Waerenga Hut

Waerenga Hut is a Tararua Tramping Club backcountry hut on the eastern side of the Ōrongorongo River in the Remutaka Forest Park. The club has had a hut near the site since 1931; the current hut was built in 1961 and moved to its present location in 2009 after the 31 March 2005 floods undermined the earlier structure.

The hut has bunk space for 15, plus additional mattresses, and includes a kitchen with sink and drinkable water, cookware, plates and cutlery, and a wood burner with a well-filled wood shed (axe and bush saw also provided). Bring your own cooker and fuel, and plan to travel ready to self-manage cooking safely in the hut. The hut is locked; members use it free of charge, while potential non-member users must be known to a club member and pay $15 per adult per night. Booking is required to stay, and at times it may also be used by responsible school groups and similar groups for a fee.

For hut logistics on the Ōrongorongo River trips, the club advises not to cross the Ōrongorongo River if there’s any uncertainty; if river flow at the Truss Bridge is above 6–7 m³/sec, crossing may not be possible. If you need to exit the river, following the old DSIR 4WD track on the true left (starting above Paua Hut) is one option. Nearby tramping ranges across the Remutaka Forest Park, including Mt Matthews and trips toward the South Coast, Wainuiomata, and the Wairarapa.