Homer Tunnel car park closed

[Paynterq]

Hi all

I was disappointed to find that the Homer Tunnel car park/alpine garden has been closed off due to the risk of falling rocks with signs saying "no walking" and "no stopping". I'm a bit worried this might be a permanent change as the link below advising of the change is nearly 18 months old - does anyone have any info? Any ideas what trouble you might get in if you ignore the signs (apart from having a rock land on your head at great speed!). Failing that advice on where else to see rockwrens nearby would be most welcome? I'm not sure the rest of the family will fancy hiking up Getrude Saddle...

Cheers

Quentin


https://www.nzta.govt.nz/media-releases ... -to-close/

[FranB]

We were up there in Feb 2021. We parked opposite the Works Headquarters and walked up the road to old Nature Walk. Saw 3 Rock Wren but it is of course at your own risk. Mountaineers we’re coming down when we were there. It used to be very busy there with lots of tourist buses stopping to do walk so I guess they closed it to reduce the risk

[Paynterq]

Thanks Fran

You've emboldened me. I may give it a go if the weather permits.

Quentin

[Davidthomas]

We were up there in Feb 2021. We parked opposite the Works Headquarters and walked up the road to old Nature Walk. Saw 3 Rock Wren but it is of course at your own risk. Mountaineers we’re coming down when we were there. It used to be very busy there with lots of tourist buses stopping to do walk so I guess they closed it to reduce the risk

I believe it was closed by DOC to reduce the risk of rockfall on people walking around. Some big boulders hanging above that valley that would be nasty if they came down. (Partly also DOC being overly risk-averse these days...)

[FranB]

We went up there 3 days in a row. 1st day saw 3 and they were there mid morning for about 20 mins on the flat bit at the beginning of the track. Next day, same time 0 and the next day same time and place only 1. Hope this helps Good luck

[GrahamB]

This is interesting as my wife and I visited the Homer Tunnel area twice during our trip to Te Anau back in late January. Very disappointed to see the traditional site was closed but we entered the Works place (it was Sunday on our first visit and a road-side coffee vendor down at Mirror Lakes suggested this tactic). No luck with Rock Wrens - a brief movement, then nothing over 15 minutes or so - weather was bad though, cold, windy and driving drizzle. Our second trip we went to the works again (coffee vendor had said that often they'll let you through if obviously birders) but a women leaned out of window and told us to clear off (legitimately). Walked up the road towards the tunnel but no luck. So, I'm not clear what or where this supposed nature walk is? Is this the only site in NZ to see Rock wrens?
Cheers,
GrahamB

[Brent Stephenson]

Hi Graham,

The nature walk is the Alpine walk located right at the Homer Tunnel carpark on the eastern side of the tunnel. Traditionally you parked in the carpark and the walk took 20 minutes in a loop through the alpine habitat nearby. But the carpark is closed as per below (and has been for 18 months at least), and the access to the alpine walk therefore not really possible. This is really unfortunate as it was a 'relatively' easy place to see the species. I say relatively as in some cases I have waited in less than ideal conditions for over four hours. In any rock wren location you would want to give yourself at least 2 hours, as they really don't need to stand on a rock and make themselves visible, being able to forage and move through the boulder filled habitat quite happily out of sight.

You might give Otira Valley near Arthur's Pass a try - you will find information on that site here on the forum if you do a search.

Hope that helps,

[GrahamB]

Thanks Brent. I guessed as much. We did spend more time looking for the birds but I didn't want to make an ordeal for Claire (I would have stuck it out for longer otherwise). We did try another track that goes off to the left about 1-2 km back down towards Te Anau (can't remember its name - there is a big off-road gravel/pebble area to park and access to the rock-field. A very swollen stream prevented us from going in further but it was definitely worth a look.

Our Fjordland trip was excellent otherwise - Te Anau like a ghost town but great to see the place (and a Doubtful Sound trip as well - no penguins though) after 16 years in NZ. Kea and Great Crested Grebe (on Te Anau lake) were the only two new birds for us - Yellowheads not seen.
Cheers,
GrahamB

P.S. A bonus was as we were just leaving the Queenstown district I ran over a large stoat or ferret - one up for conservation of the tweeters!

[FranB]

We have seen Rock Wren on 4 different occasions now both at Homer Tunnel And Otira Valley and I am coming to the conclusion that they only seem to appear when it is sunny but I could be wrong.