A 4WD club helps repair damage at the Ashburton Lakes

A Mid Canterbury 4WD club has been helping repair vehicle-damaged ground at Buicks Bridge, near Ōtūwharekai/Ashburton Lakes. It is a useful bit of local outdoor news: people giving their weekend to look after a place they enjoy.

In its 23 September update, DOC says the club helped fund and plant native shrubs and trees on a hillside damaged by other 4WD users. The planting is intended to discourage more off-track driving.

The Southern branch of the New Zealand Four Wheel Drive Association provided funding. Plants came from Arowhenua Native Nursery and Restoration, using locally sourced plant material. As they grow, DOC expects them to provide seed for further natural regeneration.

A place worth looking after

Ōtūwharekai includes the upper Rangitata River and the 12 Ashburton Lakes. DOC describes a varied high-country wetland landscape, with habitat for birds including wrybill and crested grebe. The area also has cultural and historical significance to Ngāi Tahu.

It is a place people visit for walking, kayaking and time beside the water. That mix of recreation and habitat makes looking after the ground part of looking after the whole trip.

If you’re heading that way

Check DOC’s current visitor information and signs before deciding where to drive or walk. Existing tyre marks are no substitute for checking whether a route is open to vehicles.

If a walk is part of your day, work out the route and conditions before sorting your kit. Our guide to choosing gear for a New Zealand day walk is a practical starting point.

Photo: volunteers planting on the hillside, with vehicle damage behind them. Stephanie Mercer / DOC, via the original report. Used under CC BY 4.0; see DOC’s image reuse policy. The website may crop the image to fit.

Sources checked 25 September 2026. Access information can change; check DOC before travelling.

Updated 26 September 2026: shortened the wording for easier reading.