Mount Robert

Pourangahau / Mount Robert is a 1,421m high mountain in the Nelson area of New Zealand's South Island. It is within the Nelson Lakes National Park. For many years Mt Robert formed part of John Kerr of Nelson's (Landowner & Politician), Lake Station but was returned to the crown in the years following his death in 1898. The partially unsealed Mt Robert Road, just west of the town of Saint Arnaud leads to a car park that is the start of tramping tracks into the Nelson Lakes National Park, and also a 5-hour loop walk up the mountain: The Pinchgut Track zigzags steeply up to near the top of Mt Robert, then continues along a ridge to Bushline Hut, before descending via the more gentle Paddy's Track. The track offers view over Lake Rotoiti and St Arnaud.

Pourangahau
Mount Robert
Pourangahau / Mount Robert viewed from St Arnaud across Lake Rotoiti
Highest point
Elevation1,421 m (4,662 ft) [1]
Coordinates41°50′0″S 172°48′40″E [2]
Geography
Pourangahau
Location in New Zealand
LocationTasman Region, New Zealand

The treeline on the northeastern slopes of Mt Robert is unusually low due to erosion following the loss of the original beech forest by fire in 1887 and subsequent grazing. Mature beech forest remains on the western and southern sides of the mountain.

On its northern side is an abandoned skifield. In 2005 the rope tows were removed and shifted to the nearby Rainbow Ski Area. A lack of snow was cited as one of the reasons for removing the tows.[3] At times a helicopter shuttle was used for access to the skifield.

In August 2014, the official name for Mount Robert was altered to Pourangahau / Mount Robert, following the Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō Treaty of Waitangi settlement with the Crown.[4]

References
  1. "Nelson Lakes short walks brochure" (PDF). Wellington, New Zealand: Department of Conservation. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  2. Google (3 August 2012). "Mount Robert, Nelson Lakes National Park" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  3. Kidson, Sally (12 March 2005). "Last rites for Mt Robert skifield".
  4. "NZGB decisions – August 2014". Land Information New Zealand. August 2014. Archived from the original on 21 November 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2015.


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