Avoca Homestead is a quaint old hut tucked next to Broken River in the foothills of the majestic Torlesse Range. A couple of families and Anna, Elliot and I embarked on a journey to take our kiddos there. To reach the car park at the end of Craigieburn Road, we had to pass through 17 gates. While some were open, most were closed, so I was glad we were travelling in three cars, which helped with the opening and closing. The walking track initially follows the railway line before descending to Slowens Stream. Along the way, there are some blackberry bushes and even a few apple trees, providing excellent snacking material for the kids.
Just before the hut, we had to cross Broken River. It wasn’t too difficult, but I can see how it could become impassable after heavy rain. If you want to check whether it’s safe to cross, Google “Riverflow data ECan” and select “Waimakariri River at Below Otarama.” If the river flow is over 80 m³/s, it’s probably not worth the risk. We crossed at 55 m³/s, which was manageable, but the current was swift – I wouldn’t want to attempt it with, say, 50% more water.
After arriving at the hut, we made a campfire, played in the river, and chased the kids through the forest. The sandflies were relentless, but surprisingly “friendly” – they didn’t bite as much (at least not me!).
A night tramp to Broken River Hut
The following morning, at 5 AM, I set off on a night tramp to Broken River Hut via Broken River. The route involves about 2 km of open riverbed travel on each side, with a 2 km gorge in the middle. I counted 14 compulsory river crossings where the full channel had to be forded, plus a couple more where only a partial crossing was needed. The crossings were of similar difficulty – so if you find the first few manageable, the rest should be fine.
It took me 1 hour 20 minutes to reach Broken River Hut in complete darkness and 1 hour 10 minutes to return with a bit of daylight. I kept a swift pace, and the darkness probably only slowed me down by about 10 minutes each way. I estimate the DOC times would be around 2.5-3 hours from Avoca Homestead to Broken River Hut and 2-2.5 hours on the return journey. There’s no marked track, though a faint mix of hunter and deer trails can be followed through patches of forest.The 4WD track to Broken River Hut from the river starts at 43.1902067S, 171.8391333E I initially missed it because someone had burned the orange triangle marking the start of the track and had to scramble up a steep bank from the river. It’s fairly easy, and there are a few places where it can be done. As mentioned earlier, the river flow at “Waimakariri River at Below Otarama” was 55 m³/s when I did my trip. I think 70-75 m³/s would be the maximum I’d feel comfortable with – anything higher would be unnecessarily risky. The route on the TopoMap.
After returning to Avoca Homestead, we spent more time playing and offering our blood to the sandflies before heading back the same way.
Tramped on 22-23th March 2025.
Map
Max elevation: 481 m
Min elevation: 392 m
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