Sunrise Hut
Sunrise Hut occupies a position right on the bushline in Buttercup Hollow in the sunny Hawke's Bay. First built in 1983, using an 8-bunk Fraemohs design (similar to Lockwood) it was a pair with Barlow Hut, located in the nearby Makarora River. However, after the Department of Conservation upgraded the Sunrise Track in the late 1980s, the hut soon got very popular, so in 2005 it was expanded into the 20-bunk structure of today.
In early 2021, Sally Neal from the Backcountry Trust led a group of volunteers to repaint the hut with Dulux products. The rest of the team included: Ed Cook, Aaron Neal, Helen Payn and Tobias Wevers.
Flying in by helicoper, the team removed flaking paint and mould, scraping, using a wire brush and sanding. Following up with a generous dose of Dulux Prep Wash.
The team then protected the buildings with Dulux Weathershield in Dulux Colours of New Zealand Waiau Bay Half and Ruahine (shed).
All up, the team completed about 130 person hours of solid work.
“The hut is looking smart with its new paint, and the improvements last year include a new fireplace, a heat transfer system and refurbished interior painting. The track improvements will allow visitors to focus on the sights and sounds while accessing this great part of the country,” says DOC Manawatu Supervisor Shaun Ruddle.
Exterior
Waiau Bay Half
Waiau Bay Half is a soft neutral that transforms any room in the house into a cosy and comfortable living space. Its natural undertones make it the perfect match for warm whites, warm neutrals, reds and browns. It pairs well with warm whites Southern Alps and Cardrona Half.
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Sunrise Hut occupies a position right on the bush line in Buttercup Hollow in the sunny Hawke's Bay and was built in 1983.