Alice Nash Memorial heritage Lodge & Track

Directions​
  • To get to Alice Nash Heritage Lodge travel north through Apiti to Table Flat Road. Continue up the road,  until you come to a Y junction. Take the left turn to Forest Park, up Pederson's Road It is a narrow winding gravel road, so please take care and keep to your left.
  • ​Continue up a narrow winding road to the Table Flat Carpark
  • From there the walk crosses poled farmland before entering the forest park itself.
  • Continue on for about 30 minutes before reaching the Lodge.
  • On the way you cross an arched bridge. There are a few tracks leading off the track, including the Stoat Traps Tack to the Iron Gates Gorge, a track down to the Oroua River - another route to the Iron Gates Gorge, and the track to Tunupo.
If you are planning to stay in the hut you will need to pre-pay the NZ Deer Stalkers Association of Manawatu.
You can either:
  • Post a cheque to P.O. Box 1874, Palmerston North, 
  • Make an online payment to Manawatu NZ Deer Stalkers Association, ANZ, 01 0754 0023938 00 
Story behind the Lodge
In 2005 the old Heritage Lodge burned down. It had been built by the NZ Deerstalkers Asscociation, (NZDA), whose members were devastated at the loss. 
It would cost $100,000 to replace and the insurance in no way covered that cost. When all seemed lost, a sponsor came forward - Hazel Nash, who was living overseas. Her late mother, Alice Nash grew up in Rangiwahia village where she developed a love of the great outdoors. Alice's parents were Jack and Amy Carey. She moved to Feilding when she married her husband Cliff (known as Jack) Nash. Their three children spent wonderful holidays in the Rangiwahia district with their Carey Grandparents, developing a love for the district which will last a lifetime. 
In memory of Alice, the Nash daughters donated the funds needed for the rebuild of the Lodge. The NZDA would own the Lodge and be responsible for maintenance and the insurance. The only stipulation was the Lodge was to be named The Alice Nash Memorial Heritage Lodge.
​So with this amazing donation, generous local suppliers and the hard work of the Manawatu Branch of the NZDA Manawatu branch, the new Lodge was built in 2007 for all to enjoy. The Apiti community and local Manawatu businesses were also responsible for various donations.
Sunshine Homes were awarded the contract to build the Lodge. The No 3 Squadron at Ohakea Airbase agreed to supply an Iroquois Helicopter to airlift all the building products to the site as part of a training exercise. It took the helicopter 53 loads from the road end to the building site to complete the task. Interestingly, a similar helicopter was used to deliver stoat traps throughout the Ruahines in Dec. 2011

​Acknowledgements 
  • Grateful thanks to Alister Tompkins, historian, past Rangiwahia resident and relative of the Carey family
  • NZ Hunting & Wildlife Magazine Spring 2007​​
Outdoor Safety Code:
1. Plan your trip
2. Tell someone
3. Be aware of the weather
4. Know your limits
5. Take sufficient supplies
For more information visit Adventure Smart