. Drinking water must be collected from a nearby stream (about 100 m away) and boiled before use; water can dry up during summer, so plan accordingly. There is also an outdoor pit toilet roughly 100 m from the hut.