Blue Duck Station
4265 Oio Road, Whakahoro, RD 2, Owhango 3990 New Zealand
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About
#1 of 1 hostel in Owhango
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Comfortable backpacker accommodation and exclusive private lodges located in the Ruapehu District on the banks of the Whanganui and Retaruke Rivers, and surrounded by Whanganui National park. Situated at the start of the 3-day Whanganui River Journey and the Kaiwhakauka/Mangapurua section of the Mountains to Sea Cycle Trail. Blue Duck Station is an outdoor enthusiast’s playground offering horse trekking, hunting, jet boating, kayaking and much much more.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Hiking
Horseback riding
Non-smoking hotel
Self-serve laundry
Room features
Fireplace
Kitchenette
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
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HOTEL CLASS
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Great View
Location
4265 Oio Road, Whakahoro, RD 2, Owhango 3990 New Zealand
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137Reviews2Q+A13Room tips
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Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
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A great way to see true country NZ. and share it with people who care so much about it. We even saw a blue duck thanks to their great conservation efforts. The jet boat trip was highly informative and the native bush was spectacular. The safari was great and I learnt some useful tips about up to date trapping methods. Should have taken a change of clothing as I then would have jumped in a kayak to the base of the waterfall. Our accommodation, overlooking the river was just perfect.
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
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Room Tip: Splash out and include the trip to the restaurant. It is well worth it. Take a change of clothing...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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This was an interesting experience. No mobile reception, no internet - except at the cafe during the daytime, no television, no radio, no newspapers. It made me wonder if this is what life was like for the pioneers. The silence was often total. It also made me wonder about our busy life today, and how we aren't - as a society - really able to cope without constant entertainment. They provide a few board games, and a few books, but the clear expectation is you will be going outside - that's what they do. They do walks, jet boats, rides, hunts, and so on. But it might be an idea to give a few more indoor activities, as it can rain a lot in this isolated Central North Island hill country. I had my laptop and kindle, and was well prepared, and would suggest everyone else staying more than a day or so does the same, just in case. I had wanted to go riding, as although I have ridden an elephant, I have never ridden a horse - which is rather ironic. But there is a minimum of two bookings for horse rides, and I didn't want one so much that I would pay double. Some other place, some other time. So instead, I walked up to the Kaiwhakauka Falls. It was an easy walk on a well graded, if muddy, four-wheel-drive track. Some cows were rather interested in what I might be doing, and headed to their fence to try and find out. Once you turn off the track and head down to the falls though, it's very steep. You end up at the top of the falls - if you have children, make sure they do as you tell them, because it's a fifteen metre drop. The track to the base of the falls heads off to the right, and requires some scrambling over tree roots, before you hit some steps over the steepest bits. There are kayaks at the bottom, and you can return to your lodge via the gorge, but kayaks and I have had a nasty history over the past thirty years - overturned, crashed, stuck between rocks, you name it it's happened - so I just walked back. The falls plunge down a cliff into a punch bowl in several cascades, and they are very beautiful. I had brought my own breakfasts and lunches in, but in the evenings I ate at their cafe. What you see is what you get - this is an operation at the end of a gravel road, about an hour and a half from the nearest supermarket, so a varied menu will not be yours. They can easily do a vegetarian dish, other restrictions are more difficult, so do make sure you tell them before you arrive, if you need food specially prepared - or bring your own. The lodges all have kitchens. The first night, it was a beautifully cooked beef stew with carrots, and roast potatoes, with a bit of brownie for 'afters'. I stayed at the Frontier Lodge, very new, very comfortable, and a great bed to lie in. All the bedrooms have a private bathroom, and they're panelled with plywood in a very natural, relaxed, style. Sheepskin rugs on the floor add to the country vibe. The kitchen was well equipped, with everything you needed, from knives and pots to plates and mugs. The dining table is large, and there is a couch to sit and chat on, as well as a barbecue, more seating, and a large fridge/freezer outside. The bed arrangements gave me a bit of a giggle. When I was there, there were 'waves' of cyclists passing through, on THE worst possible route from North Cape to Bluff. Up and over ranges, down gravel roads, and boggy valleys, you name it, they did it. And one night, I had four Australian blokes turn up. "Are ALL these bedrooms DOUBLE BEDS!?" "Yes," I said. "Well, we're not having THAT!" A right to-do followed. It's a bit sad really, that men can't share a bed without people, well, thinking things. The staff arrived, separated the beds, and the Aussies quietened down. The next night, a Kiwi father and son shared a bed without much fuss. "It's just for one night!" Thinking back into history again, it's rather recent that male bed sharing has been a problem - in pioneer days men would share a bed if there was only one, without much fuss either. And in 1967, my very drunk father shared a bed with five equally drunk Russian men in the thoroughly homophobic USSR with few problems either, after they had a bottle of vodka each. It's a strange world... One of their housekeepers