Landsborough Rangers Hut (old) (Forbes Castle) - Haast, West Coast

Landsborough Rangers Hut (old) (Forbes Castle)Park: HaastWest CoastCategory: Backcountry HutBunks: 4Landsborough Rangers Hut (old) (Forbes Castle) is located in Haast in the region of West Coast. It has 4 bunks and the category of Backcountry Hut.Named after John Forbes & built in 1928, it was a step-up from the usual canvas shelters used by stalkers. Funding for the hut was thanks to eccentric Welsh millionaire Godfrey Williams, who after his 1927 hunting trip left funds for the construction of a permanent hut below Strutts Bluff. In 1928, Con Hodgkinson & Mark Te Koiti used Williams' donation to build the hut. Initially known as "Con's Castle" after the guide, it later became "Forbes Castle" likely due to Forbes' role as a ranger for the local Acclimatisation Society. It eventually became "Rangers' Hut," reflecting this association. The government's deer culling program starting in 1933, & the hut & its nearby horse paddocks became a crucial stopover for hunters venturing up the valley. The name "Rangers' Hut", left old-time hunters dismayed who knew it by its more colourful historical names.The hut served its purpose until 1941 when a new hut replaced it as the primary base. The original hut, deemed unsafe by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), was demolished in 1946.Location:

Type	Location
New Zealand Topo50 Ref	BY13 178 259
Latitude Longitude	-43.966041 169.482299
NZTM Grid Reference	E1317804 N5125881

Elevation: 124Amenities: Heating, Open FireWater Source: Water body near hut

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