Southern Lakes NZDA upcoming events

1-10 April - Steel Creek Trapping and Hunting Ballot (1 Apr 2026)

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Trap monitoring - Mid Greenstone and Steele Creek Ballot

This is another great chance for new or inexperienced members to come along and learn with experienced Club Members. The Primary focus of this trip is to service the trap line, replenish firewood supplies and undertake general Maintenance of the hut and track.

As a club arranged trapping ev

ent - work comes first - with an expectation of a minimum of 5 hours a day of assistance on the tasks/traps. This trip will be pretty relaxed and we hope to do two to three checks of the trap line over this period.

While there is some work to do, we will also be playing as well and cater for all ages. This is a great chance to get to know fellow club members over a whisky/beer/wine or juice round the table at night. It is also school holidays so dads and mums can have outdoor education fun with the kids. We class a child as 14 and

under at the time of the event.

These working bees are always a popular and fun event and give back to the community.

The Club has the Steele creek RHA Ballot from the 1st April to the 10th April as part of our management agreement with DOC, so there is ample opportunity for hunting as well.

The club arranges the ballot and assigns the hunters for the days. The ballots are 1-5 and 6 -10 but we will make sure that those that come will get some hunting in.

No firearms licence?
You are more than welcome to come along too - these are perfect opportunities to learn more in a safe and professional environment in a relaxed learning setting.

Work planned
We plan to achieve the following during this working bee

Checking, servicing and rebaiting all the doc 200 traps in the trapping line.
Deploy some more DOC 200 traps around the Steele Creek hut
Move and rebait the 12 Ai Traps
restocking and Splitting firewood for Steele creek and mid greenstone huts from windfall.
Minor remarking and clearing the tracks either side of the huts down to the respective loop track connections as required
Clean out the soakpits.
Clean the shower and toilet.
Check smoke alarm and monoxide battery conditions.
touch up painting of any areas that need it.
Eat, drink and be merry.....and of course some hunting!

It is pretty casual and we aim to make it social and its a great place to de-stress by getting into the backcountry :-).

Hunting

opportunities
We have the RHA balloted spots available up Steele Creek for the 1st to the 10th April, so if you are keen, we try our best to share these out among everyone helping out. So everyone gets a hunt in if they want one. There can only be 4 rifles out hunting at any one time so we schedule these amongst ourselves, but basically if you have worked you will have priority if there is queue :-) with morning and evening hunts and overnights up steele creek hut all possible.

Accommodation:

We will stay at the Mid Greenstone hut (12 beds) and there is four, first come first served beds at the Steele Creek hut for those that want to head up there. But plenty of tent room.

Get on our website and look up our hut so you can see what is already there and the sleeping set ups etc. the club will arrange keys etc so don't worry about that.

Getting there
Ideally walking in is preferred however we can arrange to fly gear in and out for you if it coincides with the heli load schedule.

The heli load schedule will also allow a few to be able to fly in for $200 per adult each way; $50 per child each way (must have an accompanying adult) and $30 each way for gear only, we can also co-ordinate passenger flights if there is a minimum of 4 pax per flight and the full cost of the Heli is spilt amongst those that do separate passenger trips to the load schedule. (typically $1900 each way $3,200 return for the Heli but TBC) This will be refined closer to the time.

Heli flights would leave from the Glenorchy aerodrome just before you get into Glenorchy.

Walking requires you to drive (additional 45 minutes) around or carpool and park at the Greenstone/Caples track carpark. you can fly one way and walk the other, but will need to coordinate pick ups as they are two completely different locations to end up at.

CLUB MEMBERSHIP

You must be a paid up current member of the club, prior to attending the event.

New members/guests are welcome however they will need to join up as member of the club to get this pricing. If not then the cost of Heli flights is at full non discounted rate and a daily hut accommodation fee $30/day will apply and they will need to arrange and supply the certificates of their own general liability insurances prior to attending the event.

Normally flights will be determined based on when people are available as best possible so please let us know your flexibility for this in the registration form.

Suggestions of Helicopters heading in/out:- NOTE these are not confirmed and will be based on those attending and what works best. So, this is just an initial schedule.

Tuesday afternoon 31st march OR Wednesday morning 1st April
Sunday the 5th OR Monday 6th April
Friday 10th OR Saturday 11th April.
other dates on demand if ample numbers - state your intentions in the registration form so we can see what can be arranged. and note flight costs will be fully charged for those on those flights

What time does the Heli fly?
Once we get closer to the time and have confirmed numbers, we will advise the times of the helicopters and further details, but it will be based on best situation for all so you will need to be slightly flexible.