gave me much food for thought too. She was very relaxed, had time to do her work, and talk about a million different subjects. One thing she said that really made me think, was what would we do, without the rubbish truck drivers, and other tradespeople at the - 'humbler' end of the spectrum? That threw into stark relief, New Zealand's obsession with getting degrees and a well-paying job - and that we can't all be doing that. We need the clever, and not so clever, the well-off, the not-so-well-off, the rural dwellers and the city folk - we can't all be the same, if our country is to run, and run well. Not everyone can, or even should, go to university. It was a point to ponder, and she gave me a lot more to ponder on too, in the silence that filled the times between interactions with other people. It's just like that, so far from the town, with very little communication. That was the other thing. I realised that if, say, a massive earthquake struck somewhere overseas, and a hundred thousand people were dead, I would know nothing about it. It must have been like that, for almost everyone in the world, until a couple of hundred years ago. This has been a long, and perhaps, strange, review, but this place threw me into a very different world than the one I usually inhabit, only 130km away as the crow flies, and in many ways, one that existed long in the past. You can experience it too, today.…
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled solo
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Room Tip: Be prepared for the silence, bring something to do for rainy days, and enjoy the peace of the...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
while it rained it added to the atmosphere the trip in on the av was an adventure in itself the food to die for everyone we met was welcoming its a long way in but thats a good thing real nz native forest and the work done to protect the native birds is amazing
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
From start to finish, we really enjoyed our stay. We spent the first night in the cabins, that were clean & tidy with communal facilities. We unfortunately didn't book any activities, but at the last minute we were offered a jet boat ride which we thoroughly enjoyed. The next night we had the fortune of dining & staying at the Chefs Table, outstanding experience. If you're wanting a get away from it all experience, don't hesitate, we will return! Thanks to all the staff, that made our stay
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip: Make sure you arrive in plenty of time before your trip up to the Chefs Table. Book activities...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
A talented team of people who have used what is around them to create an amazing meal and experience. Love the repurposed timber and items from the farm that have been used throughout the restaurant and in the cabins (although they are not your typical cabins!). The food was just beautiful - works of art and tasted incredible. Would love to be back.
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Date of stay: March 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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+1
Excellent: An exciting, informative and fun safari across the station with Seagull & Christy. Then to the Chef's Table. Excellent fine dining, literally on the top of a mountain. Jack, Millie & Richard gave us splendid meal. Highly recommended
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: The safari: You will have fun. You will get dirty! Dusty in summer. Muddy in winter. Enjoy,...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
This place encompasses everything that i rate. Great people, a range of activities that blow your socks off, multiple accommodation options and for those that get to eat at the Chefs table ... how lucky were you! 5 stars for sure. Get amongst it.
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Great stopover with obliging. friendly staff. Meals at the cafe are simple, hearty and delicious … and the cafe itself is filled with interesting memorabilia. Lots of interesting people coming and going so it’s a bit of a social hub in the middle of nowhere. The packed lunch will ful you through a full day of biking!
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: Ask staff about where to see whio
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Our second time staying at Blue Duck Station - a fantastic piece of NZ, for beauty, adventure, history, conservation, as well as rest and relaxation. On top of this the staff are so welcoming and bend over backwards to make your stay special. This time we did the Chefs Table at the top of the station, incredibly views of Taranaki on one side and Ruapehu on the other. Haute cuisine in a brand new restaurant.
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Date of stay: January 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
+1
Still buzzing 2 days after the best 3 day horse trek ever! Blue Duck Station is situated near the Whanganui and Retaruke rivers. It is a working farm with strong conservation values. The Station is family owned and the team is so friendly and keen for you to have the best of experiences while also learning a bit about their Whio (blue duck) conservation programme, the local history and natural fauna and flora.This trek is for experienced riders as it covers varied terrain - steep farmland, redwood forest and native bush, with opportunities to canter. We also got to kayak at a waterfall, jetboat along the Whanganui river, and swim in the river. Brilliant team, excellent steady horses, comfortable beds, hearty food, flat whites (real coffee). What more could you wish for?
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip: Take your own alcohol - the station is not licensed.
Once you turn off the main highway the road...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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LOCATION
New ZealandNorth IslandManawatu-Wanganui RegionOwhango
NUMBER OF ROOMS
14
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What are some of the property amenities at Blue Duck Station?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free parking, self serve laundry, and hiking.