Into the wild: Why venturing into Ruapehu, New Zealand’s volcanic interior, is a must

Dusty gravel and spinning tyres aren’t the usual amuse-bouche to a fine-dining dinner. Nor are the hulking cattle blocking the track. But things get done a little differently in Ruapehu.

On a warm spring afternoon, ROAM climbs onto an ATV and rattles up the steep, circuitous track to the “top of the world” — a lofty plateau at Blue Duck Station where the award-winning, 10-seat restaurant Chef’s Table sits high above the valley floor.

From up here, the volcanic heart of the North Island spreads out in every direction: Mount Ruapehu rising through the clouds, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe beyond, and Mount Taranaki hovering on the western horizon.

Waiting at the top is executive chef and co-owner Jack Cashmore, a British upstart who honed his craft in acclaimed Michelin-starred kitchens, including the UK’s Restaurant Sat Bains and In de Wulf in Belgium.

Tonight, his tasting menu is shaped by the station’s own produce and foraged ingredients — a 12- course progression ranging from leeks with whitebait caviar to venison topped with bitter cacao.

Read the latest edition of ROAM by The Nightly now

In recent years, Ruapehu has emerged as an unlikely dining destination, with Chef’s Table joined by newcomer Ni in nearby Kakahi, a six-seat restaurant built around native botanicals and hyper-local produce.

Cashmore’s story is deeply entwined with this place. The British chef first came to Blue Duck Station as a volunteer in 2011, returning a decade later to the 2800ha farm and conservation project to start Chef’s Table. It’s a familiar Ruapehu narrative — people arrive for a season or a detour, fall for the landscape, and never quite leave.

The next day, ROAM rolls into Ohakune to meet another Ruapehu convert, Stewart Barclay, affectionately known as “Mountain Man” and owner of tour company Adrift Tongariro.

A corporate worker turned guide, Barclay has spent decades on these slopes leading the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a 20km, one-day hike weaving through UNESCO-listed volcanic scenery.

But Ruapehu has other plans. A huge wildfire burning at Tongariro National Park forces the closing of the crossing, upending the plans of many tourists who travelled from around the world for the renowned pilgrimage.

Fires in this region are incredibly rare, Barclay declares, and emergency services are working around the clock to reopen the park (and they do, the crossing operational just a week after the fire).

Thankfully, Ruapehu has no shortage of adventure beyond its headline hike. With Barclay as guide, ROAM swaps the Crossing for the Mangawhero Falls hike, where the track winds through lush rainforest before the river drops over the cliff edge.

Along the trail, Barclay points out Gollum’s Pool and Ithilien — filming locations from Lord of the Rings and which look every bit as mystical and cinematic as you’d expect.

Back in Ohakune, the pace shifts from boots to bikes. ROAM rides the Te Ara Mangawhero Trail, an 11km loop through native forest and old bush tramways, cooled by a steady breeze rushing through the canopy.

It’s an easy introduction to the region’s popular biking scene, from the gentle Old Coach Road to longer back-country stretches on the Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail — and, for seasoned riders, the legendary 42 Traverse.

That night, over dinner at La Pizzeria in Ohakune, the town feels full of people with stories like Barclay’s; travellers who came for an adventure and ended up staying for the long haul.

VISIT

The Chef’s Table at Blue Duck Station is a destination dinner that must be booked well in advance, with limited seating for just 10 guests.

The experience is designed as an overnight stay, with guests sleeping in elegant chalets close to the restaurant’s lofty setting, then returning for breakfast at Chef’s Table the next morning.

Blue Duck is also a working farm and conservation project, with further accommodation options as its base, as well as guided activities that showcase the surrounding wilderness and its efforts to protect the native whio, or, blue duck.

KNOW

Blue Duck Station sits within easy reach of Ruapehu’s wider adventure playground. About 90 minute’s drive away, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is the region’s signature day hike, a 20km journey across a UNESCO World Heritage volcanic landscape.

For those wanting more time in the terrain, the Tongariro Northern Circuit offers a multi-day alternative through the same remarkable plateau. Beyond hiking, the area also lends itself to cycling trails around Ohakune and guided canoe journeys on the Whanganui River.

blueduckstation.co.nz