What do I bring?
Your hunting gear, boots, hut shoe/slippers, gun security bits, food for you, clothes, towel, toiletries, sleeping bag/under sheet, working gloves, tools (will be advised closer to the time). A willingness to have fun, get dirty and enjoy being in the bush with like-minded people and learn heaps.

If someone wants to come in and be camp mother/father who sorts the dinners/ lunches/breakfasts for the team so they can not worry about it then, that would be fabulous, and we would coordinate a communal food menu.

So please book your leave with work now and register asap to secure your place on what will be another very fun and rewarding trip.

There will be a zoom briefing session on Wednesday 25th March at 8pm, if you can't make it please let Dave Rider know before hand.

We will also have a whats app chat group set up so you can ask any questions/ coordinate carpooling etc etc.

Committee Meeting (9 Apr 2026)

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Our committee meetings are open to all members, and we encourage anyone interested in helping to organise and support the club to come along.

These meetings are where we plan upcoming events, discuss conservation projects, and make decisions that keep the branch running smoothly.

Members are encouraged to contribute ideas or propose events for the committee to consider. To keep meetings efficient, we ask that any proposals be submitted by email 7 days in advance so they can be circulated to the committee before the meeting.

For more information or to submit a proposal please email info@southernlakesnzda.org.nz.

Voting on decisions remains the role of committee members.

When: 2nd Thursday of every month, 7:30pm
Where: Online via Zoom
How to join: A Zoom link will be shared with members on registration

2026 Ladies Mavora Hunt (24 Apr 2026)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMT

WHERE: Private Lodge/Hut, Near Mavora Lakes, Southland

WHEN: Anzac weekend 24 - 27 April 2026

WHO: Any female NZDA member

COST: $75 per person to cover 3 nights of basic hut-style accommodation and radio hire

Join us for the annual South Island Ladies Hunt, an all-women hunting trip hosted by the Southern Lakes NZDA Branch. To see what you're getting into take a look at this video from 2022's trip: https://youtube.com/watch?v=U8uQug8ujB8&feature=shares

20 spots are open for female NZDA members to assemble in the Mavora area (between Queenstown and Te Anau) for a long weekend of authentic backcountry hunting, food and fun.

Trip accommodation is situated between 2 amazing DOC hunting blocks – Eyre Mountains and Snowden Forest/Mavora Lakes – and we will have blocks and maps organised for safe hunting with red deer, fallow deer, chamois and pigs in the area.

This event has brought many women together, forming lifelong friendships. It’s a great event and an ideal way to connect with like‑minded ladies.

General Itinerary

Friday 24th – Registration opens at 6pm, Safety briefing and block/buddy allocation at 8pm.

Saturday 25th – Hunting from sunrise, assemble back at lodge in the evening for yarns and BYO dinner

Sunday 26th – Hunting from sunrise but a bit more laid back, back at lodge in the evening for those who wish to make it a full day. World-class fishing will also be on our doorstep if any ladies are keen to fish instead on day 2 (with relevant licence of course).

Monday 27th – Packing up and heading home, all away by noon

More details will be provided upon registration. Payment will guarantee your spot.

Please note that no refunds will be issued for cancellations made within the week of the scheduled hunt.

Use the link below to register

https://www.southernlakesnzda.org.nz/event-6600301

Non NZDA members can sign up and includes 1 year membership + accommodation

If you have any questions please contact Lisa Moffat on email

boozeyfloozy@hotmail.com or phone 021 2388311

Committee Meeting (14 May 2026)

Wed, 13 May 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Our committee meetings are open to all members, and we encourage anyone interested in helping to organise and support the club to come along.

These meetings are where we plan upcoming events, discuss conservation projects, and make decisions that keep the branch running smoothly.

For more information or to submit a proposal please email info@southernlakesnzda.org.nz.

Committee Meeting (11 Jun 2026)

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Our committee meetings are open to all members, and we encourage anyone interested in helping to organise and support the club to come along.

These meetings are where we plan upcoming events, discuss conservation projects, and make decisions that keep the branch running smoothly.

For more information or to submit a proposal please email info@southernlakesnzda.org.nz.

Committee Meeting (9 Jul 2026)

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Our committee meetings are open to all members, and we encourage anyone interested in helping to organise and support the club to come along.

These meetings are where we plan upcoming events, discuss conservation projects, and make decisions that keep the branch running smoothly.

For more information or to submit a proposal please email info@southernlakesnzda.org.nz.

Committee Meeting (13 Aug 2026)

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Our committee meetings are open to all members, and we encourage anyone interested in helping to organise and support the club to come along.

These meetings are where we plan upcoming events, discuss conservation projects, and make decisions that keep the branch running smoothly.

For more information or to submit a proposal please email info@southernlakesnzda.org.nz.