Book Hurunui online!
St James - Aircraft Access
St James Conservation Area covers 78,000 ha of native beech/tawhai forests, alpine tussocklands, rivers, lakes and mountains. It was a key route for Mäori between the east and west coasts, travelling through the Clarence and Waiau valleys.
The area was one of the largest operating cattle/sheep stations in the country dating back to 1862. It was purchased by the Government in 2008 for public conservation land to protect its natural, physical and cultural values and open it up to outdoor recreation and tourism.
Aircraft can land in certain zones within the St James Conservation Area to drop off or collect people for fishing, hunting, rafting, skiing etc. There are also restricted zones where aircraft are not permitted to land. These zones were developed so people can enjoy a remote experience in some places, and provide for easy access into other places.
For information on where aircraft are permitted to land, contact the DOC Waimakariri Area Office phone (during office hours) 03 313 0820 or email waimakariri@doc.govt.nz
