8 thoughts on “Big River Mine”

1. Went into Big river on the 15th of March, road was in good condition but about 4km before the Big river hut there was a tree across the road and that was where we had to stop. Hopefully someone in a 4 wheel drive will have a chain saw with them and be able to clear it, it won’t take much but we didn’t have anything with us. Guys on bicycles can carry their bikes across but we couldn’t.

2. In November 2023 track was a bit rough in places for bigger bikes. Still great though.

    

3. Track good with some sections harder on a bigger adventure bike after some rain.

4. Went up to the hut yesterday, track is good condition.  Easy on a light adventure bike with some more challenging tracks off the side

5. I did part of the track on 15/10/2022. Was very rough. lots of holes and rocks. Mind going through the creek as the bottom is very slippery rock. I only did 3/4 of the way as I was to knackered to continue. Not the best track to do solo

6. If you see any of this going on take number plates if there is any and photo’s.

   https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/123520455/skink-on-brink-of-extinction-has-its-only-habitat-damaged-by-fourwheel-drive-vandals

   Skink on brink of extinction has its only habitat damaged by four-wheel drive vandals

   Conservationists fear a community of rare skinks found only at a single site on the West Coast may have been decimated after it was ruined by people in four-wheel drive vehicles.

   The Alborns skink is part of the speckled skink family and endemic to a single habitat near Reefton, close to Big River, which is off-limit to vehicles.

   Monitoring since 2015 has detected just 17 individuals, meaning the population is considered extremely vulnerable to extinction.

   Department of Conservation senior ranger Sam Symonds said four-wheel drivers had recently turned part of the site into a mud hole and driven over skink monitoring pit covers, which could have crushed and killed skinks.

   “The damage is thought to be related to an ongoing issue of vandalism in the area, with continued destruction of assets and vegetation at the Big River Hut and Mine site,” he said.

   DOC has spent around $20,000 each year repairing damage from what is thought to be just a few people.

   “We’d like to stop them,” Symonds said.

   “As well as being really concerning for our vulnerable skink population, it’s such a waste of resources and a disappointment for other people who like to use this site, not to mention the public of New Zealand who are paying unnecessarily for damage to be repaired.”

   The vandals pulled up fences, ripped up track, destroyed grassed areas, intimidated hut users and done motorbike burnouts inside the hut, as well as leaving rubbish, cutting down trees, pulling down gates and smashing posts.

7. Went in a few days ago in torrential rain on the bush pig.Track in good nick.If going to tin town when riding up to the winding plant the mud is very deep and sticky good fun.

8. Went in here today in the pouring rain. Not a problem on the little bikes. Got absolutely soaked but loved it. Will post some pics when back home.