Rock and Pillar Range Revisited
Heading north from Dunedin, along SH87, with Ranfurly, and the Otago Recreational 4WD Club’s Central Otago Safari, as our ultimate destination, we were transfixed by the Rock and Pillar Range, off to our left.
By the time we got to Middlemarch, the range loomed close, and with a day or two in hand we stayed on to explore.
While we were there, we were told a few times of a DOC track straight up the side of the range to a pair of huts at the top.
We vowed to return, and a couple of days after the Safari we did.
Despite its rugged, steep sides, the range has a relatively wide flat top, that is the result of it being squeezed up between two major fault lines, with a 4WD track along the top.
The Safari had already taken us up to and along this track, which had done nothing to dampen our enthusiasm to explore the climb up from Middlemarch, if anything it had reinforced it.
Middlemarch itself is almost precisely 80km from Dunedin, via Mosgiel, and SH87. Although it is dominated by the range, the town is mostly known for its other attractions.
Primarily now, it is the start of the Otago Rail Trail, and much of the town is devoted to attending the needs of cyclists. But it was also the terminus of the Taieri Gorge Railway, and still has a very active railway restoration group, with railway relics on or near the lines of the old station and the stone arch sculptures.
We must admit that we never went to check it out, but one of the best stories we heard was about the wild orchard that runs along each side of the railway line back towards Dunedin, courtesy of the many apple cores and peach stones thrown out of the excursion train windows following lunch at the Hotel.
One of our favourite sights was the old stone sheepyards, but the drive out to, and the walk around the Sutton Salt Lake, with its rock “Guardian” should also be on everyone’s to-do list.
The Taieri Valley itself is largely clear of the big stone formations that decorate the upper slopes of the ranges, removed by both glaciation and settlers, and it is an abrupt change going from the pastures of the lower valley, to the rocks, tussock, moss and Matagauri bushes of the National Park area.
The track itself is referred to as Kinvara Road, and it turns directly off SH87, via a farm drive, then through a DOC carpark. You will be spending your day with walkers and cyclists, just to add to the challenge.
The track itself is not really a challenge, although 4WD is essential in a few of the loose “shale” areas, and the odd rock that protrudes up out the road surface, and there are a couple of “don’t look down” sections, but after our trips up Mt Ida and Pisgah, we were getting used to them.
For us the main attraction, aside from the drive itself, were the rocks, which absolutely dominate the landscape, even more so than the top flats we drove along on the Safari trip. It didn’t take too much imagination to start seeing shapes and figures off in the distance.
The climb to the top is about 10km, where you meet the top track at a T intersection. Turning right takes you a few kms to a locked gate where the park enters private property. There is no public access through the farm, but the views make the side track worthwhile.
Turning left however puts you on the main track, and a further 13.5km out to the Old Dunstan Road. Big hut is accessed off this road, and is available for camping for an overnighter right above Middlemarch.
The track up passes the Leaning Hut, which is in a very bad state, and is closed. It’s practically inaccessible, with the hiking track overgrown and disappearing back into the wilderness.
All around are reminders that this is Otago high country, and not to be trifled with. The 4WD tracks and even the Old Dunstan road are closed over winter, and even SH87 can become impassable.
Big Hut is secured to the bedrock by steel ropes against the winter winds.
We did the “up and back” option rather than go on to the Dunstan Road, and although we had been aware of the incredible views behind us, it wasn’t till we were on the real down hill that we got a real reminder of just how high we were, and just how big the country down there is, and how vulnerable it can be.
Despite the snow and rain, it is also affected by the Otago droughts, and really dries out in the summer. On the trip down we were driving through areas that had obviously seen more than one fire rip through, and we have heard and seen reports of more since.
Outside Big Hut there is an area of Peat and Heather that has been torn up by a few irresponsible 4wheelers and dirt bikers that haven’t done our reputation with the DOC managers or the locals any good at all.
The trip up to Big Hut took all day, with a lot of time spent out of the Jeep, the plants, bugs, birds, views and rocks are as unique as the drive itself.
The trip back down via Kinvara, is a lot shorter than continuing on along the top, but no less as dramatic with the steeper, and rockier, track with its sections of bedrock to negotiate.
The transition from rock formation and scrub to pristine farmland is also more abrupt down this side, and provides a stark insight into the changes wrought by settlement.
It’s a reasonably easy trip, but as always is best shared with a mate or two. Whichever way you go, please take care of the environment so we can keep coming up.
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DEDICATED TO THE LIFE AND WORK OF OUR FRIEND GORDON (GORDY) LECKIE
“The man from Middlemarch had a very big heart” – George Estcourt.
