Peel Forest and Rangitata Gorge Area

The Peel Forest Store – The local Peel Forest Store has all your Milk, Bread, Papers, Groceries, Takeaway Food, Post Office and Off-Licence needs covered, and is the booking office for the Peel Forest DOC Campsite. The Peel Forest Store is also home to the warm and cozy ‘Little Mt Peel Cafe’, call in and sample the delicious lunch or evening menu and view artwork by local artists such as Austen Deans.

Peel Forest Horse Trekking – Run by Bert and Pennie How, is your opportunity to experience life before the car and enter a relaxed age, trekking through some of the most gorgeous countryside in South Canterbury. Bert and Pennie also run Peel Forest Safaris and own the Peel Forest Lodge, boutique accommodation lodge.

4X4 New Zealand Ltd. – Visit the Rangitata locations for the ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies with 4×4 New Zealand Ltd. See  parts of ‘Middle Earth’ in New Zealand, revel in the scenery and background in the Two Towers and stop at Erewhon’s Mt Sunday where ‘Edoras’ was built. Or travel into the New Zealand High Country, up the Rangitata Gorge, and see the local people as they go about their daily work and the beautiful valley and rivers that rule their lives.

The Peel Forest Senic Reserve is only 13 Km away from our Rafting Lodge, and has a variety of peaceful, uncrowded native bush walks. The walks vary from short walks to waterfalls and the ‘Big Tree’, to an all day trip up Little Mount Peel.

The Rangitata Rafts base is situated on historic Mt Peel Station, one of New Zealand’s first high country sheep farms. Pioneers John Acland and Charles Tripp arrived from England in 1855, and eventually divided up the huge farm. John Acland stayed at Mt Peel while Charles Tripp took ownership of Orari Gorge Station, both of these stations are still owned by members of the families. From 1860 on, Acland and Tripp explored the headwaters of the Rangitata River, making the first explorations of the of the havelock and Clyde tributaries of the Rangitata. They also crossed the Harper Pass into Westland, climbing over the Southern Alps to get there.

Located on Mt Peel Station, and 5 km’s from the Rangitata Rafts Lodge is the Church of the Holy Innocents. This cute historic church was built in 1868 by the Acland family. It is named ‘The Church of the Holy Innocents’ because four young children were the first to be buried in the small churchyard. The church is constructed from hand shaped stone from the Rangitata river and limestone brought accross the Rangitata from Mt Somers by bullock teams.