To celebrate VUWTC's 105th anniversary, we're carrying a club-themed cake and hut maintenance presents to Penn Creek hut. Our club used to look after it, so we'll take a trip down (and up) memory lane to celebrate the volunteer work of VUWTC and others who have cared for the hut (such as exNZFS and the Backcountry Trust) 🥳

Route:

NOTE: This trip is medium-hard difficulty. Day 1 involves 1000m ascent in the first few hours, before descending 833m (reversed on day 2). Penn Creek has 6 bunks with some camping space outside, so trip is capped at 10.

Day 1 (Fri 10 July: Matariki!) - We'll meet at Kelburn campus at 8am and leave shortly after. After collecting the cake, we'll drive 1hr 30min to Ōtaki Forks carpark. We'll bag Parawai Lodge at the road end, then walk 3-3.5hr (5km) to Field hut. After lunch, we'll depart for Penn Creek which is another 3-3.5hr (3km). Arrive about 5pm.

Day 2 - We can have a chill morning and leave at 10. Current plan is to return to carpark the way we came via Field hut (6hr or so, 8km). We can take a chill pace.

We may stop in Ōtaki for fish and chips on the way home?!

Field Hut info

Penn Creek Hut info

Gear:

Please bring overnight tramping gear. Key things are a tramping pack, warm clothing, a windproof raincoat, tramping boots or trail runners, a sleeping bag, a bowl/cutlery, a headtorch, a big water bottle, and a first aid kit/personal medication. Bring a pot/cooker if you have them.

You can borrow club gear (eg packs, sleeping bags), but please ask in advance :)

Full gear list here.

Food:

Please bring 1 breakfast, 2 lunches, 1 dinner, snacks, drinks (NO glass please!), and at least 1 day's emergency food in case we get delayed.

Cost:

- Roughly $13-16 fuel per person

- Hut payment ($15 for a blue standard DOC hut ticket, you can buy at outdoor stores eg Bivouac, Macpac) - also can use DOC hut pass, or camp for free if you bring a tent

NOTE: standard hut tickets increased from $10 to $15 on 1 July 2026.

Previous VUWTC visits to Penn Creek:

"A dedicated team of Victoria University Tramping Club members..." - Wilderness mag

VUWTC 2022 trip: "Two small trips to repaint Penn Creek"

"VUWTC are the nominal caretakers of this hut..."

Article discussing BCT, exNZFS, VUWTC efforts

Penn Creek reference @ VUWTC's 100th party

Come one, come all! 

VUWTC is looking for the keenest of beans to join our committee for the remainder of the year! (Until October)

Due to our amazing Assistant Chief Guide, Robyn, returning to her home university of Edinburgh, we have had to find someone to fill her role on the committee. 

About the role, Assistant Chief Guide: "Assists the Chief Guide to run the tramping side of the club, organise lots of trips and put together the trip calendar" you will also help facilate pther people run trips, look after health and safety of the club, vote on how the club spends it's money (your money!) and attend committee meetings where you get a say in what direction and projects the club runs with! It's a fun role and super integral to the running of the club; you will work closely with the Chief Guide, Jack. Social officers Grace and Mia and the President, Max, will get you caught up on what we do and how we run the club!

If this sounds like a bit of you, reach out to Jack Goodeve (Chief Guide) or Max Honiss (President) with any questions :)

We are also on the hunt for a new club Secretary. This role: "Looks after club membership and correspondence of the club." You will also be in charge of taking minutes at meetings, applying for funding so we have the money to buy cool gear for everyone, and run cool trips and training! (SUPER IMPORTANT) You will also co-manage the club's email with the President and respond to new and current members. Secretary is a key role in keeping the club running smoothly, 

If this is a role that interests you, reach out to Max and Michael on vuwtramping@gmail.com!

ALSO!

We currently have an opening for our Climbing officer role. Brooke has unfortunately had to step down for the remainder of the year :( 

About the role: "Organises rock-climbing trips and rockcraft training." Pretty simple, you help to run the club, vote on decisions and contribute to the massive community that is VUWTC! And get hands-on (some rocks) as our climbing officer. In this role, your main task is to run climbing nights at Faultline and Hangdog every Wednesday night during the Uni Tri!

Reach out with any questions to Max or Brooke!

On the night, people who are nominated will have the opportunity to speak to why they would be good in the role (60 seconds max), before they are invited to leave the room. Members will discuss each potential person as to why they are fit for the role, before a vote is taken.

You may nominate yourself or others through the Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflh3SFvK1TDj5-1uB-m_oIaTDnoNP1tCalC5w9cIS5ea-d9g/viewform?usp=publish-editor

Nominees will be contacted before the SGM as to if they accept the nomination. Nominations close on the 10th of July.

