The St James Conservation Area (sometimes abbreviated as SJCA) is the trekking area which our club has adopted as our home territory. There are many rides and treks in the area, from ½ day to 6 day rides.
Introduction
As the Department of Conservation (DOC) describe, the St James Conservation Area is located on three mountain ranges and encompasses exceptional natural features and recreation opportunities. Glaciated valleys, glacial moraine deposits, streams, wetlands, lakes and high altitude tarns all dominate the area. The Waiau River runs north to south through the St James Conservation Area. The western side, from Lewis Pass to the Waiau River is characterised more by mixed beech forests, open river flats, tussock tops rising to rocky snow mountain tops. In contrast, the eastern side is drier, open country with matagouri, exotic grasses, regenerating shrublands and mountain lakes.
The St James Conservation Area was one of the largest operating cattle/sheep stations in the country, dating back to 1862.
- Read the DOC website information and download brochures. Click here.
- More on the history of the area. Click here.
Riding in the St James Conservation Area
From the DOC website: You can take your horses through most of St James Conservation Area, with the exception of the St James Walkway and the privately fenced land around Ada homestead. Horses can follow most of the mountain-biking tracks – except the 5 km of mountain-biking track from the Maling Pass-Waiau River junction to the turn-off to Lake Guyon, as this section of track is too narrow to accommodate horses, walkers and mountain bikes.
- Read the code of conduct for riders and the areas that can be accessed on the DOC website. Click here and click on “Other Activities”.
- Read our guide to tracks and rides
- Plan your ride, with information about Huts and Paddocks in St James
- IMPORTANT weather and safety information High Country Trekking Safety
- Prepare for your trek with our Trekking Gear List
- Getting to the area with your horse float or riding up from Hanmer Springs in Getting to St James
- Find things to do in Hanmer Springs before and after your ride in Accommodation and Après-saddle
Wild Horses in the St James Conservation Area
From DOC: The St James horse herd can be seen around the Henry, Waiau and Ada river valleys. These horses are mustered and the off-spring removed and sold every two years. A stallion and up to 30 brood mares are contained within the Henry River catchment (which includes the Henry Track and access to Anne Hut). Leave the gates closed at all times. The horses are technically wild as they cannot be handled and will generally move away from visitors, but do not chase them and avoid contact with the stallion and mares with foals at foot. For more information, contact the DOC office during office hours.
There is a bi-annually sale of young horses from the St James herd. Click here.
More images of the herd and the last muster are on the page St James Horse Herd.
Getting to the St James
Via Jacks Pass and the Clarence River
See map NZTopo 50-BT4 Ada Flat. Click here.
It takes 30 mins to drive slowly with a horse float up the unsealed Clarence Valley Road which turns off Jacks Pass Road in Hanmer Springs Village to get to the St James Homestead on Tophouse Road (sometimes called the Hydro Road).
The current St James Homestead is a collection of historic buildings (stables, woolshed and cookshop which are gradually being restored. There is a locked DOC staff hut which can be used by arrangement (18 beds). Contact DOC Area Office in Rangiora for this. There is a public shelter (concrete block 2 room hut) which has no bunks or furniture, so you need to take your own camping gear.
There are numerous small holding paddocks for horses as well as the cattle yards at which the triennial St James Horse Sale are held.
If you want to take a vehicle up the Edwards Valley to the Cow Stream Hot Pools or Scotties Camp, or take a vehicle over Maling Pass to the Waiau river, you will need to go onto the Department of Conservation website to get the current gate padlock combination.
It takes 2.5 to 3 hours to ride up to the homestead from Hanmer Springs Village via the Jacks Pass Pack Track. (see route notes in Riding the Hanmer Basin)
Enter from the ‘St James Homestead’ (which is actually the site of the homestead burnt down in 1947) for Peters valley access to the Edwards Valley.
Edwards Valley vehicle access road (through locked gate) is 5 mins drive or 15 mins ride further up the Clarence Valley from the Homestead.
Fowlers Pass track leaves from behind Fowlers Hut just over half way to Lake Tennyson, 20 mins drive or 2.5 hrs ride from the Homestead.
Maling Pass vehicle track (through locked gate) starts 50 mins drive or 4.5 hours ride further up the Clarence Valley from the Homestead.