Mastering Mouse Hut

So recently my darling 4 year old informed Warren and me that she is no longer a baby and from now on insists on doing EVERYTHING her older sisters do! So as part of this mission Miss Millie took part in her first family Hut Stay.

After dodging the recent weather bomb (well almost) we all gathered our packs, loaded them full of goodies and headed up the mountain! Kia (our eldest) had already been up Mt Arthur with Warren on previous trips and as such Flora Hut became known in our family as Mouse Hut, as at the time (though thankfully not any more) it was completely over run with the furry little critters.
Now Flora Hut is a great 1st Hut to stay in if you are thinking about taking your kids on an overnight adventure. As I said before it’s only a short walk that isn’t too uphill. The track is graded and not technical and it’s surrounded in the most beautiful beach forest with a river running alongside.

The hut itself is generally not full as most people walk to the higher altitude Mt Arthur Hut. Even so it’s best not to leave your run too late. There are 2 rooms each with 6 bunks and an open fire. You definitely need sleeping bags as even in January (as we found out) it can be very chilly and being an open fire the heat generated isn’t massive. You might also want to take some fire lighting bits as the wood can sometimes be a little damp. As always we can help you out with all the bits and bobs you might need.
We all arrived at the hut a little soggy from the rain, but soon warmed up with some hot Lancashire Hotpot and Stew and Dumplings by Wayferer cooked on the fabulous Primus Lite Plus, and a hot chocolate (this little baby boils a full billy in under 3 minutes, wow!).

Our family are Uno mad and so several games ensued. Thanks to a left behind deck of cards we also taught the kids how to play solitaire which they all rather enjoyed. As darkness arrived we all snuggled in our beds and listened to the evening bird call. The friendly Weka also visited the hut, looking for an evening snack.
In the morning we awoke to beautiful day with the sun shining and the kids gleefully explored the outside, going down to the stream, exploring the trees and quietly following Mrs Weka as she searched for her breakfast. Once hungry bellies started calling some bubbling hot porridge and more hot chocolate got them fuelled up for the return journey.

We took a leisurely walk back to the car, spotting robins and other critters along the way. Having recently watched the Trolls movie, the girls decided that Mt Arthur was perfect Troll country full of moss and ferns and knobbly trees. They even found water slides and ‘hot tubs’ for their Pack Buddies….a special little toy that always goes with them on tramps. They always have great fun trying to find amusing spots for their Pack Buddies to get into mischief with (Pack Buddies are a great way to keep the adventure going for the kids, if you want more info on these great little buddies feel free to come and talk to us).

So if you’re thinking of some adventure with your little ones and need a bit of help with what to pack, where to go and what to do, feel free to give us a call or better still pop in and see us.

Please note that the road up to the (Nelson) Mt Arthur car park is quite steep and there can be slips after heavy rain so it’s best to check with DOC to make sure the road is open before you go. If you have a 4 wheel drive this is the best type of vehicle to take, but as long as you’re not driving a camper van or unreliable vehicle you should be fine. Again check with DOC if you are unsure