Many Improvements In Mt. Cook National Park

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30316, 17 December 1963, Page 22

Many Improvements In Mt. Cook National Park

Th<* new Plateau Hut in the Mount Cook National Park was occupied yesterday by climbers for the first time, when two parties moved in. According to the chief ranger to the park board (Mr J. L. Burke), the new Tasman Saddle hut is also open to occupation, although any parties using it during the next few days will have to take their own sleeping bags and bedding. Sleeping bags and blankets will be taken to the hut by the rangers as soon as practicable—if possible, before Christmas. The last of the party who built the two huts were flown out yesterday by an aircraft of Mount Cook Air Services, Ltd. The work of installing the new park radio system was going well, and eight huts now had radios, Mr Burke said. He hoped one or two more sets would be put in by Christmas. The huts already equipped are the Empress, Gardiner, Hooker, Three Johns, Mueller, Murchison, Malte Brun, and de la Beche; in addition, two new Cessna 185 aircraft of Mount Cook Air Services have had crystals fitted which enable their sets to be switched to the park board's frequency. The plateau and Tasman Saddle huts have sets which are operational, even though not fully installed. Work is also going on on the park board’s new motor camp beneath White Horse Hill, a mile or so up the valley from the Hermitage. Nine caravan bays are to be put in and provision made for a fairly large number of tents; There will be a piped watersupply, and toilet facilities are available at the nearby Foliage Hill shelter. Up to yesterday, only two of the caravan bays had been built, but Mr Burke said the rangers would be busy again today, weather permitting, and should finish most of the others. In any case, there were several suitable natural bays. The water-supply would not be ready for a few days because the necessary piping had not yet arrived; but if all went well “minimal facilities” would be ready by Christmas. The supply was to be brought 4000 ft from a creek flowing from the Sealy Range. Tanks would be built, including some for rainwater. The old temporary camping area near the entrance to the

Hermitage area would be kept open until the new site was fully functioning, Mr Burke said. The new restaurant being built by Mr E. N. Stick, opposite the old camping area, will be opened before Christmas, and will serve Christmas dinner. The brochure being prepared by the board for use by visitors taking the Governor’s Bush nature walk should be ready in January or February, the board's secretary (Mr W. M. Ollivier) said yesterday.