Keen to give back to the club? This one's for you!

Welcome to Wednesday Climbing Nights!

Want to try indoor climbing for the first time, or meet some like-minded climbers? Come along to our weekly climb nights! We climb at Hangdog (Bouldering & Top roping) in Lower Hutt, and Faultline (Bouldering) on Willis St. 

This week, we'll be climbing at Faultline, which is a bouldering gym. This = no ropes/harnesses & no belaying. There are grades for every level of experience, so no matter how much climbing experience you have you’ll have plenty to get stuck into! 

IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME CLIMBING AT FAULTLINE, SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE (https://www.wellingtonclimbing.co.nz/first_visit_fl/) AND SIGN THE ONLINE WAIVER BEFORE WE LEAVE FOR THE GYM! 

This week: Faultline 

Schedule:

• Sign up! (Even if you are meeting us down there)

• Meet outside Faultline at 5:20 p.m.
• CLIMB!
• You can leave whenever you like (We usually finish up around 7:30-8:00 p.m), return to your flats and halls by bus or walk from the gym.

Entry costs: $15 + $3 for shoes 

This is not paid for through the club—there is no piking fee if you pull out. Pay at FL when we arrive.

To get the VUWTC entry price, just let the front desk know you are with VUWTC. Our discounted price is only from 5:30 pm onwards on Wednesdays.

The plan is to go from Catchpool Carpark - Mt Matthews Summit Return (23km) in under 9 hours.

Meet at Hunter Carpark 5:00am, leaving at 5:20. Get to Catchpool at 6:00am We need an early start because the gates at Catchpool are only open from 6am-6pm so would like to have as much time to spare as possible. Taking my car so room for 4 more. Cost will just be fuel (total TBD)

Organise your own food, enough for whatever you need for a day of walking.

The aim is under 9 hours because that is one of the recommended times for Wellington LandSAR applicants so a good level of fitness is required. 

I will also be carrying a full pack so can maybe carry some of your snacky bites and water (still bring a bag please).

Kia ora all! 

Please join us for an early morning of star gazing, hot drink drinking, good chats, and possibly battling the freezing cold. 

We would have loved to run this trip on Friday morning, but Tāwhirimātea had other plans, and it is unlikely Matariki will visible through the clouds and rain that Friday morning is forecasted to hold.

Sunday looks so far so good. 

This is a very casual trip and the more people the merrier. Be brave, set an alarm, peel yourself out of your warm bed and into the cold darkness. See you there. 

We will meet at the look out. This will allow for people to trickle in at their own pace/early morning getting out of bed willpower speed. 

Bring:

• Warm clothes
• Blankets/sleeping bag (if you want maximum coziness)
• A cup (for hot drinks)

Our Second collaboration with Karori Kaitiaki at Birdwood Reserve. We will be helping to restore a steep Gully of native bush in the reserve, and clearing Kaiwharawhara stream of Tradescandia. This is an important site for Karori Kaitiaki, as it's the home of the future Birdwood Reserve track. It's a super fun way to do some practical work outside that creates meaningful and visible change within the native ecology of our city. Come along and be part of the action!

Please bring gardening gloves, a water bottle and jacket, snacks and if possible a spade, shovel or rake. 

Hope to see you there!

Hi, 

I have been wanting to make it to kime hut for a while now. 

We will leave uni around 9am, its a 1 1/2 hour drive and 5-6 hour walk - if weather is not good we may change to field hut. and then back out the next morning. 

Numbers will be limited to cars atm I can take 4 others but if more cars sign up we can take more 

cost: will be fuel, food and standard hut pass. maybe will do shared dinners. 

Will be a chill and social pace - great for beginners or people wanting to get out of the city for the holidays before uni starts back up again. 

Women and Gender Minorities Tramp! This is a medium level trip, it would be great for anyone new to tramping or just wanting to get out into the bush before we head back into studying. We can enjoy the river and eachothers presence. Low pressure high enjoyment!

Day 1 (2nd of July): 

- We will meet at the gear shed at 9.30am on Thursday to sort out cars, gear check, distribute food and leave.

- Aiming to be gone asap (10am would be epic) 

- Drive to the holdsworth campground road end

- Walk to Mitre Hut, (approx 5hrs)

- go for a swim?, Light the fire, cook a shared dinner together (NACHOS), all the best things. 

Day 2: 

- We will leave relatively early to get back in time for the afternoon, so will be aiming to leave the hut at around 8am.

- We should be back in Wellington before 4pm

Pease refer to the trip resources page for what to bring on this overnight trip. 

you will also need your own food for one breakfast and two lunches. 

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions and we'll update you via email if anything changes with the weather, see yall soon!